The white spray of water, sliding down the steep slope, plummeted in an instant, forming a thick mist. Along with it, a deafening explosion that shook the earth drowned out even the loudest shouts.
"Why is this happening now...!"
One knight stammered, unable to continue. More than the dam’s discharge itself, the pressure of the bursting water was extraordinary.
Although they wanted to believe they were safe because the waterway was deeply carved below, the bridge itself sat lower than the levee separating the flat ground. Moreover, as if to prove the water level had usually been high, green moss could be seen in the cracks of the corroded railing.
The knight who sensed the ominous situation immediately tried to find a way out, but behind him were his densely packed comrades. Most of them °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° were dazed, merely relying on their horses to run, and even if they turned back now, having already crossed half the bridge, it was uncertain whether they could escape.
Meanwhile, water droplets that had sprung up from afar sharply scratched their faces as they passed. Someone, overwhelmed by the river’s thunderous rage, gripped the reins tightly and shouted:
"Retreat–!"
Pale-faced, he mumbled in a voice that wouldn’t be heard and abruptly changed direction in the middle of the group. But there was no room among the twenty or so war horses rearing up at once, and before he could even look to the side, he was kicked by hooves and went down, triggering a brutal collision.
"Ahhh–!"
Three or four horses reared, throwing off their riders and tumbling over each other. The lower body of a dismounted knight was crushed underneath, and five horses were shoved over like dominoes, overturning in the middle of the bridge. Those following from behind were forced to stop, confusion spreading as they backed away.
"Those idiots..."
The rash action of a single person had driven half the force into peril. A knight at the front looked back, gritting his teeth, and dug his heel into his horse’s belly. He meant to overtake the vehicles and cross the bridge first.
As the startled horse neighed nervously and increased its speed, one vehicle turned and hugged the right side of the bridge. The other vehicle quickly pressed to the left, maintaining formation as they advanced side by side. The three escort vehicles formed a horizontal barricade, blocking the path so the knights couldn’t overtake them.
Having their own tactics used against them, the knights’ faces showed clear bewilderment.
The driver, watching the mirror, twisted the corner of her mouth. At that moment, Hugo’s focused gaze flashed sharply.
Boom, boom–
Whoosh–
The water stream that burst out with an intensity that defied physical laws threw fully open all thirteen floodgates that had been one-third open. The strong men holding the handles were dragged by the suddenly spinning wheels and tumbled over. The water pressure pouring down was incomparable to normal discharges.
It was as if the spray were a living creature, screaming to break free, and even the experienced managers were thrown into confusion by the uncontrollable handles.
"Why, why is this happening?"
"Get up! Retreat to the back immediately!"
After a moment of panic, the strong men who had risen from the wet floor supported each other and pressed their backs against the wall. Just as they clipped their lifelines to the safety hooks around their waists, the rough waters forming beyond the dam’s crown surged ominously. The managers, feeling a chill, slowly raised their heads. Their eyes widened, and they froze in place.
"What is that..."
A wave of unprecedented scale loomed over their heads like a shadow. Without anyone taking the lead, they covered their deafened ears, hunched their shoulders, and grabbed the safety bars.
Meanwhile, the water column that had shot up into the sky changed direction and headed toward the white bridge five hundred meters ahead. The tsunami cutting across the sky rushed toward the grand canal.
"Damn it, damn it─!"
The knight who had been spurring his horse so hard its hide might tear suddenly looked up as the sky darkened.
A deluge incomparable to mere heavy rain approached like a seismic cloud. The knight’s upper body momentarily lost balance and swayed as his pupils dilated.
"Ah."
Before his dying gasp could dissipate, giant water snakes with foaming mouths poured down like judgmental lightning, baring their teeth.
Immediately after, the waterfall striking the water surface swallowed the entire white bridge. The surging waves, threatening to overflow, grabbed the knight by the hair and swept everything away.
As hail-like streams poured over the vehicle bodies, Hugo turned his head and shouted to the driver:
"Break through!"
The three vehicles plunged into the waves along the road with roaring engines. A moment later, their submerged forms vanished without a trace.
*****
"It's hit!"
The two Hareth knights remaining in the control room tracked the real-time situation through binoculars. The moment the massive wave struck the white bridge and grand canal, a shocking sound that seemed to remake heaven and earth reverberated, making their hearts sink.
The water droplets that had collided shot up into the air, then poured down like torrential rain, accompanied by thick fog that threatened even the control room windows. The force was so fierce it could scratch the binocular lenses. As the world turned pale white with mist, the two knights covered their faces with their forearms and stepped back.
–What happened?
The image stone on the table behind them glowed softly. With it, someone’s urgent voice rang out.
The face reflected in the image stone, about the size of a human head, was Cordelia’s. Judging by the curved silhouettes around her, it seemed she was receiving updates along with her subordinates.
The knight whose face was soaked from the blast quickly closed the window and, as the wind and rain eased, surveyed the area near the bridge with binoculars. However, the current was so strong that the constant foam made it impossible to see not only people or escort vehicles, but even the railings and pillars.
Only the grass and trees near the embankment were uprooted miserably and washed away. The knight, with an anxious expression, rolled his eyes while keeping his gaze fixed and answered:
"...Still can't see anything yet."
Cordelia’s expression beyond the image stone darkened rapidly. Overcome with worry, she urged them to look farther even after hearing the answer. The two knights diligently scanned the rapids-formed waterway with the same mindset, but nothing came into view for about a minute.
Occasionally, when something resembling a human form flickered, it invariably turned out to be tree branches or drifting garbage. As only muddy water churned with the spray, the knight muttered in a worried voice:
"Surely they weren't swept away..."
"Look, look over there!"
Just then, the other knight beside him hurriedly pointed out the window. At the end of his index finger, there was suspicious movement below the water surface, as if a large fish were cutting through the current.
"That's...!"
The two knights stared intently at that area with wide eyes. In response, their colleagues beyond the image stone, who had been restless, held their breath.
Soon, that flow reached the end of the white bridge, and from between the rough currents, a water-soaked escort vehicle laboriously rolled its wheels up. The knight calmly began to count the visible forms.
As the third and final one came up, he raised his voice:
"All three have made it out!"
–What?
No sooner had Cordelia asked than cheers erupted from those around her. Cordelia, who had looked around at her subordinates with a dumbfounded expression, finally broke into a broad smile. She slammed her hand on the table inside the watchtower and leaned in, urging her subordinates:
–I need to see this with my own eyes. Hurry and show me that side!
At Cordelia’s order, the knight who had been watching outside lowered his binoculars and carefully lifted the image stone. He approached the window frame and half-placed it there, allowing Cordelia to see the three black vehicles that had just reached flat ground and were driving away.
"...Ha."
A sigh of relief escaped through her teeth. Her brow furrowed involuntarily. Afraid of showing another unsightly appearance with her strength drained, Cordelia held back and managed an awkward smile. Then, without realizing it, she clenched her right fist. She brought her resolve to her left chest, just as Leonardo had done.
All of Hareth’s knights, including her, who had witnessed this glorious sight, prayed for the safety of their departing benefactors.
Meanwhile, the three vehicles that had barely escaped the submerged bridge immediately raced toward the forest path leading to the nearby territory. Hugo calmed the water flow as much as possible to the very end, watching the rear to prevent flood damage downstream.
His gaze swept over the undulating white bridge area, then moved to the top of the dam where their grateful allies would be.
The floodgates that had been fully opened were now slowly closing. Beside them, two dark figures could be seen waving from the floodgate control room.
"Whew..."
Hugo let out a sigh filled with many meanings.
The edge of his right hand touched the corner of his eyebrow neatly. He saluted those who had aided their safe escape, conveying his respect.
*****
"Gasp, cough, gasp."
Around the time the escort vehicles completely disappeared into the forest path, knights who had barely crawled up, clinging to their horses’ manes from the opposite side of the bridge, spat out water.
With each labored breath, the liquid that refluxed up their esophagus dripped from their mouths and chins along with saliva.
Looking down at his subordinates who had barely survived, their appearances in disarray, the 39th Commander tore at his own hair, his face turning red and blue.
He was panting, unable to contain his rage. It was fortunate that they had all put up a barrier and grabbed the railing at the last moment; otherwise, they might truly have been washed away and drowned.
The tremendous water pressure was not something that could be withstood by human strength. With fewer than ten people having barely returned, and only six horses coming back with them from who knew where, they had ended up losing flesh by recklessly giving chase.
A knight wringing out his wet clothes beside him cautiously asked his superior:
"Shall we pursue them?"
The commander turned to him with a fierce expression, pointed at the rapids flowing through the waterway, and demanded back with trembling lips:
"Are you going?"
"...I'm sorry."
The knight hurriedly lowered his eyes. The 39th Commander, teeth grinding, kicked a helmet lying nearby for no reason.
After raging for a while, he stared intently at the unreachable opposite side of the bridge, then gradually calmed his heaving shoulders and grasped the saddle of the horse beside him.
"Their destination is set anyway."
He mounted the horse in one swift motion and turned to the rear. Then, looking down at the remaining knights, he ordered:
"Half of you enter the territory and question this incident, and half search for those swept away by the water. Don't think of returning until you've found everyone. Unless you all want to lose your heads."
