Apocalypse Knights 2: A LitRPG Fantasy, page 26
“Here’s the bad news,” Max said. “The Hunnites move and fight like a professional army, or at least one that has undergone roughly two to three years of training and drilling. They are more accustomed to casting their spells in concert or executing tandem tactics on a larger scale than a four-man cohort. If the Apocalypse Knights fight them head-on, we’ll be annihilated not only because there are more of them, but also because they work together better than us.”
“Let me follow that up with yet more good news.” Max grinned at the downcast expressions of the Knights-Errant. “The Steel Hearts have undergone training, but two or three years is not enough to forge a regiment that functions like an elite military force. Also, their troop composition only contains heavy infantry and cavalry, which can be very effective in the right situation, but inefficient and unwieldy for many others. What I’m trying to say, ladies and gentlemen, is that the Hunnites have an army, but their army is a fairly new and poorly conceived one. They might have been ferocious raiders or adequate Knights-Errant, but they’re lousy, inexperienced soldiers.”
“They lost their composure when you dived into their midst and began cutting your way through,” Trisha said, her voice laden with awe.
“Yeah, that’s how I know.” Max grunted. “If they’d kept their formation and coordinated their efforts, they would have killed me in moments, Level disparity and my spirit beast mount notwithstanding.”
“If we manage to unsettle them, we can take away one of their biggest strengths: their superior discipline and organization,” Vengar deduced.
“For a short period of time,” Max pointed out. “Two years of training and drilling are still two years of training and drilling. Given any time at all to rally on an open field, and you’ll be facing Prowess-enhanced spear walls and cavalry charges, overlapping and impregnable fields of Shield spells, and full-scale elemental bombardments, while unseen blades cut down those on your flanks with every passing moment.”
“So to win, we’ve got to unsettle them, then beat them before they come to their senses,” Irina said. “Sounds easy enough, except for everything you just mentioned. Trisha and Vengar wouldn’t shut up about your exploits. Are you going to do the same thing here again? They’ll see you coming, and you won’t have nearly as much success.”
“You’re right. I won’t be attempting another rampage through their formations. Nobody will,” Max replied. “I’ve got another way to make them lose their focus. I just need your help in the second part, in which we decisively crush them in battle.”
“Tell us what to do, Strident,” Jonn prompted. “This talk of killing other people makes me sick to my stomach, but I will do what needs to be done.”
Max pointed to his diagram with Stridentsong. “The precinct building was constructed to withstand a siege. Obviously, it couldn’t keep Level 99 ghouls out, and nor will it stop an army of Knights-Errant, unless it were defended by another force of Knights-Errant, even one much smaller. The Hunnites might have brought siege equipment in their rings of holding, or they might have enough Elementalists in their ranks to act as magical artillery. I need all the Defenders or anyone who has enchanted items capable of enacting magical barriers up front and center when the Hunnites first arrive. Withstand the bombardment with Shield spells or enchanted items.”
The gathered Knights-Errant listened grimly but attentively as Max pointed out key structural points in the building that could not be allowed to fall, lest everything collapsed into debris and ruin.
“After the bombardment, infantry and dismounted cavalry men will advance,” Max continued. “I want Elementalists making the Hunnites pay in blood for every inch of ground they cover. There is a barbican just before the west wing of the building begins. It’s still in fairly good shape, and its ramparts will offer good firing angles.”
“They will have Defenders, and they’ll try to take out our Elementalists with their own or with archers,” Irina pointed out.
“That’s what the barbican is for as well. Pull half of the Defenders to the barbican immediately after the initial bombardment ceases. Have them cover the Elementalists. The elevated height and the defensive parapets will provide good cover, even better with Shield spells,” Max said, before pointing Stridentsong in turn at the main entrance and the various breaches around the perimeter of the building. “The Hunnites have just enough numbers to surround the building, so the foot advance will come from all sides. This is where the Warmongers and Infiltrators come into play. Repel the enemy at these points. Do not let them get a foothold in the building. This will be close, bloody work, but it will be brief.”
“How? Why?” Irina demanded.
Max smiled. “Because that would be about the time my plan to unsettle them starts to take effect.”
Chapter 26
“What exactly is this plan?” Vengar asked. “Do you intend to hide somewhere out there with a strike force to attack the enemy from the rear once they’ve committed to this siege?”
“A good idea in theory, but not here.” Max looked at the Defender. “You know your tactics, Vengar. I’m impressed.”
“I, uh… read a few military novels. That’s all.” The Defender smiled sheepishly. “And please, if you don’t think my idea will work, that’s good enough for me. You don’t need to explain anything.”
“No, I will, because this segues into my plan,” Max said. “The reason why a strike force won’t work is because it won’t have the numbers to deal a decisive, crushing blow to the enemy. We’re outnumbered as is, and we’ll need almost our entire strength concentrated in the precinct building. Another reason is that there are ghouls everywhere out there. There’s no hiding from them, and fighting them will reveal the strike force’s position immediately.”
“Ghouls. Ugh.” Trisha grimaced. “Why couldn’t this region feature a less disgusting kind of monster?”
“The presence of ghouls helps a lot, actually,” Max said. “They’re feral, near-mindless creatures that are drawn to carrion and spilled blood. Guess who’s had plenty of blood spilled and is carrying loads of carrion, in typical Hunnite fashion?”
“You’re hoping that ghouls will decide to attack the Hunnites when they start laying siege to us?” Irina asked.
“I’m not hoping,” Max corrected her. “I’m going to make it a sure thing. I’ll head out shortly and start riling up ghouls and stringing them around behind me. It shouldn’t take too long before I have an entire host on my tail. I will lead them right into the Hunnites.”
“Who are mostly Level 2, just like the ghouls,” Vengar said. “Once they start laying into the Hunnites, a ghoul attack on that scale will draw even more of the monsters in.”
“That is when I need you all to launch a counterattack with everything you’ve got. Break the back of the Hunnite army and force them to rout,” Max said. “Once that happens, pull back into the precinct. The ghouls will hunt down any stragglers. Are there any Level 4 Infiltrators around?”
“I’m one,” a slim man with a shaved head stepped forward. He’d been listening quietly this entire time. The Infiltrator wore a long, dark coat. Bandoliers of knives criss-crossed his chest. The bulk of his sleeve-cuffs suggested the presence of hidden daggers. “Name’s Tevor Hendricks. What can I do for you?”
“When the rout happens, most of the Level 2 Hunnites will fall prey to the ghouls. The Level 3 or Level 4 elites among them will fare much better, and they might even be able to rally their comrades-in-arms,” Max said. “I need the best Infiltrators to hunt down these individuals, kill them, and withdraw.”
“There are another five of us,” Tevor said. “I’ll organize things with them.”
“Thanks.” Max turned to Jonn. “Jonn, you have the most important role at the end of this battle.”
“What is it?” Jonn asked. “I’m ready for anything.”
“I’m going to set up a Warp Dais and attune it to the one at the portal,” Max said. “After you’ve done all you can here, I’ll need you to get to the portal and fight your way through to the Errantry Mansion. The Slayer might or might not be already there, depending on how paranoid Guyuk is. Whatever the case, I’ll need you to rally more Venture Spears, reconnect with Flora, and do whatever it takes to re-establish our supply lines. The Hunnites almost certainly have a presence around what we used to call the Forlorn Dungeon. We’re depending on you to eliminate it so the Truesteel clan can move their merchandise freely once more.”
“I understand.” Jonn grimaced with distaste. “I am the best candidate for such a task.”
“Exactly,” Max said. “Take at least ten of the Level 4 Apocalypse Knights with you to ensure you manage to break through. I would have sent you earlier, but I thought we’d need you here to see off the immediate threat first.”
“I assume you’ll be setting off for the Dungeons as soon as you can?” Jonn asked.
“Yes,” Max said. “The moment the rout occurs, I’ll get going, taking the most likely candidates. Right now, it’s looking like you, Trisha, Vengar, and Ike. We don’t have any time to lose.”
“Indeed.” Jonn nodded. “Is there anything else, Strident?”
“Yes, in fact.” Max cracked his knuckles. “We don’t have much time, but once everything’s in place, I want everyone to at least start looking at their Carnage Classifications and their new spells. The Hunnites won’t be shy about using them, and there’s no need to hold anything back against the bastards.”
“That curious spell of yours, Strident,” Jonn said. “I remember it’s called Arcane Flux. Why don’t you use it now to learn ours?”
“That was exactly what I was going to say next.” Max grinned. “Practice makes perfect, after all, so you might as well practice on me.”
“I read the description of mine in my Soul Lens,” Trisha murmured uneasily. “I need the freshly slain corpse of another Knight-Errant to use it.”
“You’ll have more than enough to work with soon,” Max said, before turning to the others. “Vengar, how about you?”
The Defender shrugged, raised his hand, and uttered a few words. A beam of sickly green light flashed from his fingers to strike Max on the chest.
Level 1 Corrosion in effect
+20% to damage taken from all sources for 5 minutes
Time remaining: 04:59
Max winced and cast Arcane Flux.
New Spell Acquired
Corrosion
Flux Spell: Not ready
Instantaneous Spell
Level 1
Target takes +20% more damage for 5 minutes
Mana Cost: 16 Mana
Jonn was next. The Warmonger was unused to casting any spell besides Prowess, but he managed to work through the chants and gestures of the Debilitate spell. A gray radiance pulsed from his palm to wash over Max.
Level 1 Debilitate in effect
-20% to all physical attributes for 5 minutes
Max staggered at the sudden heaviness in his limbs and the sense of lightheadedness swirling across his temples. He cast Arcane Flux.
New Spell Acquired
Debilitate
Flux Spell: Not ready
Instantaneous Spell
Level 1
Reduce target’s physical attributes by 20% for 5 minutes
Mana Cost: 16 Mana
Tevor stepped forward. The Infiltrator’s fingertips were awash with a crimson-black radiance. He touched Max’s forehead and withdrew.
Level 1 Affliction (Poison) in effect
Status: Poison, -10% to all physical attributes, lose 10% of maximum Health every minute for 5 minutes
Max staggered away and doubled over, gagging. A sudden fever coursed through his veins and drove him to his knees. Still, he managed to cast Arcane Flux.
New Spell Acquired
Affliction
Flux Spell: Not ready
Instantaneous Spell
Level 1
Afflicts target with bleed, poison, or rot upon touch
Mana Cost: 16 Mana
Max took a deep breath, swapped out Lightning Edge for Debilitate as a Flux spell, then cast it on himself. He immediately felt his limbs become even heavier and weaker.
So the effects of multiple Carnage spells add up, Max thought. I wonder if that’s still true when they all come from the same person.
Max cast Debilitate on himself again, only for his Soul Lens screen to flicker.
Failure. Target is already affected by your Debilitate spell.
I guess that answers the question, Max thought, glancing at Jonn. But if four lower Level Warmongers all cast Debilitate on someone like Jonn, they could probably take him quite easily. This means that if we’re going to go up against other Knights-Errant who’re comfortable using their Carnage spells, we’ll need to change up our tactics accordingly.
“Alright, that’s enough,” Vengar said. The Defender stepped forward and cast Cleanse, which Max also copied with his Arcane Flux. The weakness and fever swiftly left Max’s system as Vengar helped him to his feet. “That was quite a demonstration.”
“As long as it got the point across,” Max said, after taking a deep breath to center himself. “Those spells were only Level 1 spells, but look what they did to me, a Level 4 Knight Errant. They’re very powerful. Be sure to use them.”
“They are unpleasant, but like you said, we can’t afford to hold ourselves back,” Jonn said.
“Great. Now, get everyone ready,” Max said. “The Hunnites will be here soon.”
Chapter 27
True to Max’s estimation, the Hunnites arrived within the hour, pouring through the secondary avenue that led from Hisktown’s central district to the precinct building. The cavalrymen dismounted, and with adequate military efficiency, the entire force fanned out to encircle the entrenched Apocalypse Knights.
Fifty or so of the Hunnites hung back. A dozen ballistae emerged from their rings of holding, and it wasn’t long before the siege weapons were braced, calibrated, loaded, and aimed at the precinct building. A third of the ballistae were aimed high, in anticipation of any Apocalypse Knights who thought to fly to safety.
Shortbows flashed into armored fists. Quivers were strapped to hips. Hunnites with their hands, staffs, or wands wreathed in elemental energies moved closer to the front. Barked commands rising from Hunnites in slightly more ornate armor had the encircling force assume a besieging posture.
The first of the ballistae loosed its shot, accompanied by the dreaded whizz of dozens of steel bolts slicing through the air. Shield spells flashed into existence over the precinct building to intercept the projectiles. Ballistae bolts cracked and broke against the barriers of magical light. But then another volley fell upon the Shield spells, then another. Cracks spread across the barriers.
By the time the Hunnite Elementalists were ready to attack, the outermost layers of the Shield spells had already fallen. Firebolts, Icelances, Stone Spears, and Lighting Bolts flashed from the hands of nearly two hundred Hunnites at the same time. The concerted elemental energies created a horrific shriek that tore through the air and filled the skies with colorless light.
The Shield spells crumbled beneath the onslaught. More magical barriers flashed into existence, the canny Defenders among the Apocalypse Knights having staggered who amongst them would rise to the precinct building’s defenses. The second wave of Shield spells broke apart as well, but they’d bought enough time for yet another layer of magical defenses to be erected.
Eventually, the Hunnite Elementalists broke through the defenses of the Apocalypse Knights, but the spells that did make it through the barriers were few and sparse. Singular Firebolts scorched the surface of the precinct’s thick walls. Icelances flash-froze fortified stone, while sparks crawled everywhere and the occasional Stone Spear dug thumb-size divots on the building’s sides.
Barked commands had the ballistae crew loading their weapons once more, and the Hunnite Elementalists gathering their will for yet another focused bombardment.
Max saw all this as he raced across rooftops astride Garlocke, a gibbering, howling contingent of ghouls on his tail. It hadn’t been too difficult whipping the monsters up into a ravenous frenzy. Judging from what he’d observed, many of them had already been riled up by the scents of spilled blood and voided bowels that suffused the air. Apocalyptic Hisktown was a place of fresh death this day, and every breeze whetted the monsters’ appetite.
The armored formation of Hunnites were perhaps too daunting a target for the bestial, feral cunning of the ghouls, but none of them could resist the sight of a lone rider and his taunts, allowing Max to lead them on a merry chase. And the more they chased, the more frenzied they became, and the more attention their gibbered shrieks drew.
Five minutes into the siege, the Apocalypse Knights had already weathered ten rounds of ballistae and magical bombardment, and still the precinct building didn’t seem much worse for wear. The main entrance had been slightly widened by a Stone Spear and perhaps a non-essential section of the frontal wall had been flash-frozen into terminal brittleness and would crumble at the slightest impact. Scorch marks covered the building, but it still stood, ruined, derelict, but defiant.
Meanwhile, Max had hundreds of ghouls following him. The scouts and trackers among the Hunnites had noticed his antics, of course, but not even the boldest commander in their ranks wanted to detach a force to intercept Max.
Speaking of commanders, where is Guyuk? I don’t see him anywhere, Max thought. The tactics employed by the Hunnites had, up till this point, been methodical but uninspiring, entirely in line with standard military doctrine. Given time, the siege would grind the Apocalypse Knights into dust, but Max believed that Guyuk didn’t have that much time.
