The sky is getting brighter, and even in the deep canyon, the first rays of sunlight in the morning are finally ushered in.
The mist that is common in the mountains has long since dissipated, and as far as the eye can see, the mountains, forests, city walls, and towers in the distance can be seen.
Just in front of the watchtower in the middle of the Valley of the Hearth, a makeshift defensive line blocked the entire canyon.
Several siege ladders and carts that had not yet been fully built were laid across the middle of the road, and in front of them were dense thick wooden piles buried diagonally in the earth.
These pointed stakes were very crudely made, many of them had their branches and leaves peeled off, some of them still had pale brown bark, and only the newly cut white stubble was revealed at the top, and some even buried half of the tree directly in the soil, and then all the branches were sharpened, and they looked like a huge antler with a fork, but there was no doubt that if anyone dared to hit it, these sharp logs would teach him a bitter lesson.
"Forgive me for my sins, Holy Light, for swinging my warhammer at my fellow humans, but I firmly believe that I have made the right choice, and that I am fighting to bring hope to the Valley of the Hearth......"
Standing behind the thick stakes, Tyran prayed reverently, having been in a state of unease since learning of Banazal's horrific plot, not out of fear of the Dreadlord but out of guilt that he was about to kill his fellow humans.
"Maybe we don't have to fight the entire Scarlet Crusaders, we only need to deal with Ethanlion's Fanatic Legion, and as for the Iron Wall Legion, Tirio can solve it alone."
Diego explained.
"I still can't believe that Dasohan is possessed by the Dreadlord, it's like a nightmare, and I haven't woken up yet."
Tyran said sadly, shaking his head and sighing.
"It's not your fault, when you joined the Scarlet Crusade, Da Sohan was not yet possessed, the most important thing we should do now is to cheer up and thwart Banazar's plot, instead of hanging down here and feeling sorry for ourselves!"
Tirio, who was standing beside him, said sternly, in his eyes, Tyran was more like a child who had not yet grown up, although there was no lack of good qualities such as bravery, courage, kindness and generosity, but as a commander, he was still too easily swayed by his own emotions.
Thinking of this, he glanced at Diego standing next to Tyran, a passionate adventurer with a nimble but determined mind, a measured and courageous advance, and it would be great if he could help his slightly weak brother manage the land.
"Maybe the Archon of the Valley of the Hearth is also a good position, and it suits him well!"
He thought to himself.
Just as Tirio was thinking, a ranger in chain mail appeared on the valley road in the distance.
He rode a Highland horse from the Hills Bled Hills and looked sharply over the place.
However, the soldiers waiting by the watchtower were obviously not his expectation, and he looked at them with some surprise for a moment, and then turned his horse's head and ran back and forth.
"Don't shoot!"
Tirio pressed down Diego's muzzle and said lightly.
He needed to talk to Ethan Lien first, and he didn't want to go straight to the fight.
For him, there are still some things that need to be verified.
"Then I'll go to the top of the watchtower."
Diego nodded, flicked his gun behind his back, and turned to run to the watchtower next to him, he needed a good shooting position.
The Scarlet Crusaders arrived quickly, and just as Diego had climbed the watchtower and had just taken refuge behind the battlements at the top of the tower, a group of Rangers appeared at the end of the road.
It was Esenlian's fanatic legion that came, and the flaming heart on the banner indicated their identity.
Compared to a mixed class like the Zeatic Legion, the Ironwall's all-plate hoplite legion is slower than a tortoise shell, and they may not have left the city gates yet.
However, although the Rangers came quickly, they did not dare to rush forward when they saw the hedgehog-like spikes of the line.
They stopped a stone's throw away.
No one came up to speak, and no one from Tirio's side stepped out of the array, and there was silence until the rumbling of horses' hooves rang out from afar.
Appearing in front of them was a group of richly armored heavy cavalry, this was Ethanlion's guard, their horses were majestic and brightly armoured, but Tirio could not see any signs of battlefield combat in them.
"It's a bunch of rookies!"
He came to this conclusion in his heart.
He bet Ethan Lion didn't know this, and that this unmilitary but self-righteous priest could only judge the combat effectiveness of an army from its appearance.
"Ethan Lien, come out and face me!
Tirio?
Fording asks to talk to you!
Tirio stepped forward, stepped over to the rushing car, and shouted at the Scarlet Crusaders.
His voice was as powerful as that of a lion, and almost all the Crusaders heard his cries.
"It's Tirio?
Fordin!
The Crusader soldiers were stunned, even though Tirio had been away from Hearthvale for many years, his story was still widely known here, whether it was his heroic performance in the Second Orc War, or his later exile for treason, his name was thunderous to everyone.
Now, the former lord of Hearthvale is back!
There was a commotion in the crowd, and after a few moments Esenlion's henchmen parted to the sides, and a group of infantry with heavy shields came out from behind.
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They were lined up in twos and four, and on either side were guarded by two rows of shield guards, and from a distance, they looked like oversized iron-shelled crabs.
Looking at the scene in front of him, Tirio was not only dumbfounded.
It wasn't until the group reached the middle of the clearing between the two sides that he remembered that he should say something.
"Hey, Ethan Lane, when did you become so cowardly?"
He couldn't help but scoff.
"No, Tirio, you can't be too cautious to guard against your mighty marksman!"
In the crowd, Ethan Lien said loudly.
He had seen the shield defenders killed by Diego before, and the horrible wounds on their bodies were terrifying, and he didn't want to be killed by a sudden bullet.
Highly regarded by the Great Crusader Dassohan, he felt that he had a great future, and he did not want to die worthless in this ravine.
The future Archbishop of the diocese of Stratholme was the most suitable position for him.
"Well, old friend, I just want to know, why do you want to kill my son?
Wasn't he loyal enough to the Scarlet Crusaders?
He's already contributed his territory, can you ask him to do more?
Tirio didn't talk to him anymore and asked straight to the point.
"This is Da Sohan's order, he must die!"
Ethan Lion replied coldly.
"Why?"
"Because Stratholme needs support, if he doesn't die, many diehards will be reluctant to leave this hellish place, in fact, not only the Hand of Tyre in the east and the Scarlet Abbey in the west will have to be transferred over, we have captured Stratholme's city gates, King's Square, the market area, the Crusader Square, as well as the supply depot and archives, it's time to launch a general attack and take Stratholme back from the Scourge Legion!"
Ethan Lion said feverishly that he had lost his judgment in the rosy prospects that Dathohhan had described for him.
He was not afraid that these words would be spread, because sooner or later the plan would become known, and in fact, in the hands of Tyre in the east, the movement of troops had already begun.
"But what about the civilians of Hearthvale?
What happens to civilians if the army is transferred?
The Scourge of Andohar could attack at any moment, and without the protection of the army, the Valley of the Hearth is a piece of fat to be slaughtered!
Tirio shouted angrily.
"What are civilians?
They can't fight against the Scourge, the Scarlet Crusaders need valiant warriors, not these useless burdens, not to mention, the sacrifices are worth it in order to defeat the Scourge!
Ethanlian said confidently, "If we take Stratholme, we will be able to restore the glory of Lordaeron, Tirio, join us in our great cause, and I can intercede with Dassaulthan and ask him to pardon Tyran!"
” "Oh my God, is he crazy?"
Tirio listened dumbfounded as Ethan Lion laughed hysterically behind the shield, and he now believed Diego even more.
Not only would this madman die himself, but he would also drag the whole of the Valley of the Hearth to bury him.
He turned and nodded in the direction of the watchtower.