The column of riders crested a mountain ridge, and the full view of Black Stone Town finally appeared before them.
The town was small, encircled by a crude wall built from a mixture of thick logs and stone blocks.
At that moment, this fragile line of defense was under a ferocious assault.
A horde of demons, each with a different form, was frantically assailing the town's wooden gate and walls.
The most numerous were a type of half-man, half-snake monster. Their upper bodies were covered in grayish-green scales, their arms thick and powerful, wielding rusty Curved Sabers or Bone Spears. Their lower halves were long, thick snake tails that slithered across the ground with incredible speed.
'These must be the Demon Serpent's Fangs from the intelligence reports. They look like some kind of Snake-man.'
In addition to the Snake-men, there were also massive lizards, as large as Barbarian Bulls.
Their skin was a dark brown, covered in a hard, keratinous layer, and green, poisonous drool constantly dripped from their mouths. Each of their impacts made the wooden wall groan as if on the verge of collapse.
These were Poisonous Swamp Giant Lizards, known for their tough hides and lethal poison.
In the sky, several Rot-winged Flying Serpents with wingspans exceeding two meters circled overhead. Their wings looked like rotting Leather. Spotting an opportunity, they would dive, snatching a soldier or civilian into the air amidst piercing shrieks, only to drop them from a great height.
The town's defenses were clearly inadequate. A few sparsely positioned town Militia armed with Long Spears and Bows and Arrows stood on the walls. Their counterattacks seemed feeble. People were constantly being struck by the Snake-men's Javelins or splashed by the Venom spat from the Poisonous Swamp Giant Lizards, collapsing with agonizing screams.
The wooden gate had already been battered until it was riddled with cracks, teetering on the verge of collapse.
Behind the horde of Demons, a figure clad in a tattered black robe and holding a skull-topped Snake Staff was particularly conspicuous.
He was stooped and his face was hidden in the shadow of a hood, revealing only a pair of eyes that glinted with a cold, green light. He appeared to be directing the assault, muttering incantations and periodically waving his Wooden Staff. Each wave sent out streaks of dark green light that either empowered the Demons, driving them into a greater frenzy, or struck the guards on the wall directly.
"It's a Shadow Snake Priest!"
An experienced old Knight beside Raylo gasped. "Damn it, these are the fangs of Hydra! That Priest is notoriously difficult to deal with!"
Shadow Snake Priests were known for their cunning, insidious nature, and their mastery of Shadow and Poison Magic.
"Prepare for battle!"
Raylo drew the Knight's Longsword from his waist, its blade glinting coldly in the sunlight.
He could feel the fear and despair of the people in the town, and he could also feel the chaotic and evil aura emanating from the Demons.
"Lord, we..."
A Knight hesitated. The enemy numbers were considerable, and they had a troublesome Caster on their side.
Raylo didn't look back, his voice resolute. "We are the Guardians of Black Stone Territory! Right now, our people are being slaughtered! Knights, draw your swords! For glory, for our territory, charge with me!"
Before his words had faded, he spurred his horse down the slope like an arrow loosed from a bow, heading straight for the flank of the Demon horde.
'Raylo knew that with his own prestige still lacking, leading the charge himself was the only way to inspire his men to fight with courage.'
Ed drew his sword and followed close behind.
Seeing this, the other Knights all drew their swords in unison.
Bolin, too, was astonished by Raylo's valor; after all, this young Lord had not yet become a true Knight.
He drew his sword and spurred his horse. 'If a boy who isn't even a true Knight isn't afraid, what does Bolin have to be scared of?'
"Charge!"
Inspired by Raylo's courage and determination, the Knights' blood ran hot. They roared as one and followed close behind, forming a sharp wedge formation as they charged toward the chaotic battlefield.
"MEOW!"
Moonlight also sensed the coming battle and let out an excited roar.
It launched itself with all four paws, becoming a streak of silvery-white lightning as it leaped into Raylo's arms.
The appearance of these reinforcements immediately caught the attention of the Demons and the town's defenders.
The Militia on the wall were stunned for a moment, then burst into thunderous cheers. "Reinforcements! The reinforcements are here!"
The Shadow Snake Priest Slack also noticed the troop of Knights that had suddenly appeared.
A flicker of surprise crossed the green eyes hidden in the shadows, then they grew even more sinister.
"A pack of fools courting death! Kill them!"
He shrieked, waving his Snake Staff and pointing at Raylo and his men.
A portion of the Snake-men and a few Poisonous Swamp Giant Lizards immediately turned to face the charging Knights.
As the warhorses galloped, Ed had already surged past Raylo, loyally carrying out his duty as Personal Guard Captain by shielding his Lord behind him.
"Kill!"
Ed took the lead, his Long Sword swinging out.
PSHHHT!
The Long Sword easily tore through a Snake-man's Scale Armor, sending up a spray of dark green blood.
The Snake-man didn't even have time to scream before it was sent flying by the tremendous impact.
Without pausing, Ed flicked his wrist. His blade flashed, and in an instant, he had cut down two more Snake-men who were trying to surround him.
Backed by the Power of a Peak Great Knight, these Low Tier Snake-men couldn't even withstand a single blow.
The Knights following behind also clashed with the Demons.
Their fine Weapons and Armor, combined with their skilled Riding Technique and combat prowess, gave them a distinct advantage against these Low Tier Demons.
Knight's Long Spears pierced the relatively soft abdomens of the Poisonous Swamp Giant Lizards, and Heavy Swords cleaved the bones of the Snake-men.
However, the number of Demons was still immense. Empowered by the Shadow Snake Priest's Magic, they fought with no fear of death, launching a frenzied counterattack.
One Poisonous Swamp Giant Lizard opened its massive maw and spat a thick, green Venom at a Knight. The Knight reacted quickly, raising his Shield to block. The Venom hit the Shield with a SIZZLE of corrosion, sending up plumes of white smoke.
Elsewhere, a few Rot-winged Flying Serpents dove from the sky, their sharp claws swiping at the Knights' helmets.
The aerial attacks left the Knights spread thin. Harassed by the Rot-winged Flying Serpents, two Knights were dragged from their warhorses by Snake-men. If not for their Iron Armor, they would already be dead.
Seeing this, an idea struck Raylo, and he patted Moonlight's small head.
"Moonlight, use your Magic. Blast those stinking snakes out of the sky."
Moonlight lifted its little head proudly. With an "AWOO!", several bolts of Lightning descended from the sky.
The bolts struck the Rot-winged Flying Serpents with pinpoint accuracy. Two of the creatures plummeted to the ground instantly. The rest, bodies trembling from the shock, flapped their wings frantically and fled, not daring to come near again.
The fallen Rot-winged Flying Serpents were easily dispatched by the Knights. A Tier One Demon like the Rot-winged Flying Serpent had a frail body. Without their aerial advantage, they were no match for the Armored Knights.
"Well done, Moonlight!"
Raylo praised the creature, his Long Sword never ceasing its motion as he once again split open the head of a pouncing Poisonous Swamp Giant Lizard.
Seeing the reinforcements fighting so valiantly, the defenders on the wall felt their morale surge, and they began to counterattack with even greater force.
The Shadow Snake Priest Slack's expression turned extremely ugly.
"Trash! A bunch of worthless trash!"
Furious and exasperated, Slack struck the ground with his Snake Staff, while a cunning glint flashed in his eyes.
'He knew this surprise attack was unlikely to succeed now.'
'If I keep fighting them head-on, I'll probably end up trapped here myself.'
While continuing to command the remaining Demons to tie down the Knights regardless of casualties, he quietly retreated, his body gradually melting into the shadows.
The shadow faded quickly, and soon no trace of him remained.