Chapter 160: War of Betrayal
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
In this war of mythical proportions, which was known by the later generations as “The War of Betrayal without any dignity”, the alliance formed by four Elven kingdoms in Northlands, unexpectedly, was the first to launch an assault, just as the snow fell.
Indeed, the first who broke the deadlock was not the most aggressive Beastmen who favoured war, nor the Humans who were protecting their homeland, but the Elves who were eager to express their stance towards a certain existence.
It was six at dawn, and without prior declaration of war, the Elves sent their greetings through their crossbow arrows and magic attacks. The Human alliance then dispatched their main forces into the battle. The Alliance of seven countries (excluding East Mist and San Antonio) had gathered more than 500,000 troops, with 400,000 of them engaged in the war.
The Elves had a total of 160,000 troops, which might sound like a tiny garrison before the mega kingdom, but their real power should not be underestimated.
Belonging to the Silver faction, the grown-ups of superior Elves would at least be of Silver-rank combat power, while the lower Elves could easily match the Silver-rank humans with the help of their splendid weapons and equipment. Also, with a greater ratio of exceptional magic craftworks and sorcerers, the real power of the Elves must not be trifled with, despite their smaller army.
“…We thought that this would just be another day of military manoeuvres, to think that the long ears could care less about the past and swipe the land immediately with their tactical magic. Our people are under heavy fire. They even used enchanted crossbows and the Elven Ancient Tree against us, they are playing for real!”
Perhaps this commander who had lost almost all his troops could explain the reason behind this debacle of a war. Not only did the proud Humans not anticipate this war, but they also had belittled the determination of the Elves.
Bearing many years of grudge, the Elves had finally come up with the resolution for a final showdown. The fellow Elven kings, as well as the keepers, had as well realised that there was no turning back once they had taken this step, but the proud people of San Antonio had probably treated it as nothing but a reckless assault on the city border.
During the ambush of the Elves, the humans were still waiting for the outcome of the cathedral and political diplomacies. There was not even the formulation of a strategy to counteract the attack of Elves on the list of priorities.
For the other countries in the Northlands, they did not worry much ever since the participation of the great San Antonio, believing that it could be the pillar which would hold up even if the sky fell. When a great calamity was at hand, however, misfortunes would usually strike the weaklings who moved the slowest.
As a consequence, when the two armies crossed swords, their differences in perception and attitudes towards the war had reduced the Human alliance to absolute rubble.
The tall War Ancient Tree was lashing at the united force of cavalries, its gigantic roots powerful enough to send a few unlucky ones flying. In contrast, the attacks of the Human cavalries proved futile to this living creature. The knights tried to execute the Surround and Net Tactic which was used against the Giants, only to be countered by the Ancient Tree, as it sprouted and grew into an incredibly huge monster.
On the other hand, the mighty Griffin Knights were facing a big challenge from the Hippogriff Archers, where the mighty sky lions had finally met their worst enemies. The Elven archers, who never miss their shots, were very skilled in mounted archery as well, they could easily shoot through the diminutive gap between the heavy helms of the Griffin Knights. Although they had an absolute advantage in close battle, being well-read by the enemies, the Griffin Knights could hardly keep the optimal distance for their fights, instead, they were regularly shot down, whether they were chasing the enemies, or being chased.
As the war had come to a stalemate, the precise and vicious magic of the Elves, like a heavy hammer, had shattered the balance of battlefield.
The strength of a sorcerer came from the accumulation of time and knowledge, thus longevity would provide an absolute advantage here. To confront the massive army of Elves, most sorceries of the Human sorcerers were subdued, because the sorceries of both sides were not at the same level.
The Human priests and holy knights might be the pinnacle of strength in chaotic battles, but they could hardly perform now due to a shortage of strong offensive sorcery.
The Humans had the least experience in fighting the Elven soldiers, whom they treated as allies. However, the Elves in Northlands had always imagined the Humans as their enemies.
At the stalemate of the first round of battle, the second attack of the Beastmen was executed, surprisingly not with their own hands.
The troops of Anzolo Empire, who were the leading force of the right wing, suddenly turned their blades against the allies, slashing them violently.
San Antonio as the central force, would never predict the sudden revolt of its ring wing. In the meantime, the assassins who were long prepared, had burst out. To be murdered by the allies within the chaotic battlefield, coupled with the assassination of the commander of San Antonio, Alan Rem who ranked 98th on the contemporary great generals ranking, the entire battlefield had sunk into an impasse.
Just after the news of betrayal and assassination of the commander spread out, which was also the crucial timing when the alliance forces of all countries were wavering, the massive army of Beastmen had made their next move. The arrival of the gigantic Bis Behemoth, along with the shaman priests who carried battle drums towards the battlefield, which implied the end for the Humans.
The Beastmen who were notorious for their brutal massacre, demonstrated to the Humans what was it to knock back an enemy with only their bodies, and what was it to charge like a beast.
Could two Human warriors possibly beat a Beastman? Wearing armour enchanted with earth elements, and going into frenzy mode upon hearing the shaman’s battle hymn, even an old ordinary Beastman soldier would become a killing war-machine. Hence, even a standard small troop (12-men) was not able to take down such frenzied Beastman of multiplied attack power and defence.
In this battle, the trap set by the Chaos, under the collaboration of three parties, had finally achieved its target, as the Humans suffered a crushing defeat, in just the first battle.
Amongst the large army of 400,000 being sent to war, the defeated soldiers who retreated back to Maple city with their lives were less than half, and most of them were wounded, the Human alliance had been pushed to the defensive.
On hearing this news, Elisa was utterly astonished too.
“A Human country turning against the entire Human world? Do they still want to live?”
“In a sense, Anzolo Empire did share some similarities to the old Mist Kingdom, both of them had undergone tremendous sufferings. However, the spark of this outburst was none other than those bastards from San Antonio, for using them as the cannon fodders.”
“Indeed, that was too much, I even feel sorry for Anzolo. Our small country has limited power, and this time, Anzolo had given everything it had. It could not be helped if it had to be sacrificed, but to be sacrificed as cannon fodders is seriously too much! It was no wonder they would turn against their allies.”
Without any surprise, a strongly worded declaration for war, had very soon be announced.
In the announcement, the Anzolo Empire, as the country which declared war, had rallied against the evil act of the leading San Antonio to treat the soldiers of other countries as cannon fodders. Also, they swore that they had never betrayed the Order faction and the Humans society.
Of course, no matter what the explanation was, the reliable context would be taken, while the unreliable one would mean nothing. In the end, actions always speak louder than words.
“Well said, but why band together with the Beastmen, and Elves?”
In consequence with the betrayal of Anzolo Empire, Maple city was now left in chaos, there were people taking care of the residual forces and spies, there were assassins who did their killings amidst the chaos, there were even some middle-to-high rank forces in this city, who abruptly murdered some important people.
Even the city lord faced his demise on the battlefield. Just before a political turmoil would come, a chamber of commerce named Schindler Chamber had stood up as the new commander of this city. They were formed by the natives, carrying the slogan “Restoring the beautiful life of our past using our own hands!”
They were not soldiers, and were not interested towards the massive armies in the outside world. They fought for a simple reason, which was merely to quell the lawless mobs and restore the order and vitality of this city.
But only few would have known that the chamber with the history of Elven slave trade was just an association founded to keep the Beastmen civilians alive, and its chairman was a foreigner.
“The alliance army is in a turmoil, all the authorities in the city had stopped functioning, and the chamber is soon running out of capital. This, could not last any longer, please, come back Roland!”
“Waaa, that’s pathetic, how could there be such cruel parent. No worries, you can now count on Anya. If he dares to appear before you again, Anya will send him flying with his four-hoofs kick. Oh, I still need one leg as the stand, so it will be a three-hoofs kick!”
In the forest located at the exit of the Underworld, three ladies from three different races were having a pleasant conversation beside the bonfire.
“You….you all are not afraid of me? I am a true Banshee.”
Faced with this confused white shadow, Annie and Anya looked at each other, sniggering with their mouth covered.
“The man Annie used to love was a Lich. Yes, but he shall no longer be one. We have no prejudice against the undead. What’s more, sister, you look like a natural undead, to which only an extraordinary person could transform, and it only stems from two extremes, whether she is especially kind, or extremely resentful. How would I be afraid?”
“That’s right, Princess Suana, why don’t you walk along with us? We are heading to a kingdom which holds no prejudice against the undead. Perhaps, you will find the answer to what you have been pursuing your entire life – Peace”