BELLUM PRAESINTIA

If Everything Happens

The soldiers always stood watch on top of the fortress, keeping an eye on everything around them. Even the movement of a wild horse would be considered suspicious.

"What is that?" asked a soldier, squinting his eyes and blocking the sunlight with his fingers held above his head.

Indeed, a single horse would be seen as ordinary, but what if the number of horses coming was more than a hundred?

And that's what made those soldiers' feelings fill with astonishment. One by one, they shouted to alert that the enemy was approaching.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Even the bells rang to support this declaration, and everyone who heard the sound became aware that something was happening. One minute later, panic ensued. The residents couldn't enjoy the sunlight anymore; fear was the only thing that drove them to hide.

"What's going on?" asked a large man, sitting and enjoying his wine. His face looked annoyed when a soldier approached in distress.

"The enemy forces have attacked the fortress!" He exclaimed hurriedly.

Bonzorga's eyes widened as he stared toward the edge of the fortress. Slowly, a cloud of brown smoke billowed, polluting the sight and the air.

"Darn, so the enemy has arrived! But, they must be foolish to do this! Order all the troops to repel and eliminate those audacious attackers!"

They all obeyed instantly. The once barren arena was suddenly covered with fallen arrows, their red blood becoming a source of energy.

Pedro wasn't foolish to attack a heavily fortified fortress. From a distance, his unblinking eyes observed the developments, realizing the pressure his attacking troops faced.

The distance from the battlefield was great, yet the crisp sounds mixed with cries echoed in their ears.

Around 300 soldiers were ordered to attack, while 540 witnessed the scene. Some felt grateful not to be in the position of those people, but their hearts didn't allow them to breathe a sigh of relief.

Every minute passed, and with it, lives were lost. Their ears were filled with the cries of those who were in pain.

Bonzorga squinted as he watched the ongoing battle from a distance. His lips turned downward, and his brows furrowed.

"How is it possible that our troops are being held back by a small enemy troop? It means the enemy has an experienced war general! Order the troops to eliminate the enemies outside the fortress!"

Bonzorga's words were not wrong. The man chosen to lead the battle was skilled at finding solutions to unexpected situations. He ordered each soldier to fight from behind the shield.

Their patience lured the gates wide open, revealing an even greater danger. One by one, the troops were struck by the spears of the swiftly charging enemy cavalry. Their physical condition rendered them unable to offer dignified resistance.

"Now!" Pedro shouted.

Brown silhouettes emerged from the two o'clock direction. Bonzorga's gaze was fixed on the unfolding scene. In the silence, he found the answer. It was...

"Darn, so they were waiting for a moment like this to attack! But it's fine; I haven't deployed all troops either. Soon, you'll see what will happen!" The corners of his lips rose with confidence.

This troop was led directly by Garlan. Among the racing horses, the ground seemed to welcome their arrival. The gust of wind from the sound of galloping hooves awakened memories in his mind.

A few hours earlier...

Garlan received a call from Pedro to discuss the attack plan. He was invited to a place where unfamiliar faces made him uncomfortable. His unblinking eyes, with their pitch-black and bright-white irises, stared intently at each other. The air around them seemed to constrict, filled with a sense of heat.

"Hmm... so you're the mercenary who demands 2000 gold coins if the plan to retake the Garvaran territory succeeds?" He asked in a demeaning tone.

But Garlan remained calm, with no need for his mouth to say anything.

"Fine then, I'm here to inform you of the plan that needs to be executed!"

Suddenly Garlan spoke, "Right now, all you have to do is give orders to your own troops, and I will lead my own troops. That way, you won't suffer any losses!" He conveyed his message and began to walk away.

Everyone was shocked by this extremely self-centered statement. Pedro's finger pointed harshly at Garlan.

"Stop right there, you disrespectful person!"

A strange sensation pulsed through his veins, and his fingers slowly clenched.

"Don't you understand? Our position here must win the war. If you're not willing to win this war, then attack the enemy troops alone! But by fighting here, you're risking the lives of everyone from Garvaran. Do you know what will happen if this attack fails? The enemy forces will quickly attack the palace. They have over 10,000 troops, and it won't be easily won!"

Garlan turned his head, his eyes wide with a sense of horror. "If that's the case, what do you want to say?"

A strange vibration swept through Pedro's body, causing the fine hairs on his hands and neck to stand. Slowly, his eyebrows sharpened. "I will give you the command to lead a force of 200 soldiers and use them wisely. Prove that you're capable of winning this in your own way!" He threatened.

This time, Garlan's feet could freely step out of the tent, and every footstep echoed like the pounding rhythm of approaching horses.

"Gean!" Garlan said.

"Alright!" Gean advanced, urging his horse faster along with his 14 soldiers, charging toward the oncoming enemy forces.

Their force couldn't be stopped; they kept pushing forward. Gean and his companions continuously cleared the way until they reached the intended destination, entering the silence between the buildings.

"General, they've entered enemy territory just like that!" Felius said, feeling his pulse stop for a moment.

Pedro merely snorted, his narrowed eyes fixed on them.

Garlan's force consisted of 140 soldiers, while the rest had to face the enemy. Arrows continued to rain down on them. As time passed, their chances of winning grew narrower.

"Where are those enemy troops heading? There's no one you can use as a hostage. Here, I'll be the one to lead you to the realm of hell!" Bonzorga muttered.

__To Be Continued__