The Devouring Knight

Liraeth's territory stretched wide, dotted with villages that stood like fragile lights against the dark tide of war.

Two days after the meeting was held, while Liraeth and her allies prepared their troops, the enemy made their own moves.

In the Sengolio camp, smoke still curled from the ruins of what used to be a peaceful village. The smell of ash and blood lingered in the air, the ground stained black where homes once stood.

Inside a large, dark tent, General Lafuente sat on a carved wooden chair. The man looked to be in his forties, broad-shouldered, his black hair tied neatly behind him. In one hand he rolled two iron balls, the quiet clinking sound filling the silence.

A nervous soldier stepped forward, kneeling. "Reporting, General Lafuente… we're running low on supplies. If we're to reach Duskwind Field, we'll need to secure food first."

The soldier's voice faltered the instant Lafuente's gaze landed on him. His body suddenly felt ten times heavier, as if invisible chains had wrapped around him, dragging him toward the ground.

Lafuente's lips curled in disdain. His voice cold. "Don't waste my time with irrelevant matters. Raid the nearby villages. Take what we need."

"Yes, General!" The soldier saluted quickly, sweat dripping from his brow.

But before he could step back, Lafuente's voice cut through the tent again, colder than before. "How long until we reach the trail of the one who killed Anderson?"

The soldier froze, then forced himself to answer. "In two days, we'll arrive at Viscount Liraeth's stronghold. The one who killed Knight Anderson must be among her men."

For a moment, silence filled the tent. The iron balls clicked together in Lafuente's hand before he spoke again, anger threading through his tone. "Anderson… reckless fool. To think he would die at the hands of someone tied to a mere Viscount. A disgrace to our banner."

The soldier kept his head low, not daring to breathe too loud.

"Once we arrive," Lafuente continued, "no one leaves alive. Slaughter them all. Burn their homes. And tell Varros and Dorne…" His voice dropped, "…to find the one who killed Anderson. I'll flay that bastard myself."

The soldier's heart hammered in his chest as he gave a hurried salute. "Yes, General! I will inform Knight Varros and Knight Dorne at once."

Without another word, he fled the tent, leaving Lafuente alone in the dim light.

Lafuente leaned back in his chair, the iron balls clicking steadily in his palm. His eyes closed for a moment, his breath calm, yet the fury burning inside him never dimmed.

Then…

A scream jolted everyone awake.

"Enemy attack! Knight Dorne has been assassinated!"

The balls stopped moving as Lafuente's eyes snapped open. In one smooth motion he rose and pushed aside the tent flap, stepping into the open air.

The camp was in chaos. Soldiers shouted, weapons clattered, torches flared as men scrambled in panic. Orders barked from every direction, but confusion reigned.

Lafuente's gaze swept the scene, his eyes narrowing. Then he caught it, movement among the treetops. A blur, swift and silent, weaving through the branches like a shadow. Even for him, keeping track of it was difficult.

The assassin paused on his tracks as he felt a gaze. He turned, only to meet Lafuente's eyes, cold, and burning with silent fury. It was the gaze of a predator, a promise of death. Yet the assassin didn't flinch. In the next heartbeat, he sprang away, vanishing into the night with speed too fast for ordinary eyes to follow.

A soldier rushed up, panting. "G-General! He's too fast, we can't follow him!"

Lafuente didn't answer. He stood there under the moonlight, his hands tightening until the iron balls groaned under the pressure.

…..

Morning came, and the two armies moved out. Lumberling rode side by side with Liraeth, their horses pacing evenly as the air carried the sound of hooves and armor.

Behind them stretched Liraeth's army, a disciplined tide of two thousand three hundred. Her banners swayed lightly in the breeze, the golden emblem catching the first light of dawn.

Among her ranks rode her trusted Knights, Knights Gordon and Sorrin at the front. Two Quasi-Knights, three Knight Apprentices, and several Knight Pages spread through the formation, their presence keeping order and morale high.

Lumberling's force followed close behind. His army was smaller, only seven hundred strong, but every single one of them were elites. Goblins and Kobolds marched in neat ranks, lizardmen kept their lines tight, wolves padded silently alongside, and golden eagles circled above like watchful sentinels.

At the center, Skitz lounged casually on Shade's back, yet even in his laziness there was an edge, the power of a True Knight radiating from both master and beast.

Seven Captains, each at the peak of Quasi-Knight level, rode their massive war boars with calm pride. Beside them was Lunira, carrying Jen with her, another Quasi-Knight whose quiet strength added weight to the line.

Behind them came the Knight Apprentices. Seven vice-captains and seven sub-captains marched with Uncle Drake at their side, fifteen in total.

Further back, thirty-three Knight Pages rode in order, a mix of wolves, goblins, kobolds, and even Jen herself counted among them. Despite their lower rank, each one carried the aura of tempered skill.

At the flank, Kaeldron, the black-scaled lizardman, moved with unshakable calm. His twin swords gleamed faintly in the light as he led fifty lizardmen warriors. Together, they looked less like soldiers and more like a wall of iron scales.

In terms of Knight-level soldiers, Lumberling's force stood at half the size of Lucian's. For a man who had risen from nothing, it was already a feat.

'At least for now,' Lumberling thought. He still didn't know if Lucian had brought all of his elites, or if the young Grand Duke's successor was keeping some of his true strength hidden.

Thinking of them, they had already begun moving the night before, since they had to position themselves and flank the enemies.

Liraeth rode closer and looked at him. "You seem calm. Are you really that confident in Lucian's group?"