“What happened after? What happened after? Did humanity stop their advance? Did the anthropoids not attack?”
The young girl looked at the young man in front of her. She had forgotten to take her notes. The two young men most certainly had a talent for storytelling. A bloody story that would easily cause people’s blood to boil hooked their listeners in. Even the young girl couldn’t help but want to hear more, forgetting her original purpose…
“After that… The anthropoids did attack, indeed, but all of their attacks failed against humanity’s forces. The anthropoids rushed their army to the battlefield, but their provisions and resources didn’t keep up with their speed. Furthermore, it wasn’t easy to construct structures to house so many anthropoids. Thus, both sides maintained a stalemate. Of course, that only lasted for a day or two…”
“What about the Hero King, then? At the time, what was he…”
“According to history, he had returned to the elven lands to treat his throat, as he lost his voice from screaming and anger. That did not take long. He did not stay in the elven lands for long. He only rested at the Galadriel Queen’s palace for one night. His throat healed by the next day… As for how it was treated… that wasn’t recorded. It was as though he slept at the palace for a night, and then was totally revitalised the next day… Mm… After that, the Hero King returned to Troy City. It was said that he rested with Her Majesty after returning to Troy City… However, that was more of a gossip story, so I am not sure how credible the claim is. In any case, he returned to the frontlines in less than a week. This time, however, the situation had actually been reversed.
The anthropoids’ armies were continuing to encroach upon the city wall. Marvel motivated them, so their morale was through the roof, and their numbers surpassed humanity’s. It was the largest anthropoid army in history. The Hero King’s side now became the weaker side.”
“Wait, wait, ” interjected the young girl, all of a sudden. She looked at him with suspicion and asked, “You’re talking about the days that the city wall was captured right now. The Hero King returned to the frontlines in under a week and found himself at a disadvantage. Based on the timeline you’ve recorded, the Hero King entered the hinterland of the North five days later. You’re saying that the Hero King defeated such a powerful army in less than five days?”
The young girl looked at the man with a gaze of disbelief. The man lingered for a moment, and then looked at her as if it was obvious, “Of course. Why else would he be called the Hero King? Being able to do what ordinary men could not, being able to destroy that which men could not and wielding a sword dripping with blood is who the Hero King is…”
“Stop, stop, stop. Don’t say anymore. The last few bits of the Hero King’s history sickens me. Let’s get back on topic. How did the Hero King annihilate so many anthropoids? Let’s say that there were ten thousand pigs. It would take him three days to catch that many alone, right? Did he use a diversion tactic, or did he win public support?”
“Neither, Miss, neither. The Hero King did not use psychological tactics. He actually annihilated the strongest and largest army in anthropoid history. There were virtually no survivors. He annihilated all of those anthropoids within virtually one night.”
The young man then stood up with a mysterious smile. He continued, “Sorry, Miss. We need to get moving. If you still have questions, why not ask your father or those who witnessed the whole event… such as… your mother? I think you will get an answer you are satisfied with.”
===========
“Mistress.”
The elf looked at the messenger in front of her. She lingered for a moment, but soon, a layer of mist formed in her eyes. She softly asked, “You came from the frontlines, correct?”
The messenger nodded, then took out a long sword. He placed it before her gently, “General Marvel did not give up until the end. He fought until the bitter end. I could not bring his entire body back… His head is with humanity.”
The elf took in a deep breath. She felt dizzy. She leaned onto the table to support herself. Her tears coursed down her face, while her body trembled. Nevertheless, she bit down on her lip tightly so as to not let her sobs be heard. The messenger stood aside and looked at her in silence.
He finally said, “General Marvel was very brave. He was braver than any of us. Not only was he brave, he also called forth the bravery within the others. Our army is now engaged in an intense battle with humanity. We will not hesitate or be afraid any longer. It was General Marvel’s courage that broke the silence in the North! Countless General Marvels shall now rise.”
“Marvel was an outstanding husband… He was my husband who I was most proud of.”
“And the proudest warrior of the North,” replied the messenger, with a nod. He gave a big bow, “I share with you my condolences. I believe that the Queen will soon come and pay homage to General Marvel. Please do not worry.”
The messenger turned to leave. The elf behind him, who could no longer support herself, finally let go…
==================
Current time at humanity’s camp in the south.
“Your Majesty!!”
Humanity had gotten absolutely fed up after the last several days. The torment from the sky and the Earth continued to torture them at all times. The camp was akin to a boat that was capsized by a wave. They could be drowned by the anthropoids at any moment. They now knew how Marvel and his soldiers felt.
The anthropoids didn’t quit harassing them. As a matter of fact, it had become unclear if they were harassing them or outright attacking them. Additionally, the low anthropoids attacked regardless if it was day or night. The physical injuries the soldiers suffered couldn’t compare to the mental torture.
The atmosphere in the camp was extremely oppressive. They withstood pain and tension night after night, yet couldn’t see a ray of victory in sight. The soldiers didn’t need anything special. They just wanted hope, the hope that they’d win the war.
His Majesty’s return gave them a sort of hopeful feeling. While his return couldn’t turn the situation for the better, he was comparable to a light. As long as he was there, it meant the situation wasn’t too dire.
I was a little upset, though. I couldn’t tell if Vyvyan’s treatment was an actual treatment or her lust. I had to betray Lucia once again in pain and despair. The process went the reverse of how it went on full-moon nights. This time, I had to take the initiative to absorb the mana from mom, and then heal my throat using that mana.
As I felt guilty, I didn’t go to see my wives. I just paid Mommy Elizabeth a visit. I waited at Troy City for the thing I wanted, and then returned to the frontlines. I, initially, didn’t intend to use this method, but judging from the current predicament, I had to resort to it now.
I returned to the tent and examined the map. I was now aware of how disadvantageous the situation was for us. We were now facing a vengeful anthropoid army with sky high morale. They weren’t low anthropoids, either. They were the strongest armies of the various tribes. We had been cooped up at the camp for too long, consequently causing our morale to dip. Our hope of being able to launch a heavy assault was next to zero. The anthropoids must’ve been planning how to take us out now.
If we couldn’t hold the lines, we’d be forced back to the cliff. I had no intentions of returning, though. I didn’t think we’d fail, either. I needed just one moment to get a step ahead of them.
“Gentlemen, this is a geographer I brought from Troy City. This is a gunpowder specialist. Ah, you don’t need to look at me with such weird gazes. These people are the anthropoids makers!”
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