My Demons

Chapter 47

The bandits, tired of their frantic and futile assaults, paused and started putting some distance between themselves.

Damn, hes like a one-man ogre

That sword isnt that magic?

I thought I was mistaken! But thats blood magic!

While they withdrew, they cast a quick look behind and their faces suddenly turned ashen. The bandits who had fled into the woods were now heading back in this direction.

It appeared there were easily more than a hundred of them.

Ha, just like a group of hounds.

Grania. Grania!

Because of our frantic running, Grania ended up somehow pinned beneath my foot. I nudged her a few times with my heel, but there was no response. Damn, she couldnt be dead, could she?

Observing my actions, the bandits around us slowly began to gather, maintaining a safe distance. It appeared they were forming a circle, showing no inclination to charge directly.

Are they buying time? This is the worst.

Phew

Preparing for the final charge,

Twang!

Ugh.

At the annoying sound of a bowstring, I immediately crouched and evaded the arrow. However,

Huh?

The arrow wasnt aimed at me from the start.

Ahhh!

Looking up at the scream, an arrow with blue feathers was lodged in a bandits neck.

The man fell from his horse like a decayed log, still clutching the arrow.

Up until now, the thunderous sound of horse hooves, which had been drowned out by the clamor of the bandits, resonated across the plains.

I instinctively glanced back.

The bandits did the same. I heard a quivering voice.

Look, look-

The knights!

Filled with fear, a bandit shouted, and indeed, a line of knights was charging towards us.

The knights, shimmering blue in the moonlight, announced their presence not with shouts, but with the weighty thud of their horse hooves.

I, or rather, Kim Seung-soo, had never witnessed knights in real life. A natural fact for someone living in the 21st century.

But despite my lack of experience, it was evident that those rushing towards us were knights. You could tell at a glance.

Though they were only sixteen in number, they were immensely imposing.

Large horses, impenetrable plate armor, helmets with faceguards, lances over 3 meters long.

Some even had armor for their horses.

To think that they could gallop so gracefully with a rider and heavy armor Although I dont know much, they must be high-quality warhorses.

The knights were gradually accelerating, yet their formation remained unbroken.

The gap was so narrow that if they reached out, they could touch the knight beside them. No one was leading or lagging behind.

Unlike me, lost in a scene out of a movie, the bandits displayed various reactions to the impending doom.

Retreat to the river!

What kind of nonsense is that! If we let them go, the boss will kill us!

Well die now if we dont retreat! And weve already let some of them go, whats the difference!

Kagil! What about Captain Kagil!

Kagil is gone! He was defeated by the wizard!

Then, another arrow soared through the air and pierced through a bandits mouth.

Observing it, only one knight among them wielded a bow instead of a lance.

That knight, positioned in the center of the formation, fired two more arrows, taking the lives of two more bandits. He was a remarkable archer.

Then, he holstered his bow and drew the longsword at his waist. Pointing the sword at the bandits, he let out a thunderous roar.

Charge-!

The booming voice surprisingly belonged to a young man.

Upon the young knights shout, his companions echoed and thrust their lances forward.

As the knights accelerated to full speed, a thunderous sound rang out like hail falling.

Ankir, the colossal knight who was soothing his spirited horse, proposed in a resounding voice.

Why dont we eliminate them while we have the opportunity? Chances to face them on the plains are scarce!

Some knights concurred with his suggestion, but the knight with the gold embellishments on his armor shook his head firmly.

No! Our priority is to rescue these mercenaries! Everyone, head back to the garrison!

Yes!

No one voiced objections. The knights swiftly organized themselves into a battle formation and began galloping northward.

Ankir, the knight in the blue cape, and the knights clad in plate armor brought up the rear, while the knight with the gold-trimmed armor led the way.

The pursuing bandits unleashed arrows, but their subpar bows couldnt penetrate the thick plate armor.

On occasion, when enemies came too close, the knights would surge forward, dispatch them, and then return.

This sequence of actions occurred seamlessly, without any need for specific commands. These knights had clearly been coordinating with each other for a long time.

It seemed they had found the right place.

As I contemplated this, a strangely familiar sight came into view.

It was a garrison surrounded by carts placed sideways and wooden horse spears serving as an outer barricade.

In the center, a massive flag fluttered, bearing an embroidered golden lion standing on its hind legs.

The real-life realization of a landscape I had previously only seen on a 2D screen still felt novel.

My awe was interrupted by a thunderous roar that emanated from inside the garrison.

Then, dozens of arrows sliced through the night sky, and a low-flying arrow that grazed a knights helmet brought down the pursuing horsemen.

Having shaken off some of the horsemen, the knights entered the garrison through a passageway.

Now, pull!

At the sergeants command, twenty-seven soldiers pulled on the rope.

The wooden horse spears, which had been lying flat on the ground, elevated at an angle.

Crack!

Ugh!

Damn!

Four horses were impaled like kebabs on the sharp wooden stakes.

Before the horses pitiful cries could subside, nearby soldiers who had been on standby charged forward, thrusting their spears.

The horsemen who had barely halted their horses were skewered on the spears and met their demise.

Fall back!

Retreat, retreat!

Arrows continued to rain down on the hesitating horsemen.

Turning around, I saw crossbowmen with weapons slung over their shoulders on the fallen carts and archers standing behind them, endlessly releasing arrows.

The horsemen, who had sustained significant casualties in a short span, hurled curses and withdrew.

Counterattack!

Set fire!

The infuriated horsemen circled the garrison, shooting arrows and hurling torches.

Most of the arrows were deflected by the shields held up by the soldiers, but the torches ignited the carts and dry grass, rapidly increasing the infernos size.

Damn, water! Bring water!

But we dont have enough drinking water,

Enough with that excuse!

Desperate soldiers shouted frantically, while the caged dogs also barked loudly.

Observing this, the knight with the gold-trimmed armor raised his commanding voice.

Rimond! Where is Master Rimond!

In response to his call, a figure in blue emerged from somewhere.

Thats a water spirit, isnt it?

The spirit, entirely composed of translucent water, took on the form of a naked boy. Instead of a lower body, a swirling water current extended, giving the impression of surfing through the air.

The spirit circled the garrison, extinguishing the flames, then ascended high into the sky and slowly spun. The swirling water current expanded like a billowing dress.

The moonlight refracted within the water curtain in a mesmerizing display.

Perhaps awed by this majesty, the horsemen circled the garrison a few times before eventually disappearing into the forest.

Sigh.

With the tension relieved, I let out a long sigh and slumped down.