Chapter 93 Victory
Third Person POV.
Jason smiles as he observes the panicked condition of the Alastair soldiers. His army has successfully infiltrated the kingdom, and soon they will unite around the castle. Once the castle falls and Micah is dead, Alastair will be under his control. He chuckles at the sight of his wolves tearing through the Alastair soldiers, leaving chaos in their wake.
The night has provided cover for Jason's forces, and the tunnels they used for infiltration have separate entries into Alastair. Jason, with cunning strategy, has sent different groups through various pathways, ensuring they emerge in different locations within Alastair, putting them in a favorable position to surround the castle.
Maniacal glee dances in his eyes as he envisions the imminent conquest of the land and its people. Overcome with excitement, he mind-links one of the other groups to inquire about the situation. He needs to ensure that by the time he reaches the castle with his battalion, the rest of the groups will join him.
However, there is no answer. Jason frowns, trying again, but the silence persists. His attempt to establish communication is met with eerie quiet. Doubt creeps into his thoughts as he wonders why there's no response. In the midst of triumph, an unsettling feeling begins to take root.
"Report in. What's happening?" Jason commands through the mind link, his impatience turning into concern. Still, there's only silence on the other end.
A seed of unease germinates within Jason as he contemplates the implications of the silent response. He glances around, studying the battlefield. His soldiers still seem to cut through the disoriented Alastair ones. On the surface, it looks like he still has the upper hand.
Shaking off his unease, Jason picks up the pace and ventures out into the open, ready to press the attack. However, he halts in his tracks when he witnesses the chaos unfolding before him.
His three battalions have already reached the meeting point, but instead of surrounding the castle as planned, they are being systematically cut down by Alastair soldiers with lightning precision.
The soldiers, who appeared disheveled just moments ago, now move in perfect formation – skilled and deadly. A barely noticeable red light glows on their wrists, and as it scans over the opponents, fluorescent stains appear on Jason's soldiers.
The sinking feeling in his gut tells him what's happening – the Alastair soldiers are equipped with perfume detectors, highlighting the body scents of Jason's soldiers, making them glaring targets in the dead of night.
B-but how? He thought he had already exploded the Tarevine mines Micah possessed. How could they still make the detectors?
Now he watches as Alastair's soldiers cut through his army with astonishing speed, too fast for the naked eye to follow. In the midst of the chaos stands their prince, Micah, his face smeared with blood as he effortlessly dispatches three soldiers at the same time.
His eyes flash gold as he fights shoulder-to-shoulder with his wolves, exuding a menacing, frightening aura – the embodiment of a true king. His hair drips with blood, and he moves through the battlefield like a force of nature.
Fear slithers down Jason's spine. Panic takes hold, and he screams at his soldiers.
"Retreat! Retreat!"
Micah's face twists towards him, and he flashes a bloodthirsty grin as he carves a path through the remaining soldiers, heading directly for Jason.
Terrified beyond words, Jason abandons his army, not bothering to rally them, and sprints as fast as he can back to where he came from. The sounds of battle echo behind him, but he doesn't dare look back, driven by a singular instinct – survival.
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Micah’s POV.
I charge into the heart of the battlefield, my claws unsheathed and eyes ablaze with a feral energy that takes me over. The Alastair soldiers under my command move in perfect unison, their loyalty clear in every coordinated strike. The perfume detectors are our secret weapon, lighting up Jason’s soldiers like a neon sign.
I knew Jason’s next move would be to destroy the Tarevine mines under my control. So, the first thing I did was install anti-explosives around it. There was a transparent shield around the mines which generated enough noise when attacked but kept the Tarevine inside completely safe.
It effectively tricked Jason into thinking he had destroyed the mines when it was all just smoke and mirrors. Fiona had already started working on the detectors in Riviera and I had people ship Tarevine to me over there. We kept it under wraps until it was necessary to reveal their existence.
And now, just as I had planned, the detectors make Jason’s army look like sitting ducks.
I smirk as I see the Warpaw soldiers’ bewilderment. They really thought they could invade us like cowards in the middle of the night, sneaking in like rats from hidden tunnels.
Jeremy clearly forgot that whatever he knows about Alastair, I know it better.
When he was busy vying for power and dealing with palace politics, I was out there on the field. I knew every inch of the kingdom better than he ever would.
I had already stationed men there with explicit orders to act as bait. They fooled Jason’s army into believing they were winning so they would be in over their head and advance out in the open. Then, my men would encircle each of the three battalions and start destroying them.
My claws tear through the opposition, slashing through flesh and armor with deadly precision. The cries of Jason's soldiers echo around me, drowned out by the pulsating rhythm of war. I move with a predatory grace, sometimes dispatching three foes at once, leaving a trail of broken bodies in my wake.
Colin fights alongside me, his movements mirroring my own. There is nothing the man can’t do. Aside from being a genius assistant, he is also a menacing warrior. As we exchange glances, a smirk passes between us. We seamlessly coordinate our attacks, a well-practiced dance of destruction.
"You're making it too easy, Micah," Colin jests, his voice half-hearted amidst the chaos.
I chuckle, "They never stood a chance."
Colin grins, "True enough. Let's see who can take down more of these fools."
Our banter is a brief respite, a reminder that even in the midst of bloodshed, there is room for camaraderie.
A shadow looms behind me, and my instincts kick in. I pivot and, with a swift motion, tear into the wolf about to strike. The metallic scent of blood fills the air as my claws find their mark.
Colin raises an eyebrow, "Nice save, Micah. Thought I'd have to pull you out of trouble for a second there."
I smirk, "Me? In trouble? Never."
In the midst of fighting, my eyes land on Jason. I chuckle at the sight of unadulterated fear etched on his face.
"Cover me," I instruct Colin, and together, we carve a path toward the retreating Alpha. His cowardice is loud as he abandons his own soldiers to be slaughtered by my army and runs. A true leader would stand and fight, but Jason proves himself to be nothing more than a pathetic excuse for an Alpha.
Instead of pursuing him, I turn my attention to aiding my men in finishing off the remaining adversaries. My brow furrows with concern as I observe some of them nursing injuries. I move through the battlefield, lending my strength to those who need it.
I hate that even with the best of planning, I haven’t been able to stop some lives from being taken. That is the cost of war.
Once satisfied that we've successfully cut down the last of the enemy, I come around to stand in the center of the aftermath.
The field is littered with wounded soldiers, their bodies adorned with bloodstains, yet their eyes gleam with an unyielding determination.
I look at each one of them and address them loudly.
"You did it. You defended your home, and you did it bravely. Be proud of yourselves tonight. Go home like true warriors!"
A thunderous roar erupts from the soldiers as they celebrate their victory. Then, to my surprise, one by one, they drop to their knees, fists over their hearts, and heads bowed.
"We stand with you, our king," they declare in unison. The weight of their loyalty settles on me like a crown, a recognition far more profound than any coronation ceremony.
This is the people acknowledging me as their leader, their Alpha. It is the highest honor and my heart feels strangely full.
A genuine smile stretches across my face as I acknowledge their pledge.
Tonight has been the biggest victory and now, all I need is to go back to my queen.