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Once a player was defeated during a Dominion War, they could no longer respawn into fight (unless a revive spell was used to bring them back.)

The attacking side would lose if all of their appointed commanders were defeated, or they lost 80% of their fighting forces. The defending side would lose if all of their appointed commanders were defeated, or their defensive camps were taken over.

Those were rules of a Dominion War, like the one about to start.

◇◇◇

*…It has begun.*

Crim and her group remained crouched in the trenches, as loud explosions overhead shook their bodies. But those were merely lures, meant to scare them into jumping out of the trenches and become exposed.

“So, White Lily, is everything in place?”
*”We’re ready, whenever you need us.”*
“Good. Let us wait until they draw a little closer. I shall leave the precise timing in thine hands. Elmir, how fare matters over there?”
*”No problems here. If anything, everyone is excited to get out there.”*
“Hahah, that’s good to hear. Try to hold back just a little more.”

Crim got secretly in contact with those two, who were in charge of separate battalions in different locations. With that done, Crim and those around her exchanged quick nods.

“We should all keep calm and wait for the signal if we want to stay alive. Don’t worry, just trust that our friends up there are watching out for us.”

Jed reminded everyone, who held on firmly to their weapons and waited.

The explosions continued, and the tumult of a multitude of footsteps drew closer. Their endurance slowly chipped away as they waited anxiously for the signal. Until…the time came.

◇◇◇

“…They’re all hiding.”
“Hahah, I bet they’re shaking in their boots seeing our numbers.”

The enemy frontline was approaching the trenches…and that man, who had come from the second server and was part of the spellcaster unit, also began to chant as the enemy would soon enter his attack range.

He did not lower his guard, as he knew that their most dangerous enemy, Crim Lua Cheia, was hiding somewhere ahead of them.

That was also the reason why they had chosen to crush them with numbers. By outnumbering them many times to one, it did not matter what little tricks the United Kingdoms tried, they would remain at the disadvantage.

There would always be someone to take over the spot of those lost to whatever traps lay ahead.

Knowing that they would receive a brutal welcome, he continued moving forward, chanting to be ready, when…

“…Hm?”

Far in the distance, from one of the hills bordering the enemy camp, a small toy-like arrow was shot into the sky, until it froze in place high above them.

Barely a moment passed before a torrent of arrows followed it, darkening the sky, and then froze in place as well, their tips pointing straight at the Holy Kingdom’s army.

“Ack…”
“Hie…”

More arrows followed the first one, lining up into a floating wall, a looming threat obvious to everyone there. Everyone who saw it knew they were in danger, letting out weak cries.

The only question was where so many archers had been hiding.

Shooting that many arrows in such a short span of time would be impossible for just one or two hundred archers. But Lua Cheia’s army numbered less than two hundred, so which archers would do that… Various players began to panic at that realization, as figures began to emerge atop distant turrets.

They…were clearly not soldiers, their clothes were plain, and some looked young enough to pass for children. And all of them had long pointy ears.

“Are those… Elves?!”

Not only that, they were not even players. This was the first time anyone was seeing NPCs join the ranks of a Union, something no one in the second server could even imagine possible.

Just as someone muttered that in shock… The countless arrows broke free from their stasis, raining like bullets on the spellcasters behind the army.

As screams and angry shouts rang out all around him, the man finally understood what the leader of the United Kingdoms had planned for the fight.

…The trenches were not there to protect them from enemy attacks or to hide, they were to survive the barrage of arrows.

Soon, his body was torn apart by arrows and his HP depleted, and as his vision darkened…the last thing he saw was a young elven girl, too young to be considered an adult, standing atop a turret with a bow in her hands.

Her eyes…they glared at him with pure enmity, the distinct look of someone fighting for their survival…

***

#Afterword:#
Basically it’s what the chickens in Ze*da do when you bully them.
All of the NPCs volunteered to be there, and Lua Cheia positioned them as far out of harm as possible.