Gift of the Fox

Chapter 48: Reclaiming Tibiru

The fortress of Tibiru was indeed magnificent, and the three stone walls that surrounded it were immense and solid. The joint armies of Wanglong and Qartland stood before the stone walls, waiting for a signal from the emperor, who was appointed the leader of all the armies by the common agreement. The four main divisions of Wanglong still remained at the three nobles' disposal - Fox Empress Tamie, Bear Princess Astrid, and Prince Nick. 

The Sorovs were hiding inside the wall towers and had their archers ready for the upcoming attack. The generals were also in the towers, observing the enormous enemy army. Some of the generals had a giant Sorovian army ready behind the city walls, just in case, as the Sorovs knew well how powerful and cunning Beilangshen was in battles. However, this time, Emperor Beilangshen seemed a little too relaxed and self-confident than usual, and the Sorovs couldn't explain it.

"What's wrong with his smirk?" the eldest general - an old man with a white moustache - asked one of his subordinates, also an army commander but younger.

"Ugh, imperial pride, as usual..." 

The young commander rolled his eyes. He didn't believe the Wanglongian emperor could have anything other up his sleeve than those savage Vidars and Moguls he usually brought in battles. However, soon they would realise that this time, Beilangshen indeed held a terrorizing surprise, thanks to his beloved Fox Empress.

Shao looked at Nick, who commanded the division of army's masterminds - the Nipons and the Koryeoians:

"Nick, it is time."

Nick nodded and exchanged glances with Astrid. This latter understood the sign and gave an order in Nordic to her Vidar troops. Once the robust warriors heard the order, they rolled out giant wooden cannon with a golden dragon head. Nick's troops - Nipons and Koryeoians - climbed it and prepared bombs. Seeing this unusual new weapon, both the Qartlandians' and the Sorovs' jaws dropped. The moustached general of the Sorovs mumbled:

"What the..."

"The round-shaped hole inside of that thing..." 

The young commander carefully eyed the weapon. When he noticed how the Nipons took a heavy sphere and pushed it inside the weapon, he widened his eyes in horror and cried: 

"It's the Dragon-Bomb! They're going to shoot the Dragon-Bomb at a long distance using that weapon!"

All of the Sorovs got frightened - the Dragon-Bombs at long distance? It would be just like back then in the cliffy pass, when their whole army got wiped out!

"Move! Leave the towers! Now!"

They began running up and down, so confused they had become. The Wanglongians didn't sleep meanwhile - Beilangshen had raised his hand, waiting for the right moment. When he saw the Sorovs had gotten worked-up, he chuckled and dropped his hand down. A loud thunder roared, and a heavy bomb hit the stone wall, breaking through it upon the collision. It even reached the two other walls. 

Dust-steam covered the area. The Sorovs' helpless shrieks could be heard as they got squashed under the demolished walls. The bomb broke through the final, third wall, and hit the Sorovian army hiding behind it, exploding right in its core. More shrieks and cries sounded, as the exploded bodies of the once-Sorovian-warriors fell apart. Blood, dead body parts and stone wall ruins covered the entire area. Beilangshen gave a yell:

"After me!"

He whipped his horse and rushed into the unguarded city. Tamie, Astrid, and Nick bellowed:

"Let's go!"

They all galloped after the emperor. Then, the Qartlandian generals took up too, and the joint army rushed through the demolished walls, invading the city. They grappled with the survivor Sorovs and a bloody battle began.

The Vidars mangled the enemies with their axes. Astrid fought like an enraged polar bear indeed, yelling and chopping the enemies' heads off. Tamie fought like a wrathful dragon she was believed to be a daughter of, while Nick swung his muscular hands like a brown Qartlandian bear. Shao, as always, had gone berserk, snarling like a predator wolf. Tamie and Nick fought hard as they knew it was to free their beloved home from the enemies' clutches. Just a little time was left before they would manage to see their parents again, after so long.

Astrid, who had already dismounted her slaughtered horse, got attacked from the rear by a cunning Sorov. This wasn't left undetected by Nick's sharp eyes. He gasped and yelled in Nordic:

"Astrid, pass auf! (Astrid, look out!)"

However, when the girl turned back, she could already guess it was too late - the Sorov had already swung his sword! Astrid screamed, but the pain from the strike never came. Instead, something shaded her, and she heard a sword pierce through someone's chest. She reopened her eyes and gasped - Nick had arrived with his white horse in time and slain the Sorov! She stared at Nick in a daze. When she received the prince's kind smile, her face shone in a grateful grin.

The massive armies of Wanglong and Qartland soon slaughtered the remaining Sorovs. King George of Qartland finally managed to reclaim his long-lost capital city. It was a jovial time for the whole Qartland. 

Tamie gratefully beamed at Shao - the gracious emperor who had helped her free her home from the common enemy.