The cavalry clashes were exceptionally swift and violent.
The elves, well-armored and in high spirits, coldly observed the charging human soldiers. In their eyes, these soldiers were courageous, but they were nothing more than moths drawn to a flame, with no chance of survival.
Perhaps the best way to show respect to these human soldiers is to defeat them fair and square.
However, humans do not value martial virtue. When the elven cavalry drew their standard sabers, they were met with a barrage of crossbow bolts and arrows.
The elven cavalry squad that faced off against the human cavalry was instantly wiped out, with half of them falling in an instant. Then came the chaotic sound of hooves and desperate cries.
In a single clash, the human cavalry successfully cut off the elven cavalry, splitting them in two.
However, the elven cavalry did not panic. Instead, they quickly changed formation and pressed towards the human cavalry from two directions.
Yun Zhe and the others turned their horses around. Philby glanced at Yun Zhe, "Are we still going to charge?"
Yun Zhe frowned, glancing at the soldiers beside him. Two more had fallen, and this was without the enemy being prepared.
"If we go through, we'll be caught in a pincer attack, and none of us will survive." Yun Zhe aimed his crossbow at the elven cavalry opposite him.
kill!
The human cavalry adjusted their angle and then charged towards the elven cavalry from a chosen direction, their clear objective being to continue their tunneling through.
However, given the absolute disparity in strength, these cavalrymen would have a very difficult time escaping with their lives.
Two volleys of crossbow bolts were fired. The second breach was successful, but Yun Zhe and Philby were left with fewer than ten men.
"Run! Run! Run!" Yun Zhe shouted as he loaded a crossbow bolt. This operation to draw aggro had been extremely costly but highly effective.
One squad of elven cavalry rearranged their formation, while another squad of elven cavalry had already formed an arc to surround them.
Tordron, the leader, was furious. He ordered his soldiers to fire arrows.
However, the human cavalry rushed into the nearby woods, preventing the elves' arrows from achieving anything.
"My lord, stop chasing! There might be an ambush in the woods..." an elven cavalryman shouted as he rushed up to Tordron.
Tordron glared angrily at the elf before him, wanting to shout a rebuke, but he held back.
It was indeed unsuitable to continue the pursuit in the woods. Since human cavalry dared to charge at them under such extremely unfavorable circumstances, it was only natural that some soldiers who dared to ambush them were hiding in the woods.
However, this battle resulted in the loss of twenty elite riders, and the failure to annihilate the enemy cavalry made the night raid less than perfect. Fortunately, the enemy numbered less than ten, and they were unlikely to pose much of a threat.
Tordron raised his arm, and the elven cavalry slowly came to a stop behind him.
It was quiet all around, except for the groans of some human soldiers.
The moon hid behind the clouds again, and the entire battlefield fell into darkness once more.
“You’re right, soldiers. Tonight’s results are already very good. Humanity has paid the price for their actions. Take the dead and wounded soldiers and let’s go back!” Tordron said to the elven cavalry.
At a single command, the elven forces withdrew from the battlefield like the wind, leaving behind a scene of devastation.
"How do you know they won't chase after us into the woods?" Philby asked curiously as he saw the elven cavalry retreat.
“This group of elves is very cautious. Their troops are concentrated and not scattered, and they never pursue soldiers who enter the forest. Moreover, when they encountered our attack, they ran for a long time before finally entering this forest, so they naturally guessed that we had an ambush here.”
"Then let's get out of here quickly. Although it's safe here, if the other side rushes in recklessly, we really don't have any ambushes."
Yun Zhe shook his head. "Let's not go out tonight. This forest is surrounded by open areas. If the elves are lying in wait, we'll be in big trouble if we go out rashly."
Philby was a little puzzled. Elves are usually honest and straightforward people. If the opponent were a human, he would have such thoughts, but for an elf, wasn't he overthinking it?
"Think the worst. So you've encountered elves who raid at night before?" Yun Zhe said softly, as if he had seen through Philby's thoughts.
Philby was taken aback. Thinking about it, it made sense; there was never a precedent for elves launching night raids in a battle between humans and elves. Of course, it was also possible that night raids only became popular after the advent of magic that allowed for long-range vision in the dark. And this magic itself only appeared after the great war between humans and elves.
Regardless, this reason convinced Philby, and the group stopped running away. They each found a suitable place in the woods and lay down to sleep.
Just as Yun Zhe had predicted, the elves did not actually leave immediately. They lingered for about an hour before reluctantly withdrawing from the battlefield.
Tandras was furious. Although Tordron had achieved great results, it was still a disobedient and dangerous operation.
Inside the main tent, Tordron knelt on the ground, silent.
Tandras considered the elven military discipline; such behavior would result in dismissal and an additional fifty lashes.
"Toldron, because you violated military discipline, you are hereby stripped of your post as captain of the Imperial Guard. However, you did achieve good results tonight, so your corporal punishment will be waived. From today onwards, you are an ordinary cavalryman, an ordinary Imperial Guard cavalryman. Do you understand?" Tandras said sternly.
"Toldron pleads guilty and accepts punishment, and thanks Your Highness for your great kindness. But Your Highness, I have something to say," Toldron said loudly, prostrating himself on the ground.
"Stand up and answer."
"Your Highness, after tonight's surprise attack, I suddenly thought of a way to weaken the enemy. Tonight's night raid disrupted the humans' rest, which will inevitably slow down their escape. If we send cavalry to harass them again tomorrow at the right time, it will surely cause them to collapse. Even if they don't collapse, I suggest Your Highness send us out again tomorrow night to continue harassing them. If we repeat this process, the human soldiers will surely collapse in less than two days, and then our victory will not be far away."
Tordron's voice wasn't loud, but it brought expressions of admiration and agreement to the faces of all the generals present.
"As expected of the youngest captain of the Imperial Guard, this idea is really impressive."
"Yes, just sending out cavalry is enough to end the battle."
"Your Highness, I suggest that after the two armies join forces tomorrow, we concentrate all the cavalry and divide them into three or four teams to attack the human forces in turns, so that the enemy will not have a moment's rest. This may yield greater results and lead to victory more quickly."
Tandras nodded. The one who spoke was a centurion from another unit named Diadinis, who was not only of illustrious birth but also young and promising.
"Hahaha, Tordron, what can I say to you? Gentlemen, if I were to announce the reinstatement of Tordron as captain of the cavalry, would anyone object?"
Laughter emanated from the tent, much to the bewilderment of the elven cavalrymen outside who were worried about their leader.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
