The Road to Domination
The Varyndel scouting force was gone. Their forward intelligence unit had been wiped out, their supply lines crippled, and their morale shaken before the real battle had even begun.
The TCS displayed the updated war status.
[ Ironvale Defense Report ]
Zorathian Forces: 5,000 troops (Elite Units, Reinforced Defenses)Varyndel Army: 10,500 troops (Heavy Infantry, Cavalry, Siege Weapons)Tactical Readiness: Zorath - 90% / Varyndel - 60%Current Enemy Awareness: Uncertain (Scouts Eliminated)
Alex stood on Ironvale's highest battlement, watching the horizon where Varyndel's army was still marching forward—blind to the trap awaiting them.
Darius leaned against the stone wall beside him, arms crossed. "We have the advantage now, but we can't let them set up."
Elara, perched on a wooden railing, nodded. "If they realize how bad their position is, they'll pull back and regroup. We need to hit them before they have the chance."
Aldric tightened his grip on his sword. "They don't know what's coming."
Alex exhaled slowly. "Then let's keep it that way."
---
Instead of waiting for Varyndel to reach Ironvale, Alex decided to strike first.
The TCS laid out the perfect battlefield strategy.
[ Zorath's Preemptive Strike Plan ]
Disrupt Enemy Movement – Destroy makeshift bridges, reroute enemy paths to funnel them into kill zones.Hit Their Supply Wagons – Prevent reinforcements from reaching their troops.Deploy Psychological Warfare – Make them fear what they don't understand.
The next 24 hours were a masterclass in warfare.
Elara's scouts sabotaged key bridges along Varyndel's advance path, forcing them to take a longer, more vulnerable route.Finn and Zorath's engineers used the TCS to set up timed energy pulses, creating mirages and distortions to make Varyndel soldiers believe they were walking into traps—even when they weren't.Darius and his warriors led small, rapid-strike teams, attacking Varyndel's supply wagons before retreating into the shadows.
The TCS updated the war progress.
[ Varyndel Army Status: ]
Supply Shortages: Critical (Food and Equipment running low)Morale: Severely DamagedMarch Speed: Delayed by 2 daysEnemy Officers' Confidence: Breaking
Alex smirked. "They're panicking."
Elara chuckled. "They don't even know who they're fighting yet."
Darius cracked his knuckles. "Let's keep it that way."
---
Desperation forced Varyndel's generals to make a reckless decision.
With their soldiers exhausted, hungry, and demoralized, they chose to attack Ironvale immediately—without full preparation.
The TCS chimed with an urgent update.
[ Varyndel's Army Has Altered Strategy! ]
New Tactic: Forced Night AssaultObjective: Capture Ironvale Quickly Before Morale CrumblesEnemy Readiness Level: Poor
Aldric's eyes widened. "They're attacking tonight?"
Alex's smirk widened. "Good. That means they're playing by our rules."
---
At midnight, the Varyndel army arrived at Ironvale's gates.
They moved like ghosts in the dark, their siege engines creeping forward, preparing for a surprise attack.
But Zorath was waiting.
Elara's scouts triggered the defensive markers, lighting up the battlefield with pre-set flame trenches, automated ballistae, and Void-powered energy barriers.
The TCS updated live combat status.
[ Ironvale Defense Report: ]
Zorath's Prepared Defenses: 100% OperationalVaryndel's Attack Success Rate: Dropping RapidlyEnemy Confusion: Increasing
Darius led the frontline charge, smashing into the first wave of enemy soldiers before they even realized what was happening.
Finn's barrier spells sealed off escape routes, forcing the Varyndel forces into chokepoints.
Alex leaped into the chaos, his axe cutting through enemy ranks with precise, calculated strikes.
The night sky burned with flames, magic, and clashing steel.
---
The night sky burned. Flames danced along the battlefield, illuminating Ironvale's towering walls and the chaos below. The Varyndel army, expecting a swift, surprise victory, had instead walked straight into a pre-planned nightmare.
The TCS displayed real-time battle data.
[ Ironvale Night Defense Status: ]
Zorathian Readiness: 100%Varyndel Attack Success Rate: 35% (Dropping Rapidly)Enemy Morale: Collapsing
Alex cut through another wave of soldiers, his Void-Infused Battle Axe cleaving through armor like it was paper. His movements were precise, relentless— every strike calculated, every enemy felled in a single brutal motion.
Darius led the charge from the front, his hammer shattering shields and bones with every swing. "This is pathetic! I thought they were supposed to be an elite army!"
Elara, positioned on a high tower, fired a rapid volley of enchanted arrows, each one finding its mark in an enemy's throat or chest. She switched targets without hesitation, picking off officers to further destroy their command structure.
Finn, his staff glowing with pulsating energy, maintained barriers over key positions, ensuring Zorath's forces remained untouched by Varyndel's feeble magical counterattacks.
The TCS chimed with an urgent update.
[ Enemy Officers' Confidence Shattered. ]
Commanders Attempting to RegroupCommunication Breakdown DetectedDesertion Rate Increasing
Aldric, fighting beside Alex, smirked. "Their officers are losing control. They don't know what to do."
Alex parried a strike and drove his axe into the enemy's chest, pushing him off his blade with a kick. "Then let's make sure they don't recover."
---
The enemy's siege towers, already damaged by sabotage, finally collapsed in flames, sending debris crashing into their own forces.
The TCS updated the battlefield.
[ Varyndel Siege Capacity: 10% Remaining ]
The few remaining catapults fired, but Zorath's energy shields absorbed the blasts, rendering them useless.
Panicked Varyndel commanders shouted desperate orders. Soldiers hesitated—some trying to fight, others looking for a way to escape.
Darius, covered in blood and battle scars, laughed. "They're done. They just don't know it yet."
Elara's next arrow pierced the throat of the last remaining enemy captain.
The TCS pinged.
[ Varyndel Army Status: 15% Combat Efficiency ]
Alex raised his axe high. "All forces—CRUSH THEM!"
Zorath's army charged forward, pushing the already-crippled Varyndel soldiers into a full-blown retreat.
The last few officers broke rank and fled into the night, abandoning their remaining forces.
Alex exhaled. It was over.
The TCS confirmed.
[ Battle for Ironvale: VICTORY. ]
Varyndel Casualties: 8,000+Survivors: 2,500 (Scattered, Leaderless, Retreating)Ironvale Defenses: Intact
Darius grinned, resting his hammer on his shoulder. "We just destroyed Varyndel's main army."
Finn let out a breath, exhausted. "They won't be attacking again anytime soon."
Elara smirked. "And if they do… they know what's waiting for them."
Aldric nodded. "This wasn't just a battle. This was a message."
Alex looked over the battlefield— the ruins of Varyndel's forces, the burning remnants of their siege towers, the Zorathian banners flying proudly.
He clenched his fist. "This is the turning point."
Varyndel had tried to destroy them. Instead, Zorath had destroyed them.
And now, the world would have to acknowledge the rise of a new empire.
---