Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 145 The Fall of the Alpha Wolf (Bonus Chapter for 550 Votes)
A large human army is stationed in the rolling hills.

After Raven led the main human army to reclaim a large area in the east, he chose to proceed cautiously and did not rush to attack the Fal Forest. Instead, he returned to the hilly area.

This unusual move infuriated members of Congress, who used the magic tower to express serious concern and demanded that the lost territory be reclaimed immediately.

With Raven in the field, he was not bound by military orders and continued to use the hilly area as his defensive line, steadily developing the territory near the front.

The kingdom was on the verge of collapse, and humanity desperately needed a victory as a beacon of hope. Raven was given a mission in this perilous situation, and even when facing the much stronger forces of Lloyd, he took the initiative and was highly praised.

However, he was not blinded by victory. From the perspective of the overall battlefield situation and national strength, the Isidore Empire still held a great advantage.

Lloyd, that old fox, suffered defeat after defeat, yet failed to send in any new reinforcements, which was quite strange.

To the east of the Far Forest, surrounded by mountains and backed by a large river, the area is rich in resources but lacks natural defenses, making it seem like a good opportunity for pursuit.

However, in this terrain, if the enemy fights with their backs to the wall, it can ignite the strongest fighting spirit in the bulwark legions. Once they pin down the kingdom's main force, the enemy can send a large number of reinforcements through the border cities, and the situation will be drastically reversed.

Lloyd can afford to lose again and again, but Raven can't afford to gamble.

Ultimately, it was the border city that changed hands, leaving the kingdom's lands defenseless, while the other side had both offensive and defensive capabilities, giving them a significant strategic advantage.

He was unsure of the situation between Lloyd and the Isidore Empire, but based on his years of military experience, he figured the other side was likely plotting something. It would be better to avoid them for now, secure the lands they had captured, and then make further plans.

"My lord, the Congress has issued the seventh magical decree, ordering you to coordinate with the various legions to advance eastward and reclaim the lost territory."

Raven frowned, but didn't dwell on it: "Report back to Congress that Lloyd has a conspiracy and has a large army lying in ambush. We must not advance rashly!"

"Then give this letter to the king. It contains detailed battle reports from the front lines. He will understand what I'm doing."

As the Grand Marshal of the Kingdom, Raven naturally enjoyed the King's deep trust. He also understood the complex power dynamics within Parliament, so when necessary, the King had to step in to deal with the nobles; otherwise, things would be really difficult.

After all, war requires money and manpower, and if Congress doesn't support it, the front lines simply can't hold on.

Raven paced around the tent a few times, then wrote another magical letter.

"Use a magical messenger to deliver this letter to Duke Salman, and instruct him to hold Norton Castle at all costs."

"In just one month, no, two weeks, I'll be able to find out Lloyd's true strength, and then I'll definitely have a countermeasure."

The urging from members of Congress also reflects the impatience of the forces behind them. While Lloyd's main army suffered repeated defeats, he launched even more ferocious attacks on both flanks, especially in the north and the valleys.

When the main force leaves the hills, the bastion troops use their high-speed mobility to attack these two locations and sow the seeds of the fire tree, gradually encroaching on the grassland area to form a special fire redwood forest.

【Firewood Forest (Special Terrain): Barrier races gain +2 movement speed in this area, and enemies are affected by fire elemental damage by 20% in this area】

This is the best battlefield for the mangrove warriors, which to some extent makes up for the weakness of the tree people's poor mobility.

However, altering the terrain would come at an extremely high cost. This month is a month of calamities, and the North is also experiencing heavy snowfall, making the situation extremely dire.

Isildur launched an attack on Nortonburg, a city bordering the hills and the North, and also used a wide-ranging terrain spell, most likely to lure Raven there.

He has already sent out scouts to investigate, but there has been no movement so far. Therefore, he cannot rashly mobilize troops and can only ask Duke Salman to hold out for a while.

Fortunately, the former power of the Wolf King of the North remained. With him leading the northern nobles and guarding the northern region, they could still resist even if the enemy increased their military strength.

Although his two sons were quite useless, old Salman was still trustworthy, even to the proud Raven.

"Old comrade, hang in there a little longer!"

……

In the snow-covered city of Norton, the walls are made of ice and enhanced with magic, which not only increases their toughness but also effectively blocks ranged attacks.

Below the city walls lay burning trees and countless dead dwarves. Isildur had been attacking for a long time, extending the fiery redwood forest to a nearby location, yet Salim remained steadfast, employing the exorcism effects of the Stormbreakers to wage magical warfare against the enemy. Numerous Northern nobles attacked with magic, retreating to the magic guild to meditate when their mana ran out. In this protracted battle, healing skills were unnecessary; they relied solely on direct magical damage.

Since it was a month of calamity, the battle was all about attrition. Old Salman clearly had the patience of a wolf king, showing no fear of the enemy's fierce offensive.

Isildur fought for so long, leaving only corpses scattered on the ground, without making any substantial progress.

Norton City always seemed to be on the verge of collapse, yet it always managed to hold out under difficult circumstances. It was clear that Old Salman deliberately created some openings to lure the enemy into committing a large number of troops.

Seeing that they could not break through, Isildur's heroes temporarily retreated to the Redwood Forest to await reinforcements, but at that moment a major event was taking place in the city.

At the Duke's mansion, Gabe Salliman and Marquis Philip of Rock waited anxiously in the courtyard when the gate was suddenly pushed open, and a priest emerged from inside, his face filled with sorrow.

"Lord Salman's old wounds have recurred, and coupled with the curse of the month of calamity, the treatment is not very effective. I'm afraid he won't live much longer."

I will use the power of light to barely sustain his life, so I can see him one last time!

Upon hearing the news, Gabe covered his head in disbelief and rushed inside.

An elderly man, gaunt and frail, lay in bed, clutching his chest and coughing incessantly, with blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

Just a day ago, Duke Salman was standing atop the city walls, cursing Isildur's bastards and directing several heroes in a war of attrition. It's truly astonishing how weak he's become now.

Salman knew his condition: "This is an old injury I accumulated when I was young. It would have been better if I hadn't used magic, but I couldn't resist. In addition, the effects of the Calamity Moon made the treatment less effective, and that's how it turned out."

Gabu collapsed to the bedside, weeping bitterly, "Father!"

Salman patted his son's head, but had no time to comfort him; he didn't have much time left and had to finish explaining what needed to be done.

"You are impetuous by nature, and Rhodes is indecisive. This would be fine in peacetime. But now that war is raging, the two of you must work together closely to protect the duchy."

You inherit Snowdrift City, and Rhodes inherits Winterfell City. Don't think about vying for power; focus on managing the Northern Territory well. If the kingdom's situation worsens, you can feign cooperation with the Arcane Empire, but don't completely trust them.

Salman paused for a long time after taking a deep breath before taking out three items and handing them to his son.

【Frozen Heart (Tier 3 Treasure): Immune to level 1-4 water elemental magic damage and increases resistance by 50%. When a hero receives fatal damage, the hero is forcibly frozen, preserving their life.

Evaluation: The Frozen Heart, formed from a massive amount of water element, is rumored to be a component of a powerful magical artifact.

[Key to the Principality: Possessing the key to the principality's treasury allows access to its resources and treasures.]

[Beacon Tower]

"The Frozen Heart is a heirloom of the Salman family. Don't underestimate it just because it's only a level 3 treasure. When used in conjunction with the Floodwave Swordsman, it can achieve its maximum effect."

As for this beacon tower, if the family is in an extremely dangerous situation, it can be lit to obtain support from allies.

But remember, never trust the other person!

If the family possesses such a treasure, why doesn't Salman use it? Perhaps the situation hasn't reached its most dangerous point yet.

Gabe took over his father's legacy, but felt his hands gradually getting colder.

"I don't expect you to be outstanding, I just hope you two can stay safe!"

Salman's hand slowly fell to his sides, and the wolf king of his generation perished.

The letter from the Marshal of the Magic Guild had just arrived.

(End of this chapter)