Under the Oak Tree

Chapter 339: Chapter 100

Maxi blinked dazedly, unable to comprehend the horrific scene before her. The wyvern’s sharp talons tore apart the troll, its hulking form falling to the ground in chunks and spraying the battlefield crimson. Maxi fought to tear her gaze away as she stood covered in troll blood, the metallic scent filling her nose.

A second wyvern circled above. It gobbled up a piece of troll as it plunged, while a third dove to snatch up another monster. Only then did Maxi finally realize what was happening — the wyverns had turned tail and were now attacking the monster army.

Intense relief flooded her. She desperately held back her sobs, almost dizzy with joy. Rif tan had successfully infiltrated the wyvern farm as planned. He was safe. The fact that the wyverns were now indiscriminately attacking trolls must mean Ruth was manipulating the rune that controlled them.

The monsters began a frantic retreat. Having recovered from the sudden airborne attack, the coalition army rapidly organized to strike back.

Maxi found it easier to watch the fighting now that the tide had turned. The Remdragon Knights advanced from the east, cutting down the raging waves of trolls as they retreated. The Royal Army of Wedon charged close behind. From the center, the Osiriyan cavalry dispatched the fleeing monsters while evading the swooping wyverns. Balto’s army, on the other hand, forced the enemy back with much more aggression.

Shivers crawled down Maxi’s spine as she watched Richard Breston running amok like a demon. He violently swung his greatsword, the blade of which was nearly six kevettes(Approximately 180 centimeters.) long. She realized he was far more dangerous than she had thought. After witnessing the callous tactic he had used to lure out the monsters and his brutality in battle, Maxi suddenly found the man’s hostility toward Riftan alarming. She feared he would only wreak more mayhem once this war ended.

Suddenly, a wave of blistering heat hit her back. She looked over her shoulder, her blood running cold. One of the tents housing their provisions was up in flames.

Maxi scrambled down the earth wall and cut through the chaos. She ordered back the soldiers who were fighting the flames, then swept a blanket of soil over the burning tent with magic.

No sooner had she snuffed out that fire than smoke began to rise from the makeshift stables. The terrified horses broke free from their tethers and bolted away, throwing the camp into further confusion.

Maxi blanched and raced to the stables. What on earth was igniting all these fires? Had some of the braziers toppled over during the commotion? Kneeling in the dirt, she was about to start a spell when she froze. Dozens of kevettes away, red goblins streaked past with torches in hand.

Maxi scowled. How dare the creatures sneak into the heart of their camp and set fire to their property again?

“G-Goblins!” Maxi shouted. “Stop them at once!”

A group of soldiers raced after the monsters. Meanwhile, Maxi extinguished the flames with magic. Just as she had finished, a crimson-skinned creature shot past. She realized it was heading for the tent where the fodder was stowed. Acting on instinct, she drew her dagger and drove the blade into the goblin’s nape with miraculous precision.

A moment later, the riskiness of her action sunk in. The goblin twisted violently and swung the sickle in its hand. Maxi dodged, falling on her rear, and the monster pounced. Moments before it went to lodge its blade in her, it crashed to the ground. Maxi shuddered as warm blood spurted over her face. “My lady. Are you all right?” said a gruff voice.

Maxi turned slowly to see Garrow scrunching his blinded eye. Her heart dropped at the sight of the bloodied sword in his hand. Despite still suffering intense headaches and losing the vision in his right eye, the young knight seemed unconcerned that he was in no condition to fight. With his sword poised, he scanned their surroundings before lifting Maxi by the arm.

“It seems we missed a tunnel in the mountains. 1 have ordered my subordinates to locate it at once.”

Maxi straightened, surveying the camp. It was clear that the fires had startled the men on the frontline. The soldiers stationed behind the central battalion had rushed through the collapsed barriers to put out the flames, creating a gap in the coalition’s battle formation. The trolls had then managed to push in all the way to the rear.

“Stay close to me at all times, my lady!”

After beheading a charging giant with a single stroke of his sword, Garrow began striding across the camp with Maxi at his side. He was trying to take her as far away from the battlefield as possible.

She looked about in confusion as she followed. Bodies of humans and monsters alike lay strewn over the dirt, and the wyverns’ roars blasted overhead. None of it felt real.

Desperately, Maxi tried to collect herself. But how could she when, all around her, carnivorous giants roamed about brandishing axes and iron maces? Staying close to Garrow while forcing her trembling legs onward was the only thing she could do.

Gripped by a sense of helplessness, Maxi bit down on her lip. The camp was in shambles, with skirmishes breaking out all around and most tents torn to pieces. Victory had seemed within reach just moments ago. Now it appeared that the tide of battle had turned against them in a matter of minutes.

Though she could not confirm it yet, Maxi feared they may have lost more supplies than they realized. Her heart sank as she surveyed the chaos around her, crying out in despair.

Suddenly, the blast of a kopel reverberated from the front. At first, Maxi mistook the noise for a wyvern call. As the signal repeated several times for longer durations, she realized that it signified the coalition army’s triumph.

How could they declare victory when the battle still seemed to be raging? Maxi looked up at the hill in disbelief, her gaze flying to the city’s ramparts silhouetted against the sky. She froze when she spotted the dozens of gold banners billowing atop the outer walls.

Maxi scrambled up the camp’s perimeter wall and saw the Bolose Royal Knights waving the banners.

Having followed her up, Garrow explained proudly, “It all went according to the commander’s plan. The Bolose Royal Knights captured the city while the monsters fought outside.”

A lump rose in Maxi’s throat as she nodded. It was victory at last.

The sudden loss of their fortress threw the monster army into complete disarray. Trolls swarmed up the hill to reclaim their city but were met with a barrage of flaming arrows. Those that tried to evade the fiery rain collided with the monsters behind them, and soon the enemy was fighting among themselves.

Kuahel Leon, making a quick assessment of the situation, raised his sword and shouted, “All troops, attack!”

The central battalion charged toward the city. The panicked troll army fought fiercely, but they were helpless against the onslaught that came at them from all sides. The battle came to a swift end in less than an hour, and the hill lay littered with the bodies of the defeated monsters.

“Looks like it’s finally over,” Anette muttered, appearing by Maxi’s side.

Maxi continued to stare at the hill with a stunned expression. The war, which had seemed never-ending, was over so suddenly that it was hard to believe. She could not shake off the dread that another crisis could arise at any moment, but the victory signal from the ramparts that came soon after eased her fears.

Without a second thought, Maxi sprinted up the hill. She trudged through the slurry of blood and mud, clumps of it caking her shoes. Her legs felt like lead, but she willed herself to keep moving, ignoring the voices calling after her.

By the time she reached the city gate, she had lost count of the corpses she had stepped over to get there. She had a feeling the horrific scene would haunt her dreams for a long time. But still, at that moment, she strangely felt no fear.

Perhaps her senses had been damaged somehow, she thought as she ran through the huge arched entrance. She took in the desolate city of stone and steel. The buildings lining the road were all colossal and, surprisingly, built in the Roemian style. After glancing about wildly like a madman, Maxi spotted a group of knights burning a mound of monster carcasses and rushed over to them.

Evidence of the fierce battle that must have taken place within the castle walls littered the wide square ahead. Werewolf and ogre carcasses were piled all over, and the ditch edging the road flowed with blood.

Maxi’s pace quickened as fear finally began to stir. Her heart pounded as she ran down the broad road leading to the square. Gripped by an unexplainable anxiousness, she darted up the darkened steps. She saw the banner of Wedon’s army a short distance away, but the Remdragon Knight crest was nowhere to be seen.

Growing increasingly panicked, Maxi turned and kept moving. She passed through a second gate and found herself in a vast courtyard cluttered with debris. She briefly squinted against the blinding sun and scanned her surroundings.

Her breath hitched as her eyes landed on a knight with an imposing build standing in the rubble. Frozen in place, the only thing she could do was stare at Riftan, her mind blank.

Though he had grown terribly thin, the fact that he was standing, seemingly unharmed, made her want to drop to her knees in prayer.

She rocked back, then finally managed to step toward him. Riftan’s head swiveled toward her.

Maxi suddenly felt dizzy. The moment she met his dark gaze, the self-control she had barely managed to cling to until now crumbled away. Sobs burst out of her as she ran to him.

Riftan stood stone-still, unable to believe his eyes. He spread his arms wide to embrace her.

Gazing down at her in disbelief, he muttered, “My God… is that really you?”