Ashes and Kingdoms

"General Glaus! Combs is still safe!

The scouts rush back with news. Glaus breathed unexpectedly. Fifteen days have already elapsed since the departure of the Imperial Capital following the news of the return of Elesia. It was no surprise that the Nornicom flag was flying in the Lords' Palace of Combs.

"Did Levanus hold out? Thank the gods."

In front of his men, Glaus takes a positive view of the information and nods. My heart was anxious. The street pedestrian streets cease as we approach Combs, we don't even see the farmers in the neighborhood, and even if they were rare, we don't know anything. I can't be relieved to just say that the flag of the Empire is flying, even though I don't know anything about the war in Combs.

(It would be a sign that Combs is holding out not to meet the defectors and refugees...)

Driving his concerns to the corner of his head, he regained consciousness to the real problem.

"Did you see the Dorfaye army?

"Yes, we're assembling northeast of Combs, but we don't seem to have enough troops to siege the whole perimeter"

The scouts answered, drawing a map on the ground to explain. The western side of the state capital, Combs, is a roundabout cliff. If we siege the east side, we can turn down the supply, as Glaus himself once did.

But the Dolphae army was united in the northeast. The south side is empty. I just want you to come in and out freely at all times. Of course, I guess that's what I'm after.

"I guess if you were honestly guided closer, the dragon would fly by."

Glaus roars. Alect, who serves as Deputy Commander, nodded. Under normal circumstances, he is the Second Legion Commander stationed in Acte. We responded swiftly with an emergency report, helping Glaus rush back east, and came this far. Therefore, the eye reading the situation is excellent.

"Has the crossbow been destroyed or has the arrow run out? If you pull it up to the walls, you won't even see a shadow of it that can snipe dragons."

"I guess. Well, I don't expect the same hand to work as it did three years ago... but if it was all crushed to the point where it was newly made, it would be difficult. When it comes to running through here without crossbow cover... Hmm."

Glaus grabbed his jaw and conceived, laughing bitterly.

"I can't stand in the way of walking in here by myself. Because the dragon's flame doesn't work."

"So, General, you think you can go into the city by yourself and do a divorce that turns this situation upside down?

With his frigid eyes turned, Glaus clasps his neck.

"I can't vouch for that with the help of luck. I don't even know how many Legion soldiers are left inside, or how much the citizens make out. In the meantime, let's sweep this area before we go into the city."

Or briefly, Glaus paid off the Dolphae army formation with a gentle hand. Alect stops moving like a statue during the bundle. But soon he agreed calmly, too.

"That would buy you more time to re-compartmentalize a caged legion soldier. How's the line? Spread out and prepare for dragons"

Glaus grinned slightly at the deputy's good swallowing and normal mind, but quickly turned a straight face and stared at him with a hand-painted map. Fortunately, the south-west of Combs, where they are currently, is slightly higher in altitude than the northeast. The far-sighted scouts were able to see a good part of the enemy formation.

The figure based on the report says the cavalry is distributed to the southernmost outward. To be able to get out anytime soon, I guess. A tent behind it that looks like infantry's. There was also seen a group of Nornicom people who joined along the way. And the most profound, or northeastern, group was clearly not in control.

(I hear you brought your family here this time)

Glaus, who has experience working in the East, recalled the customs of the Dolphins.

At a time of food scarcity, in an attack aimed at looting that sporadically, as is the case every year, they attack like a disease with only a few cavalry members and flee while they say it is.

But if there was a genuine confrontation between the tribes, or, rarely, what was the only occasion to fight against the Legion, the circumstances were different. They march with their families to leave their habitual land for a long time. From behind the cavalry and infantry, loaded with food and women and children together, the carriage continues unscathed.

They don't try to change their mood even though it's never been weak.

Glaus looked up into the sky to make sure there was no shadow of a bird before giving directions to Alect.

The day ended with no movement on both sides. Legion soldiers are well thought out by the commander, but they camped far enough away from the Dolphae army, and the Dolphae army also had to sneak up on the empty space to make the Dragon Horse active, and they didn't attack.

The next day, the legion soldiers lined up and twitched closer to Combs from the south. Be wary of dragons, most of them infantry. The cavalry is just shaped on both wings.

The Dolphae army also sees that it should not just be left to one dragon marquis to intercept the cavalry in the lead.

Where the march between the two sides stopped, Glaus advanced from the Imperial Army by one, without even taking the flag.

"I want to talk to the Commander-in-Chief! If this march is not a barbarity to plunder, let me give you proof of it!

It was a call to explore the sincerity of the enemy and to provoke him to lose his cool. And also, depending on whether Elesia comes out here or Dorfaye's chief comes out, we have to change our response. With Elesia, it is also possible to aerial decompose the army by creating and deepening cracks with the Dolphins.

But...

"As always, you think the Imperials are better than us."

It was Senion who rode and showed up. Stopping the horse at a voice-reachable distance makes me laugh looking down at Glause on foot. Glaus frowned and chewed his teeth hard.

If the Dolphins are in the lead, it's hard to divide them. Because Elesia isn't moving me to go on an unwanted expedition. Elecia's grief and so on in the first place is just a pretext for their invasion, the name of the ornament.

"From what we have heard, there have been rumours that the dragon horse Elecia has taken the people of Dorfaye to triumph, but what happened to the lady? You barbarians can't afford all kinds of hospitality, and you can't be held back."

With disdain, Glaus provokes. Senion peeled his teeth off.

"That's already my woman. If you use color eyes, they won't be yours. - Well, you've changed your complexion. What, don't worry about it. Dorfaye's men are masters of you and others when it comes to riding around. The Imperial Lady is completely happy with our lives now!

"You!!

Glaus pays the sheath of the sword. But Senion pulled the reins faster, and stirred up the horse.

A high raised spear flickers with a reflection of sunlight. That was the signal to start the march.

Dorfaye cavalry runs out simultaneously. Glaus chipped his tongue and gave him a sentimental gaze if he could shoot him, then turned his heels back and ran back to his own army.

At that time, of course, the Legion soldiers were also starting to move forward. Heavy-duty infantry, capable of withstanding cavalry assaults, spears and advances in regular footsteps with Zakuzak. When the commander returned to the line, he stopped and waited at slight ups and downs to benefit himself.

From behind three rows of infantry, an archer leads an arrow and releases the rampant Dorfaye cavalry. The fortified long bow and its archers rained an arrow over its head while the Dorfaye cavalry did not even hold the bow.

That said, horseback riding is fast. Faster than the Archer's attack causes a lot of damage, he packs it up to a distance where he can launch an attack against the Infantry.

Infantry raised their shields, preparing them for both assault and arrow. Dorfaye Cavalry enters the offensive posture.

- But then.

Wow, and suddenly the cry went up, disrupting the movement of the Dorfaye cavalry.

Their voices rose far rearward from the women, children and carriages that had been placed in their positions.

The cavalry, who were about to strike at the legion soldiers, looked back a little. Even those who were unaware of the sound of their own standing will be distracted if some of the abnormalities occur. I was running the lead myself, even Senion.

"No way...... damn, how dare you!!

The exaltation of battle is replaced in an instant by agony and humiliation.

It was also clear from the position in the distance that several strips of smoke were rising. Little shadows escape, right and left between the tent and the flames, as they protruded the nest of ants. When the high scream reached the front line in the wind, the cavalry no longer had to ask for peace.

In the first place, the Dolphins value blood ties. It is the duty and decency of men to protect women and children. I can't help but rush back after being attacked by defenseless families based in the middle of a war. If it's already a mix-up, it's not even the distance the spear ends meet yet.

Without anyone ordering them, they began to change their orientation on their own. I don't mind exposing my back to enemy bows and arrows, but I run out to position at a glance.

The line of Dorfaye cavalry completely collapsed. The infantry proceeding from behind also returns to you and the original, surprised by the majority. The only troops who stayed to deal with the army soldiers approaching from the goings were the Nornicombs.

Meanwhile, it was the Imperial Cavalry led by Alect who burned down the carriage of the position. On the western side of the Combs, he detoured at the foot of the cliff and approached behind the Dolphae army. Not only did he hide himself in the shadow of the cliff, but he was even more cautious, marching in the dim darkness after sunset and before dawn.

Now that they had succeeded in the ambush, they had no place in a fleeing woman or child. Some of them were reckless women, sometimes coming up against weapons with something nearby, but other than draining them, they withheld their spears. There is also shame in waving weapons at round hips women and children, but most importantly because it is dangerous even when it comes to actual problems, killing.

As soon as Alect caught the attention of the Dorfaye cavalry by setting fire to the food, he left the position and lined up. The movement of the Dorfaye cavalry returning is disorderly, but that is why we must ensure an advantage.

There was no way the Dolphae army could hold up, sandwiched between the Imperial Cavalry, who had thus prepared an interception posture, and the Imperial Infantry, who marched under the command of Glaus.

Flag colors are instantly revealed, and the Dolphae army is disintegrating. He abandoned his burning luggage and began to flee north before us. As soon as he was poked at his weakness, he seemed exposed to his low quality as an army.

(and early)

In the midst of the conflagration, Glaus was staring at the chest commotion as he searched for the figure of Senion.

Too modest. Wouldn't it be too toothless for an army that defeated the Fifth Corps commanded by Levanus and drove him to Combs?

Besides, I didn't know Dragon Marquis would show up.

What is wrong with not having red light shine in the sky, even in the crisis of your own army?

- It's a trap.

It would be reasonable to think so. If the Dolphin army was going to let them lose from the start, it is also planned to retreat as they were, even if they were surprised. A formula that lures the Imperial Army ahead and then lets the dragon storm in full?

But to the north of the Combs, there is no suitable terrain for luring legions. If we are to be optimistic, it is also conceivable that between Dragon Hou and Dorfaye is already divided and that Elesia was not here in the first place. Perhaps it's only natural that the Dolphin army was just lucky enough to get here, and once it lost, it would be like this as soon as possible.

That said, Glause was not so frivolous as to be optimistic on the battlefield.

When he noticed that his own army was completely dispersed out of pursuit, he gave an order not to go after him in depth. If a dragon shows up where the line is no longer cohesive, you can't attack it with bows and arrows.

If it were to come true, he wanted to chase himself and take Senion's neck. but a commander's obsession with personal feelings doesn't have a lot of consequences. He gave up with bitter thoughts and sighed.