Chapter 179: Guerrilla Warfare at Mils Fortress
Under Mondi’s command, the Human Soldiers were initially able to maintain a steady retreat, but slowly their ranks began to falter and become chaotic.
Before them, the Dark Elves were readying their magic.
Yet, they seemed to be waiting for something, holding their power back.
This left Mondi feeling increasingly uncertain.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching from behind.
Turning around, he saw a cloaked figure charging towards him at high speed.
Even though it was just one person, the sight of them bolted directly at him stirred an overwhelming sensation inside Mondi.
I can’t stop it! Absolutely no chance!
The sheer aura radiating from this individual left him gasping for breath.
Despite this, Mondi steeled himself and prepared to confront the threat.
“Fight to the death—!”
Before charging, he shouted to bolster his own resolve.
There might be a chance if he resisted; if he didn’t, he’d surely be done for.
At this moment, the Human Soldiers also realized they had an enemy at their backs.
Facing this sudden and powerful foe, many soldiers should have lost their fighting spirit, but inspired by Mondi, many were stirred with adrenaline.
Without any orders given, numerous soldiers impulsively followed Mondi into battle against the enemy.
No matter how strong you are, you’re just one person—we’ll gang up on you!
The solitary Dark Elf, faced with the oncoming tide of Human Soldiers, remained undaunted, a smirk laced with disdain curling at the corner of their mouth beneath the cloak.
Their courage was commendable, but in the end, it was merely the bravery of individuals—no different from throwing oneself to the slaughter.
At that moment, the Dark Elf army began their assault on the Human Soldiers.
Arrows rained down from both sides of the houses like they cost nothing, one after another.
With their backs turned and no shields in sight, the Human Soldiers were left wide open, falling one after another until the ground was soon littered with bodies.
Moreover, the Elf Mages finally unleashed their longstanding magic.
Suddenly, a massive Magic Circle erupted beneath the feet of the running Human Soldiers.
Then came a powerful shockwave accompanied by searing flames from below them.
In the dazzling display of fiery fireworks, many half-cooked Human Soldiers were sent flying into the air before crashing heavily back down.
Houses lining the streets were also caught up in the chaos.
The Human Soldiers became thoroughly disoriented by this sudden turn of events.
“Kill!”
A powerful spell achieved its intended effect.
The Dark Elves immediately launched their charge against the Human Soldiers, encircling them along with their commander in a deadly pincer attack.
On the rooftops, Dark Elf archers continued to shower arrows down on the Human Soldiers, reaping their lives.
…
When Airael and Cain arrived at Mils Fortress, the place was already in utter disarray.
Though the invading Dark Elves were not numerous, in the night, the Humans couldn’t discern just how many there were.
They only knew they were unable to stand against the Dark Elves, their defenses being pushed back time and time again.
As the soldiers struggled to hold Mils Fortress, the civilians and nobles of course panicked.
They began to flee for their lives.
Most were heading southwards.
Thus, Airael and company were greeted by the sight of countless people running out of the castle in the night.
Occasionally, a luxurious carriage and its entourage would pass by in the chaos.
“Has it gotten this bad already? They’re abandoning the fortress,” Airael exclaimed, astonished.
Mils Fortress was no small castle.
It was a large city.
If the Dark Elves couldn’t send in a massive force for a full assault, they would have to pick away at the Human defenses point by point.
Under such circumstances, Airael believed the Humans could at least hold out for a day.
Yet now, it seemed they had barely held for half a day!
In reality, the situation at Mils Fortress wasn’t as dire as it appeared.
Mondi was still engaged in holding back the Elven assault.
Despite the Elves holding advantages in various aspects, one crucial element played against them: their numbers were simply too few.
At first, they were full of energy, and they found quick success in their battles with Humans.
However, as combat wore on, the Dark Elves began to tire.
Their fighting efficiency had drastically decreased as a result.
In contrast, although many Human Soldiers had perished and few remained stationed in the castle, it wasn’t just soldiers there—there were also militia and mercenaries.
Moreover, Mondi had the authority to temporarily summon more soldiers.
Thus, the Dark Elves found themselves ensnared in a people’s war within the fortress.
Navigating unfamiliar territory, they could only rely on their rather famed strength over that of the Humans.
Gradually, Mondi started to devise methods to confront the Dark Elves.
Avoid direct confrontation whenever possible, and fully utilize every advantage—that was the hard truth.
However, this merely slowed the pace of the Dark Elves’ advance.
The disparity in strength between the two sides was just too vast.
Especially the Dark Elf leading the charge; no person could withstand their might.
Mondi had fought him before, and in just a few exchanges, he had nearly lost his life.
Even though the situation wasn’t as bleak as originally thought, fear can easily be magnified by people’s imaginations.
Even if they could currently maintain control, what lay ahead?
What’s more, many remained oblivious to the improving situation.
Thus, the scene unfolded as it did.
The soldiers guarding the city gate did not stop the fleeing civilians.
Clearly, they too viewed the circumstances with a pessimistic outlook.
“No matter what, let’s head into the castle! I hope our arrival can provide them some assistance,” Cain remarked, observing the scene.
“Yeah!” Airael nodded.
And so, the group became the contrarians amid the crowd.
People naturally cleared a path for them.
Especially since aside from Airael’s mysterious appearance, the others were clad in armor bearing the mark of the Republic.
Thus, Airael and her companions made their way smoothly into the fortress.
But as they rushed into the castle, the crowd erupted into chaos once more.
Everyone was running in different directions.
Staying here was simply too dangerous.
Even if the Republic managed to reclaim Mils Fortress later, it was better to leave for now and evade the storm.
Keep in mind that in war, “friendly fire” incidents were all too common for various reasons.
