The train stopped near dusk, the wagons were used to create a defensive perimeter while the buffalo were released and fed. Some soldiers kept watch, while others set up tents and lit fires to prepare food.
Jon watched the camp being built with robotic efficiency, not a single order was issued and yet everyone knew what to do and how to do it. Jon took the opportunity to send out his sparrows to scout the area for threats.
...
...
Jon received a bowl of stew, as well as some bread and wine, and sat down by a fire next to Sirla: "You don't seem to be part of the duke's army, why are you escorting this convoy?"
"The duke's army suffered heavy casualties during the invasion, and still hasn't managed to regain full strength, so he prefers to hire mercenary companies for this kind of work... in addition, he keeps a significant number of soldiers patrolling this region to prevent another invasion"
"What is the level of defenses in this region?"
Sirla watched him for a moment, wondering what he was getting at: "Both the federation and the duke himself have invested heavily in the defenses of the entire border, from Sombramar to Zirael, all the villages between the two cities have been fortified and garrisoned, thousands of soldiers patrol the edge of the forest constantly... in addition, elite divisions have been deployed in some cities, in case it is necessary to reinforce this line of defense. I believe they are trying to rebuild the old Auror watchtowers"
Jon narrowed his eyes, trying to imagine these defenses and pit them against what he saw in the forest. He didn't like this sight at all. When he had entered the forest to level up, he had expected to face slaves, at most a few goblin riders, and at first that had been the case... but as he got deeper into the forest, he began to face stronger and stronger... and more organized enemies. They looked more and more like an army than an irrational horde, and that in itself raised some questions.
Sirla continued eating while her guest was lost in thought. After she couldn't stand it any longer, she turned and asked: "What do you intend to do in Terhi?"
"I'm not sure... it will depend on what has happened in recent years."
"And then what?"
"It depends on what happens in Terhi" Jon replied evasively, and then he felt a slight tugging in his mind. Focusing on this sensation, his vision changed, and he saw goblin riders coming out of the forest.
"Goblin riders are approaching from the west... about 150 of them, probably under level 20..." Jon swallowed what was left of the stew and stood up, sending a mental command to Shadowgris. He looked at Sirla, who was still sitting with her spoon a few centimeters from her mouth: "Goblins to the west, just a few minutes from the camp! Shouldn't you sound an alarm or something?"
Sirla threw down her food and stood up, but before she could shout an order, Jon interrupted her: "Another group coming from the north... 20... 30... about 50 mounted goblins moving fast"
Sirla grabbed a bugle from a nearby soldier and blew with all her might. The sound reverberated through the camp, frightening her mercenaries and sending the cart drivers into a panic.
"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK! Enemies from the west and north!"
As the mercenaries began to organize themselves, Jon stretched both hands forward and materialized two items. In his right hand appeared his sacred weapon in the form of the spear, and in his left hand appeared the battle banner.
It took Jon a while to understand how to use the banner correctly, but eventually he succeeded. The first step was to choose his coat of arms. After thinking about it for a few days, he ended up choosing the cross of Flamel as the base. A second chance to be someone better.
Alchemy had this idea of taking something ordinary and turning it into something valuable, extraordinary. The most common was the idea of turning lead into gold, but Jon thought this idea was limited. If such a complete transformation were really possible, why limit himself to mere minerals? What Jon was looking for was to destroy his old self, remove flaws and imperfections and then the result would be a better version of himself, right?
His banner represented the simple hope of being someone better.
Jon stuck the banner in the center of the camp and activated its enchantments, so that a vast area around it became his territory. Allied soldiers would be more courageous and disciplined, while the enemies would be fearful.
Jon equipped his shield and climbed onto his steed, watching the mercenaries move into position. There were less than 50 mercenaries, 10 of them with mounts and the rest divided between archers and men-at-arms, plus more than 100 unarmed and frightened civilians.
Sirla approached him just as the first goblins were spotted.
Jon activated his heroic aura and his speed aura, hearing the mercenaries' cries of surprise. He turned to Sirla and said: "I will face the threat from the north, you must concentrate your forces in the west. If you're confident, send your riders to attack from the flanks, but don't stop at anything or your mounts will be torn apart by the wolves."
Sirla nodded silently, watching the young man put on his helmet. The human disappeared, giving way to a knight made of steel, fire and darkness.
Sirla joined her men, carrying a crossbow herself: "Let's just defend our position! Soldiers defend the gaps between the wagons, archers shoot at will. Every shot, a kill!"
"EVERY KILL, A COIN!!!" The mercenaries roared in response as arrows and darts flew across the dark sky.
"EVERY COIN, A DRINK!"
"EVERY DRINK, A STORY!"
"IN EVERY STORY OUR VICTORY!"
The first wolves reached the wagons, trying to jump between the gaps, but were repulsed by the soldiers. The sound of whips cuts through the mercenaries' shouts, as goblins attacked the archers on top of the wagons. Other goblins circled around looking for undefended spots, and some even abandoned their wolves and climbed onto the wagons.
Sirla abandoned her crossbow and drew her saber, climbed down from the wagon and got on her horse. Other mercenaries did the same.
"We'll draw them away, take the opportunity to reduce their numbers!" Sirla shouted, and passed through a narrow opening that some wagoners had prepared: "Don't worry about killing them, we'll just run around and reduce the pressure on the infantry"
Sirla reined in her horse and advanced, but the darkness of the night disappeared, replaced by a blinding flash, forcing her to halt her onslaught. She looked to the north, seeing a shower of light falling across the land, and saw a bolt of white lightning zigzagging between the goblins, leaving a red mist where it passed. The lightning turned into the black knight, who pierced a goblin's head with his spear and threw the body at another goblin. His steed elbowed a wolf that tried to approach from behind, then reared up and smashed another wolf's head with its hooves wrapped in black fire.
The knight didn't stay in one place for long, moving like a whirlwind of death among the goblins. Even though he was surrounded, no blow seemed to hit him, while his own blows never missed.
Sirla came to her senses only when the sounds of her own battlefield became urgent. She advanced against the goblins and their beasts, using a hit-and-run tactic that surprisingly worked. Her blows were faster than she remembered, and cut through her enemies with unbelievable ease. Even the lightest of blows left enemies howling in pain.
Sirla forgot everything else as her mind thought only of the next blow to be parried and the next blow to be struck. At some point, night turned to day when hundreds of swords of light fell from the sky, trapping the goblins and their wolves, and white lightning appeared bringing death.
Sirla didn't know how long the battle lasted, only that she was exhausted. The black fire disappeared with the hero, who set off to pursue the few goblins who had managed to escape.
Sirla returned to camp, organizing the chaos that the attack had caused. Fortunately, no one was killed, but seven of her men and two cart drivers were seriously injured.
The hero returned relatively quickly, dismissed his magical mount and entered the camp. He approached his banner and picked it up off the ground, after which the item disappeared.
"Thank you for your help, if you weren't here we'd all be dead..." Sirla approached, offering a mug of hot cinnamon wine.
"It's the other way around, really." The hero removed his helmet and sat down by the fire. His hair was wet and his face was pale. "Those goblins were sent after me, if I hadn't been here you wouldn't have been attacked" Jon took a sip of wine, slowly savoring the taste.
"Why would you be chased by 200 goblins of such a high level?"
...
...
"I really wanted to know the answer to that question"