Chapter 393
It was a solid defensive formation. Elric had anticipated that the settlement might try to disrupt the ritual.
He was right.
From Third Line’s walls, sixty-two arrows and projectiles launched simultaneously.
The attack was coordinated, professional, targeting the holy mages with lethal precision.
Thirty goblin arrows arced through the air. Fifteen thrown javelins from demon warriors. Twelve serpentfolk arrows. Five corruption curse bolts from demon mages.
Sixty-two projectiles targeting fifty vulnerable casters.
But Elric’s protective forces were ready.
"Shields!" the infantry commander shouted.
Two hundred tower shields rose in synchronized motion, creating a wall of steel and wood between the incoming projectiles and the holy mages.
Most of the arrows struck shields harmlessly. The javelins—heavier and more powerful—punched through several shields but lost momentum and fell short of the mages. The serpentfolk arrows, fired with superior accuracy, found gaps between shields and wounded three soldiers in the protective formation.
The corruption curse bolts were the most dangerous. They curved through the air with magical guidance, seeking targets beyond the shield wall.
But Elric had anticipated magical attacks too.
"Counterspell!" Father Aldric commanded without breaking his purification chant.
Five battlefield priests positioned specifically for magical defense raised their hands. Holy magic erupted, creating barriers that intercepted the corruption bolts.
Four curse bolts dissipated against the holy barriers. The fifth got through and struck a holy mage in the shoulder. The mage cried out in pain as corruption magic burned his flesh, but he continued chanting through sheer discipline.
"Maintain formation!" the infantry commander ordered. "Archers, counter-fire!"
Four hundred human archers behind the shield wall released their response.
A storm of arrows flew toward Third Line’s walls, targeting the positions where the settlement’s attack had originated.
Kelvin saw the incoming arrows and shouted warning. "Cover! Incoming!"
His goblin archers dove behind for cover as hundreds of arrows rained down on their position. Most struck stone fortifications harmlessly, but several found targets. Three goblin archers took arrows—one killed instantly with an arrow through his eye, two wounded.
Commander Vex’ahlia’s demon warriors had better reflexes. They threw their javelins and immediately moved to new positions, avoiding the concentrated counter-fire entirely.
Skar’s serpentfolk used natural agility to dodge, their superior speed allowing them to evade most incoming arrows. One serpentfolk archer wasn’t fast enough—an arrow caught her in the leg, sending her tumbling from the wall.
The exchange lasted fifteen seconds. Settlement forces fired first, human forces countered with overwhelming volume.
Exchange One Results:
Settlement: 4 casualties (1 goblin archer killed, 2 goblins wounded, 1 serpentfolk wounded)Humans: 4 casualties (3 shield infantry wounded, 1 holy mage wounded by curse bolt)Purification ritual: slightly disrupted but continuing
Lyra watched from the tower, analyzing the exchange.
"They’re protecting the mages with layered defense. Shield infantry for physical attacks, priests for magical attacks, archers for counter-fire. We hurt them, but not enough to stop the ritual."
"Do we continue attacking?" Kelvin asked through the network.
Lyra calculated rapidly. Every exchange cost them casualties they couldn’t afford. But letting the purification complete unopposed meant losing contamination magic as a tactical option.
"Yes. But change tactics. Don’t attack from the same positions. Spread out attacks across multiple wall sections. Make them defend everywhere simultaneously rather than concentrating on single firing points."
"Understood."
The second exchange began two minutes later.
This time, attacks came from eastern wall, western wall, and central tower simultaneously. Fifteen arrows from the east. Twenty javelins from the west. Corruption bolts from the tower.
The human defensive formation had to split its attention. Shields repositioned to cover multiple angles. Priests had to choose which curse bolts to counter.
More projectiles got through. Two holy mages took wounds—one from a javelin, one from a curse bolt. Neither fatal, but both disrupted their casting.
The purification ritual wavered slightly as the rhythm broke.
But the human counter-fire was devastating.
Four hundred archers split their response across all three attack points. Over a hundred arrows hit each section of wall.
Eastern wall: Six goblin defenders wounded, two killed. Western wall: Four demon warriors wounded by the massed fire. Central tower: Heavy damage but Lyra had pulled back after launching attacks.
Exchange Two Results:
Settlement: 14 casualties (2 goblins killed, 10 defenders wounded)Humans: 2 casualties (2 holy mages wounded)Purification ritual: disrupted but recovering
Elric watched the exchanges with professional detachment.
"They’re trying to stop the purification through harassment. It’s working partially—we’ve lost efficiency from wounded mages. But we still have forty-eight functional casters, and the ritual is sixty percent complete."
"Should we commit more forces to protection?" Lieutenant Thorne asked.
"No. Current defensive formation is adequate. Accept minor casualties to the mages as necessary cost. As long as we maintain thirty-five or more functional casters, the ritual will complete successfully."
"The settlement is taking heavier casualties from our counter-fire," Captain Marcus observed. "At current exchange rates, they’ll run out of archers before we run out of mages."
"Good. Let them waste their limited ranged assets trying to stop an inevitable process." Elric’s tactical mind was already three moves ahead. "Every arrow they shoot now is one less arrow available during the main assault. Every casualty they take weakens their defensive capability. This exchange favors us."
He turned to Major Aldrich.
"Increase counter-fire intensity. Make them pay four casualties for every one they inflict. Break their will to continue these attacks."
"Yes, sir!"
The next exchange was brutal.
Settlement forces launched their third coordinated attack—smaller this time, as casualties mounted and ammunition depleted. Only forty projectiles total.
The human response was overwhelming. Six hundred arrows this time, focused ruthlessly on identified firing positions.
The eastern wall was hammered by two hundred arrows. Goblins died in their positions. Commander Vex’ahlia’s demon warriors took heavy fire—three wounded, forced to retreat from the wall entirely.
Western wall received similar punishment. Serpentfolk scattered, using natural agility to minimize casualties, but still lost four fighters.
Central tower was hit by two hundred arrows that turned the structure’s upper level into a death trap.
Exchange Three Results:
Settlement: 23 casualties (7 killed, 16 wounded)Humans: 1 casualty (1 holy mage wounded)Purification ritual: 80% complete