Our Family Has Fallen

Just then, alarm bells rang out. A lone rider galloped back, shouting continuously.

”Enemy Attack! Enemy Attack!”

It was one of the Guards sent out to scout... Yet, something ominous appeared to be following him.

Soon, a group of ordinary people who looked like refugees appeared on the old road, carrying an assortment of crude weapons. Mixed among them were some unusual enemies.

They were bare-chested, wearing strange black iron helmets and wielding iron claws.

These are Heretics! And the Elite kind, no less!

Vick, realizing the situation, had no time for other concerns. He quickly strode to his horse, mounted, and charged forward, shouting, ”Quick! Form up and prepare to meet the enemy!”

The others looked around, somewhat bewildered, but at his command, they moved according to their training.

Sure enough, Vick soon noticed that the Heretics rushing down the old road were smeared with fresh blood, a clear sign they had already begun their slaughter.

Damn it! What the hell happened? Why are there Heretics here?

Vick was no ordinary man; taking on this mission from the Lord meant he was privy to more information. The brazen appearance of the Heretics here meant that something had very likely gone wrong in Hamlet.

But for now, he needed to take care of himself first...

The operation launched by the Ascension Sect was unprecedented; they wanted to ignite the flames of war throughout Hamlet. This main road, being the only route in and out of Hamlet, naturally became a key target.

A frenzied slaughter began; anyone on this road became their target. They sought to offer death to their god.

And it was clear that the Heretics surging toward them had already begun their massacre. He just didn’t know which unlucky souls had met them and become the bloodstains on their bodies.

”Hurry, hurry, hurry!” Vick kept urging the caravan to form a defensive posture, with no intention of engaging them in open combat.

Unfortunately, if the Guards were all from Hamlet’s Army, he might dare to clash with these Heretics.

But aside from a few key members, most of those around him were ordinary Guards. They would struggle even against bandits and robbers; against Heretics, without the support of a formation, they would likely collapse quickly.

The scouting had bought them some time. Under Vick’s urging, the caravan quickly formed several wagon forts, linking the wagons end to end. Crossbowmen stood atop them, while Spearmen extended their spears from behind the wagons, the formations supporting each other.

This type of formation could withstand most attacks; even fully armed bandits would find it difficult to break through.

”Damn it!” Vick’s position was the first to encounter the Heretics’ attack. Fortunately, the wagons provided a barrier, preventing casualties. However, it left them fully occupied.

”Archers, ready to fire!”

The Crossbowmen among the Guards lifted their crossbows and fired at the Heretics.

A volley of crossbow arrows pierced the Heretics’ bodies, but such wounds were not enough to kill them. Only those bolts that struck true, piercing their heads, managed to kill them.

These crossbows were originally meant for Ovando City’s City Defense Force. The war had caused the prices for these weapons and military supplies to soar. Many coveted them, and Walter had managed to procure a batch.

It was all considered ”normal wear and tear,” after all. Even brand-new equipment could be labeled defective and written off as waste. Meanwhile, items that genuinely should have been scrapped continued to be used by the City Defense Force—as long as the emblems were removed, no one would care.

Similarly, the Spearmen viciously stabbed at any Heretics trying to climb over, using their spears to push them back.

However, while this tactic was effective for self-preservation, it made it very difficult to actually kill the Heretics, as most of the Guards were ordinary people who had only trained for a little over half a month.

Only a few veterans from Hamlet, with experience fighting Heretics, knew how to kill them.

The people of the caravan had Guards and the protection of the wagon forts, but what about the refugees?

Upon hearing of the enemy attack, they immediately fell into a panic, seeking to join the caravan’s protection, only to be flatly refused.

On one side were the frenzied Heretics, and on the other were the weapons of the Guards; they were trapped, with no idea what to do.

If anyone among them had understood the Heretics’ habits and fled immediately, they might have escaped this wave. The Heretics focused solely on the enemies directly before them, fighting relentlessly until one side was annihilated.

With the cumbersome target that was the caravan, it was easy to keep the Heretics occupied.

But they were accustomed to relying on the strong. Even though Vick did not accept them, the refugees lacked the resolution to flee decisively, believing that staying near the caravan was their only chance.

Then, quite naturally, they squandered their last opportunity.

For suddenly, many Heretics emerged from the surrounding woods. Clearly, the attack on the main road had been a feint; these Heretics had taken a shortcut through the woods to encircle them.

”Blood sacrifice to my Lord! Flesh offered to the crown!”

”The stars align, the Flesh ascends!”

”Kill! Kill! Kill!”

The merciless slaughter unfolded. These Elite Heretics raised their claws; one pierced a refugee’s heart, while another, with a casual flick of its iron claws, tore a refugee’s body apart.

Those Heretics, who had been thwarted in Hamlet, displayed terrifying lethal force against these unarmed refugees.

”No! We’re done for!”

”Please, spare me!”

”Don’t kill me, I’ll do anything…”

Pleading, screaming, wailing… the death and despair brought by the Heretics instantly enveloped the refugees.