557: Chapter 266 Subjective Initiative 557: Chapter 266 Subjective Initiative Five large Kantadar rowing ships at the River Bay Ferry crossed the boundary between sunlight and shadow, delivering the two squads about to venture deep into the netherworld to the opposite bank of the river.
Hooves stepped onto this land shrouded in the aura of death; while it was daylight on the North Shore, the South Bank was dim as night.
The surroundings filled the Avalon cavalry with a suffocating sense of oppression, as an indescribable chill permeated the air, piercing to the bone.
Fortunately, the Avalon Knights leading the way, alongside the Ranger Knights at their sides, instilled courage and unwavering resolve in the cavalry.
With the reconnaissance mission underway, the two squads immediately split upon entering the rural crossroad that had turned into the netherworld.
Knight Rohn, serving as a guide, led Glenn Soren’s Rangers toward Fenlidun.
Leon, on the other hand, guided by Baron Yevan, directed the Avalon cavalry towards Ashford Port.
Thanks to Olivia’s keen sensory warnings, Leon avoided the Corpse Ghost clusters wandering the wilderness, evading unnecessary delays.
The cavalry of over a hundred riders pressed forward tirelessly, soon arriving at the outskirts of the lost port city.
The Guardian Spirit Holy Lamp was lit, the magic power spreading outward as an invisible force field that effortlessly shrouded everyone’s souls in a hazy glow, shielding them from the perilous soul-summoning melodies.
Hiding the cavalry in a withered forest on the Eastern outskirts of the city, Leon and his warriors observed the distance.
The sight before them instilled terror in every Orland cavalryman witnessing, for the first time, the aftermath of a city overtaken by the undead.
Outside the city, tattered and grotesque Corpse Ghosts wandered in dense clusters, their heads lowered as they growled, emitting spine-chilling murmurs.
The city’s silhouette loomed faintly in the night, its once-sturdy fortifications now ravaged by the flames of war, with scorched marks and splashes of blood interweaving on the walls, painting a grim canvas of anguish and despair from a not-so-distant battle.
Above the walls, the towering Resonance Bell Tower emitted a green ghostly light that pierced upward, staining the clouds with eerie, spectral hues.
It resembled a netherworld out of ancient mythology, with countless spirits hovering over the ghostly city, bound by some unseen force, unable to find peace.
The hints of wailing carried by the wind sounded like the bitter accusations of wandering souls, or their pleas for release.
The warriors recalled the pre-battle rally from the Lord before departing Avalon, finally understanding the true meaning of “no one can remain untouched.”
The fate of Kantadar City ahead could be seen as death devouring the earth—a dreadful rehearsal.
Leon, having experienced the haunting realms before, did not linger on the daunting scenes, merely confirming that the area indeed housed no less than tens of thousands of undead.
He then unfolded the district map drawn by Count Runav, comparing it to the city ahead.
“The granary is further north, beyond the northern walls of Ashford City where there’s a gate solely for freight access.
There’s also a small dock there,” Yevan pointed out on the map.
Leon nodded, identifying the direction from the city’s outline, then led his men along the path toward the northern part of the city.
Soon, they saw the freight gate Yevan had mentioned from afar.
The gate remained intact; the undead army, relying solely on sheer numbers and siege ladders for direct assaults, had not opened the still-locked gate.
Though lacking siege engines, Leon had his own method to breach the city.
After confirming the roads beyond the gate with Yevan multiple times, he hesitated not and immediately commanded all knights and cavalry to prepare for battle, forming a spearhead with himself, Olivia, and Lokhak to launch a swift raid through the outskirts.
Their mission was to move in and out quickly.
As soon as they retrieved the necessary information, Leon planned to lead everyone in an immediate retreat.
Whipping the reins, he gave a low call and spurred his Black Steed into action.
Without a battle cry, the cavalry, spears in hand, followed closely in silent coordination.
Their hoofbeats echoed like war drums as they galloped through the desolate outskirts, stirring up clouds of dust.
The wandering undead soon sensed the unusual commotion, swarming over like sharks drawn to blood.
Leon glanced at the Corpse Ghosts, feeling a twinge of relief.
For if it were a mortal army traveling here, they would have been instantly spotted by these sleepless foes.
Yet the chaotic undead lacked a coherent command structure and would not relay enemy sightings to nonexistent commanders.
For a city of this scale, whether or not Ashford Port still harbored high-level undead, detecting their presence would take time…
The undead twisted by darkness and the power of death let out rasping roars, attacking the charging Avalon cavalry without fear.
But the heavy cavalry, mounted on Urian Warhorses, charged forth like living armored tanks, instantly trampling the unorganized Corpse Ghosts under iron hooves.
To conserve his magic power, Leon didn’t even summon his Magic Gun.
Flanked by Olivia and Lokhak, not a single Corpse Ghost could reach his Black Steed unharmed.
The Avalon cavalry swept through like a storm, eradicating the wandering undead blocking their path.
As the gate grew closer, its outline became clearer, and their relentless pace had them nearly at its doorstep in no time.
Leon pulled out a card infused with the soul of a monster, swiftly channeling his magic power into it.
The Netti Card transformed into radiant specks of light, which fused ahead to manifest the fearsome form of a colossal beast.