Chapter 38: Begin
"We must launch a full assault on the fortress. If what you are saying is true, the sooner we reclaim the fortress, the better," Hayden said, snapping his fan shut. "Should we fail and be forced to retreat, the King will have our heads."
Luke paled. 'Ah, there it is…' he thought grimly. The reason the system didn't threaten him with death by his subordinates was clear now: the King would take care of that himself if they failed.
"G-General, I think the enemy soldiers are close to breaking. If we breach the western gate and offer them a chance to surrender, it's possible they'll cease fighting," Luke said, trying to sound as convincing as possible.
Hayden raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think I want to offer a surrender?" he asked, his tone icy.
Luke felt the sharp edge of Hayden's words but pressed on. "I believe this will be the quickest resolution. We could hold the soldiers hostage when the enemy reinforcements arrive."
"The citizens will suffice as hostages," Hayden snapped, turning as if to leave. He paused mid-step, his expression thoughtful. After a moment of silence, he spoke again.
"I will give you four hours to cow them into surrender. If you have not succeeded by then, we will launch a full-scale assault, and I will be taking no prisoners," he declared, his voice ringing with authority.
Luke shuddered as the General's bloodlust washed over him, burrowing deep into his bones. It took all his willpower to give a respectful nod and a hasty, "Understood, General," before leaving the tent.
Outside, Luke took a deep breath, finally free from Hayden's suffocating presence. The man's aura was something he would never get used to—nor did he want to.
He scanned the General's camp, searching for the officers who would carry out his orders. His eyes landed on a familiar face: Lieutenant Commander Stoddard, standing stiffly not far away. The man's long face and narrow chin were unmistakable.
As if sensing Luke's gaze, Stoddard turned, their eyes locking briefly. Luke caught the man's body tensing, which only made him chuckle quietly.
"LC! It's great to see you again," Luke called out, striding toward him with purpose and cutting off any chance of retreat.
Stoddard's face twitched in irritation, but he quickly schooled his expression. "C-Commander Drakon, to what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked stiffly.
Luke's tone turned serious. "Spread the order. We're launching an assault on the western wall in an hour. I want all soldiers who haven't been part of the siege yet rallied and ready to go."
Stoddard's face fell, his gaze darting toward the General's tent. "With all due respect, Commander, such a decision should be made by General Hart. I cannot fulfill these orders without his explicit approval."
Luke had expected resistance. It was precisely why he had initially considered using the mercenaries rather than relying on the Kingdom's soldiers. But now that Hayden had given his blessing, it no longer mattered.
Hearing this, Luke smiled briefly. "Do you think that I would be here if I did not have the General's blessing?" He shrugged. "You're more than welcome to query the General yourself. That is, if you're not worried about the consequences…"
He let his words hang in the air, watching as Stoddard's expression turned from one of suspicion to outright fear. It seemed that the threat had found its mark, so Luke didn't push the issue further.
"Rally half the soldiers in the north, and the rest on the west side," he said, patting the tall guy on the shoulder on his way past.
With his delegation made, Luke moved forward to where Deputy General Tryst was overseeing the current siege. The man had his arms crossed and was surveying the attack. Every now and then, he would bark out an order to one of his lieutenants, who would then pass it on to the soldiers.
This man was a true leader of the battlefield. Luke could feel his staunch confidence, unmoving like a boulder covered in moss. It was as if nothing could cause him to falter.
'Will there be a time when I reach such a level of calm during a battle?' he wondered, feeling his heart beating loudly in his chest like war drums.
"Deputy General… we have new orders," Luke stated, doing his best to keep his voice even.
The large man tore his gaze away from the battle briefly, the flat features of his face almost looking disinterested. "What is it, Commander?" His deep voice rolled out.
"The General has charged me with launching a full assault on the walls. We are to reclaim Xiu Fortress in the next four hours, by hook or crook."
"Four hours?" The man's deep-set brows turned up in a frown, as if he'd heard a bad joke. "It will be impossible to impregnate the bitch, let alone reclaim it in four hours," he stated, his disbelief evident.
Luke didn't disagree with him, at least on the surface. "If I can get your cooperation, I believe that it is possible to do so," he explained.
The big man let out a sigh, his eyes darting in the direction of the General's tent. "If the General has said as much, then I will do as directed. Tell me what you need."
The relief Luke felt from those words made him realize just how tense he had been in the beginning. A large part of his plan would require the Deputy General's soldiers to work in tandem with his own; otherwise, things would escalate.
"Thank you, Deputy General," he replied, cupping his fist and bowing slightly. Only after showing the proper respect did he go on to explain the plan patiently and in detail, ensuring that the man understood everything.
After some back and forth, Luke was satisfied enough to leave the rest to him. With an army so large, it was hard enough delivering orders, let alone doing so from the other side of a large fortress.
Now that he didn't have to worry about the southern and eastern sides of the wall, Luke made his way over to the west to meet up with the Lieutenant Commander. He could already see soldiers moving through the camps, donning their armor and weapons, talking in hushed voices.
Luke stopped by his tent on the way, grabbing his armor and securing it in place. On his way out, he caught sight of Hayden standing not far away, his hands clasped behind his back as he stared at the walls with a serious expression.
The two locked gazes for a brief moment, but no words were exchanged.
'He will probably be watching me closely…' Luke thought, feeling his already anxious heart beat a little faster. His actions now could likely save the lives of thousands—not only their own men but also the enemy soldiers.
He tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry, leaving him with an uncomfortable lump in his throat. The long face of Stoddard came into view, along with the growing number of soldiers readying themselves in the west camp.
'Now is not the time to show weakness,' he reminded himself.
[Activating Steady Heart]
In an instant, his racing heart slowed, and a cold calm washed over him. The anxiety and adrenaline surging through his veins dissipated, replaced by the composed confidence of a seasoned warrior.
"Everything in order?" he asked calmly, stopping beside the Lieutenant Commander.
"Yes, Commander. Three thousand men are to the north, and another three thousand here," Stoddard confirmed.
Luke nodded, his gaze shifting to the fortress. Closing his eyes, he activated the Eagle Eye skill. His vision expanded, encompassing the entire fortress. The allocation of enemy soldiers remained consistent, with most stationed at the eastern and southern gates.
Satisfied, his vision returned to normal. Without a word, he turned and made his way through the camp toward the siege equipment. There, he spotted the droopy-mustached engineer he had chastised during last night's strategy meeting.
The man caught sight of Luke as well, and a flash of irritation briefly crossed his face.
"You there. I want the ballistae positioned to fire on the western gate and the catapults moved to the northern wall within firing range," Luke ordered.
The engineer snorted. "The catapults aren't even set up yet. Moving them would just be a waste of time."
[Activating Domineering Air]
Luke's eyes burned with intensity as he glared at the mustachioed man. "I don't remember requesting your opinion," he said, his tone icy as he spoke.
The man's expression changed instantly, his defiance evaporating into fear. As an engineer, not a soldier, his will was weak, and he quickly crumbled under Luke's aura.
"Y-Yes, sir!" he stammered, hastily barking orders to his team.
Luke turned on his heel and strode back to Stoddard and the gathered soldiers, both of his skills still active. He noticed some of the men shifting uncomfortably under the oppressive weight of Domineering Air, but he left the skill active for now.
"Men!" he shouted, turning to address them. "The enemy soldiers are on their last limbs, hiding behind their stone walls. We will storm them and reclaim the fortress in one fell swoop!"
The silence that followed his words didn't bother him. The stern, determined expressions on the soldiers' faces told him all he needed to know—they were ready. At least for now.
He deactivated his skill and turned to Stoddard. "Grab a messenger and send word to the Lieutenants in the north."
A soldier was quickly chosen, and Luke relayed his orders to be passed on to the other half of his troops. If everything proceeded as planned, he felt confident they could conquer the enemy within the remaining time.
Soon, the ballistae were positioned in front of the western wall, their massive frames aimed at the gate. The catapults were already halfway to their destination, drawing a nod of satisfaction from Luke.
"Commander, why are you sending the catapults to the north? They're not operational yet," Stoddard asked quietly.
Luke smiled. "We know they're not functional, but the enemy doesn't."
Without waiting for a reply, Luke designated two teams to man the ballistae, ensuring they could maximize their firing capabilities. Ideally, he wanted to minimize damage to the western gate, but the short window of time left him no choice.
'The sooner we reclaim the fortress, the sooner we can repair the gate,' he reminded himself.
Nearly an hour had passed since Luke issued orders to the Lieutenant Commander, and he could sense his soldiers growing restless. The instructions were clear; now they only waited for the signal.
'It should be about time,' Luke thought, glancing at the sun's position. He wiped sweat from his brow and stood, waiting.
The next moment, the thunderous beating of war drums broke the silence, filling the air with an electric tension. The ballistae fired, their powerful release echoing like cannon fire. Were it not for his Steady Heart skill, Luke might have flinched at the deafening noise.
His eyes tracked the massive wooden stakes as they hurtled toward the gate. The first fell short, skidding across the ground and striking the base of the gate with little force. The second lodged itself into the earth, over a hundred feet from its target.
"Adjust your aim!" Luke called.
Closing his eyes briefly, he focused on his Eagle Eye skill, observing the chaos atop the enemy walls. Panic was spreading among the defenders as the assault began in earnest.
To the north, his troops rained arrows while soldiers carried siege ladders toward the walls. The catapults had yet to reach their destination, but their mere approach sowed psychological havoc among the defenders.
Moments later, the ballistae fired again. This time, one of the stakes struck its mark, embedding itself into the large wooden gate and causing it to wobble precariously.
"Again!"
Three more volleys followed in quick succession, each one weakening the gate further. The structure now looked ready to collapse under its own weight. Luke turned and pointed toward the left flank.
"First unit, move forward! Archers, cover them," he commanded.
The designated soldiers hoisted a massive battering ram, their movements slow but steady. Each one was flanked by another soldier carrying a tower shield, offering protection from enemy arrows. Luke waited until they moved within firing range before issuing his next order.
"All other units, forward with me!"