Chapter 642 — The Situation
Blade of Dawn · Page 1 of 4
That evening, the ground forces of the Cecil Legion established a second artillery position on the southern plains of Saint-Sunil, completing the preliminary fire coverage of the capital's frontal defensive line.
The battle was not yet over. Great numbers of crystal-cluster giants still roamed the south and the east. Driven by their instinct for destruction, these monsters would continue to assault any region dense with magical or vital signatures—in this respect, these spawn of the divine scourge resembled the thoroughly mutated aberrations of the Gondo Wasteland—but one thing was certain: the crisis at Saint-Sunil had, for the time being, been lifted.
Over the next twenty hours, Gao Yang did not allow the ground forces to blindly expand their positions. Instead, while maintaining fire superiority, he steadily whittled down the crystal-cluster legions in the open country south of the capital, and at the same time summoned the armored freighters on the Gorgon River to dispatch a corps of engineers to the battlefield.
Under the cover of the superior firepower and with the aid of quantities of engineering thaumaturgical devices, the engineers worked through the night to lay the first interception nets and temporary fortifications across the southern field. By noon of the seventh day, the thaumaturgical combat companies, equipped with individual flamethrowers, were deployed into these works in seven-man squads, while at certain key points they were garrisoned by the White Knights, whose fighting strength was greater and who carried heavy flamethrowers.
This defensive line would be used to intercept the crystal-cluster giants spilling over from the Plains of the Holy Spirit. The crisscrossing flame bunkers, barbed wire, and interception stakes were the most potent weapons against those massed charges—and before this campaign ended, the engineers would keep at their work, carpeting the plains with interception works and fire bunkers, until more than half of the various supplies carried by the transport fleet were consumed; then the ground forces would shift to conservative operations and await the arrival of Philip's main force marching north to join them.
Along the towering walls of Saint-Sunil, the knights and soldiers who had finally won a chance to breathe leaned against the battlements, snatching what rest they could. The danger of the defensive line's collapse had been averted for the moment, but they were still far from being able to relax. A considerable number of crystal-cluster monsters still prowled beyond the walls, and until those creatures were utterly destroyed, no one dared leave the line.
A griffin bearing the royal arms—azure field, golden border—sprang into the air and, beneath the gaze of the soldiers who all raised their heads to watch, departed Saint-Sunil and flew south.
Countless pairs of eyes on the walls followed that griffin knight who so bravely dared the sky. Some soldiers resting against the wall even rose to their feet without thinking, watching as the raptor cleared the western rampart, cleared the ruins of the mill town and the Crow Terrace south of the capital. One or two arcane arcs shot up from the ground and tore through the air, falling far behind the griffin knight—and at last the griffin flew safely across the battlefield.
Wales watched the griffin depart and let out a soft breath.
Since the capital had been besieged, this was the first griffin knight to successfully fly out on a scouting mission. Before him, dozens of well-trained griffin knights had perished in the dense arcane arcs, struck down almost the moment they left the barrier. Though the number of crystal-cluster monsters had now sharply declined, that knight must still have summoned immense courage when he flew over the walls.
May he return safely.
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