Chapter 68: Cavalry
"Damn it! Get out of here!" A cavalryman from Loshanier City roared, raising his lance.
"Roar!" The growls of orcs echoed ominously from the woods behind.
"They really are speeding north!" The captain of the cavalry spat as he galloped through the trees.
"Gather the troops! If we scatter, we'll be picked off one by one!" The captain had a keen eye; they weren't professionals, just cavalrymen on warhorses, and if they dispersed, they wouldn't stand a chance against the professional half-orc vanguards.
"The fight has started in the north! I knew it wouldn't be peaceful in the south!" one of the cavalrymen shouted angrily.
The orcs from Morgul had successfully deceived Elandor and Caslow, hiding deep in the woods under the cover of night.
They had created the illusion of a large force slowly advancing northward. If it hadn't been for the cautious Aranthor and Elenthor sending out the only cavalry team from the city to scout, they might have fallen for the half-orc's trick.
"Brothers! We are the light cavalry! Don't lose hope! Stay loyal to the king and the tribe…" Several leading light cavalrymen shouted.
With their fierce shouts, the scattered cavalrymen began to regroup, heavy breaths escaping from their lips and their warhorses in the cold winter air.
"Don't give up… flee the forest! We…" A piercing scream interrupted as a thrown axe came crashing down.
"Damn it! They're in the trees!" A sharp-eyed cavalryman spotted the orc scouts hiding in the dense evergreens.
"Kill!" The leading light cavalryman roared, throwing his hand crossbow.
"Eek!" A shrill cry erupted from the orc's mouth as he drew a rusted steel knife and deflected the thrown weapon.
"Professionals among the orcs—" The warning only made it halfway out when the cavalryman was decapitated by a orc dropping from above, but his death successfully alerted the cavalrymen behind.
"Get lost!" Instead of using weapons to counterattack, the charging cavalryman opted for a more effective method—his massive warhorse crashed into the orc warrior with the force of thunder.
"Crack!" The crisp sound of bones breaking was the most beautiful music he had ever heard.
"Don't get separated! Watch out for enemies hiding in the tree canopies ahead!"
Several cavalrymen who dodged the flying axes shouted warnings to their comrades, drawing their bows and firing.
"Damn it!" The cavalrymen watched in horror as their comrades fell from their horses, their eyes turning red with rage.
"Don't die here! The king needs us! Our families are waiting for us to come home!" The remaining three cavalry squad leaders desperately encouraged the fleeing light cavalrymen.
"Those damned orcs!" one cavalryman ground his teeth in fury, his clenched fists already bloodied.
"Don't stop! Quickly get through this forest! Loshanier City is just ahead!" Seeing that they could emerge from the dark woods in a few miles, the cavalry captain roared like a madman.
They knew the newly founded Aquavia Kingdom needed this mobile force. Aside from the noble knights in the kingdom, they were the last of the kingdom's mobile troops.
"Ow~"
"Wolf howl?"
"Damn it! It's a wolf!"
"The wolf cavalry is coming! Everyone, gather together!"
Suddenly, the howling of wolves from behind interrupted everyone's thoughts. The orcs clearly wanted to trap this precious cavalry in the forest.
One can imagine that Azog could spit out any unit he saw riding something, as the Knight Order left an indelible psychological shadow from the Battle of the Lonely Mountain.
"Roar~" A deep growl resonated as a squad of wolf riders wielding steel knives leaped out from behind fallen trees, lunging at the group.
"Pike formation!" The trained plains cavalry were no lambs for slaughter; they raised their sharp lances toward the oncoming wolf cavalry.
"Yowling~" One wolf crashed into several lances, howling in pain as it struggled to avoid the fleeing cavalry, the gaping wounds from the lances telling the tale of its recent painful lesson.
"Captain! There seem to be no half-orc scouts ahead!" One cavalryman rode up to say.
"Good!" the captain replied fiercely.
Having already been ambushed by a small group of orcs was embarrassing enough; they couldn't allow their retreat to be completely occupied by orcs, or that would just be a testament to their utter dullness.
"Ah—" A whistling wolf mace smashed into a careless cavalryman. The chainmail and leather armor he wore were utterly helpless against such a lethal weapon.
"Thud! Crack!" The first sound was the tearing of flesh by the lance, the second was the sound of the lance snapping under high impact! The iron hooves left behind a twitching half-orc and a dazed wolf.
"Roar!" A half-orc chasing beside the cavalry found the opportunity to pounce on a mounted wolf.
"No!" The nearby cavalryman could only watch helplessly as his comrade and mount were brought down, while he sped past on his warhorse...
"Ugh…" The cavalryman, blood bubbling from his throat, used his last ounce of strength to stab his dagger into the eye of the half-orc that had twisted his neck.
"Kill!" The highly elastic lance was swung vigorously, completely catching the half-orc off guard as he was flung off the wolf. The twisted angle of its head and neck upon landing made it clear this fellow was beyond saving.
More and more wolf cavalry surged in from behind, their howls echoing ominously...
"Charge out!" The cavalrymen surged out of the forest, the warm sunlight outside and the distant Loshanier City reminding them they were almost home!
"Quick! We're going home!" The last cavalry squad leader shouted, clutching his bloodied waist. The massive blood loss had blurred his vision, and he slowly slumped down on his horse...
"Roar! Kill them!" The furious wolf cavalry leader waved his bloodied battle knife.
"Creak~" Among the hundreds of wolf riders chasing from behind, dozens raised their crude iron bows, producing a sound that made one's teeth ache.
"Boom!" A dull thud echoed as dozens of wolf tooth arrows flew through the air.
"Dodge the arrows!" The cavalrymen who heard the commotion shouted warnings.
"Thud thud thud!" Most of the arrows missed, and those that found their targets were blocked by the cavalrymen.
"Quick! The knights are coming to rescue us!"
In the distance, the gates of Loshanier City opened wide, and countless armored knights surged out like a tidal wave.
"Kill them all!" The voice of Aranthor from atop the city wall echoed like it came from the depths of the abyss, looking down at the cavalry team that was barely half its original number.
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