The cannon flashed as Pan Kun’s hands twitched.
Don’t let them see you panic.
The mana cannon hit the mana barrier, flaring.
“Mother fucker,” a soldier spat before dousing a brazier.
Pan Kun looked over the battlefield. The cannon crew moved out of their positions and the beasts needed to tow it were pulled over, skittish with the new weapon.
Hopefully, that’s the last for today.
Colonel Yui entered the King’s Hill command center and joined Erik by the map table. “Lord West.”
“Colonel, you’re up early.”
“And I doubt you’ve gone to sleep.”
Erik just smiled. “What do you think of yesterday’s attacks?”
“They were crushed at Vermire. The outpost is one of the largest, with ten thousand army members, a lot of spell scrolls, mana barrier, and the city cornerstone. Brigadier General Donner knew how to eke out every last bit of her combat potential. Estimated twenty-five thousand dead, unknown on wounded. No dead on our side, light injuries. They lost a quarter of their force and they’re shaky.”
“You think they’ll try again?”
Yui shrugged. “I wouldn’t.”
“If you were them?”
“Create a camp, leave twenty-five thousand of my people. Send the rest to reinforce the group at Hunter Frontier. Defenses aren’t as strong, the army is a few days march, and they have the strongest weaponry.” Yui pointed at the map, tracing the ring road that connected the outposts.
“I agree. Latest reports say Lord Ikeda is leading, and he’s told them to attack again.”
“It’ll be a bloodbath. They were overconfident yesterday. Thought they’d walk over us; might be the new equipment they got, or just idiocy. It was the first big engagement for the BMRA. Now they know what to expect, and how strong the enemy is. Lieutenant Lee is running two mage squads there in support. They figured out the element distribution of the spell and adjusted the barrier and mana stone consumption rate. He warns that under sustained fire, in forty minutes the barriers will fail.”
“Including being hit with the siege weaponry?”
“He didn’t add that in, though he calculated for firing every thirty seconds with the four guns broken into two sets.”
“How fast are they firing?”
“They shot one cannon, and it varied from fifty seconds to forty-two seconds.”
Erik grew silent. “So, it depends if they’re willing to spend the mana stones and if they have the fire control.”
Yui nodded.
“Expectations?” Erik asked.
“Their plan is to siege Hunter Frontier and then attack. It could succeed. If not today, then tomorrow I think we will lose Hunter outpost. Then Major General Pan Kun is going to have to sprint into the forest. If the enemy leaks around Frontier, he’ll have to run through enemy attacks to retreat.” Yui took in a sharp breath. “He says his confidence is high. But he has ten thousand people to get out once they break into the outpost. It’ll be messy, but that is why he’s there with Brigadiers Nasreen and Lukas.”
“Messy,” Erik muttered.
“Yeah. Thankfully, they have some teleportation formations to pull the wounded and support staff back with.”
“What about Dryfall?” Erik pushed on.
“The enemy made it to the walls. The twisting path through the cliffs prevented the enemy from using siege weaponry, but the defenders can only see the enemy for two hundred meters up to their walls. We have fifteen thousand there because of this. Brigadier General Veli was smart though. She created a false wall.” Yui was impressed. “She had the mages raise another wall in front of the original outer wall, with the same gate placement and battlements, but with a two-meter gap and a hole that goes five meters deep.
“How high is the wall?”
“Ten meters.”
“So, a fifteen-meter drop.” Erik shook his head. “They climb up one wall, get to the top and are still two meters from Veli’s people. Guess they’re using spears?
“Yeah, and long staves to throw the ladders off. Still, some of them got across; not many but a few. Dryfall will be hard to take.”
“So Vermire and Dryfall are good. The other outposts all have guards in them watching the enemy and Hunter Frontier will break under enough pressure.”
“Yes, sir. We have the rest of the army working night and day to cover the roads and forest behind the outposts in traps. Five thousand from the BMRA, three thousand Alvans and forty thousand mercenaries.”
“Construction crews are making false roads that look like the originals but on a slightly different heading, taking them miles away from King’s Hill. The original roads have been submerged and covered in forest.”
“Tricky, tricky,” Erik said and stretched. “Now to wait and see what happens today.”
44
To the Bone
Some warm food, drink, and useless speeches; that’s all it takes for them to forget yesterday.
Lord Salyn sneered as he brought his mount to a halt behind Lord Knight Ikeda. Dawn had broken earlier, the sun’s rays already warming the day. The pace was slower, in keeping with the armies that had come to a halt.
Siege weapons had been assembled, adding armor to give their crews a bit more protection.
A rider arrived from the siege weapons. “We are ready to advance my lords.”
“Very well. Send the siege weapons forward,” Ikeda said.
The rider saluted and headed back out of the tent and to his mount. A dirt trail followed him through the army’s formations and to the armored siege weapons.
“How many of the attacks will you use from the cannons?” Aras asked.
“I told the commander to make sure that he has the right aim first,” Ikeda hinted.
“Quite. It is a timely process to make sure one’s aim is correct.”
“What time will you send the soldiers in?”
“I think in the early afternoon, out of the heat. Otherwise, they will collapse.” Ikeda snorted derisively.
“They are stupid creatures indeed.”
Lord Salyn and the two powerful mens’ retinues dismounted. Servants took their mounts away as they entered the cool tent to watch the day’s fighting.
The men pushed forward the siege weapons, rolling through the gaps in the fighters’ formations.
“They look like turtles with a tail with so much armor,” Aras mused.
Salyn stayed close to them both as they stood before the tent and watched from the shade.
The siege weapons trundled forward in staggered rows, boring and monotonous. There had to be a hundred of them, at least.
Salyn got a drink from inside the tent, picking out some prepared food that was circulating before returning to the watchers.
Dots appeared in the distance, growing bigger.
“Looks like they’ve fired. Our siege weapons will be well within their range.” Ikeda passed his glasses to Aras.
“We assumed as much.”
Salyn watched with interest as the enemy’s stone balls arched over the outpost’s walls and then dropped, coming to rest among the advancing siege weapons.
“Must be the limit of their range.”
“They’re rather good at bouncing their stones. They’ve left great big gaps in our formations.” Aras cringed slightly. “Ough, that one looks nasty.”
It had struck a siege weapon’s armor. The force nailed its front right corner into the ground, slamming it to a halt.
It was the only casualty in the first attack.
The other siege weapons pushed on.
“The stones, I think they’re painted.” Aras handed the viewing glasses to Ikeda.
“Why would they be painted?”
“Odd to decorate stone. Stick out a bit, don’t they?”
Ikeda snapped his fingers. “They’re using the stones to see where they land and adjust.”
“Smart, very smart indeed.” Aras rubbed his chin
in appreciation.
“Here comes the next volley.”
The arm of one trebuchet exploded into splinters. Another armored covering was hit, planting itself into the ground with a dent in its forward side. Another was rocked back, the front end coming up as the stone struck the top, tearing apart the wooden structures underneath as it slammed back to the ground and stopped moving.
The rest of the siege weapons continued to advance, spreading out, moving around the old hills over the bloody streaks, avoiding where stones rested from the day before.
“What will you do with the forces at Vermire, Lord Ikeda?” Aras asked.
“I’m not sure. I hope they were able to break the outpost. Otherwise, I have overestimated their abilities and confidence. We shall have to leave a force there and consolidate here. I bet they will be eager to show their fighting spirit.”
“Quite.” Aras and Ikeda shared a smile.
Soak up more of the damage for us. Salyn sipped his drink as more stones struck the siege weapons.
Another five were destroyed or put out of action. Crews from the first armored siege weapons ran to the rear, wounded came with them, many victims of shattered wood or crushed bone.
“I told the commander to get them in closer. I want to hammer their mana barrier and then we can bounce the stones into their walls,” Ikeda said.
“There is plenty of rock to be found. And I would guess their commander believes he is in range.”
The armored siege weapons slowed to a halt, weathering another volley from the outpost. Only three were on target, many hitting ahead of their targets.
Trebuchet arms cranked down into the armored walls and loaded.
“They shot before we could load. I will have to talk to the commander about speeding things up. Can’t let them fire faster than us,” Ikeda muttered.
“Quite.”
Salyn stood there, a statue as he watched the trebuchet arms fling forward.
“There they go!” Aras said excitedly.
All the nobles and powerful figures looked over as the stones rose and then slowly descended before smashing into the invisible mana barrier, lighting it up with ripples.
“Bravo!” Aras laughed, clapping. Salyn and the other lords joined in, smiling and nodding to one another.
Under this barrage, they are sure to collapse.
Ikeda was the only one not clapping or smiling.
What’s the old fox looking at now? Salyn looked at the wall to try to figure it out.
“Bold.” Ikeda lowered his viewing glasses. “It appears that they too have viewing glasses.”
Another volley struck the armored siege weapons.
“You, come here.” Ikeda pointed at an aide.
“Look at where the gate is. To the left of that, two protrusions in the wall over. I want them to hit right where the wall is.”
The woman squinted.
“Use these.” Ikeda pushed the glasses to her.
“Uhh, yes, sir.” She raised them like her family’s greatest heirloom.
“You see it?”
“Yes, sir!” She nearly jumped out of her skin.
“Good, hit it.” Ikeda’s words promised nothing good otherwise.
“Yes, sir!”
She passed the viewing glasses back, looking relieved, and ran off for her mount.
Siege weapons traded fire between the outpost and armored trebuchets.
“Send out ammunition runners.”
Beast drawn carts rushed into the stone rain, carrying ammunition for the trebuchets.
The cannons fired off-time with one another, striking the mana barrier.
Ikeda made an appraising noise. “Must be their commander, Hiraga!”
“Lord Commander.” She stood only a short distance away.
It’s hard to keep track of her.
“Tall man, bald, commands forces of the outpost. Who is he?” Ikeda offered her the glasses. She looked through them for a few seconds before passing them back.
“Pan Kun, old captain of the Vermire Guard, and Lord Aditya’s personal guard. Now the leader of the outpost alliance forces.”
“Very good. Salyn, have someone tell the cannons to shoot at where the outpost’s siege weaponry is firing through.”
“Lord Ikeda.” Salyn bowed and moved to the messengers.
Pan Kun is here? They must have been prepared for this fight if they brought their leader here. And they must’ve known this is the main force.
Pan Kun looked across the battlefield. Spotters called out to their crews, watching their stones crash into the ground. Damn stones are all different weights. They could shoot the exact same way, but their aim could be off.
He looked at the hill where a large tent had been erected in the early hours of the morning. Just out for some entertainment?
Pan Kun spotted one in red armor looking through viewing glasses. He stopped, looking at him.
“Asshole’s looking at me, I think.”
“Sir?” Lukas asked.
“I need a volunteer!” Pan Kun said.
“What for?” Lukas asked as soldiers looked over.
“Too smart for your own good. Who wants to moon the enemy commander?”
“What do I do, sir?” one yelled out.
“Put your lily-white ass between two battlements.”
Pan Kun heard a collection of belts being undone and dropped.
He smiled at the sour expression on the red-armored man’s face as he lowered his viewing glasses.
“Yup! Good show!” Pan Kun grinned as he lowered his own glasses. Twenty soldiers were mooning the battlements.
“Put your pants back on.” The soldiers grinned as they got dressed again.
They laughed as Pan Kun looked back at the tent. Someone was running down the hill. He traced a line from them forward.
“Looks like we’ll get some cannon fire soon. Might’ve pissed him off.”
“They’re moving ammunition up,” Nasreen said. Spells enhanced her vision just like the spotters.
“Forget them, just hit the armored ones.”
“Should we hit them with fire pots?”
“Not until we see where those cannons are firing.”
Pan Kun held out the viewing glasses to Lukas.
The cannons fired.
“Brace yourselves, troops. I think they’re aiming right at us.” Pan Kun rocked on his feet with a smile on his face, clasping his hands behind his back.
“First one to duck owes us all a beer!”
The spells hit the mana barrier. A few of the soldiers clenched their hands, but they didn’t move. Instead, they stared at one another to see who owed beer.
“Well, shit. I was hoping to get a beer out of this,” Pan Kun complained to Nasreen.
“You’re always trying to get a beer out of your bets!”
Pan Kun laughed as the soldiers chuckled. Good, puts them at ease. Worst thing in a siege is to get tense and nervous. “Wonder what’s for lunch. This siege crap is boring.”
“Soup?” Lukas asked, lowering the glasses and holding them to Pan Kun, who waved for him to hold on to them.
“I could go for some soup. I think there might be fresh bread, too.”
“Fire pots?” Nasreen asked.
“See where the cannons are aiming at in the next volley.”
Pan Kun patrolled the wall, talking to the various soldiers and looking over the edge.
“How was the clean-up?” he asked Nasreen.
“Messy. We looted the bodies and used spells to bury them in the pit. Took us thirty carts to collect everything.”
“The heat’s starting to get to them. Taking their loot through their tombstone, the bodies will fall apart faster. It’ll affect our troops otherwise. What about those that went out last night?”
“Had them up for stand-to and then the morning off.”
“Good, ready for the afternoon.” Pan Kun looked up at the stone that hit the mana barrier.
“Looking a lot bl
uer,” Nasreen said in a low voice.
“They’ve been hitting it for four hours. They’ll need to hit it all day, or pick up their mana cannons’ rate of fire, and hit the same spot if they want to crack that barrier. Right now, they’re doing nothing more than making a light display and I’m more than happy if they keep at it.”
Nasreen snorted.
“Must be trying to save up their mana stones.”
“First Realm thinking. Sieges are over a long time, grinding the enemy down, demoralizing them and breaking their shit. Leave them in fear. They should have fired those cannons as fast as possible.”
Cannon fire hit up the line, meeting a stone as it was crossing the barrier. The stone exploded, raining debris. The spell hit the underside of the mana barrier on the other side of the outpost.
A mage punched a spell out into the air, smashing into the falling debris and turning it into pebbles.
“Fricking prick!” someone yelled back at the cannon as they were hit with stones.
The catapult crews released fire pots, arcing into the distance. Pan Kun watched as they smashed around a group of enemy trebuchets. One fire pot shattered on top of one directly, bursting into flames. Other pots failed to ignite on their own, but caught fire from the others.
People ran out on fire and screaming.
Effective, but a horrible way to go. Pan Kun gave them his silent thoughts and continued walking. Most of them were just farmers forced to fight, though they were still the enemy.
The midday sun dipped into the afternoon. Pan Kun drank from his canteen. Boxes and other makeshift chairs were given over to those on the wall. They rested in the shade with some watching over the wall.
“They’re moving,” Nasreen said to Pan Kun. He took another gulp from his canteen and secured it, casting far-sight.
Soldiers stood up from where they’d made their ad hoc camps, getting back into order.
Pan Kun used a hand to shield his eyes. “Barriers should hold. Depends what they bring us.”
They waited and watched.
“Wake up those that are sleeping. Make sure they’re all watered, and their buffs are active,” Pan Kun said.
“They’re not looking so hot out there, coughing, pale, tired,” Nasreen said.
Seventh Realm Part 1: A LitRPG Fantasy series (The Ten Realms Book 8) Page 52