Although Charlemagne was utterly puzzled by Sylvanas's sudden anger, this clearly was not the time to pursue the matter.
After Halazzi led his troops to join Nalorakk, the two Advanced Warriors led a large force of Trolls charging toward them once again.
The battle had begun so abruptly that Charlemagne's side had no time even to lay traps before engaging the enemy at close quarters. Nalorakk's twelve remaining raptor riders also raised their lances and came galloping toward the elves.
"Ha!"
Charlemagne, Sylvanas, and the other rangers hurriedly drew their bows and attacked the fast-moving cavalry.
But the Trolls chosen as raptor riders were all battle-hardened elites, at least at the middle level of the Intermediate tier. As they charged, they deftly guided their raptors through small evasive movements, easily dodging the vast majority of the arrows.
Apart from three unlucky riders targeted by Yawen and the one rider each struck by Charlemagne and Sylvanas, the remaining seven cavalrymen were about to crash into the High Elf ranks.
Once these Trolls broke into their formation, the High Elves, who lacked meat shields, would fall into disarray even if they did not suffer heavy casualties. That would be fatal for either army facing the other on the battlefield.
Nalorakk and Halazzi were also ready to plunge into the chaotic elven ranks at any moment, while the headhunters gauged their maximum range, preparing to throw their spears.
At this critical moment, the pampered young master Sean Morningstrider, whom Charlemagne and Sylvanas had looked down on, stepped forward. With a single Blink, he entered the raptor cavalry's formation and froze most of the riders in place with a Frost Nova.
The two remaining wretches who continued their charge were, without question, picked off by precise shots from Yawen and the others. Their riderless raptors kept charging forward, but could no longer inflict much damage.
Having Blinked into the enemy's midst, Xiao'en naturally became everyone's target. The headhunters' spears were already flying through the air, and even the frozen raptor riders aimed their lances at him with savage expressions.
Clang!
The first hurled spear was ultimately stopped by rapidly forming solid ice. Ice Block!
The four mages under Xiao'en also quickly came to their senses and each cast the frost spell Blizzard over the raptor cavalry's position.
These pitiful riders, frozen in place, finally died with expressions of frustration under alternating strikes from Blizzards and the rangers' arrows.
As soon as the spell attacks ended, Xiao'en hurriedly canceled Ice Block and used Blink again to return to the main elven force.
"S-so... cold!"
Before he could receive everyone's cheers, Xiao'en began shivering all over the moment he returned.
That was hardly surprising. It would have been strange if he had not been cold after being encased in such thick ice. A mage who had prepared for this immediately took a thick blanket from a supply soldier and draped it over Xiao'en.
"H-how was... that? This time... I earned some... some credit, didn't I?"
Still shaking all over, Xiao'en looked smugly at Sylvanas and the others, seeking praise.
"Haha, Chenxingzhe boy, you've made me see you in a new light! Well done! Fubosi didn't sire a coward after all!"
While keeping up his ranged attacks, Yawen laughed and openly praised Xiao'en's actions.
Fubosi Chenxingzhe, the younger brother of current Silvermoon Council member Aoxisi Chenxingzhe, was an elf of the older generation who had fought in the Troll Wars in his youth. Yawen had once fought alongside him as well.
Although the difference in their status had kept them from having much contact afterward, Yawen still remembered the young elven mage's courageous fighting. At last, he saw something of the father's former valor in Xiao'en.
Charlemagne was also rather surprised that this young master had made such a choice at a critical moment. But honestly, they owed a great deal to his surprise attack. Otherwise, the consequences of allowing the cavalry into their ranged troops would have been unthinkable.
"Well done! Leave the rest to us. Get some rest, and we'll have a drink when we're back and have some time."
Charlemagne patted Xiao'en's shoulder approvingly and invited him for a drink.
"Heh... a drink... it is. You think... I'm afraid of you?"
Unwilling to back down, Xiao'en accepted the challenge. The men of the Chenxingzhe family did not fear a drinking session. Besides, he had drunk plenty every day back in Silvermoon City.
"Ah! I'll kill you all!"
Nalorakk, who had placed high hopes on his raptor cavalry, watched his last riders die for nothing and finally threw his head back with a furious roar. Then he loudly ordered his troops to launch an all-out attack.
"Trolls! Take their heads! Tonight I'll eat them to vent my hatred!"
But a Witch Doctor beside Nalorakk, wearing an ugly voodoo mask, intervened against the order. He seemed to be quietly reminding Nalorakk of something, but in his fury, Nalorakk refused to listen and insisted on attacking.
"Heh... fool. Has anger gone to your head so badly that you can't see the situation? You haven't improved at all in all these years!"
Yawen looked disdainfully at Nalorakk in the distance and delivered his verdict.
Now that the frontal assault had failed, Lireesa's main force could be expected to arrive from the rear as reinforcements. If they did not retreat now, they really would be caught between attacks from front and rear, just as Sylvanas had originally planned.
Yet this brainless fool remained utterly intent on continuing his attack. He truly could not get himself killed fast enough.
Although the High Elves on Sylvanas's side were not in particularly good mental shape after going without rest all night and suffering a fright, holding these Trolls back briefly would not be a problem.
"Rangers, lay traps where you are, then fall back two hundred meters. Don't engage them in melee!"
After regaining the initiative on the battlefield, Sylvanas finally returned to being that confident, proud elven woman. She calmly ordered them to lay traps and retreat.
This was also a common ranger tactic. Over these thousands of years, apart from the Troll Wars, when humans had stood at the front as meat shields, the elves had mostly fought guerrilla battles against the Trolls in the forests, relying on the trees and various traps.
Or, to put it more plainly, kiting.
Because of the Trolls' numerical disadvantage, this tactic had always proved successful, giving many elves a mistaken impression.
"Our rangers and Arcanists can solve every problem!"
Blinded by rage, Nalorakk, along with Halazzi, who was eager to salvage his pride, completely ignored the warnings of their Witch Doctors and hexers and led the charge toward the elves.
"Traps are set! Fall back!"
At Charlemagne's command, the High Elves began retreating in an orderly fashion under the cover of the forest.
Once again held up by traps, Nalorakk and Halazzi were so furious that the flames of their anger almost threatened to set them alight.
Leading their personal guards, they recklessly used Heroic Leap to jump clear of the trapped area and launched a suicidal Charge at the main High Elf force.
(End of chapter)