Chapter 879 Execution for Disobedience

The following afternoon, more than a hundred cavalry charge into the largest fortress on the subterranean front, banners flying.

Armor clatters and boots strike the floor in unison. Then the door to the headquarters conference room swings open.

Several burly men enter, their armor covered in blood.

"Lodar, commander of the Hurricane Legion, reporting!"

"Pinas, commander of the Lord Iron Guards' Third Combat Battalion, reporting!"

Clifford rises and invites them to sit. "Had you two generals not come to the rescue in time last night, things would have been much worse!"

Once seated, the two begin their account of the previous night's battle.

At dawn, the subterranean elite force realized it could not breach the line. It gathered its surviving troops and withdrew, leaving nearly ten thousand bodies behind.

After fighting all night, neither of the two forces had the strength left to pursue.

The Lord Iron Guards had fared better, but there were not many of them. More importantly, their priority was to protect Ronan.

Both the Hurricane Legion and the southern warbands have suffered heavily. With twenty percent casualties, they need time to recover.

After asking about Ronan, Clifford says that the officers and soldiers who took part will be rewarded.

He also intends to bring Ronan back inside the fortress cluster, to prevent a repeat of this situation.

Pinas says, "We've taken heavy losses. Our troops are in no condition to fight."

"The listener has also suffered a mental injury. He needs to return to Peace Haven to recover."

"I have come to take my leave of you, Marshal."

"We've fought our share of battles. The rest is up to you."

The Western Lumir Federation's envoy chuckles. "Planning to desert, are you?"

Pinas ignores him and continues. "Before losing consciousness, the listener obtained one last piece of intelligence."

"A new enemy tribe is about to reach the front. You will all need to be careful."

"We cannot determine whether the information is accurate just yet."

"We advise the coalition to concentrate its forces and strengthen the defenses. Let the enemy make its move, then decide how to counterattack."

The commander of the Seventh Expeditionary Legion speaks up. "If this intelligence is so important, the listener has even less reason to leave now!"

"We have everything Peace Haven has. As for a spellcaster's lingering injuries, I believe our spellcasters are better qualified to treat them."

"Why not leave the listener in our care? I guarantee he'll recover as quickly as possible, with no lasting side effects."

Pinas replies coolly, "Peace Haven has troops willing to risk their lives to protect the listener. Do you?"

"If your army is so capable, where were your troops when things turned desperate yesterday?"

"Every one of your soldiers is a professional. You can march at night and fight at night. Yet you did nothing."

The expeditionary commander looks displeased. "Our duty is to protect the core fortress cluster of this defensive line!"

Pinas nods. "Then stick to your duty and stay out of mine! My duty is to protect our listener!"

The commander's face darkens. He is about to speak when Clifford stops him.

Clifford is the supreme commander here, with authority granted by every nation in the coalition.

Even the expeditionary commanders cannot disobey his orders.

Seeing that Pinas will not yield, Clifford sighs. "Very well. We have all seen what the listener and the people of Peace Haven have accomplished."

"We will see that this matter is properly addressed. Once the operation is over, I will personally decorate you."

"Please also convey my regards and apologies to the lord of Blood Hill."

Pinas bows in salute, then rises and leaves the room.

The expeditionary commander snorts. "Arrogant to the core! He doesn't know his place!"

Clifford lets that pass. He turns to Lodar. "General, have you kept track of the surviving subterranean elites?"

Lodar shakes his head. "The scouts we sent were all trapped by the enemy's magical mist."

"We found only two traces. One leads toward Lake No. 7, and the other toward the Trailing Grass River to the east."

"We still need to investigate whether they split their forces or entered one of those two places."

The Western Lumir Federation's envoy speaks again. "You're picking up bad habits from Peace Haven's troops. No regard for the bigger picture."

"You spent all night losing men, then let the enemy get away. And now you don't even know where they went!"

"What's more, I will be reporting your disobedience to the chief consul."

"If we were not at war, that offense alone would be enough to have you executed on the spot!"

Lodar frowns. "Disobeying orders is punishable by death?"

"Of course! Do you think defying orders in wartime is a trivial matter? You've grown so used to throwing your weight around at home that I doubt you know anything about military law..."

Before he can finish, Lodar cuts off his head.

"What are you doing..."

"Lodar, how dare you..."

The commanders of the Fourth and Twelfth Legions sent by the Western Lumir Federation never finish speaking either. The officers beside Lodar draw their swords and kill them on the spot.

The two are incompetents. During the Calamity War's surge in extraordinary properties, one had been pushed into the Grand Knight rank with lavish resources.

The other had not even managed to reach Grand Knight despite all the resources spent on him.

Neither was a match for Lodar's warband commanders. Caught off guard by a planned attack, they had no time to react.

Before the stunned onlookers, Lodar places the three heads on Clifford's desk. "Marshal! Those who disobeyed orders have been executed!"

"I recommend two of my warband commanders: Vasily to serve as acting commander of the Twelfth Legion, and Louis as acting commander of the Fourth Legion."

"I guarantee there will be no further refusals to obey headquarters."

Clifford does not look at the heads. He studies Lodar instead. "General, those men were your chief consul's trusted associates and their relatives!"

Lodar raises his chin. "That does not matter! This is an army, and we are facing an enemy."

"The enemy doesn't care where we come from. We shouldn't waste our time on it either."

"Yesterday's disobedience disgraced our country. It was an affront to the great cause of humanity!"

"Whoever they were, they deserved to die!"

Clifford is silent for a moment, then smiles. "General Lodar, whatever happens, never forget that we share the name Lumir!"

The message is plain. If Lodar's own side will not tolerate him, Clifford will take him in.

Clifford then formally appoints Lodar's nominees on the spot.

From this moment on, all three legions sent by the Western Lumir Federation are under Lodar's command.

The killings might seem like an outburst of anger.

But he had planned this long ago. The coalition's military supplies are now provided by the Western Federation and manufactured in Peace Haven.

This is a rare chance to arm his own followers and expand his army. He could hardly ask for more.

Before long, Lodar will be able to purge the two legions of their parasites. Deaths on a battlefield are hardly unusual.

Anyone can die in battle, especially incompetents and fools who do not know when to fall into line.

Lumir, too, is happy to see this development.

For now, the Western Lumir Federation's demands for an explanation can do little harm. All of that can wait until the campaign is over.

When the time comes, Lodar will give them a way to save face.

And if anyone still refuses to let it go, he can argue with Lodar's sword!