Gath City.
One of the medium-level powers, second only to the large clan. This populous, prospering small city was the food house of almost all the Bashan clans, except for Adam’s clan, which depended on using their hunts to balance their small harvest.
Here, there were lots of farmlands, livestock, and a nearby forest richly populated by wild beasts, which were prey for barbarian hunters. Unlike those outside the desolatelands who had established a refined agricultural regimen, the barbarians were sorely lacking, which was why only a few could indulge in it.
The walls of this small city were made with trees that had trunks as wide as a grown man’s waist and were 6 meters tall! At the tip of the wooden wall were spikes that would damage those who would try to climb into the alure.
Most of the warriors here were gold-ringed warriors who were well fed and equipped with plate armor to protect their vital parts like the chest, shins, shoulders, and head. Some of them were shield and axe infantry, while the rest were centrak cavalrymen.
Since the arrival of the Ashbourne heavy infantry a night ago, the city had retrieved all their civilians, and soldiers now patrolled the walls regularly.
There was an impasse that could shatter at any moment. Both sides were silent, causing the unseen tension to slowly increase.
It was slowly intensifying the anxious thoughts inside the heads of those who were afraid or concerned. Those that were concerned the night the infantry arrived had graduated into fear as the next night approached.
A great number of white tents lined up on the hilltops, spreading along the plains. Over 200 tents could be seen, and soldiers clad in thick armor were moving about doing one thing or the other.
Unlike the barbarian warriors, their armor had layers. From their tunics to their gambeson to the chainmail and finally the plate armor.
Each silver-ranked armor weighed so much that a strong ordinary man would collapse after ten steps, yet these men walked about like it wasn’t a burden.
Inside a large tent in the middle of the Ashbourne camp were the military officials, from commanders to captains. Alec was the acting general.
They sat around a round table facing Alec, who came in with a letter from their lord, Baron Asher Ashbourne.
“His Lordship is inquiring about our progress.”. He said after a soft sigh.
“It’s almost the second night since we camped here, but we haven’t made any move. The longer we tarry, the more prepared those barbarians will be!” Nero said with a slightly raised tone.
“The city is built in a valley, which is naturally to our advantage, but those walls cannot be easily scaled. And they would surely meet us in the field with their cavalry.”
A captain said with a solemn expression.
“The interpretation of that message is that His Lordship knows we haven’t attacked Gath. Your brother is connected to you telepathically, if I’m not wrong. If so, then he could have asked through him, but he chose to send a letter.”
While Eritrea spoke, she looked at everyone’s faces to make sure they understood her.
“You’re saying…”
“He wants progress by the time he’s done with the other city. We’ve only conquered three villages, and he has brought down seven in three days!”
“He has the Bladebreakers!” A captain retorted.
“Repeat that to your lord when he asks for Gath and we do not deliver it to him.” Eritrea retorted with a stronger yet calmer tone.
Fear seeped into everyone’s bodies as they remembered Asher’s pet beast.
A single command from their lord and they would become beast food!
“We shall march for Gath at nightfall. Prepare your men.” Alec said.
Everyone lowered their heads and left one after the other. Finally, only Eritrea and Alec remained.
Alec looked at the beautiful sniper while she looked at the hulking man.
He smiled.
“You broke their fears with that of our lord. Good strategy.”
Eritrea was stunned.
Did she just see Alec smile?!
“My troops fail to understand their power. They’ll always consider a cavalry a superior force that they cannot go against.”
He continued without paying heed to her expression.
Eritrea shook her head as she recovered from her shock.
“Well, the centraks are fearsome mounts created solely for war. It’s normal for them to have fear. After all, they haven’t faced such before.”
Alec hummed.
“Marching to the wall will cost severe losses on our side. We need to force them out of their city and let them come to us.”
“You want to use the hill to our advantage?” Eritrea smirked. She was pleased with the idea, but the method of doing it was unknown.
“How ca—”
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Before she could conclude, Nero walked into the tent.
“Uncle, I know how we can force them out.”
“You were eavesdropping?” Alec’s deep voice made the young lad shiver.
“Let him speak.”
Eritrea said while looking at Nero.
“Speak. What’s the idea?”
“Burn everything in their fields.”
“What!!”
Both commanders exclaimed.
“That will affect the villagers. You want Lord Asher to rule over people that will hate him?!”
Nero faced his uncle.
“They’ll hate him no matter what we do. But we know about our Lord’s abilities and the products in Nineveh. I doubt these people won’t sing his name after a month or two.”
“The lad is smart. If we burn down the field, we shall be able to capture the city and starve the large clan. Then, they’ll be forced to come out and fight rather than hiding inside their walls.”
Eritrea said.
“I see. Set it ablaze by nightfall.”
Nero smiled when Alec gave the command. After a bow, he left with Eritrea. Both of them were quite close, and the reason was because Eritrea usually sided with and cared for him.
Despite how stubborn and insensitive Nero could be sometimes, he always made sure he considered Eritrea.
“You had guts eavesdropping on Alec. You could have been punished.” Eritrea knocked Nero’s head and smiled as he rubbed his head.
“I want His Lordship to help me. It will take me a long time to become a knight. Only by garnering a huge achievement will I gain his attention and maybe he would make me a knight.”
Nero said with glowing eyes.