A Rattling Monster - Chapter 131：Problems in the Other Side?

I inform the dwarves that the ratmen are retreating for now, and they are not rushing through the tunnels again. In truth, it is easier than I thought. The ratmen are incapable of reaching the dwarves because of me, and all the strong monsters and terrifying weapons capable of destroying my army are targeted by the dwarves. And even if they manage to dig more and more tunnels, at worst, the dwarves will leave the second wall and hide in the fortress. This one has an external wall where the catapults and cannons are located, but the inner part is fortified on all side. A ceiling, strong walls, sturdy doors, and the entrance of the tunnel leading to the Heart of the Mountain.

(Ok, let me resume a little the current situation on all sides before you are too happy. The eastern fortress, they are defending well, but some dwarves are already dead. They have fewer warriors than Bori, but I think that they can handle it. I see no traces of real assassins. However, the fortresses near the Deep Mountain, they are really besieged. It is where the human army, or what is remaining of it, is located. But it is also where the main force of the army of Salazar is attacking. And I see some reinforcements coming from Ronta arriving. Your trap with the lich in Lucia is probably destroyed.)

I try to connect to my lich still stationed inside the holy kingdom but no one is answering me. I guess that was predictable, I have no idea how many days I bought with that thing. Right now, honestly, I have nothing really useful to do, besides, create more lich. Even, I think that if I leave for a few hours, reach the fortress in the East, help it a bit and absorb the blood, it would be better. I approach Bori, to inform him of what I know.

-I see, what you are saying makes sense. We have not a single death in our side, and the worst we have is an injured warrior. Your troops are really effective, they can allow us to fire at will and protect our flanks. As for your little trip, like you are asking, I allow it. If you can help dwarves that really need it, you can go. But instead of going to the dwarves, why don’t you just activate your weird shadows near the tunnels? That way, you won’t have to explain yourself to the commandant that probably won’t believe you and order his men to shoot at you. You are a secret, that only me, my men, Thongril, the Iron Beards, and the King of the Mountain know.

That makes sense what he is saying. They probably hide it from the rest of the army, to not provoke any troubles. Especially with the humans. I let my wraiths here, to keep protecting this side while I am gone. Thanks to the spirit already located near the battle, I don’t have any trouble finding the way. After an hour of going inside the stone of the mountain, I arrive near the tunnels. They only dig 4 here, but that’s enough. I can see that the dwarves are on the second wall, but are facing the ratmen from all side, except behind. No wraiths to cover the natural wall forming the cave.

I can see corpses of rat ogres here too, but the sorcerers are present and still alive. I see a huge hole, something that reminds me of the explosion provoked by the destruction of the machine gun, in the base of Krieg. They can probably see the machine guns, but not the sorcerers hiding in the sea of ratmen. I can see them because I am floating above the ongoing battle, but they are hard to spot.

The good news is the fresh blood everywhere. No dark plague to prevent my [Blood Touch]. I go underground and begin to advance toward the dispersed sorcerer ratmen. After being close enough, I activate my domain. The appearance of shadows provokes a panic in the two sides. But only one is currently affected by it, and I cut the army in two. After that, I collect the blood by extending my hand above the ground and replenish my mana entirely. I can even create some undead. I keep activating my domain until the ratmen finally retreat.

I can see the shocked expressions of the dwarves, I mean, they are seeing rivers of blood converging in one point. Thanks to this, I create more wraiths, the only thing that can follow me effectively. I manage to create six of them before I run out of blood. But that’s enough, in one trip, I helped the dwarves, created six additional wraiths, and killed countless of ratmen. I even gained a level, I am now level 16/35. That’s the only bad side of this war, the fact that most of the kills are made by the dwarves. And I guess the really, really low experience that is granted by killing a slave or a normal warrior.

After that, I go back to the Bori, and I have to say that I am lucky. In the hours when I was gone, the ratmen didn’t attack. And with my appearance in two different battles, I wonder what will be their next move?

(They are retreating, and by that, really retreating. They are going West, and are leaving this side. I guess that they want to pressure only one side since you and the dwarves are too heavily retrenched here. But, the additional number will be impossible to stop at the frontier of the Deep Mountain. I already told that to Thongril, and he asked you to come back. He even praised you, do you believe that? They are still letting a few troops here, but nothing compared to what you were facing before. I advise you to tell that to Bori. Maybe, he will make some of his men retreat to the Heart of the Mountain in advance. It is not looking very good in the West.)

That was expected, they were defending against the main army. And with the reduced power of the humans, because of me, they already defended their position for nearly a week. They were already fighting when I was talking about the term of our alliance with Thongril. I arrive near Bori, to transmit the information.

-I see mister Sleek. If what you are saying is true, you are right. We need to move more men to the other side. In the end, if the West truly fall, we will all have to reach the capital before the ratmen. I can already begin to carry the heaviest weapons. You said that they took with them all the rat ogres?

I nod at those words. The only thing left is the slaves, the warriors and one member of the Red Guard, probably to supervise and prevent the deserters.

-So, I can get the cannons moving. GLONI! GLONI! Ah, there you are. Go tell the commandant of the eastern fortress that they are retreating and all the weapons and monsters are joining the battle in the West. Tell him that the information is reliable, and make him move his cannons too. As for the rest, if he has any injured warriors, they can retreat. Tell him that it is coming from Thongril himself, he won’t disobey an order from him. Now go!

I can see the lieutenant quickly rush in the tunnel. I could have done it more quickly, but the commandant wouldn’t have believed me. That’s a shame.

-As for us, you said how many ratmen are remaining?

(20 000.)

-20 000 ratmen, mostly slaves. Only one Red Guard is staying here, but the rest are all leaving.

-Only that? If they are just slaves and normal warriors, I can hold this with 2000 dwarves without any problem. Especially if your army of undead is staying here, I can even do it with less.

-My army is staying here, I will only take my wraiths, except two. The one guarding the hole in the ceiling, and the one under you, ready to protect you.

-That’s very nice of you. So, if I have the support of the undead, I can stay here with only 1000 dwarves, just in case. I know that if there is a sudden change, you will inform me and my dwarves, but we never know. So, 1000 allow me to hold this fortress, during enough time to get some reinforcements. Dustag! You will take 4000 warriors, the most exhausted first. After that, you will retreat, carrying the maximum amount of weapons and ammunition. See with Fortuil what should remain here or not. And when you arrive at the fortress before the capital, tell them whatever mister Sleek is saying. And if they are not happy or not believing it, just say that Thongril will smash their heads if they are not executing the orders.

After all those preparations, and since the ratmen show no sign of coming back, I depart with the engineer Dustag toward the Heart of the Mountain. I truly want to see what is the look of this capital, especially when it is called like that.