Boyzilla: I reread myself, but I always make mistakes, this is clearly a typo.
I'm glad you liked the chapter. We share the same opinion about Hakuno, she is 'almost' an ordinary teenager who is frightened, exhausted, and uncomfortable, always struggling to comply with the unending stream of requests from the Servants, the officials, and the citizens of Marienburg. They ask for clear instructions from the 'Sovereign of the Moon' and she wonders how she will meet their expectations.
But, in fact, Hakuno does not disappoint them.
It's ironic but, despite her lack of education for war and government, she is naturally gifted and more capable of dealing with the daily necessity of her newest rank than some Florentine dukes from the Italian Renaissance trained from the cradle to political betrayals and to lead armies on the battlefield. But... at the same time, she remains naive and inexperienced. The mixture is endearing.
ATP: They are pretty girls! Yes, cruel and barbaric selfish cunning witches but... beautiful!
Periculum Fortis
(Trial of Strength)
The higher art consists in obtaining the complete surrender of the enemy, after having sunk to the heart of its territory, isolating its places and cutting its lines of communication; and it is a lesser feat to defeat after having destroyed its forces.
Cao Cao (155- 220) Chinese warlord, statesman and poet
In a creaking of wood and rope, the trebuchet's arm suddenly rose and the leather sling snapped, releasing a huge stone ball blessed by the Lady. The projectile described a curved trajectory, letting silver Prana particles illuminate its path. Passing over the walls of Marienburg, the enchanted ball crashed in the middle of the Dark Elves' approaching regiments.
Already, the gunners - peasants in rags - were grabbing the capstans to stretch the ropes again and lower the trebuchet's arm, while others were rolling another ball towards the sling.
Assembled on a square of Marienburg, four Bretonnian's trebuchets bombarded the positions of the Dark Elves. Nevertheless, the Druchii attack was not even slowed down.
On walls, men ran to take position behind battlements. There were Spearmen-at-Arms, battle pilgrims, squires, knights on foot, peasant archers and of course the Marienburg militiamen armed with crossbows.
Standing on the ramparts, Sir Kay held Mortemain- his black sword- in his hand:
"Wait... Wait for my order, don't shoot!"
Archers and crossbowmen gave him a nervous glance before swallowing at the sight of numerous enemy warriors that stretched like a rough sea in the plain of the Reikr.
Above this army, purple and gold black banners snapped in the breeze. Forward, the Druchii halberds could be seen shoulder to shoulder, holding with one hand their almond-shaped shield and in the other, they have a halberd-like weapon with tormented and cruel shape, forged in black steel.
In the mind of Sir Kay Hakuno Kishinami's voice resounds:
[Crossbowmen!]
The Master was safe in the palace, guarded by Sir Bedivere and Taliesin. Nevertheless, Hakuno monitored the entire battlefield with the virtual screens generated by the Regalia. And for the Moon Cell determining the maximum range of the defenders' weapons was child's play.
Sir Kay raised his sword:
"Crossbowmen, on my command..."
He violently cut down Mortemain, making the air whistle:
"Now!"
The crossbowmen raised their weapons, aimed the Druchii, and fired. A murderous cloud of bolts, short and wicked, took flight before striking the wall of shields raised by the Dark Elves, even from the ramparts a series of shocks was heard, like hail on the roofs. Few shots were able to injure or kill an assailant, but the battle had just begun. The first row of crossbowmen retreated to reload while the second row took its place. This second volley was followed by a third, then a fourth... Opposite, the Druchii's shields now looked like hedgehogs.
[Berserker? Archers! ]
Sir Kay nodded and raised Mortemain:
"Archers, fire at will!"
The archers, on the ramparts or gathered behind the walls of Marienburg, stretched out their bows and shot towards the sky. The arrows jumped. Then they reached the peak of their trajectory before being victims of gravitation... and fall almost vertically among the Druchii.
This time the attack did some damage. The projectiles passed through the conical Dark Elves helms, piercing armor and enemies fell in large numbers, the wounded and the dead formed obstacles that their companions had to avoid, causing an accordion effect that broke the splendid ordinance of the Druchii battalions, disorganizing and weakening them.
Happy with the result, Kay designated another group of enemies to the crossbowmen:
"Here, the Cold Bloods Knights! Fire at will!"
Indeed, a group of Darks Elves knights mounted on dinosaurs runners had recklessly advanced within reach of the crossbows. The bolts struck en masse, causing a slaughter from the first volley. Others followed. By the time the Druchii realized their mistake, half of them had already fallen from the saddle... They fled, but a last bolts' volley completed the massacre, leaving only a few fugitives alive.
The response of the Dark Elves took the form of witches with skillfully braided hair and dyed green or purple. They wore metal headbands and... bikini armor showing more than they could hide. Beautiful and poisonous, each one had in hand a long staff with a tortured appearance. Projectiles resembling meteorites of darkness were cast by the witches that pointed at the walls and... the spells disappeared striking an invisible Bounded Field extending just in front of the walls of Marienburg.
Surprised, the witches started their incantations again before pointing their magic wands in the direction of the walkway. But the result was repeated... the black projectiles, capable of gnawing a man to the bone, disappeared by striking the invisible wall.
Taliesin had kept his word, Gréal had raised a Bounded Field impenetrable to Black Magic, depriving the Druchii of their main asset.
Lokir Fellheart, the doom-bringing Krakenlord, Lord of Karond Kar stood on his throne between the wings of Maelstrom, the mighty black dragon that served as his mount.
His Kraken-like mask concealed the expression of his face, but he was worried. Marienburg's defenses deserved their reputation. The first assault was bloody. Although the Darkshards (Drushii units armed with repeating crossbows) came within range and were retaliating, Lokir Fellheart was well aware that most of the shots ricocheted on the battlements. And even the repeating ballistae could not replace the witches. The Krakenlord had counted on them to clean up the ramparts... but Hakuno Kishinami had found a way to neutralize their powers.
Certainly, this mighty Druchii warlord appreciated facing a worthy opponent. Nevertheless, the Sovereign of the Moon was somewhat an opponent too talented for his taste. Although Lokir Fellheart occasionally enjoys difficulty... he hated losing.
Lokir turned to one of his lieutenants:
"Send the harpies to get rides the defenders away of the ramparts!"
Warbeasts were easily replaceable, unlike Druchii warriors.
The harpies were creatures of chaos, cruel, savages, and brutal. They were endowed with bats' wings (unlike the harpy of the Greek legends whose wings were those of a bird) and had claws feet as birds of prey. Nevertheless, the descriptions of these monsters did not dwell much on these animal characteristics. It must be said that the harpies had beautiful faces with angry features and eyes filled with madness, and the voluptuous bust - bare voluptuous bust- of women. Yes, they were attractive and the legends of Bretonnia said that they were able to bewitch their victims, making them unable to defend themselves... and they were not harmless. They were monsters feeding on human flesh. Worse, the harpies liked to torture their victims for long hours before putting them to death.
The harpies' flock, preceded by insane laughter and hideous screams, caused fear among the defenders.
Fortunately, the attack did not go unnoticed.
The Pegasus Knights resembled the other Bretonnian knights, wearing heavy armor of sumptuous plates, as well as helmets adorned with silk veils and surmounted with fantastic crests (swan, sword, globe, and lion or dragon head). They fought with a long conical spear and protected themselves with a kite shield.
However, their mounts were magnificent white Pegasus with large swan wings. These flying horses were much stronger and smarter than ordinary horses. Chivalry novels also celebrated their courage in battle and their loyalty to their masters.
Riding at the head of the Pegasus Knights, one could see an even more impressive winged beast, a hippogriff. His horseman was none other than Louen Leoncoeur, king of Bretonnia.
When he saw the coming harpies, he placed his helmet adorned with a crown of fleur-de-lys on his head, and then brandished the Sword of Couronne:
"My friends, the time has come to charge for glory, to the enemy!"
The other knights hailed him, answering with war cries:
"Pour la belle Bretonnie!"
"Pour la Dame et pour le Graal!"
" Pour Gilles le Breton et les compagnons du Graal!"
The encounter between the Pegasus Knights and the harpies was brief and acrobatic, reminiscent of the clashes between Second World War's fighters. After the initial charge, each Bretonnia knight chose an adversary and pursued her, while the harpies sought to escape their pursuers, maneuvering skillfully and clawing at the face, trying to snatch the knight's eyes if they got too close.
The Knights had initially charged with a spear in hand, but the harpies were too agile and did not let themselves be easily pierced. As the battle evolved into a swirling clash where both sides compelled in acrobatics maneuvers they brandished their blessed swords, blessed silverlite weapons that - once drawn from their sheath- burned with a golden flame.
Barely touched, the harpies - creatures of Chaos- lit up as if they were made of paper and fell from the sky leaving behind them an igneous trajectory similar to that of a shooting star.
Moreover, the Pegasus had strong hooves. When a harpy attacked them or threatened their horsemen, they smashed her skull.
At the heart of the fray, King Louen wielded his legendary sword with dexterity. The monsters that approached him perished immediately, unable to touch him. Besides, the hippogriff Beaquis watched fiercely over his master. His claws and beak were covered with blood.
Unsurprisingly, the harpies were soon routed, flying away.
The losses of the Pegasus Knights had been paltry.
But already another harpies' flock approached them shouting and laughing hysterically...
At the top of a fortified tower, Isabeau de Morglois was watching the battle.
Isabeau was a beautiful young woman with hair concealed by a two-horned hennin covered by a translucent gauze veil. She was dressed in a cotardia dress with sleeves that stretched almost to the ground and generously uncovered her neck. On top, she also wore a long cape of purple velvet.
What doing here a beautiful girl dressed as if she were in the king's court?
She was a Damsel of the Grail as indicated by her long decorated staff. As a magician, Isabeau was quite in his place on the battlefield.
Intensely concentrating, she closed her eyes and extended her hand to the sky.
A pale glow was born between her fingers.
And in the sky a glimmer answered, filtering between the clouds...
Isabeau made the gesture of throwing something to the ground.
And once again heaven obeys her. A comet as bright as silver crossed the clouds and landed precisely on a battalion of Druchii's Blakswords.
Even from a distance, we could see the bodies... and the body parts... projected in all directions.
Isabeau de Morglois vacillates, leaning against the wall not to fall. She was exhausted and it would take her a while to use such powerful magic again. But the Grail Damsel was smiling. The Lady would be pleased with her.
The battle had been raging for several hours.
Pushed back a first time, the Dark Elves had attacked again. And, this time, their sieges machines were approaching the battlements.
The most dangerous was this ram which advanced towards the doors in a squeaking of its full wooden wheels. The sloping roof was dotted with flaming arrows and stone blocks thrown with machicolations bouncing on it. But the defenders were unable to destroy the solid roof, nor to ignite the war machine. It must be said that the wood was covered with freshly skinned skins and wet mud.
Kay leaned over the battlements and turned to the two men armed with a sort of large metal syringe and clad in asbestos' chainmail:
"Now!"
The men bent over the battlements and operated the piston of their strange weapon. A stream of liquid fire came out of the weapon, striking the side of the ram, rushing into the slightest slits of the wood.
There were horrible cries of pain and fright... many Druchii transformed into living torches came out of the casemate on wheels to roll on the ground in a vain attempt to extinguish the flames that devoured them. Selfish, their comrades abandoned them to their fate to seek salvation in flight but collapsed in their turn, transformed into strainers by the archers.
Struck by a stream of Greek Fire, the ram was now aflame.
Sir Kay turned to the enemy lines. He heard a trumpet ringing, and then the ranks of the Dreadspears opened to let... another ram pass.
King Arthur's half-brother breathed a sigh and then turned to the Bretonnians defending the gate:
"What are you waiting for? Can I bring you a cocktail with a small parasol by the pool?"
Artoria was running.
From the beginning of the battle, Artoria had been running and leaping... avoiding the Men-at-Arms cluttering the rampart walk by jumping over them.
Hakuno encouraged her:
[Faster, they are almost on the ramparts.]
[Yes, Master] replied the legendary king.
With a new vertical leap, Saber reached the summit of one of the conical towers overlooking the Marienburg wall. Grasping at the hoardings with one hand, her gorgeous emerald eyes roamed the battlefield without worrying about the Druchii crossbow bolts ricocheting around her... only magical weapons could hurt her.
The Servant of the Sword soon spotted the high siege tower. Made of wood, caparisoned of dark metal plates, it was more than a simple war machine... even powerfully iron-clad it was a dark and tortured work of art, similar to a gothic cathedral spire.
Artoria pointed her invisible sword towards the sky and a ring of golden light rose up along the blade, dispelling the wind scabbard, revealing the steel, gold, and inlaid blue enamels so characteristic of Excalibur.
The Sacred Sword burned with a golden fire. Without pronouncing the name of her Noble Phantasm, and thus releasing only a tiny fraction of his power, King Arthur projected a dazzling beam towards the war machine.
The upper part of the rolling tower was literally erased.
[Bravo Saber!]
Hakuno paused briefly and Artoria suspected that she was consulting the various virtual screens projected by the Regalia.
[Saber, another siege tower approaching southeast.]
Artoria fell back on the walkway and nodded:
[I will go immediately, Master.]
It was the fifth assault tower destroyed by Artoria Pendragon, but the Druchii continued to attack.
Pushed back, they recast their ranks and returned to the assault.
She nodded firmly and her eyes narrowed.
They were worthy adversaries... even if they had no sense of honor.
Sir Gawain looked at the battlements.
A new ram was advancing towards the door. This time, the Druchii had not made the mistake of moving it forward without protection. On either side of the war machine, the Knight of the Sun saw a battalion of Blackswords and behind... crossbowmen. He caught a bolt in the air that would have struck him in the forehead without his lightning reflexes and broke it without giving it much importance, a bit like an ordinary man would crush a mosquito.
Those Druchii knew how to aim!
Any man who exposed himself to defend the walls would be quickly killed...
Of course, Gawain could use his Noble Phantasm, but the Bounded Field created by Taliesin used a lot of Mana. The Moon Cell no longer had sufficient reserves to invoke Enemy-Programs to help them. It was better to be thrifty and use a Noble Phantasm than in an emergency.
His forehead folded under the effect of reflection. Unfortunately, he had no idea what he could do to stop the enemy.
Certainly, Gawain was the perfect knight in shining armor, handsome, excellent fighter, knowing how to speak well. But - in truth- subtlety was not his forte and he struggled to imagine a solution to a tactical problem, apart from direct attack...
[Saber?]
Gawain immediately put his right hand on his heart and bowed:
[Yes, my Lady?]
[Lancer has an idea...]
Sir Gawain listened to the explanation that his Master repeated and smiled... Sir Bedivere would always surprise him, what an elegant solution!
The Dark Elven warriors were advancing towards the gates, looking around them. They held their swords in one hand and lifted up their righteous shields under the eyes of the other hardly straying from their comrades in arms.
After several assaults on the north gate, the spectacle surrounding them was frightening, justifying their distrust.
The ground was strewn with arrows planted in the ground and broken weapons. Here and there, we could see siege machines: rams, mobile shields, rolling towers, blood-covered assault ladders, sometimes set on fire. And everywhere there were corpses of Druchii or warbeasts.
The cries of the wounded and the dying would have terrified the most hardened veteran.
Death reigned here...
Yet...
Yet...
The defenders did not attack, remaining well protected from the walls. The Druchii did not doubt that the Marienburgers were preparing a very bad surprise for them. However, they did not know what they were preparing. Also, with each meter that brought them closer to the door, their anxiety increased.
But even though the tree trunk with the iron-reinforced head was now only a few steps away from the north gate, the silence continued... as if the defenders had disappeared.
The soldiers who pushed the casemate on wheels stopped and grabbed the bars allowing them to set the ram in motion.
At this point, just before they could strike the first blow, an object came down from the machicolations. A bomb? A barrel of flaming naphtha? A big stone?
None of this, a simple ordinary rope... well, except for the noose at its end.
Before the Druchii had time to recover from their surprise, the noose wrapped around the ram head and tightened up!
The Druchii tried to hold the ram, but those who pulled the rope were much stronger than them!
The ram and the rolling casemate tore off the ground and were hoisted to the battlements before the defenders released the rope!
Upon touching the ground, the casemate broke into a thousand pieces while a cheer resounded on the walls.
Disgusted, the Dark Elves made a pathetic U-turn. (1)
The Druchii would have been even more humiliated if they had seen Gawain release the rope. The Servant alone had lifted up the heavy ram, in spite of the forty sappers who sought to restrain it.
As the Bretonnian's Men-at-Arms cheered him, stunned by his feat, he had a smile - falsely - modest:
"A knight must be ready for the greatest exploits for his King. This is nothing."
Sir Gawain, King Arthur's favorite nephew, had the broad shoulders of a weightlifter, an unsightly appearance that bothered him... especially when Kay made fun of him by calling him a 'gorilla'. But being strong also had its advantages.
The afternoon was well underway when - for the fourth time - the Dark Elves stormed. This time, they were determined to commit all their strength. Among the battalions of Dreadspears and Blackswords, hydras with blunt bodies and many heads swinging at the ends of long snakes moved toward the walls.
Circling over the Darkshards formations, black dragons were preparing for the attack.
The Druchii were welcomed by hurling arrows, blessed balls, and crossbows bolts as at each of their visits. However, before they reached the walls, the black dragons plowed down the battlements and their fire-blows formed cones of destruction on the walkway.
Caught in the vortex of flames capable of melting the steel, the defenders blackened almost instantly and curled up.
When the Dark Elves supported their assault ladders against the walls of Marienburg, they were able to climb at several points without being stopped. Here and there the bodies of the Bretonians littered the rampart walk, transformed into coal.
They occupied several bridgeheads which spread rapidly despite the arrival of reinforcements. Fierce fighting began, a series of bloody and undecided hand-to-hand combat.
Fortunately, the black dragons were not enough to attack everywhere the Druchii brought ladders. Elsewhere, the evil elves had great losses during the assault of the walls. Naphtha grenades, heavy stones, molten lead, boiling oil, and sand given to red were used against them.
Jeanne de Barre was a 'Damsel of the Beasts', that is to say, a Bretonnian's magician whose power consisted essentially in controlling the animals. She was a beautiful young woman in a blue dress, mounted on a unicorn. Her blond hair was gathered in a long braid that fell on her shoulder. A bandeau adorned with an opal pressed her forehead.
She raised a magic wand by concentrating:
"Hellish Cloud!"
Immediately, the spell took effect. The ravens that had come to the battlefield to devour the corpses took flight and descended upon the Druchii who were climbing the ladders. The ferocious birds beaked at the eyes, scratched the hands, and struck with their wings. Several Dark Elves lost their balance and fell into the void.
Delighted with the effect of her spell, Jeanne de Barre stretched out her arm and concentrated once again.
A blue light appears under the feet of the nearest group of defenders, closing their wounds, erasing their fatigue, restoring their courage.
Immediately, the battle pilgrims - about to give in - stopped to retreat and stormed away while singing psalms extolling the exploits of the Grail's Knights.
Around Sir Kay, the battle was fierce. Swordsmen-at-Arms and dismounted knights faced Black Ark Privateers and Executioners. The fight was still undecided, but the Druchii were constantly receiving reinforcements and they were better fighters.
Of course, if Sir Kay had fought in the front row he would probably have turned the tide of battle in an instant, except he had a big problem...
"But you're not gonna leave me alone, you kitty cat? Did someone forget to give you your kibbles this morning?"
The 'kitty cat' in question was a manticore! No doubt exasperated by the mockery of his opponent, it made a furious roar. The monster looked like a huge lion, with bat wings and a barbed tail. Its completely red eyes betrayed its evil nature.
Even the bravest knights were frightened... you had to be crazy to provoke a manticore. Even a hydra or a dragon thought twice before entering the hunting territory of one of these monsters. For the Dark Elves, the manticores were the favorite creatures of Khaine, the lord of murder, their main deity. It spoke volumes about the cunning, ferocity, and cruelty of this monster.
[Berserker, Guard!]
The Manticore tail snapped like a whip but, guided by Hakuno, Kay blocked without a problem and counterattacked.
[Guard!]
Three more times the manticore attacked and each time Hakuno's precise orders allowed Kay to stop the attacks without receiving more than a few scratches, and each time, the Knight of the Round counterattacked, wounding the winged lion. After this first engagement, the monster leaps back, looking at Kay with distrust:
[Break!]
Berserker obeyed, leaping forward. His sword rose high and fell upon the monster, drawing a bloody line on its shoulder and flank.
The manticore made a new leap back and...
[Break!]
This time the staggering monster, touched in the head, seriously wounded and blinded with blood that flowed over its eyes, leaped to seize its enemy between its claws, hoping to immobilize him and bite him. It was a powerful but slow move.
[Attack!]
Guided by Hakuno, Kay struck the monster at the right time, pushing his sword under his jaw and transpiercing his throat. Although dying, the monster wanted to strike again but the master guessed it:
[Guard!]
Sir Kay stepped back, clearing his blade and blocking the claw. He then took a side step before swirling and the monster's paw fell to the ground, cleanly cut. The monster collapsed, dying.
The foster brother of King Arthur smiled:
[Tell me, Little Mouse, where did you learn to fight the manticores?]
[Artoria.]
[Artoria?]
There was a break and then the Master went on to say:
[Saber always asks me to use the Regalia to show her animal documentaries about lions. Manticores, winged lions. ]
[Okay... Please, little mouse, don't tell my sister I killed a manticore... she'd blame me for months for killing a winged lion. She's surprisingly sensitive when it comes to lions.]
Hakuno Kishinami lost interest in the clash around Kay, the death of the manticore had demoralized the Dark Elves and they began to recede. Enlarging some virtual windows, the Inheritor of the Moon focused on other aspects of the battle. She first located Artoria.
King Arthur had taken the lead of the Bretonian cavalry. She charged the Dark Elves who had succeeded in seizing several sections of the rampart and who went down the streets of Marienburg. A dangerous situation, but the Grail Knights were still fresh, having not participated in the fighting while the Druchii were exhausted and decimated.
The charge of the knights was immediately victorious.
Saber smashed halberds and shields, leaving dozens dead around her. The legendary King seemed invincible. Under the orders of such a leader, the knights mowed down the Druchii as if they were only ears of wheat under the scythe of the reaper.
The Dark Elves attack quickly turned into a pitiful flight.
At her side, Sir Bedivere nodded his head with an approvable look:
"Never forget that the intervention of the reserves is often the decisive moment in a battle. If you keep your most seasoned and mobile troops out of combat and you bring them in at the right time and in the right place, you win. It is this talent for determining the timing and placement of troops that make great generals."
Hakuno understood that the one-armed knight congratulated her but she shook her head before designating a virtual window showing the King of Knights covered in blood to the shoulder: "Artoria's timing" then designated Lancer: "your plan."
Sir Bedivere smiled briefly:
"It's true, King Arthur took the initiative to engage the reserves and My King's timing proved excellent. And it's also true that I imagined the defense of Marienburg. But, Master, it was you who insisted on placing the cavalry in this square. Why?"
Hakuno makes a head tilt. Although unable to make complicated explanations, she tried it in her inimitable way:
"It wasn't obvious? Fewer towers... More spaced... away from all the doors?"
"Master, when you have the eye of the tactician, this kind of weakness is always obvious for a skilled tactician. But not everyone has this ability."
Hakuno thought for a moment:
"King Arthur, me and you, good team?"
Bedivere's smile came back:
"Yes, Master, we make a good team."
The silence took place.
Neither Hakuno nor Bedivere was talkative.
The battle was clearly to the advantage of the defenders.
A black dragon pierced with arrows had just fallen not far from a dying hydra. King Louen and the Royal Pegasus faced another. The powerful creature was in a bad position, attacked from all sides, covered with blood.
Hakuno became interested in the north gate, wishing to see how Gawain was doing.
The north doors were on the ground, turned into a pile of molten metal and burned wood beams.
The hydra advanced, transformed into a pincushion by archers and crossbowmen. But the monster was still dangerous and proved it. Three of his heads spit out fire cones that ravaged the ranks of the Men-at-Arms defending the entrance. The survivors fled, horrified by the horrible injuries caused by the monster.
Gawain raised Excalibur Galatine and jumped forward. He had immediately seen the monster's weak spot. The hydra had, of course, multiple heads at the end of long, very agile necks, but its legs were ridiculously short. It was moving slowly, awkwardly.
Handled like a wood axe, Galatine struck the monster's front leg. The hydra uttered a long hissing cry and collapsed from the side.
Already the heads were reacting and Gawain dodged several quick attacks.
Suddenly, the Knight of the Sun planted his sword in the ground. Immediately a magic circle appeared, centered on the representation of the star of the day.
An instant later a violent explosion of golden flames enveloped the dragon's cousin.
The monster fell to the side, agitated with tremors. He was not dead but severely wounded.
"Die vile creature!"
Once again, Gawain attacked, but two of the heads turned towards him, spitting a stream of fire. Touched, the Knight of the round fell to the ground.
[Code Cast: Heal (54)!]
Gawain's wounds closed and he smiled, acknowledging:
[Thank you, Master]
Hakuno's mental voice continued:
[Ignites Galatine, more effective against hydra.]
[Yes, Master.]
Obedient, he raised his sword and the blade was enveloped by a solar flame. The last two active heads of the hydra were severed... the flaming weapon prevented the wounds from regenerating and the hydra died.
Hakuno moved some virtual screens with a hand gesture, looking for Artoria.
She wanted to send her to reinforce the breach in the north gate.
The Sovereign of the Moon found King Arthur in the middle of a battle.
The Druchii came from a part of the rampart they had conquered seeking to advance into the city but were prevented from doing so by the Knights of Bretonnia. From a section of the rampart still in the hands of the defenders, the archers were firing down on the Dark Elves who were trying to stop the cavalry charges that were relentless in their rows.
The battle was to the advantage of her side except that...
In the center of the square, on horseback with her invisible sword in her hand, Artoria Pendragon faced a black dragon.
The creature was visibly wounded and moving slowly, unable to fly. As for Saber, she revolved around the monster, attacking and dodging it.
As Artoria passed behind it, the black dragon tried to crush her with a tail stroke, but the King of Knights made her steed jump, dodging the tail, and then retaliated. The sword struck the back paw.
Furious, the monster gave him a wing-stroke that struck into the void. Then he howled as Excalibur tore one of its bat-like wings.
Furious, the dragon opened its mouth and Hakuno saw flames between the teeth...
The next moment, the monster staggered. Jumping out of the saddle, King Arthur struck the enormous head, brutally closing the jaw. Clinging to the muzzle, the King of England climbed to the back of the monster's skull.
The black dragon was struggling. But, now firmly in place, Artoria made her sword appear again and struck with one hand, once, twice... ten times... with each new wound, the dragon howled with pain. He eventually fell to the ground and contorted himself with pitiful groans. Its head was but a single wound and a puddle of blood spread over the cobblestones.
Artoria lifted up her sword, which burned with golden light, and then cut it down on the beast's neck.
As incredible as it may seem, in one fell swoop, the little girl with the body of a teenager beheaded the huge black dragon.
Just then, the door opened brutally to make way for a Sister of Slaughter. This Dark Elf was dressed in bikini armor, her face covered with war paintings and armed with two daggers like lightning. Hakuno had only a brief moment to look at her, for the murderer had already leaped ahead with the firm intention of slitting her throat.
But Bedivere was even faster.
His silver spear appeared in his one hand, striking the assassin several times. The female Dark Elf collapsed to the ground...
Shaking with her hands pressed to the chest, Hakuno stood up to look at the door open, her eyes widened by fear and amazement.
The Sovereign of the Moon heard heavy, metallic footsteps in the corridor. But the one who appeared in the light was a friendly face... err... more or less.
Agravain entered the office, pulling another Sister of Slaughter's hair as she struggled and screamed. A hand on the heart, the Dark Knight greeted with a minimum of politeness, and then glanced at the corpse of the first assassin and another at Bedivere's blood-stained spear:
"As I had planned, Master, the Druchii sought to assassinate you by taking advantage of the battle's mess. If you count my prisoner and the one Sir Bedivere killed, there's not a single one left. You're safe."
Without a word more, Agravain turned around and closed the door behind him.
If we forgot the corpse on the ground, Hakuno might as well have imagined this scene.
The Inheritor of the Moon turned to virtual screens to take an interest in the aftermath of the battle. But wherever she looked, the fighting had ended. The Dark Elves threw their weapons to escape or surrender. The monsters lay dead or had taken advantage of the confusion to regain their freedom.
She saw only one Black Dragon still alive, the mount of Lokir Fellheart. High in the sky, the dragon of the Krakenlord flew towards the north, abandoning the debris of his army to their sad fate.
(1) Strange as it may seem, this is a classical method of eliminating a siege ram. The Greeks and Gauls already knew it in Antiquity. But as it is never seen in movies or historical novels you have probably never heard of this method.