Heart of the Castle

Chapter 855

The alarm bells hanging on the four clock towers surrounding the main castle of the Tarlon Fortress rang at the same time, symbolizing that the Tarlon Fortress was in the most critical state. The sound of the bell sounded like a sound, knocking panic into every fortress The heart of the defenders.

The bell also sounded into a warm room on the second floor of the main castle. Bishop Roander, who was inspecting the injuries of Head Layton of the Hammer of Judgment Knights, raised his head in surprise and cast his worried eyes out of the window.

"Alarm bells are ringing from all sides. This is a dangerous situation of the highest level. Could it be that the demon army has already broken through the outer wall defense line of Tarlon Fortress?" Bishop Roander murmured to himself a little uneasy.

"No, the fall of the first city wall is not enough to ring the alarm bells on the four clock towers at the same time." Leighton sat up with a frown, and even a slight movement of the injured leg caused his eyes to turn black with pain. "There are only two possibilities for this kind of thing to happen. First, the three outer city walls have all fallen...Of course this is impossible, otherwise we would have heard the sound of fighting here; It's something the senses can't handle alone, and it's definitely not a good thing."

Bishop Luande nodded in agreement with Chief Layton's analysis, but insisted that he stay in bed and leave the matter of guarding the fortress to his subordinates. "I've said it several times. You must rest. A severe sprained knee should not be underestimated. If you insist on rushing to the front line now, you won't be able to stand up on your own legs in the future." He was furious At the same time, he pressed his hands hard and pushed the head of the Hammer of Judgment Knights who wanted to get up back to the bed.

Jean Layton was obviously taken aback by this pessimistic forecast, "My Lord Flandra," he muttered weakly, "Brother Roander, but I have to go to an emergency military meeting, and I beg you Thanks to the divine technique, my knees are no longer painful."

"Divine spells can heal wounds and relieve pain, but they can't heal twisted and strained tendons, and it's even more difficult to get rid of subcutaneous congestion." Bishop Roande said to Jean Layton seriously, "I managed to massage your knees. The deformed muscles and blood vessels returned to their original positions, but they appeared swollen and fragile, barely able to bear the weight of your body, let alone the heavy armor and shield. Your right shoulder also suffered a heavy blow, which made your I can't even use half of my strength in my right hand."

Chief Layton closed his eyes in frustration. This was a rather weak expression, but when he raised his eyes again, his face had recovered the calmness and determination of a commander. "I am the Hammer of Judgment. I must appear among the warriors, Brother Roander, otherwise their will will be weakened and their faith will be shaken."

"Is that an exaggeration? Lord Layton, don't you think you are the mortal incarnation of our Lord Flandala?" Bishop Roander pouted half-jokingly.

"Believe me, I'm just that important." Chief Layton showed a reserved smile and stretched out his left hand at the same time, "This is really a damn pain, Brother Roander, please help me."

So Bishop Roander slumped his shoulders helplessly, "If my friends and brothers want to die, what can I do to stop them?" He lifted his body up, "I will accompany you to the battlefield, let Leighton, you have committed a lot of sins, because you let a clergyman who has prayed devoutly for eight years pick up the blood-stained warhammer again, and continue to smash Skulls for pleasure."

"Come on, I think you can blatantly break your oath, and you can't help showing a happy smile." Leighton patted the arm of his comrade who had fought side by side for more than ten years, "Come on, let's stand up." Lift up your chest and see what's going on outside, shall we?"

When he left the main castle of Tarlon Fortress, Commander Leighton had already overestimated the seriousness of the situation as much as possible. However, when he came to the second city wall, he was still speechless by the tragic scene in front of him. Come.

The corpses burned to death by the flames of the abyss filled the ramp from the first city wall to the second city wall, their scorched arms stretched out to the sky convulsively, and their empty black eye sockets stared at the top of the city accusingly. .The first wall is another ghastly vision of hell, blood dripping from the top like cheap dye, and the defenders who died there were bitten, torn and trampled by demons, barely visible A complete corpse.

The stench of death was everywhere, and many people sat on the ground with their backs against the battlements, their eyes glazed over, their faces expressionless, so that Leighton could hardly hear them talking to each other, and only the sound of sobbing lingered in his ears.

This is too bad.

Layton sighed silently. The morale of the defenders of Tarlon Fortress had dropped to a very dangerous level. Now what keeps them standing here is not courage and confidence, but the instinct to protect their homeland from the ravages of demons.However, this instinct is not something to be trusted. Once the fear of death gains the upper hand, no matter how elite troops are, they will collapse into sheep without discipline in an instant.

"I have to do something." Chief Layton told himself, "I have to call back the courage of the guards, and I have to give them something to divert their fear from."

"...This is what happened." The commander of the second city wall and the former commander of Tallon Fortress, Earl Carrivac, finished his narration, and then licked his chapped lips with his tongue, During the process of telling, he never dared to take a look in the direction of the first city wall, because he was very afraid that when he saw the remains of those who died tragically because of his order, he would not be able to help but be terrified. Can't even go on. "My lords, I think Tarlon Fortress can no longer hold on, and if we continue to stay here, we can only be wiped out by the demon army. We... why not retreat!"

What Earl Carrivac said was exactly what many people felt, but before the stern faces of the head of the Guardian Knights, those people found themselves unable to speak and could only respond in silence.

"I didn't hear clearly just now, Sir Earl Carrivac, can you please repeat it again?" After a full minute of silence, Chief Layton suddenly spoke, his tone tinged with a certain coldness.

"Of course... Your Excellency, Commander Layton, of course." Earl Carrivac wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, not even daring to show any dissatisfaction, "The situation is like this, this morning when……"

"I'm sorry, Lord Carrivack, but your voice is still too low." Chief Leighton interrupted loudly, "I want you to repeat it loudly in a voice that everyone can hear, you What is the reason for refusing to rescue our comrades-in-arms, leaving them desperate and helpless to be burned in the abyss under the city, and finally they all died there! Tell me, what is your reason?"

The muscles on Earl Carrivack's face suddenly stiffened. He did not expect that Chief Layton would attack him unceremoniously, let alone adopt such an irreversible method.Leighton's words not only shocked many knights attending the military meeting, but also spread in all directions, causing many soldiers who were immersed in fear and sorrow to raise their heads.

Countless gazes focused on Earl Carrivac, and the hatred and resentment contained in them were simply unbearable for the sword-wielding earl. Although most of these gazes came from ordinary soldiers, the huge number completely made up for the lack of quality, and with each As the whispering sound spread, more soldiers heard what happened here, and gathered together with gloomy faces.

Earl Carrivac couldn't help taking a step back, and he could even feel some invisible pressure on his body from those gazes. "Your Excellency, Commander Layton, forgive my offense, but your criticism of me was not fair. You may not be clear about the situation at that time. The first city wall fell too quickly, and the retreating troops have no discipline at all. ..."

"So that's why you closed the iron gates and threw the lives of thousands of your comrades to the demon army?" Commander Layton snapped in an aggressive tone while taking a step forward.

"But if the line of defense is shaken by putting in the defeated army, the second city wall will also fall!" Earl Carrivac retorted loudly and fiercely. He no longer dared to maintain a respectful attitude, because Mr. In the tone and expression of the captain, Earl Carrivac read an ominous breath. "Your Excellency, Commander-in-Chief, please allow me to remind you that in the marching ceremony, a defeated army can be executed immediately when it hits the defense line!"

"That's to make an example, not to kill them all." Chief Layton replied coldly, "Take a step back, Earl Carrivack, I dare to ask you, apart from ordering the iron gate to be lowered, What adjustments and arrangements have been made to the defense of the second city wall?"

Earl Carrivac's face became even paler, and his voice lowered all of a sudden, "Adjustment... and arrangement? No, why should I..."

"Have you forgotten? The defense line of the first city wall was breached by dozens of demon lords using teleportation magic, so how are you going to deal with it on the second city wall?"

Every time Captain Layton uttered a word, the expression on his face became more gloomy and stern. Those sky-blue eyes were burning with ice-cold flames, and Earl Carrivac couldn't help but look away, afraid To keep staring at each other like this would make him shudder and speechless.

"I... I don't know." Earl Carrivac's answer muttered, not only did he not know, but in fact even Chief Layton didn't know how to deal with the demon lord's surprise attack.Even the weakest demon lord has the same combat power as a human earl with a sword, and he also has a lot of powerful dark magic. For the Tarlon Fortress, which has a three-layer defense system composed of the outer city wall, the main castle and many towers, Saying that, the group raid of the demon lord is definitely a fatal blow.

"In that case, what you did has nothing to do with the marching drills." Of course, Chief Jean Layton would not give Earl Carrivack a chance to breathe or ask questions, and announced in a stern tone, "Earl Carrivack , in my capacity as the interim Supreme Commander of Tarlon Fortress, I announce that you will be deprived of your position as the commander of the second city wall, and the twelve elite teams under your command will be directly under the command of Deputy Commander Zabiro of the Steadfast Shield , the other teams are organized into the normal battle order. This order will take effect immediately upon announcement, Earl Carrivak, please make a handover with Deputy Commander Zabiro."

Earl Carrivack's lips moved, but he hesitated to speak.In the process of getting Chief Layton to announce his deprivation of his post, he cast a look of help to Grand Duke Zandora, his ally in his mind, more than once, but unfortunately the response he got was a helpless shrug and what seemed to be A gloating smile.

"Your Excellency, Commander-in-Chief, you deprive me of my position as a commander. I'm afraid it's against the rules, right?" Earl Carrivac decided to make a final fight for power. He tried his best to make his tone appear angry, and he also held his right hand around his waist. of the hilt. "You should at least inform His Majesty Pope Nicholas of your decision, and wait for His Majesty's divine judgment."

"Your Majesty Pope Nicholas has a lot of things to do every day, so you don't need to pay attention to such trivial matters." Chief Layton waved his hand indifferently, "Deputy Chief Zabiro, please immediately rearrange the arrangements as a commander. For the defense of the second city wall, I will send a team of Judgment Knights under your command. The military meeting is over, my lords, please go to your own affairs."

"Your Excellency, Grand Duke Zandora, you stay." Seeing everyone standing up one after another, Commander Layton suddenly said, and then continued to look behind the regent of the Kingdom of Deldes, and found the ordinary-looking guard knight , "Wanderer, you also stay together, I have something to discuss."

These words did not make Grand Duke Zandora look surprised.But when he saw that although the two deputy chiefs, Zabiro of the Shield of Fortitude and Zorax of the Holy Armor got up and left, there was still a high-ranking clergyman from the Temple of Radiance staying behind, Zandora The Grand Duke cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Master Layton, let's talk now...with this bishop?"

Even though the situation was urgent and his heart was anxious, Chief Layton still forced himself to smile, "Yes, with this bishop." He turned his head and extended his hand to the serious-faced Bishop Luander, "This is Bishop Roander, the previous deputy head of the Hammer of Judgment Knights, is also my most powerful assistant and friend."

Grand Duke Zandora nodded, with a clear expression on his face, "It turns out that this is the case, Your Excellency Commander Layton, it seems that you have already realized something, but with all due respect, you know what it means ?"

"Of course, I know." Chief Leighton replied dryly, "I don't care what happened to the high level of the temple, but in order to be able to defend the Tarlon Fortress, for the home of the devout believers of our Lord Flandara Not to be ravaged by demons, I must do this."

Bishop Roander frowned suspiciously, "Brother Layton, aren't you an idiot? The higher-ups of the temple... Is the behavior of the higher-ups of the temple something we should evaluate? His Majesty Pope Nicholas is not a magnanimous person." , especially in terms of educational affairs..." When he was halfway through his speech, he suddenly turned his gaze to Grand Duke Zandora. When will the regent be able to make the head of the Guardian Knights bow his head?"

Grand Duke Zandora took a step back with a smile, revealing the figure of the guarding knight standing behind him, "Of course the regent of the Kingdom of Deldes cannot make His Excellency the head of the regiment bow down, but if it is replaced by a For legendary powerhouses, it shouldn't be difficult to show some respect?"

Bishop Luander's face was stunned, and he looked at the guard knight with incredible eyes. That ordinary face had no momentum at all, making it difficult to confirm the identity of the legendary strong man, and the guard knight The aura that emerged was far from strong enough. Even though Bishop Roander instantly cast a divine spell with a sense of detection, he still didn't feel any aura of a legendary powerhouse on his body.

No matter how you look at it, that person is just a title knight, and he can barely grasp the level of Dou Qi Tianhua.

Unlike the suspicious-looking Bishop Roander, Chief Layton had already confirmed the identity of the guarding knight when the four abyss lords were killed in an instant. "Your Excellency Rist Robinson," he stood up slowly, and put his right fist in iron glove across his chest, "The head of the Knights of the Hammer of Judgment asked Layton to greet you, and please send the Kingdom of Arthur Greetings from His Excellency King Regent Leeviston. May the radiance of the golden sun accompany His Excellency until night falls."

The guard knight nodded his head lightly, so small that it was almost imperceptible. As he acknowledged his identity, a warm and pure light poured out from his armor, which seemed to melt in the blink of an eye. The ordinary armor flowed like pure silver, and countless exquisite and simple light runes were outlined on it.Then the blue cloak behind the guarding knight fluttered up, and illusory wings stretched out from his back, three on the left and right, each feather on the wings was composed of pure light, which belonged to the origin of the blazing angel The breath lingered in the hearts of everyone.

"I am Rist Robinson." A melodious and beautiful voice sounded from the hearts of Headmaster Jean Layton and Bishop Roander at the same time. Every word seemed to carry a holy breath, even better than what they had heard before. The personal teaching of His Holiness Pope Nicholas. "The gatekeeper of the Boundary of Light, and the personal attendant of His Excellency Leviston, the patron of the gods, a follower of Flandara, do you have anything to tell me?"

(End of this chapter)