Allen and Count Cobry initiated their charge simultaneously, their mounted forces tearing across the field toward one another.
Golden light erupted from Allen's blade, radiating the force of a Three-Star Gold rank. Seraphine divided her magic to bolster Allen, Elrod, and Hilter, causing Elrod's extended claw and Hilter's blade to shimmer with golden energy.
Behind Allen, Josk rode with a golden light surging from the tip of his lance. Fredrick and the remaining knights followed, silver light gleaming from their pikes, lances, and swords.
Seeing four golden lights in the enemy ranks, Cobry faltered. Fear gripped him, but he forced his own glowing blade toward Allen.
The two lines slammed together.
Cobry thrust his golden sword toward Allen's left arm, intending to sever the limb before finishing him. Allen flicked his longsword upward, knocking Cobry's weapon out of trajectory. Grabbing a pike stashed near his saddle, Allen swiped across Cobry's upper torso, unseating him. Before Cobry hit the ground, a second strike sent him flying ten meters into his own frantic men.
Cobry crashed into the dirt, screaming and squirming with two deep puncture wounds in his shoulders, completely incapacitated.
Allen turned back into the fray, thrusting and slashing with precision. Within minutes, dozens of enemy cavalrymen fell to his blade. Allen, Elrod, and Hilter charged back and forth through the battlefield three times. By the third pass, not a single enemy rider remained mounted.
Only 10 of Allen's 26 frontline knights remained on their horses.
Fredrick signaled the Iron-ranked knights waiting in the distance to assist the dismounted men. The surviving enemy soldiers were given swift, merciful strikes to end their suffering.
Fredrick walked over, a bandage wrapped around his left arm. "Eight of our men are heavily injured, my Lord. Fourteen others sustained light injuries, including myself. Our heavy armor saved most of us."
Every enemy rider had perished, including Cobry's six Silver-ranked illegitimate sons. His remaining Gold-ranked son fought Josk to the death before collapsing. The only survivor on the battlefield was Count Cobry, groaning in the dirt.
Allen looked down at the bleeding Count. "Have a cross constructed. I want him nailed to death on top of it."
They pinned Count Cobry to the cross outside the city. He lingered for half a day, his wails echoing across the field before he died. Before breathing his last, he witnessed the beheading of his illegitimate son, the one struck by three arrows at the gate, who died without pain while still unconscious.
Allen ordered the heads of all Cobry's fallen sons stacked in front of the cross. He then commissioned an artisan to carve a stone tablet detailing Cobry's crimes, his blood-soaked past as Redbeard the bandit, and how his exposed identity led to his downfall.
In time, the monument would cement the collapse of Count Cobry and his bloodline into a legend across the Aryana continent.
After resting for the night, Josk and Chino Freiyar took command of two newly formed garrison companies composed of men from the laborer camp. They rode toward the Motz Hills to eliminate Cobry's remaining troops: one Gold rank, three Silver ranks, and two unawakened sons.
Chino was eager for battle, and Josk refused to let anyone escape. Allen approved the action, though he knew the enemy garrison had only three days of supplies left and would break without intervention. Josk and Chino were simply accelerating their end.
Three days later, Chino and Josk returned to Geldos City. Josk dropped six severed heads at the base of the cross before approaching Allen.
"The Motz Hills are cleared, my Lord," Josk reported. "The moment the enemy spotted us blocking the road, their farmers broke down in panic. They ran wildly through the camp, ruining their own formations."
"Did Stroud and Jasoer breach them?" Allen asked.
"Yes. Stroud and Jasoer led two heavy-armored cavalry companies straight through the camp and cut them down," Josk said. "Their Gold-ranked son fell to Chino. The remaining sons tried to flee into the treeline, but I sniped them one by one with my bow. Every illegitimate son is now accounted for at the stone tablet."
Hilter stepped forward to deliver his report.
"My Lord, Eman will arrive tomorrow afternoon accompanied by Bale." Hilter said. "He had to slow his pace to escort the prisoners who surrendered during the battle."
"Good. Bale and his speamen company are enough to make sure nothing goes wrong," Allen replied. "What is the timeline for the main convoy?"
"The family convoy will begin its three-day march to Geldos City starting tomorrow," Hilter answered. He paused, looking at Allen. "What are your instructions regarding Burdock Bastide after the convoy departs?"
Allen replied, "Hand it to Mister Tim then. For the past few days, I've been thinking about the preparations we need to make before the convoy leaves this place and already have a general idea on how to go about it. You're here just in time to discuss the finer details with me."
What Allen lacked right now was time. When the convoy first left Port Talbot, they faced a journey of 2,500 kilometers to reach the Northlands. Their original plan was to travel roughly 1,000 kilometers through the Redlis Kingdom to reach the border of the Leslie Kingdom.
However, that schedule fell apart when Count Cobry's rebel-sweeping forces attacked, forcing Allen to retaliate and destroy the count's house. It was already the 23rd day of the first month, yet the convoy had only covered a little over 300 kilometers.
Taking control of Geldos City put the vast riches and stockpiled supplies the count had seized from defeated nobles into Allen's hands. Managing and sorting this overflowing inventory meant the convoy's departure would be delayed once again.
Because of this, Allen decided to alter his plans. At the end of the month, he would ride ahead to the Northlands with only a small group, leaving the main convoy behind to follow later.
Troubles were multiplying in the family dominion, and he refused to let the region fall into total desolation before he arrived.
He appointed Hilter, Stroud, and Jasper to take full command of the convoy during his absence.
Before he could leave with peace of mind, several critical matters required his personal attention.
First, he instructed Stroud to lead a heavy-armored cavalry company to Williamiles Castle to hold it in place of the count's former garrison.
Next, he had Arman dispatch envoys to the allied noble armies to announce Count Cobry's death and invite their representatives to Geldos City to open trade negotiations.
When the reorganized garrison troops returned to Geldos City, Allen delivered a ruthless order.
He allowed the soldiers who had surrendered to relocate their families to a designated street within the city. However, the families of the soldiers who had resisted and died in battle were rounded up and imprisoned in the slave laborer camp.