Lord of the Rings: Warriors

As dawn broke, a thin layer of morning dew clung to the earth while an army marched swiftly and silently. 

The blood-red banner of Zaltarion fluttered, its brilliant hue gleaming under the rising sun.

"Such fertile land... it's a shame we cannot make full use of it," Rynar sighed.

"Our manpower is limited, and we lack the strength to gather our scattered kin," Reynard replied with a helpless shrug.

"We are constantly on the brink of war, with no path of retreat. 

Our only option is to expand our territory as much as possible, trading space for time to develop," Rynar said, his gaze deep and contemplative.

Reynard was momentarily stunned. No wonder his king was so relentless in expanding the borders, even when development was beyond their capacity—he had a grander strategy in mind.

"We cannot match the orcs in numbers, so we must rely on vast lands and fortified strongholds to hinder their advance. 

If necessary, we can abandon certain territories and pull back to reinforce our defensive lines," Rynar explained calmly.

Reynard hesitated before nodding in agreement. "You are right."

"But if the Lulong Fortress is re-established, we cannot afford to lose it," Rynar continued, his voice grave. 

He would not allow Dol Guldur's tragedy to repeat itself in Riverguard. 

Dol Guldur had originally been just an Elven settlement, not a true fortress, yet when it fell into the hands of the orcs, they transformed it into one. 

Lulong, however, was built for war from the outset, with no regard for civilian use—every structure served a military purpose. 

If the orcs captured it, both Riverguard and the entire Zaltarion Kingdom would know no peace.

"Do you think a mere 500 soldiers can truly defend it?" Rynar sighed, posing the difficult question.

"But we can't just ignore the safety of Riverguard!" Reynard protested.

Rynar exhaled deeply. "Fine... let Caslow take permanent residence in Lulong Fortress. The presence of a Dragon Knight should be enough to deter most threats."

Deploying his sole Dragon Knight was a costly decision. 

A Tier 3 Dragon Knight's combat power was comparable to that of a Tier 6 warrior, as their strength came primarily from their dragon mounts. 

The knight himself simply protected the blind spots of his mount.

"Caslow's talents are wasted here," Reynard said regretfully.

"We need a high-level deterrent. If not Caslow, then should we send Omsk?" Rynar's face darkened at the thought. 

Leaving a Dragon Knight here was one thing, but sacrificing a hero unit was another matter entirely. Heroes were meant to lead knights into battle, not stand guard alone.

"Your Highness, we are almost there!" A soldier's call snapped them from their discussion.

Before they knew it, they had arrived at their destination. The wide river reflected the emerald forest and the azure sky. 

A well-trodden road cut through the woodland, forming a distinct opening.

"Your Highness, across the river lies the Old Forest Road—we have reached our destination," Reynard murmured as he watched the entrance on the opposite bank.

"Hmm? We're here already?" Rynar blinked in surprise, then steadied himself. "Then let's begin."

He withdrew an alchemic flask, within which Lulong Fortress lay sealed.

"What a magnificent fortress..." Reynard whispered in awe, gazing at the miniature stronghold inside the bottle.

Rynar began chanting in the ancient and intricate Draconic tongue. 

As the arcane words spilled from his lips, six golden-red hexagrams appeared, suspending themselves around the flask—above, below, in front, behind, left, and right. 

The glyphs upon them flickered and rearranged, magical patterns aligning in response to his invocation.

A brilliant light erupted from the first hexagram, flashing intensely before vanishing. Then the second, the third… 

Until, after several long minutes of incantation, the final hexagram exploded in a dazzling burst of energy and disappeared. 

The flask trembled as the magic inscriptions upon it shattered and dissipated.

"The seal is broken..." Rynar's voice quivered with excitement.

"Yes... The last great war fortress... Lulong," Reynard whispered, his eyes glistening.

With a decisive motion, Rynar hurled the flask to the ground. It shattered with a crisp crack.

A blinding crimson light surged forth, and in its wake, a colossal silhouette materialized, standing tall between heaven and earth.

"Lulong!" Two golden Zaltarion characters were emblazoned upon the battlements. 

Countless crimson banners, embroidered with golden dragons, fluttered in the wind. The fortress walls, a blend of dark purple and obsidian hues, emanated an aura of ancient brutality.

"That color... It's stained with the blood of orcs who perished beneath these walls..." Reynard murmured, awestruck. Just how many orcs had died to paint an entire fortress in blood?

"A bastion!" Rynar's eyes lit up. Lulong Fortress was a star-shaped bastion, one of the most impregnable defensive structures of the medieval era!

"Truly ruthless!" Now that the seal was lifted, they could see details previously obscured. 

Aside from the eight towering Dragonfall Turrets, the fortress boasted a staggering one hundred heavy ballista towers! 

Those things could even pose a threat to dragons—against human soldiers, even the Royal Guards would fall in mere volleys.

"This fortress was built to hunt dragons, wasn't it?" Rynar couldn't help but remark.

Reynard bared his teeth in a grin. "Your Highness… You're not wrong. Lulong was indeed constructed to counter the threat of wild dragons. Its purpose is dragon hunting!"

"Monstrous!" Rynar silently applauded the Zaltarion royal family. Truly ruthless! They had built an entire dragon-hunting fortress just to keep dragons at bay.

"Originally, it was stationed in the Grey Mountains, but it was supposedly overrun by northern orcs. 

Yet, realistically speaking, how could orcs breach a fortress renowned as the 'Last Bastion'? Even dragons fell before it!" Reynard mused.

Rynar kept silent. He wanted to tell Reynard the truth—that in the game, Lulong Fortress wasn't just conquered—it was completely dismantled by orcs! 

If not for the omnipotent game system, even its bricks would have been lost to history.

"What a majestic, awe-inspiring fortress! This is the twilight of the empire, the beacon of its hope, the embodiment of its unyielding will!" Reynard's voice rose with fervor.

Rynar raised an eyebrow. "Good grief, he's really getting into it… He sounds like he's delivering a battlefield speech. Did he catch some kind of fever?"

"Your Highness, why don't you seem happy?" After celebrating with the soldiers, Reynard finally noticed Rynar standing quietly to the side.

"Of course I'm pleased, but we must remain grounded. No matter how mighty the fortress, it is only ours so long as we hold it!" Rynar said, his gaze drifting towards Dol Guldur, filled with unease.

"Do not worry, Your Highness! As long as we draw breath, no one shall pass Lulong!" 

The soldiers who would garrison the fortress straightened their backs, eyes blazing with unwavering determination.

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