Chapter 125: Setting Fires

Just a moment ago, Drogo's face remained as calm as an ancient well, but the next moment, his expression changed drastically.

The Dothraki people wandered the world without a fixed residence, digging pits to lie in and using straw mats as their ceilings. Therefore, the average Dothraki did not encounter pitch very often, as they would rest when it grew dark and awaken at dawn.

However, Drogo, as a Khal, had his own golden tent, and his daily life was naturally different from that of an ordinary Dothraki. He was familiar with pitch.

He finally recognized the pungent smell in the air, and then lowered his head. His dark and deep eyes suddenly constricted.

He saw the black, slightly viscous substance all over the ground beneath his feet. When he lifted his foot, he noticed that it, as well as the horsehair bindings on his legs, had been stained with the substance at some point.

At the same time, there were bundles of weeds and firewood on the ground. The Dothraki initially thought that the Andalos army had run out of options and had even brought out their supply wagons to the front lines, so they ruthlessly trampled the bundles of hay and firewood.

Now, the weeds and firewood were stuck together with the black, viscous substance on the ground.

The sound of horse hooves and confusion filled the air, with bodies strewn about in all directions. Some Dothraki may have already noticed this, but they did not pay it any mind.

"Os!"

Drogo was escorted back to the rear, but his expression had become extremely tense. He had sensed Viserys's plot: the pitch all over the ground and the kindling materials – if they were ignited, the consequences would be unimaginable.

The fearsome Dothraki warrior could not help but tremble slightly. The once unflinching killer, plunderer, and rapist, Drogo suddenly felt an emotion called fear gradually spreading in his heart.

Splash—

He then mounted his horse, and the bronze belt jingled. Drogo tore off the horsehair bindings stained with pitch and roared.

"Os!"

In the Dothraki language, "os" means "stop" and also contains the meaning of retreat. However, there is no specific word for withdrawal in the Dothraki language, just as there is no word for "trade," only "gift" and "return."

Khal Drogo suddenly ordered a retreat, and the two bloodriders following him did not understand why.

However, the Khal's orders were not to be questioned. The two bloodriders immediately conveyed the order to the others.

"Os!"

"Ohos!"

The order to retreat suddenly came from the Khal on the chaotic battlefield, and the bloodriders also called for the horn to signal a full retreat.

However, it was already too late.

...

"Set fire!"

Viserys, sitting on his horse, gave the order to ignite the fire that had been prepared long ago.

Viserys had been waiting for Drogo. As long as Drogo did not appear, Viserys had not given the order to start the fire.

That was because Viserys's only goal was to kill Drogo, even if it meant sacrificing many soldiers in the process.

And now, Drogo had finally appeared on the front lines. Since the target had entered the trap, the young king no longer held back and set the great fire ablaze.

Countless arrows, soaked in pitch, were ignited and shot toward the rear of the Dothraki forces. When the Andalos army left the pitch, they deliberately created a blank area to separate the Dothraki forces, dividing their army while also preventing the fire from reaching themselves in the narrow terrain of the ruined city.

Although it was inevitable that they would be affected to some extent, it was insignificant compared to the outcome of the battle.

"The wind direction today is just right."

White horse manes scattered in the wind like dazzling snowflakes, Viserys sat on his warhorse, his handsome face as calm as still water, though it was hard to say his heart was completely untroubled.

Steel-clad fingers reflected dazzling light in the morning sun.

Click—

He clenched his hand tightly together.

This was the first time King Viserys Targaryen III commanded such a large-scale battle.

Unlike the previous Battle of Wind's Breath Keep, this time he was independently in charge, with Prince Oberyn of Dorne playing only an auxiliary role.

This was the culmination of his years of countless small battles, including studying the histories of various noble families, drawing lessons from history, and eventually bearing fruit.

"In the Conquest War, the Battle of Blackwater was a great fire that put an end to King Loren Lannister of the Rock and King Mern Gardener IX of the Reach, uniting their forces of nearly 55,000 men in Goldengrove."

He didn't dare claim to understand military tactics or warfare completely, as there were many, many people in this world better than him. However, Viserys had never underestimated his enemies.

Starting with his confrontation with Drogo, he had adopted a do-or-die attitude, devising ways to kill his opponent day and night.

But clearly, Drogo had not taken him seriously on the first day of the battle.

Even on the second day, Drogo felt this was just a flock of sheep that would collapse upon impact, merely lasting a bit longer.

"Arm yourselves!"

Then, Viserys turned and ordered the heavy cavalry behind him to put on their armor.

The time had finally come to reap the rewards of victory. The heavy cavalry, which the young king had spent over two thousand gold dragons to create, would play a role for the first time.

This heavy cavalry unit consisted of 108 knights, 99 squires, 19 mounted archers, one trumpeter, and one dedicated farrier.

Whooosh—

All the finest knights of Andalos heard Viserys's order. With the help of their squires, they quickly donned their armor, and their one-in-a-hundred strong warhorses began to be covered with heavy horse armor.

"It's finally our turn."

"It's time to let these fragile eggs taste the flavor of stone!"

Sir Evan of the Rhoynar, captain of the heavy cavalry, carried a double-bladed battleaxe on his shoulders, and the knights were all eager to fight.

They had not had the opportunity to participate in the fierce battles of the past two days, but now they could finally join the fray and give the Dothraki a memorable and profound lesson.

...

Meanwhile, among the Dothraki.

This great fire caught them off guard.

"Loose arrows!"

The order came from the rear of the Andalos line. Countless Andalos archers, positioned behind the line and on both sides of the ruined city, had long been prepared.

Whooosh—

Andalos archers emerged from all directions, their arrowheads soaked in pitch, then ignited in the flames before being fired just before the flames burnt through the shaft.

Bang, bang, bang—

The sound of bowstrings echoed, and a rain of flaming arrows shot into the sky.

Then they quickly fell, aiming straight at the Gorro Road, which was soaked with pitch.