"No, that's not the case, Young Lord," Jacob, one of my advisors, hurriedly approached and explained. Though his tone was grave, he continued, "Refugees are coming."The seriousness in Jacob's voice hinted at the urgency of the situation, instilling a sense of concern within me as I prepared to address the unexpected arrival of refugees.“Refugees?” I frowned.I furrowed my brow at the mention of refugees, a mixture of concern and disbelief washing over me. In a realm where peace had long been cherished, the sudden influx of displaced souls was jarring, to say the least.After hastily donning my attire, I made my way out of the room, the urgency of the situation pushing me forward. With a flick of my wrist, I invoked magic to cleanse myself, a small gesture amidst the looming crisis.Stepping into the open, I turned to Roland, my trusted advisor, seeking clarity amidst the chaos. "What's happening?" I inquired, my voice tinged with a sense of unease."There are at least two hundred re
As Dray turned to leave, I halted him with a request for information, overriding his instincts. "Set aside your mana sense, Dray, and tell me: how long do you estimate it will take the beastmen to reach here from the mines?"Dray pondered for a moment before responding, "Perhaps around two days if they travel at normal speed."With the confirmation aligning with my speculation, I couldn't afford to underestimate the swiftness of the beastmen. Their formidable physical prowess made a two-day estimate for their arrival all the more plausible. In contrast, if they were human adversaries, I might have allowed a longer timeframe, perhaps around four days."Prepare yourselves," I directed, a sense of urgency creeping into my tone.For once, I attempted to outsmart myself, considering the possibility of a quicker advance by the enemy."Perhaps it won't take two days," I mused aloud, entertaining the notion of a more imminent threat. "Maybe a day is all they need to reach our gates."Dray's r
I believe such challenges are essential for my people's growth; they must learn to stand on their own rather than relying solely on a few individuals. While I've requested reinforcements from nearby cities, their response remains uncertain."My people are equipped with the finest armor, weapons, and skills, taught by the best instructors," I stated firmly. "If they cannot overcome this minor obstacle, then perhaps my investment in them has been misplaced." They must prove their capabilities and resilience in the face of adversity.As my words echoed through the room, a palpable tension settled over the gathered crowd."In my view, this war is already won," I declared, my tone carrying a weight of determination. "However, how we achieve victory will determine the future of our city."With a meaningful glance at each present, I continued, "We cannot afford to remain idle as the enemy advances towards our gates unimpeded.""Roland," I addressed the cavalry commander, "lead your forces i
As I surveyed the advancing Beastmen army, a sense of grim realization settled over me."So these are the Beastmen who will deplete our supplies and drain our energy," I muttered under my breath, my gaze fixed upon the relentless march of the approaching horde.Upon closer inspection, it became apparent that the vast majority of this formidable army consisted of Beastmen who had long roamed the Endless Forest, surviving on scavenged scraps of food and makeshift shelters. A pang of regret washed over me as I realized the oversight in not conducting a more thorough sweep of the forest.The appearance of these Beastmen only confirmed my assumptions. Their unkempt fur, protruding teeth, and crude armour adorned with bone daggers painted a stark picture of their primitive existence and savage nature."They are underestimating me, once again. Even the wise fall prey to their ego and pride," I remarked with a cold, steely resolve.Despite their overwhelming numbers, I couldn't help but feel
"Stop! Don't go! You fools!" the captain shouted in frustration, but his words fell on deaf ears as more beastmen continued to charge towards the stream.Even if more than 200 elite beastmen held the line and used their weapons to fend off the beastmen who were trying to run towards the stream, it didn’t work. This only made the already crude formation worse. The leader's commands fell on deaf ears as the relentless pull of thirst overcame any semblance of discipline. Despite his efforts, the beastmen surged forward toward the stream, their movements desperate and uncoordinated.In a matter of moments, chaos erupted as the thirsty beastmen plunged into the water, heedless of the danger lurking within the archer towers. The sounds of their joyous gulping echoed across the battlefield, mingling with the shouts of warning from their comrades.The leader's frustration boiled over as he watched the scene unfold before him. With each passing moment, his hopes for a coordinated assault on I
The captain's gaze shifted from the chaotic scene unfolding before him to the vast city walls looming in the distance. The sight of their formidable defences only heightened his sense of dread. His warriors, already weakened by thirst and exhaustion, lacked the resolve to face such a formidable opponent. Despite their elite status among the beastmen, they were not immune to the effects of desperation and doubt that gripped their ranks.With each passing moment, the captain grappled with the weight of their precarious situation. While thirst gnawed at their resolve, the looming threat of death loomed even larger. Any misstep now could spell disaster for their already beleaguered forces. As he surveyed the battlefield, the captain knew that their only hope lay in a decisive course of action.The prospect of a futile demise was a bitter pill for the beastmen to swallow, a fate they detested and disdained.With little time to ponder, the captain swiftly made his decision. "We must withd
"Who are these humans?!" The captain exclaimed in their native tongue, his voice tinged with fear and disbelief. The sight of Dray stripped him of any remaining confidence. Even the strongest general among the Merlocks, whom he had encountered by chance, did not exude such a formidable aura. This presence felt otherworldly."We should have retreated faster!" This was the singular regret echoing through the minds of every encircled beastman. Had they fled more swiftly, they might have avoided encountering this "Demon" altogether!Now, they couldn't even flee.In the heart of their formation, over a dozen beastmen lay wounded on the ground, immobilized by their injuries. Another two dozen lay lifeless, victims of just one onslaught from this terrifying human.Despair and hopelessness filled the captain's eyes, but for his subordinates, the emotions were even more overwhelming.In the face of such overwhelming power, the beastmen's usual tactics of trading life for life seemed futile. E
However, a growl from one of the captive beastmen served as a stark reminder of the ongoing conflict.Fueled by a mix of frustration and wounded pride, certain beastmen seethed at the sight of the humans' laughter. Their defeat at the hands of the knights did little to diminish their inherent sense of superiority. Even in captivity, they refused to yield their dignity. To them, the idea of being mocked by ordinary humans was an affront that could not be tolerated. It was a matter of pride, a declaration of their indomitable spirit in the face of adversity. Despite their current circumstances, they remained steadfast in their resolve to command respect, even if it meant attempting to instil fear in their captors. Thud!The beastman who dared to growl at the residents received a swift strike to the head with the blunt side of a sword, rendering him unconscious instantly. His companions had no choice but to drag him along with them as they were led into captivity.Among the three hund
"Hey! Why should we listen to a brat like you?" The interjection came from the back of the crowd, a young soldier, his face flushed with anger, his eyes blazing with defiance. The rest of the soldiers turned to stare, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.A genuine smile spread across my face. Finally, someone had the audacity to speak up. A flicker of satisfaction ignited within me. This was exactly what I had been hoping for, wasn't it? Didn't this feel like the natural order of things?I had anticipated this moment from the very beginning. There was no way these esteemed scions of nobility and battle-hardened knights would meekly submit to the commands of a mere child. The moment I was elected commander of one of the three mighty armies, I knew this tension would inevitably arise. After all, who among these talented warriors would willingly follow a teenager with little to boast of in terms of accomplishments? And let's not forget the shadow of my less-than-st
Ladia couldn't help but castigate herself for her lapse in judgment. How had she not seen it before? If the involvement of the magic towers would significantly aid the Empire, then the impact of the very person who had defeated the magicians of the tower participating would be monumental.The princess's heart thrummed with the realization, chiding herself for taking so long to come to this epiphany. Was Ethan's proposal the correct course of action or not? She no longer dwelled on the question.With a steely gaze, Ladia announced, "I have reached a verdict."The room fell silent as all eyes turned to the princess. The final decision lay in her hands, and she was ready to reveal it. The anticipation hung heavy in the air, and Ladia took a deep breath before continuing. "I have decided to accept Ethan's proposal."A murmur of surprise rippled through the room, but Ladia held up her hand for silence. "I believe that Ethan's plan, with a few modifications, is the best course of action for
My suggestion ignited a firestorm of debate among the upper echelons of the capital. The princess convened her officials in the grand throne room, where the air was thick with tension and uncertainty as they deliberated their next course of action. Ultimately, the march toward the City of Aran was postponed by a full day, a delay that weighed heavily on everyone present. The officials found themselves divided, caught between two stark choices: should they attempt to reclaim the nearby City of Aran from the Beast Kingdom, or should they focus their efforts on retaking the more strategically significant City of Northfall?"But, Your Majesty," one of the officials interjected, his voice rising above the murmurs of the assembly, "as we stand now, we cannot afford to risk an attack on the Northfall Fortress! I have heard reports that the beastmen have fortified their walls and laid even more traps to ensnare us! If we allow this farce to continue, we will be nothing more than lambs led to
A chill snaked down Ryle's spine. Ethan's suggestion hung in the air, heavy and suffocating, like a shroud woven from despair. To attack City of Aran, a fortress city now bristling with tens of thousands of Beast Kingdom soldiers, felt like a declaration of utter annihilation. Even Lance, their most valiant commander, had fallen captive within its walls.Ryle's brow creased into a deep furrow. He, too, was a commander of the Initiation Army, a man who had tasted the bitterness of defeat and the sting of loss. He couldn't fathom how Ethan, this newly appointed leader, could so blithely propose a course of action that reeked of self-destruction."I cannot, in good conscience, agree with your plan," Ryle stated, his voice laced with a mixture of disbelief and frustration. "As we stand now, attacking Northfall City is a fool's errand, a suicide mission. We are scattered, depleted, and outmatched. We must first rally our remaining forces, regroup along the borders, and then, and only then,
"Ryle Green, step forward!" the Royal advisor said, seeing Ryle was in a daze.Ryle coughed and stepped forward, his heart pounding with excitement as he knelt before the Princess."Ryle Green, you are hereby granted authority over fifty thousand soldiers," the Princess said, her voice like a melody that soothed the soul. "You shall be the commander of the Vanguard Army!"With a snap of her fingers, the Princess bestowed an insignia upon Ryle's shoulder, its glow of light like a beacon of hope in the face of the looming threat of the Beast Kingdom."I will crush those beastmen for you, Your Highness!" Ryle said, his voice filled with determination and resolve.The Princess smiled, her eyes filled with pride and hope. "We have faith in you, Ryle," she said. "Together, we will defeat the Beast Kingdom and restore peace to our lands."Princess Ladia nodded, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "I expect a lot from the younger generation, Ryle," she said, her voice laced with both encou
The Dwarven Kingdom, a land renowned for its glittering wealth, held its breath. The Brightwing Empire’s meager offer, a desperate plea for aid, was all they had to entice the notoriously hard-drinking mercenaries. Even if their weapons were outdated, their reputation for unmatched effectiveness in battle preceded them. Surely, that would be enough.“Your Majesty,” a guard murmured, his voice barely a tremor in the air. “They have arrived.”Princess Ladia, lost in a labyrinth of thought, startled slightly. She had wrestled with the decision for what felt like an eternity, but finally, a solution had emerged. All that remained was to face them, to meet their gaze and offer her hand in this desperate alliance.Viscount Lamiel, a man whose arrogance was only surpassed by his thirst for gold, strode into the royal garden, flanked by a legion of equally boisterous mercenaries. Princess Ladia recognized most of them – the nobles summoned by the crown, their faces etched with a mixture of g
The scene unfolded with brutal efficiency. Several soldiers, their faces grim and resolute, descended upon Drew and the other soldier, their movements swift and decisive. There was no struggle, no desperate pleas for mercy. They walked away with heads bowed, accepting their fate with a stoic silence that spoke volumes of their resignation.Ryle, his expression a mixture of weariness and amusement, ran a hand through his hair, a sigh escaping his lips. "What a waste of a perfectly good sleep," he muttered, his voice laced with a hint of exasperation. "Young men like myself need our rest, yet everyone seems determined to disrupt my slumber over such trivial matters."His gaze shifted to me, and a playful smile curved his lips. "Allow me to introduce myself," he said, extending a hand towards me. "Ryle Green, third son of Count Green, and as you might be able to tell, the future commander of this very army." He spoke with an air of unwavering confidence, his words carrying the weight of
Two soldiers from a rival camp, their boots crunching on the gravel path, happened upon the conversation. One soldier, his face contorting with barely suppressed mirth, clamped a hand over his mouth, desperately trying to stifle a chuckle. His companion, sensing the impending eruption, jabbed him in the ribs with an elbow, a silent plea for decorum. But the laughter, like a trapped spring, was too powerful to contain. Tears welled in the soldier's eyes, threatening to spill over as his shoulders shook with silent mirth. Finally, with a strangled cry, he burst into a full-blown guffaw. "Hahahaha! If it's the Young Master leading us! Hahaha! We'll be able to… Pft! Hahaha!"The sound of his uncontrolled laughter echoed through the camp, drawing curious glances from nearby soldiers. Gaston, his face a mask of confusion and irritation, turned to the source of the amusement. "Excuse me, but what's so funny?" he demanded, his voice laced with displeasure.The soldier, still gasping for br
The unyielding army of the Ice Demon City had been journeying for a considerable number of weeks, traversing a multitude of cities and towns along the way. During our sojourns, we would occasionally restock our supplies, find respite in taverns, and often in the great outdoors, before resuming our arduous trek.Given the unfortunate circumstances, we were informed that the Ice Demon City was the most distant of all cities from the capital. This reality meant that we were among the last to receive the urgent message, compelling us to join the ranks of the other nobles and their armies in the capital.It was in the fourth week of our relentless march that we finally arrived in the grand and magnificent Capital city. The journey had been long and arduous, but our determination never wavered, as we knew our presence was required in these critical times. I had already surmised that the majority of the other nobles and their forces would have already amassed in the capital, readying themse