Once the decision was made at the meeting, the Allied Army wasted no time preparing to withdraw. Duke Sheriff's decision may have reflected the wishes of everyone present, or perhaps the troops had simply lost the will to fight.
After a brief discussion, they decided that the newly arrived Vela Army would serve as the rearguard.
Duke Sheriff also ordered the Raine Kingdom's legions to leave as soon as they had packed. Anything they could not carry was to be destroyed or burned on the spot. Nothing was to be left for the East Sea Alliance.
Neither Alex nor Victor objected to the rearguard assignment. Under the circumstances, their forces were the best choice.
Although Vela's legions had endured a stretch of forced marches, they were still the troops in the best condition among the Allied Army near Stone Mountain City. They were better suited to covering the retreat than the battle-worn Raine Kingdom Army.
The Allied Army withdrew quickly. The Raine Kingdom's legions were well trained; once they had packed and destroyed their surplus supplies, they immediately began to fall back.
At first, the defenders of Stone Mountain City did not realize what was happening. They assumed the Allied Army was rotating troops. Only when they saw thick smoke rising from burning supplies did they understand that the enemy really was withdrawing.
The defenders of Stone Mountain City burst into cheers. They had been determined to fight, but not having to battle the enemy to the bitter end was welcome news.
The enemy's withdrawal meant their hard fighting was finally over. It also amounted to a victory for the East Sea Alliance in this battle.
Most in the East Sea Alliance hoped the Allied Army would leave as quickly as possible so they could enjoy a rare spell of