The western Storm army, thirty-five hundred strong, lost two-thirds of its men on its very first day in Liurnia.
The surviving remnants fled back to Limgrave in disarray.
The Inquisitor Knights had not even launched a single charge.
Things went slightly better on the eastern front-but only slightly.
As a major trade route, the Liurnia Highway could not be seeded with magical traps on the same scale as the western front.
But he did not need them, either.
Because Caria's finest troops had gathered on the eastern front.
Stormveil's eastern commander was named Reynard (also fictional), a veteran under the Storm King.
He led five thousand infantry and one thousand cavalry across the great bridge in a mighty procession.
Then he saw the Carian army drawn up and waiting.
Their formation was strange.
Instead of conventional spearmen or shield-bearers, the front ranks consisted of rows of heavily armored knights carrying greatshields.
Those knights wore absurdly thick armor, and their shields were as large as doors.
"Inquisitor Knights..." Reynard had heard the rumors about these fellows. "According to those envoys, their defenses are extremely strong."
But the veteran dismissed such claims. "No defense, however strong, can withstand a volley from ballistae."
"Ready the ballistae!"
The ballistae were wheeled to the front, their enormous bolts aimed at the formation of Inquisitor Knights.
"Fire!"
Bowstrings thundered, and three hundred heavy bolts screamed through the air.
Reynard waited to see those knights impaled.
But what happened next made his eyes widen.
The bolts struck the greatshields.
Dull impacts rang out.
Then... they bounced off.
Yes, they bounced off.
A dark golden glimmer flowed across the surfaces of those greatshields-the power of the Great Runes, the extreme defensive enhancement granted in exchange for the "Never Take a Life" Oath.
Even these enormous ballista bolts could