Unlike Valoria and Gunlai, the federation is a mountainous land, much like Phyr. That is an advantage to Tenil and her men, but a disadvantage to their temporal allies. Mountains are protecting the border, and fortresses stand in the valleys. It’ll be tough to get through, assuming they were trying to march with an army. With small units, they should be able to sneak past the defenses if they choose the harshest terrains.
That being said, they can’t afford to get caught at the border. The federation might be alerted, but they certainly aren’t expecting Phyr and Gunlai to attack. By utilizing subterfuge, they can eliminate important targets in a coordinated coup de main.
The guerilla units set out after nightfall, each group led by an officer, with the exception of Ireine’s unit, a staff sergeant as she is. The coup de main will be executed in the third night of the operation, as every unit must be in position before that. One of the targets is so far the unit assigned for the closest one will have to wait two days in the wilds. If they succeed, the Knights of the Red Flag will be one step closer to their goal.
3rd night of the operation...
Tenil’s unit is the one raiding the farthest target, which is, in fact, an easy one. Whether the others got through unnoticed or not, they don’t know. If anyone’s made a mistake, it’s likely they’ll fail too.
“We will burn that silo and barn and retreat immediately. Others may have begun already, so we must hurry.”
The target is a large farm. Wheat was harvested around the time the Knights of the Red Flag arrived in the republic, so a huge portion of it hasn’t been sold yet. By destroying the silo and the wheat, they’ll invoke famine in the area, which naturally weakens the military. Obviously, one silo won’t make a big difference, but since they’re attacking multiple targets, the West of Roshia will be weakened to the point that an invasion will be difficult to repel.
The farmer’s house is close to the barn, dark as the night. The family must be sleeping. Tenil doesn’t really care if they’re seen, for there doesn’t seem to be hostile soldiers guarding the area. There are some other houses at the edge of the field, forming a village, and that’s where the closest danger can potentially be. When they arrived, the last light of the day wasn’t gone yet, so they did get a proper view of the area, hence the confidence.
“Move it!” Tenil orders, and the unit of veteran knights sprints over the field in the cover of darkness.
Suddenly, a dog starts barking near the farmer’s house. Tenil clicks her tongue, but pays it no heed. They have to be swift, and if it comes down to killing the farmer, then so be it. However, if he surrenders, they’ll let him live.
The art of waging war isn’t about efficiently killing people; it’s about efficiently winning a war without losses on either side. If they treated the enemy citizens ruthlessly, they wouldn’t gain their support after conquering their nation. Therefore, unless it is unavoidable, a soldier must never kill innocent people or treat them badly. Naturally, that doesn’t apply to actual battles.
Kill or be killed, that is the rule of battles.
“Do not kill anyone unless they attack you!” Tenil commands.
“Understood!”
A man comes out of the house, holding a pitchfork in hand. He seems to be alarmed, looking in the direction the dog is barking at.
“Szhnai idui!?” The farmer shouts.
Tenil ignores him and leads the unit to the barn, not minding about stealth anymore. Upon seeing a group of silhouettes in the dark, the farmer starts yelling more aggressively.
“Bzuah yeshzi!”
“Six of you, restrain him! Kill only if necessary!”
“Yes, Sir!”
The rest enter the barn, starting to burn the place as soon as they’re in. They use flint and steel to light the hay in the silo, and whatever can be lighted in the barn is also kindled.
Only after the unit retreats without bloodshed, the village is alarmed by the raging fire. Tenil is prepared to repel any pursuit, but preferably, they want to avoid fighting since they’re far from safety.
Out of the 200 knights and 150 Gunlai soldiers, only 156 and 72 return respectively.
However, that is the least of their problems.
***
Tenil’s unit was given chase, which resulted in eight casualties, but they managed to retreat back to the republic nevertheless. The other parties met resistance too. Since the Gunlai soldiers aren’t experienced, they suffered heavy casualties. Only one of the republic units succeeded, and seventeen of Tenil’s division.
“Sir, we have a major problem!” Lerrot rushes to welcome Tenil when she returns.
“What is it?”
“A disease.”
“How many are infected?”
“About 300.”
“And you quarantined them?”
“Of course. I also instructed everyone to eat with clean hands. The casualty rate is still very low, but we fear it might escalate at some point.”
“What are the numbers now?”
“Eight deaths. Their symptoms were worst, unlike anything the others are going through. If we are lucky, the disease might pass without too much damage.”
“Well done, Lerrot.”
“Thank you. Ah, and there is a second matter too. The general of the republican army has ordered us to lead an attack. We are to siege a fort by tomorrow.”
“As I expected.”
“Let me rephrase it; we are joining the siege by tomorrow, and you will take the lead.”
“What?”
“That is right. They already initiated the siege.”
“And what is the progress?”
“They have damaged the gate, and it seems the defenders are running out of arrows.”
“Is the oil pot still functional?”
“No. They hit it with a catapult. It is not repairable.”
“And what about their catapults?”
“Functional, but low on ammunition.”
“In that case, we will overtake the fortress today.”
“Sir?”
“Prepare the most suitable men for a turtle formation. And get me the widest shield you can find.”
“Yes, Sir!”
***
The fortress at the border is in parallel with a republican one. The distance between the two is a league. The terrain is a plain, wide and even. If not for the two fortresses, it’d be a great path for anyone to cross the border, as there is a marsh in North and a mountain in South.
Right now, an army is sieging the fortress of Roshia at the Eastern end of the plain. Catapults are hurling rocks, archers are raining arrows, and footmen are attempting to break through the gate, which has been damaged substantially. If not for the second metal gate behind the wooden one, they’d have gotten through long ago.
In the middle of the republicans, a defensive formation is marching through the ranks, protected by wide shields. They call it a turtle formation since it resembles one. The shell repels the arrows, and since the enemy catapults are out of ammunition, there is no threat that can stop their advance.
A ramp rises from the plain to the gate, dead bodies lying on both sides of the rise. The turtle formation climbs the ramp steadily, assaulted by hails of arrows to no avail.
And once the formation reaches the gate, the Red Demon emerges with her massive chunk of hulking iron, destroying the gate with the fang of the Supreme God.
“Death to the federation!” She cries.
““““DEATH TO THE FEDERATION!””””
After a bloody skirmish, the fortress has been taken.
Chapter Twenty
Death Is a Blessing
“To think my twentieth birthday would be held in a place like this,” Tenil talks to herself.
“Congratulations,” Staff Sergeant Ireine says.
Having overtaken the fortress, Tenil’s weapon is coated with red liquid and pieces of organic debris. The black stripes all over her body combined with it is more than enough to terri
fy the republicans.
A small band of knights came and seized the fortress in a matter of minutes. Even now, the Gunlai soldiers find it hard to believe, but every time they glance at the Red Demon, they can only gulp and accept the fact.
No one doubts she was the one who conquered Valoria.
“Alright,” Tenil lifts the dragon’s fang, resting it on her shoulder so that the tip points at the skies, “I believe it is time for me to rest. We leave the fortress for the republicans.”
“Understood.”
The small band of knights that escorted Tenil in the turtle formation marches through the ranks of republicans to return back to the camp. They’re receiving all kinds of stares, respectful or fearful and the like, but none celebrates.
Tenil can tell what’s wrong with them. They think they’re seeing a monster, and humans as they are, they’re definitely wishing for her death, just to ensure they won’t have to face her at any point in their lives.
And now, she can also tell why the King wants to get rid of her; he is as scared as the republicans around her, scared that she might come for him next. The mere thought makes Tenil smile wryly.
“So it was fear that doomed Phyr,” Tenil blurts.
“Sir?”
“Nothing.”
She isn’t arrogant or overconfident. It’s the truth, no matter how she looks at it. Whether she dies or succeeds at conquering Phyr, it’ll be their end nevertheless, for if she doesn’t do it, then Ouroboros will devour all.
And if she succeeds, Ouroboros will do as she says. However, what Tenil has in mind for him is by no means anything one’d expect from a dragonic god.
***
While the Knights of the Red Flag have been continuing their campaign, Louir’s been fighting the Black Demons to keep them at bay. All alone, she’s held her ground against thousands of dark aberrations.
Without doubt, some people must’ve seen her and the hordes of Demons, but she is trying to keep the aberrations in the wilds where only hunters and travelers might come by. Thanks to the war, there aren’t many travelers around.
“They just keep coming...”
Violet scorch marks are everywhere, trees have been erased from existence, and craters have formed. It’s been a fierce battle, one that’s lasted for a couple of weeks now. Louir’d like to know why the Demons want Tenil dead since she is protecting her so adamantly.
Suddenly, the Demons relent, backing away.
“I’m growing tired of you,” a black knight who’s emanating smoke walks towards Louir. “You’re powerful, but not powerful enough.”
“You think this is all I can do? Tiny craters and felled trees? Pfft, how foolish.”
“No, I don’t think this is all you can do. I’m not that much of a fool.”
Oreon, the Ember Knight, approaches Louir step by step, the Black Demons retreating.
“Why do you want to kill Tenil?”
“Because she crushed my dream! She trampled my pride! I’ll kill her for that—I’ll rip out her heart and mutilate her eviscerated corpse, and then I’ll feed the remains to whatever beast accepts that whore!”
“Oh my, what a lady killer. Shall we fight now? Or do you have more to say?”
“Shut up!”
Louir furrows her brows as she witnesses the burning knight of black dash as fast as an Elementalist attuning Life. What’s more, out of thin air, a black greatsword materializes in Oreon’s hands, and dark tentacles spew from his back to support him.
In a flash, the Ember Knight of the Fourth Era has closed the gap between them. The black blade of the Old One clashes with a violet scythe of death.
Oreon’s vision is suddenly covered by Louir’s palm, which conjures an orb of violet energy to blow his head off from point-blank range—only that it doesn’t. The Void orb explodes, but Oreon has ducked fast enough to dodge it.
Their blades meet again to no avail.
Louir steps through the Void to appear behind Oreon, trying to swing the scythe to cut him in half, but the tentacles intercept, tangling the blade midair. Deciding she’s lost her Living Weapon, she discards it and steps away to retreat.
“As if I let you get away now!”
Oreon hurls the greatsword at Louir, and as it flies through the air, it transforms into a mass of dark matter, until it hits the spot where Louir was standing, erupting and consuming the earth in the process.
“The eater of worlds, Dark Old One, has granted me power! None can stop me!”
“Just shut up and die!”
Louir casts violet discs, shooting them at the Ember Knight, and each of them homes in on Oreon. She follows up by warping behind him to cast a shockwave of Void energy to stun him. The discs hit soon after, dismembering his limbs.
“Where’s your master now!?”
“Haha!” Oreon laughs despite having lost his limbs. He has a good reason to laugh, in fact. Instead of blood, black substance is spilling from the dismembered parts, substance that grows into a new set of limbs.
“The Old One is with me, bitch!”
The tentacles seize Louir, restraining her.
“I’ve had my fill of tentacles!”
Louir’s body emanates an explosion of Void energy, erasing the slithering limbs. In addition, her figure is covered in a violet aura that disintegrates even the earth beneath her feet, aura that’s so dense she cannot be seen.
“Die!” The Void Archon yells.
A Void ray is shot from the palm of the Archon, a beam that doesn’t just graze the earth where it hits, but drills into the bedrock.
Oreon’s left shoulder is obliterated by the ray, but it grows back a moment later. Although he can indeed regenerate, he cannot restore his existence if the Void expunges him. Therefore, he cannot afford to get hit like that.
“Tch, I missed...” The Archon’s voice isn’t singular, but dual, the Void’s voice integrated with Louir’s.
Suddenly, the tentacles of the Old One expand infinitely, reaching out for the Archon. In response, the Archon gathers Void energy around its right foot—and stomps the ground to create a shockwave that, in fact, is so powerful it creates a crater beneath the Archon.
Oreon is wounded heavily by the blow, violet scorch marks all over his body and armor.
“I’m not going down! Never!!!”
The Ember Knight summons a new greatsword of the eater of worlds, pointing it at the skies to invoke an attack. The clouds above form a whorl from whence a dark pillar of otherworldly energy plunges upon the ravaged battlefield. It crashes down with such force trees are uprooted and sent flying.
The Archon is caught in the mass destruction.
***
Back at her tent, Tenil is once again lying on her bed. She is contemplating on a mistake she made, mistake that could’ve spelled the end of the Knights of the Red Flag. She is angry at her own foolishness, so much that she’d like to cut her hand off for it, but doesn’t dare to do it, knowing that she’ll need it.
At first, it seemed like a good idea to join the guerilla raids herself, but now that she’s thinking back on it, they could’ve been betrayed by the republicans. They could’ve slaughtered her men and left Tenil and her comrades to die in the hostile land. On the other hand, if Tenil hadn’t joined the attack, she could’ve ensured the safety of her soldiers.
Luck was on her side this time, but it was a gamble she’d not have taken had she known the republicans are as afraid of her as the Phyrian King. They might betray them in the future, just to eliminate a potential threat. Humans fear what they cannot comprehend. Therefore, it’s only natural they might try to kill her off.
“What is it this time?” Tenil asks a silhouette in the dark.
It’s midnight, and Tenil hasn’t left her oil lamp lighted, so she can’t see the tiny person this time either.
“Master sent me here to bear another message,” Worthless Imp explains. “Until Ouroboros’s existence is confirmed, the Lords are not willing to let you kill more.”
“M-must I?”
“I don’t feel like talking right now, so yeah. Or should I eat you? There are campfires outside, just so you know.”
“I-I will talk to Lord Ouroboros directly!”
As soon as the imp touches the crystal Tenil has on top of her palm, the dragon greets the imp, Good evening.
“G-good evening, Lord Ouroboros.”
So the Lords of Heaven and Hell want to confirm my existence with their own eyes, eh? Well, shall I pay a visit?
“P-please do, in the Purgatory if possible.”
Okay. I’ll be there in a bit. You better bring your master there before I arrive.
Puff!
Worthless Imp is already gone, hurrying to his master while he still can.
Well, I guess I’m off to Cerphet.
Enjoy your trip.
Oh I will.
Next thing that happens is Alexiana entering the tent without warning. “Tenil!”
“Oh what now!?” Irritated, Tenil sits up.
“Louir returned,” she says.
“And?”
“I mean, she retreated.”
Tenil gets her implied message. “How far are the Demons?”
“They’ll get here by dawn, I reckon. Ah, and Oreon is with them. He was the one who defeated Louir, after all.”
“Oreon did? That Louir?”
“Yes. He isn’t a weakling, apparently.”
“No, he isn’t, not anymore.” Tenil consults Ouroboros. Must I defeat the Black Demons too? Or are they excluded from the rules? Can I ask her for help?
Well, considering that the Black Demons want to turn me into a slave or something like that, I’ll exclude them from the rules. Do whatever you want with them.
Thanks.
Sure.
“You heard him?” Tenil asks Alexiana.
“Yeah. I’m thinking of handling the Black Demons myself, but hearing that you owe Oreon a rematch, I’ll leave him to you. Just make sure you win.”
“I will.” Eon, can you turn a blind eye if I borrow your power for a moment?
Languished Life Page 21