Chapter 111: The Dothraki

As a traditional nomadic people who mainly relied on plundering for survival, the Dothraki civilization wasn't very advanced and lacked proper metallurgy techniques.

The Dothraki only had light cavalry, armed with arakhs and short bows suitable for horse archery. They wore no protective gear, including shields, helmets, and armor, and considered warriors wearing armor to be cowards.

Thus...

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

A dark rain of arrows descended, instantly causing a storm of blood and carnage. People screamed, horses neighed, and countless Dothraki warriors charging at the front were struck by arrows or even thrown from their horses. Some horses, wounded by arrows, collapsed to the ground.

The Dothraki's high-speed charge was noticeably restrained for a moment, but the relentless wave of Dothraki behind them showed no signs of stopping. They didn't care about their fallen comrades and simply covered their horses' eyes, urging them to charge forward.

More distant Dothraki warriors, while charging on horseback, removed short bows from their waists and backs, drawing and nocking arrows. They also used a parabolic trajectory to bypass the front shield wall and target the Andal archers hiding behind it.

Thud, thud, thud—

However, the Dothraki's discipline and command were chaotic, and it was clear they weren't capable of coordinated volleys. The difficulty of shooting from horseback was immense, and their sporadic arrows flew toward the shield wall, causing some casualties among the Andal archers.

This was the Dothraki's way of fighting—facing long-range attacks, they charged with the utmost speed, determined to make their opponents pay double for the pain they suffered in the process.

"Roar, roar, roar!"

Seeing their wounds and blood only made the Dothraki more fearless. Like bloodthirsty beasts, the sight stirred the madness in their veins, and they brandished their arakhs while emitting more excited howls.

Rumble, rumble—

Horse hooves pounded the muddy ground as they fearlessly charged forward.

Some Dothraki who had been shot or thrown from their horses were pulled back up by their comrades, while many others were trampled into bloody pulp beneath the chaos of hooves, their blood and bodies forever merging with the earth.

"These Dothraki—"

Viserys, sitting on horseback, took a deep breath at the sight. He had to admit that these Dothraki were truly brave and unafraid of death.

He was somewhat concerned about whether the Andal army, facing such a massive test for the first time, could withstand this intense assault.

In this sudden encounter, there was no time for either side to prepare tactics. All that remained was a test of both armies' combat quality, with the Dothraki attacking and the Andals defending the ruins of a city, using rubble and debris as cover.

"Hopefully, they can."

Creak—

The young king's steel-gloved fingers tightened slightly.

His restless steed snorted and pawed the ground, seemingly dissatisfied with its master's decision to command from the sidelines rather than engaging personally.

However... Viserys wasn't the only one staying out of the fray.

His gaze searched the Dothraki for something but couldn't find any trace of the Khal.

"Hmph—"

"Cunning."

The young king's eyes narrowed.

Rumors had it that during combat, the Dothraki Khal always led the charge. However, if the Khal truly followed the Dothraki's tactics, he would likely become a disposable item, frequently replaced.

...

Soon, this Khalasar was about to collide head-on with the iron barrel formation of the Andal army.

Boom!

The charging warhorses, carrying tremendous force, brutally tore through the seemingly impregnable iron barrel formation of the Andal army, leaving several gaping wounds.

The cacophony of human shouts and horse neighs filled the air, overwhelming the senses. Blood stained the battlefield, and adrenaline surged through every soldier.

"Kill!"

As the Dothraki warriors broke the iron barrel formation with their flesh and blood, their sharp spears effortlessly ripped open the bellies of the horses, spilling their entrails across the ground.

Dothraki soldiers who fell from their horses were either mercilessly trampled by the hooves of those who followed or impaled by the Andal soldiers who swarmed forward with their spears.

"Kill them!"

With a wet sound, an Andal soldier drove his spear through the chest of a Dothraki warrior.

The fallen Dothraki's upper body was bare, his bronze skin drenched in blood, and his long black hair in disarray. He let out an unintelligible, guttural roar, brandishing his curved blade, determined to kill his enemy even as the spear pierced his body.

The seasoned Andal soldier gritted his teeth, released the spear, and drew his short sword from his waist. With a swift stroke, he decapitated his foe.

Andal soldiers' equipment wasn't particularly advanced. They lacked the wealth of the Riverlands, where even ordinary soldiers were clad in plate armor. In Andalos, most soldiers wore light armor with fur for warmth in winter, which they removed in warmer weather.

Short swords were standard issue, with every soldier, including archers and spearmen, carrying one at their waist. There were also dedicated sword-and-shield fighters who held the front line of the formation.

Surrounded by mountains on three sides, Andalos was rich in timber, allowing for an abundance of spears and shields. This was why Andalos was once called the "City of Wood."

Elsewhere, a soldier hiding behind the shield wall and stabbing outward with his spear was suddenly ensnared by a rope that fell from the sky.

"Roar!"

Following the roar, a man with deep-set eyes riding a black warhorse yanked the rope with his powerful arm, unexpectedly dragging the Andal soldier out of the shield wall and leaving a breach in the once-sturdy formation.

"Khal Drogo!"

"Khal Drogo!"

Deafening cheers erupted from the Dothraki ranks as they surged forward through the gap torn open by Khal Drogo.

The once-solid iron barrel formation was now on the brink of collapse.

...

At that moment,

"Your Grace."

The sound of hoofbeats approached as a soldier on horseback ascended the hill where Viserys stood. The soldier was about to speak but was silenced by Viserys.

For he had already seen everything.

...