The Lonely Knight
The darkness before dawn is the deepest, and a cold mist hangs over the vast, desolate northern plains.
A weary warhorse, its body covered in fine wounds, carries its master, walking alone with heavy, slow steps across this land shrouded in death and despair.
The rider on horseback was none other than Friedrich von Schmidt.
His once gleaming and magnificent knight's plate armor is now covered with deep dents from sword cuts and dark bloodstains, and there is even a terrible dent on his breastplate caused by Battle Axe.
The cloak was already tattered and covered in mud and ashes.
The helmet was nowhere to be found, revealing a young yet resolute face. His hair was matted together with sweat, blood, and dust, and he was covered in dirt. Only his eyes still burned with an indomitable flame in the darkness.
Behind him, at Winterholm Fortress, the Broomflower banners on the walls had been toppled, replaced by the ferocious Wolf-Head Flag symbolizing the Sauron Tribe —the greatest insult to him.
He ultimately failed to hold that place.
Under the relentless, tidal wave of attacks from the Sauron, the fortress's already fragile defenses were quickly and completely torn apart.
He and his few desperate soldiers put up a final, futile resistance.
They fought like a rock, until their comrades fell one by one, their blood staining every inch of the land they swore to protect.
In the end, Friedrich, through sheer bravery, led his men to fight their way out and escape.
However, the Sauron cavalry pursued relentlessly, and under constant attack, only he, alone, managed to break through the encirclement thanks to his exceptional martial skills.
He thus became the sole survivor and witness to the fall of Winterholm Fortress.
He did not choose to flee south to the seemingly safe Eagle's Nest Fortress.
On the one hand, he knew that with Earl Eisenberg's cowardly and selfish character, it was impossible for him to open the city gates for him alone in the critical moment when the Sauron army was at the gates.
On the other hand, deep down he felt an uncontrollable disgust and contempt for the so-called "Guardian of the Northern Border" who stood by and watched his allies perish and cowered in the shadows; he didn't even want to look at that fortress again.
The fall of Winterholm also meant that the entire Blackstone Pass defense line was now effectively defunct.
At this moment, countless Sauron Cavalry, like a flood bursting its banks, poured through this huge breach into the undefended fertile plains of the northern part of the Goldflower Kingdom.
They will spread like a plague, burning, killing, and looting, bringing death and fear to every unarmed village and town.
Their military might will undoubtedly be aimed directly at the last strategic stronghold on the northern plains, the last barrier leading to the Royal Capital of Plai, Old Osric Fortress.
Once that historic fortress also falls...
Then, the road to the heart of the kingdom will be completely exposed to the iron hooves of the Sauron!
At that time, Plai will face a direct threat, and the entire kingdom will be plunged into unprecedented panic and turmoil!
The thought of this terrible consequence filled Friedrich with a heavy sense of responsibility.
He failed; he lost his fortress and his comrades.
He witnessed firsthand the corruption and incompetence of Wang Guofang's administration, and saw the despicable and cowardly nature of the so-called regional officials.
But he cannot fall, and he cannot give up!
He is Friedrich von Schmidt, the eldest son of the Schmidt Family, and a knight officially knighted in the Goldflower Kingdom!
A knight's oath is not only to be loyal to his Lord, but also to protect the kingdom, the people, and justice and order!
Honor, responsibility, mission...
These beliefs, etched into his very bones, sustained his exhausted body and nearly broken spirit.
Even if he's all alone, even if he's covered in wounds, even if hope is slim...
He would continue fighting! For his fallen comrades, for the helpless civilians on the northern plains, for the survival of the kingdom, and for... the inviolable knightly honor deep within his heart!
He yanked the reins sharply, no longer looking back at the burning ruins and the fallen pass.
He gently tapped the horse's belly with the heel of his boot, and the warhorse let out a weary but obedient neigh, then strode off, heading south, towards the next battlefield, towards the last hope, galloping steadfastly.
The lone knight, burdened with defeat and shame, yet holding onto an unyielding belief, resolutely charged into the deepest darkness before dawn.
Three days later, Old Osric Fortress, the last strategic stronghold on the northern plains of the Goldflower Kingdom, was already surrounded.
Standing atop the towering city walls and looking out, the sight is enough to take the breath away of any seasoned veteran.
The Sauron camp, like a black tide, completely submerged all the land surrounding the castle.
The densely packed tents, simple wooden fences, and countless campfires stretched all the way to the horizon.
The air was thick with the restless energy of a large, assembled army.
Elite Sauron Cavalry, forming a large cavalry force, galloped back and forth beneath the city walls.
They brandished their gleaming scimitars, unleashing awe-inspiring battle cries, and brazenly displayed their formidable martial prowess and high morale to the defending troops.
The sound of horses' hooves was like rolling thunder, making the city walls seem to tremble slightly.
The garrison commander of Old Osric Fortress was an old general General Reynard, with gray hair and a haggard face.
He stood on the city wall, watching all of this with a solemn expression.
Occasionally, orders were given for the defending troops to open fire. Sporadic gunfire and muffled cannon fire attempted to dampen the enemy's morale, but the sparse firepower fell on such a large and dispersed enemy camp as if it had sunk into the sea.
Aside from raising a little dust and causing brief confusion on the enemy's part, it caused almost no real casualties, and instead made the defenders appear even more helpless and weak.
What further demoralized the defenders was the Sauron' psychological offensive.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Countless arrows, their sharp points deliberately removed, with parchment scrolls tied to their tails, were fired into the city and embedded in rooftops, streets, and squares.
The soldiers picked up the arrows and presented the letters attached to them to General Reynard.
The general unfolded a letter, on which was written in slightly stiff but clearly legible Broomflower script:
To the Old Osric Fortress and all the soldiers and civilians:
My mighty army Sauron 100,000, under the command of the great leader Harald, has surrounded this city.
Our army's advance has left Fran City, Eagle Nest, and Worton Fort in dire need of defense, forcing them to retreat and preventing any reinforcements from reaching them.
You are now like besieged beasts in an isolated city, your destruction is imminent.
Our brave soldiers, eager for battle, will follow the ancient precedent of "Three Days of Unsealed Blades" after capturing a city!
At that time, all officials, soldiers, civilians, men, women, and children in the city will be killed, and all wealth will be reduced to ashes. This is no exaggeration or bluff!
However, Heaven has a benevolent nature towards life.
If you are wise enough to open the city gates and surrender, I swear in the name of the God of War.
All surrendered officers and soldiers are guaranteed to live without fear and may retain their personal belongings; the people in the city will live in peace and prosperity and will not be harmed; nobles and officials who wish to pledge allegiance will have their status and wealth preserved.
Our army only seeks passage and will not commit any offenses.
Surrender, and life will be smooth sailing; victory will come, and the city will fall, people will die, and not even a chicken or a dog will be spared!
Life and death, honor and disgrace, hang in the balance on a single thought! You have only one day left to decide; I urge you to make your decision carefully!