Chapter 149 - Then Dawn Came

Five of the original pawns pushed through the invader's defensive line and retook the tower that watches over the gate. Four of them stayed on the ground to defend themselves from oncoming attacks while the rest of the pawns climbed up the tower, led by Spreckels, a redhead pawn.

Astor and Cooke reloaded their rifles while Osgood, a female goblin with black hair fired her gun at the enemy forces to keep them away. Schwab, a bald red conqueror and the youngest among the original pawn, was making a Molotov behind the tower walls. Once Osgood ran out of ammo, Astor and Cooke took switched places with her.

The squad of legion marching towards them was protected by the Tungstree shield. The bullets bounced off its impenetrable skin. "Looks like we have to turn up the heat!" Cooke yelled.

"Way ahead of you!" Astor released his mana out from his forearm and coated his rifle with the blue sticky substance. The bullets that came out of the barrel were coated with the same mana, and it created an outer shell that could pierce through the enemy shield.

Half of the squad fell to the floor, and they immediately retreated, pulling the fallen out of the field. The Orgut cavalry tried to shock them with their charge, but Astor and Cooke shot through their attempts, and the cavalry retreated before any of them could lose their lives. White, one of the legions that marched to retake the tower, ran to his captain, Parma. "Captain, we can't retake the tower. They know how to use mana!"

Parma removed her helmet and whipped her long blonde hair to the back of her head. She raised her hand and shot a light blue orb into the air, leaving a blue trace in the air. Stick saw the signal on the boat and grabbed Skydas, "We got trouble on the tower. You're coming with me!"

"Yes Sir!"

"What about the mortars?" One of the legions asked. "Who will protect us from them?

"Don't question Stick!"

Stick tap Skydas' shoulders, "Calm down. "More of the Mastons are arriving from the underground system. We've already mentioned to them during a briefing about possible siege weapons, so the mortars shouldn't be a problem. But if it does, get off the ship and seek cover in the city. Spread that order to the others."

"Yes Sir!" The legion raised his shield and crawled away from them as arrows fly pass him.

"Alright, let's go, Skydas!"

Stick and Skydas jumped off the ship and fought their way through the enemy lines. Along the way, other lieutenants joined them. Skild's shield was the biggest among them and still moved with grace and speed. He jumped over the wall and slammed against those standing in his way like a charging bull. And Stick and Skydas hid behind him.

Meanwhile, Bi and Bord were at the tail of the run. Their shields protected them from attacks from behind. They soon reached the bridge formed the tortoise formation. Bord and Skild were at the front while the other three held their shield over their head. And running parallel to their shields was a blue screen that protected them from the pawns' attacks. The bullets passed through the screen, but their mana disappeared, reduced to ashes, and returned to their original state.

They slowly marched forward towards the tower. Astor ran out of ammo and switched places with Osgood. But before he could leave, Cooke grabbed his hand, "Go up the tower!" He yelled.

"And why I should I do that? We have five red conquerors that have powerful abilities like us. Unless you think an old goblin like you,"

"Just do as I say!" Cooke Shouted with an angry tone unheard by the other pawns, "Schwab, I need that Molotov now!" He pushed Astor away.

Astor glared at him one last time before entering the tower. Schwab tapped his shoulders, "Don't worry, we got it!" He yelled with his coarse voice. Then he ran out smiling and lunged his Molotov at the marching legion. The fire covered the thin barrier and overwhelmed it, eventually forcing it to collapse. The barrier shattered like a mirror and scattered on the floor.

Then Schwab grabbed two bayonets and tossed them to his comrades. "Time to stab them!" He yelled.

Cooke and Osgood placed the bayonets on the rifle and rushed into battle. Schwab pulled his rifle from the tower with his mana string and caught it in his hands, and cover fired for Cooke and Osgood. "Die! Die!" He sang at the beat of his gunshots.

Cooke and Osgood and flanked the enemy, but they were expecting them. Parma and Bi left the formation and met their attackers with their shields. Bi blocked Osgood's bayonet charge and punched her in the face, then pulled out her short sword. Meanwhile, Parma parried Cooke's attack and side kicked him towards the ledge.

Schwab tried to shoot Parma down, but the giant shield Skild held came flew to him, hitting him in the face. Parma drew her iron mace charged towards Cooke. She slammed her mace against Cooke's rifle and they continued to trade blows, with neither of them gaining the upper hand. "Where the hell is Stick?" She yelled.

Skydas pointed at the top of the tower, "Sir Stick already reached the top!"

"What?" Osgood exclaimed, "When did he pass us?"

Cooke kicked the ground and flew far away from Parma, then turned to Osgood. "Why do you think I sent Astor back?" He said. Cooke pulled his rifle close to his c.h.e.s.t and aimed it at Parma. She wasn't afraid of Cooke's gun, and she darted towards him. Cooke pulled the trigger, but she deflected them all with her mace.

Meanwhile, Astor was running up the stairs. He kicked the door open and saw the goblin that led the squad of red conquerors. Around him were the pawns, covered in blood and lying lifeless on the floor. Spreckels was topless, her armor chainmail sliced in half and on the ground. And she was leaning on the ledge with her hands over her wound. "You f.u.c.ker!" Astor charged towards Stick.

Stick spun his sickles around him and slashed Astor's rifle apart. "Astor!" Spreckels held her hands in front of her.

Spreckels was one of the pawns that came with Knight. She knows well how strong they are, but they should all have weaknesses. Fire came out from her palm and she sprayed it at Stick and the sickle orbiting him.

The fire burned the rope away, but Stick did not rely on the rope. They are just there for better visual reference. What connects him to the sickles was the thick mana string coming out from his hands.

Stick turned around and guided the sickle's flight towards Spreckles wrist, cutting her hands off.

"No!" Astor grabbed his bayonet and rushed to Stick. But a hand grabbed his shoulders and threw him back to the door, and his body plummeted down the stairs. Astor saw the goblin that threw him away. She was tall and muscular, but her smile was soft and gentle. Her blond hair swayed in the wind and the sunlight made her hair glow into a pure orange color. Then he fell into the darkness, and his body splashed against the hard stone surface.

Spreckels stared in disbelief. Another goblin as strong as Stick arrived. A woman with an imposing body stood before them. Her aura was just like the one she escaped from days ago.

Stick dropped his sickle, "Dawn, what are you doing here?"

"Came to help."

"And how in Tinia did you even get here?" She raised a brow, "Pagasa wasn't it?"

"Yup,"

"But why?"

"It's a long story." Suddenly, a horn was sounded at the ship. A horde of goblins started to swarm the north river wall, wearing a glowing collar. "It looks like they need your help."

"And what about you?"

"I'll go ahead and meet up with Shuja. I spotted her on the other side on my way here, and it looked like she needed help."

"And I hope you're wrong." Stick jumped down the tower and threw his sickle on the boat's mast. He swung to the wall and landed on top of a group that parted from the swarm. He killed the goblin he landed on, causing the collar to explode, which started a chain reaction. The other goblins exploded, and the explosion knocked Stick out of the wall.

Elena saw him and ran to him, catching his hands before he could fall. She pulled him up, and the two briefly stared at each other in the crossfire. "You grew taller," Stick said.

Elena brushed her short black hair to the back of her ears. "Thank you," She smiled, and the two stood up. The height difference was still impressive, with Stick's height overshadowing Elena. But she was still a red conqueror, and hopefully, by the end of the war, she will be able to look into his eyes at the same level. "What brings you here?"

"The horde," Stick pointed at the goblins attempting trying to swarm the wall. "I thought I'd help you, but none of you guys are trying to kill them."

"The collars would explode if they die." Just as she said that another explosion erupted. The Zackons left their sh.i.p.s to defend the wall, but they didn't know about the collar and the result of the slave's death. Killing one would result in multiple slaves dying, which will create a larger explosion.

"There must be a way to stop their advancement."

"Our sleeping gas!"

Stick hugged her, "Great idea!"

"But we don't have them anymore." Elena pushed Stick off and tried to hide her red cheeks with her hands, "The other squads might still have some, but most of them exited on the other side of the river."

"Then I'll go swing by and collect as many as we need."

"And I'll go tell the Zackons to fall back."

"Alright, I'll be back real quick!" Stick jumped to the river and threw his sickle at the ship's mast. He swung across the river and landed on the other wall. And standing in front of where he landed was Cooke and his rifle.

The legion lieutenants' hubris caused them dearly. Schwab's restless violence pushed the shield wielders to the edge, with Osgood pulling the trigger to their ultimate downfall. Only two of the lieutenants were still standing, Skydas, the hot redhead loyalist, and Bi, the leader of Sun's legion squad. The rest of the legions were on the floor, trying to block the bleeding while removing the bullets dug deep in their flesh. They pray that this humiliation does not last long.

Cooke left the four to battle. His target was Stick, the man that killed everyone on top of the tower, including Astor, who fell to his end. He learned that the leading opposing commander was the one that defeated Astor, so he hoped to send him to the top will let him have his revenge, but Cooke only led to his death. The guilt came quick to Cooke's heart, and it was heavier than the metal beams that the city was built with. And he's going to use that heavy burden to beat Stick to death.