Since departing from the Sibiak residence, Soim Hao had been serving as a one-man rear guard.
Now, he was watching for any enemies who might’ve been approaching from behind while keeping the force he intended to protect just barely within his sight. If enemies appeared at the main force’s rear, he’d be well positioned to execute a pincer attack.
It seemed obstacles had been set up along the royal capital’s southern edge, but the main forces broke through with ease. As Soim waited, the barricade in their path was removed in no time at all, allowing the carriages to continue on. They’d stopped for less than ten minutes.
Soim spurred his bird onward, following after them.
The corpses of a few dozen soldiers were strewn on the ground beyond the scattered logs of the barricade, staining the road’s stone cobbles crimson with blood. Some of the bodies had been crushed when they’d been trampled underfoot or run over by carriage wheels. To Soim, this was the nostalgic flooring of the battlefield.
Live wood must’ve been thrown onto the bonfires because they made constant crackling and popping noises as they burned. Amid the sparks, dark smoke rose into the air along with the scent of blood. These were the familiar smells of the battlefield.
Soim could almost feel the presence of souls recently separated from their bodies still lingering here in the air. This wasn’t an old battlefield; it was still fresh. He felt he’d finally returned to his rightful place.
Beyond the royal capital, the road ran straight. He no longer needed to keep the main force within sight.
The way before him was dark, lit by nothing but the moonlight. He’d traveled this road many times, but today it was a shining path that led to glory.
Soim slowed his plainrunner to a walk as he followed the road. His pace was equivalent to a human walking at a brisk pace, which was as slow as a bird would go.
An hour after he’d left the royal capital, he caught the sound of a flock of birds approaching from behind. A good distance away, individual torches came into view on the stone road.
Soim felt his blood quicken, but he quickly suppressed the feeling, as if dousing his own heart in cold water. Too much excitement would render his techniques imperfect. Experience had taught him this all too well.
Soim stopped his bird and found a rock the size of his fist lying by the road.
“Hah!” With a short cry, he turned his plainrunner toward the pursuers.
Soim accelerated, and by the time he was moving at a gallop, the distance between him and the enemy was rapidly closing. He chose that moment to throw the rock. The moonlight barely penetrated the tall trees on either side of the road, creating something close to pure blackness. For someone whose eyes were used to the light of a torch, it would be as though the rock had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
The rock hit the leading knight directly on his head, sending him tumbling backward off his plainrunner. He must’ve kept a tight grip on the reins attached to his bird’s beak, because the bird came to a sudden stop as its rider fell. As the birds behind struggled to avoid their leader, five or six of them lost their riders as well.
The mysterious case of riders falling from their birds caused someone to yell out, “Halt!”
This was the outcome Soim had been hoping for. Even his skill with the spear wasn’t enough to take on a flock of birds while they had momentum.
He wordlessly charged into the group, whipped his weapon around, and slashed the necks of the closest soldiers. His spearhead cut through the throats and arteries of several men.