Connor made his way through the streets of Veriates, towards the gate, while he was walking a lot of soldiers ran passed him, which made Connor think that the man who apologized to him worked fast.
He reached the gate and soon he exited the town, as soon as he did the two guards outside rushed back after one of the soldiers said something to them, the gate closed immediately after.
"ok then I better head north right away" Connor spoke to himself when he heard a familiar voice next to him.
"yes my lord I believe that is wise" Connor turned around and saw a familiar figure floating in the air, it was Shade.
"shade where were you this whole time?" Connor asked the shade.
"I was here this whole time my lord I just concealed my presence, that girl the princess has a strong magical power and sensitivity towards the non-human so I just hid" Shade spoke.
"so she could be of use to me?" Connor asked, "no I do not think so my lord, maybe to humans but to us she could only become a nuisance in the future".
"I see" Was Connor's only answer, "okay time to go enough chit-chatting".
"yes my lord let us depart" Shade confirmed.
Connor left for the Stone Valley.
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Inside Veriates soldiers were running around in groups some were forming a barricade near the entrance, and some were practicing for the upcoming battle that is just around the corner.
Inside the castle of Veriates around the table, a couple of people were standing including Reyn and his uncle Alanus, they were looking at the map of Veriates, they are discussing some strategies to counter attack the incoming enemies, and some were discussing the formation of their soldier's.
Alanus was standing at the center of the table "ok men listen up, we need to think this well, we need to think of how to survive for as long as possible until that monster appear and help us, the enemy army has around twenty thousand soldiers that a marching toward's us right at this moment as we speak, what are our numbers" Alanus spoke and asked in a serious manner.
The man to his right stepped out he was well built he had long black hair and black mustache as well, and a claw mark on his right eye, he wore a silver knight armor like the rest, he held his helmet in one hand, he was the second in command of the Azeria knight's order Sir Alver and an old friend of Alanus.
"commander we have about six thousand soldiers and two thousand elite knights" Alver spoke.
"damn we are short on men" Alanus spoke, he tighten his Fist.
"but we have the advantage as we have built Veriates to hold back the attackers as much as possible we will need to work with what we have, Alver I leave it to you to decide the soldiers positioning we need to defend the key points and the vulnerable ones as well, I'm counting on you my old friend" Alanus spoke with a little smile on his face.
"yes, commander" Alver spoke as he gave a deep bow and turned around to leave the room the rest of the people followed as well only Alanus and Reyn were left inside.
Alanus was still looking at the map while Reyn came closer " uncle do you really trust that monster will come back and most of all that he will help us?"
Alanus answered without turning around "I don't know, but one thing I do know is that when that thing spoke, there were no lies in his word's."
"I truly hope you are right uncle" Reyn spoke with a serious expression.
"so do I" Alanus answered.
He turned around towards Reyn and walked closer to him and patted his shoulders with his hand"don't worry Reyn we will get through this alive but right now I have a task for you"
Alanus changed his tone to a more serious one "yes uncle what is it I am ready to fight by your side any time" Reyn replied.
"haha I know you are Reyn but this time, your task shall be to gather the civilians inside this castle and guard them here because tomorrow there will be hell out there"
"yes, uncle I understand I shall do as you wish" Reyn bowed down and walked out of the room to start his given task immediately.
Through the entire day, soldiers were running around Veriates, checking their armory, getting their weapons sharpened, even night watch was set up because of possible spy's that would try to sabotage the defences of Veriates, Alver who was in charge was a very cautious man.
It was night, inside one of the castle room's was Ilene she was sitting on her bed covered by a warm blanket, she stared at the wall in front of her, she was thinking about all the things that have happened to her up till now, a rebellion in Frostford, her father's death at the hand's of her second brother, running away almost being raped, saved by the thing called Connor and now a battle for their live's is around the corner.
While she was thinking she didn't even notice someone standing beside's her "Ilene......Ilene!" it was Reyn, he called out to her many times but she didn't respond so he shook her shoulder with his hand.
Ilene flinched and moved away a little, this made Reyn little annoyed "Ilene why are you avoiding me?" he asked.
"I..... am not avoiding you brother it's just......" She spoke.
"then why?" Reyn asked confused, Ilene had a difficult expression on her face but decided to tell him everything from the beginning even the forest incident and how she met Connor.
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After Ilene finished her story, Reyn who was previously sitting on a chair beside the bed, stood up "I understand I am sorry for the things that happened to you Ilene, don't worry yourself anymore Niel will pay for father's death and his treachery, you just get some rest."
"umm" Ilene only nodded, while Reyn slowly exited her room, and left her to rest, Ilene was lying on her bed and while slowly falling asleep she thought about the strange thing called Connor, the things he said and done and if he would show up before her again or abandon them all.
It was early morning snow stopped falling down, the soldiers were still patrolling the walls for any sign of the enemy.
The patrolling soldiers noticed a rider heading toward's them when he reached them he yelled "open the gates urgent report!" the gates opened fast and the rider hurried inside and towards the castle.
"Commander commander !" The soldier yelled.
"what is it ?" Alanus who just got up from his bed asked.
"the scout has returned, he has some news for you." The soldier answered Alanus.
"good let's go" They walked towards the courtyard of the castle where the scout was nervously walking back and fort, Alanus walked closer to him "soldier report !" he asked.
"commander !" The scout turned towards Alanus gave a bow then he raised his head and started speaking "commander the enemy army will be here in less than an hour I hurried back to report as fast as possible but there was a sudden snow falling down, that made visibility hard and I was delayed few hours I am truly sorry commander!" He reported everything.
"Do not worry yourself go and get some rest you did well" Alanus answered comely but inside he was gloomy he did not expect them to come so fast.
"you there, soldier tell Alver to get our soldiers to position and tell him that he has to do that in less than an hour!" Alanus yelled and pointed at the nearby soldier.
"yes commander!" The soldier replied as he started running toward's the garrison where Alver was.
The soldier's were woken up and getting ready for battle, the civilians were evacuated to the castle where they will be safe unless the walls and the gate's fall into enemy hand's everything was set and ready.
Alanus walked up on the walls and climbed one of the towers, he looked over in the direction the enemy was coming and he could already see the dust from their horses, the red clad armour they are wearing and the banner of the second prince Niel coming closer.
The soldiers were lined up, but they were uneasy many of them didn't even have an idea who or what they were fighting, the soldier's whispered to each other, Alanus saw that the moral was low so stepped out in the open on the tower inhaled the cold air cleared his throat and yelled "Soldier's knights of Azeria kingdom, our beloved king has been murdered and not just by anyone it was his second son prince Niel, he raised a rebellion killed countless innocent people in Frostford our capital city and who knows what other atrocities he has committed and now he is marching with an army of twenty thousand strong soldier's, he is at our doorstep already he plans to annihilate all of us"
Some soldier had shocked faces at what they heard some already knew that something big has happened and some simply listened but there was one thing that they had in common it was hatred a pure hatred towards the second prince who has killed his own father, the king was loved by his people he treated them with respect as a true king should, but now he was murdered by none other than his son, to them it was unforgivable truly unforgivable.
Alanus continued his encouragement "And now I ask all of you brave soldiers are we just going to let them walk over us and take away everything from us answer me ?"
The soldiers yelled in unison "No!"
"good now prepare for battle, the enemy will soon be upon us, get to your position's men!" Alanus yelled his final order as the soldiers scrambled and took positions on the walls, archers were in front in a line while the infantry took the position just behind them, the elite two thousand knight's were on a standby so they will easily be able to support the weak point's of the defence, spear was already barricading the entrance so that when the enemies manage to knock over the door there would be a second defence.
It was not long after that the rumbling of the soldier's marching could he heard, weapons clanking and the voices of the soldiers as they marched closer and closer, the soldier's on the wall started sweating as they watched an army of twenty thousand emerged all in front of them wearing red armor's, and they were lead by the short black haired young man on a horse who was accompanied by the beautiful woman in black dress who was sitting behind him.
When the defenders saw Niel leading the army they forgot all about the overwhelming odds that were against them in their hatred and rage they only wanted to kill him for his betrayal.
Niel galloped a little further towards the walls and yelled "uncle, brother I give you a chance to surrender and all the soldiers as well if you do not do as I ask I will destroy you all along with your little stronghold hahahaha"
While Niel was laughing an arrow flew past his head scratching his face a little when he looked up with a shocked expression he saw Alanus standing on top of the tower with a bow.
"tsk I missed must be getting old, listen up you brat try taking this stronghold if you can but, in the end, you will die"
Niel wiped the flowing blood with his hand and made an ugly face than he heard a voice in his ear "you see my darling Niel they want to take your crown away, you are the rightful king only you so you must kill them, kill"
Niel's eyes glowed red as he turned around and galloped at full speed back toward's his army and yelled to his general's and commander's also given by the nobles "attack kill them all leave none alive !"
The army moved the infantry carried the leaders with them as they ran towards the walls while the archers provided backup for them.
"ready your arrow's and wait for my command !" Alver yelled then the defenders readied their arrow's, "wait!"
The enemy soldier got closer and closer and just as they were in range "realise the arrow's Fire!" Alver yelled.
Dozens of arrows could be seen from the sky falling towards the enemy some arrows hit many enemies but it was not enough to stop them from reaching the walls, they placed the ladder's on the wall and started climbing, the defenders tried pushing them away from the wall's but some didn't make as they were showered by the rain of arrow's from the enemy soldier's.
"commander we need reinforcement on the east wall the enemy managed to climb up the walls!" A messenger yelled.
"lieutenant take a hundred knights and assist the east wall we must not let it fall !" Alanus yelled as he instructed one of his lieutenants.
"as you command !" He yelled and ran as fast as possible.
The knight's arrived at the east gate and with some effort managed to push back the enemy and regain the lost ground, but still this was only the first wave of enemies there are many more.
"okay, for now, we are good, we should be able to hold the walls for a while, I hope the god's have not abandoned us yet" Alanus muttered as he remembered the deal he made with Connor.
"heh remembering that thing at such a time haha hold the walls man hold them with your live's" Alanus yelled and in the heat of battle roar's of the defenders were heard all across the wall.
"good that got our morale up a bit, we just need to hold long enough for him to arrive, until then we must not fall"
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Connor was walking up the hill and was wondering when he will arrive at the Stone Valley, he has been walking without stoping and he has yet to reach his destination.
While he was lost in this own world he failed to notice a rock just in front of him and hit it head first, when he looked up he saw a huge erected rock and just this one there were countless of them all across the valley.
Connor felt the dead growing restless under the snow they were calling out to him, they were calling out to their king, to summon them back to life.
Connor felt happy as he muttered "Shall we begin"