Dave's ears were ringing, his vision was dark, he could do nothing but gaze at the incoming claw. A broken curved sword entered his vision and clashed against the incoming claw, swatting it away.

"Your majesty!" Gale shouted, he pulled Dave by the shoulder away from the monster.

Dave couldn't utter a word, he was feeling dizzy as he was dragged away by Gale

Orn faced the monster head on, fighting to a standstill

Suddenly, another monster came to join the fight. Orn grunted, in fending the two monsters off and was slashed through the plate mail he wore. Deep wounds gushed out blood from the back of the knight.

Orn however, the monster he is didn't even grunt from the pain. He grabbed a spear that was laying near his foot and used the two weapons to fight the two monsters alone.

A blood covered Samael, limed toward Dave asking," Your majesty, are you alright."

Dave nodded with difficulty.

"Take his majesty away from the battle, we will hold the line here!" Samael gave an order.

Gale supported Dave by the shoulder and moved away from the battlefield.

"The troops, they have to retreat deeper into the city," Dave said to Gale.

"Yes your majesty, I will see to it. You there!" Gale called a knight over and told him Dave's command.

"How is Dementi?" Dave asked.

"She jumped away from the explosion, she is fine."

"Good, tell her to initiate the retreat plan."

"As you command." Gale left Dave at the hands of a few medics. They took him inside a tent where they treated soliders. There were many men and women, with missing limbs, crying in pain or even outright dying over the table.

The two medics cleared on table for Dave, removed his armor and placed him on top of the table.

One of the medics removed Dave's tunic, exposing his bruised back. It was cut in several places and there were some bulges on it.

The quest was a perfect imitation of the real world. The fall from over the tower must have broken a few of Dave's back ribs.

"Your majesty, I will pour a healing potion on the bruises, it's going to hurt."

"Just do it," Dave said to the medic.

The two medics nodded to each other and poured a green potion on top of the wounds on Dave.

Dave tightened his grip on the table, as the medicine did its job. His skin hissed as the green liquid was poured on top of it. His bones cracked and snapped back to their location. The numbing pain soon turned to itching and the bruises were no more.

Dave took a deep breath. Now he could move without feeling much pain from his back.

Dave turned over and asked one of the medics, "If you have such powerful potions, why not use them on the soliders?"

"Your majesty, we only had one of these potions."

Dave turned to the dying man and said, "Then why didn't you tell me, I could have survived this. It was just a few broken bones. That man would have had a better use for the potion!" Dave angrily shouted.

"Y-your majesty, please I did as I was told," the medic said.

A low wheezing sound came from right next to Dave. It was the gutted dying man. "Your majesty. I am honored by your compassion, but do know that because of this compassion, I would rather die a thousand time than see you in pain." The man went into a coughing fit.

"Please don't talk," the medic said.

"No, your majesty. The people love you, if I die, that's my duty as a knight of Arotsa. But if harm comes to you, that will mean the end of all of us. So please, live…" the man trailed. There was no light in his eyes anymore.

"Shit," Dave cursed. "Give me my armor!" the two medics brought Dave's armor to him.

He wore the armor and walked out of the tent. Some knights that thought Dave had died now cheered very loudly as they saw him emerging well from the tent.

"Your majesty, are you alright?" Gale asked.

"Yes, where is Orn?"

"He killed the two monsters at the gate your majesty. But.

"But what?" Dave frowned.

"He was severely wounded, and couldn't make it."

Anger boiled inside Dave like a raging lava torrent but his face was expressionless, it was colder than steel.

"Has Dementi commenced the retreat protocol?"

"Yes, your majesty, all the troops have retreated and the enemy is going through the gate.

"Good, send word for her, start the second part of the protocol."

"As you command." Gale nodded and went looking for Dementi.

"Where's my horse?" Dave asked.

"Here she is, your majesty." A knight in plate led Nightmare by the reins.

Dave mounted the horse and nudged her forward. He was headed toward the palace.

When he arrived, he was met with Samael at the palace gate discussing something with Dagla.

"Reporting to his majesty. We have lost the control over the city gate. The enemy is funneling inside and we can't stop them."

"What about the monsters?"

"They couldn't distinguish between allies and enemies inside the city so the Vinlandians made them retreat."

"Our casualties?"

Samael went silent for a moment then said, "Over 2,000."

Dave cursed, that was more than a quarter of his remaining forces. He was left with about 6,000 troops. Most of them cavalry that were useless inside the city.

Dementi arrived to the palace gate. Her waist was wrapped in bandages and had a large cut going down her face. But she didn't seem bothered by the wounds.

"Your majesty, the second phase is about to start, I ordered the retreat of all the soldiers.

"Alright, signal the start of the second phase." Dave said.

Dementi pulled her bow from over her back and pointed at the sky. She shot a whistling arrow that signaled the start of the second operation.

Moments later, explosions echoed through the city.

Dave had ordered the stacking of the external buildings inside the city to be in explosive powder. By blowing them up, firstly, it will kill a lot of the enemy soldiers. And secondly it will create barriers for them halting their advancement.

Fire and smoke rose up around the city making it look like a ring of fire. The ongoing smoke decreased visibility for both sides. But Dave's troops knew the city layout and the traps position so they should still be able to fend of the enemies to an extent.

Fights and skirmishes broke all over the city, but Dave could no longer do anything to halt the enemy's advance.

"Build tents inside the palace courtyard and put the wounded there. Have our soldiers fight to a retreat toward the palace and concentrate inside. This will be our last stand." Dave gave a desperate order. He knew there was no way for him to win this fight anymore. Not with those monsters.

Checking the timer. He still had ten more hours before the quest end. Hopefully they can hold enough behind the palace walls.

But in truth, all knew that the fight was not going in their favor, they all knew, that death was knocking on their doors.

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