Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World

101  Onslaught

When the sun began to set, Luther led the soldiers into the dense forest at the edges of the White Merchant Road. He wanted them to rest and be at their best for the upcoming fight, even though they weren't tired. The General wanted them to be ready for the upcoming battle on the horizon.

The thousand soldiers didn't set up any tents. Instead, they only relied on the warmth of crackling bonfires to fend off the cold of the night. They had to move fast on the next morning and couldn't risk delaying their mission. Luther sat against a tree where his horse was tethered, not bothering with the snow's chill underneath him as he observed the soldiers huddling around the fires. They were chatting and sharing food, as if everything was only a casual picnic.

"This is what I need…no fear." - Luther murmured in satisfaction, before his eyes shifted towards the White Merchant Road.

He had ordered ten cavalry units to scout the area and return immediately if they spotted anything unusual. He wasn't overly concerned about a sneak attack, since the scouts had reported that the enemies were camping a few miles away. Luther closed his eyes to rest, but his instincts honed over the war years prevented him from falling into a deep sleep. He remained alert to any unusual noise, but he could only hear the comforting laughs and voices of his soldiers and the steps of the scouts searching the area.

The night slipped away quietly, allowing the first light of down to wake up the army and stir Luther from his shallow slumber. With a stretch, the old man stood up, reaching for his sword nestled in the snow beside him.

"It's getting colder" – Luther murmured, tugging his thick black fur jacket closer to his neck to ward off the chilly morning breeze. In moments like this, he couldn't help but feel old.

The old General glanced around and could see the soldiers smothering the bonfires by kicking the snow over them, getting ready to leave. Excitement could be seen in their eyes as if they had been waiting for the war.

Luther untethered his horse and swiftly mounted it in one fluid motion – "We have a long day ahead of us!" – he shouted, guiding his horse toward the soldiers who were checking their weapons and preparing their mounts. A cold smile graced his lips.

"Today, we are going to greet our guests from far away!" – the general continued – "We must not keep them waiting. We don't want to be rude, do we?"

Luther's question elicited a resounding shout from the thousand soldiers - "No, General!" – Their voices filled the forest.

-x-

In a matter of few minutes, Stahl's Cavalry was back on the White Merchant Road, dashing forwards like bullets. The Snowfire Horses could maintain this relentless pace for days without pause, thanks to their origins. This endurance and speed were a characteristic developed from thriving in such a dangerous environment, where countless beasts hunted them down, principally the Winter Orcs. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The soldiers marched for two hours non-stop, the cold morning wind lashing against their faces and slightly burning it. However, they didn't care about it and remained focused. Suddenly, in the distance, the general spotted a massive army that seemed to have just began its march, organized into simple columns with sixty to seventy soldiers in the first line. There were thousands of enemies.

Among them, in the middle of the army, a man wearing a golden crown caught Luther's attention. The man also seemed to notice someone staring at him in the distance, like a great owl. Luther saw this man's eyes trembling briefly before he issued a command to a soldier nearby him. Suddenly, Aritreia's army halted their steps and swiftly arranged themselves in a defensive formation, their front lines pulling shields and spears poised forwards. They could only see a part of Stahl's cavalry and didn't recognize the figure ahead. Only the king seemed to know the old man in the distance.

Leading his soldiers forward to a strategic position, Luther raised his hand commandingly and shouted - "Bows!" – this command made the soldiers move like an orchestra, retrieving the bows strapped on their backs.

The enemy army didn't remain stagnant and moved. Aritreia's shield wall opened, allowing hundreds of arched to advance and aim in their directions. These arrows didn't seem to hold much strength or skill to shoot at Stahl's units while behind the walls. This realization made a cold smile to appear on Luther's face. Soon, under Aritreia's king order, they raised their bows and released their arrows.

"Move!" – Luther shouted, urging his horse forward with a kick, forcing it to dash at an unbelievable speed as the old man unsheathed his sword. The soldiers behind him followed his steps, moving forward while tightly clutching their bows. Despite the barrage of arrows that seemed to cover the horizon, the soldiers' determination remained strong, refusing to succumb to any kind of fear.

The Echelon Formation and the high speed of the horses made it extremely difficult for the arrows to hit them, significantly reducing potential injuries and deaths within Stahl's army. Furthermore, the iron chainmail was also a defense that the arrows were not able to breakthrough. The King of Aritreia seemed to notice this as he furiously kicked one of the soldiers near him, who seemed familiar to the old general.

When the last arrow fell and the battlefield quieted down, without dealing significant damages to Stahl's army and only killing a few horses, Luther watched as the enemies tried to nock their arrows again – "First lines, prepare!" - he shouted, before issuing the command seconds later - "Release!"

In response to his command, a rain of arrows appeared on the grey skies, aimed at Aritreia's front lines, where hundreds of archers stood vulnerable. The arrows fell with great precision, creating a devastating onslaught. The two-hundred arrows found their marks, reaping the lives of the enemies. Witnessing this carnage that fell from the skies, fear rippled through their hearts, principally in the heart of those who had only been normal citizens previously. The sight of red horses filling the horizon also contributed to this fear. Those beasts seemed to be coming from the ancestor's realm.

"Shoot them down!" The soldiers heard their king's urgent command but couldn't help but feel their fingers trembling.

However, just as they were about to pull the strings again, another wave of arrows surged towards them. Luther had swiftly ordered the other lines to shoot as the first lines nocked another arrow.