The Mozes, who had been moving since the previous evening, finally gathered north of the Tower of Blessing. Counting from when the news of Kassel’s death, who had left with Rai at dawn yesterday, was announced, it had been nearly twelve hours of movement.
Lofin firmly declared that everything the Lord of the Undying said while throwing a torn wing that appeared to be Rai’s was a lie. But rumors spread rapidly. Lofin ran around personally, urging everyone not to waver.
‘They’re waiting for the time when anxiety and fear reach their peak.’
Lofin looked back at the eastern sky. The morning sun was rising.
‘Then the attack will come this evening when the sun sets. We need to quell the rumors before that.’
According to what the sorcerer at the top of the tower had reported, about twenty thousand Mozes were surrounding the tower in a fan shape, and another twenty thousand Mozes were waiting further north. And in the center of the army of ten thousand Mozes behind them was a black dragon.
“One? Are you sure? No more?”
Lofin asked.
The young sorcerer who delivered the news shrugged at Lofin’s question.
“It’s far, but if there were more big ones, they couldn’t be missed.”
“I see. You may go.”
Lofin was puzzled.
‘Did they really not bring Kagua?’
Lofin thought, glaring at the Moze army that appeared as mere dots.
‘Victor, you bastard, what are you thinking? Just putting a couple of Kaguas in the middle of the army could cause tremendous damage… Are they aiming for the Lemifs to abandon their villages? Or do they have some other better strategy?’
Lofin clicked his tongue.
Azwin patted his shoulder.
“Aren’t you going out to see?”
“Huh? What?”
“That.”
Three knights in black robes were riding horses towards them from the enemy lines. They stopped halfway between the Moze army and the Rock army, waiting.
Lofin said as he mounted his horse:
“Azwin, let’s go. Captain Harrow. Follow us.”
He was the head of Rock’s guard who didn’t shy away from various tough jobs. However, after seeing the large-scale movement of the enemy army yesterday, he was completely demoralized. When Lofin said to come along, his face turned pale.
‘Oh dear, it would be terrible if I took this man along.’
Lofin thought better of it and corrected himself.
“Ah, Captain, it would be better for you to command the army from here. It seems we’re going to a dangerous place after all.”
“If, if you say so…”
Harrow quickly said.
Lofin gestured to Jaymer standing next to him.
“You come with us.”
“I won’t be of much help though?”
Jay replied gruffly. He looked tired from chopping wood all night until dawn. Still, when he raised his sleepy eyes, a hint of his former hunter life showed through. Lofin could sense a strong killing intent from his face. That’s what was needed now.
“I just need you to make up the numbers, so you don’t have to do anything.”
Jay exhaled heavily and mounted his horse.
Lofin, Azwin, and Jay rode their horses and stopped about ten paces away from the enemy. One of the knights in black robes pulled back his hood, revealing his face.
It was Victor.
“Is the army usable, Lofin?”
“Hundreds of times better than those disobedient Mozes. But you’re not dead yet?”
Lofin asked in surprise.
Victor tilted his head.
“Hmm? Did you send an assassin to kill me?”
“No, not necessarily that, but you could have fallen off your horse on the way here and cracked your skull. Or you could have died getting bitten by a snake while peeing in the forest.”
Lofin said quite seriously, and Victor laughed loudly.
“The stage prepared is too grand to die from something like that.”
“Isn’t it embarrassing to use the word ‘grand’ for just bringing a few Mozes?”
“Better than the ragtag bunch you’ve scraped together.”
Victor asked with a smiling face.
“By the way, Lofin, this is a message from my lord. You’ll refuse anyway, but will you listen?”
“I refuse.”
“Hmm, as expected. Then this is my message.”
“Oh? I’d like to hear that.”
“Humans will perish anyway. Enjoy it fully until that moment. In the big picture, we’re fighting over the extinction of humanity, but in the small picture…”
Victor made a gesture as if pinching a bug with his index finger and thumb as he continued.
“It’s just a game for you and me.”
Lofin snorted.
“Ah, if only my innocent disciple wasn’t beside me, I would have cursed you out, but I’ll hold back.”
Azwin glanced at him.
Lofin ignored it and said:
“Why did you bring those two, Victor? Scared to come alone?”
“To introduce them. They’re my disciples and subordinates. This is Powell, and this is Stanley.”
Powell and Stanley just glared without saying anything. The gaze from within the black robes was unpleasantly fierce. That gaze was directed entirely at Azwin. Azwin remembered Holten, Redward, and Nathan whom she fought in the Sky Mountains.
‘These two must be of similar skill to those three.’
Azwin also glared back at them without avoiding their gaze.
Victor said:
“It’s not bad to bring them along to experience such an important occasion. We’ll have many more battles to fight in the future. We have to go to Irophis, break Camort… Of course, next is Aranthia. I hear the queen is so beautiful?”
“Pfft, you’ve finally been influenced by me. You want to have a childish fight? Why don’t you insult my mother while you’re at it?”
Lofin craned his neck to look at the Mozes gathered far behind.
“But why is Guanil hiding in the back? Hm? Why doesn’t he come forward and have a chat with Ganel?”
“Because there’s no need for that.”
Victor put the hood of his robe back on his head.
“I wonder if Guanil will even have a chance to fight Ganel directly. Lofin, hold out as long as you can. You can see the outcome of this battle, can’t you?”
Victor smiled and turned his horse around.
Lofin asked:
“Did you come all this way to say that?”
“Ah, right. I almost forgot. Just to prevent the battle from being dull, I’ll tell you in advance that we might be able to enter Rock without destroying both towers. You’ll regret concentrating your forces only here. Be careful.”
“Don’t worry about it, you bastard.”
Lofin blurted out. Lofin and Azwin were about to turn their horses around, but Jay kept his horse still and said:
“Lofin. Have you ever fought that Victor guy?”
“Why are you asking that?”
Jay kept his gaze fixed on Victor’s back as he turned his horse around.
“It’s silly to say this before even fighting, but none of us could have beaten that guy. Not you, not Quain…”
“Can you see such things?”
Lofin asked with a relaxed smile.
“I can see it. The gap of a completely different dimension! Something…”
“Azwin, you tell me. Can you see Victor’s power too?”
Azwin spoke slowly as she rode her horse:
“If those three and us three had just fought, I couldn’t say we would win. In Tachisel, I couldn’t see well because of my desire for revenge, but honestly speaking now…”
Azwin couldn’t continue her words, if only because of her pride.
“I see. If all three of us felt that way, those guys must have known too.”
Lofin continued speaking while chewing on jerky he took out of his pocket.
“Victor must have been surprised by the power of the two I brought as well. Maybe that’s why he didn’t pick a fight. It could have been a disaster if I had brought Harrow. I was a bit careless, considering this isn’t a war between nations fighting while maintaining honor and chivalry.”
Lofin continued, making a gesture of wiping his chest:
“Anyway, my job is not to defeat Victor with a sword. It’s to shatter the arrogant scenario he’s plotting in his head. Whether that misaligned scenario brings victory or a greater defeat, I don’t know. So don’t worry about what just happened. You don’t have to kill to win a fight.”
☆ ☆ ☆
“Captain. Why didn’t you draw your sword just now?”
Powell asked Victor, looking back. In the distance, Lofin, Jaymer, and Azwin could be seen riding away on their horses.
Stanley also said discontentedly:
“Captain, you said that Lofin being there was more dangerous than Knadil being on Carnelock’s side. There couldn’t have been a better opportunity than now.”
They seemed ready to chase after and cut them down if only the order was given.
“Lofin always looks like that. He always looks weak and always looks light. That’s why I’m always unsure. Do you know what scares me?”
Victor asked.
Both subordinates replied almost simultaneously:
“We don’t know.”
“It’s that he hasn’t changed at all. Ten years ago, or now…”
“What’s scary about that?”
“Learn more. In sword skills, both of you are already similar to me. But that’s not enough to satisfy me.”
Instead of the hesitating Stanley, Powell spoke frankly:
“Please teach us in a way we can understand.”
“Alright, Powell. Think about the fear our current forces must be giving them. No matter how brave, they can’t handle that with a clear mind. Even Knadil, the master of dragons, is afraid of this situation. But that Lofin guy is enjoying it just like me. That’s what’s scary. That’s why I couldn’t attack just now. I’m being honest, so don’t look at me like that.”
Victor glanced back and chuckled softly.
“Telling me to fall off my horse? You fall off instead, Lofin. Win for free.”
Victor looked ahead again and gave an order that hardly sounded like one.
“Send a signal to Berkman. We’ll start with attacking the city gate.”
☆ ☆ ☆
As the large Moze army moved north overnight, the soldiers at the southern gate felt somewhat relieved. They had been experiencing unbearable fear just from the vibrations caused by each step of the gray-robed sorcerer approaching. Having to face the monsters filling their vision on top of that was excessive torture. Fortunately, one of the two was gone.
Lumil had been standing guard without sleep because Dunmel suddenly came in injured the night before. It seemed he had been stabbed in the side. His friend was already suffering from injuries, so this new wound would be a big blow. No matter how strong his will, Lumil couldn’t expect him to be treated and return today.
‘I hope they stay still at least while the sun is up.’
Lumil thought with a long yawn and tired eyes. However, the enemies didn’t let the southern soldiers including Lumil rest.
Lumil spotted a large device approaching from the edge of the plains.
“What’s that?”
The tower guards quickly discovered it too and signaled to the other soldiers.
“Catapults!”
The soldiers moved busily without Lumil needing to give orders. The soldiers who had been tense all night moved in unison as if relieved that the expected had finally come.
Lumil closed his mouth before giving instructions and observed the situation for now.
“It’s troublesome that all our catapults were moved to the north.”
Lofin had taken all the catapults and soldiers, saying there was no point in spreading forces to both sides. As a result, there were only a few archers left at the southern gate. In contrast, there were hundreds of Mozes and over ten house-sized catapults.
Their aim was clear, but there wasn’t much that could be done. Lumil racked his brain before giving instructions. Watching the catapults stop right in front of the Rock Zone, he swallowed bitter saliva.
‘Should I consider this first strategic battle Victor’s victory? No. Placing catapults here in anticipation of such a thing would have been foolish.’
Lumil was examining the soldiers’ positions when he spotted Dunmel running over from afar.
‘It seems Quain doesn’t know how to instill self-control in his disciples.’
Lumil shouted to the commander directing soldiers below:
“Commander. Position the soldiers far from the walls.”
The southern gate commander shouted back:
“Understood. But why are they attacking here? Didn’t you say they would attack here only after destroying the two towers first?”
“It seems the enemy doesn’t think so.”
The Mozes prepared their catapults faster than the soldiers could take cover. Ten catapults were activated in sequence with slight time differences. Large boulders crossed the blue sky. The tower guards shouted in unison to those behind the walls:
“Take cover!”
Man-sized boulders flew over the walls and crashed down on the gathered soldiers. Over a dozen soldiers were crushed to death at once, and houses near the walls had their roofs smashed. Houses with weak pillars completely collapsed. It was just one attack, but the damage was severe. However, there was no way to counter it.
With almost all forces moved to the north, they couldn’t open the gates and fight even if there were less than a thousand Mozes. Moreover, the gray-robed sorcerer slowly pounding on the Rock Zone stood firm in front of the gate.
Lumil was still more burdened by Tailed standing in front of the gate, approaching one or two steps every hour, than by the Mozes’ catapults.
“Damn it.”
Lumil finally cursed and gave orders again.
“Commander, gather the soldiers and retreat. The enemy can’t attack with anything but the catapults.”
“How can rocks attack if there’s a magic barrier?”
The commander, in extreme confusion after seeing soldiers crushed by rocks right beside him, said something nonsensical. Although it had been explained in advance that only evil beings influenced by the Lord of the Undying couldn’t pass through here, he either didn’t understand it correctly or forgot due to shock. There was no time to explain.
“Just retreat for now. As far as possible. The enemy can only throw rocks, they can’t charge directly at the gate.”
Lumil turned his body back towards the outside of the wall. Dunmel suddenly jumped up beside Lumil who was watching the direction of the catapults. It was unbelievable movement for someone stabbed just yesterday.
“They’re adjusting the direction. Which way do you think?”
Lumil asked without wasting time on words like “Are you alright?” or “Don’t overdo it, go back inside.” Dunmel checked where the rocks had landed from the first attack and then the angle the catapult heads were turning. Then he pointed with his finger at the ground right below where the two of them stood.
Lumil shouted to the tower guards:
“Get down! The next attack is on the walls.”
The soldiers, quicker to understand than the commander, hurriedly descended from the tower. The two of them went down as well.
The second attack pounded the walls as Dunmel predicted. Part of the wall crumbled and the tower was destroyed. Rocks that fell slightly short of their target stuck in front of the gate like grotesque statues, while rocks that flew beyond the walls crashed into and broke stones that had landed earlier.
Lumil and Dunmel went down below the wall and leaned against it, waiting for the attacks to stop. The third attack aimed for the farthest distance beyond the wall. The attack ceased after the flying rocks demolished five or six houses.
Lumil climbed the broken tower. The tower had been scraped by the high-speed rocks and only half remained precariously.
The Mozes beside the catapults were moving busily. Some hurriedly moved somewhere while others remained by the catapults. Among the remaining forces was also a knight in black armor.
“That must be the Excelon 1st Knight Order that caused such a commotion in the Sky Mountains. They must be commanding the Mozes as expected.”
Lumil said.
Dunmel pointed to the Mozes’ movements and then wrote with his finger:
Preparing for 2nd catapult attack.
“Looks like we’ll have to watch the southern wall get completely destroyed with our eyes wide open.”
We need to go.
When Lumil asked with his eyes where they were going, Dunmel raised his hand again and pointed towards the catapults.
‘If I switched positions and asked if he wasn’t in pain, he’d probably be annoyed.’
Lumil nodded to Dunmel.
“Let’s go. But it’s too much for just the two of us.”
Lumil shouted to the soldiers taking cover:
“We’re going to destroy those catapults now. Volunteers step forward, the rest retreat even further. The next target will be this wall.”
The soldiers murmured, with some stepping forward and others just watching. The commander neither agreed nor objected to Lumil’s sudden proposal.
From somewhere, a man in black clothes appeared in front of Lumil.
“Who are you?”
Lumil asked in surprise. The man bowed his head and said:
“There were orders from the Guild Master to always step forward for things like this.”
Lumil turned to look at Dunmel, wondering what this meant. Dunmel nodded towards the man. When the black-clothed man whistled briefly, similarly dressed figures suddenly gathered from here and there.
‘This is a moment that makes me very curious about Dunmel’s past.’
But Lumil didn’t ask this time either. At least they seemed much more reliable than the hesitating soldiers.
☆ ☆ ☆
“Are you… worried?”
Latilda carefully asked Loyal. She was holding a tobacco pipe with trembling hands. The rising blue smoke disappeared, carried away by the wind blowing in through the window.
Loyal had his hand on the windowsill, his gaze fixed on the lower part of the tower. The Moze swarm that looked like a black wave didn’t even come near the Tower of Wrath.
“No enemy is coming here. As expected.”
Loyal said. Latilda also went to Loyal’s side to see where he was looking. But her eyesight wasn’t good enough to see that far clearly.
“It’s like we’ve tied up one of our biggest forces here.”
Latilda said. Loyal smiled weakly and turned his gaze.
“I was happy that Kassel sent me to protect Latilda, and I still want to be here. But there can’t be a wolf that stays away from the battlefield.”
There was a heavy voice resonating from outside the tower.
“You must be here, Loyal Wolf.”
It was Sacradil lying down below the Tower of Wrath. He only spoke occasionally when necessary, and there was no need to particularly listen or go down the long stairs to hear his voice. His voice always sounded as if he was speaking right beside them.
“The enemy is clearly aware of your presence. It’s because you and I are here that no one comes here, not because you’re away from the battlefield.”
“But with Knadil here, a trivial existence like me…”
“I can block hundreds of Mozes rushing in at once. But if even one gets into the tower, Latilda’s life is in danger. Originally, Quain should be in that position. Who did Sanadiel designate as the next Queen’s Guardian Knight? If it were me, I’d choose you.”
“Knadil, you haven’t even seen my swordsmanship. How do you know?”
“Do I need to explain that? Just listen. There’s one more role for you, Loyal. This will be the cruelest story for both of you.”
Latilda flinched, already knowing what he was going to say.
Knadil said,
“Latilda Johnstein, as you know, your father’s power flows within you. The moment that power is exposed to the enemy, you could become another great enemy to us. At that time, Loyal, you must kill Latilda.”
Loyal shouted angrily:
“I came here for the purpose of protecting Latilda!”
Knadil did not respond to Loyal’s anger.
The frightened Latilda asked:
“It doesn’t feel real, Master Dragon. How do I become an enemy? I saw it in dreams and Tanya said something similar, but I can’t quite grasp it.”
“Everything in Rock has already started moving within his power. The moment my protection disappears, you will be exposed to that power and lose your sense of self. Right now, all the soldiers are probably seeing strange illusions and fears. Especially those in places where his power directly touches, their minds will be lost to harsh truths or false situations. If such power touches you, you won’t be able to endure it, Latilda.”
“Didn’t you say that wouldn’t happen as long as you’re alive, Knadil?”
Loyal said in a strong tone.
“The reason I said that originally the current Queen’s Guardian Knight, Quain, should be in that position is simple. Someone is needed to guard that tower even after I die. And at present, isn’t it only you who can do that?”
“Is my being here more about guarding the tower itself than protecting Latilda?”
“That’s right.”
“If you die, Dragon, and if even Latilda dies, what reason is there for me alone to guard this tower?”
“Even if I tell you, you won’t understand. But know one thing: the sorcerer moving these three towers is far stronger than you think. Even if everyone dies, this tower must not fall.”
Knadil said as he rose:
“Loyal Wolf. Why do you anxiously wait for something while thinking you should be here?”
Loyal spoke without hiding:
“My blood is boiling and I can’t control it. I don’t know who it’s directed at or why I’m like this. Knadil, don’t you know? Aren’t you saying such things to try to suppress me?”
Knadil raised his hand high.
“I could bind you here with an order. But I think taking away your freedom would be more dangerous than taking away your power.”
Knadil nodded in permission.
“You may go.”
Loyal turned and embraced Latilda once.
“I’ll be back soon.”
“Loyal, where are you going?”
Latilda asked in confusion, not understanding their conversation.
“I’m going to do what I need to do. I’ll be back before the battle starts.”
Loyal jumped out. Latilda screamed and leaned out the window. Where Loyal had jumped was onto Knadil’s outstretched palm. Knadil didn’t particularly catch him. Loyal just landed on the dragon’s extended hand, then slid down his arm and over the red scales. He turned his body towards the spine from the dragon’s shoulder blade and slid all the way to the tip of the tail in one go, reaching the ground.
After landing on the ground, Loyal turned back to look up at Knadil.
Knadil said:
“I can no longer see giders because of Guanil’s power. I cannot intervene in your affairs and your gider, so you must choose everything and take responsibility for it.”
Loyal briefly bowed his head at Knadil’s words. Then he waved to Latilda, who was poking her head out from the top of the tower. Showing a bright smile as if he was going out for a brief excursion rather than to the battlefield, he mounted a horse and rode towards the southern gate.
Knadil let out a long sigh.
Latilda leaned on the windowsill, watching the dust raised by the horse.
“In the end, I can’t do anything but wait. They say just being in this tower maintains the Rock Zone, but I can’t feel anything like that… Master Knadil, what should I do?”
“In such a big battle, whether big or small, everyone makes their most important choice at the most crucial moment. You and I are waiting here for that moment.”
Knadil said weakly.
“Should I have stopped that child? I don’t know. My heart has become this weak after leaving the Sky Mountains, perhaps because I too have become complacent under the goddess’s protection.”
☆ ☆ ☆
Loyal chose the path around the castle walls rather than the road cutting through Rock’s downtown. The Mozes were not only in the south. They were waiting in groups of about a hundred each, away from the castle. It looked like Lutia before it fell. They were waiting for the moment Rock’s barrier disappeared, even if just for a moment.
‘What Knadil said means all our fates depend on Master Tanya alone.’
As Arok’s Tower looming inside the castle drew closer, Loyal urged his horse on faster. Not far from the city gate, there were far more Mozes than elsewhere. About ten catapults were prepared, and some were activated as Loyal approached. Huge rocks directly struck Rock’s stone walls. The damage to the walls was severe, as if they had been under attack before he arrived.
‘Are they leaving it alone since it’s an attack from outside the Rock Zone? No. If it were Dunmel and Lumil, they’d come out and smash the catapults.’
Just as Loyal arrived and was thinking this, people in black clothes were coming out along the walls. They were Blackfoot agents. The Mozes gathered near the catapults rushed towards them as if they had been waiting. Meanwhile, one catapult suddenly burst into flames. As another catapult caught fire, the Mozes tried to put it out in confusion. But there was no water nearby, and even if there was, they couldn’t easily extinguish oil fires.
A Moze wearing rags like clothes in imitation of humans tried to put out the fire in a ridiculous manner by taking off its clothes. But that Moze was hit by an incoming arrow and fell backwards. Then dozens of arrows fell on the Mozes carrying stones and those guarding the catapults.
Rock’s soldiers also came attacking with battle cries from the opposite side of the Blackfoot agents’ attack. It was essentially the first battle between Rock’s soldiers and the Moze army. While Blackfoot’s combat power and movements exceeded expectations, the regular soldiers were worrying.
‘Blackfoot drew attention, and meanwhile someone went around behind to set fire to the catapults. And when the Mozes were confused by that, the soldiers jumped out. The timing is good. Is Meylumil commanding?’
Loyal turned his horse towards where the battle was taking place.
The Mozes couldn’t react in time to Loyal suddenly charging in on horseback from behind. The Mozes belatedly resisted with dull axes and rusty swords, but they couldn’t stop Loyal from swinging his sword while trampling them with his horse. Several heads fell off in an instant.
Just as Loyal was about to break through the group of Mozes, a knight in a black robe charged in on horseback from the front, swinging his sword. After blocking the clumsy attacks of the Mozes continuously, suddenly having to block such a strong attack made Loyal stagger and nearly fall off his horse.
Loyal barely regained his balance and turned his horse around.
“Did you set the fire?”
The knight asked as he turned his horse.
“It wasn’t me, but it’s as good as if I did it. You won’t be able to stop it.”
Loyal replied.
“The Captain said to be careful as there are decent skilled people in Rock too. State your name. I am Berkman of the Excelon 1st Knight Order.”
The knight raised his long sword.
“I am Loyal of the Wolf Knights.”
Without delay, they charged at each other. Berkman let go of the reins with both hands and swung his sword. Loyal also gripped his sword with both hands and swung to avoid being overwhelmed by that power. The two swords and two horses clashed and passed, but neither side managed to wound the other.
“Not bad.”
Berkman skillfully maneuvered his horse to strike at Loyal’s side. Loyal was so busy blocking the sword that he couldn’t properly control his horse. In contrast, Berkman moved freely even on horseback, attacking Loyal almost mockingly.
The impact was so strong that it caused spasms in his arm muscles. Moreover, although not as much as Dunmel, Loyal’s injuries from Lutia were not light either. Although the sorcerers had treated him, it would take a good three or four months more to fully heal.
‘This won’t work on horseback.’
Loyal pretended to push aggressively while riding his horse away. Berkman followed, shouting.
“Where are you going when you don’t even have the skill to run away?”
In mounted combat, Loyal always lost. He would lose ten out of ten times to Sheyden, and was repeatedly defeated by other Wolf Knights as well. So rather than trying to get used to fighting on horseback, Loyal had trained in how to fight opponents on horseback while on foot.
Loyal let go of the reins and jumped backwards. The horse kept running forward while Loyal landed on the ground. Seeing this, Berkman switched his weapon from sword to spear. The speed at which he put away his sword and changed to the spear on his back was magically fast. Loyal waited for him to approach and extended his sword blade forward.
Berkman slowed his approach and brought down his spear. Loyal feinted blocking the spear while twisting his body to dodge. The spear blade grazed Loyal’s chest and stuck in the ground. Loyal grabbed the spear. Berkman forcefully pulled back the spear, and Loyal used that force to jump up at the same timing. His extended sword struck down on Berkman’s helmet.
He couldn’t break the helmet with a sword swung without even touching the ground. However, the impact transmitted inside the helmet was enough. Berkman lost his balance, fell backwards, and hit the ground with a loud thud.
Despite the impact of falling in armor being no small matter, Berkman got up quickly. However, he was no match for Loyal after that. Berkman desperately shook his head trying to regain his senses, but couldn’t block Loyal’s sword.
Loyal’s sword struck Berkman’s neck and blood burst from inside his helmet. The blood flowing on the black armor was indistinguishable from water. Berkman staggered backwards and clutched his neck. Blood gushed from inside the helmet. Dark red blood soaked the dry ground around his fallen body.
Loyal looked down at his clothes torn by the spear blade earlier. There was no wound.
Only one catapult remained unburned. The Mozes’ attacks grew fiercer, but the excited creatures seemed to have forgotten what the enemy was aiming for with their attack.
“Retreat!”
Someone shouted.
Rock’s soldiers began to retreat without delay. The Mozes chased after them but bounced off an invisible magical barrier.
The person who ordered the retreat was by the last unburned catapult. It was Meylumil. He looked a bit surprised to see Loyal approaching.
“Shouldn’t you not be here?”
“I’ll destroy just that one and go right back.”
“You must know why the Excelon knight commanding these creatures hasn’t appeared.”
Lumil said with a smile.
Loyal just nodded.
“This catapult, they must have stolen it from another Carnelock city. I know the structure well.”
Lumil pulled hard on the catapult’s lever. Instead of the loaded stone being flung, the chain holding it broke. Some part inside the catapult made a heavy breaking sound and the whole device shook noisily. Without needing to burn it, the catapult became useless.
“Now we retreat too. There’s no need to keep fighting!”
Lumil turned, shouldering the spear he had set down. Loyal was about to follow him back to the castle when he stopped in his tracks.
Black smoke rose from Lumil’s feet, growing to human size, and a gray-robed sorcerer walked out from within.
Loyal turned in surprise towards the southern gate. The gray-robed sorcerer was still in his original position there. The same form had appeared in two different places!
Lumil swung his spear without hesitation. But the spear passed through without hitting anything.
‘An illusion?’
The gray-robed sorcerer silently spread his arms. Smoke billowing from inside the robe engulfed the sorcerer, and another person walked out from the smoke. As soon as he emerged, that man raised his sword towards Lumil at a terrifying speed.
Lumil blocked with his spear, but the spear broke in two. It happened in such a brief moment that Loyal had no chance to intervene.
“Master Grandol…”
Lumil cried out as he retreated.
Grandol swung his sword diagonally downwards again. Lumil hurriedly backed away while swinging his broken spear to change the blade’s direction. However, he could barely avoid being hit in vital spots. He couldn’t prevent the blade from grazing his chest.
Lumil finally lost his balance and fell sitting down. Grandol swung his sword down towards Lumil’s head.
A ear-splitting metallic sound rang out. Loyal and Grandol’s swords were locked in front of Lumil. Loyal looked at the robust man before him and asked Lumil:
“Who did you just call this person?”
In effect, Loyal ended up blocking Grandol’s attack on Lumil, but that wasn’t really the case. Loyal hadn’t jumped in to block, but to attack.
Usually, people tend to let their guard down in the final moment when aiming at a defenseless opponent lying before them. Rather than vaguely blocking, Loyal had aimed to target such a moment and strike faster at the opponent’s neck or swinging arm. But Grandol had instantly changed the direction of his attack on Lumil to block Loyal’s sword.
Lumil belatedly grabbed his gushing chest wound and dragged his rear backwards. Then he said in a voice suppressing pain:
“It’s Master Grandol. My teacher and your senior, who has become the enemy’s subordinate.”
‘Grandol?’
The moment he appeared, Loyal’s heart began racing uncontrollably.
Fear and exhilaration…
Loyal’s chest tightened with such complicated emotions.
“I see.”
Loyal muttered as he pushed back the opponent’s attack with force. Grandol didn’t resist much and easily stepped back. Then he readied his stance again.
“Loyal…”
Lumil said.
“Yes, Lumil.”
“Remember… Quain. All his techniques… are copied from Grandol.”
Loyal exhaled briefly and replied.
“Is that so?”
Loyal pulled back the sword in one hand and lowered his stance.
“That’s what I hoped for.”
Master Quain. Former White Wolf and Captain of the Wolf Knights. And current Queen’s Guardian Knight.
Quain had called all five White Wolves and showed them a wooden sword in front of everyone. He said he would attack just once, so block it.
That single attack was unbelievably powerful. Azwin was knocked away shield and all, and even the brutish Gerald was knocked unconscious by the wooden sword to his chest. Sheyden barely blocked with his spear, but the spear flew so far it was annoying to go pick up. Dunmel gave up completely.
Loyal gave up on defending against Quain’s sword. Instead, he chose to charge towards that sword. Loyal felt a thrilling emotion at how beautiful the gently curving sword could be.
It was the answer he had long sought. Like an artist finding the one masterpiece he wanted to learn all his life, like a musician seeing the score he desperately wanted to play, like a writer reading the words he so wanted to write, Loyal was deeply moved.
Loyal received Quain’s attack and injured his wrist. But he didn’t consider it a defeat. Instead, while his injury healed, he drew that single strike in his mind dozens, hundreds of times. To the point where he could imitate it after just a few tries as soon as his wrist healed and he could hold a sword again!
It was an attack that couldn’t be blocked even if you knew it was coming. Loyal thought that technique was the White Wolf’s fang he would obtain.
“Only a White Wolf can survive seeing the White Wolf’s fang.”
Loyal muttered those words as he gripped his sword with both hands. Then he slightly bent forward in a stance ready to charge, watching the opponent’s movements.
Grandol didn’t move. He was subtly out of range. But he hadn’t run away. He seemed confident he could enter the range and attack Loyal at any time.
‘Do you know why there have only been one or two White Wolves throughout generations?’
It was some day after Loyal had precisely copied Quain’s technique. Quain called Loyal separately and asked such a question. Loyal answered honestly.
‘I don’t know.’
‘It’s because it’s virtually impossible to have more than one supreme swordsman in an era. And Aranthia’s blessing has always drawn such people to Nadium. You were sent by Meylumil. Lumil probably wasn’t aware, but that too is a kind of blessing.’
‘Why are you suddenly talking about this?’
‘This time there are five White Wolves.’
Quain showed all his fingers and said.
‘That might mean great danger is approaching. I didn’t hesitate to choose four of you as White Wolves from the start. Because there were four of us in our time too. I didn’t oppose when you four additionally made Dunmel a White Wolf. Because I believed you would do so even if I tried not to increase the number. But eventually ‘one’ will emerge among you too.’
‘You mean the one who will become the Queen’s Guardian Knight?’
‘Have you solved the homework Her Majesty gave you?’
‘I still don’t know.’
‘When you solve that, you will come closest to being that one.’
‘I don’t want to do that, thinking of surpassing my friends.’
Quain smiled gently hearing those words.
‘That’s an answer like you. But Loyal, I’ll tell you just one thing. That wasn’t the original saying.’
‘What do you mean by original…?’
‘”Only a White Wolf can survive seeing the White Wolf’s fang”… That was a saying we modified in our time. The words my Master Grandol passed down to us were different.’
Loyal didn’t know why he was telling only him words he hadn’t told any of the five.
‘”No one can survive seeing the White Wolf’s fang.”‘
Quain added to those words.
‘When my teacher was alone in the White Wolf position, he could say such words. I was able to say those words only after becoming the Queen’s Guardian Knight. Can you do so?’
Loyal said he didn’t know then.
He wanted to say he still didn’t know now.
Lumil had admonished Loyal in Camort, saying:
‘Abandon such thoughts that lower the standards of the Wolf Knights right now.’
He didn’t want to go ahead alone. He never wanted to be a dried-up frog that left the pond again. However, after wielding Aranthia’s sacred sword in Camort, Loyal realized the chains binding him had broken. For the first time since meeting a Captain who would wield him as a weapon, Loyal was able to give his all.
“Master Grandol. Whoever you were in the past, whoever you’re lending your strength to now…, the current ‘White Wolf’ is me.”
Loyal said.
Grandol was staring blankly into space with dull eyes. Like a dead person. But he met Loyal’s gaze as if he had understood what Loyal just said. And he entered Loyal’s range.
Loyal unleashed the single sword strike he had learned from Quain and diligently practiced alone. When he was still inexperienced, even his friends had blocked it a few times. But after he became proficient, no one could block it.
Loyal became scared.
‘Then what happens to me?’
It seemed even Quain wouldn’t be able to block that sword.
‘If there’s no place for me even in the Wolf Knights, where should I go now?’
Loyal’s sword cut through the dust blown up by the wind, through the air, through the silence flowing between the two. Loyal’s sword, extending in a straight line, grazed Grandol’s sword. They each ignored the other’s attack and extended in the direction they wanted. Their sword-swinging speed and power were almost identical.
Quain had learned that attack from watching Grandol, and Loyal had imitated Quain exactly. Since they were both right-handed, it was so similar it felt like an illusion of a mirror image running towards oneself.
However, at the last moment, Grandol didn’t swing that sword and simply passed by Loyal. He had used the technique that people praised as Quain’s divine move simply to avoid Loyal’s sword. Loyal couldn’t keep up with his evasion speed.
‘He knew the technique!’
Grandol must have been thinking of this from the moment Loyal took his stance. Otherwise, he couldn’t have avoided it so cleanly.
Loyal’s sword went up, grazing right next to Grandol’s shoulder. Loyal could do nothing but stare at the tip of his sword that had risen futilely.
Grandol thrust his sword into Loyal’s exposed side.
An arrow flew by, grazing Grandol’s face. Grandol let go of the sword he had stabbed into Loyal and stepped back. Another arrow flew towards Grandol’s face, and without delay, yet another arrow aimed at his chest. Grandol tilted his face to dodge and caught the arrow flying towards his chest with his bare hand as he stepped back.
Grandol threw the broken arrow aside. Twenty paces in front of him, Dunmel had an arrow nocked on his bowstring. A chilly air flowed between Grandol and Dunmel.
Balak ran to the fallen Loyal’s side, hoisted him up, and immediately retreated. Lumil withdrew with the support of other Blackfoot agents.
Grandol only stared at Dunmel’s bow.
‘Themar, dodge. The Mozes are coming back.’
Heder signaled from afar. Dunmel retreated backwards without lowering his aimed bow.
Grandol didn’t chase after them. He only followed Loyal with a dry gaze.
–TL Notes–
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