Lord Summoner's Freedom Philosophy: Grimoire of Love
Chapter 253: Protect Arkansas (4) The First Day

Chapter 253: Protect Arkansas (4) The First Day

The commander of Ravindor’s army, General Varkas, surveyed the landscape around Arkansas with a grim expression. The city’s walls loomed ahead, silent and imposing. Varkas clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing as he took in the signs of sabotage: broken supply lines, burnt-out watchtowers, and the unnerving absence of several forward scouts.

"How is this possible?" Varkas muttered, his voice tinged with frustration. "We’ve had too many setbacks already, and we haven’t even begun the main assault. Casualties from the skirmishes alone are troubling."

When Varkas arrived, he received various kinds of reports. Supply chains were sabotaged, dozens of small groups were assassinated overnight, and more than 50 soldiers were not in a condition to fight due to fear.

"Ridiculous," He turned to his advisors, a mix of seasoned veterans and strategic minds. "We were supposed to have Arkansas in chaos by now, weakened from within. Where are our spies? Why have they not returned with information?"

One of his advisors, a grizzled man named Thane, shook his head. "There’s been no word, General. It’s possible they’ve been compromised."

Varkas’s frown deepened. "Damn it. We need that intelligence. Without it, we’re flying blind!"

Despite the uncertainty, Varkas knew they could not delay any longer. His army was vast, consisting of 10,000 soldiers, 1,000 archers, 500 cavalry, and several specialized units trained in siege warfare. The forces were divided into four battalions, each led by capable captains who awaited his orders.

Waiting would only become a burden for the supply line.

And being deemed as a burden by the Duke is never a good thing.

"We attack, let’s just use two battalions," Varkas decided, his voice firm. "Send the ultimatum. If there’s no response, we proceed."

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the fields, a herald approached the city gates, bearing a white flag. He stood before the closed gates and read aloud the terms of surrender, his voice echoing in the stillness.

"By order of Duke Ravindor of Astellia, the city of Arkansas is to surrender unconditionally. Open your gates and lay down your arms, and you will be spared."

The silence that followed was almost deafening. The gates remained shut, and not a single figure appeared on the battlements. The eeriness of the situation gnawed at Varkas’s mind.

"Why is it so quiet?" Varkas muttered to Thane. "Could it be that our efforts to bribe the mercenaries and council members worked perfectly? But then, why haven’t our spies returned? Could it be a trap?"

Thane shared his general’s concern. "It’s possible the city has defenses we’re unaware of. We can’t afford to wait much longer, though. The longer we stay out here, the more vulnerable we become."

After a tense deliberation, Varkas made his decision. "We’ll force our way in. No more delays. Order the troops to advance!"

The army began its march towards the city. Varkas, normally meticulous in his planning, felt the pressure of time and gave the order without insisting on the usual formations. His battalions moved in a dense, forceful surge, eager to breach the walls and claim their victory.

As they reached the base of the walls, the eerie silence was shattered by a booming voice from above. "Loose!"

It was a girl’s voice, her voice carrying a magical resonance that sent a shiver down Varkas’s spine. Before he could react, a volley of arrows, shimmering with wind magic, rained down upon his forces. The enchanted arrows tore through the air with terrifying speed and accuracy, decimating the archers and cutting down many soldiers in their tracks.

Varkas watched in horror as the organized ranks of his archers were obliterated in moments. Panic rippled through the troops as they tried to find cover from the relentless barrage.

"Damn it!" Varkas roared, rallying his men. "Form up! Shields up, now!"

The surviving soldiers scrambled to obey, but the damage was already severe. Before they could regroup, a shout appeared from inside the city.

"Throw out the golem!!!"

Suddenly, the gate opened.

"Golem...?" Varkas uttered with his eyebrows furrowed.

Before he could do anything, the men already marched forward, smiles seemed to appear on them as they could only see one thing from the opening gates. A chance.

"Throw it!!!" Another shout sounded, but now, Varkas realized what they were throwing.

"AARGH!!"

"W-What is-"

"M-Mom!!"

The men who were gathering at the gate got crushed by a huge boulder crashing through them. With that single occurrence, about 80 men of his died.

"R-Rock Golem!! Watch out!!" One of the infants shouts.

A massive rock golem lumbered forward, its fists crashing into the ground and sending shockwaves through the ranks. Nearby, a shadowy figure—a Shadow Goblin Lord—darted through the chaos, its blades flashing in the dim light as it cut down soldiers with ruthless efficiency.

Unlike the soldiers, Varkas regained his composure quickly. He immediately realized what their plan was as he saw the men on top of the walls.

"Hold the shield up, you idiots!!!" Varkas swore. But it’s too late.

The men are too focused on the emerging rock golem and forget about the existence of the archers above.

"Fire at will!!" The girl’s voice once again sounded, followed by the horrifying sound of the whistling arrows.

It was a perfect placement.

The golem is not affected and won’t even get a scratch from the arrows, but since the golem’s powerful presence stole the attention of the soldiers, they would forget for a moment the existence of the archers above them.

Varkas’s heart pounded as he saw the scale of the defense. "What in the blazes...? These aren’t just mercenaries!"

Thane drew his sword, his face pale but determined. "General, we have to pull back and reorganize! Even if we go on a full-scale attack, we still don’t know what they are storing inside!"

Varkas knew he was right. The initial assault was a disaster. "Retreat! Fall back and regroup!"

The order was given, and the battered troops began a hasty retreat, scrambling to get out of range of the magical arrows and monstrous defenders. Varkas and his advisors retreated to a safe distance, where they could reassess the situation.

Once they were back at camp, Varkas gathered his top advisors in his tent. His face was set in a grim mask as he addressed them. "We underestimated the enemy. This is no ordinary defense. We’re up against something far more formidable."

One of the captains, a young but sharp-witted officer named Liora, spoke up. "General, our intelligence was flawed. We assumed the mercenaries and council members could be easily bought. Clearly, they’re far more loyal—or afraid—than we anticipated."

Thane nodded. "And those creatures... They’re not something you see every day. We need to find a way to counter them."

Varkas paced, his mind racing. "We need a new strategy. Our standard siege tactics won’t work against those defenses. There is a possibility of winning if we launch a great-scale attack using all of our forces and overwhelm them, but we would lose more than half of our soldiers. We need to draw them out, force them to fight on our terms."

Liora suggested, "What if we feign a retreat, lure them into an ambush? It’s risky, but it might give us an edge."

Varkas considered this. "It’s a gamble, but it might be our best shot. We’ll need to set up the ambush carefully. We’ll use our cavalry to flank them once they’re out in the open. But for now, let’s try draining their stamina and their will for several days. We’ll send a messenger to the supply lines,"

The plan was set into motion. Under the cover of night, Ravindor’s forces began a staged retreat, leaving behind a small contingent to maintain the illusion of a continued siege. Varkas hoped that the defenders of Arkansas would take the bait.

The next morning, from the safety of the walls, Lyan and his allies watched as the bulk of Ravindor’s army seemed to withdraw.

"Do you think they’re giving up?" one of the defenders asked.

Lyan, standing tall with his glaive in hand, shook his head. "No, this is a ploy. They want us to think they’re retreating. Prepare for a counter-attack. We’ll be ready for them. But Hm..." Lyan suddenly stopped.

"What is it, Lyan?" Xena, the one who was leading the archer group asked.

"Ah, no," Lyan replied with a smirk. "It might just be interesting to act like we’re playing right into their hands. Take turns for your breaks, keep vigilant!" He gave orders as he called Shadow, the aggressive black horse with a whistle.

"Where are you going?" (Xena)

Lyan jumped toward Shadow before smiling mischievously towards Xena. "Ruining their morale, of course,"

The defenders of Arkansas did not relax their vigilance. Instead, they fortified their positions and kept a watchful eye on the retreating forces.

Varkas and his army lay in wait, hidden in the forests and hills around Arkansas. As the hours passed, tension built. Would the defenders take the bait?

As night fell, scouts reported movement from the city. A small force of defenders, led by the man Evocatore himself, ventured out to assess the situation. Varkas watched from his hidden position, a grim smile on his face. "They took the bait."

He signaled his men to prepare for the ambush. The defenders advanced cautiously, their eyes scanning the shadows. Suddenly, with a roar, Varkas’s forces sprang from their hiding places, attacking from all sides.

Chaos erupted as the ambush was sprung. The defenders fought fiercely, Lyan at the forefront, his glaive cutting through the enemy ranks with deadly precision.

"There you are," Varkas uttered in disdain.