#teo mcdohl

Chapter 19: The Invincible General 

The Liberation Army rushed to respond to the news of the Imperial Army’s invasion. Once Tir and the others had rescued a minstrel named Kasios and a painter called Ivanov from the ruined castle, the Liberation Army marched out on the double. 

The only information they had to go on was what Stallion brought them from headquarters. According to him, the Imperial Army was traveling overland through the Arus region—home to the capital—and was headed south. It would soon pass through the Kwaba Fortress. 

While moving their troops back to the Garan checkpoint, Mathiu had also intermittently sent out scouts to collect detailed information on the Imperial Army’s every move. They had not yet reported back on who was leading the force in question, which did not give Tir any peace of mind. 

Sonya Shulen’s Imperial Navy forces would never take a land route. And if it were Kasim Hazil’s army, they would come in from the west of Lake Toran through the northern checkpoint that connects the Kunan  region with the Senan region, where Kasim’s Moravia castle is located. 

Which means that this Imperial force on the move is either the first regiment, led by His Majesty himself from the central empire, or it’s the third regiment... led by my father, Teo McDohl.  

Filled with anxiety, they rode across the plains until they were in sight of the checkpoint. A scout immediately came galloping out on horseback. Mathiu was the first to meet him. He hailed the scout. “What news of the Imperial Army?” 

The scout rode over to Mathiu and saluted. “Sir! The Imperial Army passed through the Kwaba Fortress and has taken control of Seika. They are now nearing the town of Kaku.” He turned to Tir. “Also, Lord Tir...”

Tir’s heart pounded in his chest, but he composed himself and replied calmly. “What is it?”

“One of the reasons I rode here so quickly is because there is a visitor who has come to see you on urgent business. We asked her to await you in the checkpoint meeting hall. Would you like to meet with her, m’lord?”

“Hmm... a visitor? Who could that be?” wondered Mathiu aloud. 

“She is called Kasumi,” answered the scout, “and she hails from the hamlet of Rokkaku. When Teo McDohl’s amy traveled from the north to the south, they launched a surprise attack on Rokkaku, so she came to request assistance from the Liberation Army.”

“Wh-what?!” cried Tir, shocked. 

Mathiu, however, was as calm and composed as ever. “I see... the hidden village Rokkaku is a place where ninja gather and I have heard they have long resisted the Empire. That alone is reason enough. Please tell her we will meet with her shortly.”

“Yes, sir!” 

Mathiu made to follow after the scout as the latter turned to go back to the checkpoint. But Tir just stared out past the flowing waters of the Dunan river, dumbfounded. He gazed east, in the direction of the Goran region, not moving a muscle. 

Noticing that Tir hadn’t come with him, Mathiu reined his horse in and trotted back to his side. The look he gave Tir was relentless. “Lord Tir... I understand how you must feel. But you knew this day would come.”

Of course, Mathiu was right. Tir had known when he became the leader of the Liberation Army that  there might come a day when he would have to fight his own father. 

But he had thought that, surely, he would be able to find a way to avoid it. That was precisely why he had been able to continue to fight the Empire. Even if the chance was slight, he had still held out hope. 

Now that the day was drawing near, however, he could no longer escape the fact of reality. The unease in his breast turned to doubt and hesitation as he realized he would have to make his decision, and soon. 

“Lord Tir...” Mathiu murmured. 

“Yes, I know,” Tir replied sadly. 

The young leader and his tactician charged at full speed side by side on their steeds toward the Garan checkpoint. 

---

Tir stepped into the checkpoint meeting hall with a heavy heart. A young woman stood waiting there with Sanchez, who had come running from their castle headquarters. 

The woman wore a thin red garment atop chainmail. She watched Tir from behind her gleaming black bangs with what looked like sadness in her eyes. She bobbed her head in a bow. 

“Lord Tir. I am Kasumi, a ninja from the Rokkaku hamlet.”

Tir gazed into her eyes as he responded. “Ms. Kasumi. Forgive me for jumping straight to the point, but could you please tell us in more detail about what precisely happened when your village was attacked?”

“Yes, certainly.”

In her low, quiet voice, Kasumi began to tell the story of how Teo’s army had attacked. Not only had Teo’s forces been armed to the teeth, but their ranks included the Gulhorse—the armored cavalry said to be the strongest in the Empire. 

The Gulhorse are beasts outfitted in iron armor of their own, and the riders are also clad in armor and helmets. The creatures stand upon two well-developed hind legs and use their large tails to maintain their balance. 

Their bodies are covered in fur such a rich color of brown it is nearly black. They can race across fields at the same speed as a horse, but their physical strength and ability to jump far exceeds a horse’s. The Gulhorse’s bodies are sturdy; one ramming attack from a Gulhorse can send two regular horses flying.  

Their only flaw is their lack of stamina, but their opponents are usually completely destroyed by the time the Gulhorses begin to tire. Since Gulhorses were known to be so difficult to use, Teo was the only one of the five imperial generals to incorporate them into his forces. 

While Kasumi spoke, the leaders who had heard the news began to gather in the room. 

“So it’s come to this…” Cleo said, folding her arms. 

“You mean I’m gonna have to fight Lord Teo…?” muttered Pahn, a complicated expression on his face. 

Viktor and Flik were both astonished at the threat the armored cavalry units posed. Tir listened to Kasumi in shocked silence. The most vital piece of information he gleaned from Kasumi’s tidings was his father’s intentions. 

Father really is serious about fighting us.

Kasumi looked around at everyone present, then continued. “When it looked very likely that our village would be defeated, our leader Hanzo ordered me to convey this information to the Liberation Army. And since Teo’s army has begun moving south, I fear that my village and my comrades are…”

Kasumi stopped herself from finishing that sentence and took a breath. She looked Tir right in the eye. “Lord Tir… nothing more can be done for my village. But if the Liberation Army gets destroyed now, then who will put a stop to the Empire? Please, Lord Tir, you must stop Teo McDohl’s army somehow. It may not be much, but I would lend my own strength to fight in the coming battle.” Kasumi knelt in front of him. 

Tir was unable to speak.  

I know we’re fighting against the Empire’s injustices for the sake of everyone who has suffered at their hands. I know that, but…

The second scout Mathiu had sent out came running into the room. “Lord Tir, Lord Mathiu!”

“What is it?” Mathiu responded immediately. “Has something happened?”

“The Imperial Army has already gained total control of Kouan and is headed this way now. It’s only a matter of time before they arrive…”

“What?!”

Mathiu, Tir, and everyone else was momentarily struck speechless. Even Viktor lowered his voice. “What are we gonna do, eh, Tactician?” 

Mathiu thought for a moment, and then answered. “They boast that General Teo’s cavalry units are invincible. There is no way our forces can hope to match them, no matter what strategy we employ.” 

“So then where does that leave us?” Flik asked. 

“We must retreat to our castle headquarters at once. The armored cavalry are at their best when they can run freely—namely, on the open fields. Luckily, our base happens to be in the middle of a lake. Let’s hole up in our castle and buy more time to come up with a better plan.”

“But the Empire has Sonya Shulen and her navy,” noted Lepant. “Even if the armored cavalry is taken out of the picture, we can’t rest easy.”

“That has not escaped me. However, General Sonya’s Imperial Navy and the lake pirates who run rampant on Lake Toran have been at each other’s throats for years. If someone were to send notice to the pirates that the General is on her way, their interference would likely provide her with some distraction.” Mathiu quickly gave the order to retreat. 

Tir and the others hastily made their preparations as well and soon the entire army had evacuated Garan Checkpoint. Unfortunately, no matter how they hurried, it would take at least half a day to reach the shore where their boats were anchored. 

The general sense of anxiety and unease mounted as the Liberation Army marched forward. Then, just as they were about to arrive at the shore, several men on horseback came galloping over the fields at a breakneck speed. It was the third group of scouts Mathiu had dispatched. “Lord Tir, Lord Mathiu! Bad news! Teo’s army is right on our heels!”

A large cloud of dust could be seen rising into the air over the fields stretching out behind the scouts. Adrenaline coursing through his veins, Tir stared hard at the dust cloud until at last he could make out flashes and sparkles of light here and there among the dust cloud. The armor of the Gulhorses and their riders reflecting the sunlight. 

“How the devil were they able to arrive that quickly?!” Mathiu, clearly flustered, demanded of the two scouts who had just arrived.

“Sir. Teo had the armored cavalry units sent ahead of the main unit. We moved as quickly as we could to warn you, but we can’t compete with their speed…”

“Is that right?” growled Mathiu, sparing a brief glare for the approaching cloud of dust. “Convey these orders to all units at once. Viktor, Flik, and Humphrey’s units gear up and march out first. Kirkis, Ruby, and Lorelai’s archery units will line up directly behind them.”

“Yes, sir!” Saluting, the scouts disappeared into the ranks of the soldiers. 

As the news of the calvary’s impending attack spread, the whole army burst into activity. Mathiu shrewdly prepared for the battle ahead. Viktor’s unit and the other two assembled behind Tir and the others, and the archers in turn gathered behind them. Mathiu ordered Cleo’s unit to attack at will, and Lepant’s group to go into hiding in the forest at the lake shore to prepare the boats for a retreat. 

Perhaps because they were tired from marching day in and day out, only Pahn’s unit of foot soldiers were placed at the very rear, distant from the battle. Tir delivered the orders to Pahn’s unit, telling them to join with Lepant’s group and follow the same path to retreat. The preparations complete, Mathiu ordered the army to maintain that formation and begin their march.

The armored cavalry steadily closed the gap. The approaching rumble of the gulhorses shook the earth and the battle cries of the enemy soldiers split the skies. 

When there were perhaps only three hundred paces left between them, both armies drew to a standstill and stood facing one another. A lone man rode out between the ranks of cavalry, his sword drawn and his golden cape billowing. He was one of the five Imperial generals, known as “the invincible general and victor of one hundred battles”—Teo McDohl.  

So the time has come at last. 

Without meaning to, Tir looked up at the sky. His father’s voice rang out, merciless. “Traitors to the Empire! It doesn’t matter who you are—you will not be tolerated or pardoned.”

Tir forced himself to look at his father. Teo, standing at the head of his army, pointed his sword straight at Tir. “I vow on my name, Teo McDohl, to destroy all of you! Prepare yourselves!”

Tears welled in his eyes. In that instant, something in Tir’s heart broke. “Father…”

Ever since he had heard his father was on the march to attack them, a fierce tempest had been raging in his soul. 

Leading the Liberation Army means fighting the Empire. But I don’t want to fight my own father!

Torn between those two thoughts, when Tir heard his father’s words, he realized his own will in the matter had been cruelly smashed to bits. 

I can never go back from this. 

“Father...” whispered Tir once more but his voice didn’t reach Teo McDohl of the Imperial Army. 

“All units, engage the enemy!” Teo ordered, raising his sword overhead.

Mathiu motioned to his subordinate to wave the flag and their advance unit rushed forward. “We’ll show you the strength of the Liberation Army!” 

The enemy cavalry galloped toward Tir. He stood stock-still, the only person not in motion. Viktor, Flik, and Humphrey’s squads flew past him on both sides, the sound of the horses’ hooves thundering in his ears. 

ーーー

The three Liberation Army advance units fought fiercely, ready to give up their lives in battle. The archers providing support shot arrows until their gloves tore, until blood oozed from their fingers. But even so, they could not break through the defenses of the cavalry led by Teo. 

The gulhorses’ ramming attacks sent many a soldier hurtling down from their steeds. Some lost their lives when they were trampled underfoot while trying to rise, while others died just as they got to their feet, impaled on the ends of the Imperial soldiers’ spears. 

The Liberation Army’s swords were no match for the armor and helmets the Imperial soldiers and their gulhorses wore. The field was littered with the corpses of fallen Liberation Army soldiers. Everyone sustained wounds, commanding generals and soldiers alike. The Liberation Army was completely and utterly defeated. 

Cleo guarded Tir while he retreated and the vanguard covered their tracks, but the armored cavalry were still in close pursuit. 

“Dammit, these bastards are real monsters! Our attacks didn’t even scratch ‘em!!” shouted Viktor bitterly as he retreated from the front lines with his decimated unit—more than half of his soldiers had fallen. 

Tir and Cleo moved their horses further back and then

Lepant appeared out of the forest by the lakeshore. “Lord Tir, over here!” He called, gesturing. “We’ve prepared the boats! Hurry, quickly!”

Glaring at the cloud of dust that heralded the approaching armored cavalry, Mathiu said, “We can do no more here, Lord Tir. We must retreat.”

“But our soldiers are still out there…” 

“Tir, you go on ahead!” Viktor yelled, grimacing from the pain of his injuries. “We’ll take care of the guys left here somehow. So just hurry up and get outta here!”

“Viktor…” The moment Tir began to speak…

“Nwoooooh!”A company of red-faced soldiers appeared behind Tir and the others, yelling at the top of their lungs, charging full-speed ahead. It was Pahn’s foot soldiers, arriving late. 

“Pahn?!” Before Tir could stop him, Pahn was thrust into battle with the armored cavalry. Horrified, Tir shut his eyes tight. But beyond the darkness of his closed eyelids, he could still hear sharp metallic noises and the heartrending screams of the gulhorse. 

He opened his eyes and, to his complete surprise, saw that Pahn and his soldiers were putting up a good fight. When the gulhorses tried to ram them, the foot soldiers just slipped by and attacked the gulhorses’ unprotected feet. 

“So that’s how you beat ‘em…” Cleo murmured under her breath in admiration. “Way to go, Pahn!”

When waging war against the quick gulhorses, the foot soldiers turned out to be more effective than mounted soldiers. The main reason being that mounted soldiers have to synchronize their breathing in time with their horses to do battle. 

If there is a delay of even one second in the transmission of the rider’s will to the horse, then they will be hit head-on by the gulhorse’s ramming attack. 

Footsoldiers, however, only rely on their own reflexes while fighting. No matter how fast gulhorses may be, they can’t keep up with Pahn’s footsoldiers, honed in hand-to-hand combat. 

Furthermore, the gulhorse had been running and fighting constantly up until the point of engaging with Pahn’s men. Their one fault—lack of stamina—played right into Pahn’s hands. 

They wrestled with the armored cavalry for a time and got knocked about but he ran up to Tir in high spirits, checking on the status of the units. “Lord Tir, we’ll hold them off.” Pahn panted. “Please hurry and escape!”

“You can’t do this alone, Pahn,” Cleo retorted. She jerked her chin, indicating the field and beyond. At some point during the battle Teo’s unit had come marching up behind the armored cavalry. “That doesn’t exactly look like a fair fight. You planning on dying today?”

Pahn’s smile was forced as he said, “Not planning on it, no. But if I’m not prepared to die, there’s no way we can stop Lord Teo.”

“Absolutely not, Pahn.” interjected Tir. “I won’t lose you, too.”

“Thank you, Lord Tir.” Pahn said, gazing up at Tir sitting astride his horse. “But you can’t die here today. You’re our leader. Plus…” He smiled suddenly, just for a moment. “We can’t waste the lives Gremio gave us, can we?”

“But that’s…” Tir trailed off, and Pahn continued. “Lord Tir, ever since I met your father I’ve always thought… I want to try going head-to-head with him in battle, just once. Every man wants to surpass those who are stronger than them, right?” 

Pahn laughed. A real laugh this time. Tir felt something stir in his heart, hearing that laugh. “Pahn…” 

“So, Lord Tir, please grant me my selfish request.” Pahn said, gazing at him. Tir stared back at him.

The battle had subsided temporarily, but at that moment the silence was broken by the scream of a soldier. It seemed that Pahn’s soldiers were also beginning to tire. “Now, Lord Tir!” shouted Pahn, sparing a glance for his unit, fallen into chaos. “Hurry!”

“Okay—but don’t you go dying on us, Pahn!”

“Just leave this to me. I’ll be back in time for dinner!”

“You’d better be!” Cleo smiled. 

“Yep!” Pahn plunged back into the fray, his claws held high. 

While Pahn held back the armored cavalry, Cleo, Tir, and all the soldiers they could gather together boarded the boats Lepant had prepared to leave the war-torn Goran region behind. They left the shore in their five boats, believing that Pahn would come back to them. 

ーーー

“Is that Pahn?” Murmured Teo, looking at the one man left standing on the field amid all the corpses. 

By the time Teo’s main unit arrived, the Liberation Army had for the most part succeeded in escaping to the lakeshore forest. Teo eliminated the remaining unit and had his armored cavalry pull back to rejoin the main force. Only Pahn remained, clad in red, drenched in the blood of his enemies. 

Pahn took one step forward. “Lord Teo…” 

Despite losing all of his men, it was clear from his posture that Pahn was still ready and willing to fight. Teo spoke quietly but with firm authority. “Pahn. Do not try to stop us.”

Pahn took one more step toward Teo. “I can’t do that.”

“You would disobey me?” 

Staring at Teo fixedly, Pahn took another step. “I already betrayed Lord Tir once because of my loyalty to the Empire.. But now… now I understand better what I want—how I want to live my life. And now that I understand that, I can’t just go throwing it away.” 

He scowled deeply. Looking into his eyes, Teo understood what Pahn was getting at. “I see.” He let his cape drop and dismounted his horse. “Very well. I never imagined the day would come when I would raise my sword against you, Pahn.”

“Lord Teo!” One of Teo’s commanding officers suddenly threw off his own red cape and galloped over on his horse. It was Alen. “There is no need for you to fight this battle, Lord Teo. Just leave it to me. I’ll take this man’s head.” 

“Enough, Alen,” barked Teo and Alen brought his horse to a halt. 

“But, Lord Teo…” Grenseal had, of course, jumped out to join them as well. 

“I said that’s enough, Alen, Grenseal. Stay your hand.” Teo drew his sword in one fluid movement. Pahn adopted his fighting stance as well, his claws held out at the ready. “All right. No games. This is a real fight.”

“Here I come, Lord Teo!”Pahn ran across the blood-soaked field and leapt straight at Teo.

Teo hurled himself into the wind that stank of blood. 

***

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