General Mor'kith's Debut(2)

A few hours ago, at Dawn Light Village. The air was tense as Mor'kith explained his daring strategy.

"I will be the diversion, drawing the attention of the elven army towards me," Mor'kith began by pulling out a sketchy map, "while their focus is on me, you all will sneak around through this route I marked and get into position for the ambush."

Arthur frowned slightly, concern etched on his face. "Only you alone? are you serious, general?" he asked, worried for his only legendary general's safety. Although it was a sound plan, it was still quite a risky plan.

A smile tugged at the corner of Mor'kith's lips. "I'll be just fine, my lord. You can trust me," he assured Arthur, his confidence unwavering.

Elara smiled approvingly. "Trust in Mor'kith's leadership, Arthur," she advised. "He has a keen understanding of the battlefield."

Arthur nodded reluctantly, while understanding the importance of ambush in this battle.

Mor'kith continued to explain the strategy in detail. "Once you're in position," Mor'kith instructed Garret, Amelia, Roderick, and Elysia who would lead the way, accompanied by the 60 bandits, "Strike simultaneously. Let's not give them any chance to retaliate!"

~Nod

The others nodded, fully understanding the plan. They were well aware of the importance of this operation.

"Dismiss." said Mor'kith.

As they left the Village Hall preparing for the upcoming battle, Elara approached Arthur with a serious expression on her face. "My Lord," she interjected gently. "I sense something in the flow of fate."

Arthur looked at Elara, his curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Elara closed her eyes for a moment, as if searching for an answer from the unseen. "I can't fully explain it, but I feel a sense of foresight that someone changing the fate of your future... please be careful, my lord."

`Was that the effect of her divination skill?` Arthur considered her words carefully. Although he was still confused, he understood the weight of Elara's foresight and respected her intuition. "Allright, I'll consider it." then he continued. "Please take good care of our Territory while we are away."

"Yes, My Lord" Elara nodded her head.

...

Bandit Camp, west of Icemoor Region, mist covered the area while a tense battle was going on.

~Stab, Stab, Stab, ...

As the bandits, led by Arthur and company, emerged from the Bandit Camp, launching a surprise attack on the elven troops behind them, casualties in the Elven Army were reduced by more than half their initial numbers.

The elven army was caught completely off guard. Confusion and panic spread among the army as their numbers dwindled rapidly.

The initial 200 Elven army now reduced to around less than 100 elves by Mor'kith onslaught and the sudden ambush!

Meanwhile, Mor'kith, holding his ground in front of the Bandit Camp, noticed the commotion from behind the enemy's line and a smile spread across his face. He knew that Arthur and the others were executing the ambush right on time.

Captain Aldora's anger burned brightly in her eyes as she glared at Mor'kith, who stood calmly with a smile playing on his lips.

~spat

"You dare to ambush us from behind, you coward!" Aldora spat, her voice laced with fury. "You will pay dearly for this human!"

Mor'kith's smirk only widened, and he replied in a cool tone, "You should have been more cautious. The art of war is all about strategy, and it seems you've underestimated us."

Seeing her troops falter, Aldora's frustration grew. "Retreat!" She called for the elves to retreat, hoping to regroup and reassess their strategy.

However, Mor'kith had other plans.

"Retreat, if you must," he taunted, "but where do you think you're going in this thick mist? All of you are now trapped here!"

[Mist Manipulation]!

Aldora's eyes widened in realization as she looked around. The mist that had shrouded the battlefield had grown denser, making it difficult for the elves to see their surroundings clearly, and wherever they went they would find themselves in the same place where they had originally stood. Panic set in as they realized they were indeed trapped within Mor'kith's cunning plan.

"How dare you!" Aldora hissed, her anger reaching its peak. "You will regret making enemies with Moon Frost City! We will make sure of it!"

Mor'kith's smile never wavered as he countered, "I regret nothing, I just simply follow my lord's wish. Intstead, it's a shame that Moon Frost City has decided to become our enemy, but you made your choice."

~Clank, clank, ...

Their battle intensified, the clash of weapons echoing in the air between Mor'kith and Aldora. Each move was calculated, and neither gave an inch in their determination to emerge victorious. However, because the difference in strength, Mor'kith easily gained the upper hand against Aldora alone.

As the mist thickened, making visibility almost non-existent, the elven army's morale began to falter. The confusion and fear caused by the unexpected turn of events started to take its toll.

"You see," Mor'kith said calmly, "I once felt ashamed of my uselessness for not being able to become a proper general to assist my lord in winning a war. However, this time I'll show my worth to my lord."

Despite her anger and frustration, Aldora couldn't help but feel a grudging admiration for Mor'kith's tactics. She had expected a straightforward battle, but he had turned it into a war of wits, leaving the elven army at a disadvantage.

"General, that's enough for now" Arthur's voice came from behind the enemy lines.

"Yes, My Lord!" Mor'kith nodded as he deactivated his [Mist Manipulation].

As the mist began to clear, it revealed the grim reality of the situation. The once-proud elven army now found themselves surrounded by Mor'kith's forces, with no way to escape.

Arthur, watching from a behind, couldn't help but feel a sense of awe for his legendary-grade general. Mor'kith's strategic brilliance had saved them from what could have been a dire situation.

Aldora's eyes narrowed as she assessed the man behind her. "You! You must be the lord that the bandits spoke of! You may be strong, but you've made a grave mistake," she warned, raising her bow with a determined glint in her eyes. "Moon Frost City will not tolerate such insolence, moreover from a mere Village Lord like you! I suggest you surrender and hand us the region's Dungeon Stone."

Arthur stood his ground, unfazed by her condescension. "I'm afraid I cannot comply with your demands,"

Aldora scoffed. "You're nothing more than a stubborn child," she taunted. "You think you can stand against Moon Frost City? You're sorely mistaken."

Undeterred, Arthur asked, "What is Moon Frost City planning to do with the Dungeon Stone? Are you trying to awaken the Guardian of Icemoor Region?"

Arthur aware of the Dungeon Stone's hidden use which to open the hidden Dungeon where the Region's Guardian Beast located. However, to enter the Hidden Dungeon, 1000 people will be required to enter the dungeon.

Aldora's surprise was evident, but she quickly recovered and laughed maniacally. "Impressive. Not many are aware of the true purpose of the Dungeon Stone," she admitted. "Yes, we aim to awaken the Guardian and use its power for the glory of Moon Frost City."

Arthur's eyes narrowed as he processed the information. "So that's your plan," he murmured.

After a few moments, from afar, Amelia suddenly came and reported a critical situation. "Milord, more than 1000 elven armies can be seen approaching here!"

....

~Stomp, Stomp, Stomp, ...

Suddenly a compact and loud stomping sound was heard from far away.

"HAHAHA" Aldora's laughter filled the air, mocking and cold. "Prepare to meet your end."

~Sigh...

Arthur felt a mix of shock and concern.