Chapter 260: The Enemy Descends

Time ticked by, and days passed slowly for everyone watching.

Until one night, the third night of Moon’s castle watch, he started hearing rattling noises in the distance.

Soon, he saw a faint light.

Moon ran at the closest of the watchmen. "Tell Gustav they’ve descended."

The watchman’s neck stiffened, looking into the distance, then at Moon. It was clear he couldn’t see or hear it yet.

The approaching troops.

Moon felt like slapping him, but he held back. "GO NOW!" he growled in his face.

"Y-YES SIR!" The watchman ran off.

Moon walked to another one. "Go bring Basil and Barrett from the palace here now." He gave another order.

Things were finally falling into place.

Before long, Basil and Barrett arrived first. They seemed to have been waiting for that summons, unlike Gustav, who was a little late.

"Do you remember everything I told you?" Moon asked, his tone heavier than usual.

"Sure thing, Boss. I have enough food and water for 2 days as well." Basil nodded, shaking the pouch he was carrying.

Barrett nodded as well. "I’ll follow your orders strictly."

"Good, now go," Moon said. "I’ve sent the watchmen away, so cut the distance fast and settle where I told you till morning."

The two nodded and started moving right away.

Moon knew they couldn’t see in the dark, but also couldn’t sneak out while the sky was bright. Thus, he prepared for that.

Minutes later, Gustav arrived, fully armed and awake.

"Am I late?" he asked first.

"No, they just descended the mountain," Moon explained. "They will attack either tomorrow night or the day after."

Moon added with certainty.

He didn’t know what kind of formation or plan they had arranged; he only guessed vaguely what Enzo was aiming for.

Thus, he was planning to play his cards regardless of Enzo’s aim.

If what he assumed was true, it was better; if it was false, then victory was still assured.

Yet, Gustav stood speechless. He looked where Moon was looking and still—

He saw nothing.

"Bring the scope," he ordered.

A soldier came with a mounted scope on a tripod. "Sir," he said and stepped back.

Gustav started searching the horizon for a minute, before finally spotting the radiance beyond the pass.

It was a straight line, the castle wall, followed by the city gates, then the mountain pass.

There, behind the left side of the pass, there was a faint glow.

"Sir Moon, your eyesight is most impressive," Gustav praised.

It was then that a soldier came running. "General Gustav."

It was the soldier Moon had seen before, responsible for delivering intel from the far-front watchmen at the pass.

"They have descended the mountain," the soldier barely said through his heavy panting.

"Recall the watchmen on the far front," Moon ordered. "Tell them they’ve completed their work perfectly."

The soldier glanced at Gustav, who nodded readily.

There was no need to leave some watchmen at the first fireline anymore.

Moon turned to Gustav. "By daylight, all ascenders will be camping outside the gates while the troops will stay inside."

"Yes." Gustav nodded.

Staying alone on the wall, listening to Mishu’s purrs, Moon watched the light slowly get closer and brighter.

Thankfully, they had managed to finish the axe with Dorbish last night. It came out quite decent for a hasty product by two inexperienced smiths.

Dorbish went through the process of giving it a name. Moon suggested one when he was asked.

[Fort Splitter]

A heavy one-handed axe; sturdy, with a wide edge made to break through defences.

Grade: D

Creator: Dorbish - Moon

Looking at the icon, Moon felt both satisfied and accomplished at the same time.

The newborn axe was going to taste some action very soon; thus, Dorbish was also spending his time trying to get more familiar with it.

Before long, Talia also arrived.

"So, they’re finally here," she said.

"Close." Moon nodded. "Make sure to keep the stronger ascenders at the front lines," he added.

Talia gazed at him. "You’ll be here to give orders."

Moon shook his head. "Nope, we can’t afford having both of us here."

She closed her eyes for a moment. "What are you going to do?" Her tone was calm, though she wasn’t.

Moon thought for a moment. "You understand that almost everyone here has never been to war, never killed and never had blood on their hands."

Talia paused before nodding. "What about it?"

"I... well, I spoke to almost everyone," Moon said slowly. "Only Fisher, Markala and Raiju... Me as well, have the experience."

He turned to Talia, who was looking at him with tired eyes.

"Not you, not Alma, and not even Gustav went through a battlefield before." He paused.

"But you have experience managing people; you were trained to command troops," he added. "So, let all of us do what we do best."

"You understand that if anything happens to you, we’re done for?" Talia reminded.

Moon opened his mouth to say something. "Also, having experience killing doesn’t mean they’re familiar with battlefields," Talia added.

"Talia." Moon smiled. "I won’t sit back and command," he said flatly.

"The whole duel thing was for you to confirm one thing, and it’s long concluded."

Moon felt and knew that Talia’s anticipation of the battlefield and what she witnessed and lived through... The enemies coming their way...

Everything was different from what she pictured in her mind.

They were at a disadvantage by default; the king was joining the battle on the front lines instead of securing himself and commanding the victory.

Sending ascenders to the front lines, the stronger they were, the closer they were to the marching troops.

These were all things that she had never imagined would happen in reality. Talia was a child raised in one of the top forces of the Tower.

Moon really wished his work would be appreciated...

He was certain he was doing what was best for the faction, but he also felt that things wouldn’t go as planned.

Still, he only left the uncertainty buried for after the battle.

When morning came, everyone was where Moon wanted them.

The ascenders, excluding a few, were armed and ready.

Lexie and Nola, who had been working for days on potions, were not combatants and thus excluded.

Talia began with the attendance, before turning to Moon.

"Delilah, Basil and Barrett are absent." She reported.

Moon nodded. "They won’t be coming."

"Hm?" Talia raised an eyebrow, not looking very friendly for the first time. Her gaze was questioning.

Moon ignored her, watching the enemies camping beyond the mountain pass.

"Are you not going to explain?" Talia asked, her tone sharp.

"I know it’s your first battlefield, stressed, holding responsibility..." Moon’s voice was calm. "Don’t let that stress go to your head and affect things badly."

Talia’s eyes widened.

For a moment she didn’t reply or say a word, then...

She nodded. "You’re right... I’ve been losing my calm frequently these days," she said before turning to the troops on the horizon.

"A textbook mistake," she added before her gaze settled back on Moon.

"Then again, where are these three?" She asked again.

Moon pursed his lips. Apparently, she didn’t know when to give up.