Summoning America

Chapter 31: The Siege of Le Brias (2)

Author's Note:
Visit my discord server for updates, announcements, and discussion for my stories! We get hundreds of messages per day, if not thousands! Link is also available on my profile page.
https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw

——

Le Brias

Captain Rial steadied his aim, pointing his rifle at the large opening where the main gates once stood. Constant shelling from Parpaldian cannons rattled the walls, sending stone debris flying down to the buildings below. Overhead, ten wyvern lords flew by, headed straight for the royal castle.

His eyes widened, and he immediately reached for his manacomm. He contacted the castle in a rush, asking if he should return to help protect the king.

"No, Captain. Maintain your position and hold the wall against the invaders for as long as possible. Your orders have not changed."

Captain Rial wanted to protest — and almost did — but he recognized that the voice issuing this order was none other than King Taara's. With heavy reluctance, he obeyed the king's order. Respecting his wishes and reasoning that King Taara is sufficiently defended, he complied, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Just moments after the conclusion of their conversation, Captain Rial saw several explosions light up the sky above the royal castle. Lightning bolts from mages soon followed, striking down the wyvern lords that had survived the initial volley of modified ballista bolts. He turned away from the chaotic scene, satisfied with the defense his men exercised. Now, it was his turn to demonstrate an exemplary defense.

Amidst the predictable volleys of cannon fire, the sound of horns echoed across the battlefield. They were soon followed by roars from land dragons, who rushed through the destroyed gate. With precision accuracy, Rial sniped a dragon's eye, sending it spiraling into the others in a fit of confused pain. Rial adjusted his aim and targeted the eyes of another dragon, hoping to delay their advance by sowing chaos within the Parpaldian ranks. The blinded beasts stumbled over each other, colliding into buildings and preventing the Parpaldians from pushing up. Fearing becoming trampled, they remained behind the wall's opening, giving time for the Altarans to weaken the land dragons without worrying about musket fire.

"Deploy the nets and oil!" Rial directed. His fellow Elite Guard continued to fire into the dragons' vulnerabilities, further disabling their senses and movement.

Dozens of weighted nets were thrown from the defensive walls and rooftops, snaring the blinded and deafened land dragons. Once the dragons were immobilized, groups of Altaran soldiers threw pots of oil at the dragons.

Rial felt a smile growing on his face, giddy with the fact that he and his men were not only defying, but also defeating forces from the Parpaldian Empire. "Throw your satchels!"

Eight brown bags filled with volatile magic gems flew toward the trapped land dragons — two for each dragon.

Rial turned to the young mage beside him. "Alina, have your mages prepare their fireballs. I want them cast upon the trapped dragons on my order."

Alina nodded, trembling with nervousness.

Using debris from the destroyed gate and wall as cover, Parpaldian musketmen finally pushed through. They had realized that the land dragons were immobilized, but did not recognize the trap that was laying in wait for them. After experiencing heavy Altaran gunfire and arrow fire from the left, they were forced to move to the right, where the land dragons were. Seeing no other cover besides the bodies of the dragons themselves, the Parpaldians made a fatal decision.

"Alina, now!"

Within seconds, Alina and the other Altaran mages completed their chants and sent ten fireballs toward the land dragons. The oil around the area was set ablaze, engulfing the dragons in a flame that burned hotter than even their fiery breath. The scorching heat soon reached the numerous satchels strewn about like mines, setting them off with a luminous flash of light.