Chapter 62: The Battle of White Mountain (Bilá Hora) 3

Thick fog filled the view ahead.

And amidst it, the raucous sounds of battle rang out.

Even in this situation, General Tilly swiftly began rallying his soldiers.

The predetermined action guidelines he had ordered in preparation for the enemy’s attack and the ensuing chaos. Although delayed by the fog, they were starting to take effect.

“General!”

“Yes, how many soldiers have gathered?”

“Initially around 3,000 have assembled, centered on 1,000 mages.”

“The remaining soldiers are holding off the enemy at their positions. It will take more time for them to gather here.”

“It’s enough. Those gathered will follow me. We will wipe out all the enemies that have infiltrated our defenses.”

“Understood, General!”

Following Tilly’s orders, the soldiers formally began moving as a unit.

Although not a large number, with mages at the core, their combat power fundamentally surpassed ordinary humans.

This was not simply due to their flashy spells – breathing fire, calling down lightning, or upturning the earth.

The Imperial mages here had all completed basic training and reached the intermediate realm as 4th rank mages or higher.

They were proficient in the three fundamental spells that any reasonably attuned to mana would master.

Three types of magic closely tied to mana manipulation that all mages learn:

A barrier to block attacks using mana.

Body reinforcement that wraps mana around muscles and bones, granting superhuman strength.

And condensation, coating a weapon’s surface with rotating mana, turning even a dull blade into an unstoppable force that can cleave through anything.

These basic three magics allowed mages to overwhelm ordinary soldiers.

A single intermediate mage could slaughter dozens or hundreds of enemies with just this basic power, without using special spells.

This is why even the world’s foremost warriors were classified as mages.

Whether calling themselves warriors or mages, the starting point was essentially the same.

And at this moment,

The nearly 1,000 mages in the Emperor’s army began their relentless advance against the heretical forces before them.

“Activate condensation, all of you! Cut down these heretics defying God’s will!”

“Death to the heretics!”

“For the Lord! For the Holy Maiden!”

Following General Tilly’s roaring commands, they charged forward without hesitation.

As they marched towards the raucous sounds of battle, the banners coming into view were unexpectedly not Bohemian, but of another force.

“Isn’t that the Palatinate army?”

“It seems so, General!”

“Yet another foolish heretical force has come here! Let’s go! I will wipe them out first before dealing with the Bohemian heretics!”

“Yes, General! The entire army, advance! Kill those Palatinate dogs!”

Following Tilly’s orders, the soldiers charged towards the prey emerging before them.

Though outnumbered by the Palatinate forces, none doubted victory at this moment.

While the Palatinate force numbered 7,000, only about 300 were mages, and not particularly skilled ones.

Moreover, the one directly leading them now was none other than General Tilly himself.

A 9th rank archmage capable of single-handedly slaughtering thousands of soldiers.

Led by him at the vanguard, this force clashed ferociously with the Palatinate army, brimming with momentum.

General Tilly and his elite forces appeared before Anhalt’s Palatinate troops.

Though the battle between the Bohemian and Imperial armies still raged amidst the thick fog, at this moment, Anhalt was oblivious to the surrounding conflict.

“Kuhreuk!”

“Kuaaak!”

With a furious expression, Tilly mercilessly cut down the Palatinate soldiers.

With each swing of his sword, up to half a dozen Palatinate soldiers were cleaved in two. The mages following behind also displayed tremendous power, utterly crushing the Palatinate forces.

“Damnit! Attack! Kill that General Tilly more than anyone else! Whoever finishes him off will receive a great reward! Vast riches and status, so bring that bastard down no matter what!”

Seeing the enemy commander rampaging before him, Anhalt shouted in terror-filled voice.

Though words born of fear, there was certainly meaning behind them.

General Tilly before them was the supreme commander of the Imperial army.

If they could just kill him, they could instantly turn the tide of the war and be the ones who contributed the most in this conflict.

From Anhalt’s perspective, desperately seeking glory, the ultimate prey had appeared.

However…

Unfortunately, at this moment, Anhalt and the Palatinate forces lacked the ability to consume such prey.

“Prepare yourself, Tilly! I, the renowned Palatinate commander Gatz, will face you… Kuaahk!”

“This bastard! I will avenge Gatz! I, Greenpeace, will take your head, Tilly… Kuaaak!”

The mages renowned even in the Palatinate charged in confidently.

However, their bold momentum was tragically cut short as their heads rolled from Tilly’s blades. Witnessing this, the Palatinate forces became severely demoralized.

“Come at me, all of you! Vile heretics, I shall deliver divine judgment upon you in accordance with God’s will!”

As Tilly cut down the mages attacking him, he shouted fiercely. He then raised one arm towards the sky, and simultaneously, a massive red magic circle began forming above his head.

“! That… That can’t be…”

“St…Stop him! Don’t let him cast that spell!”

Seeing the unfolding scene, Anhalt cried out desperately.

He did not know the specifics, but sensing the roiling mana, Anhalt instinctively felt something terribly ominous was about to occur.

However, despite Anhalt’s frantic shouts mixed with pleas, neither the soldiers nor mages present showed any signs of advancing recklessly.

They had realized after seeing their countless fallen comrades.

Anyone who stepped forward carelessly here would be the first to die.

As the Palatinate forces faltered for that moment…

A cold smile crept across Tilly’s lips as he completed the spell.

“Perish! Foolish demons of heresy!”

With those words, Tilly pointed his hand forward, and the magic circle above erupted into a raging river of blue flames that engulfed the Palatinate forces.

“Kuaaak!!”

“Fire! Put out the fire! The fire, kuaahk!!”

Enveloped in azure flames, the Palatinate soldiers began burning instantly.

The flames that incinerated dozens upon being cast rapidly grew, soon devouring the hundreds of Palatinate troops there.

“Uuuuaaahk!!”

In mere moments, Anhalt watched in utter horror as his Palatinate soldiers were consumed by blue flames.

At this moment, his mind was devoid of any thought about the soldiers he commanded or his liege lord Friedrich.

The only emotion that gripped him was the fear of death.

Ensnared by that terror, Anhalt turned his horse and desperately fled without realizing it.

He paid no heed to the soldiers trampled by his own horse or the dying commanders behind him.

His only thought was to somehow escape the pursuing blue flames.

Thus, Anhalt and the few remaining Palatinate forces managed to narrowly retreat from the battlefield, fleeing northward.

A few days later, an urgent letter believed to have been hastily written by the fleeing Anhalt on the day of the Battle of White Mountain arrived before Emperor Sigismund Ferdinand.

A groveling letter begging the Emperor’s forgiveness, claiming he had served the wrong lord all this time.