Steel and Mana

Chapter 257 – The Siege of Lothlia (1)

"Sit!" I stated with a more piercing voice than I originally wanted to the confused ministers, who were still arriving in a hurry, their clothes and hair in a mess. It was still the middle of the night; some were practically dragged out of their homes by my guards. "We are in trouble."

There was no time to do soft introductions; it was best to rip off the bandaid at once. I was woken up by one of Yuri's girls only an hour ago, and Merlin was waiting for me outside, holding a crumpled paper, the transcript of the message from Lothlia. His face looked so serious that I knew it wasn't just a superficial issue this time that scared my Uncle.

"There is a 10,000-strong army heading towards Lothlia. They had already broken through the border and would reach the city within a day or less. The Rook and our squad of soldiers reached it in time. If not... we would have received this news way too late! They are setting up the defenses as we speak but requested immediate support. The enemy is coming with a flying ship…"

My words very quickly turned the room deathly silent. Some ministers at the table looked paler than the moon, which we hadn't seen for months. With Oleg at the Wall right now, nobody could speak for the status of our army, but I knew that the Pass was eerily silent. No monsters came yet, which was way too weird.

"We vote." I continued after a brief pause, letting them think through the news. "The Pass remains unchanged this winter; maybe the monsters can't come through because of the heavy snow... But we must decide what to do. We either send reinforcement or we sacrifice Lothlia. This is about the future of our region… If you are against splitting up our forces, raise your hands!"

While watching them, only three hands rose from the dozens present, one being that of Merlin's. Looking at the others, I could see that they were either waiting for my decision or just wouldn't want to take responsibility for something like this. Not that they would be reprimanded either way… I just wanted to know what my people thought. I have already spoken with Merlin while calling upon my ministers, and he suggested we let Lothlia fall and try to retake it in the spring. He also suggested asking the Empress for help as a flying ship should fight against another of its brethren while we deal with the forces on the ground. However, I wouldn't want to let my Uncle face something like this alone… Then, in the future, who would ally themselves with us? Knowing we are ready to abandon them?

"It is decided!" I stood up, nodding at Merlin, who, although they voted against my original decision, wasn't angry. This was a healthy disagreement, and after the final decision was made, he wouldn't stand in its way either. "Tell the Princess that she is to make her way to Lothlia. Prepare the train! It will transfer five hundred of our soldiers along with a dozen howitzers! Make it happen, NOW!"

With my final roar, everyone jolted upwards, saluting and beginning to run around like it was the end of the world. It may very well be. While the city was being woken up in the middle of the night, thanks to the commotion, Merlin walked up to me, saying something I had been expecting him to do since the message had arrived.

"I should also go with them. The enemy leader is most likely a mage."

"I know." I nodded, patting his shoulder. "But you are staying. There is a chance we lose the city. We will need you here… I can't send you, Sasha, or Mikan away because if monsters also appear, I need your magic against them!"

"Will Yuri…" He tried to ask, thinking of the proper words, but I shook my head.

"Look, I am not happy to send my wife away to such a battle, but this is our reality now. I trust that she will know her place and won't do something stupid. The Lion stays as Father is the most experienced in defending the Pass; his knowledge of beasts is key."

"I understand. Sovereign, I sent the second train away, the one that connects us to the Black Lands. My envoys will reach Cerna and the Empress in about a day. If we are lucky, they will come to the aid of Lothlia and can catch the sieging enemy in the back."

"Let's hope that's the case!" I smiled, letting out a long breath. "This is our true test to see if we are indeed ready for this rebellion. If we manage to destroy the flying ship and kill the enemy leader, we can launch an offense against Westland in the summer. Then, Ishillia's northern part will be unified and be the bastion of our rebellion for real!"

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It was close to dawn, signaled by the slowly greying dark skies. Elliot was nervously standing at the station next to his city, only partially relieved after seeing the white smoke in the distance. The morning chilly wind brought the train's familiar whistling and rattling from the north, pushing the snow away from its way with a massive plower attached to its front. It was like hearing the bell of the Gods, here to save the city. There was no time to exchange pleasantries as the arriving force quickly began dismounting, pulling off the howitzers and hurrying as fast as they could to bring everything into the city.

The tall, heavily armored black army of Avalon was not the only one swarming Lothlia but many of the civilians from the surrounding land. While Pion and his force traveled, they alerted as many towns and villages as possible, bringing the people into Lothlia, wanting to save the lifeblood of the Frontier. Without them, there won't be replacing the army, and there won't be anyone who tends the fields and produces their food.

"General!" Elliot yelled, seeing Oleg step off the train.

"Lord." He saluted, "By order of my Sovereign, we are here to help you defend the city!"

"I am most glad! You wouldn't believe it!"

"The Princess is coming too; it should arrive very soon."

"Really?! With another machine of my nephew, we should be able to protect the city!" He yelled, feeling fired up, more than before.

"That is the plan. Don't worry, Lord Elliot. With all we brought, we won't let them pass the city walls."

Oleg indeed believed what he was saying. Behind him, from the trains, his soldiers were pulling off massive containers filled with CC, here to supply enough firepower to their cannons until spring. Their Sovereign gave them a simple order: Bombard the enemy to oblivion.

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A few days had passed since the merciless destruction of the border crossing, and Otto's army was on the march once more. The Lawbringer flew silently above the army, guarding and also threatening them. Of course, the latter was not so evident, but its magical formations were ready to obliterate the mercenaries if they decided to grab their gold ahead of time. The land around the marching army had transformed since the early winter had arrived. What had once been scattered settlements, farms, and outposts was now a bleak, frozen wasteland buried in snow. This strange winter's grip was firmer than the one before it, and the constant snowfall resulted in a knee-high cover descending onto everything, suffocating the land's usual vibrancy. The vast wheat fields, which stretched out endlessly, golden and ripe in summer, giving Elliot the idea to rename his land to Goldengrove, now slumbered, remaining dormant beneath the thick snow, appearing like a desolate, barren wasteland. It became what anyone thought how the Frontier was…

Still, the army pushed forward, moving in the illusion of disciplined ranks. The mercenaries, who had been so eager and bloodthirsty at the outpost, now marched with less enthusiasm, disappointed that there was barely anything worthy to loot in their previous target. The frozen wind, tormenting them every day, cut through their mismatched armor, biting into their skin and stinging their faces, increasing their annoyance. The conscripts, dressed in less durable garb, huddled together for warmth as they marched, their breaths visible in the frigid air. They had it the worst, losing a few dozen of their people every night. For most of them, the snow-covered plains seemed endless, a frozen purgatory that they were forced to cross before the slaughter began again, most likely claiming their lives one way or another. By now, they hated their captains, their mercenary 'comrades,' their commander, Otto, and most importantly, themselves that they so readily believed him.

The only thing that stood out in this whitewashed landscape was the distant silhouette of Lothlia.

"Look!" one soldier muttered, his voice muffled by his stiff scarf. He pointed ahead, his gloved hand trembling not from fear but from the unrelenting chill. "The city…"

The others squinted through the flurries of snow, disturbed by the biting winds, and sure enough, the dark outline of Lothlia became visible on the horizon. It was surrounded by vast open fields, looking like a fortress in the middle of nowhere. It wasn't hard to notice it, as the plains the city stood on could accommodate ten times their numbers. Now, they just had to march a little more, and they would arrive at last.

Standing in the Imaginary aboard the Lawbringer, Otto watched the city come into view from above. His mind was calm, his heart rate slightly quickening as he recognized the feeling his senses picked up on. Even if he was still far away enough that the Imaginary couldn't focus on the city and its walls, he knew this feeling. This was no mere city anymore. Lothlia had the unmistakable sensation of magic surrounding it. That alone was reason enough for Otto to consider his next steps carefully. It was time for him and the Lawbringer to show why this rebellion was a futile endeavor.

"We will surround it…" Otto murmured to himself, eyes narrowed in focus. "Like a wolfpack circling wounded prey. Even if they have a mage, he can't focus on all sides simultaneously."

His plan was to encircle Lothlia completely, cutting off any chance of escape or reinforcement. What he didn't know yet was that he wasn't feeling a mage, but the massive amount of CC that was present within the city. The flat, open plains that stretched around Lothlia were perfect for his strategy. This time, it would be the city that was going to be harvested and not their golden wheat.

"Once we have them encircled, there will be no escape for the bastards." Yet, he knew he couldn't just approach the city like that. Thinking, his orders soon echoed from the Lawbringer, notifying his marching army. "Spread out, and don't pass the ship's line! Only advance as far as the Lawbringer while circling the city!"

With that, he willed the ship to move forward, his senses remaining locked on Lothlia, focusing on the feeling of magic, knowing that he had to be careful. A long-range spell could cause enough of a disturbance that it could break the lines of his men.

Below him, the army obeyed his commands and rapidly moved into place. The foot soldiers fanned out, marching through the snow as they spread around the city in an ever-widening arc. Though their horses struggled through the deep snow, cavalry units trotted further ahead to ensure no one could slip away. The siege engines, still covered in the morning ice, were slowly being positioned in a crescent around Lothlia, ready to unleash destruction on the city when the time came.

The approach to the city felt different from the chaos at the outpost. There was a true sense of scale as the now somewhat less than 10,000 soldiers extended their lines, turning from a sneak into that of Ouroboros, surrounding the city while still being at least two kilometers from its walls.

As the day dragged on, the snow continued to fall in thick, lazy flakes, coating everything in a fresh layer of white. The soldiers moved slower as the snow deepened, but their discipline remained intact. Otto's personal army guided them to their positions, breaking away from guarding their supplies for the first time since their journey started. They knew this would not be a quick battle. The city was surrounded by high stone walls, reinforced after years of rebuilding and expansion with Avalon's help, and it has been prepared for precisely this kind of future troubles.

From the Lawbringer, Otto observed the city's defenses with a critical eye. He could see movement on the walls—soldiers, similarly dressed ones as in the outpost, running along the ramparts, taking their positions, and lifting their banners flapping in the wind. What he also noticed were the irregular ones... After the ship stopped and he could allow the Imaginary to zoom in further, he detected the bulky, massive, and armored warriors. At first, he thought they were statues, but no… They were real because, once in a while, they moved, shaking off the snow from their black, armored bodies.

Then, he finally caught it. Watching his army spread out, there it was. The train. He immediately focused all his attention on the buildings outside of the city walls. He could see that people were still present there, pulling things off the long, metal carriage… but they were going to be cut off soon enough...

"What a weird yet beautiful machine. I am impressed." He whispered, amazed by the steam puffing out of its chimney and by the otherworldy craftsmanship behind it, "Thankfully, it is already ours. I'll take it as a welcoming gift!"

With a thought, he began maneuvering the Lawbringer, willing to bring it closer to the station, yet before he could fly too close, his body shivered as a sharp pain hit his mind. It was from the backlash of the Lawbringer's shields being activated, prompted by the instant defensive mechanism of the onboard shipslaves, wringing control from him. From within the city, arching fireballs headed his way, four in total, each and every one of them landing on his shields, forcing him to turn the Lawbringer around, letting the second, already incoming salvo of spells land on the snow-covered fields, exploding in an ear-piercing blast.

Otto's face was dark, darker than ever before, as his mind went from looking at the train station towards Lothlia, where he finally glimpsed something he couldn't comprehend. There it stood, outside of the city, another tool made out of metal, painted black, facing his ship with defiance. It was human, yet it wasn't… It had smoking tubes on its hulking shoulders, and its arms were replaced with the same bizarre weaponry. It was man-made, yet it wasn't… Because the feeling of magic was oozing from it. Yet... it wasn't a mage. It was an abomination in his eyes. It was something far worse than they had knowledge about, and for a brief moment, he felt fear brushing past his subconsciousness. Especially when he saw a second, pink-colored one appear, holding a massive shield in one hand and a spear in the other.

He watched, unblinking, as the second abomination raised its spear, pointing it towards the ship, before drawing a line in the snow, clearly provoking him. There was a straightforward message that anyone could understand.

"Come... take the city if you dare!"