The forest of Merod was silent, yet it concealed a deadly trap within its depths. General Marioth's forces, 7,000 strong, advanced with confidence and arrogance, believing they were merely crossing an ordinary forest on their way to Lionji. Their shouts filled the air, and their armor gleamed in the sunlight that began to filter through the dense tree branches. They laughed and talked about Lionji's spoils, unaware that every step they took brought them closer to their inevitable fate.
Marioth's forces delved deeper into the heart of the forest, where the trees grew thicker and visibility became limited. Suddenly, from among the dense trees, from every side, strange sounds erupted. They weren't the sounds of arrows, but sharp noises, like small lightning bolts, followed by a slight metallic whistle.
500 flintlock pistols fired, in the hands of Kisor's elite soldiers, who were skillfully hidden behind rocks and trees, unleashing their fire. 500 soldiers, firing from the shadows, unseen by anyone. The small metal projectiles pierced through armor and struck bodies. 237 shots hit their targets directly, killing soldiers instantly or inflicting severe injuries, leaving them writhing in their own blood. The rest were minor injuries or misses, but true terror had already spread through their hearts. The sound of death had come to them, a sound they had never heard before, an unstoppable sound, a sound that ripped through the silence and shattered nerves.
Shock swept through Marioth's army. They paused for a moment, their eyes wide with absolute terror. They didn't understand what was happening. They couldn't see their enemies, yet they were falling by the hundreds. Panic began to spread like wildfire.
"What is this? Magic?" shouted one soldier, seeing his comrade fall beside him without seeing who fired. "They're ghosts! Ghosts of the forest!"
"Retreat! Retreat! Surround these cowards!" Marioth shouted, his face flushed with rage, as he tried to understand what was happening. He ordered his forces to retreat and try to encircle the 500 soldiers who were firing from the shadows, but chaos had already taken hold of his ranks.
But while his forces tried to encircle the soldiers, an even more terrifying sound came, a sound that shook the earth and sky, a sound they had only heard in their nightmares, a sound that ripped through their eardrums and shattered their bones.
The ten iron projectiles exploded from the muzzles of the culverin cannons, like bolts of hellfire. A one-sided massacre began. The cannons fired their shells relentlessly, tearing through Marioth's ranks, throwing them into the air like rag dolls. Soldiers' bodies were scattered, blood flowed like rivers, mixing with the forest earth.
The culverin cannons and flintlock weapons continued to fire non-stop for 15 minutes. Every minute felt like an eternity of hell. Soldiers were falling by the hundreds, finding nowhere to hide, and not knowing where this destructive power was coming from. Cries of pain and terror filled the forest, mingled with the clang of metal and the roar of explosions.
Marioth was wounded in the hand; a shrapnel pierced his armor, causing a deep gash. He screamed at his soldiers, trying to organize them, but panic had completely overtaken them. Of his 7,000-strong army, only 3,700 soldiers remained. But they were no longer able to fight. Their morale had completely collapsed. They trembled, their eyes filled with terror, awaiting their fate, despairing of any hope of survival.
At that moment, as the sounds of the cannons and flintlocks faded, Sevara's combat forces advanced. 3,000 Kisor soldiers, advancing in organized formations, their swords gleaming, their spears ready. They no longer needed the cannons. It was time for hand-to-hand combat, time to crush what remained of the enemy's spirit.
Kisor's soldiers surged towards Marioth's shattered army. The fighting was short and brutal. Sevara clashed directly with Marioth. Despite Marioth's strength, his hand injury and collapsed morale left him weak. Sevara killed him in a few swift moves, his sword piercing Marioth's heart, ending his life.
Of the rest of the army, another 800 were killed in the short engagement. The remainder, about 2,900 soldiers, surrendered completely, raising their hands, begging for mercy, trembling with fear.
The Battle of Merod Village was over. It ended with a complete victory for Kisor's forces.
Celebration and a New Vision
Enthusiastic shouts rose from Kisor's soldiers, their voices filling the air and echoing through the forest, like a victory anthem. "Long live the morshditt of all people! Long live the morshditt of all people! Long live Zidan!" This was a slogan Zidan had repeated a few times, and the soldiers had liked it, making it their new motto, representing their vision for a better future.
Sevara looked at the captives, then at the scattered enemy corpses. "Gather the prisoners!" Sevara shouted, his voice filling the battlefield. "In chains! Towards Lionji! As slaves to begin the reconstruction process! Let them know that whoever tries to destroy us will participate in our building! Let them know that justice is coming!"
A few hours later, news of the complete victory reached Kisor. Joy literally spread throughout the entire town. The residents, who had been anxiously waiting, burst into celebrations. Flags fluttered, people danced in the streets, and exchanged congratulations.
In the palace, Layla quickly opened the door, her face radiant with a smile, her eyes gleaming with joy. The hall was filled with everyone, who had already learned of the victory through Marion's spies.
"We won! We won!" Layla shouted, her voice filling the hall with joy, as if announcing a new birth. "Long live Kisor! Long live Kisor! Glory to Zidan!"
Zidan smiled. This was the victory he had awaited. Zidan ordered a massive feast for everyone—soldiers, residents, refugees. Joy permeated every corner of Kisor, as if it were a single city celebrating its bright future.
The Dawn of a New Era: Steam and Railways
After the feast ended, late at night, Zidan met with Master Rojo and Smith in his secret underground laboratory. With them was a new young scientist, with intelligent features, named Gabros. Gabros had heard of Zidan's ideas and was eager to join his team.
"Gentlemen," Zidan said, his voice calm yet carrying a tone of determination. "We have achieved a great victory. But this is just the beginning. Now, it's time to build the future. It's time to connect our kingdom."
Zidan extended his hands and handed them scrolls of papers. These were the blueprints for the steam train and railways, which he had summarized from his Neuralink chip a few days earlier. The drawings were complex, but they held a vision of a future no one had imagined.
"I want you to prepare this massive project," Zidan said. "I want us to connect Kisor, Sigret, and Lionji with railways. This will facilitate the movement of supplies and support, and will connect our cities to each other. It will make us an unstoppable force. We will be able to transport soldiers and supplies at incredible speed. We will change the face of trade, and the face of war."
Gabros was stunned. His eyes widened, and his mouth hung slightly open, as if he had seen a miracle. A steam train? Railways? This was unheard of in this world.
"A steam train?" Gabros mumbled, his eyes fixed on the blueprints, then on Zidan. "This... this is incredible! The power of steam? Is this truly possible?"
But he quickly regained his composure. He had seen what Zidan had done with cannons and bombs. He had seen what he had done with cement. He had seen what he had done with agriculture. If Zidan said it was possible, it was possible.
Rojo and Smith smiled, their eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. They had grown accustomed to Zidan's "crazy" ideas and had come to believe in them absolutely.
"My Lord Baron, this is an incredibly massive project," Smith said, his voice carrying a tone of admiration. "But it's... possible. Absolutely possible! We'll need a lot of metal, and a lot of workers, but we'll do it!"
"Exactly," Zidan said. "Now, begin to study the idea in depth. Find the best possible connection points. I want a detailed report on everything. This is our future. This is the future of the morshditt of all people."
The three scientists began to study the blueprints, their minds working rapidly, excited by the new challenge. Kisor was preparing for an industrial revolution, a revolution that would change the face of the kingdom forever, and perhaps the face of the entire world.