Stephen Windwalker, a man clad in silver armor and nearly two centuries old, gazed intently at the imposing castle before him. He was the commander of the Windwalker family’s forces for this campaign, and they had arrived at the castle just two days ago. However, something about the situation left him feeling uneasy. Despite the meticulous planning that had gone into the operation, there was an inexplicable sense that something was not right.
The Darkwind family had not fortified the castle as Stephen had expected. In fact, they had done the opposite, reducing security and sending many of their troops away to an unknown location. This strange shift in behavior unsettled him deeply, almost as if the Darkwind family had abandoned the castle entirely, offering it up on a silver platter. The lack of resistance seemed too convenient, and Stephen’s instincts told him that it was more than just an odd tactic—it felt like a trap.
At present, the castle was in no condition to withstand even a single wave of attack. Stephen knew that had he given the order to assault the castle yesterday, it would have fallen without much effort. Yet, something held him back. There was an invisible thread pulling at him, urging him to wait and reassess. Though his soldiers were ready and eager to advance, Stephen’s senses warned him that there was more to this situation than met the eye. His orders were clear, but his gut told him to hold off—for now.
The army had been split into two distinct groups. One, led by Stephen himself, remained outside the castle, while the other, commanded by Charlie, another silver knight of the Windwalker family, was engaged on a separate front. Just the day before, word had come that Charlie had already conquered two castles along the border with minimal resistance—a feat that, under normal circumstances, would have been unimaginable. Yet, the absence of resistance was striking. It seemed almost as if the Darkwind family’s forces were surrendering their positions willingly, handing over the castles without a fight.
If the enemy was essentially aiding their conquest, it suggested that capturing the castle might not be in their best interest after all. His suspicions deepened. Something wasn’t adding up.
Nevertheless, the command of the Marquis was clear, and Stephen knew that when the orders of his superiors conflicted with his instincts, he had no choice but to follow the Marquis’s directive. Despite his growing unease, the Marquis had affirmed the orders the previous day, and Stephen could not disregard them. As much as he trusted his own judgment, the will of the Marquis was a force he could not defy, especially when it came to such critical matters of military strategy.
With a heavy heart, Stephen turned to the knights under his command and issued the next set of orders. "Attack using ladders, but do not deploy catapults. I do not want the castle to be destroyed," he instructed firmly.
The enemy’s forces were now so few in number that heavy artillery was no longer necessary. Deploying catapults would only cause unnecessary casualties and damage to the city itself—a city that, while a military stronghold, also housed civilians. Many of the people living there had ties to both nations, and Stephen felt a deep responsibility to minimize the loss of innocent life. The people inside the walls were not his enemies, and he was determined to limit the destruction as much as possible. These cities were not simply strategic points on a map; they were communities with families, children, and lives that would be shattered by pointless violence.
Though the nobles at the highest levels of power often seemed indifferent to the fates of commoners, Stephen knew that not all those who served in the ranks shared such a cold view. Among the silver knights, there were still those who held a deep sense of honor and a respect for life beyond the battlefield. Not all soldiers were heartless, though those at the top of the social ladder often were so detached from the lives of ordinary people that the deaths of civilians rarely stirred their consciences. But Stephen was different. He, like many others in his family, had always sought to minimize unnecessary suffering, and his conscience would not allow him to act without consideration for the lives at stake.
...
The Windwalker family’s forces attacked the border castle with remarkable speed and ease, effortlessly seizing control. The enemy troops inside made no attempt to resist; they simply dropped their weapons, as if they had no intention of defending the castle at all. Stephen Windwalker, ever cautious by nature, ensured that no traps or hidden dangers lay in wait within the city. He conducted a thorough inspection for any signs of disease, instability, or anything else that might pose a threat to the integrity of the newly captured castle. After five days of meticulous searching and careful evaluation, Stephen finally deemed the city safe enough to occupy.
Upon his investigation, however, Stephen was struck by the strange emptiness that hung over the castle. The city, once home to a bustling population of 20,000, now seemed abandoned, with only 300 guards remaining. This was a sharp contrast to the 3,000 soldiers who had once been stationed there—most of whom had been sent away just days before the Windwalker family’s attack. Why had the Darkwind family essentially handed over the castle? It didn’t make sense.
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Stephen speculated that, given the ongoing internal struggles within the Darkwind family, the current head of the family may have decided that defending the castle against the Windwalker family was not worth the cost. Perhaps the Darkwind family had redirected their forces to fight rebellious factions within their own ranks, leaving the border castles vulnerable. While this theory seemed plausible, it still didn’t fully add up. These border castles were too strategically important to simply abandon.
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When word of the Windwalker family’s success reached Marquis, he was filled with satisfaction. He immediately ordered both armies of the Windwalker family to continue their campaign, sweeping through the remaining border castles and cities. Despite Stephen’s growing reservations about the situation, he had no choice but to follow his orders. His duty was clear, and the command of the Marquis was absolute.
As the days passed, the border castles of the Darkwind family began to fall one after another, each with little resistance. Within a single month, the entire border territory had been lost to the Windwalker family. It was a swift and overwhelming campaign, the kind of military success that would usually be celebrated as a triumph. However, the Darkwind family’s inexplicable abandonment of their defenses cast a long shadow over the campaign.
Marquis Weinbacher was alarmed. Yet, his satisfaction with the expansion of the Windwalker family’s territory outweighed his concerns. The Marquis ordered both armies to continue pushing deeper into Darkwind territory, convinced that the time was ripe to expand even further. After all, given the Darkwind family’s apparent surrender of their defenses, it only made sense to capitalize on the momentum and press the advantage.
The Darkwind family had already provided more than enough justification for the invasion. By targeting one of the most valuable members of the Windwalker family, they had given the king a reason to allow the Windwalkers to retain at least some of the conquered lands in future negotiations. Of course, Marquis was no fool. He understood the risks involved in such aggressive expansion. Other powerful families, such as the Stonefist family, might perceive the Windwalker family’s actions as a threat and could potentially intervene on behalf of the Darkwind family. Alternatively, the Stonefist family might see this as an opportunity to claim some of the defenseless lands for themselves.
However, Marquis Windwalker reasoned that the Stonefist family would face significant challenges in justifying any intervention. Unlike the Windwalker family, which had a clear and immediate excuse to attack—namely, the Darkwind family’s targeting of a valuable member of the Windwalker family—the Stonefist family had not suffered a similar affront. Without a direct grievance or provocation, it would be far more difficult for them, or any of the neighboring noble families, to gain approval from the king for an aggressive campaign. As a result, he felt confident that the possibility of Stonefist intervening on behalf of the Darkwind family was slim. The momentum was undeniably in his favor, and the risks, though present, seemed manageable.
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With the unguarded lands now ripe for the taking, Marquis found it increasingly difficult to resist the temptation of further expansion. The prospect of extending the Windwalker family’s territory and thus increasing their wealth and power was too enticing to ignore. While he was well aware of the potential long-term risks—such as the possibility of his conquests sparking opposition from other noble families or even drawing the ire of the king—he could not overlook the immediate rewards that lay before him. The more cities, land, and people the Windwalker family controlled, the stronger and more prosperous they would become, and that power would be invaluable in future negotiations.
For years, the Windwalker family had struggled with their relatively small territory and limited population, a situation that had always been frustrating. He had watched as neighboring families—especially the Stonefist family—grew in influence and wealth, while his own family was confined to a handful of towns and fortresses. The chance to change that, to take control of the Darkwind family's rich and strategically important lands, was an opportunity he could not let slip away. Despite the risks, he believed the immediate gain outweighed the potential consequences.
Moreover, he knew that his connection to the rebel faction within the Darkwind family—though valuable—was far from secure. While the rebel leader had made promises to the Windwalker family in exchange for support, there was always the possibility that, once in power, the rebel might turn against them. In the volatile world of noble politics, such shifts were common. Given that uncertainty, taking control of the Darkwind territory now, while it was undefended and ripe for conquest, seemed like the most prudent course of action.
Once the rebel faction solidified its hold, their loyalty might not be guaranteed, and the Windwalker family could find themselves in a weaker position.
With that in mind, the Windwalker family’s armies pressed deeper into Darkwind territory. One city after another fell with little resistance. The cities that had once formed the backbone of the Darkwind family’s power now fell into the hands of the Windwalkers, and their bold, relentless advance seemed unstoppable. With each victory, the Windwalker family’s influence grew, and their power added to the heady sense of momentum driving their conquest.