King Farkas of the Averians, the disgrace part 1

The allied army continued to march forward. As they got further inland, the farms became more scarce, and the sea of grass became more vast. Perfect for nomadic war tactics with fast cavalry room to move and operate.

During the morning, as the army was marching through night and day, the ground shook. Dust clouds could be seen in the distance. The sky went dark as thousands of arrows started to fall from the sky.

"SHIELDS UP!" Joan yelled.

The arrow fire didn't cause significant damage, but the tired army stopped moving.

A Hephtalite army had attacked the large allied force. Thousands of horse archers rode to firing distance, let loose a hail of arrows, and harrassed the allied army. They were lightly armored, but like the scouts, they could masterfully ride simultaneously while using a bow.

"Send in the cavalry after them!" Doreen commanded.

The allied forces sent their cavalry to charge at the horse archers. Many different kinds of cavalry from the numerous nations attacked ahead. Saracen cavalry mixed with Aurelian riders. As the cavalry was about to reach the horse archers, they turned around and fled, still shooting arrows at their enemy.

As the cavalry became disorganized by the arrow fire, strong cavalry lances galloped against the allied soldiers. It was the scarlet riders, the most elite cavalrymen of the Hephthalites. They rode large divine horses, known as red stallions, who all were tamed by each rider. Each rider was large, reliable, and a skillful cavalryman. Their armor was unique, and each warrior had an impeccable physique built from years of battlefield experience.

When the scarlet riders hit the confused allied cavalry, the other horses fell down along with their riders. They completely routed the allied cavalry.

As the allied cavalry started to flee and break, the scarlet riders saw more experienced and deadly cavalry charging at them. Giant beasts with fierce grey-skinned warriors riding a top of them.

Pema rode in front, leading the black yaks, the heavy grey skin cavalry with devastating charges. The grey skins were jubilant and confident. They had been so succsesful against the Dukija warriors, but the hephtalites were not the dukija.

The Scarlet riders easily dodged the initial attack and circled around the larger but slower black yaks. The Hephtalite riders hit the flanks of the grey skins and took down many of the beasts. The black yaks got frustrated as well and tried to take down any rider with their long horns, but the horsemen were too agile and fast.

Many scarlet riders had more then one spear. They plunged one deep into an enemy and let go of it and took out another one. Some used curved blades and cut the glaives the grey skins were using.

Pema fought off a couple of soldiers, but the exchange was short. The scarlet riders soon fled, as they had done their duty, as they had given the horse archers time to escape. The mighty cavalrymen rode out, bu not with smiles, but with frones.

~~

Pema returned to Rufus.

"What happened? Did you win?" Rufus asked.

"No, but also yes...." Pema replied.

"What do you mean?"

Cries were heard on the other side of the allied army. The Hephthalites had gone around the massive army and started to harass another column.

Rufus summoned his wings and, with the queen, flew up to the sky. He threw divine spheres, aiming at the horse archers. The queen sent locusts to chase the horse archers, but the horsemen were too fast. With skilled captains leading them, they avoided any and all attacks and knew when to flee.

The queen moved her hands and ordered her locusts to fly faster. Then a sudden gust of wind came between the locusts and the riders. The tornado blew away the locust, giving the horse archer a chance to flee.

"That wasn't no ordinary gust of wind. They have a strong being with a powerful divine power on their side," Satifa said.

"You are right. I am strong. You have to be if you want to lead these barbarians."

Up in the air stood a sizeable red stallion, kept afloat by a strong gust of wind. A man was riding the magnificent beast. He had a helmet with an eagle's feather on it, and he was holding tens of spears on his back. He had black hair and a moustace on his face. His red stallion looked evil, like it was a carnivore.

Rufus threw a couple of divine spheres at this person, but they were destroyed when the man threw spears at them that were powered by the man's divinity. He had a divine power to control winds and create tornados.

Satifa sent a swarm of locusts after the man, but with his horse, he rose up high in the sky and flew away. He was just like his warriors. Fast and elusive and prefer hitting from afar and not taking risks.

"Who are you?" Rufus asked.

"I am the king of the Hephthalites. King Farkas of the Aver tribe. The most powerful tribe of all the Hephthalites," the man said.

Queen Satifa started to encircle the flying rider, but again he fled. Not attacking once, but just evading.

"Woah, Woah. I am clearly disadvantaged, but I am not here trying to defeat you. Look," king Farkas said and pointed at his men.

The horse archers could get away far enough that neither Rufus nor Satifa could threaten them.

"Another neutered dog of the empire, it seems," Satifa said, trying to provoke Farkas.

"It seems like you know a lot about neutered men, and that is why you seem so annoyed. A woman needs a man to warm his bed and keep him satisfied, or else she will get cranky," Farkas insulted.

In great anger, Satifa summoned more swarms of locusts, great tides of them, but again the flying king evaded them all.

"My job here is done. Thank you for making this easy for my soldiers," Farkas said and galloped away.

Rufus tried to fly and catch up to the king but was too slow.

"F**k!" Rufus said and bit his lips.

It wasn't the intention of the Hephthalites to win against the allied army, but to slow them down, for the main imperial army to catch up. The constant harassment continued, with the allied army forced to encamp.

Through the night the attacks and assaults never ceased.