Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
The three who were assigned to infiltrate the garrison held their breath, observing the heavily armed guards patrolling. The shift change would be happening in less than fifteen minutes. As the time arrived, the guards began moving. The patrolling guards started to disperse, and new patrols took over. They checked the situation together, and at this point, all patrols were halted. Everett was the first to scale the wall, landing softly without a sound. Rafael and Jacob followed closely, dropping down beside Everett.
Just then, they heard the faint sound of iron hooks catching onto the wall. They exchanged astonished glances and looked towards the wall about ten feet away. They saw head after head quietly emerging, climbing the walt, and then silently dropping down.
All of them were dressed in black clothes. Though their Lightfoot Skill were not impressive, their movements were quick and efficient as they swiftly maneuvered along the wall.
–
When Rafael saw them, his heart jumped into his throat.
Where had these people suddenly come from? Also, some of them seemed to have average martial arts skills, needing hooks and ropes to scale the high wall. Who were they? What were their intentions for infiltrating the garrison in the dead of night? If these people made a commotion, Rafael’s rescue plan would be ruined.
Though the place where Rafael, Everett, and Jacob had landed and hidden was in the shadows, they had to remain quiet, even as these new arrivals moved quickly along the wall and approached their hiding spot.
There wasn’t anything Rafael and the others could do about it at this point. The guard change was nearly over, and they had to act swiftly.
Thomas and his group also noticed the three men hiding ahead. But since they were hiding in the shadows and dressed in black clothes, Thomas couldn’t tell who they were, even though their faces were not covered.
It was unclear whether these people were friends or foes. However, seeing them move swiftly in the same direction, Thomas and his group were stunned.
Could they be here for the same reason?
But it was unlikely. Although they could no longer make contact with anyone from Starhaven, they knew the new marshal was Oliver.
Thomas knew Oliver well-he was his brother-in-law, a general who had not seen the battlefield for some time, adept at theoretical strategy. That didn’t mean he was without skill, but his arrogance and self-interest meant he would choose the less troublesome path when faced with decisions.
When it came to choosing between negotiations and rescues, Oliver would undoubtedly select the former, not both.
Regaining his composure, Thomas gestured for his group to proceed with their infiltration.
The garrison was large, with twelve buildings in total. The dungeon was located between Building 11 and Building 12, in a hut that stood alone. From that hut, one could descend into the dungeon.
That place was surely heavily guarded. However, since every area was undergoing a guard change, they managed to make their way to Building 11 without incident.
They pressed against the wall of Building 11, planning to stealthily approach and assess the number of soldiers at the dungeon entrance. Just as they moved a few steps forward, they bumped into the three figures from earlier, who were also pressed against the same wall, hiding. One of them cautiously peeked out.
Since they were now close to the dungeon, lights had been set up around the area. The location where they hid was somewhat dim, as the shadow of a large tree nearby created a shaded spot. Still, the dim light now was better than the previous darkness. Thus, Thomas was able to recognize one of the figures-it was Rafael, the Hell Monarch.
He gasped, covering his mouth in disbelief that the prince himself had come. His heart raced with excitement. He knew Rafael was the marshal who had reclaimed the Southern Frontier but had been reassigned to the capital.
His presence here at this moment could only mean one thing-he was here to rescue Law.
As the other men were all concealed in the shadows with only their eyes visible, it was impossible for Rafael to identify them, though they were all pressed against the same wall. He noticed one figure’s eyes were filled with tears, and that look of emotion made him pand cautiously move closer.
Thomas pulled down his black mask, revealing his face. Although he and the Hell Monarch had never fought side by side, they had met several times before. He hoped Rafael would recognize him, so he smiled joyfully at the prince.
However, Rafael scrutinized the scruffy, tanned-skinned face and was unable to place him. The sight of him smiling tearfully made the prince’s mind race with a thought. Was it possible?
Thomas raised his fist and held it high three times a signature gesture of the Devin Army. Before every battle, the Devin Army soldiers performed this gesture and repeatedly shouted for victory.
When the rest of Thomas’ group saw this gesture, they were moved to tears and mimicked the action. As they raised their fists high three times, they nearly shouted “Victory!” aloud.
Rafael watched their gestures with mounting excitement, his heart racing in his chest.
He silently mouthed, “Who are you?”
“Thomas Farrell,” the man mouthed in return.
Rafael was stunned.
They were here to rescue Septimus, whom they had assumed was
Thomas. But if Thomas was standing here in front of him, thepet who was being held prisoner? It must still be one of their people, because Thomas and his group were clearly also here for a rescue mission.
There was no time for further questioning. Everett had already raised his hand to signal a swift advance.
Rafael placed a hand on Thomas’ shoulder and whispered as quietly as possible, “Stay here and distract them at a critical moment.”
Thomas nodded vigorously, tears of excitement nearly falling. With Rafael’s presence, their chances of success had just increased significantly.
Three shadowy figures flew out swiftly.
In truth, there was no opportune moment for their plan. The area around the small hut was lit, not bright as daylight, but sufficient to see any object or person’s movement. With over a hundred pairs of eyes watching, it didn’t matter how fast or skilled they were. They would eventually have to stand in front of the small hut, break the door down, and enter the dungeon.
Once they were in the dungeon, they would be trapped with no way out.
Having previously scouted the area, Rafael and Everett were aware of this situation. Their plan was to have Everett and Jacob engage the guards while Rafael rescued the prisoner from the dungeon.
After rescuing him, Rafael would quickly transfer him to Dylan, then return to help Everett and Jacob escape. With Thomas and his group joining in, there would be even more people to distract the guards.
Rafael darted straight for the small hut’s iron door. Breaking through was no easy task, but the prince wielded his golden sword, Sunstrike, a blade so sharp it could slice through iron. The sword weighed twenty-eight pounds but was exceptionally sharp.
He infused his inner force into the blade and struck the door several times. The iron door was cleaved open, and with a powerful kick, Rafael forced it ajar. He glanced back to see Everett guarding the doorway with a long blade while Jacob had already engaged with the heavily armed guards.
Rafael wasn’t worried about his master, but was concerned about Jacob. Though Jacob’s martial arts skills weren’t the best, his agility was exceptional. So, he simply needed to use his Lightfoot Skill to tire the enemies and wait for a chance to strike back. However, it was still a dangerous task.
One last glance revealed that Thomas and his group had also burst out. Rafael sighed with relief. With so many people involved, they could guard the iron door and prevent others from entering. This gave him confidence that he could rescue the prisoner from the dungeon.
The dungeon in this garrison was essentially an underground chamber and tunnel system, built strategically for emergencies. If the war between the kingdoms spread and Sandoria fell, it could serve as a refuge or hiding place for the commanding officers. Rafael had underestimated the complexity of these tunnels and chambers.
Down in the lower levels, the tunnels were a maze, with a single path containing at least a hundred secret chambers. The garrison itself wasn’t this large, so it was clear they had dug into other areas to expand the area.
Despite the complexity, Rafael followed the scent of blood and found the prisoner in one of the chambers in the third tunnel. The distinct smell of blood was one reason, but another sign was the door. Unlike the others, which were wooden, this one was made of iron. The entire tunnel system was unguarded. With so many guards stationed outside, there was no need for additional sentries inside the tunnels. If someone had managed to breach through the heavy outer defenses, it would have been pointless to station guards further in. Rafael also detected a faint breath from within, confirming that someone was indeed inside.
Not knowing who had been captured, he knocked on the iron door and called out, “The Devin
Army is s here to rescue you. If anybody in there is from the Devin
Army, please respond.”
After a moment of silence, the breathing inside grew rapid, and a weak voice eked out, “Yes… I am…”
Rafael hacked through the iron chains securing the door and kicked it open.