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Chapter 110: The Battle

"Who is he...?"

Clink—

The sound of metal armor rubbing against itself echoed.

Viserys sat on his warhorse, grasping an iron ring on the saddle with one hand as he leaned slightly forward.

However, the distance between them was far too great—several kilometers apart. Viserys squinted his pale violet eyes, the complex hexagram pattern faintly visible deep within them.

He could only barely make out that the man was different from the other Dothraki; he was much taller, riding the strongest warhorse, and surrounded by his people. He must be the Khal of this Khalasar.

Then Viserys saw the Khal pull out his arakh, pointing the blade toward the distant Ghiscari city, seemingly roaring in rage.

The Dothraki horselord demanded his tribe to douse his anger with blood, determined to crush the army led by these 'lamb men' and sell them all to Slaver's Bay to exchange for ample weapons and provisions to strengthen his tribe.

"Roar!"

The distant Dothraki heard their Khal's command, raising their gleaming arakhs in unison. Countless blades shone brilliantly in the sunlight, creating a forest of blades as they let out eerie, wolf-like howls.

The Dothraki's ghostly cries carried far, reaching the ears of many soldiers in the Andalos army, well-positioned within the abandoned city. Their faces turned pale upon hearing the howls.

The Dothraki seemed to excel at this psychological warfare, constantly creating fear and manipulating their enemy's mindset.

It was like a pack of wolves encircling a massive herbivore, continuously harassing it until it succumbed to fear and exhaustion. Eventually, the wolves would pounce and kill their prey.

But now, the Dothraki's psychological tactics seemed to have failed. The Andalos army's commander appeared to remain calm, and there was no significant turmoil.

Impatient, the fearless Khal in this Khalasar decided to personally tear open the prey's throat.

Immediately, as the horselord gave the command, the overwhelming horde of Dothraki mounted their warhorses, letting out shrill, inexplicable cries. Wielding their arakhs and whips, they surged toward the Ghiscari city like a tsunami.

Boom, boom, boom—

The deafening sound of galloping hooves thundered like rolling thunder. A dark mass of cavalry expanded from the horizon, filling the view of every Andalos soldier.

Gulp—

Defensively positioned at the entrance of the crumbling ruins, one of the soldiers swallowed hard.

At that moment, everyone's mouths felt dry, and even their fear seemed momentarily forgotten. Their legs were rooted to the ground, and their minds went blank. Clenching their weapons, they awaited the final arrival of their fate.

"Enemy—attack—"

Although they had been in a standoff for a long time, a soldier at the forefront of the Andalos army still raised the alarm. His voice was slightly off-pitch, sharp and twisted.

But the thundering hooves drowned it out. The soldiers could feel the earth trembling beneath their feet, stones even leaping up from the ground.

"Quick! Hold the formation!"

Andalos's junior officers were likewise managing their ranks, their hearts pounding rapidly in their chests, preparing for the Dothraki's first wave of assault.

"Spearman!"

Boom—

...

A line of soldiers held their shields high, forming a shield wall, while long spears were placed between the gaps of the shields behind them, creating a solid, impenetrable hedgehog formation.

Facing the charge of the Dothraki, the Andalos army's favorite battle formation, which they once used to great effect against bandits, the Brotherhood, and in the conquest of various Lhazareen villages and towns, was now displayed in its most ferocious state.

This was the greatest test the Andalos army had faced since its inception.

"Ready! Brace! For! Impact!"

...

A majestic eagle soared high in the sky, its sharp eyes reflecting the distinct tides of two opposing armies below.

From a bird's eye view, the Andalos army had formed a hedgehog-like iron bucket formation. With the advantage of the terrain, they occupied Ghiscari Doha, an abandoned city-state, guarding every road and presenting a staunch defensive posture.

The Dothraki, on the other hand, surged like a tidal wave towards the city's main entrances.

The thunderous sound of galloping hooves stirred up huge clouds of dust, as an endless horde of Dothraki warriors charged towards the abandoned city.

Hidden behind the shield wall, the Andal soldiers and the recently integrated Lhazareen troops clutched their weapons tightly, their hearts pounding rapidly, and their breaths becoming heavier.

"The battle has begun."

As the deafening sound of the galloping hooves drew closer, fear rose within everyone. Their throats involuntarily swallowed a lump of saliva.

"Will I... die?"

A recently surrendered Lhazareen soldier gripped his weapon, his voice breaking with fear. But his captain slapped him on the head, silencing him.

"Shut up!"

Everyone was tense, and the last thing they needed was someone spreading panic, potentially causing irreparable damage. Fortunately, it was stopped in time.

No one could face such a scene without feeling terrified, even contemplating turning and fleeing.

But the seasoned Andalos soldiers knew that if they fled now, breaking their formation, death would come even swifter.

Once the Dothraki broke through their lines, their weak lives would be harvested without resistance. Those who surrendered would be taken as slaves, laboring for a lifetime or dying in the gladiatorial arena.

Soon, the charging Dothraki would be within range of the Andalos archers.

"Archers!"

The junior officers, responsible for small-scale tactical command, ordered the protected archers at the rear of the formation to ready their bows.

"Prepare!"

Creaking noises echoed as all the Andalos archers notched their arrows and drew their bows, aiming at a forty-five-degree angle into the sky, preparing for the first volley of arrow rain to strike the massive target formed by the gathered enemy.

"Fire!"

After a brief pause, the command was given.

The sound of bowstrings being released filled the air.

A dark cloud of arrows blanketed the sky, before rapidly descending in a shower that blotted out the sun, raining down upon the charging Dothraki warriors. ...

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