Liberation of Loyts

Liberation of Loyts was third large scale battle in the Roble Holy Kingdom which was the start of the Holy Kingdom Liberation Army's retaliation against the Demi-Human Alliance.

Background
After Remedios Custodio and her diplomatic entourage having secured the personal assistance of Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown to aid the Liberation Army to retake the Northern Holy Kingdom, it was planned by the leadership, at Ainz suggestion to relocate their base as it may have been possibly exposed. To avoid a possible attack it was agreed that the resistance needed to make the first move and relocate. Though the problem however was not locating a new base, but the matter of provisions. Lacking funds to buy provisions from their neighbors and allies in the south at the coast, along with the loss of their queen, Remedios decided to use the Sorcerer King's idea to focus her forces efforts on attacking the prison camps and liberating the people. It was hoped that by liberating enough of the populace it would increase the fighting strength of the Liberation Army. At the same time acquire much needed food supplies from the enemy camps.

Battle
The Liberation Army's traveled by the shore of the Kingdom, taking Ainz's suggestion that it would be easier to hide their tracks by the sea. Their first target was a small village occupied by the the Bafolk. The human fighters utilized siege tactics, breaching the village fortifications in a two-ponged attack with angels from the air and infantry from the ground. The angels summoned by the Liberation forces were the first to reach the walls and proceeded to attack the watchtowers whilst the Bafolk archers tried to aim at Remedios leading the charge from the ground. Remedios easily cut down the arrows coming at her with her sword as she ran towards the gates. The angels swiftly killed the Bafolk archers at a watchtower. The paladins following behind the captain then brought out the battering ram and tried to use it to break open the gate.

One Bafolk at a watchtower held a human girl in his grip, and used her as a hostage to force Remedios to call of the attack of her soldiers and their summons. The demi-humans continue to brandish his human shield forcing the human attackers to further retreat from the gates. Ainz Ooal Gown arriving with Neia at the scene urged Remedios to resolve the situation yet Remedios refused to endanger the girl's life further. The Bafolk killed the hostage by cutting off her head as a demonstration of his leverage over them. To reiterate he brought a second hostage, a human boy, before them and demanded that the paladin gather her people on horses. Remedios caved into the demands much to Ainz's disproval as the demi-humans now confirmed that using hostages were effective against their forces, making their surprise attack on the village moot as the remaining Bafolk shore up the village's defenses. Remedios would not hear even when Neia pleaded to her senior to accept that casualties were necessary for the greater good. The paladin was obstinate as if any innocents died then there would be no justice. The Sorcerer King thought otherwise and proceeded to approach the Bafolk holding the hostage. When the demi-human tried to intimidate the masked magic caster, Ainz displayed his resolve to end the stalemate, holding that a single human life meant little to him. The magic caster casted [Fireball] blowing away the hostage and demi-human. A lightning spell at the fortified gates of the village blasted them open. The Sorcerer King urged the paladins to resume the battle and wiped out every Bafolk that still lived. Remedios angered by what she perceived to be an unjust kill, was distracted by the duty to continue leading her men. Though the captain was ungrateful to Ainz for making the hard choice, Ainz gained gratitude from Remedios's second Gustav Montagnés and the other sensible priests and paladins.

Ainz's actions were to illustrate to the demi-humans the pointless of using hostages and thus force the Bafolk to resume fighting than hiding behind shields. The Sorcerer King took the moment to carry the body of the deceased boy to a place where Remedios planted her banter. With the help of Neia they cleaned the body for a burial. As Neia spoke with Ainz, she sees more into how human Ainz really is when he speaks of making difficult decisions as a leader of a nation. Once the village was finally liberated, the Liberation Army found that demons were skinning the villagers for some unknown purpose. The survivor from the camp were grateful of their savior though were fearful of Ainz. The body of the boy and Ainz's part in his death was brought into question especially by the boy's father who was devastated. The father blamed Ainz for his child's death, but the man's anger was dispelled when Ainz told him that his son's death was his own failure for protecting him. And that his failure was for being weak to allow the strong like the Bafolk enslave him and his family. The Sorcerer King's argument was cold and heartless but expressed a ring of truth that none in the group denied.

After attacking the first prison camp, and freeing the people who joined the ranks of the Liberation Army, the resistance went after the next prison camp the next day. The Liberation Army's attack on the first camp yielded less than expected food stocks and thus there was pressure to raid the demi-human occupied encampments to acquire much needed supplies. Plus to it was noted that the demi-humans in charge of inspection of the camps would soon eventually detect that the camps were being liberated hence the need to continue the advance while the humans had the element of surprise.

The Liberation Army had two options at this junction. The first was to flee south and joining forces with the armies stationed there. And the second was to strike first at the Demi-Human Alliance and conquer a small city. Though the two plans had merits and flaws, Captain Remedios opted for the second as she had an ulterior motive for the latter. After questioning the demi-humans in the previous camps, and later executing them, the town that was to be their next target, Loyts, was reported to contain someone of royal blood. If the information was true, the Liberation Army's situation would greatly improve, and use the the rescue of the noble to negotiate with the southern forces to send more reinforcements. Since the city was guaranteed to have more enemy demi-humans guarding it, the paladins pressed their rescued captives into military service to bolster their numbers. It was decided by the leaders of the advancing army agreed to attack at day, as it would be disadvantageous to humans at that time.

Upon reaching the city, the battle lines already formed up among the human fighters with the paladins at the front followed by the militiamen and lastly the priests. The plan for the attack on the city was the same as the Liberation Army's attacks on the previous settlements; using angels to suppress the demi-humans at the walls, while the paladins broken down the gates. The militiamen in the attack would be limited to intimidating the enemy through their use of numbers. The citizens that made up the militia were order to avoid fighting, unless absolutely necessary.

Though Loyts was a small city it was still very large for a region and had portcullises reinforced with iron and made of stone walls. Unlike the previous prison camps the city was nearly impregnable making it troublesome to the attackers. Remedios led the paladins to a charge at the gate with the angels flying overhead attacking the demi-humans at the wall. The wall being manned by Bafolk took casualties as did the summoned angels. Though the paladins assaulted the gates they were hindered by the portcullis and the spears of the Bafolk. To further deter them the demi-humans poured boiling hot water from the murder holes, but it had little effect as the paladins casted [Protection Energy Fire] on themselves.

The militiamen eventually reached the wall using the cover of makeshift wooden shields and began aiming at the demi-humans targeting the angels. The summoned angels took friendly fire but the priests also contributed by summoning more angels into the fray. Once the city gate fell, the paladins and militiamen flooded the city. The demi-humans who witnessed Remedios skills in battle were shaken and became more frantic. One of the Bafolk used a young hostage to delay the advance of the paladins. The demi-human demanded that the priests recall the angels unless they will have blood on their hands. Remedios not learning from her previous experience in the prison camps opts to negotiate despite the protests of her men. The captain is insistent that sacrificing the few for the many was not a way to honor the Holy Queen and her ideals. Doing otherwise in her view would to break the oath they swore to their sovereign. Though the paladins admitted that she was not wrong, some believed that the situation required them to be flexible. Remedios still held the iron clad rule "Not having to sacrifice anyone".

Ainz who had been observing the discussion from the side with Neia reminded the captain that the situation was leading them into a dangerous deadlock with the demi-human defenders. If she delayed taking action then the city would be lost for retaking. The paladin would not proceed any further without a better way. The Sorcerer King bluntly told her than there was no other way. With that being said Gustavo conceded that the child needed to be sacrifice for the greater good. The Sorcerer King seeing that most have accepted that sacrifices were required, decided to led them his aid as he doubted the humans could continue to retake the city even if they sacrificed one child. Ainz the used [Great Magic Seal] and [Mass Hold Species] to pacify the demi-humans. Next he summoned ten High Wraiths. After ordering the paladins to stand back, the demi-humans upon seeing the undead brought waves of confusion due to the unfamiliar monsters. The Bafolk seeing Ainz tried to use their hostage to force him back, but the undead merely laughed at the gesture. One of the demi-humans thinking Neia was the magic caster summoner commanding Ainz tried to make her tell Ainz to retreat. However it was took late and Ainz released an aura that overpowered the Bafolk with fear and later immobilized by [Mass Hold Species].

Ainz advanced forward towards, but not after casting [Greater Break Item] to destroy the portcullis to open the path for the paladins to enter the city. Just as the paladins moved to tie the demi-humans, a Berserk Bafolk fell down from the city walls and stabbed its spear at Ainz. The Sorcerer King evaded the attack, which led to the spear killing one of the immobile Bafolk. Ainz with swift movements grabbed its head. The Berserk Bafolk reacted by driving the spear right through Ainz, but the Sorcerer King was unharmed and proceeded to crush the demi-human's skull.

The Liberation Army and Ainz proceeded to enter the city streets. The undead released by Ainz left the Bafolk in disarray. A horde of the frighten demi-humans ran towards Ainz and Neia which the Sorcerer King then eliminated with a [Fireball]. As Ainz and his squire Neia approached the city plaza, they encountered the leader of the Bafolk, Buser the King of Destruction. The demi-human king was largely unaffected by the fear inducing powers of the Wraiths due to his magical equipment. Buser seeing Ainz mistakenly believed Neia to be a necromancer. He was corrected however by the Sorcerer King who offered Buser to either be killed or kneel in servitude. With his name as a lord at stake, Buser declined as he already kneeled in subservience to another.

Ainz then used [Create Greater Item] to conjure a two-handled sword and parried a blow from Buser's [Shield Bash] which sent the former back. The two kings then engaged each other, exchanging attacks. The Sorcerer King then chose to throw his weapon at Buser, but his equipment blocked the attack, leaving the Bafolk only slightly scratched. The blade from the throw was recalled to Ainz's hand and was altered to a halberd. Attacking Buser with a feint the demi-human successfully blocked it and leapt back to use [Sandstorm] and created a rushing sand burst at Ainz. His opponent's eye vision hindered, Buser activated two Martial Arts techniques: [Essence Seal] and [Grand Power Strike]. In addition he activated Charge Without Hesitation and charged at Buser. Ainz caught the blow on his halberd, taking a sunder attack meant to damage his weapon. To Buser's utter shock the weapon was unharmed. Ainz informs him that the weapon was made through magic, but to Buser's knowledge weapons made by magic would still be fragile. This was not the case for Ainz who told the demi-human that though he should not be bound by a fixed worldview. The Overlord then dismissed the halberd and grasped to black longswords in his hands and goaded Buser to continue fighting wondering aloud with that was his only trump card. Buser thinks it to be a ploy to tire him out as Ainz who was undead would not tire unlike him.

The Sorcerer King seeing that there was a misunderstanding them dispelled his weapons to leave him vulnerable. Buser seeing an opportunity stabbed at Ainz's unprotected body only to find that the Sorcerer King was unharmed despite the blows. No matter what attack the demi-human used his opponent remained unmoved. Ainz believing that he had seen all that needed to be seen from Buser's Martial Arts, then move forward to eliminate Buser. Buser feeling the abnormality of his opponent tried to offer his surrender, citing that he would be useful to Ainz if he wished to defeat Jaldabaoth. To entice the undead of his value, Buser even offered his collected treasures. The servile pitch did not make Ainz see Buser in any higher light, adding that if he allowed Buser to join him it would make some of his subjects unhappy. Buser seeing the he was about to die tried to scramble away but met his end when the Sorcerer King casted [Death] on him.

Aftermath
The outcome of the retaking of the city and freeing its citizens were attributed to the power of the Sorcerer King. Not only that the attacking paladins and militiamen were virtually unhurt, and while some of the imprisoned residents had lost their lives in the chaos, it was a shockingly small amount. Whilst the paladins busied with tasks in securing the city, Ainz claimed the spoils of Buser's equipment. He then went with Neia to investigate a large building in the center of the city. There they found what was left of the central base of the command of the city, finding papers containing what was detailing reports on experiments conducted on humans and demi-humans. The building still contained living test subjects which prompted Ainz to call for the priests to tend to the survivors. There were also orcs found among the test subjects. Ainz and Neia were left to handle the orcs who were all traumatized by the inhumane treatment under Jaldabaoth and his demonic minions. Ainz after some convincing managed to coax some details of their imprisonment from their representative, Dyel Gan Zu of the Gan Zu. From the orcs the Ainz and Neia learned that the demi-human prisoners were not part of the Alliance that attacked the Holy Kingdom, in fact made as examples by the Demon Emperor for refusing to join him. The orcs learning that the Sorcerer King was not going to kill them, only wished to return to their homes and forget about their hellish experience. Even when the topic of forging an alliance to fight against Jaldabaoth, the orcs were hesitant to join having been broken by the demon and losing the courage to fight. Though disappointed by their choice, Ainz agreed to send them home, but offered them refuge in his kingdom. The offer was quickly rejected as the orcs only wanted to flee to somewhere safe. Thinking they insulted their host the orcs feared that they would face an execution by Ainz. Despite Ainz assurances that they had nothing to fear from him, the demi-humans did not trust him. To their surprise Neia came to defend Ainz's integrity before the prisoners stating the undead was a noble and honorable being, and that he spoke the truth of his kingdom being a place of coexistence for all races.