Stratford Castle.

This usually bustling city was now plunged into silence. People closed their doors and windows tightly, quietly waiting for news from the outside world.

As a result of the previous coalition forces' "great collection" operation, the streets were littered with scattered objects, smashed furniture, and bloodstains on the ground.

"The whole city is under martial law—"

"No one is allowed to leave the city without permission!"

The city defense troops patrolled the streets again and again, vigilant against the invasion of foreign enemies.

"Anyone who hides outsiders will be hanged!"

Sometimes they would knock on someone's door, both to check for spies and, of course, to receive some compensation for "defending the city."

On the tall, weathered walls of Stratford Castle, Earl Jarod Ponte, the actual commander of the city guards, was standing on the tower, looking worriedly at the distant horizon.

"This war will decide everything."

"The coalition will achieve ultimate victory, just like any disaster that the North has encountered in history."

He always said this.

Every moment of waiting was torture. Garrod was extremely looking forward to seeing the soldier delivering the message and seeing the lion flag of the Bosk family flying.

But he knew that this war was far different from previous ones. Its scale, intensity, and duration might be unprecedented. It would not be easy to end it within a few days.

The remaining eleven kingdoms in the north brought together all their strength as never before, forming a coalition of more than 100,000 people to resist the unprecedentedly powerful enemy that appeared almost out of nowhere - the Burning Kingdom.

Even when facing the "frost disaster" and "dragon disaster" from the north, the northern countries have never been so united in their hatred of the enemy.

Because the nobles of various countries know that the Frost Giants and White Dragons will at most bring looting and death, and can even weaken the power of other countries and allow themselves to gain more benefits.

The Burning Kingdom will simply hang them all on the gallows and destroy everything they depend on for survival.

"No one can defeat the united Scanians."

"Even that dragon."

Count Garrod muttered to himself.

Suddenly, the sound of heavy horse hooves and human footsteps was heard, but not hurriedly.

Suddenly, on and below the tall city wall, officers, soldiers, and even civilian craftsmen, all looked toward the distant horizon, their hearts lifted.

"how is this possible?"

"It's only been thirteen days. Is the war over?"

Garrod had a solemn expression. He stared at the distant horizon, and sweat was oozing from his hands that were tightly gripping the sword.

The count had some terrible suspicion in his mind, but he was unwilling to believe it.

After thinking for a moment, Garrod gave instructions to the adjutant beside him.

"Send a team of scouts to investigate the situation. Remember."

But soon, he stopped - because a vague figure appeared in the distance.

Those men were wearing yellow, black and brown uniforms that looked very familiar to him. He knew very well that these were the uniforms of the Bosque family. Not only were they effective camouflage, they also symbolized the color of a lion's fur.

"It's the Principality's army!"

"They have returned triumphantly!"

Seeing these returning soldiers of the Principality, cheers suddenly came from the city wall and the soldiers raised their weapons high.

But Earl Garod stroked his chin and lowered his head, his brows still furrowed.

"How did that happen"

Not right.

If it was such a great victory, the Principality's messengers would have brought back the news long ago, but he has not seen even one messenger so far.

And at the forefront of the army, there will surely be fluttering lion flags, which will never be as inconspicuous as they are now.

Suddenly, the cheers of the soldiers stopped, and the tower became dead silent.

Count Garrod subconsciously raised his head and saw a chaotic, trembling black cloud appearing in the sky, covering the army below.

No, that's not a black cloud.

He wiped his eyes in disbelief, his lips trembling slightly.

"Flying Dragon?"

"Could it be the Burning Cinders Kingdom?"

I saw pterosaurs and chimeras flying in the sky in a dark mass, their wings close together, like thick dark clouds, blocking out the sunlight.

And on the land, behind those distraught captured soldiers, were neatly-formed tieflings, hobgoblins, and ground dragon beasts as big as hills.

"Gods"

“Is that our enemy?”

"The coalition forces were captured?"

The officers and soldiers finally came to their senses and cried out in fear at this incomprehensible enemy.

Accompanied by roars, the densely packed flying dragons suddenly dispersed in the air, leaving a wide airspace.

The sky was instantly dyed orange.

The red dragon slowly flapped its huge wings and appeared in the distant sky.

"The North is dead."

"The embers burn forever."

The calm, clear sound echoed across the wilderness, allowing people inside and outside Stratford to hear it clearly.

"The North is dead, but the ashes remain!"

The ogres and tieflings on the ground also looked fanatical, and they all roared in unison to welcome the arrival of the red dragon.

The players also shouted randomly, and some even ran naked in the wilderness, filling the surroundings with an atmosphere of freedom.

"No"

"The North is dead."

Count Garrod fell to his knees on the city wall with a thud, despair in his eyes.

He had already thought of the worst outcome, but when this suffocating scene really happened before his eyes, he still felt that his world was collapsing.

Jarod Ponte was the earl personally conferred upon him by Grand Duke Leo when he left the city.

The Grand Duke once solemnly promised that as long as he could defend Strafford Castle well, he would be given a real dukedom when the coalition army returned triumphantly, and he would be among the top nobles in the North.

But now, everything is over.

Count Garrod's hand holding the sword trembled slightly.

Soon, accompanied by the sound of orderly footsteps, the kingdom's vanguard entered the city.

The hobgoblins and tiefling infantry climbed up the city wall with the help of ladders and quickly controlled the entire wall without encountering any obstruction.

In addition, they also found a high-ranking northern noble committing suicide on the city wall - but this was not important to them.

The city defense forces left in Stratford Castle were not elite troops, but mostly ruffians and able-bodied soldiers.

In front of an army like the Burning Embers Kingdom and tens of thousands of captives from the coalition forces, they simply couldn't muster the slightest will to resist. Some even waved white flags when the kingdom's army was hundreds of meters away.

"Do not kill me!"

"I surrender, I surrender!"

Most of the city defense soldiers who usually showed off their might in front of the city residents were now kneeling on the ground trembling, and some were even frightened to the point of incontinence.

Stratford, an ancient and prosperous city with a history of nearly a thousand years, the capital of the Principality of Bosk, known as the "Lion City that Never Falls", was conquered by the kingdom. (End of this chapter)