Chapter 77 - Target

Around the time Zaos and the other recruits were having their breakfast, things started to get heated on the walls again. When Zaos got up, a soldier in the walls suddenly raised his voice and shouted.

"They are coming!"

The walls weren't big enough to fit the five hundred recruits, so Elius divided them into four groups, but only two of those four headed to the different sides of the walls. Zaos was part of the group that was near the gate of the town, so his squad and he already knew that they would see a lot of blood.

"Don't waste your time aiming. Just keep shooting!" Elius shouted while the kids were positioning themselves on the walls.

Zaos clenched his teeth when he looked at hundreds of mercenaries properly armed, this time running toward the walls. Ladders, shields, bows… if they could have brought some catapults or ballista from so far away, they would have used them, but they didn't. Regardless, things will get messy anyway.

"Fire at will!" Elius shouted.

The recruits and the soldiers of the town obeyed and fired their arrows. The mercenaries raised their shields and blocked the arrows that fell on them. In the end, only a couple of them fell on the ground, lifeless, despite the immense luck that everyone had to more or less aim properly.

While they saw the mercenaries quickly approach, some recruits dropped their arrows on the ground out of fear. In contrast, others took their time to aim properly since their arms were trembling. It would be a great time to use a spell that affects a large area if Zaos had one, but he didn't.

Half of the archers managed to fire again. Still, then the mercenaries finally reached the walls and put the ladders on several parts. The soldiers tried to knock them down, but arrows from the enemy side began to fall on the walls as well. Those who tried to stop the ladders got hit, and Zaos saw some of the recruits getting hit as well. Some of them screamed in agony, while others fell lifeless on the floor… they didn't have the chance to feel anything. Several recruits froze on the spot, even Zaos when he saw kids of his age dying or dead so close to him. 

"Stop daydreaming, you idiots!" Elius shouted. "Those who are wounded, fall back! Squad eleven and twelve, climb the wall, now!

Elius's voice woke Zaos up from his stupor, and the sound of footsteps on the other side of the walls made him turn around. Mercenaries protecting their heads with shields were climbing, so arrows were useless. However, despite that, Zaos had an idea.

"Sir! Give the order to everyone to focus on defense!" Zaos said.

"What for, you buffoon?" Elius asked. "If we focus on defense, they will reach the walls. We don't have enough soldiers to win a melee here!"

Zaos turned around again, and then he pointed his left hand toward the ladder close to him. After a few moments, a Fire Sword appeared and cut half of the ladder. The other half began to burn while the mercenaries in there fell on the ground. Elius watched that, but then he suddenly moved his left arm toward Zaos's head. He waited for a hit, but Elius's shield stopped on his side and blocked a couple of arrows.

"… Thank you, sir," Zaos opened his eyes widely.

"Assume defensive positions!" Elius shouted. "Riders! Approach the walls with your spears!"

Zaos also raised his shield to protect himself. He had to do so while he cast his spells. Regardless, before he could aim for another ladder, the first mercenaries finally reached the top of the wall and began to cut down the nearby soldiers. However, they were stopped when suddenly a spear pierced their throats.

"… So, this is what it feels like to cut a man… how unsettling," Drannor said while showing a complicated expression.

It was impressive that Drannor did that in a single instant and didn't hesitate after the first. He had been trained well. Thanks to his quick action, his squad managed to recover from the surprise and slow down the mercenaries climbing the ladders.

Although it would be easier to aim and that would be more effective in the end, Zaos decided not to destroy the ladder from top to bottom. From his current position, he just aimed at one ladder and then cast Fire Sword. A mercenary was engulfed in flames while another latter was split in two.

Your Sorcery has reached level 25

"This again, huh…" Zaos furrowed his eyebrows.

His Sorcery level wasn't supposed to increase that fast… Regardless, Zaos put thoughts aside and then proceeded to attack other ladders. When the mercenaries noticed that there was a decent mage on the wall, they focused his arrows on Zaos. Still, his squad managed to form a wall to protect him from all directions.

"Keep going, squad leader."

Zaos nodded after hearing that. He trained his squad well… or so he thought, even though he didn't train them to be that quick at making their decisions. In the blink of an eye, Zaos destroyed three more ladders, but that wasn't nearly enough since the enemies brought around fifteen of them. The riders with their spears were trying to hold them back, but it was getting harder.

When Zaos prepared another attack, he noticed that some mercenaries acted weird on the ground below him. When he turned his eyes toward them, he saw them aiming their spears at him. In the end, Zaos managed to fire another Fire Sword, but then he got knocked down alongside a squad member when he was protected by a shield that got hit by several spears.

"Ouch, my head… that was close," Zaos said.

"Archers! Focus on the lancers below!" Elius shouted. "Follow my command and lower the shields when I give the order!"

Elius was trying to solve the problem Zaos was facing. Still, in the end, he could only do so much with a force that had zero combat experience.