New Terra, the Imperial Capital.
A port city reaching the inland sea, the hub of global trade and logistics.
The giant city's southern gate was firmly shut.
Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop...
Approaching the tall, thick gate, riders with crowns appeared, led by a petite girl at the forefront - the Dragon Lady, her long black hair fluttering under a high silver crown, shouted with a voice too powerful for her small frame.
"Hear me! I am Dusk Bringar, the queen of the Bringar Duchy!"
Her roar resonated mightily.
"We, the 'World Guardians Front', concerned about the future of the world, have come here as field commanders!"
However, the high walls remained silent.
Unperturbed, Dusk Bringar continued.
"Fernandez, you patricidal traitor, listen! Surrender now! You can still avoid becoming a criminal in history!"
Still, there was no response.
Fernandez remained unseen, so Dusk Bringar shifted her target.
"Soldiers of the Empire!"
Though invisible, she addressed the Imperial soldiers assumed to be on the walls.
"The true Emperor, Traha 'Peacemaker' Everblack, stands with us! You are deceived by a false emperor!"
Silence.
"Do not choose to be the sinners of history! Decide now and open the gates! Protect your citizens, families, and comrades!"
Dusk Bringar opened her small mouth.
"If you refuse our warning and do not open the gates..."
Between her sharply pointed teeth, magical light gathered like flames.
"We will break it down by force."
Preparing her Dragon Breath, Dusk Bringar roared.
"As a descendant of the Guardian Dragon, once the protector and shield of your nation, as the queen of the ruined Bringar Duchy! I will not hesitate to burn down your gates!"
Flash!
From Dusk Bringar's mouth, condensed magic shot out as a beam.
One of the powers granted by the dragon blood, the primordial magic radiation - Dragon Breath - hurtled towards New Terra's southern gate.
Then,
Boom!
It was blocked.
A magical barrier spread across the wall, emitting a distinct blue light, completely neutralizing the red breath.
"Damn!"
Dusk Bringar spat out a small flame from her mouth in frustration.
"Ancient protective magic... It won't break with just a few hits."
However, the Dragon Breath had its effect.
Artifacts on the wall deploying the protective magic discharged their power, sparking and falling silent.
Perhaps realizing they could not allow continued Dragon Breath attacks.
Creak...
The gate began to open.
"Aha, finally ready to talk with me?"
Dusk Bringar was delighted, but it wasn't an opening for dialogue.
Click! Click! Click!
Troops in neatly arranged armor poured out from the open gap. They were the Imperial soldiers who sided with Fernandez.
Flash!
Whirr...!
Simultaneously, the Mage Corps appeared on the wall.
Dozens, hundreds of magical artifacts took an offensive stance, aiming at Dusk Bringar, and sleek airships slowly descended from the sky, lowering their altitude.
"Ha! Stirred up the hornet's nest, have we!"
Watching the Empire's true force finally reveal itself, Dusk Bringar laughed, but then reports came in from behind.
"Report, Your Grace! Imperial troops have appeared from the rear!"
"What?!"
"It's an ambush! Those flags belong to the Empire's 2nd and 3rd Corps!"
"They're surrounding us from the rear!"
Surprised, Dusk Bringar turned to see the situation behind.
As the lieutenants reported, a series of legions that had suddenly appeared in the distance were now broadly surrounding us.
The 1st Legion was responsible for guarding the Empire's borders, and the Imperial Capital Defense Forces protected the vicinity of New Terra. The 2nd and 3rd Legions, meanwhile, were tasked with safeguarding the rest of the Empire's territory.
These troops had already been summoned to the Imperial Capital and were awaiting Fernandez's orders.
"So... they never intended to conduct a passive siege from the beginning."
Observing the encroaching Imperial forces – the Capital Defense Forces at the gate, the Mage Corps on the walls, and the 2nd and 3rd Legions blocking the rear – Dusk Bringar gritted her teeth.
Elf Queen Skuld and Dwarf King Kellison urgently asked her,
"Dragonblood Queen, what shall we do now?"
"If we clash head-on, we're doomed!"
Our forces were hastily gathered, sizable but disorganized.
In a straightforward battle like this, we stood no chance against the Imperial troops.
"Let's follow Ash's instructions."
Dusk Bringar swiftly turned her mount.
"Retreat!"
"Retreat! Break through the encirclement before it tightens! Follow me!"
Dusk Bringar smoothly redirected the troops' movement, ready to escape the entire area.
"Prepare to retreat! Form a charge!"
The forces, as poorly trained as they were, formed up as instructed.
The Bringar Duchy's knights, the strongest single force among the gathered kings, took the lead, followed by the rest of the forces.
"Let's break out! Charge!"
At Dusk Bringar's command, the World Guardians Front troops began to flee.
The 2nd and 3rd Legions of the Imperial Army, comprised of heavy knights, were slow to react.
"Clear the way!"
Before the encirclement could tighten, the World Guardians Front's troops dashed out, breaking through the gap between the two legions and fleeing southward.
***
High on the city walls, Rayna watched this unfold.
"Running away after ringing the doorbell like a child... What is this..."
"Rayna, won't you order a pursuit?"
Her lieutenant, puzzled, inquired. Rayna didn't respond immediately, furrowing her brows in thought.
'Ash is no ordinary foe. He must be plotting something.'
Rayna tried to grasp Ash's intentions.
'...Is he trying to lure us out?'
Running away after approaching the gates likely aimed to provoke pursuit, a reasonable assumption.
'If we recklessly pursue and fall into Ash's trap...'
Just yesterday, the Geronimo had displayed unknown stealth capabilities.
"If we call back the troops outside..."
"No."
It was a well-established encirclement, and the fleeing troops represented most of the World Guardians Front's power.
'Taking some losses but striking now is the right move.'
The enemy forces were nothing more than disorganized peasants.
Not a unified army but a clumsy group escaping awkwardly.
'Ash may be formidable, but the forces he's gathered are nothing special.'
Just an inflated balloon, waiting to be deflated with a needle's prick.
Rayna made her decision and issued her command.
"Expand the encirclement with the 2nd and 3rd Legions catching them from behind, and let the Capital Defense Forces use their mobility to cut them off!"
Rayna ordered, utilizing the heavy infantry of the 2nd and 3rd Legions to slow down the World Guardians Front, while the cavalry-heavy Capital Defense Forces rapidly circled around to hit their rear. It was a tactic to encircle and annihilate the enemy.
"The air fleet should follow slowly, one beat behind. Beware, the enemy has stealth airships! Always be mindful!"
"Yes!"
"Expect traps from the enemy. But be prepared for losses!"
Rayna extended her hand forward, issuing the command.
"For the future of the Empire. Advance!"
***
The World Guardians Front's escape was short-lived.
Though the 2nd and 3rd Legions were initially broken through, they tenaciously clung on, slowing down the World Guardians Front, while the Capital Defense Forces swiftly intercepted their path in their territory.
Finally, in the southern plains, far from the walls, the World Guardians Front was encircled by the 2nd and 3rd Legions and the Capital Defense Forces.
Panting heavily at the front of the disorganized troops, Dusk Bringar caught her breath.
Above the completed encirclement of the Imperial Army, the air fleet was cautiously following, scanning the skies.
"We're completely surrounded."
"Are we going to collide head-on?"
"Do we stand a chance...?"
The World Guardians Front's soldiers swallowed nervously, tense.
The Imperial Army was equally tense, approaching slowly, wary of potential traps. They had already lost two airships to surprises yesterday.
What strange stratagem had Ash prepared this time...
The Imperial Army advanced slowly, hesitantly. Observing this, Dusk Bringar smirked.
"Well, at least... we've achieved our main objective."
Suddenly, Dusk Bringar pulled something from her saddle.
The Imperial soldiers were startled, expecting the unveiling of Ash's trap.
And what Dusk Bringar unfolded was...
A white flag.
"We surrender!"
Waving the plain white flag, Dusk Bringar shouted.
"We have no more will to fight!"
The unexpected scenario left both the World Guardians Front and the Imperial Army gaping.
Unperturbed, Dusk Bringar chuckled, following Ash's instructions.
"Long live Emperor Fernandez!"
She understood a bit why Ash lived like a madcap.
"Save us!"
It was amusing.
***
"...No ambush?"
Rayna frowned upon hearing the report.
"And they're just surrendering? What nonsense is this?"
"I've only reported the situation as it is."
"It's illogical. After causing all this, they surrender? In this situation?"
Muttering in disbelief, Rayna suddenly shivered.
"Wait. Could it be..."
Rayna urgently commanded,
"Scan the skies!"
"Pardon?"
"Use all the scanning artifacts installed in the Capital to check the skies! Look for any unusual movements!"
The Mage Corps sprang into action.
A few minutes later, a mage detected something and shouted.
"Rayna! Reporting!"
"Speak!"
"Heat sources detected in the sky! Something invisible to the naked eye is rapidly approaching the Capital!"
Rayna's intuition kicked in.
It's Ash's flagship, Geronimo.
"Where is it heading?"
"Pardon?"
"Where in the Capital is it aiming for?"
"That would be... judging by this trajectory, the Imperial Palace!"
"...!"
Rayna clenched her teeth.
The mage, having finished his analysis, once again shouted with a sweaty face.
"The enemy airship is plummeting from a great height... straight toward the Imperial Palace!"
--TL Notes--
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