The Vengeful Lion of House Lannister

As we followed along the game trail, the sun was already high overhead and slightly to our backs. We will be coming up on the raiders within the hour, however soon I heard a rider racing coming towards us. I had placed my hand of one of my daggers when everyone else became aware, the rider came bursting through the scrubs.

It had been one of the scouts that had been tracking the raiders ahead. The rider was in a mess with an arrow sticking out of the back of his shoulder. The scout quickly road towards the Lord Commander and myself who were at the front of the formation.

"LORD COMMANDER, AN AMBUSH." The man near shouted as he tried to catch his breath. The Lord Commander quickly called the formation to a halt and handed a water skin the visibly shaken scout. The man quickly took the water skin and took a deep drink before trying to slow his breathing. A short time after his breathing slowed and he was able to calm down some.

"They, ambushed us just ahead, they were waiting. There is ah clearin just ahead, after the clearin the treeline starts at the base of a hill, they were waiting for us where the treeline started and ambushed us. Milt, Milt took an arrow to the throat, I couldn't do nottin for im when he fell from his horse." The scout relayed with tears beginning to well up when he thought of his fallen comrade.

The Lord Commander closed his eyes and contemplated the report he had just received, Prince Ducan and Gerald was also with us so they heard everything. "If I remember correctly, that hill should be heavily wooded. About 1 ½ leagues across running Northwest to Southeast. About ½ league wide, slightly steep to the centre. How does the game trail run through that hill?" The Lord Commander asked directing his question to the scout.

"It don't, it curves away at the edge of the treeline, there is a thin clearing, that runs around the hill, its a dried out ravine, it sometimes floods in heavy rain." The Scout quickly answers.

 The Lord Commander nodded as if he was confirming what he already knew. From what I remembered, he had travelled the length and width of the Seven Kingdoms and must have been refreshing his memory of what he already knew.

Prince Ducan was the first to give his opinion. "We don't have the numbers to completely surround them, as well as Sir Donald's Group has already gone ahead towards Maiden Pool. I fear if we give them too much time, they may try to slip down the back side and head East through the thicker woods.

Up to this point we have assumed that Maiden Pool is where they have a ship, but the bay of crabs have several fishing villages along the coast. We won't have a chance to catch them if we lose them over that hill and through the woods. If they can make it anywhere along the coast and meet up with their ship, they'll be gone."

"So, what do you suggest we do then my Prince?" Asked the Lord Commander as he continued with his ponderous look.

"We need to give chase, don't give them time to get over the hill or dig in at the top, both them and us have been travelling all morning, half of their men are on foot, they will be tired. Don't let them rest, take all 200 men and make a full-frontal charge. We have around 3 time their numbers and we are still fresher than them."

"We will take loses if we do that, they already have the high ground." The Lord Commander responded.

"Unfortunately, we will have to take the chance, if they slip away now, we still don't know who they are and if they wont just start back up again in a different part of Westeros." Prince Duncan gave a reluctant shrug. Gerald also had a grim look on his face but still gave a nod at the Prince's words.

"Tywin?" The Lord Commander asked as if he had just remembered I was here.

"I agree with Prince Duncan, but might I suggest we take some precautions. How steep is the slope of the hill? Can we scale the hill on horseback"? I looked at the scout.

"Yes Mi Lord, at least for the Southwestern side, the backside is slightly steeper." Came the response.

"Good, I suggest we don't try to surround them, but we should still break up into groups so that they will have to split their defences."

The Lord Commander continued to contemplate; his response came quickly after though. "We will split up into 4 groups. I and Duncan will command the centre, Tywin and Gerald will command the wings. We will take our time crossing the dried-out ravine, no need to lose any horses carelessly. After we cross and reach the edge of the woods, it will be a charge up the hill. Capture is no longer the goal, but if we can still take a few, that will be acceptable."

 The 3 of us nodded at the Lord Commander. "Now, lets split up the men and move as soon as we are finished, I don't want to give these dogs a chance to get away." We quickly got to the task at hand.

As the formation exited the treeline, using my 'Observation' I saw men scampering up the hill, they knew we were here now, 20 minutes hadn't passed since the scout had returned. They were obviously the look outs that had been waiting to see who were following them.

We were divided in groups of around 50, spread out around 100 yards apart, riding side by side, 2 deep. They wouldn't be able to defend the slope, now they would have to try and hold the top, if we gave them the chance. As soon as we crossed the dried-out ravine, in unison we began our charge, the hill wasn't steep at first but gradually the slop increased.

Ahead of us, I could see several figures sprinting for dare life for the top. However, as we covered the distance, I realized that the trees were growing closer together. It was at that time I heard it, the strings of bows being drawn from above and that was when I realized they were in the trees. It was too late; the men wouldn't be able to hear me amongst the charge of the horses.

"ABOVE, ABOVE." I screamed and pointed up. The men around me looked up in time to see several archers in the tree branches behind us, launching their arrows at us. I immediately, raised my hand to signal to stop to the charge and turn, but more than half failed to stop and continued forward.

Just ahead the men who were fleeing now crawling up where the hill became steeper, and then to our horror, the slope which was over grown with shrubs, was actually concealing something worst, it was covered in sharpened wooden stakes. The screams of a rider could be heard as he failed to stop, he had tried to charge up the steeper slope and he was now impaled on those stakes.

Arrows began to shower down from both the front and some from behind, we had been caught in an ambush. Several of my men and their horses got hit. This didn't make sense, as I looked over to the Lord Commander's group who was the closest to me, they were in a similar situation as us. His men were now being picked off one by one.

How? This was far too many more men than we estimated, they had also fortified this position already. Then realisation hit me. Maiden Pool wasn't their destination, this was their destination, this was their base, and probably had men stationed here. How many though?

This was a disaster. We had run head first into a trap, no wonder they spotted the scouts, they must have taken the entire hill as their territory, they had a fortified position on the high ground. Now depending on how many they were, Prince Ducan and Gerold was our only hope, as both my group and the Lord Commander was pinned downed.

With no other optioned I signalled my men to turn left, we weren't about to be shot like fish in a barrel, we needed to get out from between the two rows of archers. The archers that were in the trees, were few however they were spread out and picking off the men one by one as I heard screams from all around and also felt an arrow narrowly missed my face thanks to 'Observation' and 'Spatial Awareness' combined.

"FOLLOW ME!!!" I commanded as loud as I could and Robar began to echo. "FOOOOLLOOOOOOW." My brain was working in overdrive, this was the worst-case scenario, they had a higher elevation combined with ranged weapons and greater numbers than we anticipated.

As soon as we were out of their direct line of sight, I commanded my men to hold and regroup. Of the approximately 50 I had started with, only around 30 were here, the rest were either dead or injured. "YOU, YOU AND YOU, ROBAR, ON ME. DISMOUNT AND READY YOUR SHEILDS." I shouted at the 3 knights who were in heavy amor. "THE REST OF YOU, CIRCLE AROUND THOSE ARCHER AND HEAD TO THE LORD COMMANDER, REINFORCE HIM IN ANYWAY YOU CAN. MAKE IT QUICK, THE LORD COMMANDER NEEDS YOU."

I wasn't about to pull my men back and leave the Lord Commander to take the brunt of the attack. As the rest of my men turned to charge to aid the Lord Commander, I could see the determination burning in their eyes.

"The four of you, we are heading back the way we came. Ready your shields" As I gave the order the 3 knights looked apprehensive but still obeyed.

"What it the plan Lord Tywin?" The oldest one around 40 years; Sir Raymond Hogg finally gathered himself to ask. "We need to take out the archers in the trees", I said as I pulled out my bow and 2 quivers filled with arrows, I tossed a quiver and Robar who without missing a beat caught it and slung it on his hip.

"Don't worry good Sirs, I'm and excellent shot as you should be well aware." These men had been traveling with us since the beginning of the campaign. It was no secret that I had brought in my fair share of wild game. They weren't exactly veteran warriors but they were experienced enough to follow orders and keep their wits in a tuff situation.

With my false bravado, I was able to 'Inspire' or 'Deceive' them enough to follow through with my plan. I had to admit that even with as many lives I had taken since coming to this world. This was probably only the 2nd time I was going to be on an open battle field and it was ironic that it was against the same group.

I took a deep breath; 'Control Breathing', 'Observation', 'Spatial Awareness' and 'Archey' were now going to be used at maximum output as I tapped Robar on his shoulder. Taking inspiration from modern CQB, I had worked out this system of close combat with Robar. We had developed this while on my outings into the slums of Kings Landing. Robar really did live up to his name by watching my back as well as act as a living shield for me when needed.

As we came around a large spruce tree, an arrow suddenly shot towards me but I didn't flinch as I already drew my bow to its maximum and in a smooth motion allowed the string to snap forward sending the arrow sailing pass the one that was coming towards me. Robar's round shield came up to block the arrow at the last second.

Unfortunately for the archer in the tree he had no one to cover for him and despite his effort to move, he was still hit square in the ribcage. I didn't waste time with any accuracy shots, I was aiming for centre mass. The archer wasn't even able to scream as he fell from the tree and hit the ground with a thud. One of the knights with me drove his sword into the archer for good measure as we moved forward. Today would be the day, I would finally be paying my debts to these raiders and hopefully get some answers.

A/N

Hey guys, so people seem to be really into the DC Villain as well as the Pokemon Isekai. Funny enough, I had chapters before starting this book.

One of them was an Isekai, the MC woke up as a young Thomas Elliot (Hush) just before the time of Bruce Wayne's parent death.

The Other was a certain underrated Superman Villain. He is tricked by Lex Luthor into stealing some tech and his soul ends up merging with another scientist who was working in the lab at the time.

Let me know which one sounds better. One day after I am finished with TVLOHL I will attempt that next. But not for some time. 

As always, thanks for the support, keep up with the comments and reviews, even memes help the story go up in the ratings.