Shadowed Gaze: The Highserk War Saga - Chapter 14

The person entrusted with the command of the Felius Kingdom’s Mayard front army was none other than a member of the royal family, Winston Felius.

As the second in line for the throne and top graduate of the military academy, Winston was, even without bias, a suitable candidate to be appointed as a commander in a major war.

Skilled in group operations and with elite education from a young age, his personal skills were comparable to those of a knight. He had experience in everything from skirmishes to full-scale field battles and approached this deployment with confidence.

His assisting staff and generals were all renowned for their rigorous daily training and experience. Winston, for the first time in his life, was seized by a strong sense of urgency.

“The enemy’s momentum is unstoppable!”

“Our horse barriers are being pulled down! The enemy is approaching right in front of us!”

With each piece of bad news that came in succession, Winston clenched his back teeth as if they would shatter.

“Just the cavalry would be fine, but the enemy has come to the hill, fighting off a battalion along a 6km route. Why are we being overwhelmed by such foes?!”

It was inconceivable. Unthinkable, he reasoned. The Mayard militia, mixed with regular troops, were not suited for high-level maneuver warfare.

Therefore, in the pre-war council, they had fortified the hills leading to the Mayard capital and planned to trap the Highserk army at the frontlines of either Felius or Mayard, encircle them, and annihilate their field army.

As expected, the enemy attacked the Mayard position, known for its weaker soldiers. Furthermore, they failed to fully assault the well-defended Mayard position, leading to a stalemate.

Winston had been confident of victory when they semi-encircled the overextended enemy forces. Now, however, he found himself in a dire situation.

The possibility of a cavalry charge reaching the camp had been anticipated by Winston and his soldiers. For this reason, meticulous horse barriers and a reserve of 2,000 soldiers were prepared at the main camp.

Unlike the Mayard forces, these were regular troops who had been training consistently. Even the Highserk soldiers who were accustomed to war should have been beaten.

Winston had never heard of light infantry following a cavalry charge. Even if they could follow, they would be too exhausted to fight effectively.

Yet, the Highserk army had done it. They crushed the Mayard infantry units from the left flank with their cavalry and were on the verge of breaking through the Felius soldiers defending the hill.

“…Lord Winston, it’s dangerous here. We have no choice but to join the rear battalion.”

One of the military advisors made a decisive suggestion to persuade Winston.

“How foolish. Are you saying we should abandon the main camp and flee?”

The main force was still continuing its fierce assault on the right side. Abandoning the main camp and giving up the hill would deal a great blow to the main force. It was an unacceptable proposal for Winston.

“If the commander is killed, the entire army will collapse. We must give up the hill now and reorganize!”

“Ugh…”

Winston groaned, hesitating at the advisor’s opinion. The enemy was a force of 4,000. If the following battalion could join them, they could still hold out. The scattered Mayard units on the left side still had fighting capability, having been spared by the enemy’s speed-focused attack. If they could just buy time, Felius’s victory was certain.

Winston couldn’t make an immediate decision. Giving up the hill now would mean a distant victory on the plains.

The roar of magic echoed at the front. The screams carried by the wind were undoubtedly those of Felius soldiers. Between being a soldier and a royal, Winston couldn’t bring himself to make the decision to retreat.

A bloodied soldier rolled into the main camp.

“What is the meaning of this? You’re in front of Lord Winston!”

Ignoring the scolding knight, the soldier shouted.

“The horse barriers have been breached. Enemy cavalry is pouring in. We can no longer maintain our position!”

That news was enough to plunge everyone in the main camp into despair.

“Lord Winston, you must evacuate immediately, we will handle this!”

The first to react was a soldier directly under Winston.

“Take him away!”

Before Winston could make a decision, his soldiers and advisors pushed him and hurried him away from the main camp.

“Evacuate the decoy groups too. The enemy is almost upon us.”

The main camp’s tent burst into flames from the explosion, signaling the enemy’s proximity to Winston.

“Do whatever it takes to stop them!”

“Here they come. It’s the light infantry.”

In his peripheral vision, Winston saw the guards he had placed immense trust in being slain by the enemy’s regular soldiers.

One was a muscular man, but another caught Winston’s eye. An unremarkable, harmless-looking man activated a skill, slicing a guard in half along with his armor.

“These Highserk soldiers are to be feared.”

If even ordinary soldiers had such skills, Winston realized that a battle on the plains was futile. He should have involved Aidenberg, Mayard’s capital, and engaged in a siege.

Still, the guards were working to help their master, Winston, escape. The problem was that in this world, individuals capable of overturning tactics and dozens of soldiers existed.

Winston felt heat on his back and turned around just as soldiers on either side covered him. Immediately after, unbearable heat and raging flames scattered around them.

“What is…”

Winston’s consciousness blurred as he saw a scene engulfed in flames and wind. The soldiers trying to protect him were caught in the fire, thrashing their limbs and then becoming motionless.

The soldier shielding Winston was half-burned, gasping for breath.

“Hold on, stay with me!”

Winston was reminded of an old battlefield tale. His mentor, an old soldier had told him, “If you see blue flames on the battlefield, it’s a pyre leading to the underworld, and death awaits those who are lured by it. It’s known as―”

He had always thought it was just a superstition or a tall tale, but it existed and was approaching him.

“Oh… ‘Demon Fire.'”

The enemy with that skill was the unremarkable soldier from before. Walking calmly through the burning soldiers, he approached.

“You’re the only one left… the commander, right?”

The man said to Winston, emotionless, as if looking at neglected weeds.

One of the military advisors made a decisive suggestion to persuade Winston.

“How foolish. Are you saying we should abandon the main camp and flee?”

The main force was still continuing its fierce assault on the right side. Abandoning the main camp and giving up the hill would deal a great blow to the main force. It was an unacceptable proposal for Winston.

“If the commander is killed, the entire army will collapse. We must give up the hill now and reorganize!”

“Ugh…”

Winston groaned, hesitating at the advisor’s opinion. The enemy was a force of 4,000. If the following battalion could join them, they could still hold out. The scattered Mayard units on the left side still had fighting capability, having been spared by the enemy’s speed-focused attack. If they could just buy time, Felius’s victory was certain.

Winston couldn’t make an immediate decision. Giving up the hill now would mean a distant victory on the plains.

The roar of magic echoed at the front. The screams carried by the wind were undoubtedly those of Felius soldiers. Between being a soldier and a royal, Winston couldn’t bring himself to make the decision to retreat.

A bloodied soldier rolled into the main camp.

“What is the meaning of this? You’re in front of Lord Winston!”

Ignoring the scolding knight, the soldier shouted.

“The horse barriers have been breached. Enemy cavalry is pouring in. We can no longer maintain our position!”

That news was enough to plunge everyone in the main camp into despair.

“Lord Winston, you must evacuate immediately, we will handle this!”

The first to react was a soldier directly under Winston.

“Take him away!”

Before Winston could make a decision, his soldiers and advisors pushed him and hurried him away from the main camp.

“Evacuate the decoy groups too. The enemy is almost upon us.”

The main camp’s tent burst into flames from the explosion, signaling the enemy’s proximity to Winston.

“Do whatever it takes to stop them!”

“Here they come. It’s the light infantry.”

In his peripheral vision, Winston saw the guards he had placed immense trust in being slain by the enemy’s regular soldiers.

One was a muscular man, but another caught Winston’s eye. An unremarkable, harmless-looking man activated a skill, slicing a guard in half along with his armor.

“These Highserk soldiers are to be feared.”

If even ordinary soldiers had such skills, Winston realized that a battle on the plains was futile. He should have involved Aidenberg, Mayard’s capital, and engaged in a siege.

Still, the guards were working to help their master, Winston, escape. The problem was that in this world, individuals capable of overturning tactics and dozens of soldiers existed.

Winston felt heat on his back and turned around just as soldiers on either side covered him. Immediately after, unbearable heat and raging flames scattered around them.

“What is…”

Winston’s consciousness blurred as he saw a scene engulfed in flames and wind. The soldiers trying to protect him were caught in the fire, thrashing their limbs and then becoming motionless.

The soldier shielding Winston was half-burned, gasping for breath.

“Hold on, stay with me!”

Winston was reminded of an old battlefield tale. His mentor, an old soldier had told him, “If you see blue flames on the battlefield, it’s a pyre leading to the underworld, and death awaits those who are lured by it. It’s known as―”

He had always thought it was just a superstition or a tall tale, but it existed and was approaching him.

“Oh… ‘Will-o’-the-Wisp.'”

The enemy with that skill was the unremarkable soldier from before. Walking calmly through the burning soldiers, he approached.

“You’re the only one left… the commander, right?”

The man said to Winston, emotionless, as if looking at neglected weeds.