General Ahn Dey paused slightly, trying to process what he had just heard. His gentle, calm smile faltered, replaced by a look of genuine confusion.
"You want me to hand over General Bho Thong?" Ahn Dey asked curiously, bewilderment evident in his tone.
"Yes, and the fifteen thousand troops who were under his command," Roy replied. His voice was calm, yet his expression radiated a seriousness that made it impossible to mistake his words for a joke.
Ahn Dey's face recoiled in utter confusion. His mind spun around violently as anger surged through his veins, yet he immediately swallowed his fury and forced himself to calm down. He straightened his posture, regaining what dignity he had left.
Before Ahn Dey could argue, Roy was already reaching for the hilt of his sword. He unsheathed a massive, black templar blade and plunged the greatsword deep into the ground.
The massive blade struck earth and stone with a heavy clang. He glared at Ahn Dey with the ferocity of a lion that was disturbed during a meal.
"Bho Thong has a great debt he needs to repay," Roy roared, his voice loud and clear.
"I am sorry, but unless you return your city and its valuables to the Western Kingdom, I will not hand over even a single soldier to you," Ahn Dey shot back. His expression turned grim, no longer bothering to hide his anger.
"Then all negotiations end here," Roy concluded, his voice cold and piercing.
Just like that, the conversation ended as quickly as it had begun. Roy turned and began walking back toward the city, not uttering another word before he left. Ahn Dey also spun around, heading straight toward his army in frustration.
He strode toward a military tent where two generals sat waiting. Their expressions were calm, as if they had experienced such situations a million times before. General Gar Do immediately stood up, his face full of anticipation.
"Grand Marshal, what is the command?" Gar Do asked excitedly.
"We attack the city now. Teach that arrogant man why he should never defy the Western Kingdom."
Soon, the western camp exploded into action. Soldiers formed ranks, ladders were hauled, and siege weapons were brought forward. Above the city walls, Rak Mhan began shouting in a frantic motion. His movements were sharp and fluid, as if time were a luxury they could no longer afford.
"Archers, man the walls! Spearmen, form ranks! Hold your positions!"
Boxes of arrows were piled like mountains behind the battlements. Wooden shields were raised high as soldiers formed tight lines along the walls. After several minutes, the two armies stood frozen in a stalemate—one prepared for defense, the other awaiting the order to attack.
Ahn Dey stood behind the ranks, his posture upright, though his eyes radiated fury. Beside him, Gar Do's excitement remained evident. Ahn Dey raised his chin slightly toward the sky, his anger fading into faint confusion.
"Where is General Bho Thong?" Ahn Dey asked in a calm, almost gentle tone.
Gar Do straightened his stance and gestured with a lazy motion. "General Bho Thong is commanding the army, Grand Marshal. He will report soon to begin the siege."
Ahn Dey narrowed his eyes, calculating. The stalemate stretched for a few more seconds until the thunder of boots echoed from the front. Bho Thong strode toward the generals at a confident pace. A wide smile was plastered on his lips as he dropped to one knee.
"General, the army is ready and awaits your command."
Ahn Dey looked down at the kneeling figure with an unreadable expression. He swept his gaze toward the forming soldiers, paused for a moment, and then raised his hand.
"Begin the siege."
The scene exploded into disciplined action. The front ranks raised their shields as the advance began. Ladders were brought forward; siege towers and battering rams were hauled.
The soldiers marched at a slow, strategic pace, treating the large-scale siege as if it were merely a part of their daily drills.
The defenders atop the walls also sprang to life. Archers drew their bows, nocking arrows tightly to the strings. Rak Mhan raised his hand, preparing the order.
"Hold your arrows! Wait until they reach effective range!"
The Western Army continued its relentless march, slowly closing the distance to the city walls.
Rak Mhan held his arm high, his hands trembling slightly with anticipation. Finally, he swung his hand down in a wide arc, shouting at the top of his lungs.
"Fire!"
The archers loosened their grips. They didn't bother aiming at specific targets; accuracy mattered little against such a tightly packed mass of men. They released the arrows and let fate decide the rest.
Just as the old saying goes: "Water is not the only rain," because sometimes, it was steel-arrows.
Tens of thousands of arrows created wide arcs across the sky, instantly masking the sun in a storm of broadheads that shadowed the entire field.
As the volley rained down, the Western soldiers huddled under their shields. The unlucky ones were struck down instantly, their lifeless bodies falling in waves, yet it was not enough to stop the army's advance.
Gar Do raised his hand in return and shouted to his men.
"Archers, return fire!"
A counter-volley was released, it curved upward toward the sky before descending back toward the ground in a deadly speed.
The defenders above the walls ducked behind their raised, wooden shields, some hid behind the battlements as they braced themselves against the relentless rain of bolts.
The defenders endured the storm projectiles as immediately delivered a counter attack.
Soon, the two armies continued their endless exchange of bolts. Archers fell to the ground, some screamed in pain as their bodies were struck by a lost arrow, clutching their injuries as they forces themselves to stand up.
As the army continued its advance, the soldiers above the city walls braced themselves for the climb. The real siege is about to begin.
Just as the defenders started to feel restless, a massive figure suddenly appeared from behind hauling a massive wooden box, and slammed it down onto the ground with a heavy thud.
The soldiers immediately spun their heads, a trace of bewilderment evident in their face.