Dave was met with a server announcement.

***

Greetings Kis'Shtiengbrah.

You are currently progressing through a legacy quest. You will be able to continue playing from where you left the last time you logged out.

***

Dave waved the notification away.

Another notification appeared in front of him.

***

Plague and fever spread through the ranks of the Vinlandian army. Their forces are weakened and exhausted.

Fear and desertion increased in the Vinlandian army.

1,000 unit deserted the Vinlandian army.

50 Vinlandian soldiers caught the Black Plague.

***

'Good, that's a great advantage we have. The fight tomorrow should be easier.'

While Dave was waiting for dawn to break, he had ordered the re-installation of the explosive kegs in the fields and more traps and the forest.

When the sun came up, Samael entered the throne room.

"Your majesty, the river water level is decreasing. I believe the Vinlandian army is damming the river"

"I thought they might do that, thankfully I already prepared for that. Send word to the riders beyond the river to go upstream. When they locate the Vinlandians, have them hide and wait for further orders."

"As you command." Samael disappeared.

Dave ordered the army to reposition themselves like yesterday. The soldiers in tower shields stood in rows in front of the walls of the city. Behind them were archers on the ground and on the walls of the city providing support.

But the Vinlandian army didn't show up even after hours waiting.

'What's going on?' Dave wondered.

A knight rushed up to Dave and said in an agitated tone "Your majesty. The enemy has taken a detour they are coming from the riverside.

Dave frowned, "The whole army?"

"Yes. They dammed the river, when the water level is low enough, they will cross and attack from the unprotected side of the city."

'Hmm, I considered that they might only bring a small portion to attack from the back. But this is for the best,' Dave grinned like a mad man. The gears in his brain were spinning like whirlwinds.

"Dementi, take the archers and hold off the assault coming from the riverside. Samael, take a thousand cavalry and light infantry and raid the enemy base. Don't kill the sickly but destroy everything in their camp if you can."

He didn't want to 'waste' the sick people, they still had the Plague and will infect others so it was best to eliminate just the enemy's base.

"As you command," Samael said.

Dave entered the city and went to the northern side of it. He climbed the stairs leading up to the wall.

The raging river water slowed down, it was now as harmless as a creek. There were tens of thousands of Vinlandians stationed behind the river water waiting to raid the city from that side.

The river was too close to the city walls for Dave to station any troops to hold off the enemy assault. And he had no traps on the field behind the river and even if he did. His trebuchets were positioned on the other side of the city making it impossible to blow them up.

Dave, however, wasn't panicking or feeling the least bit of stress. He calmly looked at the enemy and waited for the river to subside.

An hour later, the water in the river was shallower than a creek. It was then when the Vinlandian army ordered the attack on the city.

"Send word via pigeon to the riders up the stream. Have them blow up the dam. Let's drown these idiots."

The Vinlandians sprinted across the river, ladders in hand. They placed them against the city walls and started climbing. Dementi ordered the archers to shoot their arrows thinning the enemy ranks.

Archers dropped rocks and boulders on the climbers and chopped down with their spare weapons when the Vinlandian soldiers got up to the walls. The battle heated up and the Vinlandian managed to set a foot on the walls.

Dave wielded his sword and shouted, "Hold the walls!"

He rushed into the heat of battle, slicing at the enemy soldiers. The wall was clogged with soldiers, some even fell from that height breaking their necks in the fall. Dave sliced at the Vinlandians, taking life with every sword swing.

The NPCs didn't have an HP bar, they died with a single sword stroke if they were hit in the neck or through the chest. But their armor made it harder for Dave's sword to deal a lethal blow every time.

The Vinlandian army was charging the city like madmen. Not caring for their lives, they climbed suffering under the endless hail of arrows from Arotsa soldiers. They were shot down, sliced, slashed and burnt but they kept adding more soldiers to attack the walls.

They had made another footing at the top of the walled city. Now Dave's army was being pushed back.

Dave was struggling o top of the wall, at one moment, he was about to fall from the walls, but Orn grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

"Thanks, Orn. Keep the assault, we need to hold on for a little longer," Dave shouted.

And as if the heavens heard Dave's words, the stagnate river rumbled. A gigantic water wave came surging through the river banks, amassing rocks and logs in its roiling rampage. The Vinlandian soldiers were caught unguarded. The river was supposed to be dammed, but now it was coming at them like an enraged water god.

The river water swept thousands of soldiers as it flowed, separating the soldiers on the wall from the ones behind the river banks.

Surprise and panic filled the Vinlandian solider ranks. So far, none of their plans ever worked.

"Slaughter them!" Dave gave an order. His soldiers roared in ecstasy. Complying, they pushed back the Vinlandians on top of the walls. They were left without support from the rest of the army and became easy picking for Dave's troops.

Half an hour later, all the enemy troops on top of the walls were either dead or captured. The rest has either escaped or was swept by the river current to an unknown fate.

The Vinlandians ordered a full retreat. Their numbers were low and their expressions were sullied. It was a far cry from the imposing 50,000 strong that tried to raid them a three days ago.

Arotsa knights roared Dave's name in victory, they had once again repelled the enemy forces and managed to protect their city for another day.

A notification window appeared in front of Dave.

***

You have shown great valor and cunning in the fight against the Vinlandian army.

The outcome of the battle is completely different from when the King of Arotsa led his troops against the Vinlandian.

Your Grand Strategist title has been upgraded to

War Maestro!

The battlefield is your stage and the soldiers your actors!

While equipped War Maestro title offers +100 INT.

The troops under your command have an unfaltering belief in your decision and will face death fearlessly in your name.

The troops under your command have a 20% reduction in stamina consumption.

The troops under your command have +20% increased damage from all attacks and abilities.

The Undead troops under your command have a 3.5% chance to revive instantly after death.

***

Another notification followed right after.

***

You have caused the death of more than 50% of the enemy troops.

The siege duration has been shortened and the difficulty increased.

You are advised to use the rest of the day to prepare for the final assault from the Vinlandian army.

Victory or Defeat will be decided tomorrow.

Good luck.

***