Veil of Destiny

Chapter 14 The Arrival of the Golden Lion

Just as Dorian, resembling a mad tiger, was ruthlessly slaughtering his enemies, countless figures emerged from the forest. The swordsmen, who had been lying in ambush, finally arrived upon hearing the sounds of battle. The swordsmen surrounded the battlefield and began their relentless killing.

The Snow Fox knights, seasoned veterans of countless battles, remained calm despite the danger. However, in this dire situation, they, too, fought desperately, each one engaged in a life-or-death struggle. The entire forest echoed with the sounds of intense combat, filled with cries and howls that seemed unearthly.

Hart, like a beast with red eyes, watched Dorian butcher his subordinates one by one, while he himself was entangled with a black-armored knight. In the chaos, Hart had discarded his lance and switched to his massive knight's sword. Grayson's axe-spear, suited for forest combat due to its chopping ability, clashed repeatedly with Hart's greatsword. Though Grayson's mouth bled from the force of Hart's Battle Energy, he remained unaware. When unable to defend, he would swing his axe-spear at Hart's head, hoping for mutual destruction. Hart, enraged, refused to exchange his life for another's, despite his reputation as a butcher.

Amidst the bloodshed, Dorian decapitated a warhorse with a single axe stroke and then severed a knight's arm with a reverse swing. His attacks were wild, driven by instinct and brute strength. Suddenly, through the blood-red haze, a pale face appeared, young and filled with fear and despair. In the knight's black pupils, Dorian saw a monstrous figure, drenched in blood and grinning hideously as it approached.

Dorian was suddenly awakened with a shiver of realization. The monstrous figure before him seemed strangely familiar. Wait, wasn't that... himself? As the heavy crimson hue faded away, the world returned to its original colors. Though now tainted with an excess of blood, the true hues of the world became visible once again. He noticed his body was coated in a thick layer of blood, with fresh, warm blood struggling to escape drying. The axe in his hand felt unbearably heavy, and he couldn't bring himself to strike the young, pale face before him.

A loud whistle sounded, and the knight's expression froze in shock as his head was swiftly severed and thrown into the forest. The young knight's body collapsed, a dagger slipping from his lifeless hand. Dorian turned and met Sophia's gaze. Covered in blood, she held a long-handled scythe, dripping with blood, and surrounded by a faint black aura, resembling a grim reaper. Dorian felt a warmth in his heart.

Roars drew Dorian's attention. The Snow Fox Knights were almost annihilated, but Hart continued to charge, unstoppable. Grayson on horseback and Tristan on foot were struggling against him, while the "Dragon and Beauty" swordsmen, though numerous, lacked the skill to intervene. Exhaustion and pain overwhelmed Dorian, with countless wounds on his body, rendering him unable to fight.

But Dorian's voice remained strong: "Cut the horse's legs first!" Tristan, reinvigorated, danced around Hart's horse, his flexible sword targeting its hindquarters. Hart's greatsword couldn't cover so many angles, and soon, Tristan managed to stab the horse's hind leg. Despite its strength, the horse couldn't withstand the poison on the weapons and quickly collapsed.

Hart fell from the horse but stood up immediately, using his greatsword for support. Dorian's cold voice ordered, "Fire the arrows!" A barrage of bolts turned Hart into a pincushion. Furious, Hart remained standing, drenched in blood, glaring at the "Dragon and Beauty" mercenaries. Though they knew he was doomed, none dared to approach. Dorian stepped forward, his face twitching, and whispered, "Rest in peace." He swung his axe.

Hart's consciousness faded, feeling light as the forest and people below shrank. In his final moments, he silently uttered, "I am not content..."

In this brutal battle, the "Dragon and Beauty" mercenary group deployed 368 men, including 150 cavalry and 200 swordsmen. Over 160 were killed and more than 30 seriously injured. The entire Snow Fox cavalry unit of 112 was annihilated.