Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 344: Change of path

Chapter 344: Change of path

For the last several days, the rebel army had marched relentlessly, pushing their bodies to the brink in their desperate bid to escape. From the first light of dawn until the shroud of night fell, they pressed forward without respite. Only when darkness rendered further progress impossible did Inor allow his men to stop, collapsing onto the cold earth in exhaustion. The few hours of rest they could snatch felt fleeting, a cruel tease before the next day's grueling march resumed.

Through dense forests they trudged, their feet breaking through layers of fallen leaves and tangled roots, it was an hard road to walk on, yet it was to their advantage, as it was chosen to confound any pursuers on horse, as the twisting paths and uneven terrain offered no path for their steeds.

Following the defeat, Inor's heart was dominated by fear. If the enemy had pursued them immediately after the disastrous battle, there would have been no hope of escape. Their head start had been tenuous at best, and the shattered morale of his men would have rendered them easy prey. 

But that fear, as overwhelming as it had been, had yet to manifest. The expected pursuit never came. Instead of the relentless thunder of cavalry, there was only the rustle of wind through the trees and the occasional crack of a branch beneath a soldier's boot. It was a reprieve, one that seemed almost too good to be true.

He in fact had no knowledge that the reason for which they were still alive, was because the greed of the common soldiers got on the way of Arnold's total victory