Aftermath and Reflection

The battlefield was eerily silent now, save for the occasional crackle of dying flames. The stench of burnt metal and scorched earth filled the air, mixing with the bitter scent of blood. Bodies lay scattered across the ruined landscape, both friend and foe, grim reminders of the cost of victory. Hassan’s forces had either retreated or been decimated, but the price of this triumph had been steep. Too steep.

Biodun stood among the wreckage, his sword still in his hand, though the battle had ended hours ago. His armor felt like lead, weighed down by more than just exhaustion. The soldiers who had fought beside him now lay motionless, faces once filled with determination now blank in death. The coalition had given everything, and for many, it had cost them their lives.