Chapter 54: The Enemy Arrives

The Ice Bear City coalition army trudged steadily along the path to Frost Wolf Ridge.

At the head of the procession, the Ice Bear Marquis rode a massive white bear.

Behind the white bear followed a line of two hundred Ice Bear knights mounted on sturdy Northern Highland warhorses.

These knights donned armor forged by the renowned "Frost Hammer and Bear Jaw" workshop of the Northlands.

Their gleaming white breastplates, crafted from enchanted cold iron, bore the fierce visage of an ice bear, symbolizing unparalleled courage. The pauldrons displayed intricate bear claw engravings, radiating an aura of latent menace.

A flowing cape adorned with the Ice Bear family crest billowed behind them, and blue velvet sashes embroidered with snowflake patterns added an air of nobility.

This was the legendary Ice Bear Knights, considered unmatched in strength throughout the Northlands—surpassing even the once-glorious Frost Wolf Knights.

Since the Frost Wolf family's decline and the fall of their knights alongside the old duke on the battlefield, the Ice Bear Knights had risen to claim the title of the North's most powerful cavalry.

Trailing behind the knights were the ragged troops of conscripted peasants, trudging along with heavily laden carts carrying food and tents.

This coalition army consisted of forces from the Ice Bear family and their vassals. Other northern noble families contributed sparingly, their allegiances uncertain.

Many northern nobles hesitated to join the coalition, wary of provoking the remnants of the Frost Wolf family, who still commanded a deep-rooted reverence in the Northlands.

Rumors of the young Frost Wolf Duke's breakthrough into the rank of Earth Knight and his swift reclamation of lost territories only heightened their apprehension.

Moreover, the political future of the Silver Moon Kingdom remained uncertain. Though the Second Prince held the upper hand in the succession struggle, the reigning king still lived, and the throne had yet to change hands.

The Frost Wolf family's longstanding support for the First Prince, the rightful heir, further complicated the situation. Many northern families saw the conflict between the Ice Bear Marquis and the Frost Wolf Duke as a proxy battle between the two royal factions and were unwilling to commit prematurely.

The Ice Bear Marquis remained unfazed by their indecision.

Once he crushed the Frost Wolf family, he would secure dominance over the eastern Northlands and the Frost Wolf Forest, strengthening his bargaining position with the Second Prince.

His ambitions extended beyond mere survival; he sought to carve out a lasting legacy for his family in the kingdom's impending civil war.

"Milord, we're nearing Eaglewing Fortress," reported a scout, dismounting from his horse and kneeling before the Marquis.

The Ice Bear Marquis's expression darkened at the mention of Eaglewing Fortress.

He had invested heavily in subduing the Eaglewing Viscount, only for that incompetent fool to fall swiftly to the new Frost Wolf Duke.

The Marquis blamed himself for underestimating the "young pup" of the Frost Wolf family, who had been deemed a failure by all. Who would have thought that boy could rise to become an Earth Knight—a prodigious feat hidden from all?

Had he known earlier, he would have eradicated the Frost Wolf heir immediately after the old duke's death.

Still, it wasn't too late.

With his four-tier peak Earth Knight strength, the Ice Bear Marquis was confident that the newly ascended Frost Wolf Duke would be no match for him.

As for the Frost Wolf Knights, they were but a shadow of their former glory, nowhere near the level of the formidable Ice Bear Knights.

"Accelerate the march. We camp at Eaglewing Fortress tonight!" he commanded coldly.

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Eaglewing Fortress

David stood atop the fortress walls, surveying the preparations below.

Behind him, the newly formed wolf cavalry lined up in orderly rows. Though their gear lacked the polish of the Ice Bear Knights, the presence of the gray wolves beneath them exuded a natural intimidation.

Other summoned nobles present at the fortress eyed the wolf cavalry with renewed hope.

They had underestimated the Frost Wolf Duke, who had managed to train such an impressive cavalry in a short time.

Though Frost Wolf Ridge could not match Ice Bear City in sheer power, the Duke's leadership and his wolf cavalry inspired confidence in their ability to hold the line.

A sudden flutter of wings interrupted their thoughts as a snow pigeon descended onto David's outstretched arm.

The pigeon, trained by Cynthia using her beast-speech abilities, carried a crucial message from the scouts.

David read the note with a calm expression.

"Prepare for battle," he said, his voice steady.

The Gray Wolf Knight nodded, and the orders quickly spread among the troops.

As the gates of Eaglewing Fortress swung open, David mounted Little White, his snow wolf, and led the wolf cavalry into the open field beyond the fortress.

The battlefield stretched out as a vast, flat plain—a perfect stage for cavalry and wolf-mounted warriors to unleash their full power.

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a golden glow over the landscape, the first silhouettes of the Ice Bear coalition appeared on the horizon.

At their forefront rode the Ice Bear Marquis astride his white bear, his gaze fixed on the fortress and the wolf cavalry arrayed before it.

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