Translator: CinderTL
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From the perspective of the people of this era, the war between the Gabella Empire and the Church of Light was unprecedented. The massive armies they dispatched surged forward like two torrents of iron, and wherever they passed, both local lords and common slaves were awed by the might of the troops. The lords fawned over the soldiers, offering large supplies to support them, while the common folk hid away, praying day and night that the war would not reach them.
To many observers, this war would determine who could dominate the fate of the continent in the foreseeable future. After all, compared to other nations, both the Gabella Empire and the Church of Light were colossal beasts. The former Aldor Kingdom had also been among the great powers capable of influencing the continent's situation, but after suffering the rebellions led by Giles and the invasion of the orcs, Aldor had fallen from grace in the eyes of many, retreating from the ranks of the first-tier powers.
The two armies finally clashed head-on on the Usola Plains.
By the time they could see each other's forces, it was already close to evening. The setting sun bathed the Usola Plains in an orange hue. The Gabella Empire's flag depicted a golden lion, standing in stark contrast to the flame emblem symbolizing light on the Church's banner. The metal armor of both sides' knights glimmered coldly in the twilight, the sound of their chainmail clinking echoing in the air.
In front of the Gabella formation, five thousand heavy cavalrymen stepped forward in perfect formation. The knights in the front row held their nearly four-meter-long lances angled toward the ground, with colorful banners embroidered with their family crests hanging from the ends. These knights hailed from ancient noble families of the empire and formed a classic wedge formation, their warhorses adorned with ornate barding. The steeds snorted loudly, their hooves kicking up dust from the ground repeatedly, displaying the same fighting spirit as their riders.
From the opposing Church army came the harmonious sound of Sacred Chant. The accompanying bishops anointed the chest plates of their knights with Holy Oil, praying for blessings from the omnipotent deity upon the warriors defending the true faith.
These knights loyal to the Church, commonly referred to as Holy Knights, wore cloaks embroidered with the same flame emblem as the Church's battle flag. Beneath their cloaks, they donned heavy and finely crafted armor. The warhorses of the Church appeared slightly smaller than those of their enemies, but they were better suited for quick maneuvers after a charge.
As both sides' warhorses began to grow restless, frothing at the mouth, the heavy infantry of Gabella suddenly struck their iron-bound oak shields in unison, cheering on the imperial knights who were about to launch their attack. The resounding sound of horns echoed across the Usola Plains, signaling the onset of the assault. The imperial knights immediately lowered their visors, leveled their lances, and urged their mounts forward, charging toward the enemy like a flood released from a dam.
The archers on the flanks of the Church army immediately began to shoot, but their rain of arrows did not halt the advance of the golden lion banner.
The ground trembled under the pounding of five thousand warhorses. The imperial knights maintained a perfect wedge formation, with the knights at the front accurately thrusting their lances into the vulnerable spots of the Holy Knights' armor, targeting critical areas like the throat. The knights behind them surged into the enemy ranks, and in an instant, splintered wood and bloodied manes flew through the air. Upon contact, the Holy Knights suffered heavy casualties, being unseated one by one, while the losses for the imperial knights were significantly lower.
These first to engage Gabella knights came from families of military nobility that had been passed down through generations. Perhaps due to the empire's tradition of prioritizing military merit, unlike other nations where the nobility had grown lax after long periods of peace, Gabella's military nobility had successfully preserved the martial spirit of their ancestors, viewing battlefield glory as life itself, and each was highly skilled in combat. When Emperor Antonio declared the war against the Church, the noble youths eagerly enlisted; it was both their duty and privilege—though their privilege extended beyond this, as they held significant sway in all military matters. When united, even the emperor of the empire had to yield.
The combat quality of the Gabella knights was evidently superior, but bolstered by fervent faith, the Holy Knights also displayed astonishing combat prowess. They decisively discarded their broken lances and drew their Morning Star Maces from their waists. This blunt weapon, equipped with iron chains, was an excellent tool for dealing with heavily armored foes in close combat. The imperial knights switched to their two-handed swords, using their height advantage to deliver downward strikes. The knights from both sides soon became entangled in fierce combat, with unseated warhorses galloping across the battlefield, trampling those knights who had fallen and could not evade.
As the sun sank below the horizon, a horn suddenly sounded from the left flank of the Church army. It turned out that the heavy infantry of Gabella had flanked them, and the Church's infantry immediately engaged in close combat. The two sides' infantry soon fell into a chaotic melee, but the coordination among the imperial troops was superior. They gradually formed an arc, encircling the Church army, and for the first time, the scales of victory began to tip.
At this critical moment, the horizon trembled. Initially, it was just a low rumble, like distant thunder. The sound of the Gabella army's horns abruptly ceased, and those knights and soldiers who had found a moment's respite in the battle turned to look westward in unison.
Dust rose like thick smoke, nearly obscuring half the sky.
As the rumbling grew closer, the ground began to shake violently. The warhorses neighed restlessly, their front hooves digging into the earth, as if sensing the approach of something deadly.
Among the imperial army, some knowledgeable commanders turned pale, their expressions filled with dread as they speculated—could it be the Church's War Elephant Legion?
Some tried to reassure themselves: the War Elephant Legion was difficult to mobilize and costly, and had never appeared far from the Church's homeland.
But reality soon shattered their hopes.
From the dust emerged massive silhouettes, towering higher than many city walls—war elephants clad in metal armor adorned with Holy Emblems, carrying Arrow Towers on their backs. The archers atop were already drawing their bows, ready to shoot at any enemy that entered their range.
The herd of elephants moved with legs as thick as pillars, kicking up dust that blotted out the sun as they advanced. Sharp blades were tied to their tusks, glinting coldly in the sunset.
Most terrifying were the elephants' eyes, blood-red and seemingly ablaze with frenzied fire. It was rumored that this was due to a secret concoction from the Church, a mysterious drug that drove these colossal beasts into a state of rage.
As the elephants charged, they raised their long trunks high, letting out deafening roars that sent chills down the spine.
The formation of the Gabella army began to falter. Faced with such colossal creatures, the ordinary soldiers could not withstand the fear rising within them and began to retreat involuntarily.
(End of the Chapter)
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