Chapter 82 Lucien wounded
“HORSES!!!”
Someone screamed from the gates. All men, scrambled, reaching for their swords and horses, but it was too late.
The enemy had come and had started attacking.
Sam ran into the tent where Lucien and the others stayed. He'd been patrolling the fields when he saw a light and had immediately figured out what was happening.
“We've been ambushed.” He said with a rush of breath, his grip tightening round his sword.
The men stood up, each reaching for their weapons.
“What is it like?” Konstatin asked, the colours in his eyes changing as he reached for his axe.
Behind him, Seth reached for a rope while Olivia took a sling.
“The men have gone out, but it doesn't look favourable.” Sam was clearly pissed.
Lucien nodded. “We have to move wisely.” He turned to Sam. “What's the estimated number?”
Sam gulped. “There are a few hundred.”
Lucien sighed. He'd sent some of the men away, leaving them with just a little bit over a hundred men. They were clearly outnumbered.
“Seth is with Konstatin. Olivia, with Sam. We can do this.” He said and made for the door.
“You aren't thinking of going out there alone, are you?” Olivia's voice stopped him in his tracks.
Lucien narrowed his eyes. “That's exactly what I'm doing. We've got no time for plans. Aim to kill.”’
“Stop.” Seth’s voice stopped him. “If there's anything I know about Damien Hale, it's that these people are mercenaries. Once you have their leader, they'll willingly surrender.”
Lucien nodded in appreciation as he made his way out of the room, the others hot on his heels.
Rather than head straight for the battleground, Lucien took a bend. He'd barely walked a few steps when a heavy blow came crashing down on his face.
He took a step back, reeling from the surprise, too late to react. Another swing, but this time he blocked it with his hands, twisting the person's arms, till he heard a broken sound before letting it go.
The stranger held his plan, groaning in pain, as he made for escape, but Lucien drew his sword, the head separating from his shoulder in an instant.
He wiped the blood of his sword in disdain as he continued to walk, taking bodies out. His two hands held swords, both working actively.
By the corner of his eyes, he could see Seth swinging his rope, decapitating the men, before sending them back to Sam for the final kill.
Lucien stopped, turning swiftly as he blocked a sword that had been aiming to main him, his second sword piercing his attacker's chest.
Black blood gushed out, leaving an irritating look on Lucien's face.
Too angry to pull his sword out, he left it in the dying man's chest, flinging him away.
His right hand continued to work effortlessly, taking people out of the way.
From a distance, he could hear Konstatin's growl and the loud sound of his axe, grinding into people's skulls.
Fury filled Lucien's heart. They'd clearly been compromised.
He growled as he picked up a man, flinging him down the valley.
Screams could be heard as the man rolled till his body hit a rock.
“Behind you, Lucien,” Olivia screamed, grunting as she delivered a swift blow to her attacker.
“Thanks,” Lucien murmured in appreciation as he turned back swiftly, grabbing the arrow and using it to hit his head many times before letting him go.
His anger was beginning to take the better part of him.
Someone approached him, running and Lucien turned, turning the spear back to the enemy, but he was a second too late, only managing to twist the spear to his thighs.
The man had pierced him and pierced himself as well, willingly dying.
Lucien swore as he pulled the spear out, the blood gushing.
He looked around, his eyes taking in everything that was happening. They were still largely outnumbered and about five of his men lay dead.
The other side had already racked up a total number of 50 bodies.
Groaning, Lucien tore a piece of cloth from his war dress as he wrapped it around his thighs.
He winced, tying it as tight as he could to stop the blood from flowing.
He stood up, a grim expression on his face, fully aware of the injury on his thigh as he moved like lightning.
This time around, he wasn't going to be bothered by trying to take them out civilly.
Seth had been right. These were mercenaries and even though they had the numbers, they lacked the skill.
Their force was blunt, intending to disarm and kill with just one blow.
“, mmph,” Olivia grunted, struggling with a mercenary, her spear plunging into his body as he fell, grasping where she'd just plunged.
Lucien smiled despite the pain in his thighs. He loved to see the surprise on their faces when they realirealisedwas not just a pretty face and could be as ruthless as any of them.
He turned sharply, grabbing a sword aimed at him, unconcerned that it had pieces between his palms as he turned it around, aiming for his assailant’s chest.
He wiped the blood off his clothes as he advanced. He could feel his strength weakening. It was only a matter of time before the loss of blood affected him.
He needed to end this battle now. And real quick.
Lucien looked around as the battle took place. They were slowly gaining ground, but it was only a matter of time before his men tired out.
His eyes locked with a man who had clearly been surveying the ground.
A curved smile appeared on the man's lips as he approached Lucien.
“Been wondering where the Almighty King Lucien had gone to hide.” His eyes travelled to the injury on Lucien's thigh and the blood oozing out of his palms.
“I can see my men got to you first before I did. That's a shame. I would have loved to have you to myself only.” He cocked his head arrogantly to the side.
Lucien couldn't help the disdainful smile that spread on his lips.
He'd come in contact with so many people like this and with his experience, he was sure of one thing. They boasted more than they fought.
“How about you leave the talking for when you win and come take me on.” He said as he flung his sword to the floor.
The man smiled, flinging his hat as he stepped down from the horse. “Been a while since I had a worthy competitor.” He said snidely, cracking his knuckles.
With a roar and a swing of his arms, his knuckles connected with Lucien's face, but Lucien was faster, blocking and releasing a swing of his own, all in one instant.
The man's eyes widened as panic settled on his face. He spat out the blood, staggering.
“I wasn't expecting that.” He muttered, the lazy expression gone and replaced by something else that Lucien couldn't decipher.
Fear? Reverence? He shrugged as he paced, waiting for the man to make another move.
His opponent jumped, raising his legs to give Lucien a connected kick that would knock the life out of him.
Rather than jump, Lucien blocked the kick with his hands, catching his legs as he twisted them before sending his opponent rolling down the bridge.
He hissed. “That was damn too easy.” Lucien had barely turned when he felt a stab on his back.
He didn't need to turn to realise he had just been played. The man he'd fought with had been their leader but he'd been ready to die as long as Lucien would also die.
Lucien winced, turning just in time for another spear to hit him some few marks below his chest.
With one last show of strength, he lunged for the man who had done the stabbing twice, as he grabbed the spear turning it back at his assailant, pushing him off the heel, the spear still lodged firmly on his chest.
His screams as he rolled down, alerted the rest of the men who were fighting. Realising that they were digging a losing battle, they began to retreat.
Sam, whose blood was boiling wasn't willing to back down. As the men retreated, he followed them, killing as much as he could, during the frenzy.
Lucien allowed his gaze to travel to the bodies lying on the grass. His men had doubled and there were a total of ten men lying dead.
“Lucien.” Olivia gasped as her eyes travelled down his body. “You're bleeding.”
“So are you.” Lucien teased weakly, his back resting on a boulder.
Olivia hissed. “That's not my blood.” Her eyes held panic as she moved to him. “Here, let me hold you. We have to go in now.”
“No!” Lucien's voice was firm even though every word that came out of his mouth was accompanied by wincing.
“No?” Olivia was befuddled.
“I can't let them see me like this.” He motioned to the soldiers who had begun packing the bodies from the floor.
“They need encouragement and not some weakling as command.” His voice was firm as he picked himself up and began walking inside the command room, Olivia walking closely behind him.