Chapter 98 – Evil are those who lost (2)

The night’s silence was broken by flashes of artillery coming from the four-legged dragons that positioned themselves on this hill. It was a mere distraction but that made the defenders of the fortress protecting the Warlord of Avilla City break into panic. While they were agitated by the sudden artillery fire the Templars of the Thorn Cross Legion. The vanguard of the Templars engaged the middle defenses. The forces of the blue-district were mauled and suppressed by the Templars repeating rifles.

Among their new weapon was the crank-operated machine gun that made the blue district soldiers unable to fire. The Templars however merely suppressed them while a strike force was sent to flank them from the sides. The front and middle defenses of the fortress was good. They were stern and steadfast but their sides were pathetic. The two sides relied on two officers.

The left side was guarded by Leiko and her group of wereanimals that made the Templars hunkered. The right side was guarded by Archie and his high-morale soldiers. The two sides fought bravely. However, the Templars had every advantage they have in this fight. From Artillery fire and the firearms they use. The Templars had the best chances and they slowly pushed the defenders back into the fortress.

The Warlord of Avilla, Mia attended to the cannon defense fire. Each of their fires was concentrated in the middle and front defenses. There were ballistae that were on constant alert for any ships that might hover above them. The ballistae have been improved so that they could reach a distance that would allow them to hit ships from above.

The battle continued till the dawn break. The constant gunfire and artillery fire turned the areas into a place of grey mist. The repaired walls and battlements were now in ruin. There were dead littered on every corner of each alley. Some had their intestines fried. Some had their heads painted on the walls. Some had their torso cleaved and sprawled like flowers in the streets.

Men with eyes open. Their eyes rolled back. Iron balls were spread on every nook and cranny. There were broken firearms. There were smoking craters. The houses were on fire. The windows were broken. In the left and right side of the flank. There, men and women died with their hands on their gun's trigger.

The rest of the flanks had retreated to the main defenses. The front lines were defeated. However, in the front lines, a burly man with a red cape fluttering behind his back proudly commanded the line. The sunlight broke and the light shined on them. By his side were Archie, Leiko, and Mia. They fought together and commanded their own group. It was a hopeless battle yet they still fought on.

The Templars were on the move. They took cover and hunkered down inside the buildings. They made use of the windows as cover and use their machine-gun to suppress the artillery that would prove dangerous to them. The Thorn Cross Legion’s superior firepower made them have a good chance. Not to mention that they were surrounded in every corner. From the left to the right, the defenders of the fortress were cornered by gunfire.

Bullets whizzed past by them. The constant whistle and the sudden groan of deaths made the morale slowly go down. Without any fury in their hearts, the defenders were slowly losing hope. The battle continued with more deaths and horrible explosions.

Some broke hearts. They shouted with the wanting to live and abandoned their position. It was a spiral loss of hope. The exchange of gunfire was slowing down while the Templars have simply bunkered down and has been now withering the energy and hope of the enemy. The Templars did not charge. They merely exchanged fire and slowly cut the weeds to make sure that it would easier to take the fortress. They didn’t want to corner them like rats. The Justicar know that doing so might lead to the death of his men. Desperate men are dangerous.

The Justicar Vigo was a calm man. He controlled the battlefield thoroughly and each of his moves was done after constant consulting. Although men have died under some of his commands, the Justicar didn’t falter. He let the chaplains of each company speak for him. It was turned into motivation that made the Templars focus. The wereanimals and the Cagan natives were used as scapegoats. They were mocked by the chaplains and that they are mere spies. The Templars had a bit of hatred against the Cagan’s for their constant attack on the Holy Midland’s borders. Thus they think that they are the righteous one right now.

It didn’t matter. To them, it was these enemies that were trying to sabotage their land. The Justicar obviously doesn’t think that these Freeland citizens were Cagan spies. The Justicar had to find a reason to against this city. His men were zealous and brave. They are not stupid, however. He just can’t tell them to do that and this without reason. They would do what he would order. But not telling them a lie or a reason would only put useless hesitation in their heads. So the lie of the spies was spread among his men.

The Templars fight to their fullest bravery and now they were slowly advancing as if the time was up. The defenders were slowly being pushed back. And seeing there was no way they can hold them off anymore. Shig, the Red-Garbed Bull of the North grabbed the Warlord with his arm. He then took her back inside which made the Templars asked a question.

They were full of doubts but seeing that their commander was gone. The Templars made a full charge against the defenses. With a quick rush, the Templars were able to overwhelm the defenses of the defenders. They took the gate. They killed the fighters in the battlements and slowly advanced inside the fortress walls. There were two walls that surrounded the fortress. The first wall had fallen and now the Templars were now ready to take the second wall.

The sun was shining upon the Templars. Smoke was around them. Their boots marched in quick succession as The Templars rigged the gates of the fortress with a bomb.

Then, it was open. The fortress of Avilla was now open for the taking.