Along the outer walls of the temporary imperial capital was a brigade of heavy knights with about 2,000 soldiers systematically lined up. Clad in full plate armor made out of a combination of Water Iron and Rock Iron, they were Elfa’s last heavy knights.
They were arranged in a formation with five layers of horizontal lines, at the center of which fluttered a flag with Four Overlapping Iron Shields (Four Elnoms). Only the king of Elfa could raise this flag.
To the flanks of the heavy knights were the light soldiers that have been doing their best with guerrilla tactics. The consecutive battles against the goblins have reduced their numbers to about half, yet they continued to follow the basic strategies of Elfa faithfully to assist the heavy knights. Moreover, thanks to the change in national policies, the forces of the Red King could now also stand in the right flank to supplement the light soldiers’ lack of numbers.
Evidently, Elfa has thrown all of the soldiers that they could muster into this army. As they waited, before long, the distant howls of monsters reached them.
Normally, such howls would cease as quickly as they came, yet this time, the howls only grew in number as they drew ever closer. Precisely because they could not see the approaching horde, all that heard the howls waited with breaths bated.
And then as the clouds of dust cleared, a horde of monster beasts weaving through the mountainous region came to view.
“We are the descendants of Ranserg!”
It was the king of Elfa that raised his voice.
“It is only because of your valiant efforts that this land that our ancestors have been fighting for for so many years remain with us yet!”
This king was usually unreliable, but upon realizing that he could back down no more, he made his resolve.
“If this land were to be lost, it could only be my fault. My incompetence. But! Despite that I want you to lend me your strength!”
The knights quietly listened to the king.
“Behind us are the people! The people of Elfa, your wives, your children! Now that the situation has reached this point, surrender has lost all meaning! Behold! That horde of monsters! They must be stopped no matter the cost!”
In the direction the king pointed was the monster horde gradually growing bigger and bigger.
“Martial experts of Elfa, proud mercenaries! For the sake of Elfa, fight with us to the death!”
A shout seemingly filled with fury rose.
“Light knights and mercenaries! Expand to the sides! Don’t let even a single monster get past us! Iron Lion Brigade, advance!”
At the behest of the heavy knight commander, Elfa mobilized.
“Glory to Elfa!”
And so, a minor nation’s battle staking everything began.
◆◇◆
By the time the goblin king arrived at the battlefield, the battle was already mostly over.
After the wyvern knights were repelled, they had continued their march to the imperial capital of Elfa with Zeilduk at the lead.
Countless corpses of monster beasts were left in the onslaught of Zeilduk as their fierce attack sought to break through the outnumbered humans.
“Is the enemy not retreating?”
The Goblin King remarked with admiration.
“I thought they’d be holed up in their castle just like the other humans, but…” Gi Ji said.
Reflected on the two goblins’ eyes were fresh troops advancing to rebuild an already losing line.
The flag raised was that of four connected iron shields (Four Elnom).
“It appears they still have reservists left.”
The Goblin King thoughtfully tapped his shoulder with his great sword from atop the Terrifying Carnivorous Horse (Andrewarchus).
“Gi Ji. Send a messenger to Gi Gi. Have him focus his attacks on the right wing.”
“As you command.”
As the king watched the battlefield, a messenger called out to him from behind.
“My lord! Felduk has arrived! Please give us permission to attack!”
As the messenger passed Gi Gu Verbena’s message word for word, the Goblin King’s lips twisted.
“I did steal the spotlight from him earlier. Fine, have Felduk destroy the enemy.”
The messenger vigorously bowed his head before turning heel.
At the same time the messenger arrived, the Felduk, that has been expanding to the left wing of the king’s cavalry, moved out.
With long spearmen at the head, long swordsmen from right behind, and even druids, Felduk was indeed the biggest of the four armies.
“…Gi Be Slay!”
After seeing Felduk boring into the enemy like an axe swung, the goblin king called out to Gi Be Slay, the leader of the imperial guards.
“Your Majesty!”
“I’m going out! Have the imperial guards follow me!”
“As you will!”
His objective was the fresh platoon holding Elfa’s four connected iron shields (Four Elnom) flag.
At the end of the Goblin King’s gaze was a platoon trying to encourage the soldiers to rebuild the lines. Because of that the two formations to the flanks that were on the verge of collapse were continuing to endure Alrodena’s attacks.
Hence, it was only natural for the Goblin King to target the flag-bearing platoon.
The great swords he drew were the Black Flame Shimmering Great Sword (Flamberge) and the Black-Red Speckled Great Sword (Zweihander). As he gave Sui a light kick, the king’s steed rode like the wind, baring its fangs with ragged breaths, as though it could understand the Goblin King’s feelings.
“Onwards! After me!”
The king’s cavalry responded to the calls of the king, and Gi Be Slay rode through the battlefield with the flag of Kingdom of the Black Sun (Alrodena Kingdom) raised up high.
With their halberds lined up, the offensive prowess of their charge was indeed at the peak of the continent.
As the king led the way, the imperial guards assumed the Arrow-Point Formation, and the lines that Four Elnom were so desperately trying to rebuild were shot through by the arrowhead of Alrodena.
For just one instant, the two flags passed by each other, and then the flag of shields fell to the ground.
In the early spring of the 5th year of the King’s Calendar, the Iron Country of Elfa fell, and the king and all the major personnel below him died in battle outside the castle. Alrodena had cut through the last of the minor nations, and Elfa was the one to stand in their path to supremacy. For that, Elfa fell.
Now the only remaining country in the east was the Sacred Empire of Altigand.
The nation where the hero was waiting.
