Chapter 114 Invasion of Reese
Though they had managed to sink the ship carrying news to Lys, maintaining the blockade for such an extended period had pushed them to their limits. The disruption of Lys's maritime trade routes soon alerted Tyrosh and Myr that something was amiss. However, when they received word that Gavin had sent an envoy to Volantis, they hesitated to act rashly. Instead, they cautiously dispatched a few warships toward Lys to investigate. These vessels were swiftly intercepted by Gavin's fleet, leading to a tense standoff between the opposing forces.
Watching the chaos unfold in Lys, Gavin determined that the time was right. His eyes gleamed with steely resolve as he raised his sword high and bellowed the order for a full-scale assault.
The fleet surged toward the city, and the ballistae mounted on the warships unleashed a relentless barrage upon the defenders atop the city walls. Panic spread among Lys's soldiers, many of whom abandoned their posts and fled. Only a handful of strongholds put up resistance, but their counterattacks were disorganized and ineffective. With little opposition, waves of soldiers rowed toward the shore in small boats, preparing to storm the city.
High above, Syndor soared through the sky, carrying Gavin on his back. The wind howled around them as they streaked toward the heart of Lys like a living tempest.
From his vantage point, Gavin spotted several massive catapults hurling enormous stones at his fleet. Each projectile cut through the air with a terrifying roar, crashing into the sea with explosive force.
Feeling his master's fury, Syndor let out a thunderous roar and dived, streaking toward the siege engines with the speed of a lightning bolt.
Flames erupted from the dragon's maw, engulfing the city walls in a wave of searing fire. The soldiers operating the catapults barely had time to react before they were swallowed by the inferno, reduced to nothing but ash in an instant. The wooden frames of the siege engines crackled and groaned as they warped and melted, collapsing into piles of smoldering wreckage. Syndor's powerful tail lashed out, smashing another catapult into splintered ruins, its shattered remains hurtling through the air like burning meteors.
Under the devastating onslaught of dragonfire and the relentless barrage from the fleet, Gavin's soldiers landed safely and regrouped with practiced efficiency. Seeing their advance was secured, Gavin spurred Syndor onward toward the city gates.
The towering gates, formidable and thick as they were, might as well have been paper before the might of a dragon.
With a deafening roar, Syndor unleashed another torrent of dragonfire. The heat was unbearable, and in mere moments, the once-imposing gates were consumed in a raging inferno. Flames licked skyward, turning the entrance into a blazing pathway for the advancing army.
Syndor wheeled through the smoke-filled sky, his keen eyes searching for any remaining threats. Any stronghold that dared resist, any crossbow that sought to strike back, was obliterated in a storm of relentless fire. Buildings burned with an unholy fervor, their wooden frames snapping and collapsing under the merciless flames. Thick, black smoke coiled into the sky, blotting out the sun, while the wails of the dying and the desperate pleas for mercy echoed through the city, swallowed by the raging firestorm.
Byron Haywood, struggling to maintain order amidst the chaos, realized that control of his forces was slipping away. Grim-faced and resolute, he gathered hundreds of Unsullied and rushed toward the city gate, his every step heavy with determination and the knowledge that this battle could only end in blood.
From above, Gavin spotted Byron's formation. Without hesitation, he urged Syndor into a steep dive.
Byron, seething with fury, caught sight of the descending dragon. His pulse quickened, and his grip on his spear tightened. He could see them clearly now—Gavin, his enemy, astride the mighty Syndor, hurtling toward him like an executioner's blade.
The Unsullied reacted with perfect discipline, raising their short spears in unison. Muscles tensed, arms flexed, and with a mighty roar, they launched a volley of projectiles toward the oncoming beast.
The spears struck Syndor's scales with a chorus of sharp, ringing clangs, but not a single one found purchase. The dragon's armored hide was impenetrable.
Then, Syndor opened his jaws, and the world turned to fire.
A torrential wave of dragonflame cascaded down upon the Unsullied, engulfing them in a blazing inferno. The heat was unbearable, their armor glowing red-hot before melting away. They had no time to scream. In mere seconds, their bodies crumbled into nothingness, consumed entirely by the unrelenting blaze.
Byron watched in horror as his warriors vanished in the firestorm. His face twisted in rage and grief, veins bulging from his forehead and neck as he let out a furious, anguished scream.
"Gavin Belleris!" he roared, his voice hoarse with desperation and hatred. "I curse you! May you die a miserable death!"
Gavin heard the cry, but his expression remained cold, unyielding. His eyes gleamed with the same icy resolve that had brought him this far. Without a word, he spurred Syndor forward once more, sealing Byron Haywood's fate.
Another jet of dragonfire surged forth, swallowing Byron whole. His screams were cut short, replaced by the sizzling of burning flesh. The air itself seemed to warp from the intensity of the heat, and when the flames finally dissipated, there was nothing left of him—only a charred mark upon the scorched ground.
With their commander slain, Lys's defenses crumbled entirely. Gavin's forces surged through the city like an unstoppable tide, swiftly overpowering the remaining defenders. Soldiers stormed through the streets, cutting down mercenaries wherever they found them. Steel clashed against steel, battle cries rang out, and the cobbled streets ran slick with blood.
No mercy was given. House by house, street by street, the city was purged.
Above it all, Syndor circled, the embodiment of devastation, his roaring flames ensuring that none who stood against Gavin would live to tell the tale.