Although Artorius had constructed fortifications in advance, the sheer number of Saxons involved in this night raid was overwhelming. The dense ranks of the enemy surged toward the inner wall like a rising tide, making Bart's scalp prickle with dread.
His heart was filled with absolute shock: How had this many Saxons managed to bypass the city guards and slip into the very heart of the Royal City? Recalling Artorius's earlier mockery of the Camelot nobility and Jayn, a cold sweat broke out across Bart's back. The internal rot of Great Britain's political strife had reached a terrifying depth.
Even more terrifying was the Saxons' sheer mania. They bellowed cries of "For the Queen!" and "For the Tribe!" as they launched suicidal charges, utterly indifferent to their own lives.
"Do these Saxons have no fear of death?!" Bart cried out in disbelief.
"They have nothing left to lose," Artorius replied, his voice cold and detached. "Their homes are destroyed; if they don't fight with everything they have, they face extinction. In such a desperate state, do you really think they fear death?"
Bart froze. He was used to looking down on his enemies with contempt, but he had never tried to understand these "stray dogs" through the logic of survival.
"Never underestimate an enemy on the battlefield. That is a lesson I learned when I was ten years old." After speaking, Artorius's gaze sharpened, and he issued a decisive command: "Prepare to abandon this line. Retreat to the keep."
Bart was stunned, believing they could hold out a bit longer, but Artorius saw the situation with piercing clarity: clinging to a single point was meaningless. Once the flanks were breached, the cost of a delayed retreat would be catastrophic.
Soon, the group had pulled back to the small castle where Guinevere resided. The terrain here was steep, and the moat had swollen due to the torrential rain, making it an easy position to defend but a difficult one to storm. However, as the Saxons pressed toward the castle gates, the pressure mounted exponentially.
"When can we expect reinforcements?" Bart asked anxiously.
"Stop thinking about reinforcements." Artorius donned his heavy silver helmet, his voice becoming muffled behind the visor. "The city is undoubtedly in total chaos. If reinforcements were coming, they would have arrived by now. As for my sister, the roads are mud-slicked and there are bound to be ambushes. Don't pin your hopes on others."
Bart watched the fully armored Artorius, a sudden realization hitting him. "What are you doing?"
"I'm taking the men for a counter-charge to attempt a 'decapitation strike,'" Artorius said calmly as he made his final arrangements. "Close the gates the moment we step out. If we succeed, bring your men out to support us. If we fail, hold this position until dawn."
Bart was utterly dumbfounded. Since when did a noble heir personally lead a few dozen men to charge into over a thousand hardened warriors? It was pure suicide!
"Are you insane?! You'll die! Aren't you afraid to die?"
Artorius stopped in his tracks and turned his head. The gaze beneath his visor swept over Bart like a blade.
"Muur, are you afraid to die?"
"I am not, Young Master."
"Ryan, are you afraid to die?"
"I am not, Young Master."
Artorius called out the names of the knights standing silently in the rain, one by one. Finally, his voice rose to a thunderous roar: "Tell me, are you afraid to die?!"
"WE ARE NOT!" The ground-shaking response drowned out even the thunder.
Artorius looked Bart straight in the eye, pointing first to his brothers-in-arms who stood ready for death, then to the manic enemy outside, and finally to himself.
"My brothers aren't afraid to die, the Saxons outside aren't afraid to die—do you really think I would be afraid to die?!"
With that, he turned resolutely and walked into the curtain of rain. Muur, Ryan, Walter... one by one, the knights silently donned their helmets and followed behind him without a word. The silhouettes of those few dozen men radiated a sense of resolve as formidable as ten thousand soldiers.
────────────────────────────────────────
Support me here: https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Spring Sale Special – 20% OFF!
Fate : What Do You Mean I'm the Proto-Saber?
Join the journey and become part of the story!
────────────────────────────────────────