Servant of the Axe - Broken Valor

Chapter Type: Conflict (versus others)

Ren Nuan and Ren Hai didn't have the fortunate setting from the prior day.  Our front was more compact, and their efforts to skirmish led to them colliding with other soldiers.  Cursing and shouting, they were squeezed into another section of the line.

What followed was nothing like a hundred one on one duels, it was a vast and muddled melee.  I would leap to the right to aid the person on that side, and then leap the other direction with my shield extended to stop the soldiers in front of me from taking advantage of the one on the left.  In turn, soldiers to my right and left would gladly strike the flanks of the soldiers in front of me.

And the enemy soldiers used exactly these same tactics. 

Slowly, slowly, our lines were pushed back.  As people began pulling back, our lines shrank toward the center.  Both wings folded back, and the ends of the inmates folded in to attempt to crush us against the main body.