Chapter 556 - 3c332p1
3c332p1
The Holy War(17)
Brendel watched the sky and earth grow distant. The spearmen in front were lowering the grip on their spears, the shiny helmets lowered one after another and the spears rose among an ocean of helmets. He vaguely heard Bessie’s voice as sharp as a sea monster, a hissing sound, then arrows shot over their heads and landed somewhere further.
The queue of the Northern Coalition Army was like blue and white waves which produced a series of explosions. The continuous flares merged with screams, the force of the air ripples seemed to have crossed tens of meters in just seconds, bringing shrapnels of metal to hit his armor.
The blazes were blinding, Brendel could not help but squint his eyes. The Beale Infantry began their final charge before him. Their formation had turned into a curved line and they were crossing the shallow waters of the creek. Disintegration Crystals exploded beneath their feet, forming pillars of water. Countless youngsters fell amidst the misting water and their comrades continued on, hurdling over their corpses. About fifty meters from both sides of the Marchenko and Leviko Mountains was the forest where. Finn and Constantine’s infantries hid. Their archers did not have to worry about accidental injuries so they shot all their arrows towards the two mountain tops, causing countless explosions. The deafening explosions were so powerful they practically gouged out the ground. Black pine tree branches broke and flew all over the place and the flags of both Northern Coalition Armies fell one after another.
Suddenly, a few flashes broke out in a distance.
Brendel knew what it was right away, Magical attacks! The mages of the Northern Coalition Army have finally joined the battle. The dots of fire crossed thousands of meters instantly and turned into fireballs as big as a skull. But a light blue water curtain opened up right above the noble private soldiers and the fireballs crashed into them, scattering the red flames.
But the roaring of the explosions still caused some commotion among Count Audine’s private soldiers and the formation was beginning to get messed up. Brendel realized it and was about to boost their morale when a clear and calm voice was heard.
“Don’t retreat, I’m here! I’m fighting alongside all of you!” The princess’ voice was firm and steady but the way she gripped so tightly onto her sword until her hand turned white gave away her real feelings.
“Your Highness!” Brendel turned and saw Princess Gryphine standing not far away from him.
Princess Gryphince glanced at him with uncertainty in her silver eyes before she turned away and shouted solemnly, “I am the princess of Aouine! I will be here, and let us let our blood flow across this place together today!” The majesty of royalty was extremely infectious to ordinary people. Seeing the princess standing behind them, the noble private soldiers miraculously calmed down.
Freya stepped forward to join the first row and she pulled out her sword to stand side by side with the noble private soldiers. Although this girl from the countryside of Bucce was not good with words and could not say anything to motivate and inspire passion in people, as long as she held tightly to her Lionheart Sword and did not step back, no man would be willing to abandon her to face the army alone.
The few students of the Royal Cavalry Academy that stayed in the central position who were behind her decided to set an example. They moved to the forefront of the lineup. Nobody talked but it was as if they were glowing with an indescribable spirit. Brendel’s heart was thumping and he felt his blood boil with excitement.
He put down the Halran Gaia across his chest and raised his head to look ahead. A line of blue and white waves was crossing through the smoke of the explosion area. The Northern Coalition Army’s light infantry had crossed the river beach and were getting close.
Viscount Von Dougning crossed the explosion area with hardship and spat out the sand that got into his mouth. He lifted his head and looked past the flames, seeing Count Audine’s noble private soldiers that had just steadied. So they have a capable officer too… He thought to himself.
The two armies collided.
The noble private soldiers held out their spears. The Beale light infantry vanguard was stabbed before they could even reach out with their halberds, the sharp spears piercing through their side breastplate and they all fell to the ground. From a distance, it looked like the Beale Infantry’s swallow-tailed flags were falling like dominos.
The noble private soldiers took a step back but the second row of the Beale infantry had reached through the spears with their halberds. But the halberds were stopped by the shields and the noble private soldiers in the back rows pierced them with spears through the gaps.
The light infantry in the back rows kept coming, stepping past the bodies of their comrades. The noble private soldiers had to keep stepping back. But the attacks came unevenly and even as those leading the front rows kept yelling “Move backward! Move backward!” the front line still lost their formation.
Brendel knew this was not good but then he realized that the Beale’s light infantry did not take advantage of these broken off sections, they were just pushing forward blindly. He suddenly came to his senses, What I’m leading is a noble private army, but the other party is nothing more than a second-line army made up of human light infantries that were not even of the first class.
He let out a sigh of relief. I’m being too nervous. This is just the Year of the Sword, the soldiers here aren’t the famous units of the later generations. He calmed down and lifted his head to look at the sea of helmets, shields, spears, and swords. There were a group of Earth Drake Rangers cruising around outside the formation.
“It’s that guy……”
Brendel realized that the opponent rangers were just waiting for an opportunity to seize.
He unwittingly looked towards the north side of Marchenko and Leviko Mountain. Viscount Von Dougning was making the same moves. The young viscount who was riding on the Earth Drake saw that Finn and Constantine’s Army had appeared at the edge of the forest and the three phalanxes of the noble private soldiers were right at both the right and left flanks.
“Hmm, it’s moving forward faster than expected.” Viscount Von Dougning was startled. He knew exactly what standards Finn and Constantine’s Armies were at so he did not expect them to cross through at the explosions at such a critical moment.
The gods are on Seifer’s side.
But what flashed through Brendel’s mind when seeing the same scene was Bessie did a good job.
The noble private soldier’s phalanx moved backward step by step with their backs facing the Anker Mountain. The Grey Fins Nagas and Royal Cavalry Academy’s students who had previously retreated appeared at both sides of the south of Anker Mountain.
Viscount Von Dougning suddenly understood what Brendel wanted to do. He wanted to concentrate the superior forces on the right and left flanks and lure and defeat the Northern Coalition Army at the Marchenko and Leviko Mountains. Viscount Von Dougning immediately ordered, “Let Viscount Finn and Baron Constantine hold on, tell them victory is just a step away and not to worry and to use in all the military forces.”
He paused, “Pass my orders to Count Vitokin, the best is to have him give out the same orders.”
The messenger cavalry immediately went.
The battle gradually started to intensify.
Because of the repeated attacks, the formation of the noble private soldiers had slanted to one side. It was like a huge piece of melting butter with a corner almost melted away. Viscount Von Doughnin was observant and seized this opportunity. He pointed his spear towards that side of the noble private soldiers and shouted, “Focus all attacks on the left flank of the phalanx. Take down their main formation and victory will be ours!’
Brendel heard Count Audine screaming in anger behind him, “Be careful of those rangers, don’t expose our side to them!” He felt a sense of crisis for the first time. The other side is indeed a well-known commander in history. If it’s just about commanding armies, I probably wouldn’t win against him.
“Mr.Brendel.” There was a splash of red on Princess’ Gryphine’s fair face, her hand was trembling slightly from gripping her sword too tightly. She looked around from atop her horse and saw that they were surrounded by an ocean of endless enemies. “The left flank can’t take it any longer!’
Brendel just nodded at her.
“Maynild!” He turned around and shouted.
“Here!”
“I’m handing the commander role to you.”
Maynild turned her head, Brendel saw the strange look in her eyes under her flowing black hair. The female knight did not ask any further and just nodded.
“Mr.Brendel, you…?” The princess was stunned, “What are you planning to do?”
Brendel was turning his horse. The princess’s startled voice caught the lower class officers’ and knights’ attention. They were stunned to see their commander leave and headed directly to the left flank by himself.
What is he trying to do?