Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 234: Face to face

Chapter 234: Face to face

Alpheo's army stood in disciplined rows across the broad, open plain—a force of 1,900 soldiers stretched in ranks, their armor and weapons catching the early light. Shields gleamed, and men formed a bristling line, poised as if part of a single, breathing creature. Behind the front line, archers positioned themselves, checking their bows and exchanging quiet words, while Alpheo's cavalry held firm on the flanks, their horses snorting and shifting with the anticipation of the charge to come.

To the far right of the battlefield lay the deserted village of Valdarr, its empty houses and abandoned fields casting a silent, haunting presence over the scene. Once a thriving settlement, Valdarr had been raided by Egil's forces a week prior; its people were now huddled within the walls of Arduronaven, anxiously awaiting the outcome of the coming clash. 

As Alpheo watched the horizon, the Herculian army began to emerge over the plain in a vast, shifting line—a sea of steel and color stretching wide across the landscape. Banners flapped above the mass of soldiers, bearing the symbols of Herculia's noble houses, vibrant and proud against the morning sky. Rows of. infantry marched in disciplined ranks, flanked by squadrons of heavily armored cavalry, their polished armor glinting like mirrors in the sunlight.

Alpheo could feel his men's tension rising, quiet murmurs spreading among the younger, unseasoned troops as they took in the sight of the imposing force before them. He felt the stirrings of his own worry but held himself steady, face unmoving, as he gripped the reins of his horse. He knew the weight of his position—a general had to be a stone.

"Hold fast," he muttered to himself, schooling his expression into calm resolve. Every breath, every gesture, every steady word he spoke would shape the courage of his men. Alpheo knew his plan, and he had trained himself to be unreadable.