"The Chaos army has appeared in the southern part of Wiesen!"
"Hofen has fallen! More than three hundred soldiers have all perished!"
"Luke Castle has fallen, and all five hundred soldiers under Baron Luke are dead!"
"Greybeard Castle has fallen!"
"Requesting support! We need reinforcements!"
Urgent reports were sent to Nul one after another, indicating a critical military situation.
The entire city immediately mobilized. In the middle of the night, Ryan was urgently called by Emilia to participate in Nul's war council.
At the war council, almost all the major nobles of Nul were present. Many were awakened in the middle of the night, but due to the tense atmosphere in recent times, the nobles and generals of Nul responded quickly.
"What is happening? Tell me, my generals, how could the Chaos army suddenly cross the Black Mountains and appear in the southern part of Wiesen!" Standing in front of her seat, the Imperial Duchess angrily addressed Nul's Grand Marshal Erlstein, "Why did our scouts not discover them?"
Nul's Grand Marshal Erlstein, fully armored, replied loudly, "It's not that the scouts didn't discover them, my Duchess, but the speed of the Chaos army is too fast. Thousands of Kurgan cavalry suddenly appeared in southern Wiesen. The scouts had just sent the message to the city when the Chaos army arrived. Under such circumstances, we couldn't expect the soldiers to do more!"
Emilia was not unaware of the Chaos army's situation. In Blackheart Reep's description, he mentioned that the Chaos army had a cavalry force numbering in the tens of thousands. The Imperial Duchess's questioning stemmed from a natural anger, shame, and a need to assign blame.
"We don't know how these Chaos armies crossed the Blackfire Pass, but it has already happened!" Nul's Ironclad Army Commander Jubal Fulk shouted, "Now is not the time to dwell on this, my Duchess. We must immediately send troops to the southern part of Wiesen to cover the retreat of our people!"
"Yes, and then we must engage the Chaos army in Nul," agreed High Priest Casimir IX. He loudly proclaimed, "Strong fortifications are everything, Duchess. In our current state, we cannot battle the Chaos army in the field!"
"Agreed."
"Seconded!"
On this point, everyone was unanimous.
Even Ryan nodded in agreement.
Fighting the Chaos army in the field was a death sentence. Both Nul's City Council and Ryan understood this. The Chaos army excelled in field battles. Even with the support of a knight's army, Nul's forces could hardly defeat the Chaos army in the field.
The only thing Nul's army could rely on was its extremely strong fortifications. The city walls were equipped with thousands of cannons, roaring flamethrowers, and several high wizard towers, which were the Empire's greatest reliance.
"So we just wait here?" Emilia gripped the armrest of her chair tightly and shook her head violently, "We cannot sit here and do nothing!"
Everyone began discussing how to counter this Chaos invasion.
In fact, although the Chaos army's attack took Wiesen by surprise, thanks to Blackheart Reep's timely warning, Wiesen had prepared for a scorched earth strategy. Apart from the initial unprepared defense of two cities, the southern part of Wiesen had been ready for evacuation. The peasants had completed the autumn harvest and were ready to retreat at any time. Many cities and castles had only left a small number of troops behind. The Chaos army's advance merely eliminated these garrisons, leaving a wasteland.
"I think we should do this," Ryan stood up and addressed everyone, "We need to divide our tasks."
"I will lead the elite troops and knights to the south to cover the refugees' retreat while selectively targeting and destroying the enemy's vital forces," Ryan said seriously, "As for Duchess Emilia and Grand Marshal Erl, you stay in Nul and prepare the city for war, improving its defenses."
"I will go with you!" Nul's Chief Judge Theodore Bruckner stepped forward.
"No, Theodore. You and Lady Elspeth should stay in Nul," Ryan shook his head, "You are the only two Sanctuary powerhouses in Nul. Your presence is the city's morale. You both must stay."
Turning around, Ryan addressed Grandmaster Pfitzman of the Order of the Sun and Lord Carad standing in the distance, "Let's go."
"No problem. In the name of Myrmidia, it's an honor to fight alongside you!" Grandmaster Pfitzman of the Order of the Sun stood straight, "Let the war come more fiercely!"
"Ready to depart at any time," Carad remained calm.
"Good. We don't need too many people. A few thousand are enough; more would be a hindrance," Ryan mused, "Our task is to slow the Chaos army's advance and target key objectives. Additionally, Marquis Oger's main force is still at Blackfire Pass, and they need time to retreat."
Marquis Oger Hawke of Wiesen had also been caught off guard by the Chaos army's surprise attack. The main forces of Wiesen were still defending Blackfire Pass, but the Chaos army had already invaded Wiesen from the south!
"Agreed," Ryan's plan was well-reasoned, and most of Nul's council supported it.
However, Emilia's expression changed. The Imperial Duchess did not actually want Ryan to leave Nul. She preferred Ryan to stay by her side, as only then did she feel safe.
After thinking for a moment, Emilia deflected by asking her attendant, "Has our Emperor received the news?"
"Emperor Karl Franz is currently in Hawke with the Beastmen army and the Chaos warband from the Brass Mountains," the attendant replied, "He said he cannot withdraw his troops now, and even if he could, it would take at least two to three months to bring his army from Hawke to support Nul."
"Useless!" Emilia was furious. She then asked, "What about Elector Umberto?"
"Elector Umberto is still defending Blackfire Pass. There are still countless Chaos troops there. He said he cannot provide support!" The attendant was sweating.
Emilia felt a nameless fire burning in her chest. At this critical moment, this one was useless, and that one was also useless!
But she really didn't want Ryan to leave!
Finally, the Imperial Duchess pinned her hopes on Nul's Black Lady, the Rose of the Graveyard, Elspeth, "Black Lady, do you think Ryan's proposal is reasonable?"
"Reasonable," the Black Lady said flatly, "We need his strength."
"Fine then," Emilia had nothing more to say, "Ryan, I will handle the logistics. I entrust this task to you."
"Understood," Ryan replied softly.
Without further ado, after the decision was made, Ryan, Carad, and Grandmaster Pfitzman of the Order of the Sun immediately turned to leave.
"Wait!" Emilia, still displeased with Ryan leaving, called out, "Ryan, take Blackheart Reep with you. His experience in fighting Chaos will be helpful."
"Alright!" Ryan agreed without further comment. He nodded again and quickly left. Several knights of the Order of the Sun and Grail Knights lined up and left Nul's city council in single file.
"Erl, the city's defenses are in your hands. I need every citizen who can wield a sword to receive adequate war training!" Watching Ryan leave, Emilia ordered sharply.
"Yes!" Grand Marshal Erlstein of Nul responded loudly.
"Drake!" Emilia continued, "Find and organize all the militia and veterans who have served in Nul's army. Close all gates facing south, send out scouts, monitor the surroundings of Nul 24/7, control all entertainment activities and banquets, strictly guard the armory, increase patrols on the streets. I need to ensure there are no problems in the city. Use force if necessary. Also, hang my family crest and Ryan's family crest at the top of the city council and the Elector's palace. Spread the word that Wiesen's army has already won a great victory against Chaos in the south and will soon return!"
"Yes!" Dressed in black armor, Drake stepped forward and saluted, "As you command, my Duchess!"
"Gunter Maybach!" Emilia finally turned her gaze to Nul's Chief Engineer.
"Present," the Chief Engineer of Nul stepped forward.
"Your task is to prepare those steel monsters!" Emilia's ring-laden hand gripped the armrest tightly, "If all goes well, we will need them soon."
"Understood!" Gunter Maybach nodded, his heart filled with anticipation.
"All of you must be ready for war! Now is the time to defend our homeland. Chaos may be strong, they may have the favor of the dark gods, or something else, but they do not know what kind of city this is!" Emilia clapped her hands, standing up, gripping the Elector's Holy Sword at her waist.
"This is the city of the Savior; this is our city; this is the Empire's city." The holy sword was drawn, glowing with bright blue energy, surrounded by bright flames, "We have never forgotten war; we will never forget war. It is an honor to stand with you today. I am with you, sharing your hardships, fighting alongside you. Now, let the blood and mud of Chaos forge new glory and brilliance for Nul!"
An old fervor enveloped Nul's city council. United, all members of the council raised their weapons towards the Imperial Duchess.
"For Nul, for the Savior Ludwig, for Charlemagne, for the Empire!"
Men, women, and even dwarves shouted in unison
, their voices deafening, echoing through the grand city council of Nul, expressing their resolve.
"For the Empire!"
Blood surged, bones creaked.
The Empire, magnificent and great, ignorant and decayed.
But it would never yield to evil.
Never.
I will never yield.
Ryan and his men spent the night gathering troops. The next morning, Ryan led a cavalry force of over four thousand out of the city, heading south to Wiesen, prepared to aid Wiesen, protecting its army and people in their retreat.
Ryan's wife, Sulia, also arrived. The female knight handed her son over to Sylvia and Olica and decided to follow her husband to battle. Seeing Sulia's determination, Ryan said no more and immediately joined her.
This cavalry force consisted of a thousand Bretonian knights, nearly a thousand knights of the Order of the Sun, two regiments of pistol cavalry, and one regiment of vanguard squires. Ryan also brought two regiments of old guard, the Old Guard Infantry Regiment and the Old Guard Rifle Cavalry Regiment, all well-mounted.
Riding his pureblood elven warhorse, Grapes, Ryan gazed at Wiesen's vast plains, frowning, "Indeed, holding Nul is the only option."
Wiesen, an area of high urbanization, had fertile land but no natural defenses. The Empire's only reliance was its strong fortifications and scorched earth strategy. When the enemy arrived, villages and farms on the plains would be abandoned, people would collectively retreat to nearby cities and castles, leaving hunger and disease to the far-journeying enemy.
But now, facing Tamurkhan and his Chaos army, this strategy was not very effective because, in the face of the Chaos Dwarfs' war machines, even the proud cities and castles were falling.
Along the way, Ryan saw a tide of refugees heading towards Nul. The numb citizens carried all their possessions, transported by carts, pushed by hand, or carried on their backs, slowly retreating under the Empire's army's command.
"Southern Wiesen is all plains and hills, with no natural defenses," Grandmaster Pfitzman of the Order of the Sun said, "If the information is correct, the Chaos army has already advanced to Gnarr City, which is High Priest Casimir IX's hometown."
"Should we immediately support Gnarr City, Lord Ryan?" Carad, riding his pureblood elven warhorse, asked, frowning. Carad had brought Ryan's griffon mount, Imprison, for this support mission. Imprison was now following the army, flying freely in the sky.
"No, by the time we arrive at Gnarr, it will surely have fallen," Ryan shook his head, "Let's reach the front line first, then formulate a battle plan!"
"Understood!" This army, carrying hope, quickly headed south along the road to provide aid.
After a week, Ryan and his cavalry army reached the front lines.
As expected, when they arrived, Gnarr City had already fallen. The eight hundred defenders had all perished, but besides that, Tamurkhan gained only an evacuated, burned-out city with nothing left.
Furious at having nothing to loot or sacrifice, Tamurkhan immediately ordered the Chaos army to advance in three columns towards Wiesen's capital, Feldorf!
Thus, when Ryan's army arrived at the southern Wiesen town of Waldbach, scouts reported that a Chaos vanguard was only thirty kilometers away!
"Call a military council immediately! Everyone to the main camp!"
"Yes, sir!"
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]