The Devil’s Cage

“Enemies in sight!”

“Enemies in sight!”

Dang Dang Dang!

At the highest outpost tower of Arya, the guard screamed loudly as he rang the bell beside him.

The loud bell echoed throughout the entire outpost, and everyone then started to move out.

Ballista after ballista were pushed up to the firing holes of the walls. On top of the highest spot inside the outpost town, catapults were unveiled by the guards.

The heavy cloths covering the catapults, made up of several cowhides, fell beside Atrina’s feet.

Bang!

The loud noise woke Atrina up from her absent-minded state.

She stared with inconceivable eyes at the black monsters that charged towards the outpost like a raging tide.

In the end, bitterness hung in her mouth.

‘Is this a punishment?’ Atrina thought in her mind; however, it didn’t force her to give up on everything, not even until the last moment…

She would never give up!

“Archers, divide into three teams!

“Lancers, into two!

“Shields! Soldiers, put your shields up and stand beside your brother-in-arms!”

Artina turned around and shouted at the guards and soldiers stationed in the outpost.

The only comforting thing was that the well-trained outpost soldiers and the elite knights of the temple moved even faster and steadier with her participation.

“150 stationed soldiers in Arya Outpost, 400 backup and support, plus the 150 elite temple knights, there is approximately 650 soldiers here able to fight. On top of that, Arya Outpost is fully equipped with military weapons, ballista, catapults, all these can easily form a decent defense line.” calculated Atrina.

She didn’t excluded those civilian soldiers and military cooks who shouldn’t be fighting in a battle like this though because only with more numbers could she feel at ease.

Of course, what comforted Atrina the most was the outpost itself.

Arya Outpost, it was labeled as an outpost station but actually, it was a little city of sorts.

The walls weren’t just tall and sturdy, they were divided into outer and inner walls also.

During the many confrontations with the lords from Yort Fields, Arya Outpost had played an indelible role, but…

It was against human enemies!

Now, the enemies the outpost had to face were monsters, Atrina wasn’t too confident about that but she had no other choice.

The monters’ speed had exceeded her imagination.

She gripped her sword tightly and stared dead ahead at the monster moving like the raging tides.

Then…

She realized something wasn’t right.

The monsters running towards the outpost didn’t seem ferocious, like they should during an onslaught, instead they were in panic and fear.

“What happened?” Atrina jolted.

“Watcher!” she shouted.

In fact, even without her order, the best watcher in Arya Outpost already noticed the army of monsters were acting unusually and soon enough, the watcher found the reason behind it.

“Madam Atrina, there seems to be someone chasing the monsters!”

“Chasing? Who is that?” Atrina asked anxiously after she heard what the watcher said.

At the same time, she widened her eyes, trying to find out who was chasing the monsters but unfortunately, her eyesight wasn’t remarkable at all. Without Lady Thorn’s support, she couldn’t find the target she was looking for.

However, it didn’t stop her from commanding the soldiers.

“Attack!”

“Archers! Let loose!” she shouted.

Sou Sou Sou Sou Sou!

Arrows were fired up to the sky and rained down like cats and dogs.

When the arrows landed, a whole area of monsters fell to the ground, dead.

But compared to the army of monsters, the dead ones weren’t that many. In fact, the arrows didn’t even cause a splash.

Scattered shots then followed after the arrow rain.

The first group of archers already went down the walls for a quick recharge, and the second group archers already draw their longbows backwards.

Each of the archers looked at the monsters in an excited and hostile gaze.

For the soldiers and knights who stayed behind in the outpost to defend against the monsters, they already made up their mind to use their lives to stall the monsters.

They never thought they could survive the onslaught.

All they wanted was to stall the monsters as long as possible, allowing the convoy to move further away.

They wanted their death to mean something, so that they could raise their head proudly when they arrived at the divine kingdom.

Beliefs! It was the source of all hope!

It was natural for the people living in the era where Gods exist.

Though, they wouldn’t mind if they were rescued from their death. It will not affect their meritorious deeds at all.

Besides, the archers were attacking in the best way possible! The panicking monsters didn’t siege the outpost, all they did were run around. The soldiers weren’t in danger, they were like practising their shooting like every other time.

Sou Sou Sou!

The arrow rained down again, but unlike the last attack, as the monsters fell to the ground, a figure was revealed among the monsters.

On top of a metallic, weird-looking horse, the black feather mantle fluttered with the wind.

Bright red, dazzling fire roared and soared up to the sky with its pressuring and terrorizing blaze/

Atrina who had been watching the scene was completely stunned when she saw the figure.

“R-Ryan?!”

“How is this possible?” she stuttered.

She did not believe that she still could saw the figure with her own eyes.

Likewise, when the soldiers heard what Atrina said, all of them were stunned on the spot as well.

But! Not everyone was astonished by the scene.

Mizelle, Pelker and the other thieves of the Holy Thorn Grail and the assassins from Emerald Rock!

The former sensed who the figure was because they were still under [Mesly Ring]’s control; the latter found their true commander under Tiki’s special spell.

A dozens of them sprinted out of the outpost wall.

They were like apes and raccoons, the tall walls couldn’t even hold them back since they were professionals at what they do.

They didn’t pause at all and dashed towards the black figure like an arrow let loose.

The black monsters they came across along the way were all slaughtered by the dozens of them.

The thieves and assassins didn’t kill the monsters with frontal assault like the knights did, but with the small lethal technique that was nimble and strange.

A dagger, a short knife, three to five flying darts and flying knives plus a few bottles of poison of various use.

The monsters’ eyes, throat, heart and rear, all the weak spots were attacked without any extra motion, neither did they hesitated at all.

They jumped and tumbled over the monsters who they came across, as the monsters fell to the ground, their throat was gushing out vile liquid like a fountain.

Another clean side roll later, the roaring monsters wailed in pain, the monsters lost their eyes, causing them to attack their surroundings blindly.

In the end, the monsters died under the effect of the poison before they even exhaust their strength.

The soldiers back on the outpost walls looked at the group of thieves and assassins with widened eyes and dropped jaws. The thieves and assassins were quiet, eccentric and never listen to any orders.

They easily reaped the heads of the monsters, breaking through the monsters’ line of defense and arrived in front of the black figure on top of the metallic horse.

They the knelt down on one knee, lowering their heads and greated loudly, “My lord!”