The night is as dark as ink.
The moon was hidden behind thick clouds, and only an occasional glimmer of light shone through, barely outlining the outline of the distant mountain ridge.
James and his men were lying in ambush in a low hilly area outside the city, about one league away from the Wall.
This location is very good, condescending, right on the flank of the path from the savage camp to the city wall.
Two hundred Bolton Cavalry were scattered on the back slope of the hills, and the war horses were all muzzled to prevent them from making any noise.
"You are really capable, James Ser, you fooled that guy in just a few words!"
Hake squatted next to James, his face full of uncontrollable excitement.
He rubbed his frozen fingers, his eyes flashing like a wolf.
"I thought that my predecessor Commander of the City Watch was such a powerful person, but you managed to pinpoint him with just a few words."
"Hehe! As long as Stannis and those wildlings fight to the death, both of us will be injured. We can rush out and chop off that guy's head for sure!"
Hake So excited.
He has never felt that his future is as bright as it is today.
As long as he can fulfill the task assigned to him by Lord Roose Bolton, even if he cannot cut off Stannis's head with his own hands.
But after returning to the Dreadfort, he can at least get a fief nearby and become a baron at least!
Hake Baron!
When he thought of this title, the corners of Hake's mouth couldn't help but turn up.
After spending half my life as a blood-licking cavalryman Squad Leader, I never thought that one day I would be able to turn around and become a noble.
The opportunity to reach the top of your life is right in front of you!
Hearing the guy next to him begin to breathe heavily, James just glanced at him and said nothing.
Let this guy be happy for a while. After all, he has a hunch that the next battle will definitely not be as simple as Hake imagined.
There were tens of thousands of wildlings, and even if Stannis attacked from the flanks and Castle Black's defenders attacked from the front, the gap in strength was still huge.
"Hey, tell me, after this battle, can we go back to Winterfell?"
Not far behind him, the young Bolton Cavalry asked his companion beside him in a very excited tone.
"Back to Winterfell? Why back to Winterfell?"
Another voice answered, with a bit of roughness unique to the North people, and joked, "I want to go back to my hometown, and my fiancée is still waiting for me!"
"You still have a fiancée?"
A third person interjected. "Which girl can like you? Is she blind or lame?"
"Fuck you!"
The man from before immediately replied, "My fiancée is the most beautiful girl in the Dreadfort-Seaburn Town-Pea Village!"
"What a lousy place, I've never heard of it!"
"I said Wol, your boy hasn't been home for more than two years since the war started. When you go back, the girl might be able to talk.
"Hahaha...
Several people were joking, and their suppressed laughter spread among the trees.
At this time, an older cavalryman joined the discussion. "I will not return to Winterfell, nor will I return to my hometown."
"I just want to get a piece of land near the Dreadfort, raise a few horses, hunt, and live a peaceful life.
"After fighting for so many years, it's time to take a break.
As soon as these words came out, the surroundings were quiet for a moment.
Several young cavalrymen fell silent, seeming to be imagining that kind of day.
There is no need to ride around on horseback and wait for the day ahead, worrying about whether you will be able to open your eyes tomorrow, but obviously there is nothing to achieve.
"After this battle, I will retire." The old cavalryman said again, his tone sounding very relieved.
However, as they listened to the conversation getting more and more outrageous, a little cold sweat broke out on James' back.
Get married?
Retirement?
Why does it sound so...
I remember that when he was in King's Landing, Corleone had told him more than once not to say these words before every battle.
James just smiled and didn't take it seriously.
But now, listening to the Bolton Cavalry behind him raising flags one after another, he felt a chill on his back and the hairs on his hair stood up.
"Can you shut up?"
James turned around suddenly and shouted in a low voice.
Several Bolton Cavalry were startled by him, and their chirping stopped abruptly.
"From now on."
But James was still uneasy and added, "Whoever speaks again, I will cut off his tongue first!"
Sure enough, no one spoke now.
Hake shrank his neck and glanced at James secretly. He didn't understand why Lord Commander of the Kingsguard suddenly became so angry.
Fortunately, it is now.
Boom! Boom! Boom!!!
The dull sound of the horn came from the direction of the savage camp, tearing the silence of the night.
The sound was thick and long, like the roar of an unknown giant beast, hitting back and forth between the frozen soil and the ice wall, spreading out wave after wave.
James's pupils shrank suddenly.
Coming.
He looked at the vast savage camp in the distance.
In the darkness, countless torches lit up at the same time, pouring out from the depths of the camp and moving slowly in the direction of the Wall.
"It's begun! It's begun!"
Hake lowered his voice, the excitement in his tone almost overflowing.
Bolton Cavalry people also poked their heads in, some even stood up, wanting to see more clearly.
"Squat down!"
James shouted, "Do you want to be discovered by the savages?"
The cavalry squatted back obediently, but their eyes were still fixed on the sea of fire, and many of them had excited expressions on their faces.
Their ambush location was well chosen. The hilly terrain was high and the view was wide, with almost an unobstructed view below.
Looking from this angle, the vanguard of the savages is slowly creeping in the direction of the Wall.
James narrowed his eyes and carefully observed the marching array of the wildlings.
Well... there is no formation at all.
However, this is not surprising.
After staying in Castle Black for several months, James also had small-scale fights with these guys who called themselves "free folk".
What can I say... pretty original.
Due to the harsh environment, the land outside the Great Wall is destined to have impossible conditions for large-scale group living.
The savages are divided into hundreds of tribes and clans with different cultures, each of which operates independently and does not belong to each other.
Therefore, their customs are very different, sometimes their appearance is very different, and sometimes they even don't understand the language.
In terms of weapons, the main theme is Let a Hundred Flowers Bloom.
Copper, iron, wood, stone, and even bones can be used as weapons when sharpened.
Some wore stolen or robbed tattered mail, some were wrapped in animal skins, and some even used paint to draw messy totems on their chests, as if this would make them invulnerable.
Under such circumstances, James had to admire Mance Rayder, the so-called "King Beyond the Wall".
How on earth did he get these guys together and make them obey his orders?
You know, getting hundreds of tribes who dislike each other to put down their hatred and fight side by side is probably more difficult than getting Frey and Stark to sit together and happily attend a banquet.
"Let them fight for a while first."
James crouched behind the bushes and whispered orders.
Bolton Cavalrys have no objections to this.
After all, they were originally here for Stannis.
Even if the savages and Night's Watch have the brains of a dog, what does it have to do with them?
Hake even grinned, showing a gloating smile, and lowered his voice and said to the men around him, "Fight, fight, the harder the better. When both sides are disabled, we can just pick up what's ready."
The leading troops soon arrived at the feet of the Wall.
Looking from where James was, only a vague outline could be seen.
The savages carried crude siege ladders and rushed towards the city wall with shouts.
On the city wall, Night's Watch's counterattacks were sparse.
Arrows were shot from the crenels and landed sporadically in the crowd. Occasionally, a savage fell down after being hit by an arrow, but was immediately stepped over by his companions behind him, and he did not even have time to scream.
Rolling oil and stones barely...
Obviously Alliser Thorne said it is not necessary, their resources are running low.
Under James's watchful eyes, he began to climb the icy city wall with homemade tools, but the ice surface was too slippery. Most of the time, he couldn't climb very high before he fell down and died an ugly death.
But even so, they still climbed up as if they were fearless, as if something more terrifying than death was chasing them behind them.
How strange.
Although he was very puzzled, James only glanced at it and then looked away.
He knew how long Castle Black could last, and Stannis would never sit idly by.
Suddenly, a string of fire suddenly lit up in the woods to the east.
It moves very fast and is a cavalry!
James's pupils shrank suddenly, and his left hand unconsciously clenched the hilt of the sword.
Coming?
He squinted his eyes, trying to identify the team in the darkness.
The fire was getting closer and closer, and he could see clearly that those people were wearing Night's Watch black robes.
It turned out to be the Rangers.
"Rangers? What are they doing out of the city?" Hake came over and asked in a low voice.
James didn't answer because he was also thinking about this question.
According to Slynt, Stannis's large army should have left the Wall through the secret passage in Eastwatch, lying in wait on the only way for the wildlings to attack the city.
But what does it mean when the rangers appear in the woods to the east at this time?
Lure the enemy?
Or... have other plans?
The response from the savage camp was quicker than he expected.
A force was immediately separated from the formation and headed in the direction of the rangers.
They were all cavalry, obviously the elite of the savage troops. It seemed that they had expected to be attacked from the flank.
However, the rangers only made a false shot, and as soon as they clashed with the wildling cavalry, they immediately scattered and turned around and retreated into the woods.
Sure enough, it lured the enemy deeper.
However, before he could think of disappointment, the wildling cavalry followed him so innocently!
Okay..
The corners of his eyes twitched.
Sure enough, we cannot use common sense to infer these idiots.
But if this is what was agreed upon...
Woo~~~~~
Sure enough, just after the wildling cavalry rushed into the forest, deep horn sounds sounded from three different directions at the same time.
Coming!
James looked up sharply.
Three groups of heavy cavalry rushed out of the darkness from different directions at the same time!
They were arranged in a neat wedge formation, their armor shining coldly under the light of the torches.
The spears are like a forest, and the flags are hunting.
Attacked from three sides!
Perfect tactical coordination.
James held his breath and stared at the three groups of cavalry.
In the firelight, the three-pole Stag Banners was vaguely visible.
The crowned stag opened its teeth and danced its claws under the light of the flames, as if it had come alive!
James' eyes suddenly lit up.
It's finally here!
Stannis Baratheon!
As Jaime watched, Stannis's troops drove into the flank of the wildling army.
The charge of the heavy armored cavalry was unstoppable, and wherever it went, the barbarian army was almost completely crushed.
The savages tried to resist.
They raised their primitive weapons to greet the cavalry, but they were useless against the heavy armor.
Spears and stone axes could not break the armor's defense, but every time the cavalry swung their swords and fired their guns, they could take away the lives of the savages.
The situation in the battle turned around in just a few minutes.
The vanguard of the savage troops that originally surged toward the Wall was intercepted in the middle. The front team lost contact with the rear team and fell into chaos.
"Okay!" Hake squatted next to James and couldn't help but cheer in a low voice.
"Heavy cavalry will crush these guys like ants. At this rate, Stannis's troops will soon completely defeat the wildling vanguard!"
But then he paused, with a hint of disappointment in his tone. "It's a pity... In this way, Stannis has nothing to lose, and we may not have a chance to kill that guy."
Hearing this, James didn't speak.
His eyes never left the battlefield, his green eyes shining with complex light in the firelight.
Hake is right.
Heavy armored cavalry has a huge advantage over light infantry.
However, just as James was thinking, the horn sound sounded again deep in the savage camp.
Woo~~~~
In the darkness, countless torches lit up again.
A volley of fire burst out from the depths of the savage camp, slowly advancing towards the battlefield.
Obviously, the main force of the savages has arrived.
And the number far exceeded his expectation.
"It's useless no matter how much you go."
Hake shook his head, with a bit of contempt and disappointment in his tone. "That's a heavy cavalry. In front of the heavy armored cavalry in formation, no matter how many people come here, they will die."
James didn't object.
Because he also agrees with this judgment.
Heavy armored cavalry versus light infantry is indeed one to a hundred.
As long as the formation remains intact, no matter how many wildlings come, they will only kill Stannis.
But James always felt that something was wrong.
Mance Rayder can twist hundreds of tribes into one, and can lead this motley army to fight all the way to the feet of the Wall. He is by no means an idiot who only knows how to use human sea tactics.
He must have prepared some backup plan.
There must be.
It's just that they haven't seen it yet.
"Ang"
"6~~~~
At this moment, a strange beast roar pierced the night sky.
The voice was not like a horse or a cow, it was deep and rich.
Immediately afterwards, the second, third... more and more beast roars came from the direction of the savage reinforcements, one after another, echoing in the night sky.
James raised his head suddenly and looked around.
In the firelight, dozens of huge silhouettes appeared from the rear of the savage army.
Their bodies are several times taller than war horses, and their four legs are as thick as stone pillars. The ground trembles slightly with every step they take.
"That's..." Hake's eyes were as wide as bells, and his voice began to tremble. "Fight... Mammoth!"
Sure enough, under the extremely surprised eyes of everyone, they saw those giant beasts coming out of the savage reinforcements, covered with thick long hair, and their two long tusks glowed bone-white in the firelight!
What shocked James the most were the figures sitting on Mammoth's neck.
They are almost twice as tall as ordinary people, their limbs are as thick as tree trunks, they hold huge stone mallets or bone clubs in their hands, and their bodies are covered with coarse hair.
Giant!
Everyone's expressions changed dramatically, but before they could react, the Mammoth group began to accelerate slowly, rushing towards Stannis's cavalry troops on the battlefield.
Their speed is not fast, but every step is as heavy as a thousand pounds, and the ground seems to be shaking.
Stannis's cavalry apparently also discovered this change.
The cavalry in the front row tried to change direction and avoid Mammoth's impact route, but their formation was entangled by the savage infantry and there was no time to make effective adjustments.
Boom!!!
A Mammoth crashed into the cavalry formation.
Several war horses were directly lifted up by the tusks, flying into the air with the knights on the horses, and fell heavily to the ground several feet away.
Immediately afterwards, the Mammoth group also crashed into the battlefield.
The giants were sitting on Mammoth's necks, waving huge mallets as thick as tree trunks, and smashing them at the cavalry below.
This armor-breaking effect is stronger than that of Warhammer. The proud steel defense line of the heavy armored cavalry is as brittle as paper in front of Mammoth and the giant.
The situation of the battle was reversed once again.
"It seems we are no longer needed."
Hake's voice came from the side, with a hint of schadenfreude. "That guy Stannis will be trampled into a meat pie by those elephants."
"That's fine. We don't have to do anything. Once the savages take care of him, we can just go back and resurrect with Mr. Bolton."
"Yeah!"
The cavalry behind him echoed, "Stannis won't survive anyway, so why should we risk it?"
"When they finish fighting, let's go back and hand over the work directly!"
"Master Bolton will definitely reward us!"
Discussions came and went.
The cavalrymen spoke to each other, and the relief and joy in their voices almost overflowed.
In their eyes, Stannis is already dead.
And they just need to squat here, wait for the wildlings to kill Stannis, and then walk away.
Trouble-free and safe.
What a blessing from the old gods..
"It's time."
However, at this moment, a cold light flashed through.
In the extremely surprised eyes of the cavalry, the Lannister from King's Landing stood up directly and pulled out Longsword from his waist with his left hand.
"Everyone listens to the order and mounts the horse!"
"Target, Wildlings Army."
"Charge!"