Warhammer Divine Throne

PS: The last day of double monthly tickets, I’ve squeezed out five thousand words, the Celestial Emperor is here asking all the readers for votes! Any kind of vote will do!

February, the snow hasn’t melted yet, the weather is still very cold, but Laine has already ordered a mobilization of considerable scale in the territory, his own army along with the main forces of the Winford Duchy and Boldro Duchy have arrived one after another.

Hundreds of tents have already been set up, and the remaining soldiers are building the camp one by one under the orders of the sergeants. Food transported from Laine’s territory is continuously being sent into the camp, and the war mobilization is ongoing.

The mobilized are mostly from the industrial and commercial population, especially the Free People. Laine hopes that this preemptive attack will minimize the impact on agriculture in his territory, so he has tried to recruit fewer from the agricultural population. Under these circumstances, he has only conscripted about two thousand infantry, and they are almost all semi-professional soldiers, while Boldro and Winford have also sent a large number of knights and a part of their standing army under Laine’s command. The commander from Boldro is Baron Fidmund, and from Winford is Sir Jerald, and they are all under Laine’s command.

Lake God Witch Mogiana has led an entire squad of Lake God Prophets and a unit of Holy Grail Guards to the front lines. Teresa and Aurora, mother and daughter, have brought the entire Ice Witch Apprentice Corps to the camp as well; this constitutes Laine’s magic side forces for this war. Veronica remains on standby in Laine’s territory, ready to come to the front lines if Laine requires her support.

King Belgar of the Angland Clan has also led a dwarf army to the camp. This time Belgar has brought only over eight hundred troops, including the Angland Oathsworn Guards, the famous North Star Axe Corps, Steel Brotherhood, a team of Rangers, and a team of Musketeers, with the rest being Artillery.

Laine has also hired Broken Iron Warriors from Novigrin and the Black Powder Brotherhood of Dugen to the camp.

The forest is covered in snow, forming an expanse of white, and inside Charon Forest, it is extremely cold. Laine, wearing a white bear hide cloak, is inspecting the camp.

"Count, we have gathered over five thousand people at the front line camp." Holy Grail Knight Armand, Laine’s Standard Bearer, follows behind him and says, "Five kilometers north is the Grismore River. Once we cross it, Sharp-Top Palace is not far on the other side."

"Hmm." Laine nods, pondering the current situation: "Earl Ocasen shouldn’t have discovered our gathering of forces here, right?"

"Not yet. Earl Ocasen is already somewhat wary of our movements. He has dispatched many scouts and sentries to guard the key points of the Grismore River. If we cross the river in large numbers, he will certainly immediately recall his troops to defend Sharp-Top Palace to the death." Armand continues, "Our Dwarf brothers have calculated it. Even if Lady Teresa helps us sneak across, it can’t exceed a hundred people."

"A hundred people, that’s enough." Laine focuses his gaze on the horizon, taking a deep breath. "Baron Fidmund and Sir Jerald will go with us. Armand, are you ready?"

"Wherever the Count’s sword points is where Armand will go!" Armand raises the banner bearing the Laine family’s coat of arms.

"Very well, let’s find an opportunity." Laine nods. "Sir Bertrand and those two half-elves, Estelle and Des, have already sneaked across the Grismore River. Let’s wait for an opportunity."

The entire camp is urgently allocating various supplies, preparing for war.

From the morning of the first day until the afternoon of the next day, Sir Bertrand and the two half-elf Rangers finally brought back the news Laine was waiting for: "Count, we have received intelligence that tomorrow Earl Ocasen, along with his retainers, will be heading to the wilderness near Sharp-Top Palace to hunt! It’s a routine winter hunt!"

"Very well, prepare to start the operation!" Laine immediately orders. Within the entire camp, the selected eighty knights promptly respond; Holy Grail Knight Fedmond holds the Golden Sea Monster Cross Helmet, and Paladin Sir Jerald holds the Silver Unicorn Cross Helmet, already prepared.

Laine finds Aurora and her daughter resting in a corner of the camp: "Lady Aurora, Teresa?"

The elegantly dressed Aurora nods, saying little. The Holy Sanctuary Witch begins chanting the Great Curse Technique, and Teresa, leading the entire group of witch apprentices, follows Aurora in chanting spells, starting the casting.

Lake God Witch Mogiana also leads the Lake God Prophets in chanting spells. Layer upon layer of auras envelop the eighty knights led by Laine.

The action begins!

Eighty knights, fully armed and enhanced with seven or eight types of life element spells cast by the Lake God Witch, seize the night to reach the riverbank under cover of darkness.

At three a.m., the surging yet turbid Grismore River is covered by a layer of ice, with flowing water beneath.

Female sorcerer Teresa, riding a half-elf warhorse, chants Ice Magic.

The river water begins to freeze and becomes more solid.

Sir Bertrand, wearing a warm beast-hide cloak with a tricorn hat adorned with two feathers, carries a Starfire Great Bow made by wood elves on his back, reports with the two half-elf Rangers: "Count, we’ve cleared the sentries on the opposite bank. Earl Ocasen and his troops won’t discover our movements temporarily, but if more time elapses, the sentries’ disappearance will still alert them to the other bank."