The Assassin's Seven Principles of Manipulation

Chapter 298: Chapter 293 — Clash

”Fire!”

From behind the Vanguard’s shield wall, Lucien and the other rangers released. Countless projectiles shot toward the northern army.

”Barrier!”

At Gordon’s order, the cadets at the forefront rapidly signed with their arms. Runes flared before them, unfurling into a massive barrier across the front of the advancing army.

Projectiles hammered against it in rapid succession, flashes of light rippling across its surface. Most fell harmlessly to the ground. Some, however, especially those fired by Lucien and the stronger Donvaire cadets, punched through, dropping several northern cadets before they were immediately whisked away in bursts of light.

Gordon gritted his teeth, but there was no point slowing down now.

They were already too close.

Then, almost in unison, both commanders shouted.

”Brace!”

”Break!”

The northern army crashed against the southern cadets like a tsunami against the shore.

The impact was deafening. Kaelion felt the force travel violently through his shield and up his arms, rattling his bones as his shoulder slammed into the cadet behind him. The entire formation lurched backward, boots carving trenches through the earth beneath them.

For several tense seconds, they were forced back. One step. Two. Three.

But the line did not break.

”Hold formation!” Kaelion shouted.

”IF ANY OF THOSE SPINELESS ANTS GET THROUGH, I’LL BREAK YOUR SPINES!” Draven thundered.

Several of the cadets holding the line couldn’t help but gulp. They lowered their shoulders behind their shields and dug their heels deeper into the earth, apparently quite interested in keeping their spines intact.

The northern cadets continued hammering against the shields. Blades struck. Bodies slammed against them. Runes flared with every impact. Yet the southern line refused to give another inch.

Kaelion’s voice tore across the battlefield.

”Spear!”

Small gaps opened between the shields, and lightning-fast spears immediately shot through them, catching the surging northern cadets before they could react. Several dropped, writhing in agony before being whisked away in bursts of light.

Another wave followed.

Gordon clenched his jaw.

”Pull back!”

The northern front line immediately disengaged, rapidly putting distance between themselves and the southern shields.

”Rangers! Break those shields!”

Lights flared from behind their lines. Projectiles slammed into the southern formation one after another, each impact booming against the shields and sending violent vibrations through Kaelion’s arms.

Yet the wall held.

Lucien and the southern rangers continued firing from behind them, forcing the northern barrier to remain raised as the two armies gradually separated.

Kaelion glanced down the line toward the western end of the formation and met Kaelith’s eyes. For a brief moment, neither said anything.

Then Kaelith nodded.

Kaelion turned back toward the northern army.

”Advance!”

Draven’s booming voice followed immediately.

”BROTHERS! ADVANCE!”

”Haa!”

The Vanguard stepped forward in unison, the lower edges of their towering shields grinding against the earth. Hidden behind the advancing wall, Kaelith and the Siege Corps peeled away toward the west. Just as Kaelion intended, the towering shields completely obscured their movements from the northern army.

Another step. Then another. Slowly and steadily, the wall advanced, gradually closing the distance between the two armies.

Gordon took a step backward, his attention fixed on the approaching shield wall. If they allowed the southerners to close the distance again, those damned spears would tear through their front lines.

”Keep your distance! Fall back!”

The northern formation began retreating before the advancing wall. Kaelion watched them carefully.

’They should be in position right about now.’

As though answering his thoughts, shouts suddenly erupted from the western side of the northern army.

”They’re breaking through!”

”West! They’re attacking from the west!”

Gordon’s head snapped toward the commotion.

Kaelith and the Siege Corps had swept around the western edge of the battlefield and were now crashing into the exposed flank of the northern formation.

”Rangers! West flank! NOW!” Gordon screamed.

But before the northern rangers could even turn, Kaelion’s voice tore across the battlefield.

”Attack!”

The Vanguard exploded forward.

Gordon’s eyes widened, his gaze darting between the Vanguard charging from the front and Kaelith’s forces tearing into his western flank. The realization struck him almost immediately.

It was a trap.

But it was already too late.

Before the northern line could adjust, the towering shields crashed into them, sending the front rank sprawling backward into the cadets behind them.

”Spears!”

Small gaps opened across the shield wall, and spears shot through, catching the disorganized northern cadets as they struggled to recover behind the fallen front rank.

”Forward!”

Kaelion hurled out one order after another as the South mauled its way deeper into the northern formation.

Northern cadets were falling everywhere now. Shouts and clashing steel filled the air as some desperately tried to reinforce the western flank while others threw themselves against the advancing Vanguard. But everywhere Kaelion looked, he could see the same thing.

They were losing control.

Gordon’s expression had turned ugly. Trapped between the Vanguard and the Siege Corps, retreat was no longer an option.

Kaelion tightened his grip around his weapon.

’We can win this.’

Despite the shock of Kaiden’s apparent failure, if they won here, they wouldn’t merely destroy the bulk of the northern army. Several particularly powerful cadets were scattered throughout their formation, and Gordon himself was here, commanding the entire army.

If they took down this many of the North’s strongest cadets along with the bulk of their forces, the northern fortress would be crippled.

Kaelion exhaled slowly, feeling the rush of blood through his veins.

Then, suddenly, Malach’s calm voice pierced through the chaos.

”Fire.”

Kaelion barely registered the booming sounds that followed or the violent tremor beneath his feet.

All he saw were five blinding streaks of light tearing across the sky.

His eyes widened in horror.

”SHIELDS! NOW!”

The command tore from his throat with far more desperation than any he had given until now.

The southern cadets looked upward in alarm before immediately breaking from their fights and rushing toward the nearest shielders. All across the battlefield, the Vanguard raised their shields overhead.

Then the falling ballista shots vanished. Kaelion froze. His gaze moved across the suddenly empty sky, searching desperately for any trace of them. For a heartbeat, there was nothing.

Then light flared to the west. Kaelion’s head snapped toward it. The ballista shots had reappeared directly above the battlefield. No, not above them.

Kaelion’s blood ran cold.

All five were falling toward Kaelith and the Siege Corps.

Kaelion barely saw them throw up their defenses before the ballista shots struck.

Blinding light swallowed them whole.