Chapter 58: The Wrath of the God King (I)
Just as a destroyed levee cannot be repaired, there is no chance of recovering the flood that has swelled out. When Totoxar's ugly head was speared into the air by Gendry Spada, the orc warband completely collapsed, and the originally neat formation suddenly dispersed, and many tribes, large and small, that had originally succumbed to Totoxar, fled in all directions, towards the back of the castle.
Although the tribe of Stola, who had been loyal to Totoesar, did not flee - on the contrary, because the leader was killed, these orc warriors violently attacked the infantry phalanx on both flanks as if they were in a frenzy, but in the case of surroundment, although these guys were indeed terrifying, they were still no match for the neatly lined infantry phalanx.
In the midst of the shouts of killing, no one knew what they were supposed to do, they were just with the others. The orc army, which has lost its formation, let alone discipline, is completely blindly avoiding the panic and consternation in its heart, and has lost all its ability to think.
This is the peculiarity of the orc tribes - they need a leader, a leader who can bring them a steady stream of victories, and they will also devote themselves to this leader, and the core of absolute obedience is difficult for humans to compare with - morale and luck, and even material supplies, have too much impact on the morale of human armies, and it is difficult to achieve the heart of orc warriors who do not take their lives seriously for the sake of victory.
But in the same way, the loss of the leader means the disintegration, division and collapse of this orc warband, because they have always left the work of thinking to the leaders, and once there is no leader to give them orders, these seemingly powerful orc warriors are just a group of powerful beasts.
Still, the orc warriors, who call themselves the "tribes of the north" (who apparently see the north as their "territory"), are resisting every step - an instinct of resistance born of bestiality. But this instinct soon disappeared, and the reserve of the rear line led by Theodore himself was fully pressed. The overwhelming Northern Coalition launched a counter-offensive with the posture of a victor, and Belisarius, who had been waiting for the opportunity, attacked from both flanks with the well-groomed Cato Rangers and Roman heavy cavalry, easily tearing apart their scattered lines.
The panicked orcs retreated frantically, and the coalition soldiers easily occupied the outermost collapsed wall of Severcro, and when they were pursuing under the gate of the second wall, these beasts who had been running for a long time reacted slightly, and under the call of the leaders of small tribes, they organized a more effective defensive front, and some seriously injured orc warriors even launched a decisive attack on the coalition army. The momentum of the originally indomitable pursuit has slowed down a little.
Even the orcs knew very well that they could not escape, and that the second wall was their last defensive ring - if the second wall was breached, it would be too easy for the coalition forces to capture the innermost inner fort.
They have not forgotten how they had captured the impregnable fortress at the foot of the mountain without much effort. So they also know how fragile the last wall outside the inner fort really is.
The allied forces that launched an all-out assault and the almost crushed orc tribes engaged in fierce battles behind the collapsed walls, with the sound of killing echoing in the air, and both sides were vying for the final victory and victory...... and, a chance to live. It takes blood and life in exchange.
Despite the sight of victory, the gates of the second wall were shut, driven by a strong obsession with survival, and the coalition soldiers who swarmed up could only keep strangling the remnants of the forces that were locked out. But he couldn't attack half a step in, and was blocked outside.
"After all, you can't take it so easily......" Theodore laughed bitterly to himself, looking at the flags that fluttered around under the walls, although he had somewhat expected it. But there was still an indescribable sense of loss.
To deal with such a strong wall, in addition to attacking with siege ballistas, or building outer trenches and siege engines. It had to be filled with human lives - to forcibly take the city with elite soldiers was a loss that Theodor could never bear.
In desperation, Theodore gave the herald the order to retreat - an order that the young Roman lad, who was not much older than Theodore, could not yet understand when he first said it, and it was not until Theodore said it a second time that he reluctantly sounded the horn of the army.
When victory is about to be in hand, even Mars, the god of war, probably can't let go of this beaked duck so easily, right?" Diodore muttered a few words in some mockery.
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"Why do you want to collect the troops?!" Almost as soon as he returned to the barracks, Salald rushed into the big tent, panting and looking at Theodore, who was sitting behind the table with a calm face, and gritted his teeth quite unwillingly: "It's just a little bit!
"We've all stood on that wall - I think you must have forgotten the time when Severcro defended it. Theodore looked at him calmly: "How many soldiers will we have to die and wound to take that wall? ”
"But isn't it meaningless for us to spend so much effort in this way?!" The young Grand Duke of Salion angrily smashed the sharp axe gun in his hand to the ground: "Do you want to consume the other party to eat up the stored food?!"
"Of course not...... In fact, the real reason I ordered the retreat was that I had a better way to end the fight. Theodore slowly stood up with a confident smile, picked up the axe and gun that Salad had thrown away, and handed it to him: "As I said...... I'll smash this northern gate with my own hands instead of taking it back, that doesn't make any sense. ”
"Let me test you, my dear Salald, have you ever heard of such a thing? Theodore smiled and grabbed Salald's right hand and walked to the corner of the tent, picked up an ordinary clay pot filled with liquid and shook it in front of his eyes: "A... Once burned, it cannot be extinguished by sand or beating, and the flowing water will cause it to scatter in all directions, and if it touches flammable plants and trees, it will ...... Bang bang!"
"You mean......" Salald pointed his axe at the clay pot in Theodore's hand with a look of disbelief: "Are you going to use this... Fluid to destroy the Fortress of Severcrowe?Very good idea, it would be great to deal with those bastards who are trapped in the castle and turn them all into barbecues!"
"But...... You're not kidding to destroy the castle, are you?" the young golden lion shook his head and said with a smile as if he had seen something funny...... How is it possible to burn stones?"
"If it's hot enough...... There will be no problem. Theodore, as if he hadn't seen Salald's smiling expression, became more and more mysterious: "If fire can melt steel, why can't stone?"
"I won't break my promise...... Jupiter's wrath will burn everything beneath the Broken Mountains...... Everything, everything. Theodore carefully put the clay pot back in its place, his hands pressed on Salald's shoulders, and his black eyes were fixed on his eyes: "I only want ...... As one of my best friends, you can trust me fully. ”
"Of course, of course I trust you...... My sword is yours. Salald smiled undeniably: "What's more, you...... Already the Emperor of Men, Theodore Julian. You are already the emperor of men, who will not trust you? Isn't the choice of the Radiant Cross equal to the choice of mankind by choosing you?"
"Thank you. Theodore said no more, turned and walked out of the tent, Salald silently holding the hilt of his sword, and walked behind the purple daze without missing a step.
Although the coalition forces completely annihilated the vast majority of the orc warband's living forces, it was unknown and paid a considerable price...... The only consolation is that the price is not too heavy, it is still within the range of bearing, and the joy of laughter and victory has made the pain of the loss of the robe disappear without a trace.
Without hesitation, Theodore did not ask the commanders of the various legions about the casualties for the first time, nor did he ask them to report to him how the wounded soldiers were being treated.
They all survived, and that was enough, and these people who were willing to follow them were still alive - both alive and dead, and they had proven themselves.
It's not the first time he's been on the battlefield, it's not the first time he's seen someone die - dead or alive, they've all existed, these people aren't stats, they're all living beings, each one is unique, and every story of heroic fighting is enough to write a legend!
The only troops that suffered heavy casualties were probably the infantry knights in charge of storming the front -- these soldiers who regarded death as if they were at home were almost desperate for their lives! In particular, the Severcro knights who were willing to serve as the first line, almost no one survived, and the eight people who survived were also seriously wounded, and it was impossible for them to go to the battlefield in this life.
These warriors are the essence of the North, and each of them is enough to serve as a field commander, a centurion warrior, and the backbone of an army.
Just when Theodore was in a trance, the queue of soldiers in front of him suddenly gave way, and several knights carrying stretchers and covered in blood walked towards Theodore, and standing at the front was the young squire of Elendil, who had come all the way to find Theodore with a broken sword.
A bad premonition rose to his heart, and Theodore squinted his eyes, only to see that it was actually the El Knight Chief lying on it!
He's dead?!(To be continued......)