บท 77: Back To Nineveh
When the doors opened and the knights in the hall saw Claude, they lowered their heads and waited for him to take his seat.
"What happened?" Claude asked the knights seated on the long rectangular table.
"Behind our backs, Jordan has sought a noble title from the imperial family and has decided to build his territory on the ruins of ours." Nicolas said solemnly.
"According to our scouts, he has an army of 2000 iron and bronze-ranked bull warriors, 500 silver-ranked armored bull warriors, and 5 heavy armored bull knights. Baron Scarlet has also gathered a force of 1,500 iron- and bronze-ranked soldiers, 300 silver-ranked soldiers, and 2 knights.
While Baron Tyre has gathered a force of 1000 iron- and bronze-ranked soldiers, 200 silver-ranked soldiers, 2 knights, and a mage."
Claude frowned deeply.
"A total of 5,500 men, 9 knights, and a mage." He muttered.
"Indeed. Our garrison in Hebron Town could not stand a chance against their might, and before we got the news, it had fallen. They'll be marching for the Silver Castle as we speak, which means in a week's time, Silver Castle will be under siege, and once it falls, this city is next."
Nicolas pointed at a map spread on the table.
"What are our numbers?"
Claude turned toward him.
"We have 400 strong silver-ranked warriors, 1000 able-bodied bronze-ranked men, and 4 knights in the city; the other 3 are in Silver Castle. Lark, Felix, and Stefan were brought down in Hebron Town."
"There were 1000 strong bronze-ranked men and 100 silver-ranked men in Hebron Town. How were they not able to hold the town for one night?!"
"Their mage is the reason." A knight responded.
It was at this moment that Claude registered the appearance of a mage into the picture. He suddenly felt cold.
He had mage friends, but most of them lived in the county, as these parts were too corrupt for them. They would be more prone to becoming corrupted without the presence of a priest to purify the domain.
"Can we hire sellswords?"
"Unfortunately, we were only able to hire 500."
"The others are afraid." Another knight said what Nicolas avoided uttering.
"What is the state of our garrison at the Silver Castle?"
"We have three knights, 500 archers, and 500 light infantry. They should be able to last for some days with the advantage of the walls." Nicolas said reassuringly.
"I'm not certain about that. The bull warriors Viscount Jordan has under his command; I have met them once in the high plains. A baron bought 100 of them. They are muscular warriors that have undergone brutal training to become a frightening land force and are also adept at sieges. Viscount Jordan bought the best slave soldiers."
Claude gripped his table hard.
He was a merchant who became lord. He wasn't like Baron Victor Scarlet or Baron Rutherford Tyre, both of whom were given their titles because of their battle merits.
However, he prided himself on his influence and wealth, but Jordan was more cunning than him.
"For this to escape my spies, it means there are higher powers behind them." Claude said solemnly.
"I'm suspecting Count Williams."
Nicolas said.
"Not just that. The imperial family is the actual brain behind this. They know I and the others became lords without their seal, so they're using Jordan to cause a rife and watch us destroy ourselves, and the lord they chose will rule instead."
Claude's reveal made his knights stunned.
"If we deploy our garrison, the city loses its defense, but if we don't, Silver Castle will certainly fall." Claude stroked his chin.
"Send a messenger falcon to Baron Ashbourne. Inform him that his ally is in need of aid."
"You want us to send such a unique bird to that wretched place? Why don't we send it to the county, seeking aid from the mages?" A knight asked. His brows knit together.
Nicolas turned to the knight.
"These unique birds that are much better than the ones in Tigris County are from that wretched place."
"What?"
....
After a month and an extra week of receiving news from Ashkelon, informing him of their lord's return and the massive population that were coming with him, Kelvin stood at the top of the main gate, looking at the population that formed a snake without end.
All of them were on the road.
Before the crowd of civilians were a thousand silver-armored soldiers marching with the Ashbourne flag raised high, and behind the crowd of exactly 17,000 people were another 1000 silver-armored soldiers, wielding dreadful halberds.
Their cloaks had matching colors, the same for their armor, so it seemed as if they were the same troop split into two.
Ahead of the great population were Asher, Alex, Alec, Nero, and the vanguards on the backs of centraks. In the crowd, there were countless ovoks, hundreds of centraks, and beast fur on their backs.
Asher looked at his stronghold with a broad smile on his face the moment he spotted Kelvin's silhouette.
It had been two months since he was away and five months since his sister left for the Sacred Flame Academy.
Adam stayed back in Ashkelon as their general, while Katarina was in charge of the administrative affairs in his stead. She was the city lord and would report all that occurred in the city to him. While Eritrea and her troops stopped at their barracks.
He planned on sending the other 70 Thunderstorm Rangers to the Stormbringer barracks to become cavaliers, while the 100 infantrymen left by Alec would be sent to the Shura Vanguard barracks to become his personal army.
It was time to expand his personal elite force.
He looked at the paved road beneath the hooves of his mount and smiled. It was because of this road they were able to transport 17,000 people in a bit over one month.
When Asher arrived at the open gates, he saw hundreds of people screaming and bellowing at their return.
Upon seeing this with Kelvin standing at the front with a professional smile, Asher chuckled.
"You did this?"
"The people came out of their own volition."
"I see." Asher chuckled, dismounted, and embraced Kelvin, who smiled broadly as he patted the young lord's back.
"You should not do this in public. You're a lord." Kelvin whispered, but Asher paid no heed to him.
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