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A Cascade of Steel: The Carro-Scadian War
PROLOGUE: The Frontiers I - The North

PROLOGUE: The Frontiers I - The North

FORTRESS-GONTHIR - SPRING SEASON OF 485, THE ISLE

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(Third Person Perspective)

"Gather up, Gather up!"

A loud voice permeated over the entire camp inside the fortress, as young men rushed out of their tents to stand before a man clad in chainmail.

The man removed his helmet, and began to speak.

"You lot have chosen the honorable path to life. You have chosen to sacrifice your lives for the wellbeing of others; to suffer for their sake, for no gain to yourself, except for the honor of serving a higher, and greater cause."

The young men puffed up their chests in pride, encouraged by the man's words, but he continued.

"But we face savages where honor is a concept that is mocked and derided. Where they kill and pillage and cause destruction like beasts maddened by the lust for blood and violence."

Some of the men have hardened faces, and some jolt back at the man's words.

"But they are not insurmountable forces, inevitable in their power over us. They despise each other as much as they despise us, and would soon stab each other in the back if they had the chance."

"But we, we are united in one cause; to defend our families, our homes, and our honor and dignity. We, the soldiers of Fortress-Gonthir, are one of the only bastions of civilization in this land of savagery and backwardness."

Some of the men cheered proudly, and the man smiled at their energy.

"That's the spirit! Now, I have forgotten to introduce myself; I am Skermin-Kummandaent¹ Maenlich fon Evrersein, an I will lead you from now on. I will be the one conducting drills, training and-"

"Kummandaent!"

As the man spoke and introduced himself, a soldier cut him off, panting. Maenlich frowned.

"What seems to be the matter, Neuwisuldaet³? Fix yourself up, soldier!"

The commander reprimanded the soldier as the latter continued to pant. Eventually, he managed to get himself together.

"T-the Baumaenschaen⁴... They have attacked Reihau! The garrison at the town have been massacred.. I only barely managed to escape.."

Maenlich frowned further as he heard what the soldier said.

"Rest yourself, soldier. Men! We shall show those savages what it costs to wrong us! We march now! Some of the real thing will do you lot good!"

The men cheered, eager for a fight to defend their own people.

"Lutnants⁵ Zigmond, Felip, Arnauldt, you will take twenty-five men each. Form marching columns! We will aid Reihau!"

"""Yes, Kummandaent!"""

As the soldiers poured out of the fortress, they formed columns to move quicker to the town.

"Stay in formation! I can see smoke... Damn those savages, it must be Reihau! March quicker!"

The soldier move faster, eventually seeing Reihau. The town was in flames, as half naked tribesmen looted houses, and fighting what remained of the town's garrison.

"Lutnants! Order the men to charge!"

The commander called out to his second-in-commands

"""Soldiers, charge!"""

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The men barreled down to the town, shouting, and readying their weapons. Soon, the soldiers crashed into the pillaging tribesmen, and pandemonium broke out.

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(First Person Perspective)

Damn it. Niuwesuldaet Caersun thought as he brandished his spear against his enemy. So this is a Baumaenschaen, huh? I thought as foe before me lunged at me. I barely managed to dodge, getting grazed in the shoulder. Tsk! That hurt...

The savage pivoted and charged at me, but I managed to brace my spear, having him skewer himself on his lower half. This is for my shoulder, you son of a whore! I thought as I got out the spear lodged in his thigh, and shoved the end into the skull of the screaming man, finishing him off.

I spat at the corpse. And someone called out "Little help here!" I saw one of the men back in camp being ganged up on by two of those savages. "Hold on!" I shouted, and charged the two savages. One of them didn't spot me, and I managed to stab them in the chest, falling over with a thud.

The other one turned to me and tried to slash at me, but the man I was helping managed to lodge a hatchet on top of his head, felling the savage easily.

"You feeling well, friend?" He asked me as he helped me off the ground, and I got my spear out of the corpse. "Aside from almost getting killed, I am well. Caersun Faelmunt." I introduced myself to the man. "Aeraeck Zomhaier." He introduced himself back.

"I doubt we have much time for small talk. We need to help the others fight." I said as I readied my spear. "Agreed." Aeraeck said as we sought out more targets together.

We soon encountered a group of the other soldiers under Lutnant Arnauldt and joined them, as me and Aeraeck were separated from our own groups.

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(Third Person Perspective)

"Men! Rally on me!"

Lutnant Arnauldt ordered as the men assigned to him gathered around.

"Listen carefully! We will go through the eastern wing of the town, and try and trap them in! I need one of you to be a runner to get to Lutnant Felip to do the maneuver simultaneously!"

"Who will volunteer?"

The question rang out, louder than the scream of men in the background.

"I will, sir!"

One voice called out. Arnauldt smiled and called the brave soldier.

"What is you name, soldier? I shall remember it for a long time."

Arnauldt asked the young man.

"Caersun, sir." The young man responded.

"A fine name for such a brave young man. Are you to go at this alone?"

Arnauldt asked Caersun as the young man pondered.

"No, sir. I would like to bring another man with me. His name is Aeraeck, and I trust him with my life as he already saved it once."

Arnauldt pondered for a bit, then agreed to the young man's word, as Aeraeck went to Caersun

"Very well then. You need to inform Lutnant Felip of my plan. We need to execute this maneuver at the same time, lest these savages escape with their miserable lives."

"Are you ready for this, soldiers?"

Arnauldt asked for one more time to be sure of the choices of the young men before him.

""Yes, sir!""

"Good man! May Kael give you strength! Men, we shall prepare whilst they deliver the message. Ready yourselves!"

Soon, the two set off, sprinting off to the western side of the town.