Hounds of War [Yandere Generals x Female General Reader]

56. City of Smoke.

As soon as they received confirmation that they were free to assault Vascini without any inhibitions, the army sprang into a frenzy preparing for the attack. The weapons were sharpened, the armor was polished, the horses fed and watered, and the fragment of Estain's Fire prepared to be hauled into the city.

As the afternoon grew later the Luccian army marched out to begin what would be the final battle of the war. The houses they passed become more frequent and more crowded together as they drew nearer to the pristine mountain city hewn from white stone. At the very heart of the city, an ivory clocktower pierced the sky.

It was a truly lovely city, and had they not been able to return home for the past seven years as a result of the war the aesthetic-loving Luccians would have fully appreciated it. Even with its beauty, it was the city of the enemy, and that alone made it a hideous thing. They had orders to destroy it, and that's what they would do.

The roads changed from dirt to a smooth cobblestone as the army began entering the city itself. Quaint and attractive shops such as bakeries and cobblers lined the streets along with several green parks dotted here and there throughout the city. The sunlight only made the white stone appear more lovely, but the city still caused a shiver of fear to travel down the soldiers' spines.

The city was empty. Apart from the sound of shuffling feet as the army moved deeper into the city, there was only silence. Not so much as a stray cat was wandering around and the streets were void of life. It was eery, to say the least, and left many of the soldiers feeling jumpy and paranoid.

"Where is everyone?" Y/N asked after several more minutes of riding through the seemingly empty city. She raised a hand indicating the army to stop and she did the same. "Baccoso, sniff them out." She commanded the bear-like man.

"Hmm," Baccoso hummed in agreement as he dismounted from his horse and knelt down, bowing his head of raven hair as he placed the palms of his hands against the cobblestone street. He focused on tuning out the hum of the soldiers talking and the shuffling of their feet, imploring the rocks and earth to reveal to him what paths the Vascinians had taken. After several minutes he felt the vibrations of the disorganized feet that had passed through not long before. "this way!" He called in his rumbling voice as he jumped to his feet.

The vibrations stopped as soon as his hands lost connection with the ground but it mattered not, now that he was on the trail there was nothing that could stop him. He took off at a brisk pace, forcing the army to scramble to keep up with him. After a few sharp turns they arrived at a large cobblestone square that appeared to be the perfect place for a market, it was empty though and just as void of life as the rest of the city as Baccoso came to a stop.

Everyone including Y/N looked around in confusion, they were convinced that the black-haired general had led them astray, but Y/N knew better. She dismounted from her horse and looked around the large open square. She smirked as her E/C eyes landed on the ornate temple that sat in the center of the square.

"Ahh, so this is where the little mice have hidden," Y/N snickered as she walked up to the door of the temple and saw that the base of the steps had been piled high with offerings of fine meats, wine, gold, bread, and jewelry for the conquerors. A sign had been placed before the bounty that read: take whatever payment you want in exchange for our lives; please spare us.

Y/N crushed the sign under her boot carelessly as she laughed, "When will they learn that praying to a goddess of fertility and submission won't save them when life gets hard," she said as she looked at a carved idol on the outside of the temple on the goddess Luccia with nothing but scorn.

"Take whatever spoils you want," Y/N said as she stepped away from the temple emptyhanded and got back into the saddle. "But remember that our orders are to destroy Vascini, so don't let your hearts be swayed by any pitiful prostrations." She reminded them sternly.

"Eslinn!" She called once the swarm of soldiers had cleared from the temple steps, leaving not so much as a scrap of bread behind. "Prepare Estain's Fire, and Fire when ready, aim for the temple." She ordered callously, causing a ripple of uncertainty to pass through the Luccian soldiers. The thought of attacking a temple was foreign and immoral to them, but they dare not defy her orders.

"You heard General Y/N!" Eslinn snapped as the silver beast was rolled into position before the temple and loaded. "Ready, FIRE!" He commanded.

An ear-shattering blast followed as a glowing orb was rocketed into the temple, it plowed through the heavy wooden doors with ease before it exploded with another defining bang inside. The air was suddenly filled with screams and wails of terror as the remaining stone walls of the temple crumbled, revealing a great mass of people who scrambled in panic from their destroyed hiding place.

"Look at them scatter," Y/N snorted, watching the citizens of Vascini flee like terrified mice. "pitiful - Esclave! Bring those good-for-nothing pipers who have been slacking of for the entirety of this war!" She ordered her aid briskly.

"G-General Denlleonis," the Estainian pipers trembled with dread as they were brought before the Esedict General at the front of the army procession. 

"You useless louts have done nothing but sit around and get fat!" Y/N barked, glaring down at the musicians she'd brought along with her all the way from Estain, from where she sat in her saddle. "It's time to earn your bread - war is truly the most entertaining sport of all, but no sporting event is complete without music, so start us a song, that we may enjoy ourselves."

Nervously the pipers prepared their instruments, terrified of being run through if they took too long. After a couple of off starts, they finally managed to fall into rhythm and key together, playing a spirited battle march.

It was like nothing the Luccians had ever heard before, the instruments sounded rather like tin whistles, but with a deep resonance that was at least ten times as loud. The melody was at the same time lively and powerful with a melodic hum that seemed to fill their very bones with energy.

With a bloodcurdling cry, Y/N spurred her horse to a gallop, unsheathing her sword. The rest of the army quickly followed, chasing after the people who had survived the temple collapse. The final assault on Vascini had begun.

"By Estain!" Y/N declared as the piper's march mingled in the air with the screams of the Vascinians as she charged and cut them down cleanly with her blade "I love my job!"

A/N

General Denlleonis: *does literally anything at all*
The Pipers: *epic cinematic battle music*

Until next time I'll see you on the other side

~J. C. Coltt.~