Chapter 107: Clash of Iron Bones and Burning Blood – Part Six
Ten kilometers outside the city, in the forest, small-scale conflicts kept erupting under the cover of night. The search, fighting, and clashes between the Church knights’ vanguard and the heretics never ceased for a moment. The burning flames shot up from the woods, growing larger and larger, with thick black smoke rising, soon turning half the night sky crimson.
Less than five kilometers away from the edge of the forest, Grand Knight Safirios tightened his grip on the reins. The beast beneath him stopped, and he gazed at the massive fire ahead, feeling the intense heat. His brows furrowed slightly.
“…Those rats have indeed set the forest ablaze.”
Since the decision to let the marching knights take a shortcut through the forest, it was only a matter of time before the heretics would resort to arson. The order, of course, had anticipated this and had measures in place. The golden-armored grand knight paused for a moment, then turned to the person behind him and ordered, “Invoke Mafa’s Light and send word back. The Judgment Fist Sixth Squad has arrived at the edge of the fire and is ready to break through at any moment.”
“Yes.”
A knight took the command and quickly turned away. Soon, golden light projectiles rose slowly from the forest behind them. Moments later, a second projectile rose two hundred meters to the left, followed by a third and fourth to the right… As more light projectiles ascended into the night sky, the sky, already scorched red by the flames, gradually became enveloped in a faint golden glow.
I rode atop my beast, looking up for a while, feeling a bit hungry. I reached into a small pouch at my waist, pulling out a piece of dried meat, tearing off half and stuffing it into my mouth, then returned the other half to the pouch, tying it shut. I nudged the beast gently, walking beside Safirios, my right cheek bulging as I chewed and tilted my head to ask him incoherently, “How long?”
“We’ll see what the Faith Corps does…”
Grand Knight Safirios replied, his pupils flickering in the firelight, “We’ve been slowed down. With the fire so large now, controlling it won’t be too difficult, but completely extinguishing it will likely take… at least thirty minutes. This depends on how many heretics are hiding within the flames. Those madmen won’t wait for us to put out the fire.”
“You see, it’s started…”
At least thirty minutes…
Hearing the man’s words, I swallowed the barely chewed meat, feeling anxious. My little face wrinkled as I stared at the raging fire ahead, subconsciously putting my thumb in my mouth and biting my nails.
It’s taking too long…
But this is the nearest route from here. Our forces include over thirteen hundred knights, more than a hundred members of the Faith Corps, and the Republic Guard transporting food and merchants accompanying the army, totaling over four thousand people. However, we only have six hundred horned beasts. If everyone chose to take a detour like that bald guy, the delay would be even longer…
My frost order… can extinguish a small part of the fire, but now, the entire forest a hundred meters ahead is burning. To clear a path for our whole group, using frost mist to extinguish the fire bit by bit would exhaust me… Using the Frost World might work, but doing so would just turn it into an icy wasteland, which wouldn’t help anyone cross.
What to do?
The only thing I could do was… try to eliminate as many heretics hiding in the fire as possible, at least preventing them from further intensifying the blaze, thus buying more time.
“I’ll go ahead and check.”
With such fierce fires, no one else can get close…
Until the fire diminishes, this seems to be something only I can do.
…………
On the northern slope beyond the forest, hundreds of golden knights surged like a flood, their iron hooves thundering. On a nearby hill, a young bishop clasped his hands in front of his chest, facing the direction of the fire, chanting softly with over a dozen members of the Faith Corps. A brilliant golden light burst forth from the hill, and thunder rumbled overhead.
Soon, a torrential rain summoned by divine miracle descended upon the entire forest.
…………
Several kilometers south, I dismounted from my beast, carrying Captain Gray not far, when a few drops of rain fell silently from above. Then, a heavy downpour poured down.
This…
The raindrops hitting my face were cold and refreshing, much like during the recent storm. I tightened my cloak, gathered my hair, and put on my hood, frowning slightly as I looked up at the deep night sky. For a moment, something flashed through my mind.
Miracle, rain…
“The sissies of the Faith Corps move quickly.”
Amidst the pitter-patter of rain, Safirios’ voice echoed from behind, “Lady Silvijia, what are you planning to do? The fire won’t be extinguished anytime soon. The ash will soon spread, and we need to retreat a bit!”
“No.”
An idea had just popped into my head, something that seemed to connect… but it was interrupted by the grand knight’s words. I shook my head lightly, “You all, retreat… I’m not afraid of smoke or fire. I’ll be back shortly.”
Forget it, deal with the immediate problem first…
The fire won’t reach me, and dispersing the smoke should be easy. But the forest is vast, and with only me surrounded by flames, finding those hiding rats won’t be easy. It’s hard to say how many I can kill… but once the fire dies down a bit, Safirios and the others will join in.
Only ten kilometers remain until our destination, and I could fly there quickly… but I can’t do that. It would require the power of the Abyss. Moreover, with so many heretics, even if my strength is great, going alone would be very disadvantageous… Not to mention saving a few people, just finding Barry might take a long time…
So frustrating…
I need to act faster.
Biting my nails, I thought, taking small steps towards the burning forest ahead.
…………
Aretion City.
A bloody and grim atmosphere permeated the air. The wind outside the camp howled, mingled with the sound of people running.
Hundreds of meters to the north, the towering city wall collapsed in the firelight, revealing a huge gap over twenty meters wide. The inferno burned atop the rubble, thick smoke spreading, the sky turning blood-red. Countless warriors were engulfed by the flames, and the boiling cries of battle came from all directions outside the city.
In the chaos, a young knight named Barry watched the blurry scene to the north from afar. His limbs turned cold instantly, his ears ringing, and his mind went blank. He stood rooted to the spot, his mouth half open, feeling the firelight somewhat unreal amidst the cacophony of sounds and figures around him.
…The city has fallen.
Suddenly, someone ran into him. Barry stumbled, spilling most of the warm water in his hand. The figure who collided with him turned back, revealing an old knight with a scruffy beard, burns on his body, and an arm wrapped in a splint. His face was familiar. Barry stared blankly, hearing the old knight shout, “The heretics are about to attack! What are you still standing here for!? Draw your sword and come with me to defend the city—”
The voice was hoarse yet resolute, and Barry suddenly snapped back to reality.
Just now waking from a dream, he looked at the bowl in his hand and then turned to run. The old knight cursed him as a coward from behind, but the young knight paid no attention and sprinted towards the direction of the wounded soldiers’ camp. He stopped in front of the woman with a look of panic and confusion in her eyes, leaning on his knees to catch his breath and said, “Run… leave this place, run quickly!”
The woman named Lilith pursed her lips, almost crying, her beautiful and red eyes slightly unfocused, “What happened… I heard sounds, what’s going on…”
From here, looking north toward the city walls, the burning flames were completely blocked by tall buildings. Many people still didn’t know what was happening. Hearing Barry’s words, they all looked over with frightened expressions. The young knight’s lips moved, and someone patted his shoulder.
“Stand up straight, Brother Barry.”
Barry turned in surprise and saw Midor, a middle-aged knight who had once led him for a while. The thin yet angular face, with a tendency to boast when drunk, Barry remembered clearly. During the time at Mosley Coast, when he and his companions were surrounded by more than ten unbelievers, the captain died in battle, it was this unreliable knight who slashed off the head of the heterodox leader, leading everyone to fight their way out.
That day, Barry killed his first person, felt the sharp blade pierce through a body, and the hot blood splashing onto his face. Afterwards, he vomited in disgust, his hands trembled violently, and he woke up in the night from nightmares, thinking about the salty taste of blood and flesh in his mouth, the fear of nearly dying, and wanting to cry.
At that time, it was this very face that comforted him, saying not to be afraid, there was no shame in it, we all go through this step, you’re not alone.
In an instant, his thoughts raced, hearing the other’s voice, Barry felt a bit calmer. The knight Midor walked to the front and said in a deep voice, “A few rats slipped in, it’s not a big deal. However, the women should temporarily leave, head to the city center, find somewhere to hide. Those of us who can still move and wield swords, follow me out. The commander has long been fighting fiercely, he definitely won’t have time to think about us. We don’t need to wait here for orders. When the rats enter the city, kill as many as we can, two is a win.”
After he finished speaking, he drew his sword with a clang and turned to walk out of the camp. A few lightly injured followed him out. Barry looked at Lilith, who was still in a daze, and handed her the bowl, “Quickly leave.”
The bowl had almost no water left, but no one cared about this at the moment.
The wounded soldiers’ camp became chaotic. Some knights struggled to get up, and one or two women began to pack things. Lilith opened her mouth, wanting to say something to the young knight in front of her, “You… are going to…”
But he had already turned away, leaving her hand raised in mid-air.
Barry was somewhat afraid.
So he left in such a hurry, fearing that Lilith would see the fear in his eyes.
But compared to fear, the young knight thought more about the scene from a year ago when the village was attacked by terrible monsters. The dark sun rose in the sky, and in that apocalyptic scene, a petite and frail girl, who fearlessly stood in front, swung a scythe, saving him and many others.
He wanted to chase after that figure.
Barry ran out of the wounded soldiers’ camp, catching up with Midor who had left earlier. The grim-faced knight heard the footsteps, turned back, and saw Barry. His lips curved upward slightly, saying nothing, and there was an unspoken understanding between them.
The group walked in silence, moving towards the north city wall amidst the chaos.
There, the cries of battle were like boiling water.
Swoosh swoosh swoosh—
At that moment, the wind howled again in the night sky. Several colorful fire snakes shot out from outside the city, instantly passing over the collapsed city wall, with glaring red light. Two of them were suddenly blocked by golden light, exploding in the sky. The rest rapidly broke through the knights’ defense, like omens of destruction, falling into the city under countless terrified gazes—
Boom boom boom boom boom!!!
In an instant, the entire world shook.
The strong airflow knocked people around, and crimson flames burst forth in the field of vision. Buildings collapsed, roads cracked, and red blood mixed with human organs rose in the black smoke from the explosion. Barry stumbled from the heat wave, barely managing to stand steady, and turned in shock.
Behind him, the wounded soldiers’ camp was engulfed in raging fire, filled with heart-wrenching screams.
“Aaaaaahhhhh—”
Half of the camp was torn apart, countless barracks collapsing in the flames. People screamed and scattered in panic. In the sight, those set ablaze staggered a few steps before falling down.
Barry felt his ears and head buzzing, his vision blurred, his mind in a daze, even his breathing became labored. In the distance, he faintly heard Midor’s hoarse roar, “F*ck you, East Continent dogs!!”
“Aaaaaahhhhh—”
Barry shook his head, surrounded by terrifying shouts and agonized screams. The ground still trembled beneath his feet, and Midor was still shouting loudly, but Barry could no longer hear him. Something inside his head seemed to snap, and even though the air temperature kept rising, his heart felt as cold as ice. Instinctively, he wanted to turn back.
“Lilith…”
“Hahahaahahah—”
Crazy laughter came from the broken streets far away. Barry looked over and saw figures wielding long knives walking out from a street corner dozens of meters away. One, two… They were covered in blood, some burning, some holding heads, laughing wildly. Then they looked over in this direction.
Two groups met in the swirling dust and the burning city, facing each other.
Then, one side let out a mad laugh, the other roared like a beast. The clash began in an instant. Midor’s angry shout echoed in the thick smoke and flames, “Charge! Let’s kill these beasts—”
In the next moment, both sides charged forward without hesitation, the young knight beside Midor, looking back one last time towards the direction of the wounded soldiers’ camp. Inside his chest, something burned fiercer than any flame.
“Ughaaaahhhh—!!!”
The young knight, along with over ten companions, let out a hysterical scream. The long sword drew out with a clang, his bloodshot eyes almost dripping blood—
He didn’t know how many of the heretics had already broken through to this point, nor did he count if there were twenty or thirty enemies in front of him. It didn’t matter; he just wanted to kill them.
In a desperate run, the distance was covered in an instant.
The twisted faces of the heretics were already close, and Barry smelled the stench of blood on their bodies. The sword suddenly swept up, clashing hard with the scythe swung by the enemy, “Clang!” He felt his arms go numb, and his hand hurt, the strength of the opponent was unbelievable. Barry was pushed back several steps, took another step forward, and shouted hoarsely, swinging his sword again!
“Pfft,” the smell of blood and mucus hit his face. The heretic did not dodge but used his chest to block the sword tip. Barry watched as blood gushed from the other’s body, red liquid splattering on his face, mixed with sparks, the burning pain surged instantly.
