New Novel - Read Here
The cavalry advanced along the road, proceeding with a balance of caution and boldness. Though they were fleeing the Holsian pursuit, their pride would not allow them to cower like thieves. They held their lances high, gripped their shields firmly, and displayed the two-headed eagle emblem openly on all sides as they charged forward ostentatiously and defiantly.
Though the road was wide, it was not wide enough for them to charge in formation. Thus, the cavalry maintained a tight formation, ready at all times to respond to any ambush they might encounter. Even if they could not spur their warhorses into an earth-shattering, sky-rending charge, their intensive training since childhood and superb equipment ensured they would fear no enemy.
Yet, a heavy, oppressive atmosphere prevailed within this fierce cavalry force. Tesolus knew well where this mood came from. After the initial joy of breaking out of the encirclement and the vengeance-fueled hatred had subsided, everyone was consumed by anger and sorrow over the grievous losses they had suffered.
They were the Empire’s noblest soldiers. Each one required 400 gold denarii per year to maintain. This time, they lost more than half their number, and they were abandoned by their supreme commander amidst the enemy. No experience could be more humiliating or infuriating than this.
Yet, they were also filled with a deeper sense of bewilderment. They had successfully broken out and spoke of revenge, but that Consul was one of the most powerful and high-ranking officials in the entire Empire. Could they truly achieve their goal?
Tesolus understood his cavalrymen’s doubts and worries, but he said nothing to boost their morale. He simply moved silently to the very front of the column. The steadfast calm that had been on his face from the beginning remained. All the cavalrymen witnessed this. Silently, they tightened their reins, tightening their formation, and followed the man at the forefront.
They were willing to follow their general even into hell itself. No matter how bad things became, they could hardly be worse than when they had been surrounded.
Tesolus gently drew in the reins of his warhorse. The massive black steed stamped its hooves twice in agitation, then came to a steady halt. It shook its head and snorted impatiently at the sudden obstacle before it.
The cavalry came to a steady halt. They maintained their strict formation on the road as orders were passed along. A tangled mass of trees blocked the center of the road, as though swept down by a flash flood. The trees still had intact root systems and large clumps of earth attached to them. Several boulders, each as large as a millstone, blocked the middle of the path. The obstruction rose to about the midpoint of the other tree trunks, like a wall built by nature itself, firmly holding the cavalry back.
Tesolus frowned deeply at this sudden obstacle. The trees looked as though they had fallen due to a natural disaster. They had simply been unlucky enough to end up here. Yet, he felt that matters could not be so simple. Especially when he looked at the chaotic wheel tracks and disorderly footprints leading up to this point.
He took his shield from beside his saddle, dismounted, and approached the tangled trunks.
Reaching out, he brushed a thick clump of earth from the tree roots. Tesolus saw what he had suspected: tree roots severed by an axe and signs of digging with a spade.
Suddenly, the faint sound of a bowstring twanging filled the air. Almost instinctively, he raised his shield. A feathered arrow struck the shield squarely, its fletching still trembling gently.
"Enemy attack!"
At an officer’s loud shout, all shields were raised. Like overlapping scales, the shields formed an impenetrable formation. Deadly, sharp spears protruded through the gaps between the shields.
Two cavalrymen almost dragged him away from the area. Just as they finished raising their shields, a volley of arrows flew in.
It was as if the ambushers had timed their shots to coincide with the formation of the shield wall, releasing their arrows only after the cavalrymen had formed their tight array. But Tesolus knew this was simply because their movements were too fast. The moment the first arrow flew, all the soldiers raised their shields in perfect coordination, leaving the enemy with no chance to react.
As the rain of arrows struck the shields, dull clanging sounds rang out like falling raindrops. Silently protecting themselves with their shields, the soldiers gripped the swords and iron maces at their waists, ready at any moment to launch a devastating charge.
The arrow fire did not last long. Each arrow was difficult to craft, so only a prosperous and powerful nation could supply an army capable of shooting volleys as dense and sustained as a rainstorm in battle. These ambushers clearly could not manage that.
Tesolus signaled to the two cavalrymen holding his shields to step aside. Then, he saw the ambushers on both sides of the road. They were a group of people clad in thick, tattered clothing. They wore roughly tanned beast hides, green checkered shorts, and heavy beast-hide boots. Very few had ragged chainmail, but everyone held a longbow strung with a thick-shafted arrow.
Their faces bore fierce expressions, yet Tesolus could sense their weakness. Though they appeared physically strong, their faces carried the sallow hue peculiar to hunger. They looked ferocious, but when they saw the cavalry’s fine armor and weapons, they didn't dare make a loud noise. They could only glare at the cavalry with vicious expressions.
There were many of these people, at least three or four hundred, judging by the area they occupied and the dense, swarming shadows. After their volley of arrows, however, they merely maintained a bluffing encirclement and dared not advance a single step. Even when Tesolus exposed his head, the archers showed no intention of shooting at him.
The crowd began to stir. After a burst of excited cheers, the crowd parted to create a narrow path. A slight, thin figure emerged from among them and stepped forward to stand before the cavalry.
"Leave the food in your wagons, and we will not trouble you. Otherwise, do not think you will leave this jungle alive."
It was a hoarse yet clear voice. Among those people were tall, burly men, yet they had chosen such a slight person as their leader. This surprised Tesolus greatly. Even more surprising was the objective of these people: they seemed to have targeted their food from the beginning.
Looking at the burly men with fierce faces and trembling legs, Tesolus twitched his ears. He heard the cry of an infant coming from behind them. Seeing their longing glances drift toward the wagons, he understood what was happening.
They were a band of starving refugees who had turned to banditry due to hunger. They were nearly mad with starvation. That was why they had the courage to attack.
Happy Reading!
Join our Discord for release updates and to chat with other readers.