Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 235: Battle of the bleeding plains(1)

Chapter 235: Battle of the bleeding plains(1)

Following Jarza's sharp whistle, two riders broke away from the ranks and galloped forward into the open field, banners streaming behind them. Each man held his head high, but one rode with an extra burden: the banner of House Herculia, a rich crimson flag emblazoned with a silver lion.

As they reached the middle of the field, the rider with the banner lifted it high into the sky, letting it unfurl proudly one last time. With a quick, defiant flick, he threw it onto the ground, the flag fluttering down like a fallen predator. The second rider, holding a burning torch, approached the fallen banner and cast the flame onto it, igniting the fabric instantly. Flames licked up the edges, blackening the lion as it began to curl and shrivel.

Then, to make the display complete, both men dismounted, and with an exaggerated mockery, one of them stepped forward, turned his back on the burning emblem, and unbuckled his belt. He took aim and, as the fire continued its consuming work, let loose a stream of piss upon the charred banner. The two riders remounted, leaving the burned and desecrated banner smoldering on the ground as they trotted back to their ranks, grins of satisfaction on their faces.

Alpheo watched from afar as the two riders returned to their positions, their dark satisfaction radiating even from the distance. The Herculians had witnessed the whole display—the flaming banner, the utter desecration—and though Alpheo couldn't hear their outcry, he could see the immediate response ripple through the opposing ranks.