Chapter 3: Fighting on the Wall
I felt the entire siege tower shudder, as we most likely came to a stop. And it was followed up by the wall, or ramp in front of us. Falling, opening us to the entire wall-force of the Wei Garrison.
I quickly caught my target, the enemy commander. As I drew my bow back, to its limit. My eyes narrow, locking onto the man, who was clearly confused with all that was going on.
The perfect opportunity to take him out.
I let out the air I was holding in as I took my shot, the arrow flew true to my aim. Heading straight for his head, and he had yet to respond, meaning he didn´t see it coming.
I couldn´t help but grin slightly as the arrow came closer and closer.
He had no way of dodgi-
The arrow was deflected, 20 centimetres away from the man´s face, and my grin faltered.
My eyes turned to the man beside him, he was stronger than the General himself, for he had seen the arrow, but the General hadn´t.
The man had simply deflected my arrow to the side, it pierced the head of one of the guards behind, but not my target.
"Fuck, Ishiro. Engage that man if possible." I shouted at Ishiro, whom had yet to enter the fight properly.
He turned to face the man in question, his eyes narrowing slightly. Before he nodded, and engaged the normal troops.
He was followed by Kaen and Hozu, on his left and right.
Ishiro raised his glaive high, and he formed a right slash. It´s power causing winds, as it slashed into the lines of Wei, the single strike threw 10 infantry-men back, various levels of slashes going through their mid-lines, and 3 were cut in half. Another 5 were tripped by the sheer power of the strike, and its winds.
Kaen and Hozu weren't slacks either, Kaen was a master spearman, having mastered the techniques of Dragons Talon and Nest, two techniques used in various quantities across the Qin Army.
His spear was quick and effective, targeting vital points. And if he couldn´t kill, he´d heavily handicap the man.
He killed 6 men in the opening attack.
And Hozu was a skilled man as well, he manipulated his entire body. Dodging and playing around the opponents, his attacks had a weight to it, but they were quick. A single strike taking out 3 men, and after that. He jumped high, landing behind the enemy vanguard, performing a round-house slash, taking the heads of another 7 men.
Meanwhile, the 15 elite men we brought up didn´t take any breathers, as they pushed forward. They followed the Lieutenant towards the southern part of the wall, or the left side. Quickly occupying the space left after the lieutenant's assault.
They worked in a single formation, their heavier but more effective square shields working perfectly in unison, quickly finishing the stragglers from the vanguard, namely the officers.
However, while all that was playing out, I didn´t remain stoic. I kept the pressure up on the command booth, following the commander's survival. I had quickly put down another 2 advisors by the time they had taken cover beneath the railing.
Luckily, this castle had no towers nearby, or at least close enough to hit me through the black smoke, and the commander's position, which was overlooking the battle. Had no archers, and the Qin forces were protecting me from any infantry.
Meaning I could fire uninterrupted upon the Wei Commanding Officers, which essentially forced them to take cover, meaning they couldn´t get an overview on the situation.
The Commander's Lieutenant or whatever, the man strong enough to take out my arrows mid-shot, could technically keep on doing that. But neither he nor the Commander could keep their heads calm enough to issue commands while being shot at, especially by an accurate archer.
Meaning I was immobilising their commander centre.
However, it wasn't taking Ou Hon too long to spring his plan, as his men pushed them back. But they didn´t gather any reinforcements, and therefore were being pushed back.
The General, even while being suppressed by me, had the brains to call in reinforcements. He didn´t need to see the Battlefield to get that.
Luckily though, the men of the Gyoku Hou were elites, trained by Ou Family, one of the strongest and most influential families as it stood, and they weren't slouches.
Additionally, the battlefield was cramped on the walls, meaning their overwhelming numbers didn´t give them the ability to surround us, only overwhelm us by exhausting us. Through a pile of bodies, a never-ending wave.
However, my attention was brought back to the Command Centre as a man stood up, and I quickly recognised him. He was the Lieutenant who had redirected my arrows.
He wore black armor and had an experienced look on his face.
What is he planning?
Either way, I aimed my bow and shot at him, and he of course slashed through the middle of the arrow, just as he rushed forward. Planting one foot on the railing, before he jumped.
What? Does he plan to jump over the Gyoku Hou unit?
And that's precisely what he did, he was surprisingly light for his size. And he cleared over the elite spears, before rushing straight at me. In a suicidal attack.
Holy shit this man is dumb. But if I don't take this seriously, I´ll end up dying.
"Ishiro!" I shouted, and the man turned around. And upon seeing the hostile charging at me, a smile formed on his lips, and one on mine as well.
And that smile widened as I saw a helmet peak over the railing of the Command Centre.
I raised my bow, aimed at the Lieutenant as I drew the bow all the way back, the wood making creaking sounds, as I drew it back to my full power.
But as I was about to release it, I shifted my aim. Aiming for the Command Centre, as I released the arrow.
And it flew true, the Lieutenant immediately realised my target, and tried to intercept the arrow. But his closure to me, alongside the fact I put 50% more power into this arrow, made him too slow.
And the arrow flew straight towards the peaking commander, into the railing. And straight through it, penetrating the throat of the commander, and exiting on the other side.
I had repeatedly shot arrows at that same place, which had caused an almost invisible rift in the wood, and this arrow managed to penetrate it.
"I GOT YOU!!!!!" The Lieutenant shouted as he raised his sword high, and jumped forward. Being less than 2 meters away from me.
He slashed in a downwards motion, as I stared straight into his eyes, my face playing a desperate motion, but deep down. I was anything but.
Right before his sword hit my head, a sudden Glaive came from underneath, parrying the sword into the air, and before the Lieutenant could react. It cleaved through his head, ending his life.
I turned to face Ishiro with a smile.
"You made it in time." I said with a chuckle, and the man sighed. But he smiled anyhow.
"You need to stop gambling with your life, Young Master." He said, but I shrugged it off. I had made a calculated gamble, it was different. I knew he would reach me in time, and therefore. Instead of drawing my sword and holding the Lieutenant off, to ensure my survival, I had taken that 20% chance of Ishiro not reaching me, and shot the commander.
But I had faith in Ishiro for a reason, and it worked out in the end.
However, at that time I saw the Gyoku Hou force taking out ropes.
"Get on those ropes, Ishiro. And assist in opening the gate, we can't let all the glory escape us." I said, and the man nodded. Rushing off.
And after that, I turned to one of my soldiers, nodding at him. Which he returned.
As he took out the flag, the flag of the Hyou Ren Gun, its name within a circle on a white background. The circle was dark-silver, with 2 dragons slithering alongside the circle.
The soldiers waved the flag for the men underneath, or specifically Roku, meaning it was time for him to move.
The glory would be ours.
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