Part XX: Siege of Louber and Siege of Buche

Two weeks passed, Gabriel went to the Solar Naval Academy while Charles and the others are training in the Palace Dojo. Moon and her forces were able to surprise the Empire and they successfully invaded the outskirts.

The orcs that mounted the attack on Fomalhaut was led by Warchief Dakgrug while the Procyon Invasion Forces was led by Ughorim. The trolls in Pollux was led by King Yamike, the trolls in Altair was led by Troljarbir, and the trolls in Hadar was led by Lord Hyptu. Moon Forces in Deneb was led by Soil while the Rigel Invasion Forces were led by Moon herself.

They failed to capture the city of Ihoyo, Altair, Fomalhaut, and Procyon. The trolls were outgunned when they laid siege on Ihoyo. The failure at Ihoyo sounded the halt of Trolls in Altair and marched through Procyon. Fomalhaut was already organized when they mount the attack while the Siege of Procyon was fought when Fossil was in the city.

In response to the attacks, Sun ordered the House of Lorquer, one of the oldest houses loyal to the empire, to scramble their forces and march to Altair Margrave and Hadar Margrave. They fought for the empire for generations. Their army is known for being well-disciplined and expert in strategic planning. They have a strong connection with the capital and its army.

Brooklyn Lorquer, the current ruler of the house and 13th Count of Lorquer County, is one of the generals who led the forces. He also serves as an instructor for the Imperial Army Academy. He was assigned to assist the Altair Margrave from repelling the Trolls and recapturing the cities that fell in to the hands of the trolls. He and his forces are in the city of Louber which was ravaged by trolls.

"It looks like they completely subdued the city. I can see their flags waving on the city hall." Count Lorquer told them as he looked from his spyglass.

"What shall we do, Milord?" One of the soldiers asked them.

"All men ready for the charge! Heavy Cavalry ready attack formation. Archers rain down arrows now!" He ordered.

"Yes, Milord!" The men shouted

"Your Highness! They are here." One of the scouts told Troljarbir.

"What is the size of their army?" Troljarbir asked him.

"The enemy is a brigade size forces with a battalion size cavalry and a company size artillery force." The scout replied.

"They are quite gullible compare to what I expected. Ready the traps! Fire at any enemy that went near or pass through the walls.

Count Lorquer's men positioned as ordered.

"Archers! Fire!" Count Lorquer shouted as another barrage of arrows darkened the sky.

The troll was alerted by the rain of arrows and the noise of the horses waiting for the walls to be breached. Troljarbir, the Prince of Trolls, ordered his men to ready for the ambush to the cavalry charge that is on their way. Little did he know that the cavalry was not just an ordinary one. The cavalry is the Solar Legion the fiercest cavalry chosen from the top cavalrymen of the empire. Equipped with bows and halberds no one can stop them in battle.

"Brothers! Lure the cavalry in the trap! Position at the entrance of the city! Spear throwers get to the higher grounds. Axe men ready to charge." Troljarbir shouted.

"Archers, arrow barrage!" Count Lorquer shouted.

"Let's see how long they can defend the city." Count Lorquer asked himself.

Count Brooklyn's army is about 5000 men and 200 siege engines. The Solar Legion comprises about 300 men and they charged into the city. He ordered the battering rams to attack the city gates and some of the mangonels to attack.

"Mangonels! Ready to fire. Battering Ram! Retreat!" Count Lorquer

"Yes, Milord!" They shouted as the battering ram retreated.

"Mangonels! Fire at the gates!" Count Lorquer shouted.

"Fire!" The operators shouted and they let loose.

"Solar Legion! Charge!" Count Lorquer shouted as he saw that the walls were destroyed.

They breached the walls and the heavy cavalrymen charged through the infantry. They successfully dispersed the troll footmen. Suddenly, they were surprised by the troll's cavalry. The Vivid Order, the troll cavalry, are cavalrymen trained for throwing axes and knives while on the back of a large boar. They are equipped with swords, throwing axes, and throwing knives.

As the elite cavalries charging each other, some defenders from the village helped the Imperial troops against the trolls.

"Sound the retreat! Archers ready to fire!" Count Lorquer shouted as the horn sounded the retreat.

"Don't follow them! It's a trap!" Troljarbir shouted.

"Arrows, Loose!" Count Lorquer shouted as he saw the Solar Legion coming out of the walls.

They sieged for 3 days. On the sunrise of the 3rd day, they are both exhausted.

"Milord, we dug deep in to the city. What shall we do?" One of the officers asked him.

"We are already fighting for three days. I am sure they are losing morale. Conduct entrapment operations we will eliminate them." Count Lorquer ordered.

"As you wish, Milord." The officer replied.

The siege went on for two more days of bloodshed. Demoralized, the trolls were digging burrows and tunnels on the ground. Count Lorquer and his men held the opportunity to strike.

"Archers, position on rooftops. Heavy cavalry prepared yourselves you will be their enemy that will hammer them down. Light Cavalry be prepared to support for Troll Cavalry

"Go! Go now, Your Highness. Our Kingdom needs you!" One of the troll officer told him.

"Come on. Let's leave now!" Troljarbir told them.

"You go now, Your Highness. We will buy you time to escape." The officer replied.

"As your superior I order you to come down here and escape with us!" Troljarbir shouted.

"I am afraid I cannot follow that order." He replied.

"Here they are!" One of the trolls outside shouted.

"I need to go now, Your Highness. Long Live the Trolls!" The officer bid his farewell, shouted and charged at the enemy.

With the troll escape, they raised the count's flag and the imperial flag above it.

"The city is officially ours!" Count Lorquer shouted.

"Long Live the Empire!" The soldiers shouted.

"Send a message to the town of Hoku and Kitamifuha. Alert them in case of a troll attack." Count Lorquer ordered two of his men.

"As you wish, Milord." They replied and went away to deliver his message.

"They won't just accept their defeat here." Count Lorquer told himself.

Meanwhile, Soil and her forces are in the city of Buche for the next siege after their decisive victory in Teless.

"Colonel! There is a massive army in our wa-" one of the soldiers in the city walls was shouting when a shell hit their wall.

"Archers! Loose!" Soil shouted.

"Fire!" The archers shouted and they let go of their arrows.

Gerasimos Deneb, eldest son of the Count of Deneb, was in the city when the siege started.

"Lord Deneb, Moon Realm Forces are laying siege in the city." The mayor told them.

"Wh-what will I do?" Gerasimos asked himself.

"Lord Deneb, lead us." The general of the city told them.

"O-okay. R-ready the city militia. Prepare the cavalry for a charge." Gersimos told them.

"Lord Deneb, it will be risky to send a cavalry charge to an army size of enemy. We only have a regiment size of army." The general replied.

"D-do whatever you want! I don't know what to do!" Gerasimos shouted in fear and ran away.

"Lord Deneb!" The mayor called him but he ran away.

"We are doomed now. Ready the ballista and mangonels. We will rain arrows and pepper them with rocks!" The general told them.

"Sir. Yes, Sir!" They shouted and did as they were ordered.

"Headmage, ready the mage corps. We need to protect the city." The general told the Headmage in the city's mage academy.

"As you wish, general. This one of the fortress city. We can't let this fall in to the hands of the enemy." Headmage Elpidius replied and went away.

Soil and her forces were sending rocks in the city walls.

"They aren't fighting back. Is the empire crumbling?" Soil asked herself.

"General, the enemies are not fighting back. What shall we do?" The infantry colonel asked her.

"Colonel, ready for infantry attack. Artillery continue your work. Mage corps ready to bombard the walls with magic." Soil ordered calmly as she was thinking.

"Ma’am, Yes, Ma’am!" They replied and went on.

Elpidius rushed to the academy's intercom.

"Students, apprentice mages, instructors, and master mages prepare for a battle. Every master mage is the leader of their department. I am promoting every master mages in the rank of colonel. Scramble all forces. It is a matter time that Moon Realm Forces will penetrate our walls." Elpidius told them using the magic microphone in the intercom room.

The people in the academy grouped themselves based on their department, level, and section. A few moments later, the artillery command was ready and suddenly launched a rain of arrows and salvo of rocks. It surprised Soil and her forces that their formation was broken.

"Everyone! Back to formation. We will now use our cannons against the enemies. Mages ready yourself in firing the cannon!" Soil shouted.

"Ma’am. Yes, Ma’am!" They shouted.

The city guards were pouring oil in the moat and ignited it making it difficult for Soil's forces to see the gaps created by the artillery attack. This bought time for the mages in the city to scramble their forces and ready themselves.

"Everyone, listen up. Today, is a live fire exercise. The enemies you will be facing won't hesitate to kill you at sight. I know everyone have a knowledge even on simple spells. Remember that even a simple spell is lethal if you utilize its use properly. Master mages, I am counting of your command. Vice Headmage Salmoneous Carpos, you are the officer in charge and I am promoting you as general. I am tasked by the city general to ask for assistance in the City of Deneb. We can't let the enemies take this city or the empire will be at risk." Elpidius told them in the balcony of his office while everyone in the academy are on the grounds lined up and ready for deployment.

"Sir. Yes, Sir!" Everyone shouted and saluted Elpidius left afterwards.

Soil's forces started to march as the city gates were destroyed leaving the city open.

"Everyone, march! Leave no quarters!" Soil told them as they march to the city.

As soon as the city walls were breached, the mages were deployed. Soil's infantry was diminished by the surprise attack but the more experienced mages of Moon Realm's significantly reduced the defending mages. One of the mages in the city was powerful enough to hold the enemies for a day before they advanced deeper in the city.

"Everyone! Sound the retreat!" Clotha, the master cloth mage, shouted.

"Ma’am. Yes, Ma’am!" They shouted as they started retreating.

"Cavalry! Advance!" Soil shouted.

"Nylon Rush!" Clotha shouted as she summoned strings that hit the cavalrymen.

"Mages! After her! Soil Punch!" Soil shouted as she attacked her.

"Satin Grip!" Clotha attacked them as they fired back at her.

"General, we are ready to fire." The mage group told her.

"Fire at will!" Soil told them and they fired at her.

"Ouch! Cotton Barrier!" Clotha shouted as she ran away while being hit in the shoulder.

"Everyone! Advance!" Soil shouted as the defending mages and enemy cannons fired at them.

"Hold the line! It will only take a little time to receive reinforcements." Salmoneus ordered them.

Meanwhile, Elpidius successfully travelled to the city of Deneb but it was too late. The city was already conquered by Moon Realm forces. The Moon Realm Forces saw him but he ran away and tried to travel to Teltata but it also fell to the hands of Moon Forces.

"Every city in the outskirts was conquered. I don't know where to go now." Elpidius told himself as he sighed in one of the trees.

Soil was advancing while the defending mages were retreating.

"Alert the forces in the academy to ready the defenses. We will lure them to a trap." Salmoneous told them.

"Artillery, prevent their escape! Infantry, advance!" Soil shouted as she saw them retreat.

The salvo of shells they launched didn't reach the academy and the mages retreated inside safely. As Soil's forces advanced the higher quality of defenses made it harder to reach the academy.

"Crustal Charge! Mountain Wave!" Soil shouted as she waved her scythe and the crust move and a large lump of soil headed straight through the academy.

It directly hit the academy dispelling the barrier and destroying its walls. Everyone can hear the scream of the defenders that was hit by the attack.

"Everyone! Use the narrow passage to escape. We will be good as dead if they captured us!" Salmoneous shouted as they retreat.

"Sir. Yes, Sir!" They shouted.

"Salmon Guardian of Hell!" Salmoneous shouted and a giant salmon appeared.

"Everyone! Advance!" Soil shouted as she saw the walls collapse.

The mages retreated through a narrow pass on the basement of the academy and headed to the city of Mosrand. Soil and her forces successfully captured the city of Buche.

"The city is ours!" Soil shouted.

"Long Live the Realm. Long Live the Queen!" The soldiers shouted as they retreated the Imperial Flag and rose the Realm Flag.

"Send a message to the city of Axridge. Request for reinforcements in the city of Buche." Soil told the messenger.

"Ma’am. Yes, Ma’am!" The messenger replied and went away.

"At this rate we can invade the Sun Empire for real." Soil told herself as she went inside the city office.