533 Del Lagos

Stationed upon the highest vantage point, Thrud's mighty stone walls had been successfully defended for the past few weeks, with such success albeit at the cost of thousands, Rosemi remained steadfast as her willpower and confidence allowed her to focus upon the bigger picture. Perhaps if it were a weaker willed person, or a person of lesser-ability, such responsibility, such weight and pressure would've already caused inadequate decisions to have been made, which would've resulted in 2 to 3 times more deaths or even the worse case scenario to occur, the fall of humanity's stone bastion.

Out of the 5 layers of stonewalls that segregated and defended the large mountain-pass that once hosted a slumbering dragon, only 3 out of 5 gatehouses were broken and breached. Only to be rapidly repaired and rebuilt into lesser and weaker versions due to the short time-frame available to the engineers.

Perhaps it was due to the soldiers, knights and mages who were fortunate enough to survive the sea of blue, like sharks and piranhas who assaulted with bloodlust and deadly-maws, the collective alliance between kingdoms that pooled their resources, knights and mages together. Having no choice but to fight and survive, to endure and to experience, such hardships naturally led to the defenders growing in capacity.

Or maybe it was due to the will of the heavens, the blessings bestowed upon the people by Goddess Loha's tender-loving grace and warmth. A notion shared by the more religious of the lot, who gave thanks not to their capable commanders, generals and captains who fought equally upon the frontlines, but to supposed divine-intervention.

Whatever it was, that led them to success after success, day after day, the defenders at the very least all agreed upon one thing. That it was good to be alive.

As someone who felt she could watch no longer, ignoring protocol and jumping into the fray herself, Rosemi was currently diligently performing maintenance on her beloved sword. One that had seen many battles and conflicts, having been by her side before she even heard of Trichia.

The duchess, Rosemi's mother, had already departed in swift haste to Einhoren, the capital city of Del Lagos. In an attempt to throw her weight around the political scene, and to persuade the other nobles who remained behind that her daughter was inadequate and unqualified for such a glorious and honourable position. Volunteering herself as the most optimal and best candidate to lead the largest military alliance humanity had ever seen. Certain that such glory, honour and prestige was destined for her, for her noble name to be written within the history books and not that of her errant daughter.

..

Romsei, honestly couldn't care less, as she simply gave her mother permission to leave. Pleased that no longer would there be a voice that continued to nag and judge her every action, even something as small as blinking too much as it was apparently a sign of nervousness. Something the regent, the leading role-model couldn't afford to show, due to it possibly effecting morale.

Having already received and read the latest report, which was regularly delivered to all noble households of importance. The good news lingered upon her mind as she almost started humming in joyful-song. Grand Duke Trichia's army that stood at 4,000 strong, led by his personally trained renowned elites, were marching south in an attempt to flank the dekan army that appeared in endless waves. Truly, the blue-skinned were like a sea of monsters, in fact, Rosemi failed to understand or to figure out as to why their strategies hadn't changed since day 1.

She was certain that the war between species had already costed them more than their initial numbers. And yet, even their reinforcements continued to recycle and reuse their failing tactic of simply trying to overwhelm the walls with numbers. Occasionally bringing forth exotic beasts and monsters that were foreign to the southern kingdoms. 

Thankfully, only the humans and elves were currently aware of the ancient portal that connected Par'Talucca and Aevraury, as such, there was no reason to expect a rear-assault, a flank that would emerge from within Del Lagos.

..

Gary, Lucas, Marvin, Mimi, Lucy, Leslie, Jin, Counts Timson and Sam, and hundreds more were currently suffering in bed, located at the far rear that had been set up as a field-hospital. Having fought and defended against humanoid-serpents that had the upper body of a human and a lower body that was entirely snake, almost like a mermaid would, a strange fever that greatly weakened them as their body temperatures soared assaulted them. Whilst it only effected the humans, leaving the elves and dark elves from Via Marea and Ignis completely fine, if ignoring the claw-wounds they licked.

Whilst he was indeed suffering greatly from the burning temperature, the cold sweat and the horrible aches and sores that left no place untouched, effecting even his privates, Gary was honestly glad to still be alive having thought on the frontlines for so long. 

As for someone like Oliver, as a human who had the ability to call forth mana, to utilize it as if it were an disinfectant to flush out such toxins, the knight remained healthy and active. Whilst he was also glad to be alive, believing himself having earned the right to continue breathing and living due to his performance on the fields. He was still greatly saddened, as the original knights who had marched to Thrud Castle alongside him had all died and therefore replaced with reinforcements. Leaving only Gary and Oliver to be the last remaining knights from their squads.

With a heavy heart, he could only gaze over the walls, over the unending sea of blue and the horizon. And pray that his twin sister Olivia was fine and well. Which didn't worry him as much as he thought, as she was reportedly following the sword of humanity himself, as such, there simply was no place safer than within that mad-man's shadow and protection.

..

As it was still night time, and the humans were allowed to rest their sore-bodies, their range of vision was quite limited.

The usual cargo delivery arrived per usual, another injection of stock-armour, swords, spears, barrels of grain and water. However, Oliver couldn't help but notice something was amiss.

As the wagon entered the illumination of torches that lit up the path, there appeared to be no coachmen, no rider, no guards or the usual labourers to carry the items off.

First to run towards the darkness, slowing the horse that simply continued to follow the predetermined path it had traversed hundreds of times by now. He couldn't help but become greatly shocked.

"What is it!?" 

"What happened!?"

Shouted soldiers who were close enough to catch sight of the knight so quick to greet the cargo.

Rosemi, who was still upon the walls gasped as [Divinity] swirled around her ocean-blue eyes. With amplified eye-sight, she inspected the wooden wagon as if she were standing besides it, specifically the damages and scars upon the wooden boards of the wagon.

Four distinctive claw marks, carbon copies of the scars upon thousands of breastplates, the wooden gates and even upon the corpses of dead.

The dekans had bypassed Thrud Castle, and entered the kingdom of humanity, and she was none-the-wiser. It all made sense to her now, the suicidal repeating of surging into concentrated fire was merely a ruse, a distraction from their real orders...

Seconds away from rallying knights to march towards the heart of the kingdom, to chase their adversaries. A small rumbling behind her, upon the stonewalls ripped her attention elsewhere.

"No... Fucking NO!"

For the first time since the war of attrition started, the dekan army launched a night-assault. Ensuring the defenders remained exactly where they were, unless they desired greater numbers to swarm in and consume the kingdom.