The Stellar Swordmaster — Chapter 145

LOAD THEM CAREFULLY!

ADJUST THE ANGLE!

FIFTEEN DEGREES TO THE RIGHT!

FIRE!

BACK! FALL BACK!

PUT OUT THE FIRES FIRST!

IT'S ALREADY TOO LATE!

ABANDON THE FORWARD SIEGE TOWERS!

...JOSEPH, WAS IT?

YES.

HE'S BAYEZID'S SECOND SON.

THAT ONE'S NOT RIGHT IN THE HEAD EITHER.

TRAPS THAT LET SOLDIERS PASS OVER THEM,

BUT ARE DESIGNED TO COLLAPSE UNDER THE WEIGHT OF SIEGE TOWERS.

AND THEY'VE CLEARED AWAY EVERY LAST ROCK,

RENDERING THE CATAPULTS WE TOOK SUCH PAINS TO BRING USELESS.

SO THE STRIKE FORCE WAS A SMOKESCREEN.

THOSE RAIDS IN OUR REAR WEREN'T JUST TO CUT OFF OUR SUPPLIES.

WE SENT SO MANY SCOUTS AFTER THE STRIKE FORCE,

AND NOW WE'RE PAYING FOR FAILING TO SCOUT THE BATTLEFIELD ITSELF PROPERLY.

WELL, LOSSES ARE INEVITABLE FOR THE ATTACKING SIDE IN A SIEGE.

THESE PETTY TRICKS CAN ONLY BUY THEM TIME ANYWAY.

FILL THE PITS AT ONCE AND RENEW THE ASSAULT.

YES, COUNT.

JOSEPH BAYEZID...

WHAT A PITY.

HE'S BEEN BORN AS A BEAST WITH NO CLAWS.

CHECK THOROUGHLY!

THERE'LL BE MORE PITS!

WE MUST FIND AND FILL EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM!

YOU BASTARDS!

THINK WE'LL JUST STAND HERE AND WATCH?!

MANTLETS! FORWARD!

HURRY AND FILL THE PITS!

DON'T SHOOT BLINDLY!

WE NEED TO CONSERVE OUR ARROWS!

DAMN IT! I CAN'T HIT WHAT I CAN'T SEE!

THEY'RE ALL HIDING BEHIND THOSE BARRIERS...!

AAAAARGH!

HMM...

SOMETHING'S MISSING.

SIR AUGUSTE PIERCED PLATE ARMOR WITH HIS.

A BIT MORE FINELY.

CONDENSE THE AURA...

WAS IT LIKE THIS?

AAARGH!

GAH!

D-DODGE!

MY SHIELD...

...WON'T WITHSTAND ANOTHER HIT.

IT'S DONE!

WE'VE FILLED ALL THE PITS ON THIS SIDE!

GOOD! PUSH!

HERE THEY COME!

SHOOT!

RETURN FIRE!

DAMN IT!

DUCK!

ADVANCE!

THE WALLS ARE RIGHT AHEAD!

SIR VLAD!

THEY'LL REACH THE WALL ANY MOMENT!

GOOD.

ALL THIS POKING AT THEM NEVER DID SUIT ME.

...PARDON?

DIDN’T HE SAY THIS WAS HIS FIRST WAR?

HOW IS HE SO CALM?

I HEARD THERE WERE PEOPLE LIKE THIS.

PEOPLE BORN WITH BATTLE IN THEIR BLOOD.

THEY SAY SUCH PEOPLE CAN SINGLE- HANDEDLY...

CHANGE THE COURSE OF A BATTLE.

SORRY I TOOK SO LONG TO DELIVER IT.

I'VE BEEN SWAMPED GETTING ALL THE SUPPLIES TOGETHER.

...DID HE REALLY WRITE THIS?

Jamina

WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIS HANDWRITING?

WELL, THE FOOL INSISTED ON WRITING IT ABOARD A ROCKING SHIP.

Jamina

HE SAID HE'D BEEN TOO BUSY TO WRITE BEFORE THEN.

OH, I'M SURE HE WAS.

ANYWAY, VLAD REALLY DID WRITE IT.

HMPH. AS IF I CARE.

WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

WHAT ABOUT MY FOOD?

MAKE IT YOURSELF!

YOU'RE NOT A CHILD.

DEAR JEMINA,

I'M DOING WELL.

THE SHIP'S ROCKING DOES MAKE ME A LITTLE DIZZY, THOUGH.

STILL, I CAN MANAGE.

I'VE HAD A FEW MISSIONS HERE AND THERE,

BUT THEY WERE ALL PRETTY DULL.

THERE WILL BE A WAR SOON.

BUT I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO WORRY.

I'M MORE OR LESS LORD JOSEPH'S ESCORT KNIGHT ANYWAY,

SO I DON'T THINK I'LL BE GOING TOO DEEP INTO THE FIGHTING.

WHAT I'M SAYING IS, I'LL BE SAFE.

SO DON'T WORRY TOO MUCH.

I'LL SEE YOU IN SOARA.