Chapter 407: The Sorcerer's Terror
"What is that?"
Istrad instinctively looked toward the far distance.
A streak of white light, trailing a long plume of fire, shot out from the enemy's rear. The light was incredibly fast, crossing the space above the battling armies in a flash, and then descending.
Boom!
The strike hit the conscripted peasant levy positioned on the Restoration Army's right flank. In the warfare of this era, aside from knights and some standing troops, a substantial number of men consisted of peasant conscripts. While an elite army might only rely on levies for a third or a quarter of its strength, most armies were half or more conscripts (whose combat effectiveness was predictably low).
When the white light vanished, it left behind nothing but a large crater. The dozens of conscripts standing where the light struck were evaporated instantly.
The fighting armies paused momentarily. Then, the League forces cheered wildly as the morale of the Restoration Army plummeted.
Immediately afterward, several more blasts of white light shot from the distance, and the Restoration Army's right flank collapsed entirely. They were merely conscripts; expecting them to fight to the death was completely unrealistic. The enemy poured over the palisades and began to flank the center, making the middle line perilous.
The Captain of the Royal Guard urgently advised: "My Lord, you must make a decision now." The Captain knew well that if Istrad fled, the Restoration Army was truly finished, and the House of Thyssen would never again have a chance to return to Kovir and Poviss. Yet, the right flank had collapsed; staying put would accomplish nothing. They had already lost this battle.
Istrad hesitated for only a few brief seconds, then shouted: "Draw swords!"
His personal guard froze momentarily, then swiftly drew their blades.
"Charge with me!"
Istrad charged toward the right flank without hesitation, leading his heavy-armored guard. Due to the palisades, the enemy forces pouring over could not maintain a tight formation. Furthermore, the enemy's left flank (which was the Restoration Army's right) was also composed of conscripts.
The relentless hacking of Istrad and his fully-armored personal guard momentarily checked the enemy's advance. Seeing that even Istrad had personally entered the fray, some of the fleeing conscripts gritted their teeth and rushed back, reforming the right flank.
But Istrad's expression remained grim. He knew the situation was only temporarily stabilized; if the enemy sorcerer unleashed that destructive magic a few more times, a full collapse was merely a matter of time.
However, the enemy sorcerer's magic did not fall upon them again. Instead, a series of horns blared loudly from the far rear of the enemy lines.
Let us rewind half an hour.
Lynn and the witchers, mounted on warhorses provided by Ironwood City, along with two hundred cavalry and eight hundred infantry—a total of one thousand Ironwood City defenders—finally arrived near the battlefield.
The battle was already a blood-spattered melee of screams and carnage. Time was critical, and the window of opportunity fleeting. Lynn immediately called over the Count of Ironwood City, who had personally led the troops.
"I need two hundred of your cavalry under my direct command. You will personally lead the remaining eight hundred infantry in an attack from the enemy's rear to draw their attention."
The Count subconsciously asked, "And what about you, Master?"
"Once you begin your attack, I will lead my men and your cavalry to strike, targeting the enemy commander directly."
"I understand."
The Count of Ironwood City had personally witnessed the rout of the three thousand siege troops outside the city—the piles of corpses, the chaotic battlefield, and the captured North and South camps all served as proof. Therefore, even though Lynn was not even a noble, but a mere commoner, the Count readily accepted his command. He took the eight hundred infantry and circled to the enemy's rear.
Lynn, the witchers, and the remaining two hundred cavalry continued to lie in ambush near the battlefield, waiting for the opportune moment. As a matter of routine, Lynn distributed potions and bombs.
He took advantage of the brief lull, and with little effort, used the flags to identify King Nedamir's position.
But then, King Nedamir's guard suddenly dispersed, forming a square formation.
What are they doing? A question formed in Lynn's mind.
He soon found out. A streak of white light shot out from the center of the square formation, flew over the fighting armies, and struck the Restoration Army's right flank. A single strike instantly obliterated dozens of the Restoration Army's conscripts.
This is the nature of a sorcerer. While the mages of this era still lagged behind those of a Dungeons & Dragons world, they were far too dominant in this world's mortal warfare. It was likely that even Istrad had not anticipated that King Nedamir would secure a sorcerer to serve him.
"Lynn, should we go in?" Eskel asked, looking at the Restoration Army's right flank, which was immediately on the verge of collapse after suffering the long-range magical strike.
Lynn swiftly scanned the rear of the League Army. He shook his head.
"We wait."
If they launched a cavalry charge now, it likely wouldn't achieve the desired effect. The two hundred cavalry from Ironwood City were light cavalry, not heavily armored cataphracts. If they were cataphracts, it would be another matter. But no sensible cavalry officer would charge light cavalry directly into a stable formation.
They had to wait for the perfect moment.
While Lynn and his companions waited, the Sorcerer on the League side did not pause, continuing to unleash magic.
Finally, the Restoration Army's right flank broke, forcing Istrad to personally lead his personal guard to plug the gap.
Now, everyone looked to Lynn. Lynn, once again, glanced toward the rear of the League Army. Still no movement.
He sighed.
"All forces, prepare to attack."
That was reality: plans often had to change. Although charging out now would be far less effective, they couldn't stand by and watch the Restoration Army be annihilated. If their army was destroyed, even if Istrad managed to escape, the dream of restoration would dissolve like a broken mirage.
However, just at that moment, the signal Lynn had been waiting for—the sound of the horn—finally blared.
The eight hundred infantry led by the Count of Ironwood City burst out from the rear of the League Army. The League Army, utterly unprepared for an attack from the rear, immediately fell into considerable chaos and panic. The Count of Ironwood City was a member of a collateral branch of the House of Thyssen, and thus related to Istrad. He had also witnessed the League sorcerer's attack.
To relieve Istrad, the Count led the charge, riding at the forefront. His soldiers, thus encouraged, fought valiantly. For a moment, they managed to push the League forces back step by step.