Completely ignoring the spears and swords clutched by the guards at his side, he bellowed at the top of his lungs:
"Now that the sorcery has stopped, what are you all standing around for?"
"Get to the city gates immediately! Under no circumstances can the enemy break through!"
The knights were just about to respond in unison when another knight burst into the hall.
He was gasping for breath, barely able to get the words out.
"C… Count!"
Count Luke frowned slightly. From that panicked tone, it was clearly not good news.
Rage burning in his chest, he strode forward. The surrounding knights quickly raised their shields and closed ranks, protecting him at the center.
"My lord, be careful!"
"Out of my way! You useless lot aren't out there killing the enemy, so why are you blocking me!?"
Count Luke had real nerve and presence. His first instinct was still to strike back, not run.
"What happened now? Speak!"
He narrowed his eyes, authority and confidence flashing within them.
This fortress of his was the strongest stronghold in the Rebel Alliance.
Even if the Stormveil army attacked, without Godrick personally commanding the assault, breaking this place would be no easy task.
The Lands Between was full of powerful figures, but those who could take a fortress on their own were still rare.
Because of that, even though the front line was reportedly under heavy pressure, he had not truly panicked.
"Count, bad news. The front line is collapsing."
"Cut the nonsense. Tell me exactly what's happened!"
The knight forced down his fear and stammered,
"The… the gates have fallen. The enemy has already stormed into the city!"
The moment those words landed, the hall fell into dead silence.
The knights looked at one another, faces drained of color. Some even began to tremble uncontrollably, fear already taking hold.
Warcraft was a required study for nobles. Without the towering walls as a defense, once a powerful enemy forced their way inside, how could ordinary soldiers possibly hold them back?
"Someone, bring me my sword!" Count Luke paused only briefly before roaring,
"Lord Enrique, Lord Baryes, come with me and kill the enemy!"
A Banished Knight and a Redmane Knight exchanged a glance, then nodded without hesitation and stepped in behind Count Luke.
"My lord, please don't act recklessly! You must stay calm!"
Amid the anxious shouts, a group rushed forward to block him.
"Calm? Calm your heads! A bunch of useless cowards!"
Seeing their fearful expressions only made Luke angrier.
He had been elevated as the new head of the house after the previous lord's death.
When faced with Godrick's campaign, he had acted swiftly and ruthlessly, suppressing the schemers within and rising as the undisputed leader of the noble rebels.
And now these spineless fools dared to block his way. It was unbearable to look at.
But just as he shoved a retainer aside, a thunderous crash erupted.
Everyone looked up in horror as the fortress's thick wall shattered apart.
A battle spear, gleaming with a cold light, tore through the air with a sharp, chilling whistle, hurtling straight toward Count Luke.
The two men whose names had just been called reacted instantly. They lunged forward, greatswords raised, placing themselves directly in front of the lord.
A thunderous clang rang out as sparks burst into the air. The onrushing battle spear slammed into the crossed greatswords.
For a brief moment, the shriek of metal colliding echoed through the entire hall.
The clash lasted only an instant. The spear spun off to the side, knocked away like a bird struck mid-flight.
The two knights' eyes widened. Sweat poured down their foreheads, and their hearts pounded as if they might burst from their chests.
That sudden spear strike had been unbelievably fast and brutally powerful. If it had hit Luke, he would already be dead.
If it had been anyone else instead of a hero, there would have been no way to block it.
Whoever threw that spear was terrifyingly strong.
"Oh? That's unexpected. I didn't think you'd actually manage to block that."
A voice, faintly surprised, drifted in from beyond the massive breach in the wall.
Everyone turned at once. The moment they saw, they froze in shock.
A figure hovered in midair.
He was clad in gleaming silver plate armor. His long hair streamed wildly in the wind.
Most striking of all, a pair of wings extended from his back, like a flying dragon soaring through the sky.
Nolan looked down at the people shrinking back in fear, then slowly descended.
His iron boots struck the ground with a clear, sharp sound, and the dragon wings behind him gradually folded in.
"Who are you?" Count Luke suppressed his shock and demanded in a deep, commanding voice.
"Nolan Bethel."
His tone was calm, but the name hit the hall like a thunderclap.
It was a name known far and wide, spoken in every corner. Its reputation was simply too great.
The war god who defeated a thousand with two hundred. A lord both merciful and valiant. A hero acknowledged by the Demigods and the Royal Capital.
More importantly, this threat had always been close. The distance between their territories could be covered on horseback in less than two days.
Count Luke had long worried that his fortress might be targeted if its defenses showed weakness.
From Nolan Bethel's actions so far, it was clear he was different from other Tarnished.
What he coveted was not just the lives of Demigods. His gaze was fixed just as firmly on land, people, and wealth.
There was no doubt about it. This man's ambition ran deep.
"In truth, we don't have to be enemies."
Despite nearly being killed moments ago, Count Luke remained unexpectedly composed.
He spread his hands and spoke slowly.
"I know what you Tarnished are after. The Demigods, and the Great Runes they hold."
"And I doubt your ambition is to serve as Godrick's dog, is it?"
"We share a common enemy. Why not join forces? We can work together."
"With just a thousand men, how do you expect to take Stormveil? I still have a large army at the front lines."
Count Luke understood this well. An enemy's enemy could be an ally.
"No wonder you're a lord. Even now, you keep your composure. Not bad," Nolan said.
The offer was indeed tempting. The rebel forces had managed to fight the Stormveil army on equal footing, which spoke for their strength.
If it had been any other Tarnished, they might have agreed.