Chapter 27: LIKE A SCARLET FLOWER IN ALL ITS GLORY
Chapter 27: LIKE A SCARLET FLOWER IN ALL ITS GLORY
PS : I recommend listening to Valley of Wolves Lions Inside when reading this chapter
The soldier on the right sides moves disorderly as shouts filled the blood drenched battlefield.
The cavalry smash upon the fallen heads, leaving a dye of red.
Slashing sounds and hooves of horses could be heard in the same beat like a score of music blended perfectly in harmony.
The tides of battle changes in an instant the moment Aero gave his order. His trap succeeded. And in succeeding, it spells doom for Vetten soldiers.
The confidence of the cavalry faltered when they saw the trained movement of the soldiers.
One of the cavalry officer look behind him and all he could see was enemy soldiers.
Vanheim soldiers looking at them full of bloodlust, full of anger and full of determination. He look left and he look right.
And then he saw it in the distance as a heavy feeling spreads inside his heart. His soldiers are being surrounded, like a herd of lamb to the slaughterhouse.
Not far away from them arrows riddled the bodies of his soldiers making his soldiers look like a porcupine.
The heavy feeling returned
A feeling he should not have. Not right here, not right now.
It is…fear.
When he charges in, he was valiant, full of sprit and bloodlust, full of such confidence that he believes nothing could withstand his charge.
But now…fear creeps in.
And his hand trembles.
His body produces sweat. Dripping slowly to the ground the sound of which sounds like of a ticking clock.
Before he even manages to order his subordinates, a spear pierced his head as his head exploded into misty rain showering his nearby companion.
And the shouts and screams of despair continue, as the beats of horses hooves stomping the ground resumes.
The harmony of the screams and the sound of weapons slashing flesh resonates again.
In the battlefield, life does not bloom. It only ends.
For the nobles, they need to win. For the soldiers, there is only one objectives.
Survive.
Any thought about fame, glory will all disappears the moment a sword, or a spear nearly take their lives.
At that moment instinct take over. Survive…it screams! Survive and live on! But death still comes and reap. The Vanheim army is slaughtering the Vetten
It was like they were lions. Even if the ground that they are walking is cutting through their skin, they would hunt down their prey until their bitter end.
A killing feast began as the lions were unleashed.
Meanwhile on the left flank
The Vanheim army quickly enveloped the Vetten troops with thunder-like speed and quickly they attacked relentlessly.
Arrows, magic attacks, traps and variety of attack were subjected towards the left flank. Explosion sounded in an interval of one second sometimes even lesser than that.
With this much noise, one had to scream to relay anything
"What is happening?" Chris is in charge of the left flank was shocked of this sudden development.
It was not only shocking it was unexpected. As Chris was still reeling from the shock, from afar a great warhorses is crossing through enemy lines to reach Chris.
Screams and blood marks the trail which this person travels
This person is dressed in white robe, and he slashes anyone in his way. Cutting people like vegetables, with each cuts he cut people into two.
Even players were not spared of such vicious death.
Those who clash with the white robed person all knew who that person that is crossing enemy lines and singlehandedly killing so many people
Aero!
Cutting a horses into two Aero appears in front of Chris with Chris too shocked to say anything of this sudden development.
'I will take your head as a gift to the King of Vanheim!'
This is the only thing he say before he proceeds to attacking.
Aero raised his trusted sword and attacked, his attack was as thunderous as lightning, fast and lethal.
Chris even though was shocked, was still a powerful person so by reflex he dodged.
But Aero only smirked.
He jabbed Chris in the stomach with the hilt of his sword as the pain travels all over Chris body.
Chris doubled over. Aero will not let this opportunity go as he changed his movement, his sword ready to reap lives.
Aero smacked him in the face with the hilt of his sword making him stunned and unable to deflect the next attack that is about to come.
With the flash of sword, and in view of Vetten soldiers, Aero make a spinning movement positioning his body and sword in front of Chris head.
'NO!!!' Chris was shouting in sorrow as he realizes what is about to happen but Aero smiles with a glint of cruelty inside his eyes.
Without hesitation, he slices Chris neck, as blood gushed out from the wound that reminds Aero of death executions.
With a little force he slices all the way through Chris neck bones, as Chris head flew into the air, separated from his body, his eyes open in bewilderment as his body slowly falls down with a thud on the ground
For one second, in the shout and screams infested battlefield, silence reigned. The Vetten troops seeing one of their commander die were shocked.
Without a leader they are disorganized.
And not only that.
Fear creeps in their hearts.
Looking at the valiant image of the white robe person, with his sword still red with the blood of their leader, no one take a step forward.
They should have at least tries to avenge their leader. But they were scared. Their instinct is telling them "Run…Survive….Live on!"
Dan was not far away when he saw what happens. He cheered and the people behind him cheered and the silence was broken.
The momentum and the tides of battle is on their sides right now. Dan would be an idiot not to capitalize on this matter.
Taking this chance Dan ordered his warrior
'CHARGE!!! KILL THE INVADERS!!!'
The Vetten troops in the left flanks were trying to retreat after the death of their leader but they were stopped by the Vanheim cavalry
The cavalry without waiting any orders raged in the battlefield like hungry lions.
They stomped their enemies, leaving red ground and soils with human flesh underneath the hooves of their horses.
Aero on the other hand as if to prove he still had a lot of energy after destabilizing the left flank, jump into battle once again, this time his warhorse runs faster through the battlefield as the rate of his killing increased.
He slashed like wind, moves like lightning, with each strikes, a life is taken and when he defended he was like the mountain, nothing could make him moves.
His strikes are as fierce as fire and he did not hesitate to use sly method to kill and destroy.
With his white robe he should be noticeable in the crowd but with all the sounds and the chaos in the battlefield even if people know who he is and saw him, to approach and kill him is not as easy as one would think.
Not to mention as Aero clears a path, his bodyguard quickly follows him from behind, clearing any stragglers
They did not once stop.
They only move forward, bulldozing as they punched through many lines of defense by the sheer power of will.
By the time they were too tired, about six hundred soldiers was annihilated. Aero huffed and puffed, his chest heaved heavily and his sword were drenched with dripping blood
Aero look at his word and smiles bitterly
'It's thanks to you' he said to his sword.
This feat is thanks to his swords. Its powerful damage really helped Aero in killing the soldiers. His agility on the other hand helps him escape many near misses.
"Come on. Come on. You're really slow!" taunt Aero towards the other soldiers in his vicinity as he realizes that the Vetten soldiers is inching away trying to run away.
He uses his skill taunt.
-Enemy attacks becomes slower by 10%
- Morale drops to 5%-
-Some troops becomes confused-
-Strength Increased By 1 Point (1 STR)-
-Strength Increased By 1 Point (1 STR)-
-Strength Increased By 1 Point (1 STR)-
-Strength Increased By 1 Point (1 STR)-
-Agility Increased By 1 Point (1 AGI)-
-Agility Increased By 1 Point (1 AGI)-
-Agility Increased By 1 Point (1 AGI)-
-You Have Leveled Up!-
-You Have Leveled Up!-
-You Have Leveled Up!-
Because he use Demonic Devil Energy Drain frequently during the war and combined with his intense fighting against the Vetten troops he gained many level up and increasing his stats.
But even though Aero kept on fighting the sea of enemies that come still seems like endless.
But Aero was not concerned. After all, he still has things under his sleeve. His trump card. So, he will do what he can, one step at a time.
Only then he can win. Those who try to do too much will only ended up ruined.
Kyle on the other hand even though his left flanks was almost ruined was not panicked. He was not stupid.
Now, he knows what Aero planned.
But judging from the amount of soldiers and looking at the battlefield, Kyle could guess that Aero did not have a sufficient tactical reserve on the back.
Kyle could still win. He only needs to organize the army and turn this round.
He then yelled to his soldiers amidst the battlefield
"We will win. Keep on pushing!!!"
But Kyle would know what true nightmare is from this point on. Dan and Raina who saw what happens smiles and Amy cheered in her heart.
The reason was because they could feel the earth tremble. And they knew Aero plan has succeeded.
The ground trembles because in the distance, as dust gathers and settle a horde of cavalry appears.
A grand war cries sounded, the bugles were sounded and hooves of mighty cavalry enter the battle.
Thousands of cavalries charged into the battlefield, and bearing the brunt of this is the Vetten army.
It was like seeing the collision of a motorcycle with a thirty ton truck
The Vetten soldiers were stomped as the sound of human skulls cracking under the pressure of large and mighty horses could give nightmare to anyone who heard it.
Many of the Vetten soldiers that was caught unprepared had their head squashed.
Some who were lucky enough not to get their head stomp on by horses got their head pierced by spears and pikes.
Kyle was pale on the face as he saw the cavalry. But his face turn even paler after seeing the banner of that cavalry.
The banner was an eagle eating a snake embossed in gold fluttering high on the air, straight and proudly displayed.
'Bradheim.Finally.'
Aero seeing this screams to Bradheim with a smile on his face
"What took you so long!!"
"HAHAHAHA. I came didn't I!!!" his voice was boisterous and the exchange between the two was like an exchange between two old friends. 𝓫𝓮𝒹𝓷ℴ𝓿ℯ𝓵.𝓬ℴ𝓶
But both of them, Aero and Bradheim knew the other is not a friend. For now they share the same objectives and Aero hold a leverage over him.
But this exchange reinvigorates the NPCs of Vanheim. They all knew the reputation of Vanheim most proud military commander, The Golden Lion of Vanheim, Lord Bradheim.
Not to mention he come bearing reinforcement, his famed merciless cavalry
'What are you lounging around there, Strategist Aero? Let us revel in the feats before us! Hahahaha!!
Bradheim yelled back while laughing on horseback. Some of his cavalries were armed with bows, some with clubs, and some with swords.
But even though they have different weapons they all have one similarity.
Their eyes.
They look at their enemies like they were prey….and they, the predator.
Licking their lips, it was like they are eager to enter battle and rip apart their enemies. The horses sensing their owners bloodlust neighed and their eyes turns red
'ATTACK!' Bradheim shouted his orders and they charge to the battlefield like an eruption of volcano.
The ferocity in their gaze was no joke.
They also start defending the weak center serving as a tactical reserve of the weak center as they cover up Aero tactics.
Aero was smiling.
'Just as I planned'. It was not a smile. It was a smirk. A very annoying smirk
As the other Vetten commander try to rally their troops, Bradheim archers starts shooting without rest riddling the lands and the Vetten soldiers with arrows all over their bodies.
Those that used magic arrows devastated large plot of lands, killing dozens in a single attack.
The right flank also was ambushed by groups of Bradheim heavy infantry, their rampage was like a madman appearing in a village and started killing everyone he saw.
Shocked, fearful and perplexed by such barbaric and almost mad like behavior they quickly scattered, running all over the battlefield, crying home and their families.
Kyle was yelling with a frustrated heart and a sunken expression
"Do not run. Keep on fighting" The more he said the more exasperated his tone became
"COME ON! IS THAT ALL YOU GOT!" yelled some of Bradheim troops as they keep killing. The most mad like behavior was if any of Bradheim soldiers were pierced by spears or slashed by sword, they would laugh and trade injuries with their enemies, seemingly to disregard their lives.
Aero spotting an opportunity as he rides through the battlefield ordered the Druids with a loud voice.
"QUAGMIRE"
The spell was prepared since the beginning of the battle. Hearing Aero yelled the orders, the Druid cast the spell.
The battlefield cold hard ground turns into a mud. The enemy troops that tried to run slip. The cavalry fall from their horses.
Bradheim was already informed of this and halted his cavalry corps to move forward.
Bradheim archers took this chance to shoot Vetten troops with Raina division helping. The infantry of Vanheim just come to them and stab them until they die.
When the effect wore off, exhausted, battered and losing any will to fight, the demon cavalry of Bradheim charge through the battlefield crashing through the soldiers who managed to survive long enough for the quagmire to lose it effects.
The cavalry just stampede them with their horses repeating the tragedy in the beginning of the battle.
The magicians in the back hurl fire to burn them and restrict their movements with the Vetten magicians also uses ice or water attack to counter Vanheim magician corps attack. The Vetten troops was in a disarray.
By now, all of Vetten forces realized what just happens. Bradheim is Aero reinforcement and his ally.
"ATTACK YOU FOOLS! Kyle ordered his troops in anger as he could see that the lines of defense is slowly being breached and some were even pierced completely already
But his troops were too scared and shocked at this display of might and bloodlust. Bradheim army is like a berserker.
With his cavalry Bradheim acted like the battlefield a slaughter house.
He laughed amidst the battlefield, his entire armor was drenched with blood but even so he laughs like he was very happy.
He is the proud lion that rules the jungle, and the others are all sheep
He is a predator, they are the prey and this is a game for him
Everyone that met his large glaive was cut into two; as no one could contend with him pass even one slash.
Truly Vanheim is blessed to have such commander.
Knowing this is a big hurdle to pass, Kyle spits into the ground.
'This is a failure. I need to retreat to Fort Vars and ask for reinforcements from King Vetten.' Kyle said to himself gritting his teeth
"You're lucky Aero. Today is not your day to die!" Kyle yells to Aero as Kyle already spur his horse to run away from the battlefield
Aero hearing this provocation did not stand still. If he decides to attack he would attack like lightning, fast and lethal.
Aero was already breaking through the enemy encirclement and riding towards Kyle like the wind, ignoring the small fry as the guard behind him would block their attacks
Aero will not let some no name soldier delay him in taking the head of the enemy commander.
He needs to buy at least more time. Until; then, the Vetten forces must not leave this battlefield.
Aero must crushes this army.
Here, today, at this moment.
Only then it would serve as a deterrence.
If Kyle managed to retreat successfully, though Aero is confident he could still defeat Kyle, but it will not bring such impacts.
Aero knows more than anyone the importance of image building. If you appear strong, no matter whether that is true or not, then people will respect and fear you.
And the reverse is also true
So, Aero must delay. Until that person arrives.
"RETREAT!! We will regroup at Fort Vars!" Kyle ordered his troops to retreat as he rides to his retreat
Hearing this order the soldiers of Vetten acted like they heard the songs of prayers and their steps become even faster in retreating.
But then Aero who was chairing through the enemy lines suddenly pull the reins on his horses and his horses halted in shock and neigh angrily.
Aero notices something in the distance.
Aero was just looking at the horizons and grin. The other commander also looks at the direction Aero is looking.
A smile slowly form on his face and he laughed joyously like he was seeing the most amusing thing in the world.
His surprise is not yet over.
Then the sound of joy begins. Bradheim was laughing boisterously, even as he was drenched in the blood of his enemies.
Raina on the hills were joyously screaming as she stand up from her position and waved her hand.
Dan was jumping like a monkey, excited.
The entire troop of Vanheim is cheering even as they are cutting down their retreating enemies.
Kyle troops who were running to retreat in the front which still did not know the commotion on their back remain unaware of the ruckus when suddenly they heard something that causes their heart turns cold
It is the sounds of war drums and hooves. It's louder than before and judging by the sound, the people coming this time is larger than before.
From the distance looking at the direction of Fort Vars they saw a banner that replaces the flags of Vetten
A red shield with black blood.
That's the symbols of Veranis. In front of the Fort, was a sea of soldiers with black armors and black shields.
The troops of Veranis!
In the helm of the troops was a woman standing there in the front like she was the leader of this army.
Wearing red armors from top to bottom she looks like an avenging angel.
Looking from afar she truly looks like a goddess of war with hundreds of thousands of troops behind her.
The sun setting behind her only adds to the theatricality of her entrance to the battlefield.
Some of the troops watch in awe.
She shines brightly.
Just like a scarlet flower in all its glory.
Even though it was far, Aero knows who she is. Aero couldn't help but smiles. And the woman who leads this massive army even though she didn't see Aero she also smiles.
Knowing that somehow, somewhere he is watching her.
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Ok, this is the last chapter for today. Hope you all enjoy it and thanks for reading. please vote if you like the story