Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 315: Uniting forces together

Chapter 315: Uniting forces together

Inor's three hundred followers stood on the open field, their ranks silent. The sunlight glinted off the steel of their spears and the polished links of chainmail worn by half of them. While at least one hundred and fifty wore chainmail, their torsos protected, while the others were clad in more humble garments of leather or padded cloth. Each man bore a spear, and nearly half of them also gripped sturdy wooden shields, their rounded faces dull but serviceable.

It was a good day for such a meeting; the sky stretched clear and blue above them, a light breeze rustling through the grass and carrying the faint scent of earth. Yet for all the beauty of the day, tension gripped the field.

On the opposite side stood a band of five hundred common rebels, their numbers alone creating an imposing line. But the illusion of strength faded the closer one looked. Unlike Inor's mildly equipped fighters, these men were a chaotic assembly of farmers and deserters. They stood in uneven clusters, gripping whatever weapons they could muster—old daggers, rusty pitchforks, and crude clubs. Only a few among them held decent blades or spears, and none wore armor except at most a dozen of them ; their chests were left bare save for linen or roughspun tunics. Their faces were lined with uncertainty, though the presence of numbers seemed to give them some measure of confidence.

It was the first time Inor and his band had come across another group of rebels, and this moment, Inor knew, was pivotal. This was no battle yet—this was a meeting, a chance to sway hearts and minds, or prepare for bloodshed.

On the far side of the field, one man broke from the ranks of the common rebels. He walked forward alone, his steps slow but deliberate, shoulders square as he moved across the grassy expanse between the two forces.