Chapter 586: Act 332 – XVI
Brendel’s vision of the space between heaven and earth became elongated and expansive. Ahead, the spear-wielders were lowering their stances, their shining helmets sinking in succession as the long spears rose like phoenixes from a sea of helmets. He could faintly hear Beth’s voice, sharp as a siren, cry out “Fire—” A volley of arrows whizzed overhead, turning into black dots and raining down at a distance.
The northern alliance’s formation resembled a wave of blue and white, producing a series of explosions. Continuous flashes of light and shrill screams merged into a cacophony, as sharp gusts seemed to cover dozens of meters in an instant, clanging metal rings striking against his armor.
Bright light flashed, and Brendel squinted. The light infantry of the Brulet Company had already begun their final charge, their line forming a complete arc as they crossed the shallow stream. Crystals exploded beneath their feet, sending columns of water into the air, as young faces fell in the mist, while his comrades trampled over their fallen bodies to continue advancing. About fifty meters to the left and right, within the dense woods at the foot of Machinkov Mountain and Vilek Mountain, the infantry of the Finn and Konstantin brigades were barely visible beneath the treetops, but bursts of explosions erupted in the forest—without concern for friendly fire, the archers were sending arrows nearly exclusively at the two mountains. The deafening blasts were about to lift the earth itself, as black pine branches were broken and toppled, along with the banners of the two northern brigades.
Suddenly, glimmers of light erupted in the distance on the battlefield.
Brendel immediately understood what it was: magical attacks! The mages of the northern alliance had joined the fray, fiery orbs suddenly streaking across thousands of meters, transforming into fireballs the size of heads. Yet, pale blue water curtains unfurled above the noble retinue’s array, and the fireballs crashed against the water barrier, exploding into countless red flames that scattered in all directions.
However, the roar of the explosions caused the Earl Ouding’s private soldiers to stir, their formation beginning to become chaotic. Brendel cursed under his breath, intending to rally morale, but a clear and calm voice preempted him.
“Do not retreat, I am here! I stand with you, fighting alongside you!” The princess’s voice was firm and composed, though her pale hand tightly gripping the sword hilt betrayed her true feelings.
“Your Highness!” Brendel turned abruptly, only to see Princess Grifian not far from him.
She glanced at him, her silver eyes filled with unease. But she turned back, solemnly declaring, “I am the Princess of Erluin! I shall remain here; today our bl**d shall flow together!” The royal dignity still carried great influence among commoners, and seeing that the princess stood behind them miraculously calmed the nobles’ unrest.
Seeing this, Freya stepped forward to join the front row, drawing her longsword to stand with the noble soldiers. Though the girl from Buche was not outspoken, as long as she held the Lionheart Sacred Sword firmly without stepping back, the men would feel ashamed to abandon their positions, leaving her to face the army alone.
Following her, the few remaining officers from the Royal Cavalry Academy also stepped up to the front line. No one spoke, but an unexplainable spirit seemed to shine from them. At that moment, Brendel’s heart raced with excitement.
He lowered the Earth Sword to his chest, raised his head to look ahead. A blue and white wave was piercing through the smoke created by the explosions as the northern alliance’s light infantry had crossed the riverbank and were almost in reach.
Viscount von Dagning, struggling through the explosions, spat out dirt from his mouth. He looked up, his vision piercing the smoky chaos, oddly finding that the noble soldiers of Ouding had just regained their composure from the earlier unrest. “The enemy has capable officers as well…” this thought crossed his mind.
The two armies collided with a thunderous crash.
The noble soldiers brandished their long spears simultaneously. The front-running Brulet light infantry, unable to reach them, were already being stabbed. The sharp spearheads pierced the sloped breastplates of the Brulet light infantry, toppling them in rows. From a distance, the Brulet’s leading swallow-tailed banner collapsed like wheat stubble.
The noble soldiers stepped back, but the second row of Brulet infantry had already thrust their war halberds through the forest of long spears. Yet, all those halberds thrust in vain against great shields; the backline of noble soldiers used their spears to stab through the gaps in the shields, accurately piercing the unprotected ones to the ground.
But the rear light infantry pressed on, stepping over their comrades’ corpses. The noble soldiers were forced to retreat, and due to inconsistent impacts from all directions, although the front-line officers were shouting “Fall back! Fall back!” interfaces of continuous breaks still appeared in the first row.
Brendel’s heart was screaming that things were looking bad, but he found the opposing Brulet light infantry wasn’t making the most of these breaks; they were also blindly pushing forward. It suddenly dawned on him, slapping his forehead, realizing he was commanding just a noble private army. On the other side was merely a second-line legion made up of low-grade human light infantry.
He breathed a sigh of relief; he had indeed been a bit too neurotic. After all, it was the year of the sword, and the forces surrounding the battlefield were not like those famed legions of later generations. He calmed himself, raising his gaze to see layers upon layers of helmets, tips of shields, spearheads, and banners in the vast sea ahead, where a unit of ground dragon riders was lurking just outside the formation.
“It’s that guy…”
Brendel realized the enemy was waiting for an opportunity, anticipating the gaps to widen further for the cavalry to exploit.
Instinctively, he looked in the direction of Machinkov and Vilek Mountains, and Viscount von Dagning was doing the same. The young viscount rode on the back of a ground dragon, watching the Finn and Konstantin brigades’ vanguards emerge at the edge of the woods—directly ahead of them was the left and right flanks of the noble soldiers’ three formations.
“Wow, they’re advancing faster than expected.” Viscount von Dagning froze for a moment; he was well aware of the Finn and Konstantin brigades’ capabilities, but he was surprised that they managed to push through the explosions at a critical moment.
Heaven helps Siphai.
But seeing the same scene, Brendel couldn’t help but think: “Beth did well.”
The noble soldiers’ formation backed against the Alke Mountain slowly retreated, and the previously retreating Grayfin naga royal guard and the Royal Cavalry Academy officers quickly appeared on their wings at the southern foot of Alke Mountain—
Viscount von Dagning instantly grasped Brendel’s intentions. Concentrating superior forces on the left and right wings, luring and crushing the northern alliance’s protrusion at Machinkov and Vilek Mountains, forming an encirclement around the Brulet infantry’s main force, “Signal flags,” he ordered immediately, “Have Viscount Finn and Baron Konstantin hold the line, tell them victory is in sight, and to unleash all their troops without hesitation.”
He paused, “Relay my orders to Earl Victorkin, best to request him to issue the same command again.”
The order-bearing cavalry immediately moved back.
The battle was escalating rapidly—
Due to repeated impacts, the noble soldiers’ formation was beginning to tilt slowly to one side, as if a massive block of butter were starting to melt, one corner severely lagging. Viscount von Dagning keenly seized this change, pointing his spear at the noble soldiers’ flank and shouting: “Concentrate fire on the left flank formation; let’s first break their main formation, victory will be ours!”
Brendel heard Earl Ouding’s roar behind him, frantically shouting, “Be careful of that cavalry, do not expose our flank to them!” For the first time, he felt the approach of danger; against such historical commanders, if it were only to command armies in battle, he might not indeed be a match for that guy.
“Mr. Brendel,” Princess Grifian’s pale face flushed slightly, her hand gripping her sword trembled due to the pressure. She looked around, enemies all around, as if surrounded by an endless ocean, “The left flank cannot hold!”
Brendel merely nodded at her.
“Nemezesis,” he called out loudly.
“Here!”
“Command is in your hands now.”
Nemezesis turned back, her black hair billowing, and Brendel noted a strange look in her eyes. But the lady knight didn’t ask any further questions, just nodded.
“Mr. Brendel, you…?” The princess was taken aback slightly, “What are you planning to do?”
Brendel was turning his horse, and the princess’s surprised voice caused all the subordinate officers, even the knights, to turn back, astonished to see their commander leaving the frontline, racing towards the left flank.
What is he planning to do?
Meanwhile, under the pressure of the allied forces, the noble soldiers’ left flank formation was clumsily retreating, becoming loose in segments, gradually being squeezed into a small triangle. As soon as Viscount von Dagning’s ground dragons circled around the flank, collapse seemed just a matter of time.
It was already too late to salvage.
Has the commander gone mad?
Viscount von Dagning thought the same; although he didn’t see Brendel, the opposing commander hadn’t given up on the left flank until now, containing the central formation. The response was too slow; he couldn’t help but scoff, perhaps it was too arrogant.
No matter how skilled a commander, they still need a competent army to execute orders. Those royal academy students didn’t understand how real war operated at all.
He could see the noble soldiers’ flank and the panicked faces of the rural infantry. Their terrified expressions were just like those beastly faces of Kwaiton at the moment of despair, the instinctive reactions of life facing doom.
The cavalry steadied their long spears and began to accelerate.
The ground trembled slightly; the massive claws of the ground dragon created a magical dance with each touch to the earth—the dry dust rose, forming clouds. But a series of gleaming lances pierced through this smoke—Viscount von Dagning lowered his body, letting out a beast-like roar as he thrust his spear heavily into the enemy’s formation.
The tremendous force pierced through the oval giant shield; however, the cavalry continued to accelerate, using their weight to break through the giant shield. In an instant, the noble formation collapsed, beginning to retreat in chaos.
It was at this moment that Viscount von Dagning realized he had grasped victory in his hands. Next, the left flank of Earl Ouding’s forces would collapse, sweeping over the entire princess’s main formation, and then the Brulet light infantry and his cavalry would divide the battlefield, just as they had done to those foolish Lionmen on the eastern front.
But just then.
He heard a distant howling.
The howl seemed to come from dense forests, from the vast wilderness. At that moment, the young viscount felt an illusion before his eyes, the earth darkening under the silver moon as a giant wolf sped past.
A long howl, and then the mountain forest trembled, the howls of wolves penetrating the forest in an instant, reverberating through time and space, rising and falling across the entire battlefield.
“Wolves?”
A shadow obscured the sunlight above Viscount von Dagning, as he looked up and saw a colossal beast leap high, its black fur shimmering under the sunlight, but its crimson eyes glinted with a chilling killing intent. Even though it was past noon under the scorching sun, the young viscount felt no warmth, only a chilling sensation across his body.
Instinctively, he raised his spear, piercing the massive black wolf’s fur and revealing thick bone beneath—no, it was akin to rock. The spear tip struck the rock, sparking; this was no illusion but a real existence.
Viscount von Dagning distinctly noticed the black wolf twisting in mid-air, dodging his attack, and brushing past him to land near the ground dragon.
“Such powerful strength…” Viscount von Dagning felt his hand trembling slightly from the strain. He looked up and saw hundreds of crimson eyes emerging from the shadow of Alke Mountain, wolves racing within the forest, seemingly rushing towards their direction.
“It’s wolves!”
“So many wolves!” Behind him, the Brulet infantry also noticed their new enemies at the first opportunity. In fact, everyone across the battlefield saw the black tide of wolves surging from one side, the edges of the forest opening black gates—those giant beasts leaping out from them one by one.
“What a chaotic situation,” Viscount von Dagning finally reacted, unable to suppress his internal curses. But he had no time for further thoughts, as the cavalry accelerated their charge. He glanced back at the black wolf he had faced; it was far behind, seemingly uninterested in pursuing them, turning back to charge into the rear infantry.
And across the battlefield, countless black wolves were executing the same maneuver, as if they were a well-disciplined army. No, in fact, no proper army could achieve such effective command.
Viscount von Dagning’s heart tightened; he suddenly realized these wolves might not just be common woodland beasts—were they Druids? No, Druids don’t control beasts.
The Brulet infantry suddenly uttered a cry of alarm.
The viscount immediately looked up, and at that moment, he could hardly believe his eyes. The black tide of wolves was splitting from the left and right sides, as if parting to allow a path, and at the heart of that path, a person on horseback was making his way through the wolf pack.
It was Brendel.
Brendel was also looking up at him.
A dark crystal slowly emerged from his forehead, shimmering with an unusual light.
Brendel stationed himself at the main formation, believing not in Earl Ouding’s soldiers but in himself. With one person facing a thousand troops, it was not impossible after all.
And now, he was using reality to teach this viscount a lesson.
I, am the left flank.
The sky brightened slightly, as countless wind element spiders began to rise from the forest, swiftly forming a massive array of light behind Brendel. All of Brulet’s infantry couldn’t help but slightly open their mouths at this scene; just a day prior, their dragon cavalry had personally experienced the power of these little creatures, but now—it was their turn.
Brendel stood tall on horseback, simply pointing his sword forward.
A golden-red rain of light cascaded down in the direction of his sword, penetrating the leading ground dragon cavalry one by one. Hundreds of knights were turned to ash almost in an instant. However, he was slightly disappointed to see that Viscount von Dagning was indeed cautious; he had already turned and fled with several guards the moment the wind element spiders took flight, evading this round of strikes.
The wind element spider’s attacks did have a certain delay; when Brendel sought the enemy again, they had already blended into the Brulet light infantry and even abandoned their mounts—forcing him to silently deride how cowardly this fellow was, and wondered how Freya had dealt with him.
But this was not outside his expectations; after all, the guy who didn’t dare to duel him at Ampere Seale likely could not muster any courage. Nobles often preserve their reputation at the cost of their lives for a battle with their opponents.
Brendel shook his head, opting not to order the wind element spiders to attack the Brulet infantry. He understood that the fight was far from over; every bit of elemental energy matters. Meanwhile, the enemies before him posed no threat.
Before him, the joint “army” formed of black wolves and rock leopards was colliding fiercely with the Brulet light infantry. However, several hundred black wolves of silver and black iron caliber could barely withstand the assault of several thousand troops in this direction.
Brendel was waiting for an opportunity.
Meanwhile, the commanders of the Brulet brigade were also waiting for the Finn and Konstantin brigades to complete their encirclement.
Brendel couldn’t help but raise his head.
In his view, Machinkov Mountain and Vilek Mountain were shrouded in the dense sounds of explosions.
Viscount Finn was dumfounded amidst the ear-splitting explosions as he called loudly towards Earl Victorkin’s knight attendant, trying to shout over the terrifying detonations: “What did you say?”
“You said the earl ordered me to launch an attack? To commit all our forces?”
The attendant knight nodded.
“Yes, sir! Viscount von Dagning has accurately reported the risk-taking behavior of those who threw themselves into battle at the first opportunity to the earl, who also praised the tenacity of the Finn brigade. Both gentlemen hope that you can commit even more troops to assist the frontline—it is victory that is in sight!”
Both shouted hoarsely, as if only this way could they hear each other amidst the trembling mountaintop—where it felt as if it might explode into the sky at any moment.
But Viscount Finn’s face betrayed an incredibly strange expression; when had he sent the vanguard into combat? Hadn’t his vanguard been annihilated in the first strike? The enemy’s “magic” was truly terrifying; he had never seen such an unending “spell”.
“Viscount sir?”
“This…”
Viscount Finn was at a loss for words, unsure of how to respond.
…
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