Way of Overlord
Chapter 167: The Siege

Chapter 167: The Siege

The scene is set, with Aeryon, Mayeux, Belarion, and Durka, along with their formidable cavalry force, positioned just outside the city walls.

The atmosphere is charged with anticipation and determination. The city of Nurshira on the other hand, is tense and bracing for the impending clash.

Aeryon stands at the forefront, looking at the city walls.

His gaze is focused, his mind calculating the next moves in this battle.

Mayeux, his trusted advisor, sits on horseback to his left.

Belarion his sworn brother, exudes eagerness for battle. His desire to test his strength against the city’s defenders is palpable, his confidence unwavering.

Durka, the chief of the Duhai tribe, stands as a loyal vassal to Aeryon and positioned himself behind Aeryon

His tribe allegiance adds to the formidable force that Aeryon is now commanding

And behind them, a sea of ten thousand warriors on horseback awaits orders.

Aeryon look behind him and nodded

"these men are my foundation. This is a battle I must win" he thought to himself. Those who survive today is like an iron forged in fire

A baptism of war like never before would create an elite warrior.

After all nothing beats the real experience. Most of the warriors that Aeryon have is not that strong.

For example, Aeryon took down the tribes because of the size of his army. Before fighting, the morale of the enemy is already low, so most of the warriors that follow Aeryon as he expand westward did not experience body gruelling battle.

Mayeux and Belarion on the other hand did experience great battle and lost people but what they in exchange is warriors that have stared death in front of their eyes and survive to tell the stories.

This battle would separate the strong from the weak. Those who survive is strong and those who die are weak.

Elites soldiers in this era could only be forged like this. Aeryon did not yet have the time to create reforms or new training method.

For that he needed time and more influence. For now, this is the fastest and efficient way at hand.

"Hahaha!"

Aeryon laughter echoed around him, making Belarion look at him

"Brother, are you alright?"

Aeryon just shakes his head

"It’s nothing" Mayeux on the other hand could understand why Aeryon is laughing like this., He could tell when Aeryon look at the soldier, there is this kind of fire burning in his eyes.

Mayeux alos look at the soldier and his heart swell.

Aeryon wanted to conquer the world and Mayexu wanted to show his talkent and carve his name in history.

It is like the meeting of two forces that complement each other.

Mayeux still remember that it is this young chief that made Mayeux no longer wanting to leave the Steppe.

He thought he would go to Roma or travel the world and find a way to apply the teachings he had learned but now meeting someone like Aeryon and seeing what he is doing and what he is planning on doing, he now have found his platfrom

From a small tribe of only around a hundred men now in just a few months, Aeryon have an army of ten thousand men.

Not to mention the other forces that he could now command

The influence of the Broldgahdr tribe.

Like a rising fire from the fabled Mount Sutur.

Aeryon laughed, feeling this feeling like he is the master of his destiny and the commander of fate itself.

As he surveyed the city, he knew that the victory he sought would not only bring tangible gains but also serve as a powerful lesson.

"Now, only one more move is needed" he thought to himself.

He knows as long as he completes this battle, win the city, in the future, the tribes of the Southern Great Steppe would ravage the northern countryside of Yan

This battle is a crucible for the warriors of his tribe, a training ground to sharpen their skills and test their mettle against the Yan Empire formidable forces.

Most of his men are people who he had absorbed from other tribes and their battle senses and ability has not yet been truly tested.

Today, is the day they would gain experience. Either that or they would die in this land

Aeryon is aware that the myth of Yan invincibility has to be shattered, and today was a step in that direction.

The fire of ambition burned within him

By demonstrating their strength and resilience, Aeryon aimed to instil a new sense of pride and unity in the hearts of his warriors.

But it wasn’t just about the immediate victory.

Aeryon has always created plans with many layers of benefit.

He wanted this battle to prepare his people for a future where the Yan Empire might turn its ambitions northward, seeking to conquer the Steppe.

By facing the Yan army head-on now, they would be better prepared to defend their homeland in the future.

"Yan people will know the wrath of the grassland people who they called barbarians. Today, that same barbarians is at the wall."

The city is now encircled, with four chiefs of the Great Steppe leading their warriors to surround it from all sides.

Each chief had their own strategy and tactics to breach the city defense.

Aeryon, the mastermind behind this operation, had chosen to attack the north wall.

On the southern front, Dama, the leader of the Brolgadhr tribe, led his forces. He had his own unique approach to breaching the city’s defense, one that suited the terrain and conditions he faced.

To the east, Karnain, chief of the Sordkazan tribe, prepared his warriors for an assault on the city eastern wall. He was an old but wise leader, with years of experience on the battlefield.

Valgrun, the chief of the Khagai tribe, is responsible for the western wall.

He brought his own set of tactics and skills to the battle,

These four chiefs, along with Aeryon, formed a formidable force that encircled the city

"The siege weapons is ready, Chief"

"Go" Aeryon said and Mayeux rides away with his men.

Belarion still stay beside him.

Aeryon had created a few strategies to deal with the city wall of Nurshira.

Of course, he discuss it with Mayeux first and after polishing his strategy, today is the day that he will use all of his strategy.

Today, the city gate would be opened.

The Marynku people did not know how to build siege engines. But Aeryon do. And as long as you give them direction, the common people could build it.

Not to mention Mayeux also has some knowledge about siege weapons as Roma uses it many times in their conquest

His siege engines, including trebuchets, catapults, and battering rams, is poised for action.

Each of these machines had a specific purpose: to weaken the city walls and create breaches that would allow Aeryon forces to infiltrate Nurshira.

Before the city, a substantial earthen mound provided essential cover for Aeryon advancing forces.

This mound shielded them from the vigilant gaze of the city’s archers and defenders on the walls.

Attempts by the city’s defenders to sally out and disrupt the mound’s construction were met with fierce resistance led by Mayeux and Belarion, ensuring its completion.

Sturdy wooden stairs had been erected, facilitating the movement of Aeryon warriors up the mound and toward the walls.

Though the battle had raged for several days, the city’s walls had shown signs of disrepair, giving Aeryon an advantage he intended to exploit.

Aeryon believed if he attacked the capital of Yan with his half assed siege weapons, it would take years.

The siege machines are set up in strategic position, aimed at the weakest point of the wall.

Aeryon did not have engineer so sometimes he would ride his horses to check the siege weapons to make sure they are calibrated correctly

He himself has only superficial knowledge of creating a siege weapon. Most of it is Mayeux that perfected it.

Aeryon watched and then shouted

"Attack!"

His siege engines launched a relentless barrage of projectiles, sending stones, fiery incendiaries, and massive wooden logs hurtling toward the city walls.

The impact created chaos and panic among the defenders, who scrambled to maintain their positions amidst the thunderous onslaught.

Arrows and bolts rained down from the walls, fired by Yan defenders in a desperate attempt to repel Aeryon warriors.

Despite the hail of projectiles, Aeryon forces pressed on, resilient and determined.

Aeryon himself took charge of the northern side of the wall, directing the battle with precision.

The laborers, under the protection of sturdy shields, worked diligently to add more earthen mounds in front of the city walls.

These mounds not only shielded the workers from incoming missiles but also provided crucial cover for the advancing forces led by Belarion and Mayeux.

Arrows whistled through the air, a relentless storm of sharp projectiles unleashed by the defenders on the city walls.

The tall wooden stairs is hastily positioned against the walls, creating a perilous bridge between the defenders and the northern forces.

From both sides, archers took aim and released their deadly volleys, the arrows crisscrossing the air in a lethal dance.

Swoosh!

Swoosh!

The sound of arrows cut through the air and screams of people melded together

On the stairs, Steppe warriors, hardened by years of combat, ascended with determination etched on their faces.

Each step was fraught with peril, as the defenders above rained arrows upon them, trying to halt their advance.

Stones and boulders was hurled down, creating a perilous obstacle course for the ascending warriors.

Desperate hand-to-hand combat ensued on the stairs.

Aeryon warriors fought valiantly against the city defenders, their swords and spears clashing in a deadly ballet of violence.

The defenders tried to push the stairs away, hoping to send the invaders plummeting to the ground below, but the tenacity of the Steppe warriors knew no bounds.

If the stairs fall, they just put another. And just because the defenders pushed the stairs does not mean that all of those who are on the stairs would die.

Some jumped just at the right moment before the stairs crashed and rolled on the ground, lessening the impact of the fall

Then they erect other stairs and try to climb again under the protection of the Steppe archers.

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