"Men, they're retreating!

Quickly!

Charge!!!!!"

"Fall back!"

"Retreat!"

"Ahhhhhh!"

"Bastards!!"

"kill them!

Kill them all!"

"Dammit!

How did it become like this?"

'Thup! Thup! Thup! Thup! Thup! Thup!'

Both sides were constantly losing men left, right and centre... while steadily advancing towards the base.

Of course, no side showed any mercy to their enemy.

And as those at the back advanced, they killed those who were slowly dying as well.... lest they woke up just before their death, in hopes of shooting and taking down any enemy to hell with them.

'Swish!'

Their sharp blades pierced right through the hearts, skulls and necks of their half-dead enemies in an instant.

'Din! Din! Din! Din! Din!'

Several uneven footsteps could be heard running through the snow towards one of the base's entrances.

Some of the men ran as fast as they could, while others supported their injured comrades instead.

They hastily made their way towards a cave and hurriedly blocked the cave's entrance by using a large boulder and several sticks to keep it in place.

"Captain Zion!

No!

We can't accept this!"

"Yes Captain, we won't leave you behind.

Please come in with us." Said some of the hidden guards, who were now looking at their leader in respect and worry.

It was obvious that their leader wanted to buy more time for them to escape.

But even though they knew all of this, they still felt choked with sorrow and grief at the thought of their leader's possible death.

Why did such a day have to come?

The pain that they felt in their hearts, was stung them more than any physical injury that they had ever gotten before.

Captain Zion.

This was their leader and Captain, who had been leading their team and many others for so many years now.

The man was 38 years old and was like a father figure to a lot of the youngins in their group.

And so with that said, many of them felt like wailing pitifully when they thought about the fact that they might never see him again.

"Please leader!..... please follow us out now!"

"Leader, please stop being stubborn!"

"Yeah, leader!

If you leave with us now, then all of us will be able to escape in one piece."

"Please Captain!"

"Please Leader!!!

Zion raised his hands and quickly demanded forward for silence.

"Enough!

Didn't I already say that I'll be staying behind?

If I follow you all back, then who will buy more time?

Do you know how many of us are in this base?

It would take quite some time for everyone to get out safely since the secret tunnel underneath is very narrow."

"Captain!

If that's the case, then I want to volunteer to stay back and cut more time too."

"Me too Captain, I also volunteer to stay behind as well."

"Count me in!"

"And me!"

"Me too!"

(*^*)

Zion looked at the men that he had been training for years now, and felt very warm inside.

These were the men that he had personally trained throughout the years!

They were brave, courageous and daring!

And even though he felt truly touched, he still couldn't bring himself to allow them to aid him in buying more time.

Because unlike himself, almost all of these men had families far away from the base.

In fact, many of his men were first-time fathers as well.

As for himself, he had always been an orphaned bachelor, whose parents had died in the hands of several bandits.

As a 38-year-old bachelor, how could he dare to allow these men who had plenty of responsibilities to aid him?

Thinking of this situation like that, his face that previously had a trace of warmth on it, was now as stern and solid as a rock.

"Are you all here to test my patience?

The young master and his family are in danger, and you all are to defy my orders??

Don't forget!

Your jobs are to protect the young master and his family.

So what are you all standing around for?

Go!

Get the hell out of here now!!!" He bellowed while swinging his sword at them crazily.

The men looked at him in sorrow, and finally turned around and ran as fast as they could.

Of course, some of them were still hesitant.

And just as they were about to leave for good, they heard several loud sounds coming from outside the cave.

'Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Eh, what was that?

'Brrrrrrrrr!'

The tremors were somewhat faint but powerful enough slightly to cause the cave's floors to tremble slightly... As if it were experiencing several mini-Hertfilianquakes.

Zion's eyes instantly lit up and he hurriedly ushered everyone away anxiously.

"Go, Dammit!"

'Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!'

Sh**!

He had to quickly set up the cave's defence system now.

Time was truly running out.

Of course while Zion was serving more traps fro the men outside... they, on the other hand, were busy throwing explosives at the cave's entrance instead.

"Can't you all aim properly?

Why are you all wasting everyone's time?

Don't you know that the more time we waste, the more chances they have at escaping?

Hurry it up, will you?!!!" Said one of Eli's men, who was currently pointing at the archers hatefully.

Good God!

What was the point of calling then archers, if they couldn't even do such a simple task?

"Don't shot the boulder for crying out loud!

Shoot the floor beneath it or the cave walls that are keeping the boulder in place!" He screamed angrily.

F***!

How dumb could they?

If they used their black powder to shoot through that thick boulder, then wouldn't they be here for quite some time?

At this rate, wouldn't their enemies have enough time to escape?

No!.... No way!

They couldn't let that happen, not when they were this close to victory.

"You good-for-nothing!

Give me that now!!" Said the man, who literally shoved one of the archers angrily and quickly grabbed his bow from him.

'Thup! Thup! Thup! Thup! Thup! Thup!

'Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom

The archers launched several attacks towards the targeted spots... And soon, the boulder came rolling down towards the group below.

"Careful! Careful!"

Everyone steadily dived to the side, away from the rolling boulder.... before finally letting out several sighs from relief.

'Phew!'

'So far so good', they thought., while looking at the cave before them.

Hmm... it was time to see what other tricks these people had.