YEAR: 1724. OCTOBER 21ST. LOCATION: SOMEWHERE IN THE PLAIN OF OPLEA

I had already predicted that after our first attack, the Storm Crusaders would change their tactics to defend their supply routes. They’d have to, unless they were completely crazy. That’s why I changed my approach as well.

Last time, we charged them head-on, and their spells had been ineffective. But I knew they’d adapt, likely putting more knights on guard. Sure enough, when I saw their forces, there were far more knights than before.

I was ready. As soon as they came into range, I gave the order. "Fire!"

This time, I had brought catapults from Fort Cainhorn, thanks to General Declan’s permission. The Storm Crusaders still had their storm, but it was weaker now, probably due to their dwindling number of mages. The boulders slowed as they hit the storm’s resistance, but they didn’t stop. Moments later, they crashed down on the knights below.

"Keep firing!" I shouted, drawing my sword. "After this round, all MPA units will follow me!"

"Yes, Lady Aria!" my soldiers shouted back, their voices filled with resolve.

As soon as the boulders landed, I charged into the field with my unit. The nearest knight, still recovering from the impact, didn’t even see me coming. My blade cut through him in one swift motion.

I pushed forward, heading straight for the cavern where their supplies were stored. Pulling out an enchanted arrow, I struck it deep into the pile of goods. Flames erupted almost instantly, spreading fast as knights scrambled to stop the fire.

But it was already too late. The supplies were burning beyond saving.

Seeing that our job was done, I raised my voice over the chaos. "Retreat! Everyone, fall back!"

Without hesitation, my unit obeyed, disappearing into the distance as the Storm Crusaders tried desperately to salvage what little was left of their supplies.

[(0)]

YEAR: 1724. NOVEMBER 5TH. LOCATION: SOMEWHERE IN THE PLAIN OF OPLEA

After that, every decision felt like a gamble. Sometimes, I chose to engage in close combat; other times, I relied on firing from a distance before charging.

Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t.

The Storm Crusaders had adapted quickly. They began splitting their supplies into multiple secret routes, making it harder to track and stop them. Each raid became more challenging, more exhausting.

But my mission wasn’t to win, it was to buy time. And I had done just that. Weeks passed, and finally, the second wave of reinforcements arrived, led by Brigadier General Lily. The sight of the reinforcements was enough to lift everyone’s spirits, but it was clear we had reached our limit.

We needed to act. Now.

At first, my proposal was immediately shot down. The officers were hesitant, unwilling to commit to such a risky move. But after some blackma—I mean, convincing, they finally agreed. It was decided that 28,000 troops, drawn from both the reinforcements and the 4th Corps, would face the Storm Crusaders head-on.

The enemy was already worn down from weeks of disrupted supply lines and constant raids. We knew they wouldn’t be able to bring their full strength to the fight.

Even so, we were still vastly outnumbered.

That’s why we settled on one critical move before the main battle: a night raid.

I didn’t lead that mission, Lily did, and somehow, she managed to pull it off with Lura’s help. Lura disrupted the mana flow again, and Lily, leading only a small force, successfully carried out the raid. It wasn’t enough to cripple the Storm Crusaders entirely, but it was enough to weaken them further, leaving them more vulnerable for what was to come.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Now, it was time for the main event: the battle.

"It sure is looking cloudy," I joked from atop my horse as I watched the Storm Crusaders marching toward us. Even I could tell their storm had weakened significantly, the once-roaring winds reduced to little more than a gust.

“The mana in the storm has decreased considerably,” Lura reported, her crimson eyes fixed on the enemy forces. “Most of it seems to be from fatigue and hunger.”

“So our supply route raids were meaningful after all,” I said, studying the force in front of me.

The 20,000 soldiers of the 4th Corps were gathered in one massive formation. Splitting into smaller groups wouldn’t have made a difference against the Storm Crusaders anyway, it would have just made them easier to pick off.

The remaining 8,000 troops, a mix of soldiers from my unit and Lily’s reinforcements, would act independently. We had the freedom to do what we thought best, as long as we didn’t interfere with the main force.

"Alright, soldiers!" General Declan shouted, standing tall with a sword in hand like every other dramatic general I’d ever seen. "The Storm Crusaders are weakened! Now is our chance to show them the true fear of the 4th Corps!"

"YES, GENERAL DECLAN!" the soldiers roared back, their voices booming as they cheered.

I rolled my eyes and muttered under my breath, "Though we’re the ones who actually did that…"

Before I could finish my thought, Declan charged straight into the battlefield with his soldiers following close behind, shouting like it was some heroic tale straight out of a legend.

"Is it just me, or is every high-ranking officer in the army obsessed with charging head first into battle?" I asked aloud, exasperated.

"You’re no exception," Lura replied flatly, her crimson eyes glinting with quiet amusement.

I ignored her comment, tightening my grip on the reins of my horse. "Let’s go!" I shouted, leading my 3,000 soldiers onto the battlefield once more.

[(0)]

It was tougher than I thought it’d be. The soldiers didn’t get tossed around by the storm like I feared though, but they were definitely thrown off balance, struggling to push through it.

The knights kept swooping in, picking off anyone who faltered, and it felt like the whole thing was turning into a massacre with every second.

With 3,000 soldiers behind me, I kept pushing forward, hoping to distract the Storm Crusaders from our main force, but it wasn’t working as well as I’d hoped. Lura had her magic, but she’s just one person, and there’s only so much one person can do.

Honestly, I was fresh out of ideas on how to deal with the Storm Crusaders. Once we broke through the storm, we had to face knights who were stronger and more skilled than before. Even with MPA it was hard and the enemy mages were just making everything worse.

“Help!”

“Bring reinforcements!”

“Shoot down the mages!”

Chaos everywhere. It didn’t take long to realize our side was getting pummeled. I took down my second knight of the day but ran into another one, and they were way too powerful for me to handle now.

“I guess this is what happens when I charge in without a plan,” I muttered, blocking a sword strike and trying to counter, only to get forced back.

“What was the plan again?!” I yelled at Lura, who was holding off mages from a distance.

“General Declan’s setting up a surprise for the Storm Crusaders. Our job is to distract them!”

“Yeah, easier said than done,” I grumbled, stabbing again.

Honestly, at this point, I was so worn out I was about ready to just throw in the towel. I mean, what was the point of all this? What was the point of fighting a war I couldn’t win?

As I was mulling over that, a shadow suddenly fell over me. I glanced up, and there, in midair, was a giant of a man. He landed with a thud that sent dust flying, forcing me to shield my face. When I looked again, I saw a guy in ashen-colored armor, with blue capes draped over his shoulders, and, no helmet. Bold choice.

“Who might you be?” I asked, eyeing his flashy armor.

The man gave a short nod. “I’m Otis Folanfield, Commander of the 20th Knight Brigade of the Storm Crusaders.”

I blinked. Wait, the commander? Here? Of all places? Shouldn’t he be, you know, somewhere safe, away from the battlefield?

I quickly shook off the shock and forced a polite smile. “I’m Aria.”

He grinned slightly. “I know. You’re the Silver Angel everyone’s been talking about. Bold move, attacking us while we’re at our weakest.”

“I didn’t realize the supply route was your weak spot,” I said, raising my sword, Windwhisper, once again.

Otis chuckled as he drew his own blade. “We knights never really had to worry about supply routes. That’s usually a Legion thing.”

“Well, it’s your weak spot now,” I said with a smirk.

He grinned, the air around us thickening with tension. “I won’t let anyone live who dares mock our proud knights.”

“Feel free to try,” I shot back, already gearing up.

And just like that, we both charged.