NOVEL NEXT 16
I shuddered as I saw enemy reinforcement. 5 Grail Knights appear atop a small hill on the left side of the battlefield. Quite terrifying, but the herd can handle them. Now add 80 Bretonnian Knights. We can still win, but the casualties will be much more than predicted. Then add 500 Tilean mercenaries from Marienburg. The battle is not on our side anymore.
“Bretonnia is with us! Ulric is with us!” I hear the human army’s captain rallied his men.
The human army fought with a renewed vigor. While my battle plan is now a disadvantage. There are no beastmen to spare to even delay the Tilean mercenaries and my Bovigors are still in the middle of elven archers who are now supported by the rest of the elves and some of the human army. Sending all 8 Tuskgor riders to help against the Bretonnian Knights will also just make them killed. I doubt the Norscan werewolves can do much either
It seems I will have to use magic and fail the trial. “Strengthen. Endure.” I buffed the beastmen army’s strength and endurance as usual.
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You have failed Khorne’s Trial. Semi permanent Debuff is given as a consequence. -20% damage Slay 500 lives to remove debuff |
| Tzeentch continue snickering |
While the 20% damage debuff is significant, my own magic will offset the malus for now. Besides, the extra endurance will be much more useful in prolonged battle now that the enemy has reinforcements. I led my chaos mammoth to intercept the Grail and Bretonnian knights. Crushing whatever humans are on the path. This frees more beastmen to quickly finish the human-elven army.
“For the Lady!” The leading Grail Knight shouted and led the charge. My hope that the swamp terrain will slow down the heavy cavalry is soon quashed. As the Grail Knights lead the charge, the swampy ground beneath them is changed into dry ground. Ensuring that their charge is not slowed down. Then I found out that the knights are charging at the beastmen and ignoring me atop the chaos mammoth. Already committing to the charge, the chaos mammoth could only make minimal course correction. While I continued to rain arrows atop the chaos mammoth, only three Bretonnian Knights were killed by my arrows. The Grail Knights are practically untouchable as they easily deflect my arrows or block them with their shields. The chaos mammoth charge also only crushed the furthest back of their formation.
“No! No! No!” The knights charged through the beastmen army. Killing many of my beastmen children. I commanded my chaos mammoth to turn back. Sounds of gunshot erupted from the Tilean mercenaries. Stinging pain on my back as the bullet hit and ricocheted. I pulled my bone whip sword and swung at the Bretonnian Knights. The whip sword elongates to reach them. Killing five because of the added damage bonus from my Khorne’s alignment. The knights pulled away to prepare a counter charge and I gave chase. I saw the state of the battlefield as I passed. The human army is less than half while the elves are starting to retreat. But at least a hundred beastmen also died from the knight’s charge alone. Leaving a little more than half of my beastmen army.
Two Grail Knights broke from their formation to deal with me and my chaos mammoth. I swung my whip sword at them. Again they easily blocked. They passed the chaos mammoth in the middle before turning around in sync. Driving their blessed lances to the chaos mammoth hind legs. I managed to grab and not throw out of the howdah as the chaos mammoth stumbled. Then in one swift motion, the two Grail Knights pull their sword and cleave through the chaos mammoths’ fore legs. I fall alongside the mammoth. The chaos mammoth is done, it will not walk again. The three Grail Knights and the Bretonnian Knights already began charging again as soon as I stood. While the two Grail Knights are staying to take care of me.
“STOP!” And the battlefield grinds to a halt. But it will not last for long. Already the Grail Knights forced their bodies to move.
“Kal! Druig! Retreat!” I finally command. The beastmen hesitate a second before retreating. Where has this all gone wrong? Should I have waited one or two more days to breed my forces?
The two Grail Knights swing their swords. Forcing me out of my thoughts. I fly up to evade. Three seconds, that's the worth of almost all of my magic power against the Grail Knights. Soon the rest will break free from my spell too. I still have some magic power left and I can fly, I can use one last magic before flying away.
“Fire.” I chanted as I raised both my hands. And a huge fireball the size of two horses appears.
“Flare” another word, now the fireball’s flame brightens in intensity.
“Pressure” The fireball collapses on itself. Becoming smaller before growing again by consuming the surrounding winds of magic. I watched in glee watching the surrounding panic. Even the Grail Knights start retreating.
| Hostile Authority intervenes |
I felt my spell’s magic power drained away. I fought back to assert control of my spell while searching for the new interloper. There on top of another hill, I saw Teclis. Unmistakably him as the High Loremaster wears his signature helmet and staff. I suppress my fear as I try to wrestle my magic but find it failing.
|
Hostile Authority is stronger Hostile Willpower is stronger |
My spell and magic power are completely drained and I fall to the ground in exhaustion. At least I have brought time that my beastmen herd could flee.
—
I woke up hearing a loud commotion. It is already night. My hands, legs, and wings are tied. They even gagged my mouth with something. I also felt that I cannot feel or use magic at all.
“Like I said, why don’t we just kill it!?” A human captain with his left arm gone shouted. The Eonir voiced their support much more demurely.
“Didn’t you hear anything I said? It had done something that even Gods took notice of!” Teclis rebuke
“Oh just kill it and be done with it. We still haven’t got paid yet.” This one comes from a female Tilean mercenary captain.
“Oh shut up, you mercenaries just shot once during the battle.”
“Don’t forget that we are sent by the Lady to help. Do not decide this one-sidedly.” The leading Grail Knight voiced his opinion calmly.
“Yeah? I lost ONE THOUSAND men! And my FUCKING ARM! And you want to spare this daemon?”
Tense silence fell on the crowd as their attention was back on me who is now awake.
“I never said I will spare her.” Teclis is the first to speak again “I want to know what it has done and fix it. It will be dealt with then.”
“I see no problem with this arrangement. We have seen the daemon’s magic. Lord Teclis will be best responsible for it.” the Grail Knight added.
Another tense silence before the human captain finally said “Fine” and stormed off to his own camp. The crowd began to disperse.
“I hear your kin is still within the golden herd captivity. Will you join our quest?” The Grail Knight asked an Eonir captain.
“We have lost more kin than we saved. I cannot offer help but if anyone volunteers.”
“Good enough”
“Does it mean we get paid now?” Then the Grail Knight throws a big pouch of gold to the mercenaries who cheer for the easy money.
Then I am left alone with Teclis.
And I don’t know how I can escape from this.