"What is that?"

I looked at the priest, who took out a small bottle and sprinkled it on the tip of each person's gun, and asked.

The priest was stunned for a moment and answered, "This is the Magic Bottle. It contains holy water blessed by Her Majesty the Queen. Her Majesty personally commanded that this bottle of water be infused with the command to 'burn'. Once it comes into contact with the enemy, it will burn until the enemy is consumed. Your Highness, the Prince, must be aware that these Magic Bottles were introduced shortly after the last war. The water inside is not so much water as it is the 'commands' issued by Her Majesty."

"What other commands are there?"

This thing is powerful! It's like enchantment. Even though it's just an ordinary spear, it has now become a torch that will inevitably burn. Will it turn the Earth Dragon into ashes if it is pierced?

"There are also 'freeze', 'poison', and 'explode'. These are all sacred spring pools created by Her Majesty. I thought you, Your Highness, would know," the priest said, looking at me somewhat incredulously.

"Your Highness, you should learn these kinds of knowledge from Her Majesty. She is not only a wise ruler but also an enlightened commander. She proved this ten years ago. Your Highness, today is your time to prove yourself to us," he continued.

He pulled out the guard's flag from the side and handed it to me. His old face was filled with a sense of recklessness. I took the flag and looked at the formation, saying, "Please make a place for me."

"No, no, no, my Prince. The king does not need to fight in person. The king only needs to stand in the camp, and the soldiers will not be lost. You don't need to be in the formation, you just need to stand behind them. As long as the flag does not fall, the soldiers won't retreat," the priest said, gently grabbing my hand and leading me to the back of the formation.

He looked at me holding the flag and sighed, saying, "Ten years ago, our defense line was crumbling. Her Majesty held the flag, shouted loudly, and rushed towards the Human soldiers who were retreating. At that moment, it seemed like everyone saw the arrival of a goddess. The defeated soldiers rallied together, and the generals who were fleeing were ashamed. All the Elves gathered under the flag, and the fate of the Elves was placed on the flag of Her Majesty. Since then, the flag that never fell in the formation has become the soldiers' faith. As long as the flag is still there, no soldier will retreat. Come, my Prince, you have the blood of Her Majesty flowing within you. You are Her Majesty's flesh and blood. Now it's your turn to hold the flag. Start inspiring them, there's no need for grand words, just let the soldiers know that you are behind them!"

The flag unfolded, and the howling wind pierced through the gorge. The tense air of the gorge shattered with the roaring sound. The ground beneath our feet trembled like an earthquake, and the heavy iron hooves struck the earth and our hearts like a dense drumbeat. Dust rose at the entrance of the gorge, and our prey was about to enter the ambush.

Was it Mother last time? Faced with the Humans, faced with a defeated army, how did Mother, as a woman, have the courage to hold the flag and charge toward the enemy? Was it out of love for the country, or was it her duty as a queen? Before me, all the kings I had heard of were so cruel, but now I see how brave a wise king can be.

These guards enjoy better treatment than ordinary soldiers, but they are now facing even greater pressure. The reason why the aristocrats are aristocrats is that their elders in the family are braver than others.

"Attention! Sons of the World Tree, subjects of the Elf King!"

I didn't know what to say, but at this moment, I felt the rushing of blood throughout my body. I could feel my heart beating faster with excitement. My hand holding the flag trembled, my breath quickened, and I stared intently at the approaching dust. Was I craving for the battle? Was it because of the instinct of a warrior, or was it the instinct of this prince in my blood? I didn't know. I didn't fully understand Elf culture. The words I trembled to say were fragments I had read in books during this time, combined into a vow.

"..."

The spearheads of the guards were steady with no doubt, but I could feel that all their attention was on me. I looked at the swirling dust, the roaring ground, and my soldiers. The surging blood in my body almost made me ignite. I held the flag tightly, and this intense urge made me nauseous yet excited, unable to extricate myself."Listen to me, behind you lies the land of the Elves, behind you are your wives, parents, and children, behind you is the collective gaze of all the Elves. Above you are the watchful eyes of the gods! Remember the oaths you once swore, remember the honor that runs through your veins, remember your responsibilities, remember your training. A warrior needs no further words, for you are the unbreakable wall of the Elves!"

"Roar!"

"Now, look at the dust over there, look at the beasts running amok! Nothing shall run rampant on Elf territory! This land was inherited from our ancestors, and we cannot afford to lose even a single bit! Do not disappoint the gazes behind you! Do not disappoint me! I am behind you, beneath the banner! As long as the banner stands, we will not fall! Now, may the gods bless us! Glory and victory belong to us!!"

"Roar!"

The frontline guards crouched down, spears aimed at the approaching dust that was surging like waves. In front of the dust, a small figure was darting and jumping between the rocks.

"Lucia!"

I shouted with disbelief as the small figure got closer, accompanied by the looming presence of Earth Dragons. I had seen illustrations of Earth Dragons in books, but this was the first time I encountered such creatures resembling the Triceratops. Their horns on their heads were like battering rams, and they were gigantic like rhinos, yet faster than warhorses. Their stomps shook the ground like earthquakes, making the surrounding mountains seem as if they were about to collapse. Though we stood on solid ground, at this moment it felt like we were riding on a turbulent sea.

The dust they stirred up covered the sky, like a sandstorm, and they themselves were like demons in the sandstorm. It is natural for humans to fear creatures larger than themselves, that is common knowledge. Our long spears seemed like toys in front of them, and I didn't know what I could trust.

No, I think I do.

That is the little flickering shadow.

"Prepare magic!"

"No!"

I reached out and stopped the priest beside me as I looked at the little figure. "It will hurt Lucia! Not yet! Wait!"

"That'll be too late!"

"As long as all the Earth Dragons are inside, it doesn't matter when we close the entrance! I can't let my Lucia be in danger again, she's already in enough danger!"

I stared intently at the small figure, which gradually grew in my line of sight. I saw Lucia's armor covered in dirt and branches, her originally tied-up ponytail now undone, and her pale golden hair flowing in the air, bathed in sunlight.

"Lucia!"

I shouted loudly in her direction.

"My prince!"

Lucia's voice, filled with excitement and trembling, reached me through the wind. I saw her reaching out towards me, and I saw the pack of Earth Dragons fiercely chasing after her. I didn't know what she had gone through, but I believed it must have been a myth filled with courage, wisdom, and an indomitable will. I looked at her outstretched hand and trembled as I reached out my left hand.

"Seal the entrance!"

Two enormous fireballs exploded on the cliffs on both sides, creating massive gaps. The valley trembled with rocks collapsing, and the entrance behind the pack of Earth Dragons was blocked.

"We have no way to retreat! Everyone's eyes are on us! We are the wall!"

I looked at the Earth Dragons charging towards us, and none of the guards showed fear on their faces. They faced this charge, which hardly anyone could rival on the ground, and I faced this existence that had once taken my life. I felt all my blood rushing to my brain, my vision going dark in waves, feeling nauseous and wanting to vomit, yet excited and trembling, feeling cold but also constantly sweating, my limbs tingling but craving for slaughter.

Is this war? Is this the battlefield?

I looked at the wild beasts, the unruly creatures, my soldiers, and my fiancée. I raised the flag high in my hand, the sunlight shining on the flagpole, and the strong wind unfurled the flag. This flag, carrying countless blood, glory, and legends. This time, it's my turn!

"For the country, the people, and our queen!"

I watched the Earth Dragons and my soldiers roar!

"For the queen!"

The thunderous roar of the Elves echoed through the air. Lucia rushed to the front, descending from the sky, and opened her arms towards me. I tightly embraced her as she landed. The fragrance of her perfume mixed with the stench of decaying leaves filled the air. I held her tightly, and she held me tightly. She breathed lightly on my shoulder, while excitement and gratitude made it nearly impossible for me to speak. Lucia was unharmed, not a single scratch on her. Now she was back in my arms, and my eyes welled up with tears, feeling the warmth and breath of my beloved."Your Highness! Give the order!"

Lucia whispered gently on my shoulder.

I released Lucia and held her face for the last time, gently wiping away the stains on her cheeks. She smiled faintly, as if exhausted, and sat on the ground, leaning against my leg. I took a deep breath, pulled out the command sword, and looked in the direction of the ballista while shouting:

"Prepare the ballista!!"

The ballista made the sound of ropes and wood rubbing against each other. The silhouette of the land dragons had already appeared in front of us. The scale of this group of land dragons was beyond my imagination. There were not just twenty, but nearly fifty. Perhaps Lucia had attracted the land dragons that originally lived in the Black Forest, but it didn't matter. Since we were here together, I couldn't let Lucia's efforts go to waste.

Getting closer and closer!

"Fire!"

The ballista roared as the bowstrings resonated, shooting arrows at the charging land dragons. The dense arrow rain shot towards the approaching land dragon group. The invincible shells of the frontmost land dragons were instantly pierced by the arrows, and bursts of blood sprung up in the air. The shattered guts and chunks of flesh flew into the sky, creating a nauseating scene of blood rain. The air was instantly filled with the smell of blood, making it hard to breathe.

Each arrow had been soaked in "explosive" magic water. They were like small bombs. As long as they hit a land dragon, it would be split in half.

One land dragon after another was blown into pieces amidst their agonizing cries. But the land dragons behind them showed no signs of slowing down. They trampled on the blood and guts of their comrades, rushing towards us like a stream flowing through the valley. The ballista played its greatest role, continuously exploding countless land dragons. From the moment we started shooting until the end, the blood rain pouring down on our heads did not stop. Even before we engaged the enemy, our bodies were already drenched in the ceaseless flow of blood.

I wiped away the fragments of land dragon parts splattered on my face, staring at the charging land dragons. The ballista, although firing frantically, could only slow down the movement of the land dragons due to their limited number. Even though one land dragon after another exploded, the land dragons behind them remained relentless, charging towards our formation.

Too close! The ballista had lost its purpose. I shouted, "Retreat the ballista! Everyone, fall back to the rear! You've done great! Warriors, listen up! No need for further words, for the Queen!!"

"For the Queen!!"

The Elf operators on the ballista jumped down one by one, desperately rushing towards our formation. The formation opened up a passage that allowed them to pass through, then immediately closed it. Almost instantaneously, the land dragons smashed all the ballistas. The land dragons, dyed red with blood, were as terrifying as bloodthirsty beasts, splattered with blood and pieces of flesh. The royal guards stared at them, howling as they charged, watching these enormous monsters rushing towards our formation.

Whether we could survive would depend on whether we could hold the line!

"Hold your positions! Absolutely don't let the formation be breached!!"

The spears of the front row of the royal guards were firmly aimed at these ferocious beasts. Their faces showed no expression, no fear, no ecstasy, just calmness like martyrs. The giant beasts roared as they charged towards them. They would receive the most severe impact, and if they couldn't hold the line, everything we had done would be in vain.

Getting closer! I could already see the scales of the land dragons shining. They lowered their heads in front of the soldiers in the first row, pointing their sharp horns at them.

Prepare...

Engage!!

A gust of wind suddenly rose in front of the land dragons and the soldiers, swirling up sand and gravel soaked with blood from the ground, and even flames burning fiercely. It roared and pounced towards the group of land dragons. The land dragons screamed in panic, rearing up like startled horses. Their charge, which was originally unstoppable, was disrupted by this onslaught of wind, causing them to stagger. The land dragons from behind crashed into the ones in front, causing their own formation to go into chaos. The frontmost land dragon directly fell onto the spears of our formation, getting impaled and howling in agony as it collapsed to the ground.

I lowered my head and looked at Lucia. Lucia clenched her teeth, veins popping out on her forehead. Her eyes were fixed on the area where the fierce wind had surged, and with the help of the sacrificial flames magic, she smashed this tornado-like flaming dragon into the land dragon group, perfectly neutralizing their charge.

"Your Highness, this is all I can... do..."

She saw my gaze, smiled faintly, and showed a reassuring expression, then fell like a collapsing puppet to the side."Someone take care of Lucia! Warriors!"

This is the chance!

We cannot let Lucia's efforts go to waste!

I stepped through the blood, raised the military flag, and looked at the chaotic army of land dragons ahead, shouting:

"Guard! Advance!! Advance!!"

"Roar!!"

Yes, yes!

Now, it is us, charging towards this group of monsters!

"For the queen!"