Bab 53: Chapter 51: Decimated trolls
The trolls' leader in the middle wasn't feeling well at the moment. Hours ago, he sent several of his men to scout around and none of them returned. They should have been back to report the surroundings. He believed they had met their demise, concerned about his current group movement. He didn't delve his thoughts into the subordinates around, and looked around, discovering every troll was jubilant to fight and eager for the coming meal after the battle. They guessed the next battle was likely to be an easy one, as news from those who escaped described their enemies got into their ears.
According to the reports, there were merely several hundred messing around in their borders. They even wondered where the elves had courage with such little size and tried to poke their butts. They were very confident with their size to smash the opposition and even dreamt of the taste of the meal after this battle. The tribe suffered food shortages at the moment and many stomachs weren't filled like they used to before. The old one passed away and contributed to the young's meals. Now they had the opportunity to eat extra meals, nobody could control their eagerness, not even their leader.
No one seemed to hear their leader's worrisome cry, but when the leader saw the geography in front was the best area for the elves' attack. As a high-level powerhouse, the leader had experienced numerous wars and understood the ranger's wet dream, especially the plain site the group was going to walk ahead. He stretched his arm to block the path of the troll who trekked around him and shouted to stop the march. Everyone halted a moment and chuckled afterward, amused at their leader's cowardice. One of them complained at night time the eyesight was limited and elven archery wouldn't excel as much as during daylight.
The leader was also confused and relieved after hearing their voices. His troops were like ruffians with no discipline and hard-to-obey orders. All they knew was to charge or to retreat. He thought if his scouts were roaming around somewhere not bothering to report back to enjoy their own time. Even if they were attacked with less than a hundred elves, he strongly had faith his group could easily overwhelm the adversaries' plan, not to mention the time was on their side where the darkness diminished the elven accuracy. He also wasn't worried the elves might have mages, because those who fled earlier during the elven attacks assured everyone there were only rangers.
He nodded and agreed with his subordinates' statements and ordered them to camp on the hilltop. If their discussion was around conventional elven rangers, the capabilities of such an army were well known to the entire trolls, and their words were correct. But that never included Windrunner's legion and they never once assumed their enemies were the infamous elites, whose boundaries didn't cease to amaze. In the past thousand years, trolls were most afraid to meet these nemeses. They were considered to be the second nightmare after archmages, which showed how much damage Windrunner had caused to the trolls. Although the night had lowered the range their arrows could reach, the troll army held torches and brightened sufficient light to set themselves as a target.
Unknown to him, the direction he pointed at was exactly the spot Sena's rangers were laying down in ambush. Every troll marched quickly keen to rest on the spot, unaware of entering the trap. After a rapid trek for several hours, no one was in the mood to be vigilant and the only sane leader was persuaded by his subordinates. They had decided in their heart after a short rest when dawn arrived, they would commence their attack. Unfortunately, a few moments later a disaster awaited. As they neared the spot, they were walking to the hell. Closer and closer. Suddenly, the leader saw something fly by his side and looked over. The troll was struggling to clutch his neck and fell down unwillingly. It was the arrow that killed him.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Rain of arrows plummeted over his entire group. There were screams and some chaos from not knowing where the attackers were. Fear heightened and the volley continued to plunge again. And again after 5 rounds. The leader discovered the location of their enemies and ordered the surviving trolls to charge because he had no choice as the quickest way to reduce casualties was to get close to the rangers. Fleeing backward was suicide. He studied the situation around and saw many trolls vanish from sight. He lamented the rangers who ambushed them were likely to be elite since 5 rounds of volley took a quarter of them out.
"Charge! Move forward."
"Follow the leaders! We'll be safe."
"Hustle! Hustle!"
"Ahh!" Shrieks echoed as some were impaled.
The charge was out of fear and not due to bravery. One by one, he saw his subordinates feel unresponsive. They were picked off like killing chickens without even seeing the rangers personally. The tension reached the point where everyone went berserk. The leader noticed all of this but everything was foregone. Every instant, arrows took many lives and trolls watched their comrades becoming cold bodies abruptly. There was no medicine for regret. However, they continued the charge.
"Kill them! For revenge!"
"Don't hesitate. Move faster or we're dead!"
Terror of turmoil was unstoppable. The only survival they saw was waning rapidly. Sena's group fired five volleys of arrows when the fight initiated, one volley per second, impossible for any ordinary rangers to accomplish. Every shot afterward counted as the level difference between the two sides was enormous. It was like an adult bullying a little child. There wasn't an error, one shot was one life, and even the troll's physique couldn't help them survive. The arrows were too fast to dodge or block and under the darkness the trolls' vision also dropped. The trolls' number weakened at an alarming rate.
Alleria was stunned after seeing her group's capabilities. Although it was hard for her to kill every single shot like the rest, she managed to eliminate some trolls tonight. For a rookie, it wasn't bad. Out of all the chaos, she spotted a weird troll with some decorations, unaware her attention was on the leader of the trolls. She released an arrow nonchalantly and was blocked by the troll. Surprised, she sent another and was also dodged by a fluent leaning shoulder. She was unconvinced and shot several arrows at him, all of which were either blocked or avoided. Outraged, she even used arcane shots to nail the mocking bastard.
While enraged Alleria was immersed in her own battle, Sena stopped releasing arrows after the first five volleys and scrutinized the battlefields. She was satisfied with the results. Despite being outnumbered their 100 guards appeared to be in a slaughter. Butchering each troll effortlessly. A commander must be well aware of her surroundings in the battlefield. Otherwise, what difference did she make if she were acting similarly to the rest of the soldiers? All her officers also behaved like Sena and released arrows only when necessary. Sena mocked the trolls' battle cry and felt their struggles aimless. The ending had already been set for them since they entered the ambush.
Windrunners didn't even require to use tactics developed by their ladyship and till now every skirmish was imperturbable for them. 1000 trolls in front of them ceased to exist and very few made it close. The distance of 50 meters between Windrunners and the trolls appeared like a tall mountain, trolls were unable to surmount. Time seemed to pass sluggishly as they charged ahead. Bodies fell and there was no retreat, unlike the backline where some of them fled away from the battlefield. Alleria was pissed at the moment, when she hadn't killed the previous despicable troll, and she was anxious to be looked down upon by the rest. Strangely, no other Windrunners reaped her prey as if they ignored this specific troll's existence. Nobody ostracized Alleria for her incapability because everyone knew her target was actually high-level existence. Their mouths would drop wide open if she were able to slaughter him easily.
Anxious Alleria noticed the trolls' formation falling and turned her face at Sena beside her, asking permission to charge. Sena understood Alleria's unwilling thought to duel with the high-level trolls. She nodded her head in reply. Alleria left the post and rushed ahead. Sena voiced her wind whisper across the entire rangers. Her orders were to follow Alleria and assault. Windrunners soon stormed downward while drawing arrows nonstop.
On the other side, the troll leader whose morale was very low at the moment still held a little hope. The rest of the trolls also thought the same and continued their assault. They believed no matter the cost, the final victory should be on them. But the scene ahead overturned and buried their hope. A female ranger charged at them solo attacking their leaders who easily blocked. Soon, they saw the rangers who were butchering them and the sight chilled their hearts. Their leader froze a moment and was woken up by the pain from the arrow in his shoulder. Because they observed the insignia of Windrunner on the cloaks and noticed all rangers were women. Who else but the Windrunner.
"Windrunner! Oh! How could they be here?!" One of them yelped uncontrolled and was soon heard by those in flight.
"Windrunner! Assault!" Cries pounded from the rangers.
No anger. No berserk. Just helplessness, fear, and panic. Trolls lost hope even if the Windrunner were only a hundred. They wanted to escape but their opponents wouldn't give them a chance. Gritting their teeth, they chose to fight. Gone were many thoughts but to solely kill as much as they could in their own burials. Windrunners also realized the trolls' action, but they didn't bother. At least, they showed the last brave one enough respect and sent them on the way.
Alleria tired from shooting continuous arrows and achieving nothing, decided to fight close. Sena was watching her and the opponent carefully and ready to make a move should Alleria encounter danger. Sena had no idea why Alleria didn't have the awareness to avoid those stronger than her. Out of many choices, high-level was her opponent? Sena let her be and with her here, a high-level was nothing but a speck of dust in front of her.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
PraiseElune
PraiseElune A little late. My deepest apology.
A little less words though.
Cheers to my readers!
Thanks for your immense support!
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