The Next War(2)


    Richard spread out a map, cautiously checking the terrain and situation around them. The opposing army had a lot of footsoldiers, so they moved at a slow pace. They were currently fifty kilometres away, which would require an entire day’s march to cover. Even after that, they would need a night’s rest before they could attack.


    Thends on the border of the Sequoia Kingdom and the Bloodstained Lands experienced a sudden rise in elevation, so Richard’s fief was several hundred metres higher than the Bloodstained Lands. The terrain wasplicated here, with many mountainous regions that were difficult to traverse. The ce lent itself greatly to gueri warfare, so Richard decided to fight Zim’s army here. Although his troops were fewer in number, they were all elites with the experience of numerous battles. He always prized their adaptability, and this battlefield was one that required exactly that.


    ......


    As night fell slowly, Viscount Zim’s army came to a stop. They would set off at dawn, reaching Richard’snds the next afternoon. The young Baron Fontaine had already been bought over, agreeing to not providebour and materials to Richard. This would leave their enemies without any defensive structures; even the barracks would be a temporary building.


    The Hignd Unicorn himself was pacing around a huge, luxurious tent in the centre of the base, asionally cursing loudly at Richard. When not throwing expletives, he was imagining how he would torture that damned frontier knight, leaving him so excited he could not sleep.


    There were four beautiful nobledies in the tent, making it seem slightly crowded. These daughters of noble houses were acting like maids, pouring him water and wine. The traditionalws of not bringing women along only applied to the regr soldiers, holding no power over Zim. Most of this army was made of his personal troops anyway.


    Zim continued waving his fist around, dering that he wanted a fight to the death in Richard’s territory. As a true noble, he would defeat that mere frontier knight who hade out from goodness-knows-where. However, at the same time, many warhorses used the cover of the night to gradually near the base. The horses’ hooves were covered with cloth, preventing any sounds from their trot. The desert warriors atop were masters at horsemanship, so their mounts remained very docile under theirmand.


    A small group of soldiers was patrolling the temporary base in circles, gradually growing farther away from the small team. Richard waited until they were out of sight to raise his right hand, upon which r immediately brought out his bow and aimed straight at the camp. When the hand fell, two enchanted arrows flew soundlessly through the night sky likeets, burying themselves into the two sentinels on the watchtower.


    The sentinels immediately fell down. Although the couldn’t make any sounds themselves, the heavy thuds still rmed quite a few of the warriors. However, it was at this exact moment that Richard pointed forward, having the dozens of desert warriors behind him spur their horses on towards the camp.


    A few barbarians charged towards the sides of the camp withrge strides, making quick work of the crude fence with therge axes in their hands. They met a few soldiers who had just run out of their tents, chuckling menacingly as they brandished theirrge axes to bring down the first few who weren’t adjusted to the darkness. They then headed towards another tent, where rmed shouts were ringing out. The soldiers within were still wearing their clothes and armour, unaware that the god of death had alreadye for them.


    Two sturdy warriors surrounded the tent, taking a deep breath before whirling their axes at the same time. A sharp whistle sounded before the cries within suddenly disappeared; with its pirs broken apart, the tent had copsedpletely. Blood quickly soaked the cloth.


    The warriors were still eager to continue, shing wantonly at the bulges in the cloth a few times. Every attack turned the cloth redder, and it was only when a dozen soldiers approached them in formation that they were forced to stop. A low-ranking officer was at the head of this group of soldiers, preventing the barbarians from advancing any further.


    At that moment, a burning fireball pierced the darkness tond in front of the soldiers. The explosion sent four of them flying, turning four more into human torches. The barbarians seemed fearless, quickly moving into the broken formation and charging the officer down. Their goal was not to kill as many as they could; it was more important to sow chaos and kill the leaders. Without their captains, the footsoldiers would just be scattered sand.


    Even as the barbarians’ axes were raised high, they suddenly felt a breeze blow past them. How could any breeze blow in this world of raging mes and energy? Their eyes twitched as they continued to prepare the attacks, but the officer in front of them suddenly went stiff. A de with no lustre poked out of his chest, piercing right through his heart.


    Phaser appeared behind the officer like a demon. Her body half-bowed, she swiftly passed between the two barbarians and hid behind them. These warriors knew that this assassin was one of Richard’s warriors, so they roared and brought their axes down, cutting down the soldiers who were pursuing her.


    Richard was currently moving along the borders of the camp. He already had a clear picture of the chaos in the camp, three sides already broken into by his army. Zim’s enormous and eye-catching tent was less than a hundred metres away, but over a hundred elites were already gathered around it. A level 14 general was shouting outmands, gathering the scattered soldiers and grouping them in defensive formations.


    The ability to form a defensive line around the Viscount was proof enough of this general’s ability. The soldiers under him were also courageous and powerful. Seeing the neat defensive formation around therge tent, Richard gave up on his initial n of using the ambush to capture Zim alive.


    However, the true attack had yet to ur. Wandering around the camp in the night, Richardunched fireball after fireball into the fray. Therge projectiles normally set three or four tents on fire, and the raging winds from the mes only helped the chaotic inferno spread further.


    All of a sudden, many cries started ringing from the camp’s stables. Nobody had noticed as a greyish ball of light flew into the stable, silently exploding into a mental attack on the squires guarding the ce. Everyone started panicking, and the warhorses were startled as well. They began to kick and bite, doing their best to struggle free of the ropes.


    In the midst of that chaos, screams and shouts rang out in the night sky. A bunch of hatchets whizzed through the air, cutting down seven or eight of the squires in the confusion. These hatchets were immensely powerful, able to cleave the bone off even the majestic warhorses.


    *BANG!* The stable fences were torn apart by the two trolls, and the barbarians and desert warriors quickly flooded the stables to begin an attack on the squires. Another fear spellnded in the midst of the enemy. The location and timing were extremely precise, ensuring that the seemingly chaotic desert warriors were not caught in its effects. The squires were all debilitated, and the barbarians who had charged ahead were barely affected given the natural valour of their race. WIth half their opponents incapacitated, the battle ended up being a massacre.


    Another strange wave of yells rang through the night, but nobody could tell thenguage of these screams. Another wave of hatchets quickly flew through the sky, cutting down ten of the squires who were huddled together. Their morale finally hit rock bottom in the face of this fierce offense, and they began to escape in all directions.