Chapter 436: Trap

“We are making a good time,” said Stone, looking at the dark sky above.

It is near dawn, and we are just an hour and a half away from Panar.

“The moral of the army is good. They are not tired,” I replied. Mood Of The Subjects is an amazing skill. It helps me sense the mood of the public.

“We will take a break in half an hour. Let the army rest and eat. It will be the last chance; they will get of that.” He said, and I nodded.

A few minutes passed, and we were riding in silence when Shaun came forward.

“The army had come out of the gates of Deerpond,” informed Shaun, and there was not a hint of surprise in mine, Stone, and Azalea’s faces.

We had expected it, seeing the city had sealed off the communication two and a half hours ago.

“They are really attacking,” said Major General Azalea. “It seemed they are,” added Stone.

There is a large difference between expecting and seeing it happening.

I am angry at the bastard. Instead of supporting me, he is attacking me.

This attack, I am doing, will benefit him too, but instead of appreciating it. The ungrateful bastard decided to attack me.

“What is the strength?” I asked, calming my anger.

“Forty thousand, with Darius and Ronda leading it,” he replied, and I heaved a sigh of relief.

Deepond had an army of slightly over a hundred thousand. If they had sent over fifty thousand. I would have been really worried.

Forty thousand is within our projections.

“Our army will be able to manage it, right?” I asked Stone. “They should,” he replied.

He didn’t say it with finality, because even he wasn’t sure. A battle couldn’t be predicted well when the strength is close.

The result would depend on the strategies and the number of forces used each. The powerhouses and weapons they have.

I have left a good people in the city. There are also a couple of surprises that the enemies wouldn’t like.

Still, I had hoped, no one would attack, but that is too much to hope, seeing how juicy pie the city is.

“Did the Lord of Deerpond give any reason for the attack?” I asked.

“No, they are silent about that,” He replied. I want to see, what excuse? Those bastards give to attack my city.

I asked a few more questions before riding silently.

If I wanted. I could have ridden in the carriage and slept, but I wanted to march with my men. They have followed me in this battle, where many would lose their lives.

This is the least I could do for them.

Soon, the first light of dawn filtered in through the clouds and within a minute, the whole sky brightened up, showing the wasteland in all its glory.

“Halt,” Stone commanded. “We will rest for two hours before resuming the march,”

The ration is served within minutes. By then, the people are finished with their morning business. All of them ate quickly, before closing their eyes to sleep.

“Arlievus,”

I activated the charms and felt their power spread across the army. Mixed with the resting skills, enhancing their effects.

I have used all the resting charms; I have in one go.

The attack on the undead will last for the day. If we don’t breach the walls by tonight, we will retreat back to the Greltheaven.

We might do it even before that or slightly after. It all depends on how the undead act.

I finished eating the ration and closed my eyes to rest. I too need a rest; the undead won’t make things easy.

“Lord Silver,” I woke up, as my name was called.

I felt good. A little sleepy, but rested. Thanks to resting skills and the charms.

The army is still resting. Many of them had laid on the rough ground, while some were sitting. One thing is common with them, they are experienced in this.

Over 70% of people here are used to such campaigns, where they need to operate on minimal rest.

A few minutes later, Stone woke up the army, and within a minute. They formed themselves in a neat formation.

“March!” he ordered, and the march of the army resumed.

I activated my skills once again as I rode with the army. In an hour, we will reach the Panar.

I am feeling scared. It is a very dangerous campaign, that might get us wiped out. If I had a better option, I wouldn’t have done it, but unfortunately, I didn’t.

It is the only option that will slow down the undead and give the city time. It needs to become powerful enough to defend against the undead.

Time passed, and the army marched toward the undead.

There is no sound of it, no song. Other than the rhythm, their feet made as they hit the ground.

“It’s finally here,” I said as I looked at the city of Panar through the binoculars. It was only a dot a few minutes ago, but now it is a full city.

I could see walls and even people and the undead occupying it.

“Sometimes, I forget. Greltheaven is the oddest city in the entire region,” said Stone as he put her binoculars down.

I had been to Panar once.

It was a short trip, but I still remember the city, which is much different, from what it is right now.

Panar, like all cities of the wasteland, is on the green patch. It’s near the center of the patch, with farms surrounding it from all three sides.

The farms weren’t enough to sustain the city, but they were enough to ease a load little.

The city is bigger than Greltheaven.

Its walls could hold half a million people rather easily, but had a population of hundred and fifty thousand, when the undead attacked it.

Most of them had professions as miners. The city has some good crystal mines in its territory; we had passed by one not long ago.

“The intelligence was right. The walls are in a terrible shape,” said Major General Azalea with a pleased smile on his face.

The region had suffered a lot in the past few years. It had a good population, but then the undead of Navr swept through it, not long after the empire attacked it.

Saying it left the cities in terrible shape would be an understatement.

The Governor of Panar didn’t fix them. He just patched it up and did a rather poor job at that. He too had the same mind as the Count Darrow, earn as much as possible and escape.

Unfortunately, neither he nor Count Darrow were able to escape in one piece.

It is the same with most of the cities of Almin, Bilgas, Brimbale, and others.

Only Deerpond, Riverbell, and port cities had kept their walls in good condition.

Though, since the undead attacked; they had brought their walls to top condition.

Panar, Bilgas, and a few others didn’t get a chance, since they got conquered within a few days of the undead’s arrival in the region.

The undead, on the other hand. Didn’t feel like they needed to fix the walls, thinking nobody would attack them.

“That only makes things slightly easier. We still have to deal with three hundred thousand undead waiting for us,” said Stone.

The city of Panar had three hundred thousand undead stationed there.

Till two hours ago, it was only a hundred thousand, but two hundred thousand, along with the powerhouses, had come from Almin as the reinforcements.

Taking the strength of the horde back to three hundred thousand.

It is a massive number, nine times than us, not to mention. The advantage of defending from the city, while we are in the open.

I wonder, the kind of strategies they would use. We had discussed and planned for everything.

Including the direct confrontation, but surprises could come. They always come.

…

Rynra

“They have arrived,” I said and deactivated the spell. The enemy is less than ten miles away.

It is a small army of thirty-five thousand.

Far cry from the million strong, I had seen on the Island, but this army had defeated our forces constantly. Including one yesterday.

“I could see elder blood and paladin, but I did not see geomancer, aquamancer, and a few other people. They might be hiding, or they haven’t brought them here,” said Wayne.

I looked at the man, who had lost twice. He was supposed to leave for the Ashton Harbor but stayed because of the attack.

I hate his guts, seeing how he lost so badly against the enemy, but also need him.

He will be a big help in wiping them out.

“How are the preparations?” I asked Yegson.

He was responsible for the Panar until I took over two hours ago. He does not like it one bit, but accepting the orders without much resistance, which is all I want.

“Good, but I need two hours more before I finish with them,” he replied.

“That wouldn’t be a problem,” I replied, before turning to the enemy.

“Keep anti-scrying measure active. Shoot any animal or beast, that tries to cross the sky. I don’t want the enemy to see what is happening,” I ordered.

There are preparations being made to wipe out the enemy. I do not want a simple victory, but wipe them out, like they did with our army twice.

Though, I would not let even a single person escape. Especially not that host of legacy.

The higher-ups want him, and I will deliver. If I do well enough. I might be able to return to the island.

I had stayed long enough, in this punishment posting.

They should have let me lead one of those battles. If I had been to their places; I would have given them the victory, instead of defeat after defeat, they had got.

It wasn’t truly my fault for what happened on the island, but got blamed for it.

The ones whose fault was that, had died. Leaving me to take the blame.

“It’s quite a plan. You had thought, but I will give you the same warning as I gave Methum. Be careful, these bastards have a habit of springing out surprises,” warned Wayne.

“Don’t worry, no surprise of theirs would work, once I sprung them into my trap,” I replied.

Of course, I am being careful. They have won three battles, but their streak will end here.

They will be defeated. Wiped out of the last man.

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