Chapter 1233: We Will Survive This

After some time, they were on the road. Darius was at the back of the column while scanning the surroundings. The column entered a dark woodland while traveling on a road that cut through the western part of the Duskfire Empire.
"They are coming again!" Reid's voice suddenly rang out, urgent and sharp as the Legionnaires quickly fell into formation, their shields locking together to create a near- impenetrable wall.
Darius scanned the woods, his senses sharp as the reality of their situation set in causing him to think. "An ambush! We fell into their trap!'
The trees, once full of life, were now scarred and twisted, remnants of battles fought by earlier legions. The smell of charred earth and blood lingered in the air, a grim reminder of their precarious situation.
His heart sank as he whirled around, realizing they were surrounded and cut off from the column thanks to an ambush as they stepped into the dense underbrush. "Form a square around the carriages! Protect the support staff!"
Darius commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Hold the line! Help will come!" The Legionnaires responded with disciplined movement, forming up around the vulnerable supply carriages. Seconds later, the sharp clang of metal echoed as the elves closed in, their malicious eyes gleaming from the shadows.
Darius's grip tightened around his sword as a group breached their lines. Without hesitation, he cut down the first intruder that came too close, his blade flashing in the dim light on the covered road they were fighting on.
Thanks to being a skilled master swordsman, he deflected a sudden strike aimed at his side, his armor absorbing the impact just long enough for him to counter. His blade sang through the air and dispatched the enemy in a flurry of deadly slashes.
The battle raged around him, but Darius remained focused, cutting down the elves one by one, his movements a deadly dance. Each blow was precise as he protected his men and supply trains.
"'Stay strong!" he shouted, his voice fierce and unwavering. "We hold! We will survive this!" Minuted later, a sharp, resounding bellow echoed through the air, a signal that cut through the chaos of battle. The enemy forces retreated into the shadows of the woodlands, melting away like phantoms in the mist.
But the Draconians were relentless and gave chase through the trees in pursuit. Darius watched intently as the last of the enemy vanished into the forest, their figures dissolving like smoke, leaving only the eerie silence behind.
They couldn't catch the elves before they returned to the column, but he turned his attention back to his own men, the weight of the battle still heavy on his shoulders.
"Get the injured onto the carriages, now!" he barked, his voice carrying across the field. "The healers will catch up, but we need them off the battlefield!"'
His gaze softened momentarily as he turned to his second in command, who was rushing toward him, bloodied but unbowed. Darius took a deep breath, steadying himself. The price of war was never light.
"How many did we lose, Reid?" He asked in a heavy voice.
''Twelve sir," the young man answered with a grimace. "They fell in the opening moments of the ambush."@@novelbin@@
By the time they reached the road that went through the gloomy forest, Darius's company had dwindled to just forty-four weary souls, victims of ambushes and the horrors that lurked
unseen.
'Damn elves and their sneak attacks,' he thought while they traveled down a long road which forced them to walk in thin ranks.
An hour later, the forest grew darker as they pressed deeper into its shadowed depths. The dense canopy above choked out the sun. A heavy mist clung to the ground, shrouding roots and uneven terrain, making every step a cautious gamble.
The tension in the air was suffocating, and even the Draconians, fierce as they were, seemed restless. With a deafening roar, flaming bundles hurtled from the treetops, streaking through
the air like falling stars.
They smashed into their ranks, exploding in bursts of searing flame and choking smoke. Soldiers screamed as the inferno tore through their formation, burning flesh and igniting the
dry undergrowth.
Chaos erupted as the Legionnaires and Drakeguard alike scrambled to regroup, their discipline splintering beneath the relentless assault. Darius covered his mouth before glancing around to see the hell that had been unleashed upon the 17th.
Fire burned friend and foe alike as a horrific battle erupted within the forest as the Draconians savagely fought back. They unleashed primal roars that echoed through the forest. Dragonblood Knights stood tall before they charged into the fray with wild abandon, their claws slicing through the smoke as they tore into the ambushers, but fell into a berserk rage
after being swarmed by the enemy.
Flames licked at their armor, but Darius continued fighting as an elf charged at him and the two fought a savage duel as more fire rained down, and the air filled with the acrid stench of
burning wood, flesh, and blood.
Darius shouted for order, his voice drowned in the cacophony of battle. He watched as one of the Draconians, a towering warrior named Raynor, tear through three assailants before succumbing to an arrow that pierced his throat.
Even as he collapsed to his knees, choking on his own blood, the giant's massive blade swung one final time. The arc of steel cleaved through an enemy's torso, dragging the lifeless body
down with him.
His fiery eyes dimmed as he crumpled to the scorched earth, but his death only stoked the desperation of those who remained. The ranks of the 17th Legion dwindled quickly, their once-proud formation shattered.
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