After the battle, I order my men to clean the battlefield, collect bodies of fallen soldiers and treat the wounded. Although we manage to defeat a much larger army than us, there are many casualties on our side. A knight brings a chair for me as one of my fake legs has been broken since the crash with Kursk. Luckily, aside from some minor wounds, I'm as fit as the fiddle. I order Charles to lead the calvaries to pursue the Beastmen. After being defeated, many of them were killed here and their leader was severely wounded, but they can still reform and come back.
Kruger appears and reports our and the Beastmen's casualties, his blue cloak is covered in blood, the green one, which means he has killed tons of Beastmen today. I'm quite sure he'll called Kruger the Blue Viper after other soldiers see his performance.
On our side, until now we find 1247 bodies, and about 345 people are still missing. Goddamit, we lose more than one-third of our forces. What makes me sign in relief is that Beastmen's casualties are much higher, nearly 3000 Beastmen can make it to the wall, about 1000 Beastmen has been killed in the fire and 8000 more in combat inside the wall later. Many more death of Beastmen'll be reported after my knights and cavalries come back from pursuing them.
One hour later, I see Charles ride back, he gets off his horse and bows to me:
- Milord, we have killed about 1500 Beastmen. They are scattered and have no will to fight so killing them is relatively easy. They have run deep to the Abandon Forest so that I order to stop chasing them as we can be ambushed if we continue.
- Good job! You can let the horsemen dismount and help others in cleaning the battlefield. The Beastmen will not come back for a long time but just in case, build temporary wooden fortifications in parts of the wall that has been destroyed. You're dismissed.
- Yes, Lord.
*********
The news of the 13th Beastmen Invasion shocks the whole Allenstein Kingdom since the King and the Lord of Neverwinter, who plays a very important role in defending the country have marched to war with the Heathen Kingdom more than a year ago. However, what people surprise the most is that a child name Ivar, son and heir to the current lord of Neverwinter, who was born as a cripple command his army and defeats an army that has nearly 20000 Beastmen. A rumor that he killed hundreds of Beastmen just by a wield from his sword and his bow shoot thousands of arrows in one shot has spread all over the kingdom.
In the capital city of the Allenstein Kingdom, which is called Metos Gladius, there is a high white beautiful tower built by the Royal Family to show their power. A beautiful woman at the age of 30s is staring at the city blankly from the highest room of the tower. A man rushes inside the door without knocking, inform the woman with a loud noise:
- Milady, I have news from the North.
- Good job! Micheal, is that cripple died yet, I can ask my brother to seize control of Iceland, its prosperity has grown dramatically recently. Although we pay those Beastmen a huge amount of our gold and our fund is nearly drained. We will acquire quite a lot when Iceland is under our control.
- No milady, that cripple somehow defeats the Beastmen and kills thousands of them, nobles who agreed to back us now hesitate to take action against him.
Open her eyes in shock, the woman falls to the chair behind her:
- How could he do that, that tribe has 17000 warriors, and as our spies say, he has only about 5000 men.
- I don't believe, too. Milady, but the truth is the truth. What will we do now?
- That cripple might have a blessing like my nephew. And an unknown blessing is very dangerous, we'll wait for my nephew to come back from the war. We'll send assassins to kill the King and blame his death for the house of Fortuna. My son will become the next king, so a Royal Announcement is enough to take Iceland. Tell me information about the war with the Heathen Kingdom, Micheal.
- The king has signed a truce for 5 years with the Heathen Kingdom, and his army is on the way back.
- That's good, when they reach the capital, order assassins to disguise as Fortuna soldiers and kill the king, that'll be enough for a reason to kill that man William. For the cripple, send some assassins to poison him too, without house Fortuna, the Icelander will bow to us easily.
- As you wish, Milady.
********** ( Change POV)
In Neverwinter, citizens of the city are surrounding the City Square joining the funeral of the soldiers who die from fighting with the Beastmen. Their bodies are gently put in coffins ready to be incinerated, their eyes are put on golden coins, which is the culture of people living in Iceland.
I walk slowly to the center of the square with Charles and Kruger by my side. Take some bread, I start to speak:
- My people, these men have fought bravely today. Without them, we won't stand here tonight. A monument will be built so that their sacrifices will be remembered forever. Their tales will be spoken as long as men have tongues to speak. Those who are their wives, children will receive 50 gold coins and pay no taxes for the rest of their lives. For now, we must put down our sadness and pain, so that we can see them off with deepest thanks for what they have done for us.
Some people light up the incinerators. The crowd starts to sing the funeral songs for warriors:
" .....We give our deepest thanks
For who use swords and spears
To drive out the evil
And bring us peaceful lives...."