Chapter 178: Twentieth Episode: Chapter 6 (1/2)
Chapter 178: Twentieth Episode: Chapter 6
Translator: EndlessFantasy TranslationEditor: EndlessFantasy Translation
”Hide...”
A terrible shriek caught the people's attention! In the blink of an eye, a huge rock fell from the sky and rolled towards the city.
The dust flew in the air. The crumbling sound of a building was followed by the silence of the whole castle just like this uninvited guest had taken all the lives away.
Bencil Donnis swung his subordinate who was trying to suppress him away. This Chef Commander of the Region wiped away the dust on his body and stood up as if he was alright. He lowered his body as he climbed to the top of the city. This was all due to the snipers under the city wall. Who knew where these people were from. Their aim was strangely accurate.
The general lowered his body and swung the body of a warrior to a side. Outside of the gate were full of invader's army. However, the thing that made Bencil relieved was the few enemy's trebuchets had stopped working. This meant that they, too, needed a rest.
The experienced Commander of the Twelfth Region hid his figure well. Without observing, he knew that the halt of the trebuchet indicated that the enemy's advancing unit was already close to the castle.
”Another 5000-men team!” the soldier on the tower shouted suddenly, his words seemed to not receive any reply.
Footsteps sounded outside of the castle. Over the thick walls, it sounded just like a bunch of blood-thirsty mosquitoes, making annoying noises!
General Bencil Donnis tore open the collar of his uniform and showed his thick chest hair. On it was stained with blood and sweat. The general scanned his surroundings and chose a wide-blade sword made by the Leblese people. Then, he kicked the owner of this sword to one side.
The enemy began their attack! At first, it was a shout. Then, the voice made by all wild beasts at the same time! The invaders placed the long stairs at the gate of the castle, then yelled in synchrony.
”Only Hoillander will yell this way!” General Bencil thought.
Right when the enemy was about to reach the top, the Commander of the Twelfth Region finally let out a roar that resembled a lion. He was the first to get out of the gate. With a slash, he cut at the enemy who first reached the top and beheaded the person.
Along with the shouts of both sides, blood and bodies kept intertwining. The clashing of weapons and terrible screams were all over the place. The warriors of the Guards used all sorts of methods to take care of their enemy. Some with swords, some rocks and some with hugs. Those who were suppressed by the enemy hugged their enemy and fell from the city walls.
After a while, maybe it was right when a part of the gate was taken, a Paladin who held the White Cross Flower Flag of Hoilland Kingdom jumped up the city wall. His armor was shining with a slight tint of gold that seemed to flow in it. This knight slashed at a few Titan soldiers, then waved the flag towards the invaders down the wall as if he was showing off.
Bencil Donnis was impatient! His Leblese sword was curved from the fight, so he changed to a huge ax. The general of Guards jumped on the ruined wall, slashed a few enemies, then headed towards that part of the gate by stepping on the enemy's bodies.
The dumb Hoilland knight was still waving the flag. Until the ax of the Titan's general slashed onto his back, the enemy on the city immediately advanced towards the easy target Bencil. In the end, they collided with the Titan soldiers. Therefore, the killing continued.
After destroying the stairs by the gate with his ax, Bencil finally took a deep breath. He threw the body of that Paladin and the enemy's flag down the wall. Before he does that, he did not forget to say, ”F*ck off! You motherf*cking bastard!”
After that, nobody knew when this happened. Overall, the enemy who came in the blink of an eye retreated like the tide. Bodies were all over the city. The broken shields were buried underneath, and blood flowed in the gutter, leading out of the city. It was flowing endlessly just like a waterfall.
”Another day...” the old general wiped his grey face. He sat by the gate, depressed. All around him were faces who he was familiar with, but now they were without any sign of life.
”Is there anyone still breathing?” Suddenly, the Chief Commander of the Twelfth Region was impatient. He hated the silence during the break of war.
A few warriors of the Guards who were bathed in blood stood up respectively in the castle which was now just like a ruin. They searched for survivors in the castle with ”strange rocks” until they heard the calling of their commander and gathered around.
”General! Everyone is fine!”
”Hahaha...seeing you kids feel good!” Bencil laughed happily. Who knew what had gotten into this general of Guards who was trapped here for more than a week.
Caven Fort was probably the last standing military base of Titan's Guards at Buzaberg Jetty. Yesterday, the Commander of the Twelfth Region still could not believe it because he was notified that the enemy had taken down the rest of the castle. There were twenty thousand soldiers guarding those places. However, this morning, General Bencil had to believe it without a choice because the enemy had thrown the heads of the few castle commanders into the city by using a trebuchet.
According to sayings, at that time, the general cried so badly that it caused the warriors of the Twelfth Region who was trapped in this place more depressed. So, the general had to come out and explain that amongst the heads of the few military officers was his youngest son.
The warriors were cheerful again. They weren't touched or pity. These normal soldiers simply thought that the general lost his son and so the guys outside of the castle were going to be in bad luck.
The truth seemed to suggest so as well. The Anti-Titan Alliance Army outside of the Fort had been in bad luck since the start of the battle! At first, there was a terrible rain. The few small fire cannons of Hoillanders immediately stopped working. Then, the rain caused a few small-scale landslides. The guards on Caven Fort saw with his own eyes that a 1000-men unit of either Faran of Leblese disappeared without a trace with the landslide.
To celebrate this matter, General Bencil distributed the last few barrels of Brandy. Finally, his soldiers got excited as if they just took some fake medication. Everyone said the God of Light had blessed the Twelfth Region.
However, the war worsened in the afternoon. The Anti-Titan Alliance Army acted as if they were mad! These lowly-people from the west sent six advance divisions into the front battle of Caven Fort. More than ten 1000-men formation congested the narrow castle. Even though such situation allowed Titan archers to take lives without even opening their eyes, those with axes who blocked the city gate were speechless. They had to deal with the countless enemy. Not only they needed to be wary of the arrows from below the gate but also filled in the gap with their chest when their weapon was broken.
The fight of the city continued for one whole day. From the heavy rainfall to a clear sky, the Golden Lion flag still flew proudly on Caven Fort which stood on the mountain. Even though about 70% of soldiers were already lost, the surviving soldiers still utilized the short break to reconstruct their formation.
From corps to division, division to group, group to battalion, company or even platoon. The soldiers who had continued the resistance in Caven Fort for nine days and nights were still keeping up their defense infrastructure. Their division of work was clear and formation strict. The injured ones were gathered at an underground tunnel of the fort and utilized the limited medical aid to help each other; some formed groups. They collected the arrows that could still be used, destroyed the buildings in the fort and took some bodies that looked sturdy to act as a cannon on the trebuchet. Lastly, one part of soldiers gathered around their officer. They were receiving battle training.
It seemed that the whole fort was working seamlessly! The survivors in the city threw the enemy's bodies down the city wall and gathered their comrades' bodies at one place. The warriors who searched for weapon nearby had to use all their might to get the weapon off the sacrificed ones' hands. As the commanding officer of the Twelfth Region, finding men who had complete limbs amongst them was not easy, but everyone could still recognize these people in one glance. Just by looking at whose voice was the loudest and whose armor had the largest gap, then this guy must be an officer. There was no mistake!
Until in the evening, the surviving ones with axes gathered by the gate to take their dinner. They used a wheat cake which was soaked wet to do their calculations. Some were from the first defense unit, but not many were left. Another unit belonged to the second badge, but not many were left as well. The rest of the unfamiliar faces were all replacement soldiers of the third, fourth and fifth badge. The veteran of the Twelfth Region described the men amongst these people who could not even wear the helmet of the smallest size ”baby”. However, the veteran must also admit that the battle technique of these babies was not bad at all.
After asking only they knew that these little men were students from the cavalry academies nearby. The replacement soldiers from the seventh until ninth grade were all here.
This way, after they graduate, these young lads were already Captains. The least would be Second Lieutenants! The veterans exclaimed, ”Who let these future officers go to the battlefield at this time?” They complained. In the end, the ”baby” who led the group shrugged. He said the tutors retreated to the other side of the river like refugees. The ones who remained were true men.
”The tutors in cavalry academy were women?” a veteran widened his eyes.
The little knight scratched his head, ”Believe me. This is the truth!”
In the end, the young soldiers roared with laughter with the veterans whose mouth was full of yellowed teeth.
”What is your name?”
The knight turned around. He immediately stood up and saluted.
”Report, sir. Reserve Captain Panitigol Asgan of Horastock Knight Academy Paladin Class report-”
Bencil Donnis waved his hands and interrupted the little knight, ”Do you know Mautius of the Asgan family?”
The veterans nearby gathered around curiously. They were discussing in small voices. No wonder this little guy would not lose to anyone when it came to fighting! This reserve captain was from that infamous Asgan family. This family's land was at Groda area, the infamous Home of Knights!
”Mautius?” Captain Panitigol thought about it before replying, ”He is my father!”
Bencil gazed at the warrior in front of him again. He could not see the shadow of that father on this child.
”You... are more like your mother...”
The little guy raised his head in surprise, ”You know of my mother?”
The Commander of the Twelfth Region downed a mouthful of Brandy, troubled, ”If it wasn't because I drank a little too much during the duel with your father, your mother will marry another person already...”
The veterans around him roared with laughter. Even the little warrior lowered his head in embarrassment.
”Why are you saying this?” General Donnis waved suddenly. He turned to the child of his old friend who looked stunned, ”I don't want to know why you are here but listen to my command. Gather your people now!”
Panitigol ran to the city immediately. He gathered the reserve knights he led at the empty place at Caven Fort into a loose 1000-men unit.
Bencil scratched his head while facing this bunch of young warriors. He did not understand why there were so many students who had not even grown off age.
”I am the commanding officer of the Twelfth Region! Now listen to my order!”
The students' unit let out a neat sound of army boots as they stood in attention.
”Tonight, Captain Panitigol Asgan will lead you and retreat from the north side of this fort. You...”
”Objection…objection...”
”Shut up!” Bencil showed a terrifying face to the complaining people. He knew this was not the time to do this, ”Listen up! This is the highest war order given by the Chief Commander of the Twelfth Region. You don't need to think of other things, but you must follow!”
Panitigol approached the commanding officer who had just gave the highest war order. He knew that since the general of Guards had given such order, then there was no room for negotiation already.
”Can you tell me...why do we have to retreat?”
Bencil looked deeply into the warrior's eyes. He knew that this kid would be an excellent officer in the future, but surely not now.
”Didn't you see those who were injured? You must take advantage when those dogs from the west have not gotten the route that leads to the jetty. You must take and send them safely to the other side of the river.”
”Yes, sir!” Panitigol saluted to the Chief Commander. Guarding the injured? He thought this was an important duty, ”I swear to God that all your injured soldiers will be brought to safety.”
Bencil nodded. His voice had weakened, ”Dispatch, kids! I wish you good luck!”
The young knights were dispatched. Some warriors were crying. The veterans who surrounded them were consoling these brave kids, but the situation was not getting any better. This team of warriors was all over the fort. Some leaning on each other, some sitting around. They soon stopped the discussion. The fighting these few days had made them numb and also made them true soldiers. These kids were still learning about knights' duties a few weeks ago in class. Today, they had become strong fighters who had killed numerous enemy.
At night, the invaders' camp lit up the fire. These lights surrounded the lonely fort and the enormous sound boomed.
The night wind delivered the stench of bodies and burning bodies, especially near the fort. It was approximately in the afternoon, no one knew the exact time, the invaders dispatched a death squad. This unit of strong warriors pushed the cart and slammed into the fort gate. In the end, they were burnt to ashes by oil.
General Bencil covered his mouth and nose with a cloth. He managed the people to repair the gate which was already ruined. The general could only fill the hole on the gate with rocks and woods.
Obviously, the Anti-Titan Alliance Army did not prepare enough to fight the strong resistance, but the delay of the war was mostly due to the geographical position of the Caven Fort which was difficult to attack. This diamond-shaped fort was the last defense mechanism of Buzaberg Military Jetty. It was only a few kilometers to the jetty itself. Looking down from the north wall of Caven Fort, there was only cliffs and the light at the riverside.
At the direct south side of the fort, the Titan Guards had built four other forts at the nearby highlands and mountain, but at this moment they were already under the control of the enemy. The blazing fire under the night sky had already prepaid the funeral for them.
From the northwest highway, Caven Fort was the front station of Shawob River. It was located right at the end of the highlands. Behind it were cliffs of more than 30 meters in height, and the front was rocky empty plains. The Anti-Titan Alliance Army still could not find a route which was suitable to attack this fort, so they decided to deal with it at the end of their battle. This battle had continued for more than a week.
”So, we can't stop our attack! Definitely not!” Hoilland King Luth VII said to his officers in a loud voice. But his officers seemed to have gotten used to this noise. The war strategist was still busy drawing on the map in the tent. The generals stood there, unmoved as if their king was yelling at something in the air.
”What is our loss? Thirty thousand? Fifty?” Luth VII couldn't do the calculation even by using all of his fingers, but he was not an idiot, ”But did you know that the remaining force of Titan's Twelfth Region is all here? Once we eliminated them, we are in control of this whole war area! Retreat! We can defend right here if there's danger. Advance! The jetty is right in front of us! But I see my soldiers wavering!”
Luth VII swallowed his saliva, then took a sip of coffee. No matter how much his soldiers listened to him, he continued on.
This King who was in the prime of his life was called a handsome and beautiful gentleman when he was young. He was very popular among women in many countries, but his character made those that saw through him extremely disgusted. A lot of people gave such comments to the King of Hoilland – comparative, proud, belittling and self-indulgent! Even if his beautiful face was his natural ability, but this prideful King experienced the thing that every able person would experience. His marriage was not well.
His wife was the Princess of the Titan Empire. The eldest daughter of Alfa III. This Princess had a normal look but also loved to nag at him. From morning until night, she made the King of Hoilland irritated by her nagging. Once he heard that the Titan Imperial family was experiencing the most serious crisis, Luth VII immediately bid his wife farewell and aided in the battle as the son-in-law of Titan Emperor.
However, the soldiers would not understand the feelings of their King. They left their home and began the invasion battle, and this sudden war had led them into another dangerous situation.
”Your Majesty! Our army needs to rearrange!” Marshal Lavendi Mulierce spoke up. He was afraid their impatient Faran companions would suddenly stab his King.
”Rearrange? Why can't I see that?” Luth VII should be the most impatient person in the tent. He did not show any good expression to the Marshal whom he relied on the most.
Marshal Lavendi lowered his head and approached his King. He must inform his King of the danger of continuing the battle, ”My Lord! As what you have said, since the start of the battle, our attacks have caused the loss of more than fifty thousand people. Especially in the current battle, Titan's Army Division must have given a death order to his defense unit! So, the Twelfth Region has this spirit of preparing to die with the fort! This showed that the Guards at the river was not fully prepared. They need the Twelfth Region to get them more precious time in the battlefield!”
Luth VII widened his eyes, ”Then what are you waiting for since the Titan people are not ready yet? We should continue to increase our forces into attacking!”
Lavendi rolled his eyes, ”My Lord, the problem lies in here! We do not know what the Guards are preparing for. If they are preparing their defense, then very well. We will advance to Jeblin Fortress in half a month's time. But, if the Titan's Guards are preparing their retaliation…think about it! If we cross the river rashly, we will be encircled!”
”I know of this possibility!” Luth VII's mouth twitched. He was no idiot, ”But won't we get encircled if we stayed here? Don't forget, up until now, when we have intruded into Titan border for more than 200 kilometers, we only met such resistance! There are only the formal units of forty thousand people in the Twelfth Region of the Guards, but the total of all are seven hundred thousand people! What are these people doing? Watching a show?”