Chapter 48 – The End of A Long Siege (1)

The battle between the forces of the city was getting rougher. The City of Avilla’s defenders were taking grounds each day. The templar’s with their zeal and fury made the forces of Cagan fight a desperate battle. The Cagan’s had the same attitude. Each of their attacks was as fanatical as the Templar’s. They know that this surprise attack using the new flying ships was a desperate attempt to divert the attention of the Templar’s and cut the throat of the snake that supplies them food.

Yet, here they are. Completely surrounded and despairingly cornered at each turn because of the Templar’s arrival. The Cagan’s had the superiority of being able to use the blessing of their God’s and fight like true animal men and women.

But even that wasn’t enough to give them an advantage against the heavily armed Templar’s. The Thorn Cross Legion has been fighting the Cagan ever since the Holy Midland’s Paragon called a crusade to purify the Cagan territories. The Bali had hated the Holy Midland. Yet the Holy Midland would stand stall and face these two countries with pure zeal and fanaticism.

Of course, the Cagan had true madmen and women in their ranks. At the end of the 1st month, when the second month of the year arrived, the Cagan and the Bali troops created a suicidal strike team that had fanatically engaged the troops and strike the heart of the City.

This strike team was composed of the best men and women of both the Bali and the Cagan’s. They manage to take a few outposts but they were fended off by Archie, along with the soldiers he led. It was a desperate battle and even Archie came out of the battle injured.

He survived. But his spirit was beaten when faced with such enemies that could go to extreme lengths. The strike team that attacked Archie scattered. Archie, thanks to the rune gears that Joshua gave him, was able to survive. Archie didn’t have the experience of fighting Cagan and Bali forces before. The encountered injured him but it made him understand what made people like Shig and Leiko truly dangerous.

The Warlord of the City, Mia, was also worried by the strike team that injured Archie. Luckily, the Red Garbed Bull, Shig was back in action. He was slightly injured, he had bandages around his stomach, but he was able to stand and protect the Warlord as her guard. The strike team tried to but Shig along with the help of Leiko was able to fend the assassins and get rid of them.

They didn’t leave anything. They didn’t reveal anything that might help Mia. All the strike team assassins from Bali and Cagan were devoted. It made Mia, despite seeing all of this blood and death scared. She was afraid of people who could abandon their lives for the sake of getting their goals. She would sacrifice her life if it matters. But still, their fanatical disregard for their life made Mia afraid.

The battle against the City, the Templar’s, The Bali and Cagan forces were slowing coming to a conclusion. The Thorn Cross Legion was able to make use of their four-legged dragons to seize control of the ships. Their griffons flew through the sky and boarded the ships, stealing it and making use of it. The Templars were efficient. They manage to take a warship that they were able to make use to defeat the enemy before them.

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The Bali and Cagan forces that were facing the Thorn Legion took a stand in this ashen wood forest. The forest had great hills. There was a river that shined blue as it winded down to this valley. There were good cover spots and it made them able to fight back.

But how could they stand against the might of armed Templar Knights? With their zeal and superior firepower and numbers, they were able to flush the Bali and Cagan forces away from those cover spots. They were bombarded. Their blood dripped the beautiful streams of water mixing it, making the fishes swim in a blood red water.

The ashen wood forest was charred. It was bald and burning once the Templar’s were done raining hellfire. The survivors or at least the ones that got captured were dragged and chained. They were herded like cattle and was taken to the Justicar to face judgment.

About one hundred twenty-five surrendered. Fifty-five of them were treated not guilty of their crimes. The others were burned together in groups. In the dark night, their screaming was heard. Tied to a burning stake with hay all over them, the one hundred ‘guilty’ men and women were burned for their sins.

How were they judged? Nobody knows other than the Justicar who leads the Thorn Cross Legion. After burning one hundred sinners, the moral of the attackers were fading. They getting outflanked, bombarded, and charred at each turn. Their ships lay burning outside the city. Their brave men and women sprawled embracing their innards or dying slowly as they bleed out. Some were killed as they struggle to get up. Some didn’t even have the chance to say their surrenders.

It was cold and brutal. The Thorn Legion spared no quarter. The City of Avilla’s defenders did not taint their hands and allowed the Thorn Legion to do the job. Their job was to protect their home from the burglars. And now that the enemy was undone, they shouted their hearts out in joy. The civilians lauded their Warlord. They cheered for their Heroes and the brave soldiers who fought for them.

Of course, the Thorn Legion was welcomed to the City. The leader of the Thorn Legion met with the Warlord. Some expected the Justicar to spit in the crazed bull’s face. But it seems like the Thorn Cross Legion and Shig had already made amends. Shig was a mercenary. He was someone who fought everywhere. Even the Thorn Cross Legion acknowledges him.

The celebration started. A party was made for everyone. But in the middle of that party, the Warlord Mia stood up. She looked at the drinking smith and asked him:

“Sir Benton, are you working for the Alva’s?”