Warhammer Divine Throne

Dozens of Blood Knights stood behind the Blood Red Duke, poised as the key to the fate of the battle. The Blood Red Duke wisely did not act rashly; he was waiting for reinforcements.

The Blood Knight Merovin was leading hundreds of Undead Knights to join. Merovin was once a Duke of Musillon, who later fell into undeath and was defeated and cursed by the Lake God Witch of that generation.

The tale of this former duke’s downfall and the dreadful stories he caused is a long one. Like the Blood Red Duke, he harbors a deep vendetta against the Knight Kingdom, having personally slain the Knight King but ultimately lost to the Holy Grail Knight Order led by the Lake God Witch.

Now, with Mogiana seriously wounded, Merovin was finally able to see the light of day again. Revived, he became yet another Blood Knight.

”We must, take Turis, must, kill all the living, kill them all, kill them all!” The Blood Red Duke was left with only fury, but that did not mean he was abandoning reason. After two or three hours of continuous attacks, suffering losses and achieving nothing, he still ordered a retreat.

The defenders once again fiercely repelled the enemy attack.

Bodric stood atop the castle, the stench of undead and the briny night wind assaulting his senses. The Duke was clad in blue-and-yellow sea god mithril chain armor, bearing the family crest symbolizing the Sea God Trident. Seeing the tide of corpses recede, he immediately commanded, ”Check the losses immediately. I need to know today’s casualties.”

”Yes!” A Sea God Knight immediately took the order and left.

Twenty minutes later, in the inner castle of Turis, inside a cold tower, Bodric sat behind a table, eyes red.

Sir Houlf, the deputy leader of the Sea God Knight Order, came in: ”My Duke, today we lost nineteen knights and about three hundred peasant soldiers, thirty-five sergeants.”

The room was quiet, and the Duke of Boldro wasn’t in the mood to review the damages. He gestured for Houlf to sit: ”My deputy, how long do you think we can hold out?”

”Perhaps... a month?” Sir Houlf sat with a bitter smile, dressed in armor of enamel and turquoise, adorned with many shell ornaments symbolizing the glory won for the Sea God: ”But we will continue to fight, my Duke.”

In fact, the Sea God Knights of Boldro were not inferior to the Kingdom Knights of Brittania and might even surpass them. They were as steadfast as the great sea, capable of crushing any enemy like an ocean storm.

”Heh, hehe...” Bodric sneered a few times. He took out several letters or orders: ”Our Majesty constantly emphasizes to hold out for reinforcements, but where are those damn reinforcements? My scouts report, Kulona shows no! Signs! Of army assembly, instead, my new friend Laine is trying to concentrate the troops, and my old friend Francois is coming to support me!”

”Winford’s reinforcements are en route, expected to arrive by noon the day after tomorrow.” Sir Houlf presented a scout’s report: ”But there’s bad news; the Undead certainly know our reinforcements are on the way as well.”

”Be prepared, tomorrow night we will face an unprecedented assault.” Bodric said in a low voice, and Houlf nodded, hesitating before speaking: ”My Duke, should you temporarily avoid the battlefield? Tomorrow night’s offensive might be exceptionally fierce...”

”Where can I flee to? Bodlukes? Kulona?” Bodric said expressionlessly.

”...Marinburg? My Duke, you cannot be afforded the loss; you are Boldro. The bloodline of the Sea God cannot end here.” Houlf’s voice echoed in the room.

”When I’m dead, there’s still my son, Fidmund. I’m advanced in years, and death is not a curse to me,” Bodric stood up, the Duke not uttering a smile: ”Is this my destiny? Don’t you know I’m very angry right now? Our King hasn’t supported me, and I’m burning with anger.”

”I’m very sorry, my Duke.” Houlf promptly said.

”I will not run, I will not yield.” Bodric stood, looking at the vampire army far beyond the castle, shouted: ”It’s time to draw our swords!”

The endless waves of anger engulfed the room, and Houlf immediately knelt: ”My Duke! Sea God Knights will always be with you!”

”Descendants of the Sea God, never fear any enemy!!!”

The next night, the Duke himself appeared at the forefront of the battlefield. He wielded the golden Sea God Trident, skewering a rushing Desolate Tomb Guard: ”For Manannan, for Boldro!”

”For the Lady!” The Duke himself appearing at the frontline inspired the peasants’ endless courage. The peasants roared loudly, unleashing complete bravery, bravely fighting, wielding long spears to pierce through the swarming enemies.

Clad in the Sea God Trident Cloak, the Sea God Knights also sprang into action, wielding shields and scimitars, mercilessly cutting every Undead that tried to mount the walls into two, the Desolate Tomb Guards suffered heavy losses.

Beneath the walls of Turis Castle, under the pale moonlight, the entire castle was engulfed in rolling smoke, the walls on three sides plunged into a brutal war. It seemed the Blood Red Duke, aware of the incoming reinforcements, pressed all his forces excluding the Blood Knights, and sent a host of Bloodthirsty Celestial Ghosts and Bloodthirsty Bat Wolves.

”Celestial Ghosts! Take cover!” Groups of Celestial Ghosts flapped their colossal wings appearing, sweeping across the sky, rushing directly toward the troops fiercely battling atop the walls.

”Release the arrows!” A sergeant shouted, and the peasant archers desperately aimed their arrows at the Bloodthirsty Celestial Ghosts.

The Bloodthirsty Celestial Ghosts flapped their wings, knocking down these fragile arrows. The rain of arrows from the peasant archers was insufficiently lethal; they howled as they skimmed over the towers, grabbing a group of peasant archers only to throw them down from the sky directly.

”Ahhhh!” Terrible screams resonated from the sky.

”Something’s climbing up!” The Sea God Knights and a mass of Desolate Tomb Guards were locked in fierce combat. Deputy General Orf suddenly shouted: ”Duke, be careful!”

Bodric continuously slashed several Desolate Tomb Guards and zombies that attacked the ramparts. He raised the Sea God Trident, intending to unleash Manannan’s Fury, when he heard the knights’ cries. The Duke momentarily froze, immediately abandoning the attack, shifting to defense, swarms of Celestial Ghosts diving down towards the Duke himself. Bodric raised his shield to block, and the colossal Celestial Ghost continuously pounded against Bodric’s shield, knocking him down onto the ramparts from the tremendous force.

”Sir Bodric!!” The Sea God Knights struggled to support their Duke, but more Desolate Tomb Guards overwhelmed them.

”It’s a Fear Beast!” A peasant shouted loudly.

In the distance within sight, a massive Giant Beast flapped its wings appearing in the night, resembling an immensely magnified bat, its skeletal face burning with eerie green ghostly flames, its body of several meters long writhing in a frenzy.

As Bodric was about to rise, several Celestial Ghosts spread their gaping maws, baring their sharp fangs, relentlessly trying to attack the Duke himself. Several Sea God Knights, with shields and long Spears, stepped forward, engaging the Celestial Ghosts. Bodric glanced over to find the Sea God Trident lying not far away. The Duke himself immediately rolled over to it and grabbed the Sea God Trident.

Bodric manipulated the seawater, a massive claw swept down from the sky, striking the ground where the Duke himself stood. Bodric let out a pained cry, knocked to the ground, shield and trident flying away.

It was the Giant Beast! It had landed! With wings ablaze, looming menacingly in the night sky, it roared toward the Duke, who lay on the ground, hands and feet squirming, trying to move backward, but there was only the battlement behind him, no place left to retreat!

”Duke!!!” The Sea God Knights shouted, witnessing Bodric in peril, eyes wide with fury, yet even the closest knights couldn’t reach the Duke, as they were bogged down by the fight with the Desolate Tomb Guards and the Celestial Ghosts swooping down to intercept.

Bodric’s eyes were filled with endless hatred. He attempted to draw his sword, swearing to perish together with the Giant Fear Beast.

At that moment, near the wall, a green light flashed, a fully green-clad knight swept out from it with the swiftness of the wind, wielding a green longsword that flickered with sparks.

In the blink of an eye, the Giant Fear Beast was slashed, its massive form cleaved in two.

”It is the Celestial Ghost! Beware!” shouted the sergeant as the peasants desperately aimed their arrows at the Bloodthirsty Celestial Ghosts.

The Bloodthirsty Celestial Ghosts flapped their wings to swat away the fragile arrows. The rain of arrows from the Peasant Archers lacked lethal force; they howled through the towers, seizing several Peasant Archers and hurling them down to the ground below.

”Ahhhh!” The screams of horror echoed in the night.

The Sea God Knights, engaged in a fierce battle against the swarm of Desolate Tomb Guards, formed a defensive wall. Deputy General Orf suddenly shouted, ”Duke, something’s climbing up!”

Bodric, who had been cutting down several Desolate Tomb Guards and zombies swarming the ramparts, raising the Sea God Trident to unleash Manannan’s Fury, was warned just in time. He raised his shield against the Celestial Ghosts attempting to attack him but was knocked down by an enormous Celestial Ghost. Struck by powerful blows, Bodric fell to the ground, his shield and trident sent flying.

”My Lord Bodric!” The Sea God Knights endeavored to support their Duke, but more Desolate Tomb Guards and Celestial Ghosts intercepted them.

”It’s a Fear Beast!” cried out one of the peasants.

In the distance, looming ominously above, a massive creature with winged shadows and flickering emerald flames in its bony visage appeared, roaring and swooping down toward Bodric.

Falling on his back, the Duke writhed, attempting to retreat, but found the castle wall behind him and no further retreat. ”Duke!!” The Sea God Knights shouted, eyes burning with urgency, desperate to reach their Duke.

Fury and hatred filled Bodric’s heart as he attempted to draw his sword, intent on perishing alongside the Giant Fear Beast.

A sudden green light flared as a fully green knight materialized near the walls and dashed past with the swiftness of wind, a green longsword flashing with sparks in hand.

In an instant, the Fear Beast was cut in two, its form falling apart amidst fierce roars.

”The Celestial Ghosts are attacking! Watch out!” the sergeant yelled as peasant archers frantically shot arrows.

”Forward!!!”