A Tale of Strategies For the Throne

The Gastad people are brave and ferocious in battle. They are indomitable on the battlefield and are not afraid of death.

They were born in the Gastad Snowfield, a world covered in ice and snow most of the year.

Barrenness, coldness, hunger and death are everywhere.

The weak eat the strong, and the fittest survive.

The Gastadians who survived this environment learned the cruelty that the environment taught them.

The harsh environment also led to the poverty of their civilization.

They never care about moral ethics, propriety, justice and shame.

Because these useless things cannot allow them to survive in the cruel snowfield of Gastad.

To survive by any means necessary is the instinct of the Gastard people.

At the beginning, they had suppressed the people of Karnar and attacked the royal city of Karnar, which caused the easy-to-defend and difficult-to-attack royal city of Karnar to fall quickly.

In fact, when they attacked the royal city of Aaron Landis, the Gastad people wanted to repeat their old trick, seizing the civilians of Aaron Landis and driving them as hostages to attack the royal city.

However, Heimos, who was guarding the royal city at that time, used the unprecedented tactic of "strengthening the wall and clearing the field" to drive away the civilians hundreds of miles around the royal city before they arrived, preventing them from capturing the hostages.

Now, the commander of Gastad was very fortunate to have sent these prisoners of war of Aaron Landis here as slaves, which gave him an excellent bargaining chip.

When he found that the city wall was in danger under the stones and giant crossbows and arrows, he decisively ordered the Aaron Landis to be tied up and pushed to the city wall, so that they could become human shields for the city wall.

He saw with satisfaction that the attack of the Aaronlanders stopped immediately the moment their compatriots appeared on the city walls.

After the army outside the city was silent for a moment, they suddenly burst into roaring roars.

The soldiers who saw their compatriots could not control their anger and cursed at the Gastadians one after another.

They were furious at the despicable behavior of the Gastard people.

However, the Gastadians apparently didn't care at all about their scolding.

In their view, it doesn't matter whether the means are despicable or not, as long as they are useful.

They only care about results.

So they continued to yell and pushed the Aaron Landis slave to the edge of the wall.

The Aaron Landis slaves were pushed roughly by the Gastad soldiers and moved forward involuntarily.

They walked slowly, stumbling every step.

Their hands and feet were shackled with bronze cuffs, and heavy bronze chains were dragged under their feet, making harsh friction sounds with the stone ground as they walked with difficulty.

These brave and fearless soldiers who once followed the Lion King on the battlefield have been tortured both physically and mentally for more than a year.

From a soldier who was admired by everyone, he was reduced to the humblest slave, and became the slave of their most hated enemy, suffering all humiliation.

Many people died in pain and with hatred.

Those who survived felt like they were in hell, and all their struggles and unwillingness were in vain. They gradually became numb, living like clay sculptures and wood sculptures, with no sparkle in their eyes.

That skinny body and pale face no longer showed any of the majesty of the battlefield in the past.

Until that day, they heard news.

The Canarites, who hated the Gastards and sympathized with them, secretly told them to hold on a little longer.

The people of Karnar said that their new boy king had announced in public that he would send troops to Karnar.

‘I will never abandon my people, Aaron Landis. ’

This sentence once again ignited the flame of hope in their hearts, which were already despairing.

Their king has not forgotten them.

enough.

This is enough.

This is enough to keep them alive with hope.

They were waiting hard for the arrival of Aaron Landis's army, and for the day when they would return to Aaron Landis.

As long as this hope still exists, let alone wait another year, even if they wait ten or twenty years - even when they are old and old, they can continue to wait.

…………

Sid had been hungry for two days.

The Gastards imprisoned their group of Aronlandis in one place and gave them no food except some water.

He is very weak.

Weak as never before.

However, even though he was suffering from hunger, his mood was still as bright as the scorching sun at this moment.

With his stomach deeply deflated, Sid resisted the uncomfortable feeling of hunger and claws scratching his heart, and looked expectantly in the direction of the gate of the Royal City of Kanal.

Not only him, but the other companions as well. Even though they were dying of hunger, their eyes were still full of energy - completely different from the indifference they had half a year ago.

Soon.

Sid thought.

Soon, they will be able to go home.

At this moment, a group of Gastad soldiers ran in quickly.

They yelled, pulled, and forced these Aaron Landis slaves to get up, and drove Sid and many of his companions up the city wall.

When Sid was forcibly driven to the city wall, he immediately reacted.

These cruel and barbaric guys are going to use them as human shields for the city wall to threaten Aaron Landis's army to stop attacking.

Not only him, but many of his companions soon realized this.

Suddenly, the team became chaotic. Many Aaronandians began to struggle, unwilling to go up to the wall.

But after two days of starvation, they were too weak to resist. Instead, many of them were severely beaten by the soldiers who drove them away, and their heads were bruised and bloody.

If Gastad's generals hadn't stopped him in time, those people might have been beaten to death.

In the end, they were all forcibly dragged to the city wall by the Gastards.

Dragging the heavy bronze chain, Sid staggered to the city wall.

Looking up, he saw the familiar black and red army that stretched as far as the eye could see below the city wall.

The army of Aaron Landis, his fellow soldiers.

The lion flag with red background and gold pattern was flying high in the air.

Everything is as before.

For a moment, Sid's eyes turned red.

He once thought that he was a warrior of the strong and fearless Aaron Landis. Even in the face of death, even if he shed the last drop of blood, he would never shed a tear.

But when he saw the familiar armor and flag again at this moment, it was only a year and a half later, but to him it seemed like hundreds of years had passed. At this moment, he could no longer control it, and the corners of his eyes instantly became moist. stand up.

Not only him, but his companions who were also forced to the city wall looked at the familiar things under the city wall. The corners of their eyes were red, and they were holding back tears to prevent tears from flowing out.

Because of excitement.

Also because of unwillingness.

They also wanted to wear black and red armor, hold long swords, and fight for Aaron Landis with their comrades.

But now, they can only appear in front of everyone in such a miserable state, and have even become a burden to their colleagues.

Sid took a deep breath and raised his hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of his eyes. His movements caused the chains on the ground to make a harsh friction sound.

Losing to the Gastards was a lifelong shame for him. He only wished he had not died on the battlefield.

But now, he is absolutely unwilling to be used by the Gastard people as a tool to threaten his comrades.

"Even if we can't fight - we must not become a burden to Aaron Landis!"

Using his last strength, he roared loudly and jumped out of the city wall.

With determination to die, he saw that most of his body had fallen outside the city wall and was about to fall from the sky——

But his whole body suddenly fell back onto the city wall.

A Gastad soldier grabbed the bronze chains on his feet in time and pulled Sid back.

After Sid failed, some Aaron Landis tried to jump down to commit suicide, but all of them were firmly held down by the prepared Gastad soldiers.

The Gasdad people were shocked by the actions of Sid and others trying to commit suicide by jumping off the city wall. They could not understand why the Aaron Landis people would do such a thing.

Worried that this situation would happen again, they simply tied the Aaron Landis slaves two by three to the wooden or stone poles on the city wall with ropes.

Sid gritted his teeth when he wanted to die but was tied to the city wall by the Gastad people instead.

He almost bit his lower lip until it bled, his head hanging down, his eyes dim.

"Side, don't worry."

Looking at his decadent look, the middle-aged man tied with him suddenly said,

"We will not become a burden to Aaron Landis' army. I just saw that the leader of the army this time is Lord Heymos."

The middle-aged man who was once a respected knight captain and now just a scrawny slave had a calm expression on his face.

"You should know the character of this Excellency. It is impossible for the Gastard people to threaten this Excellency with us."

"I think Lord Heimos will soon order the attack to continue."

If the coach was someone else, he would not dare to be so sure.

But if it was Lord Heimos whom they were familiar with, he would definitely order the attack to continue.

The middle-aged man said this with relief in his tone.

But underneath that relief, there was a hint of discomfort.

After struggling for so long, looking forward to returning to Aaron Landis day and night, he still had to die in a foreign country.

It is impossible to say that there is no regret or discomfort at all.

...that’s all.

He would rather die for his country than suffer humiliation as a slave at the hands of the Gastards.

Rather than being tortured to death by the Gastards, he would rather die at the hands of his compatriots.

He only hoped that after his death, his compatriots could take his body back to the land he dreamed of.

…………

...But, after all, I am still not willing to accept it...I am not willing to accept it.

He had already seen from a distance the raised right hand of the black-armored knight standing on the ground outside the city.

he knows.

That was the signal to continue the attack.

Just wait for that hand to wave, and countless boulders and bullets will come overwhelmingly, taking away the lives of everyone on the city wall.

Sighing silently in his heart, he closed his eyes and waited for death to come.

…………

……………………

The bright sunlight shone on Heimos's shiny black armor, and then it was all swallowed up by darkness.

Astride his horse, he slowly raised his hand.

Everyone knew that was the signal to continue the attack.

Looking at the compatriots who were tied to the city wall, everyone felt that their breathing was quickening.

Military orders are like mountains.

Once Huymos, the coach, gives the order, they must continue to attack.

They will kill their brothers with their own hands and take the lives of their comrades with their own hands.

What a cruel order this is——

Kayhos looked at Heimos who had raised his hand from afar, with a complicated look on his face.

It seems that Heimos has made his decision.

In order to break the city, Heimos gave up the lives of his captured compatriots.

He had guessed this outcome from the beginning.

There was no way Heimos would give up an easy victory for the lives of those prisoners of war.

This person has always been like this, never changed.

Cayjos looked away.

He couldn't stop it.

According to the order of King Garlan, Heimos was the commander of this expedition.

He must obey the coach's orders.

It's just... His Majesty will definitely be sad after learning about this...

…………

At this moment, there was an eerie silence on the battlefield.

Almost everyone's eyes were focused on Heimos.

Everyone held their breath, watching his every move.

"Pass the order."

Heimos, who raised his right hand in full view of everyone, said with an expressionless face.

There was no trace of anger on his face, let alone any wavering.

He gave the order that seemed natural to him in a calm tone.

"continue……"

Keep attacking.

A bright ray of sunlight shone down, reflecting a ray of light between the fingers of his left hand holding the reins.

The golden ring inlaid with green malachite refracted the light into his cold eyes.

Heimos' right hand, which was about to be swung down, paused in mid-air.

He lowered his eyes, the shadows of his long eyelashes falling into his pupils.

The malachite ring on his left hand was reflected in his eyes, and his lips suddenly tightened.

"Lord Heimos?"

The subordinate standing behind Heimos saw that he only spoke half of his words and then stopped moving, so he couldn't help but ask in confusion.

Heimos slowly lowered his right hand.

He said: "Retreat and return to camp."

"ah?!!"

A few minutes later, a low horn sound suddenly sounded on the battlefield, causing Caihos to turn his head sharply.

The call back to camp? !

He looked stunned and incredulous.

Is this an order from Heimos?

How can it be?

The low sound of the trumpet spread across the battlefield and reached the ears of the Aaronandians who were tied to the city wall.

The middle-aged man who had closed his eyes and was waiting for death suddenly opened his eyes when he heard the familiar horn sound representing retreat.

He looked at the slowly retreating Aaron Landis army, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Could it be that the coach is not actually Mr. Heimos?

he thought blankly.