Ch. 4: The First Battle
As the news of the alliance spread, the battles were still not getting easier. The Vesimehed have volunteered to be the support group, bringing reinforcements to the other kingdoms. The other 8 kingdoms were busy dealing with their own threats, but when an Asilikaliwon scout spotted an army going through Inoue valley they were short in soldiers to defend it. So the Asilikaliwons got the Jaiko garrison and conscripts from neighboring towns and villages. The Vikinger also brought men near the place to the front along with an Illnuin reconnaissance group. While the Kaieke are also preparing to go there. The scouts also said that one of them was about seven meters tall and had a hammer. With an army of around 30,000-300,000 against a measly 15,000-18-000 men.
The valley was rocky and had a lot of rocks inside it and in the sides were trees perfect for ambushing. The place where the men are defending if left alone can be a major problem to the kingdom of Asilikaliwo.
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'So, Old man put me here to watch a fight? I could be doing something else' thought R, as he made a wooden chair out of thin air. "But at least it could be fun"
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In the camp of the defenders there lay the captain of the Jaiko garrison, Captain Tensei Heitai, a man with long black hair which was shortened with a man bun, his stature may not be tall but he is a fast one. As the garrison men were training the conscripts the reinforcements of Vikinger and Illnuins arrived. The captain of the Vikinger, Brann Bjornsonn, a small but tough man, standing in 5'5 he may be 4 inches shorter than Tensei but he can pack a good punch, he also had brown hair growing wildly. The Illnuins Captain was one of the famous ones which commanded the reconnaissance group. His name: Henry Grasstin. A man standing in 5'9, also having a handsome face, and black hair which was tied up. Famous for the skirmish at Grussno 3 years ago. Known for his wits and skill of a swordsman using a broadsword. With a good 125 kills he was awarded a Hitchnace medal*.
"Hello there" said Tensei in civilian clothing.
"So, you are Captain Tensei?" Brann asked, Tensei nodded.
"And you are Captain Brann, of the 3rd Jaeger Korps" he replies back,
"Yup" he answers back.
"And you..." Tensei said, pointing at Henry. "are the famous Henry Grasstin of the 10th Reconnaissance Corp."
"Yes, I am" he answered,
"So, now that we've introduced ourselves...we must get on to the battle overview and defenses."
"Yes...now, where shall we go?" Henry asks,
"Come with me then." Tensei said. As they both followed Tensei to the Command Post, the men outside were free to train. On the inside the 3 are now talking about the plans for the attack to come.
"So, we can have some Ashigarus with yaris in the front as spearmen while they are being covered by my men's shields." Henry said.
"Yes, and my men are going to be in the tree's while Tensei's and your archers are at the back of the camp. Along with the oil located in the center of the valley" Brann informed Henry.
"Then how about commander Trojk?" Tensei asked.
"He will come. Kaieke's may be late but they can do the job right" Brann replied.
"Good, we will hold them off until more will come."
"I've calculated things and I think we can hold them off for a good 1 day." Henry said worried, "and I think we will not be all alive to see the light of tomorrow"
"A price to pay for the salvation of others" Tensei sighs.
"Yes...a sacrifice for others…" Brann said.
"This war might be hell right now, but I think it will bring us all together." Henry said.
"Ayy" Brann and Tensei agreed in unison.
Then the next few hours they talked about contingency plans if one fails and then they drunk beer.
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"Do you see them?" a man asked, it was night time, the soldiers were in the camp resting after a day's work of training. And a good time to scout the enemy.
"No Bob," another whispered.
"Ugh...when are we going to go back?" Bob asked lazily.
"When we're done" he whispered.
"Fine Jimmy" Bob said,
"Plus, we're scouts, we should get used to this..." Jimmy whispered. Currently they were looking at the enemy which made camp 40 kilometers away from the valley. They see orcs preparing their weapons and armor. Some eating meat and the trolls also prepping their gears. But what stood out the most was the 7-meter commander, was nowhere to be found.
"Where is their commander?" Bob whispered,
"I don't know." Jimmy replied.
They took ours upon hours of waiting until.
"UP AND GO MAGGOTS, WE'RE READY, BE READY TO WAKE UP AT DAWN GO-GO G-*sniff *sniff I SMELL....MAN" an orc captain said startling the two, and upon hearing him say those words they were prepared to run.
"We should go…" Bob said,
"Yeah...quickly get the horses."
As Bob ran, they heard a howl, a howl of a wolf.
"Riders! Search the place!." The captain said, The two then ran with the horses.
The wolf riders then searched the place all over a 5-kilometer radius. The wolves were faster but they were farther away. But then....
"*HORSE SOUNDS*" a horse neighed loudly, getting the attention of the wolf riders. Bob's horse hit a tree trunk and now he fell off of it.
"HYAAA" the captain of the riders said,
"Oh crap...Jimmy we can't let them go to the camp" Bob said, thinking of a way. "You go Kimmy I'll stall them"
"No Bob!"
"GO!" Bob screamed, Jimmy nodded, tears falling of his eyes. Jimmy's horse then goes to the camp leaving Bob behind. He then unsheathe his sword in his left.
Jimmy then got to the plains. In a full moon his face was obvious. A man in his teens, with short smooth blond hair. Breeze flowing through the grass. It was sad, a place of nature and beauty about to be destroyed in a war of hatred and destruction. As he rides through the fields some fireflies can be seen as well.
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Brann was sharpening his axe, Tensei praying, and Henry outside near a cliff. It was quiet for a time, only hearing small chatter, birds chirping in the night, owls howling, and the night breeze. But all that changed when the scout came. He looked tired from the looks of it, not knowing everything Brann came to him.
"What is it lad?"
"Th-th-....." Jimmy tried talking only to fail, tears falling out of his eye sockets, he takes a deep breath. "We scouted their camp, there were wolf riders and...the commander wasn't there and we lost one man"
Brann knew what it felt like losing someone so he tried to comfort him "I know it's hard boy, but this is life, there are no forever only the inevitable which is death."
"H-h-he w-was m-my b-b-best friend, and I couldn't do anything to help h-him or b-b-oth of us w-w-ould die. S-s-s-o he made the ch-ch-c-ch-choice to save me..." he was overwhelmed with tears that he couldn't talk anymore.
"It's alright now lad he's in a safe place now, he is in Valhalla. Now go get some rest, you'll need it tomorrow" Brann said, gaining a nod from Jimmy.
Brann then went to where Henry was putting his axe near a stool. The place where he was at had a good picture of the landscape. It was beautiful. Henry was just standing there overlooking everything. His hair flowing with the wind.
"So, why'd you come here" Henry asked,
"What? can't I just go here as well?"
"Very well"
Silence overtook the place, with both of them not speaking to each other. Henry, In night clothes, then took something out of his pocket. A picture of a woman with a baby.
"So, who are those?" Brann broke the silence with a conversation.
"My daughters..."
"Where's the mom?"
"Gone..." Henry said, shedding a single tear,
"I am sorry for your loss, but many of us had lost someone we loved as well"
"My condolences then."
There was an awkward silence for a moment before Brann decided to speak up.
"So, what's her name?"
"Anna, Anna Linzen. A good-hearted woman no one in this world can ever replace"
"How'd she die?"
"Murdered in the night by criminals"
"..."
"..."
"I also had a wife...her name was Nenza, no last name. She was a tough and dense woman. Didn't know I was flirting with her for 3 years until she finally noticed. She was...murdered in battle, I was overwhelmed with grief and rage...when I was in battle, I killed many of the enemy...and my own"
"Love...it can give us both good and evil things...it can-" Henry said but was cut of by none other than Tensei,
"Move mountains, destroy kingdoms and cause suffering." Tensei finished, the two didn't notice Tensei there so they thought they were alone. "But also, creation and life" he continued.
"I never knew you were the relationship type" Brann said, sitting down near a tree trunk.
"There is much you don't know about me."
"Yeah, well we were just finishing talking and were gonna go back down now" Henry says walking down the cliff,
"Do you know how to stop the big one?" Tensei asked, making Henry stop dead in his tracks,
"No...-"
"We can" Tensei interrupted Henry, "Together we can stop the threat...we just don't know how to." He finished going back down.
Henry contemplated on it for a long time. How are they going to defeat that big guy? They couldn't possibly use numbers. Nor could they use equipment. So how will they do this? He had no idea.
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"Oh crap" he said as he shot green fire from his hands, burning the soldiers. "Where'd these guys come from?"
" Get him!" a scratchy voice ordered his soldiers to kill the guy but were stopped by...
...
...
Rats?
One rat came to the man's right shoulder.
"Thanks Rico." the man said, "Do you mind calling Rick, Rawl, Ratchet, Richie, Rick II, and Rory?" he asked, the rat nodded and squeaked.
'R! R!' a telepathic voice said to him,
"I'm completely fine!" the R said firing another round of green fire, "I'm just...busy"
'No, you're not' it said,
"Ughh...I'm 35! I don't need supervision" R said as he commanded his rats,
'And yet you get in trouble more than a kid'
"Motherf-"
'And Bog's behind you'
As R looked behind him, he saw an 8 feet tall wolf which was standing with two legs. His fur going everywhere and wild. His face looked like a wolf.
"Oh...hey Bog." R said happily, clearly not scared....
...
...
Ok he was scared. Last time he met with Bog was not pleasant.
"Wherrre...Enemmmy?" his voice was deep and menacing.
"Oh, the orcs are over there." he replied, gesturing towards the group of scared and shaking wolf riders.
And as he pointed to the group Bog quickly sped towards them grabbing one with his long-clawed arms. The orcs skin was pierced and blood splattered onto the wolf it was riding. Then he ripped-not really more like-
*Splat
The head was hit hard onto the ground, the skull shattering and the brain being squished. Gooey blood flowing over the ground. Then he opened up the chest...
...
...
And ate the insides. His teeth were filled with intestines, kidneys and lungs. The others just stood there in silence, fear, distraught and disgust over what was happening to their once inside-filled, alive comrade.
"R-Run! R-" the captain said only to be stopped by his own wolf eating him alive. The others were as well eaten by their own rides.
"Well...that's Bog for ya! King of the Wolves and Slayer of Evil." R said, as he covered his eyes. But the screams were loud so he could hear their screams of death.
Once that all ended Bog and R were facing each other.
"So...you...need to go?" R asked and Bog nodded in reply.
"Ok! Go." He said with a serious tone, Bog just left. And with Bog leaving R walked outside the forest.
"Weird night" R whispered as he saw the body of a dead man lying near a tree trunk. It looked like he/she was skewered.
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It was now nearing dawn; men were now hurrying up their traps and armor along with their weapons. Brann and his korps were located at the sides of the valley, Tensei and Henry were at the base of the valley and their traps were about to be ready. The oil trap was ready, the falling and burning rocks were almost. The spikes were set, The ambush group was ready and lastly, the one Hwacha**, courtesy of Asilikaliwon engineers.
The time has come, the fight will start and the war has just begun.
At dawn the horde of orcs and trolls come in a formation similar to that of normal armies. Weak ones at the front and stronger ones and archers at the back. The defenders on the other side were prepared. The Yari Ashigarus at the front along with spearmen with shields protecting them. Samurai, Militia and Swordsmen were at the back. The odds were against them but even at the beginning they weren't supposed to. A horn sounded, the orcs moved, the battle had begun.
"Move!" an orc officer said as he was marching along with the others. Their weapons weren't organized, just random weapons. One quarter of the army moved. It seemed that they were in a formation.
"Archers!" another orc officer said, the archers of the enemy preparing their bows and arrows.
"Ready!" he said, the archers loaded their bows.
"AIM!" the archers aiming at the sky towards the enemy.
"FIRE!" the archers sent a volley of arrows unto the defenders. Although the majority of them missed and some hit the shields, as well as killing a few.
"Ready the fire arrow!" Tensei yelled, an archer then got his bow and oil-covered arrow. He put the arrow in a fire near the camp, aimed it at the place where the oil line was and waited. As the orcs went near it they were almost completely past the line and in one moment he would fire. One moment, one arrow, one opportunity.
*FWOOSH
The archer fired the arrow. It wheezed In the air, the breeze wasn't helping but it was almost there. And...
...
*FWOOM
When the arrow hit the oil it burst into flames. The fire then spread all over splitting the valley into two. And that set the trap.
The defenders archers fired upon them as hell began. Approximately 70,000 orcs were trapped, unable to retreat. They were encircled, the defenders at the front, fire at the back, and they wouldn't risk going to climb the 2 hills of the valley. They were being peppered by arrows. Left and right their comrades died. The defenders slowly but surely nearing them.
"2nd wave m-" the orc captain said but was stopped,
'Captain...don't. Consider it a learning lesson, prepare the second wave near the flames' a deep and throaty voice said to him in his mind. It was Pride, he was hiding somewhere both the enemy and allies didn't know.
"se-second wave! Go near the fire but don't engage! I repeat do not Engage!" he said an orcs voice to the humans ear was scratchy but to other orcs...they were clear as their minds.
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"Ooohhh...Interesting" R said,
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The first wave decided to charge the enemy. Even though they were dying left and right, they were still large in numbers. The group of orcs and trolls were grunts, or meat shield to say the least. As they near the defenses the ambush finally came, the Vikinger set the boulders on fire and let it do its thing while they jumped out of the forest in the two hills.
The army was surprised to say the least, they'd expect a thousand to fight their army but it would be easy. But this was divide and conquer, separate them and slaughter as much of the enemy as you can. The second group wanted to help their brother-in-arms but the fire was too vicious as even a group of trolls can't even go inside. They'd just have to watch their comrades fall with their eyes.
The ambush was implemented, now they'd have to charge. The archers stopped firing. Now it was time to attack.
"Sound the horns" Henry ordered his lieutenant, and as the lieutenant blew the horns, Tensei, and Henry in their armor put on their helmets.
"Let's go." Henry said as he raised his broadsword. "Charge!"
As Henry charged, so did the others. The enemy charged as well, Brann was seen already fighting. As the two sides clashed, most of the soldiers were now dueling the enemy. With Henry, slicing the orcs one by one and Tensei with his speed, dodging and slicing the enemies in the back. Brann had his battle axe with him, and he was a beast, hitting enemies in the head and using the handle to take down other enemies. The orcs were now being slaughtered with spears and swords, slashing and stabbing many of them. The ones that fled tried to flee via the flames with all of them dying in the process but with that the flames were weakening. The three leaders were on a killing spree, left and right they slaughtered the orcs and even trolls. Their men were dealing with them excellently as well. The archers were now laying fire on the other side of the wall of flames. The trio were now together, the enemy were now fleeing, most going to the flames and while they were dying due to the burns, some got out but were heavily injured and died on the other side. The flames were weakening, so.
"Shall we go?" Brann asked his fellow commanders,
"Yes, yes we shall" Henry answered for both of him and Tensei, and with it they charged, managing to survive along the way with minimum burns they swooped in and killed some unexpecting orcs. The soldiers who saw their commanders charging joined them to the other side.
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"I sense something...a power only a few ever had...the power of...
...
...
Unity" R said to himself. "....so this is what Unity feels like."
R then ate fried corn.
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"What's taking them so long?" Jimmy asked himself, patrolling the edges of the towns to find the reinforcements. "They better be quick" he said as he saw the Hwacha firing, one by one the arrows flew.
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As the Hwacha fired many orcs were hit. The trio worked together with Brann tanking hits, Henry being the main attacker and Tensei who weakened enemies. To say the least they were abandoning their posts and attacking the enemy. But the commander was nowhere to be found.
The second wave was much harder than the first wave, with more and more defenders dying. Left and right, by swords, arrows, skull bashed by trolls. They were dropping but not as much as the orcs. The first wave was eliminated with only a few getting to escape. Tensei, with his katana, got many kills as well as the others.
"Brann!" Tensei yelled,
"What!" he replied,
"Get ready to shoot me up!" Tensei said, with Brann grunting. As Tensei ran at Brann, he stepped on his hands and Brann thrusted him up where a troll was near. He landed on the back of the troll and...
...
*Stab
He stabbed the troll in the head and immediately limping to the ground with Tensei also falling.
"Ow" he groaned standing up.
"How many have you killed?" Brann asked, seemingly starting a conversation.
"I do not know." Tensei groaned, warming up for another fight.
"69!" Henry announced as he slices a head of another orc. "70"
"84!" Brann shouted back at Henry,
"Show offs..." muttered Tensei, "101!"
This got the other two to be silent and reminisce.
"Wait, you counted?" Brann asked,
Tensei shrugged "Yeah! Why?"
"And you said you didn't know?!" Brann Exclaimed,
"Cause I'm not a show off!"
Brann just grunted and started killing more orcs. It was silent for the last few minutes just some screaming and swords clashing. It was until
...
...
*GRUMBLE
*BOOM
The ground began to shake and then before they know it, the ground exploded like an earthquake. Once the dust begin to settle the thing that came out from the ground began to take a clearer form, and began to put fear into the defenders.
...
...
Pride the 7-meter giant. As Pride held his giant hammer, he raised it up high and
*BAM
He smashed his hammer to the ground. The ground shook again causing many to stumble but some dying. He then raised his hammer high then he thrusted the handle of his hammer to the ground causing spikes to erupt killing both enemy and allies alike. The defenders were running away except for three. The commanders, the brave men.
They tried to attack him but he was too big. Pride was powerful and all but he wasn't god nor a demigod, not yet. Henry tried attacking him from behind but failed, getting almost hit by the hammer.
"Oh come on!" Henry shouted, the orcs were just watching them being slaughtered.
Pride was then readying up another strike sidewards towards Henry.
"Henry! Behind you!" Brann said as he pushed him out of the way and
*Blam
Brann was hit by the hammer and skidded a few feet but did not go down. Bleeding inside and outside he coughed up blood screaming "Is that all you got you pig!" It made Pride angry and grunted, readying his hammer to squash him.
"Brann!" Tensei screamed running towards him.
"Defeat them for all of us...farewell my dear friends." Brann said before getting squashed by the hammer, and once the hammer was lifted both the ground and hammer was filled with blood and guts, some of it sticking to the hammer. Tensei and Henry were devastated, Henry just laid there a few feet from where his body once was. The three, not wanting anyone to know, got along and became friends the day before. So seeing their friend dead was devastating to even anyone. Tensei, who got angry, charged the big behemoth. Dodging his attacks, he went for the feet damaging the Achilles tendons making Pride grunt in pain and making him kneel. And with his back clearly open he went for his head. But...
*SWISH
He was hit by an arrow in his back. But that didn't stop him; he kept going with each new arrow hitting his back until he just couldn't and stopped. With that, Pride heaved his hammer to his chest and threw it hitting Tensei in the front shattering his armor and with it he flew a few feet hitting a rock and due to the many arrows hitting his back. And in his final words, "My friend, stop him."
Henry who saw the death of his two friends was enraged in anger. He stood up and grabbed his broadsword with a hard grip. As for Pride, he stood up and the two looked at each other face to face. Henry took away his helmet to reveal his nose being bloodied and a dirty face. Pride could tell he was angry. Both of them were 20 feet away from each other. So Henry charged Pride with his sword in both of his hands. Pride also ran towards him with his hammer in his right hand. As the two neared each other Henry's sword started glowing and glowing until it was bright but due to his anger Henry didn't notice and went near a huge rock and jumped from it trying to hit Pride as he readied his weapon to try and smash his enemy. And as Henry hit the tip of the hammer.
*BOOOM
A huge shockwave hit the orcs, to them it was as powerful as a destrostorm*** breeze but to Pride...
...
...It was Light work, and as Pride looke at his chest he could see its power. To say he was surprised was an understatement, he was shocked. The power gave him a wound, a huge wide cut from his right arm to his lower left chest, and with that.
*Thump
His body fell head first onto rocks. Henry on the other hand was mysteriously safe to say the least. After that blinding light and powerful breeze he was safe. He didn't know what happened after he jumped and hit the hammer. He then looked at the now disintegrating body then looked at the orc army with a face of fury.
The orcs were scared they wanted to flee but they had the numbers to fight the remaining defenders. But now due to their commander, a SIN! A powerful spirit being! To die in the hands of HUMANS! They wanted to run but because of their stupid captain he said to them "Come on now there's many of us still left alive and only a few hundred of them"
With that said, they began to look at each other side by side and nodded. They then began to march through the valley but were stopped when a horn blew.
They looked to their left up above the valley and saw...
...
...
A man on a horse, reinforcements. The mysterious man had long bluish hair and a goatee that was black. He had light armor and a sword and shield on his back. And a spear he was holding. Beside him was a man holding a horn.
"Hello lads!" the man said, "It seems we are late to the party?"
The orcs snarled and continued to make their way to the defenders at the valley.
"Rude..." he said, "Anyways...sound the horn" he told the man to his right.
As the horn blew more riders showed themselves from above the valley, gaining the attention of the orcs. Some orcs gulped, some ready to run. "Now then..." the man said as he put on his helmet and raised his spear. "Charge!!"
The horsemen then charged down the place, some having bows and some having spears. The orcs now running from the imminent charging horsemen. But were to late as they were stomped by them. Now scattering left and right made them easier to kill. Henry on the other side felt relieved. Then began to shout "What took you so long?!"
The blue haired man then went near him and dismounted his horse.
"Commander Trojk, pleasure to meet you and...your acquaintances" He greeted.
"Commander Henry, unfortunately I'm the only commander that survived." Henry said.
"Call you lucky, I did not think you and your men could hold them back let alone defeat them!"
"I know, defeating them took many lives."
"Well sorry we were late but we were called by a messenger getting here..."
"Why?"
"Me and my boys are needed back home."