The rhythmic thud of hooves reverberated through the crisp air, a relentless drumbeat signaling the advance of a long column of riders. Fifty kilometers from Sedona City, a formidable procession wound its way through the rugged landscape, kicking up clouds of dust and snow. The knightly retinue, led by Viscount Jesse, numbered over three hundred strong—men he had forcibly conscripted from various cities. Three days prior, they had departed from Sakura City, and Jesse couldn't help but smirk at the memory of the city lord's impotent rage, his jowls quivering as he was forced to comply.
"Pfft… a backwater noble daring to resist?" Jesse scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. The image of Sakura's lord, his face a mask of fury yet forced into a strained smile as Jesse's knights blockaded the city gates, was deliciously satisfying. There was something intoxicating about watching proud nobles bend under the weight of his authority, their anger masked by false civility. It was a game he relished, one that fed his ego with every forced grin.
"Aya, how long until we reach Sedona City?" Jesse asked, turning to his chief knight, a grizzled man with a thick beard and a no-nonsense demeanor.
"Lord Jesse, about half a day," Aya replied, his voice steady as he rode beside his master. "We'll arrive by afternoon." As the chief knight of Count George, Aya was one of the count's most capable warriors, though he harbored little respect for Jesse's tactical acumen. If not for George's orders, he would never have ventured to this remote frontier.
"Good," Jesse said, nodding with satisfaction. He glanced back at the three hundred knights trailing behind, their armor glinting in the pale sunlight. Pride swelled in his chest. Once Sedona City was his, it would serve as his stronghold in the western lands—a base to regroup, rebuild, and expand his power. A new ambition had taken root in his mind: to grow his knightly force to a thousand strong and declare himself a king, free from the yoke of the Fourth Prince. 'Why serve when I can rule?' He thought, his lips curling into a smug smile.
"Lord Jesse, do we storm Sedona City directly?" Aya asked, his stern face betraying no emotion. His experience told him a frontal assault would be costly, but he wanted to gauge his lord's intentions.
Jesse waved a hand dismissively, his expression one of smug confidence. "No, Aya, we use our heads." His voice was laced with arrogance. "Sometimes, you don't need bloodshed to get what you want."
The bounty guild had assured him the task was as good as done. He had paid a hefty 140 gold coins to ensure Sedona City's lord was delivered to him, bound and helpless. Failure was not an option—if the guild betrayed him, he would send his knights to raze their headquarters to the ground.
"What's your plan, my lord?" Aya asked, his tone neutral as he nudged his horse closer. He had little faith in Jesse's strategic prowess, viewing him as an amateur playing at war. Only loyalty to Count George kept him here, following the orders of a man he considered a liability.
Jesse tugged at his reins, his smile sharp. "I've arranged for Sedona's lord to be kidnapped," He said, his voice low but triumphant. "A city without its leader is ours for the taking."
Aya's expression stiffened, though he nodded. 'Effective, if it works,' He thought, grudgingly acknowledging the plan's simplicity. A leaderless city would fall easily, its defenses in disarray.
Jesse turned to the knights behind him, raising his voice. "Prepare yourselves! Once we take the city, you'll feast like kings, sleep in warm beds, and enjoy the company of the finest beastkin women!" His promise was calculated, a lure to secure his men's loyalty. A few beastgirls were a small price to pay for their devotion.
"Yes, my lord!" Aya responded, spurring his horse to relay the message. The knights erupted in cheers, their voices echoing through the barren landscape.
"Three women for me!" One shouted, his grin wide.
"Lord Jesse is the best!" Another roared, his enthusiasm infectious.
The column surged forward, their pace quickening. The knights, long deprived of indulgence, were driven by primal anticipation. In their fervor, even a wild boar might have seemed tempting—a grim testament to their pent-up desires, not without precedent in their ranks.
Thirty kilometers from Sedona City, the column approached a withered grove, its skeletal trees framing a narrow path. The air grew heavy with the scent of dry wood and frost, and Aya's instincts sharpened.
"Lord Jesse, this could be an ambush point," Aya said, his voice low and serious as he scanned the surroundings, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
Jesse's face paled slightly, his bravado wavering. "Send scouts to check the area," He ordered quickly.
"Yes, my lord," Aya replied, signaling a handful of knights to ride ahead and investigate.
Ten minutes later, the scouts returned, their faces calm. "No ambush, my lord," One reported.
"Good," Jesse said, exhaling in relief. "Speed up the march!"
"Yes, my lord!" Aya barked, urging the column forward with renewed haste.
Half an hour later, the knights emerged from the grove unscathed, the tension in their ranks easing. Jesse, however, frowned, his eyes darting through the trees. This was the designated meeting point for the bounty hunter, yet no one appeared. His anticipation turned to irritation. 'Where is that damned assassin?' He thought, his mood darkening.
The column pressed on, but as they drew closer to Sedona City, Jesse's unease grew. "Damn it, another failed mission?" He growled, his teeth grinding. "Once I take Sedona City, I'll send my knights to burn that bounty guild to the ground. Those filthy rats dared to swindle my gold!"
"Lord Jesse, we're twenty kilometers from Sedona City," Aya said, his face impassive.
"Forward!" Jesse snapped, his voice venomous. "We take Sedona City and avenge my brothers!" His plans had unraveled, but he would adapt. Failure was not an option.
"Yes, my lord," Aya replied, his tone flat. The knights slowed their pace, conserving energy and steeling themselves for the assault. They would launch a surprise attack a few kilometers from the city, catching its defenders off guard.
"My lord, there's a canyon ahead," A scout reported, his horse snorting as he reined it in.
"Push through!" Aya shouted, his voice echoing with urgency. The canyon was another potential ambush point, and with dusk approaching, time was against them. If they didn't seize Sedona City today, their presence would be discovered, and the city's defenses would fortify, making victory costly.
"Yes, my lord!" The knights cracked their whips, urging their steeds into a gallop.
The canyon was a narrow, winding chasm, one of the few land routes to Sedona City and a shortcut to their goal. The towering stone walls loomed overhead, casting long shadows that swallowed the column. The only sound was the muffled thud of hooves, the silence amplifying the knights' unease. Every creak of armor, every snort of a horse, seemed deafening in the confined space.
A sudden crack shattered the quiet as a stone tumbled from the canyon's upper ridge, startling the knights. Murmurs of alarm rippled through the ranks.
"Speed up!" Jesse barked, his voice tight with nervous energy.
"Yes, my lord!" Aya responded, his whip cracking as he urged the column forward.
Crack, crack! More sounds echoed from above, and shadows moved along the canyon's rim. Dozens of figures appeared, clutching heavy stones. Leading them was Tony, his massive frame unmistakable as he raised a boulder overhead.
"Throw!" Tony roared, hurling his stone with devastating force. It crashed into a knight below, smashing his skull and sending him tumbling from his horse in a spray of blood.
"Fire!" A barrage of stones rained down from both sides of the canyon, a deadly cascade that struck with brutal precision. Knights screamed as rocks crushed armor and bone, horses rearing in panic as the ground became a chaos of blood and dust.
"Move! Get out of the canyon!" Aya shouted, his voice hoarse with desperation as he tried to rally the men.
Jesse's face paled, his eyes wide with horror as a knight nearby took a stone to the head, his skull splitting open. Blood and brain matter splattered across the ground, a droplet landing near Jesse's lips. He gagged, his bravado crumbling. 'How did this happen?' He thought, his heart pounding.
"Lord Jesse, we need to escape!" Aya yelled, cracking his whip against Jesse's horse to spur it forward. He led the charge toward the canyon's exit, the surviving knights scrambling to follow.
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