BELLUM PRAESINTIA

Stay Away If You Want Life

As planned, a beautiful morning led them toward Garvaran's region. It was an unexplored territory, but bits of information had already spread here and there, reaching their ears.

The two men were also discussing what awaited them in Garvaran. With his characteristic tone, Gobil exclaimed, "I can't believe we'll be going to the enchanting land of Garvaran! I've also heard the women there are very beautiful!"

Their companions couldn't contain their lustful excitement, their faces filled with great anticipation that echoed in their ears.

"These guys are fools!" muttered Gean from a distance, but his eyes were fixed on Garlan up ahead.

To his left stood a horse pulling the cart that accommodated the two men from the previous night. They were grateful not to be surrounded by the faces of warriors thirsty for anger.

Garlan's eyes appeared flat, gazing silently at the green earth trampled by the horses' hooves. The flowers along the road seemed to welcome their presence, swaying in the gentle breeze.

A challenging hill stood before them, inviting anyone beneath to climb its slopes.

"Gean!" Garlan called.

"Alright!" Without hesitation, Gean spurred his horse forward with bravery, reaching the top of the hill. His horse excitedly took a few small steps in the same place. "Uh..."

But just a few steps further, Gean's eyes were shocked by the scene before him. A red glow accompanied the rhythmic footsteps of hundreds of people, their shouts continuously resounding.

"This can't be possible!"

Gean swiftly moved towards Garlan and the others.

"Leader..."

His voice echoed in everyone's ears, drawing their attention with surprise.

"What's wrong with him? Has he already laid eyes on the beautiful women from Garvaran?" Gobil joked, bringing laughter to his companions.

Unfortunately, Reval's lips refused to smile. There was a growing sense of wonder as Gean spoke to Garlan.

Garlan narrowed his eyes sharply as Gean's sentence ended.

From the edge of their position, the sound of arrows whistling through the air could be heard, felling those behind the fortress one by one.

"Hehehe... This will be a historic moment if the people of Garvaran are nothing more than weaklings deserving of death!" a man exclaimed proudly, observing his surroundings as the entire army shouted and attacked the fortress.

The man called himself Felin. He was tall, adorned in splendid armor. The lion emblem on his left shoulder added an imposing touch, instilling fear in his opponents.

Castelo was bewildered by the enemy's attack. Although the distance was significant, his ears were filled with the assault's sound. His mind repeatedly tried to comprehend what was happening, but he couldn't find a solution.

"Why are they attacking today? Why? Soldier, hasn't there been any information from our troops able to repel them?" He asked harshly.

"N-No!" A soldier raised his voice, his tone also strained. "There's no sign of the enemy weakening. Our forces are currently trying to hold them off from entering the city!"

Not convinced, sweat continued to trickle through the gaps between his fingers, his bloodshot eyes growing sharper as he clenched his teeth, producing a crackling sound. With each passing second, his breathing became more irregular.

Felin murmured, "It won't be long before our troops breach the fortress and do what is necessary!"

Plundering, that word accurately described their actions—taking spoils from those rendered defenseless. Those who resisted would only meet a painful death, and the survivors would be left with life no different from hell.

Crash...

The crisp sound disturbed their hearing, diverting Felin's attention to the chaotic screams. That noise came from the nine o'clock direction and drew closer, accompanied by the fallen bodies of soldiers, their limbs flung high like a storm's impact.

"What's happening over there?" Felin asked in a panic.

A horse-mounted man approached Felin, his legs showing no signs of fatigue, but his breath kept pumping air. "General, there's an enemy launching an attack! They're assaulting the troops on the left flank, gradually approaching the core of our troops!"

"What!" Before he could finish, a louder voice entered his ears. When he turned, he saw many fallen soldiers, leaving blood splattered on the ground. Shreds of flesh scattered about. "This is bad! Since when did they have powerful knights? Is it true Garvaran possesses knights far more formidable?"

The answer revealed itself in a fluttering flag in the middle of a war. It bore the head of a fearsome dragon, a black and red emblem of death to anyone who beheld it.

"Impossible, they are the forces that have been the enemies of most kingdoms!" Felin hastily spurred his horse and shouted, "Retreat!"

The troops surrounding him followed this instruction, observing the movements from a distance.

Woosh...

Unfortunately, it was completely futile. Among the terrified troops, they forgot the sound of slashing continued to resonate, brutally splitting their formation.

The sound of the black horses' footsteps faster than most horses, brought down anyone who stood in the way, approaching with a buzzing sound.

Tings...

In a narrow time frame, Felin miraculously evaded death, as if an eagle had swooped down.

Felin gazed at the barren yellow ground, the sun blazing fiercely causing sweat to pour incessantly from his body. "I didn't expect that, even at this considerable distance there would be someone capable of pursuing me to this point!"

Garlan in silent unity within his gaze, his sunken eyelids remained fixed on what lay ahead. The sound of his sword's buzzing cut through the air softly.

"So you are Leader of them all, the figure considered a bloodthirsty knight who cannot be easily defeated!" Felin uttered with a breathless tone, the gleam of the sword reflecting piercingly into his eyes.

Slowly, Garlan raised his sword, followed by his horse stepping along with him. It was all a series of reverberations in the palpable silence.

Swungs...

Felin's sword swung past Garlan's face, smoothly deflected upwards, sparks flying. Then, Garlan's hand grasped the hilt and swiftly thrust it toward Felin's face.

Tings...

A shift that made pain surge through his entire body, the present eyes stared wide in awe.

Everything halted in a silent atmosphere, Felin's eyes widened to the point where he almost choked on his saliva. Slowly, his gaze shifted towards Garlan, from the tips of his fingers to the hairs on his head filled with fear provoked by the intense gaze of two bulging eyes.

__To Be Continued__