Chapter 21: The First Encounter [1]

The night breeze blew, yet the dark clouds enshrouding the night sky remained unperturbed. The rolling black clouds were not of natural origin. Gazing at the sky, the soldiers could only gulp. They knew that only creatures of darkness could trigger the dark clouds like this.

It was heaven's way of warning the people.

The old documents had recorded such events during the past. It was an omen that a Lord-rank beast had been born. A trigger for all the nobles and soldiers to prepare for an upcoming beast tide. Most of the time, it signaled the start of monster campaigns.

The path to the village and the forest of the wilderness was a wide, muddy road. Two tall, rocky cliffs sandwiched the muddy roads from two sides. It was a perfect place to defend.

In the past, the place was once a bandit lair, but not anymore after a monster subjugation army passed through it.

“Are the traps ready?”

“Fixed and perfect, my liege,” Auburn answered. The esquire wore light padded armor for mobility since he would move from the rear while focusing on trap-making in case they would need to retreat.

After wearing something else aside from his usual black tailcoat, Auburn looked like a veteran hunter. With his trusty bow and arrow on his side, he looked gallant. Much better than his stuffy look. He looked wild and dependable, akin to an unsheathed blade.

Auburn was one of the best-known monster hunters throughout the Kingdom of Rutherford. His skill alone earned him accolades and praises from various noble and even the King. A bunch of rich and powerful noble families even invited him to become their vassals, forgetting that he was from a fallen noble family.

His feats during the last call for monster subjugation were clear and proven for everyone to see. Auburn might not be a versatile fighter as Davin, but he had enough tricks on his sleeves.

His tracking and hunting skills were next to none among the Knight’s people. It was even good enough to earn him a place as a King’s knight. It was unknown why Auburn rejected the king and answered the call of Knight Levo instead.

With the help of Auburn, the soldiers were able to build various traps against the Death wolves. The traps built below were hard to spot, hidden deep pits. They also filled the holes with wet mud mixed with combustible oil.

There were also snares of various types—some could kill and some could trap. Some meant to confuse while others to kill.

Auburn shook his head after seeing his creations. With enough time on his hand, he could have prepared more.

There were also wooden stakes acting as an initial line of defense. It was to avoid casualties in case of a face-to-face battle against the Death wolves. Each soldier will be under a squad of ten. And each squad would pick their leader based on the Knight and Madam’s standards. No politicking.

The Madam taught them that someone with brain and brawn was something necessary. A person’s good looks, background, and money would be of little use in battle. At most, that guy would be an enormous burden. And no one wants a burden on a bloody battlefield.

“This will be the last call! Check your weapons,” Knight Levo said, a faint crimson-colored streak twisted around his body. The sight boosted the courage of the soldiers. After all, a Gold Knight changes a lot of things on the battlefield.

“Be sure to remember the drills! And… Don’t get cocky and get killed!”

“Aye, boss!”

“Don’t get killed too, boss!”

Suddenly, the chilly night breeze seemed to stop, and silence pervaded the entire fields. The soldiers held their weapons close to their chest as their hearts hammered from within. Thick dark miasma crept towards the thin grasses. Like poison, it caused the plants to shrivel and die.

The faces of the Knight, the madam, and all the soldiers couldn’t help but scowl. The scent of death. The soldiers glared at the forest as numerous cold emerald eyes met them.

The bloodthirst coming from the beast froze the hearts of some of the young soldiers, making them tremble. Some weak-hearted ones even had their bladders failing. Soon, the smell of pungent liquid covered them. They had wet their pants.

“Hey! Write the name of the weak-bladdered newbie! That bets are still on!” Inviting the laughter of the veterans and even the knight.

“Annis! The command’s yours!”

The Madam nodded. She walked towards the back of the formation, along with Lady Liene as her assistant and advisor.

The Knight strode to the front along with some of his most trusted men, raising their weapons. His eyes focused on the increasing number of Death wolves.

“Sword!”

Upon that word, all the soldiers drew their weapons. Then they struck their shields with their swords. The metallic sounds echoed as they put their strength in each thump.

It produced a wild, rhythmic echo, whetting the souls of the soldiers. The soldiers’ bloodlust and morale slowly rose with every beat.

The Madam observed the Death wolves who were appearing from the forest of the wilderness one by one. Her eyes narrowed upon noticing the rising numbers of the Death wolves. It was more than a pack.

The death wolves stood there as if waiting for something. The manic Death wolves’ saliva splashed on the ground, running like a spring. It was a miracle that these hungry wolves had even held themselves from rushing.

Still, one thing was clear - there was a powerful beast was behind these dread-inducing wolves.

Soon enough, the soldiers caught a glimpse of a big death wolf. The irritated wolves turned silent and bowed their heads towards the newcomer. It was the alpha wolf, and it was much bigger than the other black-furred beast.

A glint of pride flickered from its eyes. Its fur was darker than night, rejecting the gloss of any light. Under the dimness of the night, its emerald-colored eyes glimmered.

The savagery and bloodlust sheathed in its eyes. It was still holding back.

“Lord Rank.” The moment Annis saw the alpha wolf, her irises constricted. Her brows met halfway and a scowl slipped out of her lips.

The pack of death wolves howled in unison as if they were greeting their leader. The pack was getting more and more excited.

“Auburn! Ready your arrows.” The madam said, her eyes calculating. She marched towards the rear. “Archers! Put a lot of paralyzing powder, then aim for that gigantic wolf—if it moves fire! Don’t let it wiggle around! No holding back or many will die!”

Seeing the monocled man and the soldiers nodding towards her, Annis turned towards the soldiers manning a big war drum.

With her eyebrows in knots, she said in a firm voice.

“War Drum—Notice of Chaos. Now.”

The hearts of the soldiers operating the war drum chilled. They stood stunned for a moment. They shifted their neck at the pack of Death wolves. After seeing the murderous desire in those emerald eyes, they winced.

It was either do or die! The Death wolves looking at them like they were some delicacies. They knew they must also put their life on the line. They must give their all for the soldiers on the vanguard.

“Don’t hold back.”

The sentences coming from the Madam’s lips caused the war drummers to feel the pressure. They took out a unique beast bone and started striking the drum, starting a unique rhythm.

Starting from a single beat, the war drum unwaveringly shifted its tempo, from slow to fast, from soft to loud. The strokes were getting more and more powerful, getting heavier and heavier with every stroke and beat.

It sounded like the end was coming. The heart-thumping beats whetted the soldiers’ bloodlust. Their six senses sharpening, awakening from their slumber with every bang and beat of the war drum.

The war drum washed away the fears in their hearts, extinguishing them with the loud booms and throbs. They felt they could fight everyone, and their eyes slowly turned bloodshot. Their will to fight burned brighter with every beat.

The “Notice of Chaos” was a drum movement created during the holy war against the undead. They also used it against dark afflicted beasts such as Death wolves. It was also a sacrificial type of music. The drummer would feel their strengths sapped with every beat. Many had even died because of its excessive use.

The warriors that the war drummers judge as an ally would feel their strength bursting. Their latent potentials burning and blooming for a short while. Raising their fighting ability to another level, especially in times of great need.

Simply put, the Madam determined this battle as something worth the sacrifice. Dead or alive, they must stop these beasts! The Madam’s ability to command and discern the battlefield was second to none in the knight’s army.

She raised her hand, and messengers went to her side. “Send advance messengers to Gisvold and the nearby towns. We need reinforcements as soon as possible. Tell them it’s a Lord rank.”

“Yes, Madam!” The messengers paled as they realized how grave the situation was.

“Who’s the fastest among you.”

“I am, Madam!”

She pulled out a white emblem from her pocket and gave it to the man who answered. “Bring this to the nearest garrison. Shout this, ‘By the Order of the White Elk’, and show this emblem to their general. Explain what’s happening here. You got until tomorrow night to bring them here. Understood?”

“Yes!” The messenger trembled as he took the white emblem. He immediately put it in a clean cloth before wrapping it with another cloth.

"Go now," The Madam said with a frown. "I trust that each of you will accomplish this task with no mistake. Remember, tomorrow night or earlier."

"Yes!" All the messengers saluted before dashing towards their steeds with haste.

Soon enough, a series of orders flew out from the Madam. Despite that, no soldiers dared to express dissatisfaction. After all, Annis von Brooks was a worthy general. She was a battle-tested one.

Bam! Bam! Babarambam!

The war drums trembled like thunder, signaling the start of the battle.