Chapter 204 Two Towns In One Day



When the first light of dawn broke through the horizon, the small port town of Betbury entered their sight. The warships were shrouded by the morning fog, making it difficult for the town's inhabitants to detect the imposing vessel that loomed just offshore.

Wagner who was standing at the forefront of his flagship, surveyed the scene ahead with a calculating gaze. "Prepare to land!" He said after finding out that Betbury has no significant defensive features.

As his commands reverberated across the decks, the sailors scurried around, preparing for landing vessels. The small boats were swiftly lowered into the water, their sides splashing as soldiers eagerly climbed aboard.

The soldiers propelled their boats to the shore with their movements perfectly synchronised. The steady cadence of their strokes echoed in the air, producing a rhythmic sound.

On the other side, the fishermen prepared to embark on their daily routine. But, a peculiar splashing sound emanating from the sea caught their attention. They quickly turn around and squinted their eyes to figure it out.

After a few seconds passed, they were baffled to see numerous small boats carrying men armed and armoured heading toward the shore. The fishermen exchanged bewildered glances. As the armed men rowed closer, their initial surprise was replaced with a mounting sense of unease. 

With a sense of urgency, the fishermen abandoned their plan and ran back toward the town to warn everyone else. However, their efforts were in vain as it was too late to prevent what was about to unfold.

As the boats neared the coastline, the soldiers prepared to make their landing. With a resounding thud, the first boats made contact with the sandy beach.

The soldiers leapt out from the boat and instantly formed a defensive perimeter to protect their comrades who were yet to disembark.

At the same time, they scanned their surroundings and readied themselves in case of an attack. One by one, the landing vessels unloaded their human cargo. The soldiers poured onto the shore like a relentless tide.

Their presence became evident to the garrison's guards, who quickly realized the impending threat. Nonetheless, they advanced into the town. Along the way, they encountered resistance from the garrisons who tried their best to fend off their invasion.

Blande soldiers engaged the garrison's guards in fierce combat. Their weapons flashed in the morning sunlight. The clash of steel and the reverberation of battle cries shattered the morning stillness. With each resounding clash, the townsfolk found themselves in the midst of chaos which they cannot escape.

As such, they opt to hide in their house and pin all hope on the garrison's guard.

However, unbeknownst to them, the garrison's guards were caught off guard and ill-prepared for the sudden attack. Their ranks were gradually faltered by the coordinated assault of the invaders.

Under the commands of Wagner, Blande soldiers slowly gain the ground and overpower the garrison's guards with their sheer numbers. One by one, the key positions in the city were captured, further strengthening Blande's foothold in the town.

Realising they were outnumbered, the garrison's guards retreated further north with the hope to reestablish their line of defence. 

The battle continues to rage on. The Blande soldiers pressed their advantage, not giving any chance for the garrison's guards to reorganise themselves. Blande soldiers moved through the streets, clearing buildings and securing strategic locations 

Through narrow alleyways, across open squares, and up stone steps, the Blande soldiers advanced, driving the garrison's guards back while disrupting the defenders' retreating process by dividing them into numerous small groups. 

The cries of the defeated and shouts of victory coexisted in the streets, intertwined with the sounds of battle. The locals watched the tragedy play out through the window of their house. They huddled together in fear, eyes wide open in horror as they see the bodies of the lifeless garrison's guards scattered on the streets.

After hours of intense fighting, the garrison's guards finally reached a breaking point. Overwhelmed by the relentless assault and seeing their cause as lost, they began to surrender or flee.

The Blande soldiers immediately secured the remaining areas of the town, putting Betbury under their total control. 

With the capture of Betbury, the Blande soldiers rejoiced as they secure a strategic foothold for their next campaign. 

"Should we head to Greroy immediately, Admiral?" asked his advisor. 

Wagner shook his head, "Not yet. Order the soldiers to regroup and tend to the wounded first. Then, we'll leave a portion of our soldiers to fortify and establish a stronghold in Betbury before moving northwards."

"I'll relay your command immediately." 

Wagner, standing amidst the conquered town, watched his soldiers break into the citizens' houses, dragged them out and gathered in a town square. 

....

After his soldiers finish tending the wounded and replenishing their energy, Wagner wasted no time for the next phase of his mission, to capture Greroy. The town was only fifteen kilometres north of Betbury. 

"Hurry up and move!" Wagner's voice resonated, urging his troops to quickly organise themselves into a column. "We need to arrive at Greroy before they catch wind of our invasion."

Under the scorching sun, the Blande's army begins their march with civilians, young and old alike, leading at the front. Fear and exhaustion etched deep lines on their faces as they trudged forward. The sharp blades of Wagner's soldiers pressed against their backs, a constant reminder of the consequences that awaited any sign of disobedience.

After an hour of marching, their muscle ached and their parched throats cried out for water. With energy dwindling, their marching speed slowed down significantly which incurs the wrath of the admiral. 

"Pick up the pace, you useless lot! We don't have time to waste." Wagner's voice cut through the air, laced with disdain. Blande's soldiers intensified their prodding and pushing. Their blades dug deeper into the backs of the civilians, causing whimpers of pain. 

Gripped by a sense of dread, they complied with his demands. Their eyes filled with resignation as they forced their weary legs to carry them while clung to one another for support.

Wagner and his troop arrive at the outskirts of Greroy an hour later. Simultaneously, General Braun, at the helm of his troops, rode in from the west.

The two friends approached each other. 

"Braun!" Wagner was the first to call his friend out. A wide smile etched on his face, a stark contrast from his attitude earlier. 

Braun returned the smile, dismounting from his horse and extending his hand in greeting. "Wagner, my friend, it's good to see you. I assume the capture of Betbury went smoothly."

"Yes, we manage to capture the town," Wagner affirms Braun's assumption. "However, I need to remind you to not make a sudden change in plan. It just happen to go well this time but who knows if it'll work in our favour again."

Braun replied in an apologetic tone, "My bad, Wagner. The war develops in an unexpected direction. The change was made to salvage the situation. Luckily, it turn out as I predicted." 

"So, have you made a plan to capture this town?" Wagner asked. 

"Unfortunately, there's no established plan yet." Braun shook his head. "Why do you ask? Do you have a plan?"

Wagner pointed out at the civilians he brought along, "Do you see them?"

"What about them?" Braun asked but before his friend answered, everything clicked together. "Ahh! I know what's your plan. That's pretty good, Wagner. Do you want to be in charge?"

The admiral refuses the offer, "I'll leave it to you, the general."

Braun takes charge of the combined army. He put the citizens of Betbury at the front line and ordered them to rush toward the south and the west gate of the city. Archers were ordered to shoot anyone who ran away from the battlefield. 

As the civilians rush towards the gates, fear and uncertainty gripped their hearts as they were ordered to rush towards the gates, knowing that their lives were on the line.

The town garrisons hesitate to launch a counterattack. However, the general knows that relying on a human shield won't last long. After all, humans are not kind and selfless when their own interest is jeopardized. 

As Braun expected, Greroy's garrisons stationed within the city walls end up releasing the arrow to the incoming civilians. They felt a pang of empathy as they locked eyes with the frightened faces of the oncoming citizens.

While the garrisons were struck with a difficult and heart-wrenching decision, Braun ordered them to close in and breach the gate. "Hurry up and tore it open! We don't have much human shield left at our disposal." 

Hearing a sense of urgency in their general's voice, the Blande soldiers relentlessly hammered the gate. Fueled with adrenaline, they hacked and pounded the wooden gate until it finally gave way.

The soldier poured into the city like a torrential wave, killing anything that block their path. Braun doesn't have to give out his next order as the soldiers know what to do. Blande's army secured key positions in the town, making sure the enemies were totally subdued. 

By the end of the day, two towns in the Tetherswest region fall into the hand of invaders.

[A/N: Map]