Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 807: Beast Tide Defence I

CH807 Beast Tide Defence I

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One of the reasons Alex had personally participated in the domain’s massive construction effort was to enable the creation of the outer walls surrounding the Frontier March’s three major settlements.

These were not ordinary walls. Each served as a conduit for his Fort Defence Grand Formation.

The Greater Rune representing the effects of the [Link] Formation appeared upon the foreheads of every defender stationed atop the walls.

The Branch-Horned Mountain Goats attempting to scale the fortifications, along with the beasts massed directly below them, were blasted away by the attack formation embedded within the wall.

Working in tandem with the Grand Formation’s mana-gathering array, the Mana Cement used to construct the wall steadily replenished the formation’s energy, preparing it for another strike.

Meanwhile, the Prancing Antelopes and Air-Strider Horses managed to reach the top of the wall using their unique abilities. However, they were met by a barrage of crossbow bolts and turned into pincushions before they could even set foot upon the battlements.

Boom!

The wall suddenly trembled.

Looking down, the defenders saw the Earthshaker Bulls and the Steelscaled Rhinos repeatedly slamming into the fortifications.

Cracks spread across the wall, but a faint glow soon coursed through the structure as another formation activated, repairing the damaged sections.

‘We can’t keep letting this happen. The repair formation can only do so much,’ Alex thought.

He turned to issue an order, only to find that the team leaders—veterans from the BattleBane Guild—had already acted.

The artillery crews immediately concentrated their fire on the two powerful species.

The Steelscaled Rhinos’ hides deflected crossbow bolts as though they were striking solid steel plate, while the Earthshaker Bulls’ thick hides prevented the bolts from penetrating deeply enough to inflict meaningful damage.

The ballistae were their only viable option.

Thong!

The sharp snap of enormous bowstrings echoed across the battlefield.

Roar!

An agonised bellow rang out as half a dozen ballista bolts slammed into a Steelscaled Rhino, piercing its hide and drawing a cry of pain.

However, to the artillery crews’ shock, the bolts had not penetrated deeply enough to stop the beast. They had done little more than inflict serious injuries—and make it far angrier.

The enraged rhino suddenly turned and sprinted away from the wall, as though retreating.

But one of the artillery captains, having seen the hatred burning within the beast’s eyes, knew that wasn’t what it was doing.

Just as the artillery captain had expected, roughly fifty metres from the wall, the rhino abruptly curved its sprint into a wide arc, maintaining every ounce of the momentum it had built up before charging straight back towards the fortifications.

The captain’s face drained of colour.

“Shoot it!” he roared.

Thong!

One of the ballista crews immediately loaded a specialised armour-piercing bolt—far more effective against heavily armoured targets than the standard ammunition currently in use.

The bolt screamed through the air as the runes inscribed along its shaft flared to life.

It struck true, punching clean through the charging rhino’s skull.

Unfortunately, the artillery crew had no opportunity to celebrate.

Driven by sheer momentum and stubborn ferocity, the mortally wounded Steelscaled Rhino continued its charge. It smashed through the wall—faster than the defensive and repair formations could respond—before finally collapsing to the ground.

The Steelscaled Rhino was dead, but not before tearing open a breach in the wall.

The moment the opening appeared, the true carnivorous predators within the migrating horde immediately sensed the opportunity.

The Green Sabretooth Tigers and Bloodhorned Boars rushed towards the breach without hesitation.

‘Damn it!’

Alex cursed inwardly.

The reinforcement and repair formations only functioned in conjunction with the Mana Cement, strengthening intact sections of the wall and repairing cracks as they formed. Now that the wall had been completely breached, both formations were effectively useless.

“Infantry! Move out!”

A squad of Shieldbearers rushed forward to contain the breach, preventing too many beasts from forcing their way through.

Several Green Sabretooth Tigers immediately pounced, wind swirling violently around their razor-sharp claws.

The defenders did not retreat.

Planting their feet firmly into the ground, they channelled Combat Energy throughout their bodies and raised their shields to receive the attack.

Boom!

Although the force of the impact and the gale surrounding the tigers’ claws drove them back several steps, they successfully held the charging beasts in place.

Nearby squads of crossbowmen immediately opened fire.

The tigers attempted to evade using the incredible speed granted by their innate wind affinity, but the confined space around the breach left them with little room to manoeuvre.

Overwhelmed by the relentless volley, the predators were finally brought down.

However, the Bloodhorned Boars were already charging in.

These walking embodiments of aggression channelled energy into their crimson horns until they glowed with an ominous blood-red light before unleashing bolts of scarlet energy at the defenders blocking their path.

The barrage forced the ranged defenders to dive for cover, while the infantry braced themselves behind their shields, which groaned under the impact of the Bloodhorned Boars’ crimson energy bolts.

Even more frustrating, when several defenders risked exposing themselves to return fire, the boars’ thick hides proved resilient enough to withstand multiple crossbow bolts.

Seizing the opportunity, the enraged beasts charged forward and slammed into the defensive line, severely injuring several soldiers.

‘Not on my watch.’

Fortunately, the Fort Defence Grand Formation demonstrated its true worth.

The injured defenders were immediately enveloped in healing mana, their wounds rapidly stabilised before they could become fatal.

At the same time, the formation rejuvenated every defender marked by the [Link] rune, washing away fatigue and restoring their strength.

Realising the power of the Grand Formation, the defenders’ morale soared.

Supported by the formation’s continuous healing, the Shieldbearers endured the boars’ relentless assaults long enough for the crossbowmen to gradually bring the beasts down.

The exchange, however, left additional damage along the wall and destroyed several of the smaller defensive obstacles erected behind the breach to restrict the beasts’ movement.

The Berserk Beasts eventually seemed to realise that scaling the walls was impossible.

The agile beasts abandoned the attempt, dropping back to join the rest of the horde in forcing their way through the breach instead.

Suddenly, an idea struck Alex.

He immediately issued an order to Sergeant Lopota.

Without hesitation, Lopota leapt down from the battlements alongside three other Silver Wolf Guards.

Together, they began tearing down the defensive obstacles behind the breached wall.

“Open the gates.”

At the same time, Alex ordered the gates in the outer wall to be opened.

The ballistae also fell silent.

Just as he had expected, the Berserk Beasts immediately converged upon both the opened gates and the breach, desperate to force their way into the settlement.

In a surprising display of coordination, the sturdier Earthshaker Bulls and the remaining Steelscaled Rhinos took the lead.

Behind them came the Bloodhorned Boars, followed closely by the swift Prancing Antelopes and Air-Strider Horses.

The few surviving Green Sabretooth Tigers cautiously trailed at the rear, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

The tide of beasts immediately flooded through both entrances.

Some of the defenders continued firing volleys of crossbow bolts into the advancing horde.

“Hold your fire! Switch your ammunition!”

The order echoed across the battlements, stopping the artillery crews just as they were about to unleash another barrage.

***