Translator: Cinder Translations
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The entire city of Collins has fallen into a disastrous state, much like Niceport did several months ago. The fear, despair, and chaos that the people of Niceport experienced were completely replicated in this inland city.
The cost of goods has soared to unreasonable levels, with many items becoming unattainable regardless of the amount of money offered. The collapse of the market has led to violence, and in the absence of order, force has become more effective than money in obtaining what one desires.
The originally order maintaining armed forces are either gathered on the city walls to defend or are clustered around various power brokers for safety, while the chaos in the civilian sector continues to spread unchecked.
Within the power structure, some hope to negotiate with the New Faith Alliance to achieve a more honorable outcome in the war.
However, Collins City, as the headquarters of the Horns Bay Church, is not lacking in religious zealots, especially the Archbishop Elvis, who stubbornly loathes the New Faith sects that he himself helped provoke. He insists that he is defending the majesty of the Lord of Light on Earth and that it is unacceptable to live under the same sky as those heretics corrupted by witches.
"Either the heretics die, or we die as martyrs!"
"We must wash away their sins with the blood of heretics!"
In the church, Elvis continues to preach to the gathered fervent followers, his voice hoarse from days of shouting. Despite his physical exhaustion, his words still carry immense power to his listeners.
The Archbishop has gone without sleep for several days, and the only thing driving his body now is the power of his will rather than his muscles, bones, and nutrients.
Despite Collins being on the brink of collapse, the Horns Bay Church still has a large following in the city. Having been established for hundreds of years, it is deeply entrenched. When Elvis learned that members of the ruling class were plotting peace talks, he immediately rallied his followers to attack, intending to burn the instigators at the stake.
This provoked resistance from the nobles, and a massive internal conflict nearly broke out in Collins. At the critical moment, General Webster of the Papal Army and King Garrett II of Collins joined forces to suppress the unrest, preventing the city from being destroyed by its own people before facing the enemy's attack.
King Garrett II was resolute in resisting the New Faith army, but not entirely so. He had secretly sent envoys to negotiate with the New Faith Alliance, first proposing that both armies retreat to their respective countries to restore the status quo before the war broke out, which was rejected. He then suggested that Collins pay reparations, but that too was rejected.
The demands of the New Faith Alliance were firm: Garrett II must abdicate, and Collins must be governed by someone trusted by the Alliance.
For a king, losing his power was more unbearable than losing his life, and Garrett II was adamant in rejecting this—this was his firm stance.
But he also had a plan to rely on Collins' strong defenses, making the New Faith Alliance pay a heavy price for their attack and forcing them to accept his terms, hoping to at least maintain his position as king—this was his more reluctant stance.
The siege by the New Faith army eventually began.
Dozens of cannons were lined up outside the city walls. With the command to fire, the dark cannon mouths belched fiery flames and thunderous roars, hurling heavy cannonballs at the towering city walls.
The soldiers on the wall huddled behind the parapets, nervously feeling the tremors beneath their feet. What they had once thought to be an impregnable wall now quivered like a frightened child under the immense force.
The artillery employed a concentrated fire strategy, fiercely targeting a specific point until the barrels grew hot, then cooling them off, and continuing the bombardment in a cycle.
Under the bombardment, the city wall was battered to pieces, with fragments of stone scattering. Bricks continued to shatter, falling away from the wall, and the cracks, which had begun as inconspicuous, grew larger and more visible from a distance.
The artillery also kept several smaller cannons ready. If the defenders tried to repair the wall during the lulls in the bombardment, they would immediately be met with deadly fire. Compared to the cumbersome traditional siege weapons like trebuchets and ballistae, the trained artillerymen were far more effective in terms of flexibility, accuracy, and power, making any efforts to repair the walls hopeless.
The defenders repeatedly attempted to fix the wall but failed again and again. Eventually, no one dared to risk their life to repair the widening gap, watching helplessly as it festered like an infected wound.
Finally, after several days of bombardment, on the first light of dawn, the point of the wall that had been under concentrated attack collapsed completely. A large amount of broken bricks lost their last support and tumbled down like discarded trash.
The signal for the final assault was sounded!
The New Faith soldiers, who had been waiting eagerly, raised a unified battle cry and rushed towards the breach, brandishing various weapons. They were promised great rewards for the first to enter the city, a reward so great that it could change the course of their lives, especially for those from humble origins. Everyone fought with all their might.
The defenders at the breach tried to block the invaders but were quickly overwhelmed in a flurry of blades. The New Faith soldiers surged forward, like a flood bursting through a dam, spilling into the city.
The Alden army did not join the competition for this honor. Under Andrew's orders, they marched in formation through the city gates seized by their allies and entered the city.
At the moment the city fell, the defenders lost their will to resist, surrendering without a fight. But the Horns Bay Church refused to give up. The Church's knights led the fanatical followers out of the streets and alleys, attempting to take down the invaders with them.
But, in the end, they were still just civilians and could not match the might of the battle-hardened New Faith army.
The Church's street resistance was ruthlessly crushed. The New Faith forces attacked the city center from multiple routes, where the Horns Bay Church's cathedral stood.
As they were about to launch their final assault, a great fire quickly engulfed the majestic building. The flames spread so fast that it was clear someone had intentionally set the fire.
"Father in Heaven will punish you!"
The figure of Archbishop Elvis appeared in the bell tower, and after shouting his last words, he was consumed by the flames.
The Horns Bay War was finally over.
(End of the Chapter)
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