Knights and Magic Wand
Chapter 549 - 549 263 Commander

549: Chapter 263 Commander 549: Chapter 263 Commander The first ray of dawn had yet to fully lift the veil of night.

The entire world remained bathed in soft and diffused morning light.

On the eve of the Avalon Army’s departure, nearly two thousand troops, including logistical support personnel, had solemnly gathered outside the towering castle.

The Sword Wings banner and the White Flame Sunwheel flag fluttered gently in the morning breeze, as if the land itself whispered in support of the departing warriors.

Rows of warhorses stood like an impenetrable forest, their hooves restlessly scraping the ground and stirring clouds of dust.

The spear tips shimmered coldly in the morning light, resembling a gleaming silver sea.

At the army’s flanks, dozens of Ranger Knights without banners stood silently.

Their gazes embodied both the freedom and defiance of lone wanderers as well as the gravity that came from staring out toward distant horizons.

Though they hailed from different corners of the world and carried their own burdens from the past, at this moment, they were united by an ancient oath, sharing the sacred mission with the Avalon Knights and Holy Lake Knights.

Previously, many Rangers had harbored doubts about responding to the Lord’s summons here.

But now, Avalon’s forces had proven through action that the Chivalry Oath that called them forth was no mere deception.

Occasional low whinnies from the warhorses and the metallic scraping of soldiers’ armor echoed in the air.

The flickering firelight of torches atop the walls danced with the wind, casting shadows on every Avalonian soldier’s face, outlining visages of both youthful innocence and weathered experience.

Within the warriors’ hearts, there inevitably stirred a mixture of unease and apprehension for the unknown battlefield ahead.

Leon, astride the Black Steed, rode through the ranks to the army’s forefront and gave his rallying speech to those who would soon follow him into lands of death:

“Warriors of Avalon…”

His voice drew the attention of the Knight Order’s soldiers.

“Among you are veterans who fought in the Battle of Longka and have just returned from the Ustato front, and there are fresh recruits new to the Knight Order.

I must tell you: this mission will plunge us into a war that concerns the survival of all living beings.

For too long, human clans have fought endlessly due to the greed of the powerful and disputes over land, leading to countless shattered families and a world scarred by devastation.

Perhaps, in the past, you have killed to fulfill a Lord’s selfish desires, feeling lost and weary as a result.

But this time is different; we face no meaningless quarrel of the past.

To the east, legions of undead, awakened by malevolent forces, surge in waves.

They are merciless and unthinking, knowing only how to devour life.

Wherever they pass, vitality is extinguished, towns are reduced to ruins, civilians are slaughtered, and homes transform into hell…

You may wonder why we journey across great distances to aid a group of Kantadar people, once enemies not long ago.

But I want you to understand: this isn’t about helping erstwhile foes; it’s about defending our own families, friends, and lives!

In Avalon, in the Thorny Flower Territory, and behind you, there are elderly parents, tender wives, young children—countless compatriots yearning for peace, for our future and our legacy.

This battle concerns everyone on the continent; no one can stand by and watch without consequence.

When darkness arrives, our loved ones will suffer, and everything we hold dear will be erased in an instant.

Now, whether you are knights or civilians, veterans or recruits, we are all brothers fighting side by side.

Our shared goal is to ensure sunshine forever graces this land.

My brave warriors, look around you—those valiant Rangers from various regions, those noble knights from the distant banks of the Holy Lake.

They will fight alongside us against the darkness.

We are not alone.

And I, too, will stand with you always.

I swear, I will not be the last warrior among you to fall…”

Leon drew his sword and raised it high, his voice steady and powerful:

“Under the witness of the sun, you will return bathed in glory.

For Avalon!

For everything we must protect!”

Although his voice did not rise to a shout, it resonated like a bell toll in the morning stillness, striking each warrior’s heart.

“—For Avalon!”

The silence of the Alliance army erupted in an earth-shaking response, their cries rising and falling like the dawn about to pierce through the darkness.

“—For Avalon!”

The Holy Lake Knights, too, roared unwaveringly, fighting for the Holy Land, for the world guarded by Illaril—a mission that sanctified their journey.

The Rangers, never before led by a lord so dedicated to justice, seemed inspired by Leon’s words.

They joined the resounding cries with vigor.

As the warriors’ shouts gradually subsided, Leon swept his piercing gaze across the endless ranks and commanded the march to begin.

The Alliance moved in order.

Warhorses kicked up dust, and the thundering sound of their departure shattered the morning’s serene silence.

Infantry followed in disciplined formation, steadily advancing.

…

The army arrived at the boundary of Glade County.

When Leon’s troops met Count Eriv’s two thousand soldiers at the designated rendezvous point, the two forces combined into an even greater tide of power.

Standing beside Count Eriv, Baron Balfe stood at the forefront of the formation, his sharp eyes surveying the vast army emerging from Nightmare Forest.

When the fully armed knightly alliance came into view, even a weathered veteran like him couldn’t help but marvel in secret.

“No matter how many times I see it, it’s still hard to believe.” Balfe turned his head to Count Eriv and said, “Those Illaril Knights from the Dinexion Kingdom—their equipment is so well-fitted that even the King’s Forbidden Guard pales in comparison.”

Count Eriv, already informed by Leon’s letters of the origins of this knightly alliance seeking to reclaim the Holy Land of Rolannar, nodded without much elaboration.

Only Fedor, standing nearby, gazed on with a mixture of doubt and unease.

He couldn’t comprehend how Baron Leon had managed to rally such formidable forces.

Rangers Knights, Illaril Knights…

how had a young man who was just a Seryan hunter not long ago built connections capable of securing so many reinforcements?