FVN Chapter 321 Pre-emptive Strike
Chapter 321 Pre-emptive Strike
Inside of a large, two-person tent, Snow watched as a human man slept near her feet. She had woken up a few hours ago to trade shifts with him for their pre-arranged sleeping schedule. His purple hair fluttered slightly with each of his sleeper breaths, and she felt a strange urge to brush it out of his face.
It was unexpected when he approached her in the evening to ask what was on her mind. Other than Yue, no one else ever really seemed to care about her state of mind. Corva would notice occasionally, but usually her mind was distracted by her next extensive set of plans.
The sudden ask took her off guard, and she ended up answering his questions about what was on her mind without intending to. Somehow, this man was calm to talk to, and it brought her comfort to share her plight with someone else. Though she wanted to, she did not really delve deeply into the part that Lucius played in the experiences she shared with Desmond.
There was the possibility that he would have reacted negatively if she explained too much about it.Nôv(el)B\\jnn
However, as the night went on and she sat in the light of the lanterns, she realized such thoughts were silly. Even without knowing him for a long time, Desmond was not a person who would react that way. He seemed like a straightforward person who she could trust.
Snow tightly hugged her knees to her chest as Desmond stirred. She quickly retracted the hand that had tried to brush his hair without her own notice. The human's beautiful blue eyes looked up at her and smiled, though he groaned as he sat up.
"I may not be all that old, but I definitely shouldn't sleep on the ground like that. Next time, remind me to bring my sleeping mat out here." He said with a laugh. Experience more on empire
"Next time? Who said there would be a next time?"
Desmond gave her a gentle smile. "Well, I highly doubt our one conversation fixed a lifetime of struggle. Also, you said yourself that Corva would join up with Lucius for a while and that you and Yue would do the same. I imagine we will find ourselves in a similar scenario in the future."
"I see..."
Desmond slowly rose to his feet before vanishing behind the curtains to his private space. Snow could hear him rustling around and getting his armor and clothes prepared. With a heavy sigh, she set out to do the same and quickly equipped her own light armor. It looked like plate armor, but was exceptionally lightweight and made little sound as she moved.
They had already started triaging measures, with several of them dedicated to quickly healing minor injuries while another group dedicated themselves to serious injuries. Joining alongside them were a few Dark Mages taking on the gruesome task of palliative care.
The pre-emptive strike against their camp had done a decent job of creating chaos. Were this done against an army of any other race, it might have worked well enough to sow a destructive amount of disorder. However, as elves, they had much better control of their emotions and many of them were practiced in the art of war and triage for centuries.
Of course, the enemy knew this, being elves themselves. Which likely meant that this had been done with the miniscule delay in mind. Snow quickly looked to the bridge and saw that a massive enemy force had amassed upon it. Their own forces had already put together a decent defense, but they were quickly being overwhelmed.
"Ma'am!" a voice called out, "Orders?"
The voice belonged to a stoic-looking elf who tossed her a voice amplifier. She quickly snatched the cone-shaped object out of the air and yelled her commands into it, "All forces, assemble at the bridge. Do not let those traitors take this bridge. Should we fall, so shall the entire Southern Front! For the glory of the rightful queen: Letheya din Aedrider!"
She decided at the last minute to add a little extra flare to her speech. Sometimes, energy and inspiration were all that a soldier needed. Reminding them of what or who they were fighting for could improve their moods. Not feeling helpless or feeling like you are fighting for justice or righteousness on your side could be a powerful feeling.
Her rousing speech was met with uproarious applause and shouts of affirmation. Laying it on thick seemed to be the right choice as hundreds of elves charged toward the defensive line as support. Out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed a purple-haired human charging through the burning remains of camp and pulling elves from the debris.
The sight brought a small smile to her face before she turned around and rushed the bridge alongside the soldiers. Those who could be roused to the bridge's defense were already roused. Any who remained were not in fighting condition immediately and would need treatment before rejoining the fight.
There were already a few sergeants at the medical clearing who were working on gathering together the healed fighters and sending them toward the front. Knowing that, Snow decided her presence was better served on the actual field of battle. She was a much better fighter than a leader.
Blood had already stained the bridge from prior engagements, but with this fresh battlefield appearing, the water of the river below also changed color. Their own side was being slaughtered. Ice, Water, and Earth magic flew in every direction, forcing her to take precautions on approach. One spear of Earth Magic nearly struck her in the leg, but she could dodge at the last minute.
She hoped Desmond would arrive quickly and begin the construction of the dam. Up front engagements were not her specialty either. Usually, she opted for more roundabout methods.