The Amber Sword

Chapter 226 – Your sword shall shine for all eternity, Aouine (2)

[How is this possible!]

The first swordsman under Count Randner had his eyes nearly popped out of his sockets. Brendel clearly borrowed the additional speed from his horse to make it a perfect strike of power and speed. The expected outcome was that he had to recover from the feedback.

People in this world called it ‘stiffness’—

But Brendel did not seem like he had that problem. No matter how the swordsman looked at it, the youth was exerting his entire force behind the sword again, and it was no different from the earlier attack.

It was as if he had violated the laws of mechanics.

Almost as if it was two separate people meting two separate strikes……

The Gold-ranked swordsman under Count Randner could not understand, but there was no need to try and do so. If he did not block the incoming attack again, he would be bidding his farewell to this world. And yet he knew that if he tried to block it, he would be smashed to the ground as he had not even regained his balance.

Brendel remained silent. The Kantnar battlefield was part of the November War, a war that was a mistake. Lord Kruss’s story was a quest in the game and he was full of regrets to what he did in the past. Ten years later, he would extend this mission to the gamers whom he recognized. It was a famous quest called ‘atonement’. Brendel admired this old knight considerably because he was at least willing to atone for his actions. In truth, he did not commit something of a heinous crime and merely followed an order.

Eventually, Lord Kruss’s sobs turned to silence. The youth sighed. The bloodshed on this battlefield was all Aouine’s, but he had to do this act in order to stop the civil wars in the kingdom. Perhaps this kingdom could only be rebirthed after experiencing a baptism of blood and flames.

He looked up at the remaining knights on the hill. Some of them were running the previous Lord Graudin’s uniform.

“Leave,” he said, “this is no longer your battlefield.”

But the knights shook their heads.

“We don’t know what you meant, Ser, but our Lord said that you brought glory back to him. It is a noble act, and we thank you. However, this is the place where we fight to the end.”

There was a chorus of swords drawn from their sheaths.

Brendel sighed.

Once he turned his head away, the black wolves swarmed towards the hill’s peak.

============ Lord Palas’s POV ============

The Highlanders were fleeing because of fear. The death of Lord Kruss had broken the combined army of that region. The lord of the Grey Bear region kept hesitating and did not advance his army.

[There’s still no sign of Madara’s army, but that’s how it is with dead people, they can’t be trusted. The situation of the battlefield seemed to have turned in the blink of an eye. We had such a clear and stable advantage and it’s gone in an instant. Now there is an empty void in that area because of how Lord Kruss’s army fled.]

Lord Palas who was further back suddenly felt deep fatigue within him. When he looked around him, the knights still had the desire to gain victory in their eyes. However, the dead soldiers on the battlefield were currently stacked across each other with broken spears and shattered armor. Their white flags were split and dyed in blood, resembling the sunset’s hue.

It was already defeat.

But he could still retreat to Palas and the rebels could not prevent him from leaving. As long as he still lived, he could make another coalition army. Even though Madara was a snake and a rat, they could still be a force to be relied on if they believed there was victory to be found.

And yet……

[Victory is so close that my hands are within reach. But why has it turned into bubbles in the blink of an eye? Or is it an unrealistic dream from the beginning? Oh Aouine, why has this outcome happened?]

The familiar past was long gone, and the only things left were the memories’ taste. A senior knight leading the younger knights to a battle, teaching them the kingdom’s creeds, and these beliefs would be passed down from generation to generation.

Lord Palas was also young once, and he still could remember the sagas of the senior knights before him.

But they were no longer sung any longer—

This rotten kingdom was like walls riddled with holes. The old knight thought he was seeing light shining through the holes, each ray seemingly reflecting hope. He greatly desired to see what was beyond the walls, but it was fated that he would be crushed by the walls that collapsed onto him.

The news from the left and right flanks continued to pour in. He was unable to control the coalition army any longer. Most of the soldiers from the other regions had fled, and many smaller lords escaped to the backlines, but there was no use in mocking these cowards.

The old knight led his three thousand men from his own region and advanced; the colors of the sunlight painted his helmet.

He was going to put the final punctuation mark on this battle……