Chapter 182: Battle for Nicopola

Chapter 182: Battle for Nicopola

Battle for Nicopola

Nicopola

A man in plate armor, with graying hair but sharp eyes, rode in front with the cavalry, followed by a formation of troops. The banner of blue and bronze with a grey skull at the center was hoisted high, fluttering against the wind. This was Sir Servius' new coat of arms, the Iron Skull.

With the hook that replaced his right hand, Servius motioned to his officers of the Free Legion to close up. "Bring in as many who value their lives. But don’t act on false hope," he warned, his voice cold and clear. "Blood feud runs deep between us and them. If they draw their weapons, do not hesitate."

His lieutenants voiced murmurs of affirmation.

Soon, his army formed a line, and then a thousand troops began to fan out, combing a large swath of land, capturing mercenary survivors, or granting a quick death to those who were severely burned. Meanwhile, his riders rounded up groups, taking their surrender or decimating those who still wished to fight.

Servius observed the Dawn cavalry and army approaching from the west, making their presence felt, while his Free Legion encroached from the east. As planned, the two forces would entrap the mercenaries and their militants who could only hope to cross the river to escape, leaving behind their armor, tents, and supplies.

As the Iron Skull Legion advanced steadily, Servius was drawn to the scorched landscape and the burning wreckage of the wooden fort that blazed brightly. He had sent scouts and knew it wasn’t an easy target, with tall palisades, a watchtower, and accommodations inside to house hundreds of men.

To see it reduced to burning cinders in just minutes was nothing out of the ordinary. He sighed and his nose twitched from the sharp scent of burning, then turned to his aide, who quickly came to his side.

"Make sure to write about this," Servius instructed. "Then, send a fast rider to Hill Fort. From there, the nomads will bring it to Korelia."

His aide was still memorizing his instructions when a lieutenant who rode with them suddenly reported, "Sir, Lord Avery has moved on," pointing at the sky where three leviathan-looking airships flew westward.

"Aye, he has plenty of things to do," Sir Servius acknowledged. "The campaign to reclaim Nicopola begins now."

Servius spurred his horse and advanced in front of his army with a heavy escort.

...

High in the sky, Lord Avery continued westward after witnessing his army link up with Sir Servius and the Free Legion. Their joint attack and coordination were nearly flawless. Now, he only needed to wait for the two forces to meet, effectively tying a knot around the enemy's position.

Today's victory would liberate the Dawn Barony-Nicopola border from raider strongholds that had been plaguing his land for the past two winters.

This result was the culmination of his alliance with the Lord of Korelia, now the Shogun of the Steppes. With a guaranteed steady supply of warhorses and the allied Free Legion by his side, Lord Avery could attempt a grand plan to restore order in the vast province of Nicopola. With two dozen cities and towns, over five hundred villages, and a population from the last century’s census of three million souls, only a large army could establish order without risking destruction.

While Lord Avery wanted to adhere to the tradition set by the founder of his House—who had taken an oath never to expand, to appease the August Emperor, since they were originally not native to the Imperium—current circumstances forced him to adapt. It had become clear to him, as he bided his time in his barony defending against raids and incursions for two winters, that in this turbulent era, the paradigm was either to rule or be conquered.

The raiders' persistence and savagery had strengthened his personal belief that in times of crisis, one with strength and a moral compass must bring order from the ashes or be subjected to the anarchy of the mob.

"My Lord, the next target should be in sight," Angelo reported, with the wind breezing past them and the sun at their tail.

"Noted," replied Lord Avery, then turning to the crew at the rear, "Tell the other two ships to follow and conserve their loads."

"Any reason why, My Lord?" one of his bomb crew asked from their seat.

"Because I'm magnanimous by nature," he quipped, eliciting chuckles from his crew.

"Today, we make these mercenaries rethink their lives as they sleep rough in the open. We're going to send a message they'll never forget," Avery declared.

***

Spring of 4426: Despite the fall of the Imperium and the presumed death of the Ageless Emperor, the pacification of Nicopola province had started.

With a combined force of two thousand men-at-arms, three thousand volunteer militia, and three hundred horsemen, House Dawn and the Iron Skull Legion poised themselves to bring order to the lawless province.

On their first day, they secured the area south of the river separating Dawn Barony from the southern exterior of Nicopola. In the process, they captured a fortified site at the river crossing, destroyed several large strongholds, and liberated at least seven villages.

The day ended with the deaths of over six hundred mercenaries and their accomplices, with no fewer than three thousand men and women captured.

That very night, to alleviate the captured people’s fears that the mercenaries might seek revenge, a hasty court was assembled. Lord Avery and Sir Servius formed a council where every mercenary deemed responsible for provoking raids on Dawn Barony or involved in armed rebellion was dragged in, questioned, and, if found guilty, sentenced to death.

It was far from fair justice, but it was all they could manage in the face of mounting risks. Consequently, hundreds more faced their demise. There was no pit, but the river was dyed red with the blood of the greedy and ambitious.

The council only hoped that they had not condemned any innocents to death, but it was likely that several were sentenced merely by association.

The condemned's heads were put on pikes erected along the road to the river crossing, accompanied by a wooden warning: "The Rebels Who Rob and Ate Their Kin."

Everyone nodded, satisfied with the answer.

The Lord of Galdia continued, "Those reasons alone are enough to convince me. And then later, I learned about the fall of the Imperium." He paused gazing at the other lords. "Call me paranoid, but I think the eastern border is not going to take this quietly."

"Navalnia?" Lord Robert asked with concern.

"There are rumors that the Marquis of Edessa is not to be trusted. We don't know where his loyalty stands. And without the Imperium, he might even bend the knee to the Eastern Crown," the Lord of Galdia replied.

Lord Jorge breathed deeply, capturing everyone's attention as he said, "We're lucky to have this Shogunate. Even though I doubt they'll be interested in our grass and sheep, if they are foolish enough, like that Reginald of Midlandia, then we can show them what a united Lowlandia can do."

They all turned to the Shogun, with glimmers of hope, respect, and pride in their eyes.

"I'm a peaceful man," Lansius responded calmly. "I'm mostly interested in trade and innovation. But if they provoke us, historians for years to come will be writing about their tragic demise."

***

Nicopola Campaign

Lord Avery continued his aerial bombings behind enemy lines, while his army and the Iron Skull reinforced their gains and prepared for battle.

His persistence was rewarded. Before the two sides met in the field of battle, the populace under the mercenaries finally buckled. They became hysterical over the great bat of fire, rumored to have been summoned by Dawn to devour cities and towns. As soon as their city or neighboring town received a fire warning, many fled to the surrounding forests or villages. For the first time, the remaining mercenaries were unable to control the panicked masses.

News spread and the morale of the great mercenary army plummeted, leading to mass desertions in their ranks. Still, their command stubbornly pushed forward. They believed that once the Dawn army was defeated, the status quo would be retained.

They were further emboldened by the news that the Capital had been overtaken, signaling that no Imperium relief force was in sight. With the fall of the Imperium, many of the largest mercenary groups, which had heavily profited from the raids, believed they possessed the perfect opportunity to lay claim to the title of King of Nicopola.

With thousands of forces still loyal, they marched, ready to seize victory and make a name for themselves, oblivious and almost blinded by the lure of fleeting glory.

***

The Pride of Korimor

Ten days prior, after a long-distance flight from Korelia, the ivory airship, informally named Horsie but formally named The Pride of Korimor, returned to its original berth in Dawn Barony. It was there to be refitted as the Lord and Lady of the Steppes wished to lend their support in the ongoing Nicopolan conflict.

The airship's arrival and the evidence of modernization surprised both its maker and designer. Initially, they were skeptical and concerned upon seeing the ship's front area, which now appeared sharper. However, their interest grew as they noticed that many of its surfaces had been further smoothed.

More than just superficial changes, the gondola was radically enlarged and revamped, equipped with comfortable seats and new storage areas. They also noticed some cleverly designed, weight-saving small holes that were covered with canvas. Yet, that wasn't the most surprising aspect.

What intrigued them the most was the beautifully crafted new wing with surface control, which possibly allowed it to fly more efficiently. Meanwhile, they also lowered the distance between the gondola and the balloon, making the connection rigid and seamless, as if integrated into the structure. This likely aided in maneuvering.

From the conversations they had with the pilot and crew, it was evident that these features allowed the old vessel to be fitted with a larger gondola without sacrificing buoyancy or range.

Another impressive change was how the Korelians were able to come up with simpler, yet effective controls. The combination of a stick, throttle, and foot pedals for yaw earned the Lord of the Steppes enduring respect from the maker. They studied these innovations in detail and made many notes. They began to view Lord Lansius as a fellow innovator and many wished to visit Korelia to discuss airships and flight.

In honor of Lord Lansius' contributions to airship advancement, the Dawn did more than just a rearm and refit. They outfitted the vessel with the latest volatile oil furnace available, enabling it to have an even leaner fuel usage and the ability for a rapid, almost explosive heat when needed, or in emergencies.

As armament, the airship was equipped with a new wooden platform designed to hold two rows of four amphora-sized containers on each side, totaling sixteen payloads. As necessary, the vessel was also fitted with optics, not as advanced as those used by Lord Avery but far superior to the naked eye.

Lastly, it finally received a coating that protected and maintained its rubber silk skin, giving it a shade of black. The Pride of Korimor completed its refit just in time to participate in the campaign.

Along with three other ships under the command of Angelo, they would take to the skies at midnight. It would be a half-day flight to their destination, aiming to reach their target early in the morning.

As midnight cloaked the skies, the crew of the newly refitted airship braced for their first combat mission. However, the newly fitted payload bays lay empty; instead, they still retained their long canvas seats, as they were entrusted with a different role.

Two groups from the newly formed Search and Rescue, armed to the teeth, would attempt to retake Kapua city, one of the most heavily fortified towns on the outskirts of Nicopola. The great mercenary army had just passed, leaving the city laden with supplies. Furthermore, the city's historical significance made it too valuable to be razed to the ground.

Previously, the only option was to set the city ablaze to disrupt the enemy's supply lines. Now, a glimmer of hope arose—a slim chance that this small group of elite fighters could infiltrate and take control of the gatehouse or the citadel, holding it long enough for reinforcements to enter the city.

Thus, the race for City of Kapua began. The fleet of four airships commenced their operation while, on the ground, Lord Avery and his elite brigades continued to traverse the forest, bypassing the great mercenary army with the mission to reach Kapua undetected.

The risks were certainly monumental, but the potential rewards were even greater. Securing Kapua intact would deal a severe blow to the enemy's morale and could decisively tip the campaign in their favor.

***