socalfunplaces Chapter 84 The Tragedy of Straddall
Chapter 84 The Tragedy of Straddall
Immediately afterwards, the Valantis ambush troops, who had been lying in wait for a long time, revealed their deadly fangs like lurking venomous snakes.
A cavalryman clad in light leather armor, wielding a bow, fired a whistling arrow at the fleeing soldiers, the arrow whistling sharply through the air. Then, hundreds upon hundreds of Summer Storm cavalry charged out like phantoms, their thunderous roar echoing across the ground! Unarmored and swift as the wind, armed only with scimitars and lances, they slashed like scythes into the chaotic, disorganized flanks of the fleeing Mir soldiers, striking and retreating in a single blow. They then spurred their horses, reorganized their relatively disordered formation, and fired arrows from a distance.
Their mission is to drive away, divide, and create greater chaos, paving the way for true destruction.
These skills were learned from their old rivals, the Karasas of the Dothraki Sea.
The war drums beat, and the footsteps were resounding! Another army in tiger robes—yellow with a red skull emblem.
The infantry of the Fourteenth Legion, the Twilight Raiders! Clad in thick armor, the fine lamellar plates gleaming a dazzling silver in the sunlight; they advanced steadily in orderly square formations, like a moving iron wall, spears like a forest, shields linked together, relentlessly compressing the living space of the fleeing soldiers on the south bank, squeezing them toward the riverbank.
This was a meticulously planned massacre.
The Mir soldiers, still reeling from their recent crossing, were met with deadly attacks from both the flanks and the front. Exhausted and disorganized, many even abandoned their weapons in the process of fleeing.
Faced with the well-rested and prepared Valantis ambush, they were almost powerless to fight back.
The light cavalry swept past like a whirlwind, their sabers flashing and spraying blood. The Tiger Robe Army's square formation advanced steadily like a millstone, crushing, piercing, and pushing the panicked, routed soldiers one by one into the icy river.
The situation on the pontoon bridge was even more dire. The soldiers in front were blocked from moving forward, while those behind were still desperately pushing forward, turning the entire bridge into a giant death trap. Meanwhile, the arriving Valantis archers hurled arrows indiscriminately from their high vantage points, raining down on the dense crowd like hail and locusts.
People kept falling, wounded by arrows, or pushed off the bridge by their panicked companions, struggling and sinking in the murky river. At this moment, the Mil people were like a herd of wild boars, surrounded and cut off, with not even a single wall to lean against!
The Mir soldiers on the north bank, who had not yet crossed the river, watched helplessly as their compatriots on the south bank were mercilessly slaughtered. The pontoon bridge became a bloodbath, and their path to survival was completely cut off. Desperate cries echoed along the riverbank. Some tried to turn around, only to find that the pursuers from the direction of Perfume Bay—the terrifying figures of war elephants and heavy cavalry—had already appeared on the horizon.
"Kill them all!" The soldiers of the uncrowned prince commanded their men, who charged to the front with a thirst for glory!
With no way out in front and pursuers behind, the river was stained dark red, and floating corpses blocked part of the river. The horns of victory echoed among the Valantis army, announcing the end of a glorious but brutal annihilation battle.
Marcus simply watched indifferently as Mil's banners fell one after another, and Mil's soldiers were slaughtered, drowned, and crushed into mincemeat.
The plan has been accomplished. The Mir army, the strongest military force in the Three Daughters Kingdom, has been utterly defeated and routed.
"Tell the noble lords downstream of the River of Controversy," he commanded the Tower Guards as he turned.
"Now they can close the net, while we..." He looked at the river, which was stained red with bloodlust, with a hint of bloodlust in his eyes.
"Next, we must wash the walls of Stridal with the blood of the Tyrossi!"
"Tell the Uncrowned Prince and the Six-Winged Celestial Army that the Death Order's heavy cavalry will accompany them; the engineers of the Fourth Legion's Iron Totem will also serve them. Don't worry about the siege; the Tyrothy are weaker than the Mils. Send them to Stridal as fast as they can!"
Then, he looked up at the clear sky and let out a long, satisfied sigh.
"The war must end! I'll make those damned spice merchants and saltfish traders of the Three Daughters Kingdom kneel on their knees and beg us not to crush them!"
-----------------
When news of the disastrous defeat at Perfume Bay reached Stridal while Mitristar, lying on a donkey cart with several arrows in his rear, the Tyrothy's brief period of "rear peace" was shattered.
"Valantis! The main force! The main force! We're being crushed!" he screamed, completely disoriented. "Seven legions, war elephants! Heavy cavalry! They're attacking from all sides... We... we're helpless! Run! Run! Perfume Bay? There's no Perfume Bay anymore! We're all going to die! We're all going to die!"
At first, the general of Tyroth thought his soldiers had brought back a deranged idiot: after all, Mitristar had long since lost even the slightest bit of the authority he once held as the commander of Myr.
The magnificent armor was nowhere to be seen; in its place was a tattered robe stained with mud and dark red blood. The steed was either dead or had run away, leaving only a stubborn donkey, exhausted and powerless, to pull the cart.
His face was deathly pale, his lips were cracked, and his eyes were unfocused, filled with extreme fear. Most shockingly, several arrows, still embedded in his buttocks and the back of his thighs, were clearly visible.
But seeing Mitristar's tattered, mud-covered, gold-embroidered silk robe and his pre-battle arrogant face, the Tyrosians recognized him as the "Hook-Selling General."
However, these reports—including the main force of the Tiger Robe Army, super-heavy cavalry, and war elephants—greatly alarmed the generals of Tyros.
"The entire Mir army has been wiped out? How is that possible?" a general exclaimed, his face so pale that even the crimson decorative paint couldn't conceal it.
"That's 20,000 people! Even if it were just 20,000 pigs, the Valantis would need three days and three nights to catch them, wouldn't they?"
"What's impossible about it? Didn't you see he only had two or three bodyguards with him? The Mir are finished!"
"Valantis' main force? Seven legions?!"
"Fragrant Bay...isn't that about to be taken?"
"Take it down my ass! If we actually did, that idiot Mitrista would be looking down on us! Where are the Reissians? Get someone to contact them!"
"Alert! Increase the vigilance of our soldiers! Prepare chevaux-de-frise, trenches, and oil!"
Of course, nobody paid any attention to Mitristar, the defeated general, who could only lie on the car now, because no one cared about him.
Humiliation, shame, resentment... these emotions flowed into his heart like poison. He gripped the cart floor tightly with both hands, his nails almost digging into the wood, as if only in this way could he alleviate the excruciating pain in his buttocks and the collapse in his heart.
[They'll all die! They'll all die!] he roared inwardly. [The Valantis are demons! You can't defeat them! You can't defeat them!]
And, a darker, more elusive thought rose in his mind.
If the Tyroci and the Lys also fail... does that mean my sins aren't so great?
-----------------
At first, the Tyrosi managed to maintain a semblance of composure, arranging defensive tools and fortifications, and even attempting to contain—or rather, block—the fleeing Mil soldiers who were like startled birds.
Commanders shouted themselves hoarse, trying to guide the fleeing soldiers to designated areas so that these undisciplined rabble would break through their own city defenses.
However, the panic of these defeated Myr soldiers was like the most contagious plague, and after hearing their stories, many Tyrothy soldiers also developed a fear of the battle, with an astonishing effect. When the first Tyrothy soldier refused to obey his officer's orders out of fear and sympathy, the chaos outside the city escalated.
Crying, shoving, and even brawls over the chance to enter the city and get food were commonplace.
Under immense pressure, and to prevent the holiday routs from completely blocking the city gates and even triggering a riot, the officers defending the city of Telosi were forced to order the gates opened in an attempt to let people in as few as possible, while using weapons and whips to try their best to maintain order.
This decision became the direct trigger for Stridal's downfall.
Just as the city gates opened, chaos erupted both inside and outside, and everyone's attention was focused on how to control the surging tide of fleeing soldiers, the earth began to tremble violently.
That wasn't the chaotic footsteps of fleeing soldiers, but rather a perfectly synchronized and incredibly heavy thunderclap!
On the horizon, a torrent of steel suddenly appeared. The super-heavy cavalry of the Death Order of Valantis had arrived!
White mist billowed from the horses' nostrils, while the Valantis heavy cavalry, clad in three layers of armor, coldly watched the chaos at the city gate, as if they were looking at a herd of cattle and sheep waiting to be slaughtered.
Without lingering, they immediately began their charge upon arrival, heading straight for the wide-open city gates where a large number of retreating troops had gathered!
Ignore whether they are friends or enemies, just crush them!
The warhorses, covered in heavy metal horseshoes, trampled mercilessly over the bodies of the terrified, fleeing Mil soldiers who could not escape in time. The shattering of bones and their short, dying cries were drowned out by the roar of their iron hooves.
To them, the Mil people at the city gates were like weeds on the ground, utterly insignificant.
This destructive force swept away the last vestiges of fragile order at the gates of Stridal in an instant. The Tyrosi's attempts to lower the gates and push the gate-blocking wagons appeared utterly ridiculous and futile in the face of the overwhelming charge of the heavy cavalry.
The steel lances, like the scythe of death, easily pierced through the hastily organized gun formation; the heavily armored warhorses themselves became terrifying battering rams, smashing soldiers who tried to block the gate, along with their shields, until they were broken and sent flying backward.
"Archers! Spearmen! Shoot them in the head and neck! Where are the spearmen? Damn it... Stop them!"
However, these obstacles—spears, crossbows, and swords—were nothing more than a drizzle to the Death Order's cavalry.
The reason was simple: they were all wearing three layers of heavy armor: an inner layer of chainmail, an outer layer of lamellar armor, and an outermost layer of cotton armor.
Moreover, their faces were protected by chainmail and visor armor, and even their horses were covered in leather and cotton armor, making them impervious to swords and spears.
Furthermore, since they were full-time samurai, knights who never had to worry about food for their entire lives, their skills and tactics were undoubtedly outstanding. Ordinary soldiers would be defeated and killed in just a couple of moves against them.
Closely following behind were the engineers and auxiliary troops of the Fourth Legion's [Iron Totem], who, taking advantage of the enemy's distraction by the [Death Order], swarmed into the wilderness outside the city like efficient worker ants. Skillfully using oil and axes, they burned and destroyed barricades, filled in moats and depressions outside the city, clearing obstacles for a larger influx of infantry and the advancement of siege engines and towers.
"Attention! Attention!" A man who looked more like a construction worker than a soldier used a shovel to direct the Fourth Army soldiers who were moving the siege tower.
"Slow down! Slow down! Damn it, why are you moving so fast? This thing isn't sturdy... Where's the siege ladder? The Six-Winged Heavenly Army is about to attack the city..."
"No need, old friend." A steady, strong hand, clad in fine iron gauntlets, pressed down on the anxious commander's shoulder.
The one speaking was the commander of the Six-Winged Heavenly Army.
"Even without ladders and siege towers, we can still reach Stridal!" The commander of the Six-Winged Heavenly Army was serious, his face solemn yet fanatical.
"We're not those fancy peacocks, we've been through the real battles, we can't afford to lose points!"
Subsequently, the soldiers of the Six-Winged Heavenly Army, these proud and fierce veterans who considered themselves the eldest sons of the legion, displayed their terrifying abilities.
They spurred their warhorses forward, taking advantage of the fact that the defenders on the city walls were preoccupied with the rampage of the Death Order inside the city and the siege towers of the Iron Totem, and approached the walls like ghosts. As they galloped, they drew their bows and arrows, each arrow seemingly with its own eyes, pinning the Tyrosian defenders who were leaning out to fire arrows and throw stones to the crenellations.
Then, these soldiers, clad in double-layered heavy armor far exceeding the burden of ordinary soldiers yet still displaying astonishing agility, swiftly dismounted and hurled grappling hooks onto the city walls. Facing the rolling logs, boulders, and sparse arrows raining down from the walls, with short knives in their mouths and battle axes slung across their backs, they fearlessly began their ascent!
Before the panicked Tyrosian defenders could even sort out their thoughts amidst the attacks from multiple directions, the soldiers of the Six-Winged Heavenly Army had already scaled the city walls: their heavy battle axes were incredibly powerful in close-range slashes, while their crossbows were always able to accurately strike the enemy's neck or eye sockets.
Once these veterans stood on the city walls, they were like tigers among sheep, unleashing a bloodbath among the defenders of Telosi. With their flesh and blood and battle axes, they smashed one deadly breach after another into the city walls.
"Siege tower! Quick! Push it up! Push the siege tower up!"
While the enemy was distracted by the Six-Winged Heavenly Army, the soldiers of the [Iron Totem] desperately pushed the heavy siege towers below the city walls. Even their commander personally donned armor and went into battle, braving the arrows falling from the city walls and the burning oil, shouting hoarsely as he urged the troops forward.
"Don't shoot the tower, shoot the soldiers below!" On the city wall, the Tyrosian officers finally noticed the appearance of the siege tower. They shouted themselves hoarse as they directed the archers to aim at the Volantis soldiers at the bottom of the tower, trying to stop the Volantis siege tower by shooting at the soldiers.
However, it was all too late!
The moment the siege tower's ramming head struck the city wall with a deafening roar, time seemed to freeze. Debris and dust exploded at the impact, and the defenders were thrown back by the shockwave. Then, with a deafening roar, the heavy drawbridge atop the siege tower crashed down from the winch—
"Bang!"
That was no simple feat; iron-clad wooden stakes hammered into the crenellations, instantly shattering them into pieces. Flying stones struck the soldiers' armor and shields, and accompanying the tower were the noble soldiers of the "Uncrowned Prince" and their private army!
These warriors, mostly of noble birth, well-equipped and well-trained, also possessed their own private armies, making them the most adept at small-scale conflicts of all the legions.
"Get out of my way, soldier, you're blocking my path!" A soldier dressed in purple robes, wielding a finely crafted sword, deflected a curved blade and saved a Steel Totem Legion soldier who had been knocked to the ground.
He didn't even glance at the terrified engineer, his tone carrying the characteristic aristocratic reserve and command: "Stand up, soldier! Be brave, then come behind me and accept my protection!"
Inside the city, super-heavy cavalry and six-winged celestial soldiers rampaged through the streets; outside, soldiers of the Iron Totem were armoring the assault team, while others began preparing to repair the roads.
On the city walls, the most elite Valantis army had already established a foothold and was sweeping across both sides. The Tyrosi were caught in a complete pincer movement, their command system was paralyzed immediately, communication between units was severed, and the soldiers either fought individually and were quickly annihilated, or panicked and joined the fleeing ranks.
Streldal, the city they had taken over "without bloodshed" and thought would serve as a rear bulwark, changed hands in a very short time.
"Hey, their flag is perfect for stepping on. My sheepdog needs a good mattress! Hahahaha!" A nobleman, clad in magnificent armor but now covered in blood, laughed loudly, waving the flag of the Three Daughters Kingdom to flaunt his martial prowess and glory.