Chapter 270 Brawl
By night time, Dave was standing on the palace porch, looking over the bustling city. The citizens and soldiers were doing hard work in creating pits and fortifying the city streets. They used the lumber from the forest nearby to build wooden spiked walls and blocked the streets.
Dave had ordered more of these spiked walls be placed around the city. He was planning on fighting outside the city walls when morning comes.
An icon in the side of Dave's vision blinked. Dave focused his eyes on it and it grew up into a notification.
***
Most of the enemy food stocks have been burnt.
Soldiers who have drunk from the river water have been poisoned.
Enemy morale has sharply decreased.
Rioting and chaos are more prone to ensue in the enemy command.
Enemy numbers are decreasing rapidly.
Overnight casualties.
2,126 and counting up.
***
Dave nodded to himself, his plan was working perfectly. Hunger and the lack of drinkable water will weaken the enemy in the fight tomorrow. But this was only temporary, he knew the enemy will resupply in water and food and tighten the security on these resources soon.
"Dementi, give the command to the heavy cavalry units to move out from the forest and go upstream I need them to prepare for a flanking attack tomorrow."
"As you command," Dementi said and ordered one of her knights to relay Dave's orders.
"I need units standing in front of the city walls tomorrow. Use half of our heavy infantries and equip them with long spears to hold off the enemy charge."
"We might lose a lot of our soldiers this way my lord, wouldn't it be better to stay behind the city walls?" Dementi asked.
"By morning, the enemy soldiers will be weak, they have lost many soldiers yesterday, they have no food to eat and many of them are poisoned from drinking the poisoned river waters. It's our best chance as we still have the advantage to cut down their numbers in a melee confrontation."
"I see," Dementi informed another knight with Dave's command.
Dave left the palace and went to check up on the prisoners in the dungeons. When he arrived, he was informed with good news. One of the prisoners showed signs of fever and repeated vomiting.
"Good, place the rest of the prisoners with him in the same room. Notify me when at least half of the prisoners are infected." Dave ordered one of the knights guarding the dungeon.
"As you command your majesty.
Dave kept overseeing the work in the city. He even helped citizen dig pits in the streets which increased their vigor. To see a king doing menial work to help in their protection, bolstered the citizen's faith in Dave.
Dave wiped the sweat off his forehead and looked up. Dawn was breaking. He walked to the city gate, thousands of soldiers stood in rows around the city gate. In front of them were wooden spikes to hold off any possible cavalry charge from the enemy. And behind them were the high walls of the city that was filled to the brim with archers.
Samael like usual, appeared out of nowhere and asked, "Your majesty, what are you doing here?"
"What do you think? I'm joining the fight. I know it's dangerous so just save it. We need every man in this fight."
"But your majesty!"
"Don't worry, I know how to take care of myself."
"At least let me order a few veteran knights to keep you company. You two stay with his majesty!" Samael ordered.
Two very familiar knights stood next to Dave. One with an overly large broken greatsword, and the other in blood-stained full plate armor.
Dave laughed when he saw the two knights. It was Orn and Gale, they were his bodyguards when he was undead and it seemed that they will once again protect him.
Dave patted the two knights on the back and said, "Good to see you two again."
"Again?" Gale didn't understand what Dave was talking about.
"Don't worry about it, Gale. Anyway, I need someone to inform Dementi to share command with me in this fight."
"Why not just you, your majesty?" Orn asked.
"I'll be in the thick of the fight, I won't be able to see everything from here. Dementi already knows all of my plans, she should be able to do a good job."
"Very well your majesty," Orn replied and ordered a knight to send word.
"Your majesty," a knight came over, he was leading a black stallion by a rein.
"Lady Dementi said that you should not fight on foot, I brought over your horse, Nightmare."
The black horse matched perfectly with his black armor. Dave smiled as he scratched under the horse's chin. This was probably the same horse the Undead King was mounting in the fight against the black skull order.
Dave mounted the black horse, the mare neighed in acknowledgment of its rider.
"There is movement in the horizon your majesty," Samael said.
A large row of enemy soldiers was steadily marching toward the city.
"Your majesty, a word from you will give our soldiers greater courage in the upcoming fight," Samael said
"You are right," Dave said. He led Nightmare through his ranks and into the front of his army.
Dave turned, raising his light devouring sword and shouted.
"Hear me, brothers and sisters!" Dave called at the top of his lungs.
The soldiers quieted down. Only the occasional clank of metal could be heard leaving Dave's words to roam free.
"Today is a day of battle! We have shown these bastards how ruthless we are behind walls, and today we shall show them how merciless we are on the field!
Dave raised his sword, all the soldiers shouted at once
"Huraaa!"
"The enemy outnumber us paltry five to one, good odds for any Arotsian!"
Dave raised his sword again
An even louder battle cry thundered across the Arotsa ranks.
"Today the gates of hell are open wide for us! LET US RIDE THROUGH THEM AS LEGENDS!"
The final line sent shivers down the spine of every Arotsian soldier. A final roar echoed across the ranks and a notification popped up in front of Dave.