Night fell, and the knights atop the walls of Liberty City relaxed their guard slightly. Since the enemy hadn't attacked during the day, they assumed no assault would come under the cover of darkness.
Operating at night usually required torches, which made any movement painfully obvious—one of the reasons the defenders felt safe enough to ease up. While most knights slept on the stone floor of the battlements, only a small fraction remained on patrol.
"Do you really think the enemy outside dares to attack His Highness? The battle isn't supposed to start for another three days," One knight whispered.
"Didn't you hear them earlier? They say the Prince is a rebel stealing wealth and grain. These nobles care about their property more than their lives; of course they'd attack," Another replied.
"True. I heard the logistics team say our wheat is running low. If there's no food, we have to take it. The minor lords in this backwater aren't going to just let that happen."
As the knights murmured, a pre-battle council was concluding in Lucas's main tent.
"This is the intelligence Rhea gathered today regarding the city's defenses. One copy for everyone," Lucas said, sliding the papers across the table. Aiden, Tony, and Elisa took their copies, scanning them quickly.
"Aiden, your mission remains the same: hold the East Gate. Plug every escape route. I want no one slipping through the cracks," Lucas said firmly. He had no intention of actually waiting three days; the three-day grace period was merely a feint—the art of deception.
"Understood!" Aiden saluted and strode out into the night.
"Tony, launch the hot air balloons immediately. Have the airborne units coordinate with Rhea to seize the gate and let the main army in," Lucas commanded, turning to Rhea, who was still coolly chewing on a piece of jerky.
"Yes, my lord," Tony responded.
"Understood," Rhea nodded simply.
"Elisa, your squad and the crossbowmen will suppress the walls. Keep the enemy's heads down so they can't target our men at the gates," Lucas added, looking at the elf who sat with her eyes closed, conserving her energy.
"On it," Elisa said, her eyes snapping open.
"Hour is set for 1:00 AM," Lucas said, leaning over the table. "We take Liberty City in one move. I intend to sleep inside those walls tomorrow night."
"MY lord!"
*
As time ticked away, the army lay coiled in the darkness like a predator, eyes fixed on the city gates. Several kilometers away, the panels of the four-wheeled carriages were deployed. Hot air balloons were being fueled, and airborne soldiers were hooking themselves into hang gliders.
"Drop according to the drills. Land near the West Gate—don't drift too far," Tony cautioned.
"Go."
The birdkin took flight first. Rhea led the way, carrying a fully equipped special-ops soldier by a harness. A dozen other birdkin followed, each carrying a soldier, while the hang gliders caught the thermal lift to glide toward the city. The fires lit by the defenders on the walls acted as perfect beacons in the night.
Half an hour later, the infiltration team landed successfully in a pre-scouted safe zone, having neutralized a few sentries along the way.
"Through this alley," Rhea whispered, pointing. "Scale two walls, and you'll hit the main thoroughfare leading to the West Gate. Follow that straight, and you'll find the gatehouse."
"Understood," Chris, the mission leader, nodded.
"We'll take out the hidden lookouts," Rhea said. With a flap of her wings, she and her team vanished over the rooftops.
"Move out. Stay sharp," Chris whispered.
They moved like ghosts through the shadows, scaling the walls and reaching the main street. They sprinted toward the gatehouse; every second spent in the open was a gamble. Chris noticed several corpses tucked into doorways along the street—Rhea's work.
"Prepare for assault," Chris signaled. The gatehouse was guarded by about fifty knights.
Click, click, click.
Crossbows were cocked. They would soften the target with a volley before moving in for close-quarters combat.
"Who goes there?" A sentry finally shouted, spotting the dark shapes approaching.
"Who ar…!" The knights' voices carried far in the silent night, alerting nearby patrols.
"Too late," Chris said. He chopped his hand down. "FIRE!"
Thwip-thwip-thwip!
Steel bolts tore through the air, punching through the chests of the guards.
"Enemy attack! Enemy att—ack!"
Clang! Shing!
As the blades met, Chris knew they had the upper hand. He looked up at the sky. "Signal them!"
High above, a birdkin ignited a flare.
BOOM!
A brilliant firework blossomed in the night sky.
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