Scaled Era 8160May, Tagoma Kingdom, Sand City.
As the name suggests, this is a city in yellow sand. Underground rivers seep out from the cracks in the rocks, forming lakes and turning into oases. Herders and troops travel along these oases, making Sand City the only center of Tagoma Westerlands.
It is said to be the center, but this place is basically populated by aborigines in the desert area, and it cannot be said to be very developed. However, Sand City strangles the only water source in the desert, and is surrounded by uninhabited sand dunes, salt-alkali lands, and rugged rocky mountains for hundreds of miles.
"This is the barrier given to us by the gods."
After seeing it, the old king of Tagoma said, "If Giant Dragon is going to invade, it will definitely start from here."
Sand City is a barrier against the west. This is a fact known to all Tagoma. Those Giant Dragon can fly across the desert, but their soldiers, war beasts and workers cannot be separated from the water source for too long. If the two tribes go to war, this place will become a strategic location that both sides must fight for.
Olysia stood on the city wall, facing the sand and dust, leaning on the broad rune sword and looking to the west.
She was accompanied by thirty bodyguards. Without exception, her bodyguards were all powerful knights, all wearing expensive full-body armor. The armor was blessed with seven kinds of runes. It looked heavy, but it was not affected at all when moving.
Viscount Sand City and the garrison commander stood behind Olysia, exchanging glances with each other.
Olysia led the knights galloping from the hinterland of the kingdom. The journey was dusty. After arriving, without saying a word, they immediately climbed up the city wall and looked west. They didn't know why the famous Iron Rose appeared in this place.
Finally, the Viscount took a step forward and asked in a low voice, "Dear Miss Olysia·Beoranz, I don't know..."
"Rose Garland" Beoranz, in the Tagoma Kingdom, this is an extremely prominent surname. Together with "Golden Star" Gilenstilna, they are called the double-walled nobles of the kingdom. Gilenstilna represents Royal Family, and Beoranz rules the entire southern land.
However, although Olysia is the daughter of a duke and has a high status, she does not have a subordinate or vassal relationship with Sand City. Logically speaking, the viscount should not have such respect for her.
It's just that Olysia has another identity.
"Call me general. I'm here to inspect the defense." The other party looked at him and gave a brief reply.
Her other identity is that of the governor of the kingdom, which is a high-level military position specially established by the Royal Family to reward the heroic performance of Olysia·Beoranz.
After the Duke's daughter left Tagoma Royal Academy, she rose like a meteor in just five years. She first led the Southern Territories army to suppress the rebellion and regain lost ground, and then in During the Apostle war, he led the army to rescue Siege of Ozt from East, and finally defeated the enemy at Battle of Mount Abulai, almost annihilating Aino Kingdom's cavalry troops.
"Iron Rose dragged his sword and ran quickly on Battlefield, leaving only broken ash behind him."
The bard described her bravery in these words. As Tagoma Kingdom's most famous human hero, Iron Rose is not inferior even if she stands with Apostle.
"Generally speaking, at the beginning of every month, Warden of the Western Marches will personally come to inspect the defense. The general is concerned about defense..."
The garrison commander made inquiries in a roundabout way, with a lower attitude.
"The current situation is not ordinary."
Olysia took off his helmet and turned around, his long red hair neatly tied behind his head. "I saw the battle report Sand City gave to Warden of the Western Marches. In the past month, our sentry riders in the sand swamp have not been killed or injured."
The junction of Sand City and Black Lake is called Sandmarsh Zone, which is the buffer zone between the Tagoma Kingdom and Giant Dragon Lineage. It is full of robbers, criminals and wandering clans from Lost Wilderness.
For more than ten years, in order to spy on intelligence and grasp the enemy's movements, both sides have continuously sent scouts into Sandmarsh Zone, where small-scale battles often broke out.
Generally speaking, with superior armament and cooperation, Sand City Sentry Cavalry can often have an advantage when facing Black Lake Jackal Soldiers, but there will also be losses of forty or fifty soldiers every month. These are common things.
But there were no casualties last month.
"One month ago, Ashmark Lineage fully strengthened its control over Sandmarsh Zone. The sentry riders even encountered dragons. We have already stated this in the report to the guardian."
The garrison commander did not hide anything and replied, "What Warden of the Western Marches means is that since the enemy is exerting pressure and the kingdom has no plan to attack, then we will temporarily slow down the test of Sandmarsh Zone. Since Lord Westerlands said so, the sentries are not willing to get involved in that place easily to avoid casualties."
Seeing that the governor's expression was wrong, he quickly said, "However, we have strengthened our inspections of the border, and have deployed additional troops in the surrounding camps and villages. If there is any change on Sandmarsh Zone, we will not miss it."
"In other words, Westerlands currently knows nothing about the situation in the sand marsh. Can such a buffer zone still be called a buffer zone?"
Olysia was silent for a moment and said, "Please send a team of elite sentries as guides, and now lead me into Sandmarsh Zone to investigate."
"This..."
The Viscount hesitated for a moment. "The general and all the bodyguards are all nobles of the kingdom. They have traveled all the way from Royal Domain. We have arranged a banquet to welcome them. The young people are very eager to see the generals in style."
"Thank you."
Olysia smiled politely, "If nothing unexpected happens, we can attend after returning."
The Viscount looked at the knights who were guarding them. Their whole bodies were covered in tailor-made armors, with only a pair of eyes showing, and the expressions on their faces could not be seen. The garrison commander on the other side was an officer after all, and had already hurried over to arrange the orders.
A quarter of an hour later, a team of fifty people set off from Sand City, formed a hundred-man team with the scouts at the outpost camp, divided into two groups, and entered the sand swamp buffer zone.
This is a bad weather. The wind is very strong. The endless sand and dust are swept by the strong wind, turning into a haze that blocks the sky and the sun. The visibility is astonishingly low. In such bad weather, you should stay in the camp to take shelter from the wind.
The sentry knights who had been prepared put on their scarves one after another, but the rune knights coughed lowly.
"The situation is worrying."
Olysia wiped the big sword in her hand. She rechecked the weapon because she felt uneasy. At this time, the team had gone deep into the sand swamp, but there was no attack from the beginning to the end, and no one could be seen. The bandits, criminals and wandering clans that were originally operating in the buffer zone have now disappeared.
She had just inspected a bandit's den. Judging from the accumulated dust, it had been abandoned for some time. It had been roughly rummaged through, but there were no signs of fighting and no body was found.
If they were just scouts, they shouldn't be able to clear out the entire Sandmarsh Zone. Where were all the people?
As the team continued to deepen, Olysia became more and more uneasy. For a warrior who has been on the battlefield for a long time, this kind of intuition must not be ignored.
"Falcon."
She ordered the troops to pause and used an advanced summoning spell, "Give me vision."
Falcon fluttered its wings and took off, with the support of magic power, it still maintained flight stability in the wind and sand, flew over the yellow sand swamp in front, crossed the rolling dust waves, and then...
Then Olysia heard a sound.
"The march route has been clearly explained. Jelierion and Kेलaili will each take one. We must complete the encirclement as quickly as possible and capture Sand City. After capturing the border fortress, this war will officially begin. According to Zane's plan, by then..."
Olysia couldn't believe her eyes, she saw a dragon.
A large group of dragons.
Dragons of all kinds gathered around a Black Dragon, pacing slowly on the rolling hills, giving guidance and planning. They were not as huge as the legendary Giant Dragon, but they each had their own imposing manner, and their scales glowed dangerously in the dim skylight.
There was no time to observe carefully, and the summoned object was quickly shot down.
In the last vision, Olysia saw that the black dragon no longer spoke, but raised its head and stared at her Falcon coldly. Its eyes were the color of molten gold.
"Let's go!"
Olysia turned the horse's head, and that look almost destroyed her fighting spirit. This was Ashmark Lineage's occupied area, and she had no ability to fight here.
"Immediately send a message to the palace and other places Holy Temple."
Olysia shouted, "The war has begun. This is Giant Dragon's war."
At the same time, with a vast long roar, the entire sand swamp trembled, and a loud rumbling sound came from the rear. Ashmark Lineage's offensive began. I don't know how many soldiers ran wildly behind her.
The horn of Tagoma sounded quickly, and the sound of the horn echoed repeatedly in the desert. The sentinels scattered all over the place mounted their horses one after another. They had no time to make more reactions, so they could only abandon the outer outpost positions and retreat towards Sand City.
Giant Dragon is here. After Tagoma repeatedly tried to attack Black Lake and failed, Ashmark Lineage finally launched their first attack.