Chapter 856: Hurt the Son!

The greatest threat is gone, but Pabos cannot afford to stop.

Cavalry's greatest danger on a battlefield is losing the ability to move. At Pabos's signal, the riders begin to gather.

They form several combat groups of more than three hundred riders each. The groups work together to avoid being surrounded and trapped.

But there are too many enemies. After the Ninth Warband destroys the enemy force of spellcasters, the Lobster Cavalry blocks its path to the Seventh Warband.

The Seventh Warband still cuts down its enemies, but its room to maneuver keeps shrinking.

In half an hour at most, it will be surrounded and unable to move.

The Iron Rank water demon driven off earlier gathers the spellcasters again and begins a weather-altering spell.

A drizzle begins. Pabos's heart gives a jolt.

In the rain, the Lobster Cavalry will be much faster and harder to hurt.

Keeping his men clear of its attempts to cut them off will be harder still.

The drizzle grows into a steady rain, then cuts off abruptly.

Pabos finds a moment to glance toward the water demon leader. To his surprise, the area around it is in chaos again.

Two hundred-man cavalry units have appeared on the battlefield without him noticing.

A tall knight at the front leaps from her horse. She swings a two-handed greatsword and cuts down every calamity creature in her path, plowing through them like a bulldozer.

Her target is the Iron Rank water demon, now fleeing in panic with its spell interrupted.

This is Alesha, deputy commander of the Wind Raider Cavalry and one of Peace Haven's only two Iron-Rank female knights.

The other unit wears the distinctive black cloaks with blood-red patterns and gold trim. Henwell's personal crest is embroidered on each left shoulder.

They are Lord Iron Guards, led by Lopang, deputy commander of the Lord Iron Guards' Third Combat Battalion.

More than a hundred Lord Iron Guards tear through the Lobster Cavalry's ranks. Nothing gets in their way.

Henwell's personal guard is elite enough to impress even the empire's Prince Kevin.

They cut down this worthless rabble with ease.

Within a few minutes, the Lord Iron Guards have punched through the entire battlefield and reined in before Pabos.

Lopang at once orders the medical officer beside him to examine Pabos.

Pabos stops him. "I'm fine. What brings you here? We need to break out, right now!"

Lopang smiles. "Young general, word of what's happening here has already reached the manor through extraordinary communication."

"Our lord replied himself. He told you to wait, brat. He'll come and deal with you later!"

Pabos's smile freezes.

As Pabos wonders how to explain himself to Henwell, another long horn call sounds in the distance.

A mass of cavalry bursts from the toxic mist. General Whistler leads them. One glance at the battlefield is enough; he changes course and races toward Pabos.

It is the Mobile Strike Group's First Warband.

Nearly five thousand cavalrymen sweep through the battlefield like a broom, clearing a broad swath of ground.

Pabos orders a flag signal to show that his men are all right.

The cavalry units coordinate their attacks to encircle and destroy the enemy.

The Iron Rank naga commander can no longer spare a thought for its troops.

Lopang pursues it with more than a hundred Lord Iron Guards. Before long, both the naga and the water demon leader will be cut down.

More than ten thousand calamity creatures remain, but they have lost effective command. Under repeated charges from more than six thousand elite cavalrymen, their defeat is only a matter of time.

The mist around them is clearing fast as well. The calamity creatures have no chance to escape.

The battle continues until evening. Only a few calamity creatures escape, and none of them head toward Palm Tree Lake.

Even those few have little to look forward to.

Only after the battle does Pabos learn what brought the Lord Iron Guards and Wind Raider Cavalry from their posts at the waterworks.

After giving Whistler the token, Ruchi had hurried in person to the camp near the waterworks.

He reached Henwell in Peace Haven through extraordinary communication. The two units set out for Five Forts at once.

Troops from the empire and the church took over the defensive duties assigned to Peace Haven.

The two units had, in fact, entered the toxic mist after Pabos destroyed the calamity creatures' force of spellcasters.

Whistler had received the appeal for help, but the military recorder from the Ika Kingdom kept hinting that he should return to the Mobile Strike Group's base.

Whistler saw the letter in the metal tube and the small object enclosed with it. Without a change of expression, he destroyed the letter.

He immediately announced that he had orders from the commander-in-chief of the Mobile Strike Group to reinforce the battlefield at Five Forts without delay.

The recorder was displeased, but Whistler was no figurehead viscount. He wielded real authority in the kingdom, and his connections were formidable.

His father was marshal of Livos territory, his childhood friend was the Grand Princess's eldest legitimate son, and his teacher was Fred, the Mercenary King.

Whistler was powerful himself, with troops of his own.

More importantly, the First Warband's officers and soldiers would not take orders from the kingdom's military recorder.

This was not Ika's army. He held no military post and had no inspection authority. Nominally, he was only Whistler's attendant.

If he had not needed to show courtesy to the various countries, Senar would have thrown these troublemakers out himself.

The recorder had no way to stop Whistler from sending help.

It is evening before the battlefield is mostly cleared.

When Whistler comes to see him, Pabos sends everyone else away.

He bows. "Uncle!"

Whistler stiffens, then snaps, "What were you thinking? Do you know how dangerous that was?"

"You're your father's eldest legitimate son! You're Peace Haven's heir! How could you take such a risk?"

Pabos lowers his head and says nothing. He does not argue.

Whistler steps forward and slaps his shoulder firmly. "Good lad! Well done!"

Pabos looks up with a smile. "Thank you for the rescue, Uncle. Without you, I'd have been in real trouble today!"

Whistler waves him off. "Don't be ridiculous. Your father saved my life. Tell me what happened."

"Before I came, your grandfather only told me to look after you. He never explained why."

"I suspected long ago that Henwell was my elder brother. But I never had a chance to meet him, or any way to be sure."

"Later, some of your grandfather's actions made me think Henwell really might be my brother. I asked him about it."

"But he never gave me a clear answer. Tell me what your father went through after we were separated."

While uncle and nephew catch up, the coalition commanders meet in Lakeglow Hall in Holy Lake City to discuss what happened at Five Forts.

As they pass the blame from one to another, a figure steps out of the shadows.

"I hear my son was wounded and almost sacrificed as a pawn. Is that true? Can someone tell me who doesn't want to live anymore?"

No one stops to wonder how Henwell got in. At his sudden appearance, every face fills with fear.

Henwell speaks softly. "You know, for a son to die in battle beside his father is an honor to the son."

"But for a father to follow his son into death is a disgrace to the father!"

"And if a son dies in battle alone, his father has failed him!"

"My wife threw me out not long ago, and I'm in a very bad mood!"

"So I need to kill a few people to let off some steam!"

"Gentlemen, can you suggest anyone suitable?"

"If no one speaks up, I'll kill you to vent my anger instead!"