Chapter 136 – Birth of the Cavalry Crossbow Corps
The sky above Eisenwald burned with a copper-red hue, as though the heavens themselves bore witness to the turning of an age. In the wide training yard beside the main barracks, blacksmiths, woodworkers, and soldiers gathered in a circle, their faces filled with curiosity and anticipation.
Fenrir stood upon a simple wooden platform, Kael Morgenstern at his right, Selene and Darius behind him. In his hand rested a strange new weapon that many of his soldiers had never seen before: a crossbow.
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Fenrir raised the weapon so all could see. The frame was forged of lightened steel and black wood, its design compact yet deadly.
"This weapon," Fenrir began, his voice steady and commanding, "will change the way wars are fought. It does not demand great strength like a longbow, nor years of training. Even a novice can fire a steel bolt strong enough to pierce heavy armor."
Murmurs rippled among the crowd.
At Fenrir's signal, Roland Ironarm, the stout blacksmith, stepped forward carrying a battered breastplate salvaged from enemy spoils. The armor was hung upon a wooden post.
Fenrir loaded the crossbow, pulled the lever until it locked, and set the bolt in place.
Thunk!
The bolt flew with a sharp hiss, slamming through the steel plate. The armor shuddered, then collapsed to the ground with a hollow clang.
Gasps erupted. Soldiers exchanged stunned glances.
"Incredible…" Darius muttered, his eyes wide. "Even a phalanx wall won't hold against this."
Selene crossed her arms, her expression serious though her eyes betrayed intrigue. "Bows remain vital for long-range volleys. But this… this is a weapon for breaking shield walls."
Kael grinned faintly, his eyes gleaming. "And if mounted upon horses… it would be like thunder striking across the battlefield."
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A New Idea – The Cavalry Crossbow Corps
Fenrir lowered the weapon and swept his gaze across the crowd.
"From this day forth," he declared, voice booming across the yard, "Eisenwald will form a new division. The Cavalry Crossbow Corps."
The crowd buzzed with murmurs. The concept was alien to them—mounted warriors firing bolts of steel as they thundered past? It was difficult to imagine.
Fenrir pressed on.
"This corps will not replace our archers or cavalry. They will bridge them. The speed of a horse, combined with the piercing power of the crossbow, will allow us to strike like lightning. Before the enemy even regains their footing, we will be gone."
Kael stepped forward. "I will aid in their training, though I will not lead them directly—Crimson Knights remain my foremost duty. But this division… it will need a captain of its own."
Fenrir nodded. "Exactly. Recruitment will come soon. But for now, we begin small—one hundred and twenty men chosen for agility and courage. This is the first step."
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That very evening, 120 soldiers were summoned. They were a mixture of nimble young infantrymen and the finest light cavalry riders.
Roland and his apprentices distributed prototype crossbows. Not all were perfect—some jammed, some misfired—but each was functional enough for the first training.
"Grip the stock tight. Pull the lever until it locks. Place the bolt. Aim. Squeeze the trigger," Roland bellowed.
Thunk-thunk-thunk!
Bolts flew into wooden targets. Some struck true, others skewed, and a few bounced clumsily. Yet even the weakest recruits succeeded in driving their bolts deep enough to stick.
Fenrir watched silently, lips curling in a small smile. "They are rough, unpolished… but imagine one hundred horses loosing bolts at close range, then vanishing before the enemy strikes back."
Kael smirked. "A storm no army will be ready for."
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That night, in the dim-lit war room, the commanders gathered.
Darius Holt folded his arms, frowning. "I admit the weapon is strong. But it may disrupt our balance. Infantry remains the backbone. If we rely too heavily on this, discipline could falter."
Selene's voice was firm. "Crossbows are powerful, but their range is shorter than longbows. If we abandon archers, we risk losing the skies of the battlefield."
Roland slammed a fist on the table. "That's why it must stand as its own corps! Not a replacement, a complement. And don't forget—they can be trained in months, not years!"
Kael turned his eyes to Fenrir. "The choice rests with you, My Lord. But if I may say… I see greatness in this. This corps could become Eisenwald's secret weapon."
Fenrir listened, then stood, his presence silencing the room.
"You are all right. Infantry holds the line. Archers rain death. The Crimson Knights remain our spear. But history does not wait for those who hesitate. We will form the Cavalry Crossbow Corps. Carefully. Disciplined. Without undermining what we already have."
The room fell quiet, then each commander nodded in assent.
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As the meeting ended, a faint glow flickered before Fenrir's eyes.
New Quest Unlocked
"Lightning on Horseback"
– Train and equip at least 500 Cavalry Crossbowmen within six months.
– Prove their worth in their first battle.
Reward: ???
Fenrir exhaled slowly, his eyes narrowing. "Five hundred… in six months."
"My Lord?" Kael asked, catching the change in his expression.
Fenrir shook his head. "Nothing. Only the dawn of something greater."
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That night, the training yard echoed with the repeated thunk-thunk-thunk of bolts being fired. The 120 riders struggled, hands blistered, weapons misfiring—but they kept going, sweat glistening under torchlight.
From the watchtower, Fenrir stood cloaked in the dark, his eyes locked on the riders below.
It was imperfect. It was unrefined. But it was a spark.
"The Cavalry Crossbow Corps…" he whispered. "The step toward a greater storm."
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