Sacrificial Beasts of War

Translator: CinderTL

The papal army was unstoppable, surging like a flood towards the capital of the Gabella Empire, overwhelming everything in its path.

However, this seemingly invincible army had recently encountered a problem that greatly troubled its commander, Selwyn Hammond.

Their most formidable force, the War Elephant Legion, had lost more than half of its elephants. Not all of these losses were due to combat; a significant number were caused by diseases resulting from the elephants' inability to adapt to the new environment.

As the papal army advanced deeper into Gabella's territory, all the remaining elephants in the War Elephant Legion began to fall ill.

These once majestic creatures now appeared listless. Their massive bodies were no longer upright, their legs trembling slightly as if struggling to support their own weight. Their rough skin was slick with cold sweat, and their once bright eyes were now dull and sunken, filled with pain and exhaustion. Their ears drooped weakly, and their trunks, no longer flexible, hung limply on the ground, occasionally emitting low groans as if lamenting their suffering.

During marches, the elephants' steps became slow and heavy, each step a struggle against an invisible force. Their appetite had diminished drastically, and even the freshest grass and fruit could only tempt them to take a few bites. Some had developed red, swollen patches on their skin, and some were even losing hair. Their wounds refused to heal, emitting a foul odor. Their handlers were deeply worried, trying every possible remedy to cure or alleviate their suffering, but to little effect.

At the military council, Vice Commander Webster spoke with a heavy heart, "The Neos Jungle Elephants are divine beasts bestowed upon us by the Lord of Light to protect the Holy City. Yet we have squandered them like this. The Lord of Light will surely punish us!"

But Cardinal Deacon Anthony Edwards insisted on continuing to deploy the war elephants in battle. During the meeting, he clenched his fists and passionately urged Commander Selwyn Hammond, "Sir, these war elephants are sacred weapons bestowed upon us by the Lord of Light! Every drop of their blood, every ounce of their pain, is in service of the Lord's will! Shall we abandon the Lord's protection and this holy crusade merely because of their fatigue and illness?"

Anthony's words were filled with fervor and an unshakable belief, as if the elephants' suffering were merely a test from the Heavenly Father. His piercing gaze fixed on Hammond as he continued, "These war elephants are the symbol of the Church, our unstoppable force on the battlefield! Their sacrifices will pave the way for the Lord's glory and our victory! If we retreat now, not only will we fail the Lord, but the heretics of Gabella will mock our weakness!"

Selwyn Hammond furrowed his brow, his gaze deep and contemplative. He knew the elephants were in no condition to continue fighting, but Edwards' words struck him like a heavy hammer. The air in the tent seemed to freeze, with only Edwards' voice resonating, carrying an almost fanatical determination: "Commander Hammond, for the glory of the Lord of Light, we must press on! Even if the elephants fall, their souls will ascend to heaven and bear witness to our victory!"

Seeing Hammond still silent, Anthony Edwards delivered his final blow: "Sir, the capital of Gabella has never welcomed a foreign conqueror. Do you not wish to crown yourself with this honor?"

Selwyn Hammond suddenly looked up, his eyes gleaming as he stared at Edwards.

Not stopping there, Anthony Edwards scanned the room and declared, "Do none of you wish to join Commander Hammond in becoming the conquerors of Gabella's capital? Without the war elephants, we cannot achieve this!"

The atmosphere in the tent grew heated, each general's heart stirred by his words.

Only Webster remained calm, letting out an almost imperceptible sigh. Perhaps the crushing defeat at Horns Bay had left him unable to help but think of the worst-case scenario.

...

In the Gabella Imperial Palace, in his study, Antonio received David Aldridge and Dorati Maite, who now served as the emperor's advisors.

"My esteemed teachers," the emperor smiled wryly, an expression rarely seen on his face.

He addressed them, "Do you know? Even sitting here, I can hear the angry questions of the refugees on the streets as clearly as if they were right in front of me. If we delay any longer, I might become the first emperor in Gabella's history to be overthrown by a mob. If that happens, all talk of saving humanity will be in vain."

Aldridge remained calm, "Your Majesty, without destruction, there can be no rebirth. If we do not thoroughly humiliate the old nobility, they will never willingly step aside. Only by vacating their positions can we reshape the empire's future power structure."

Dorati Maite, standing beside him, was moved. In their plan, the empire's future power structure would undoubtedly be dominated by spellcasters. Yet Aldridge, a mortal without any magical ability, was so eager to facilitate this outcome.

It could only be said that the old scholar firmly believed in the prophecy and was convinced that only under the leadership of more powerful spellcasters could humanity be protected from disaster.

Once again, he felt immense admiration for Aldridge, along with a deep sense of regret.

As a close friend of Antonio's grandfather, the former leader of the Arcane Order, Dorati Maite had a long-standing friendship with Aldridge. After vacancies arose in the Council of Ten due to the incidents involving Bennett and Odanel, Dorati Maite had repeatedly proposed that Aldridge fill one of the positions. However, the others had always rejected the idea, arguing that Aldridge had shown no magical ability whatsoever—he was not even a spellcaster, let alone qualified to join the Council of Ten.

Dorati Maite often lamented his colleagues' shortsightedness. He firmly believed that as an absolute minority among humanity, spellcasters needed to include mortal members in the core leadership if they wished to maintain their leading position in the future. On one hand, this would demonstrate unity; on the other, Dorati believed that magic did not equate to wisdom, and spellcasters often viewed things differently from mortals. The thoughts and wisdom of outstanding mortals were also essential for spellcasters.

"Our informant has brought good news," Dorati Maite said, dispelling his regret with a smile. "The Church's war elephants will continue to participate in the offensive."

(End of the Chapter)

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