Chapter 187 - The Battle of Steelgarden (1)

Words : 1100 Updated : Oct 15th, 2025

Chapter 187: Chapter 187 - The Battle of Steelgarden (1) The crusader army was finishing its preparations for the frontal assault. Siege mechanisms were being set up at a hastened pace, and the soldiers walked into formation. In the center of the army, near the front but not at the front themselves, were the commanders, whose ranks were bolstered by the three newcomers. Atop the walls, the Wesgothian hidden army, which has been strengthened by the arrival of brigades from the main army via portals. The night arrived in all its splendor, with two of the three moons being full, illuminating the darkness. A goddess watched over the battlefield with anxious attention. In the meanwhile, another goddess stood at the walls to help the defenders. A battle in which the fate of the world hinged on the balance was about to begin. ::: PoV: Aurea "Please, don’t die today. It will be too much of a hassle to deal with Yaci’s mourning if you do." The tone in Ingela’s voice as she extends her hand to me is one of light jokes, but the look in her eyes belies the underlying seriousness of her plea. "You as well, Ingela. Neither of us wants to leave our beloved Yaci mourning." Yaci is at our side, watching the exchange with curious eyes and a bit of relief. "I’m so glad that all this didn’t sour your friendship." "Of course it wouldn’t. Ingela is an amazing friend! Though I confess I still feel a bit jealous sometimes." I say that last part in a voice hindered by embarrassment. It’s enough to make both of them burst out laughing. "That feeling is not exclusive, Aurea. I feel it too. And sometimes I don’t know how to deal with it." "Well, I don’t know if that serves as a consolation, but I also feel jealous about Lovelace, Aurea. So we are all in the same boat." "And me as well." "Huh? Oh, Lovelace. You’re here." I didn’t see her approaching, as she came from behind me. But the other two seem to have been able to see her, as their smiles show. Lovelace embraces me from behind and tells Yaci. "What they said to each other serves you as well. Don’t go dying, because there will be too many people mourning you. And I don’t know how to deal with that." "Oh, no, of course. Just imagine Ingela and Aurea blinded by loss, bound on a journey for vengeance. The world wouldn’t survive!" We all laugh together this time. The tension of the battle that approaches eases just a little bit as we banter together. And that is a huge flag. "Hey, let’s make it all official right now?" "Huh? Make what official?" Ingela made the question that was in everyone’s minds. "We are a polycule together. I’m dating both Yaci and Lovelace, and Yaci is dating both Ingela and me. So the four of us are something a bit similar to a couple, but as four." "But why now?" "Because that way we don’t leave anything hanging to be solved after the battle. I mean, things have been heading in that direction, but now it’s official, and it has a name." "Okay, then. Let’s do it!" "Yes!" "I’m in!" Lovelace pulls me into a deep kiss, and I know that Yaci is doing the same with Ingela. When we part, it is my time with Yaci. This is it. With this, I can go even harder in the battle that is coming. ::: "Your Highness, the enemy finished assembling and is advancing." "Right. Thank you, officer. How are the preparations on our side?" "We managed to portal in ten thousand troops from the main army. They aren’t familiar with the fortress, so they are under our commanders." "And our own troops?" "All are in position." So we have twenty-three thousand against one hundred thousand. Not bad. "Ingela, Lovelace." "Yes, Your Highness?" From that answer alone I know that they are already fully in serious battle mode. "Ingela, do you think that you can destroy their siege engines by yourself?" "If I have cover, yes." "Okay. They will probably open the battle with the unit of priests. They will come into range to excommunicate the whole fortress through a composite spell with multiple casters." The officer, hearing that, added. "They are almost within range." "Perfect. Lovelace and I will center fire in that group. The goal is not to stop them, but just as a diversion, to make them pour all their magical defenses into it." "Oohhh. And then I strike the siege engines!" "Exactly, Ingela. You take advantage of their attention being focused elsewhere and rain fire on them." "Your Highness, and the excommunication?" The officer asks a question, a bit nervous. "Don’t worry about it." I smile wryly and look in Lovelace’s direction. She nods and smiles. ::: PoV: Ingela Whoa... Aurea’s and Lovelace’s magic is so beautiful. From her advantage point on the gate tower, Ingela watches as lightning and darkness rain onto the group of priests who are conducting a ritual in the middle of the crusader army. As expected, the enemy’s magic squadrons and the three angels are putting up barriers to block the incoming attacks and protect the priests. The rest of the Wesgothian army is using the opportunity to rain down spells and projectiles onto the rest of them. Which is causing some extra chaos, as the people able to create barriers run around. This is my moment to shine. Ingelatake one special bolt and loads it on a crossbow. This bolt is part of a series of similar ones that she ordered be made for this battle, with strands of her hair woven onto it. She aims at the first trebuchet and fires. It misses the trebuchet by a little bit, but it doesn’t matter. The goal of the bolt is to provide an anchor for her to open up portals at will to anywhere as long as she can have it in her line of sight. Smiling, she stores the crossbow back in the storage space and opens up the portal, stepping in and closing it immediately afterwards, in a very automated fashion. She finds herself only a few meters from the trebuchet, which she quickly sets on fire, along with its guards. "Well, well... I have heard stories about the heretics usage of portals, but to see them in person..." A few meters away, the owner of the voice is quickly approaching. A woman in military uniform, with the insignia that mark her as a general. "Urraca..."

Chapter 187 - The Battle of Steelgarden (1)

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