She summoned two Rick Guards, the Imperial Captain Huber, and the Demon Hunter Abel for a meeting.

"What's going on, Lady Surya? What happened? I heard from the soldiers that Miss Teresa was injured?" Rick Guards Rudolph and Wagner had been fighting fiercely all night, and both of them bore heavy dark circles under their eyes.

"The Ratmen sent out an assassin. Miss Teresa was injured, and the ice wall is about to fail. We're facing a full-scale assault from the Ratmen." The female knight said calmly, "Tell all the soldiers to prepare for battle. The final moment is upon us. Hold on, hang in there. The Emperor will surely be aware of Hemgart's situation. We've held out for a day and a night already."

"We should charge out and face the enemy head-on. I'll ride my steed and greet a glorious death." Rudolph was the first to propose, this new recruit of the Rick Guard surprisingly calm as he loudly suggested, "I am a proud Rick Guard. If I must die, I will die on the path of a charge."

"Death is not terrifying. My life has only battle, from one battle to the next, and then my soul will ascend to heaven to continue fighting alongside Emperor Charlemagne." The Demon Hunter Abel raised the sword in his hand.

"Alright, damn rats, let's fight them!" 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"We can't charge out." Surya calmly shook her head, the female knight turned her gaze towards the refugees in the hall, uneasy in their fear.

Everyone was silent, indeed, if these people rushed out, who would protect the refugees?

"Our only choice is to fight within this church to the very last moment."

"Dong~dong~dong~" Outside the church, the bell tolled as the Ratmen had discovered the ice wall was melting, and the Skaven Warlord Osside Abyss finally decided to launch a full assault.

It was already early morning, any delay until daylight would be too late!

The Ratmen's crude siege vehicles were battering the main gate.

"Dong~" A muffled sound rang out as the latch on the church door bent, with soldiers pressing against tables and chairs with all their might: "Hold it!"

"Dong~" The soldiers, screaming in agony, were thrown back but quickly crawled up again to block the entrance.

But it was to no avail, as from the ceiling, dome above, windows, and even the basement, came the incessant murmuring whispers of Ratmen from all directions.

"They're coming in! Wuwuwuwu~"

"It's over!"

"Merciful God of Justice! Please grant us salvation!"

The refugees of Hemgart could already hear the dull sound of the church doors.

It was the Skaven Ratmen's siege hammer pounding against the door.

The end had come.

Surya drew the Leonais Sword from her waist, flames burning along the blade as the female knight raised her sword, then turned, resolutely standing in front of the refugees: "All those willing to make one last stand, follow me!"

As soon as the words fell, the church doors collapsed with a crash, an uncountable horde of Storm Rat Legion and several Rat Giants charged through the door: "Humans! Hairless things! Diedie!"

Many Ratmen came down from the ceiling, and from the chapel's basement, windows, and walls, Ratmen swarmed into the church from all directions!

Surya was the first to charge out, her silhouette akin to a goddess descending, instantly slaying dozens of Skaven Ratmen, the elite Storm Rats being torn to shreds under her sword like ragdolls.

A couple of rounds, and the Ratmen's frontline commanders were successively slain by the female knight.

The refugees hesitated for a moment, and a rush of adrenaline seemed to surge from nowhere as they raised their weapons, these refugees who had lost their loved ones and property, shouting and following Surya into the battlefield.

"Kill! Kill these scum! The Emperor's reinforcements are almost here!" The two Rick Guards fought bloody battles, Rudolph alone rushing forward to hold off over a dozen Ratmen: "People of the Empire! Hold the lines!"

"Hold the lines!" The last remaining soldiers of Hemgart surged forward, engaging in a brutal battle with the Rat swarm.

The last musketeers tilted their bullets towards the Rat swarm, and when the gun barrels overheated, they threw down the muskets, drew swords from their waists, and fought desperately against the Ratmen. Great Swordsmen gripped their Great Swords tightly in both hands, shouting the names of the Empire and Charlemagne, fighting to the death. Behind them were poorly trained militia, particularly the Long Spear Soldiers and Sword and Shield Soldiers, these soldiers wavered facing the Rat swarm, but joined the battlefield amid loud shouting, having no alternative.

"Die! Die!" The visage of the Skaven Ratmen became so repulsive.

"Kill! Kill!" The human faces became vile to the Ratmen as well, the end of hairless things had come!

The Rat swarm nearly engulfed all the humans inside the church, even the refugees picked up weapons to fight the Ratmen. Paladins joined the fight singing hymns, while Combat Priests felt terror engulf their hearts, convinced that the end had come. These Combat Priests chanted Divine Arts, charging into the battlefield to bravely kill the enemy, preparing to meet their destiny.

The courageous fighting of humans greatly slowed the spread of the Rat swarm. Every minute and every second, valiant human warriors fell, but no one regretted it, they knew they had no escape.

Victory or death.

Inside the church turned into a slaughterhouse of flesh and blood, human and Ratmen blood and flesh piled together, seemingly everything had vanished, leaving only the enemy before them.

A few elderly people grabbed stools and smashed them against the Ratmen's faces, only to be impaled by Long Spears.