“Sir! Reporting! The demon army is on its way! Their vanguard will hit us in a few minutes! The main body and wagon train is not far behind!” The scout then saluted and staggered out of the tent.

“Well, what do you propose we do now my friend?” The caster standing beside him flashed his trademark confident grin.

“The usual. We feign weakness, and when they overreach we strike hard and deep. If we play this cleverly, we can push them towards these cliffs here…” Arwaro picked up a map piece and placed it on the map. He then set the army markers and moved them in unison across the table.

“And thus we’ll hopefully force them to surrender.”

“Arwaro, sometimes I can’t grasp how you even made it this far.” His friend patted his shoulder, while pushing his own piece a little closer to the enemy.

“Well unlike you Erdwin, I worked my way up.”

The two shared a laugh together and cleared up the map table.

You had to vade through mud, get stabbed… Twice and survive a whole month when your unit was abandoned… No thanks.” Erdwin laughed while retrieving his sword from his trunk.

“You had to dance, kiss some lord’s buttocks and beg the commander to accept you… I think my rise was better.”

“I didn’t kiss it! I just made the grumpiest minister at court laugh.” Erdwin protested.

“My lords! The enemy is upon us!” A swordsman burst into the tent.

“Well here’s our party… Shall we?”

The two emerged from the grand tent in the camp just in time to see the first demon great salamander riders emerge over the crest of the nearby hill. Arwaro rallied the troops and they formed a defensive phalanx along their makeshift wooden defences.

“Well then Mr. Feathertouch… Would it please my lordship to bloody his fingers? Or shall the humble commoner do the bludgeoning for you?” Arwaro threw Erdwin a spiteful remark, but it fell flat against his friend.

“All mine commoner, step aside.”

Erdwin stepped up and pointed his finger at the hill. Kilden started sparkling around him as he conjured his spell. Just as the crest was crowded with riders he finished the incantation. The hill exploded in a cascade of fire and earth incinerating hundreds of salamanders and demons.

“Oh, good shot… My lordship.” Arwaro whistled.

“How about you show me how you even managed to earn that armour?” Erdwin spat back.

“Okay.” Arwaro began drawing upon the kilden around him. While the damage to the charging vanguard had been severe, there were still several hundred warriors charging their camp.

“Raise the blocking stones!” Erdwin ordered.

A lesser battlemage drew sharp rocks out of the grassland and levelled it all against the charging demons.

Arwaro cast his spell and a chill wind blew in. Immediately, the whole slope was frozen solid. The drakes tried to bury their claws into the ice, but the ice proved too solid. The whole charge turned into one tumultuous chaos that slid towards the spiked rocks with great speed.

A great crash was followed by pained screams as drakes and demons were impaled upon the rocks. Those that survived were immediately showered in a hail of arrows unleashed by the defenders.

“Hm, not bad old friend… Send the signal!”

A soldier lit a small flare which soared into the sky and soon after, a trumpet fanfare was heard in the distance.

“Soldiers, mount up! It’s time to counterattack!” The soldiers began to mount, Arwaro and Erdwin too mounted their matching white steeds.

Their small, but well-trained host had formed up a few minutes later. Arwaro and Erdwin took their places at the head of the column and immediately rode out.

Arwaro dispelled his ice and they rode up the hill, passing by charred corpses and wounded demons calling out to their loved ones as life left them. As soon as arrived at the crest, they saw their handiwork in the valley below.

The Emperor’s main body of troops had engaged with the demon army. A fluid line of battle had developed as both armies stabbed and cut each other in droves. By defeating the vanguard, the demon’s flank had opened.

“Men! It’s time for glory! We’ll finally put down the savage demon hordes who’ve defiled our young and tarnished our lands! Show them your furious retribution! Take prisoners only when the battle is won! For humanity! For glory! Charge!” Erdwin’s speech drove their men into a fury of swearing and battle zeal. They lowered their lances and formed up in a wedge. Then as the order came, they all charged down the slope.

“Arwaro! Will you please handle our defenses? I’d appreciate if your own trick did not backfire on us!”

He nodded and covered the slope in a magical fire. Some magic winds did try to freeze the slope but ultimately failed. The demon’s casters were in turmoil. A sure sign they had been spotted and that the threat to their flank had a deep unsettling effect.

With a mighty roar the wedge of armoured knights slammed into the demon flank tearing up demons by the hundreds, impaled on spears, sliced in two, the charge left bloody heaps of trampled, bleeding corpses in its wake. The demons seeing their battle line broken, started to flee. An escape to the east was cut off by outriders in the prince’s army.

Slowly but surely the crumbling demon host was forced back, the retreat also reached their supply train and their civilians got caught up in the rout. Where at least a hundred thousand had been reported, there stood but a few thousand, most civilians. As the survivors were forced towards the cliffs the pressure relented.

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The prince deployed his forces to encircle the once proud demon army, now reduced to a sad crowd of despair, as the fleeing civilians dragged what wounded they could behind a hastily assembled line.

“Captain Arwaro, Count Erdwin! I am glad to see you safe and sound…” Another horse arrived bearing the Imperial Emperor himself.

“My Lord... On behalf of my friend I apologize, neither we, nor our soldiers are properly presentable for the Emperor’s eyes.” Erdwin bowed, and forcefully made Arwaro do the same, to the extend he nearly fell from his saddle.

“Count Erwin, if you had ordered your soldiers to clean themselves before my presentation, I would have you flogged… The grime on their armour is proof they have given it all for humankind and the Empire.”

“Y-yes my lord! So, what do you wish for us to do? I can finish them off personally.” Erdwin regained his composure and pointed at the cliff edge.

“Please, my Emperor… I would like to negotiate with the enemy first, so as to perhaps avoid the bloodshed. We can finish this, but not without losing a great many brave troops…”

The Emperor scoffed and then released a mighty laughter.

 “Fine then Arwaro! Would you please handle the negotiations?” The Emperor removed a ring from his finger and handed it to him.

“Very well my Emperor…”

Arwaro mounted his horse and ordered the soldiers manning the perimeter to clear a path and prepare a diplomatic flag. Behind him he could hear the Emperor reassure his advisors that it was merely a gesture, the outcome would be the same. Unfazed by this, he kept going forward.

“I’ll go with you.” Erdwin came riding up next to him.

“Lord, Erdwin… Last time you joined me on this part, you ended up offending them so much they attacked us…”

“We won right? That’s what matters.” Erdwin took the diplomatic flag and fixed it to his horse’s saddle.

“It was unnecessary… The garrison could have surrendered.”

“I’ll keep shut this time, I swear.”

Relenting, and with a wave from the Emperor, the two rode forward. Halfway between the two forces they made the flag signal of parley. They then rode towards the demon line. Two riders were sent out to meet them, their salamanders a formidable sight to behold.

“We wish to parley with a representative of your general.”

The two riders nodded and waved. An elder approached them on foot.

Arwaro made the demon gesture of greeting by clenching his fist and placing it on his chest, bowing his head. The elder responded in kind.

“Your lordship. Our Emperor calls upon you to surrender, to avoid further bloodshed. This ring gives me the right to negotiate on his behalf!”

“Further bloodshed?” The elder looked into Arwaro’s eyes with sadness. “What are the lives of a few more in this grand slaughter that you my lord, have orchestrated?”

“Silence old man!” Erdwin shouted and branded his sword only to be forcefully quieted by Arwaro.

The elder staggered back a little, but regained his composure. “It brings to my heart some joy to see a human willing to reign in his more warlike second. I will listen to your demands.”

Arwaro rolled out a sheet of paper and presented it to the elder.

“Your lordship, our Emperor offers you and your kin honourable captivity. Your wounded will be treated, your families spared bondage, and all will be given safe passage home once the war concludes.”

“A fair offer… What assurance can you give that upon surrender we will not be massacred? Our children taken for slaves and our wives, mothers, brothers and husbands put to the sword?”

“I offer myself as a hostage. My Emperor holds me in high regard, and would not jeopardize my life only to enslave what remains of your kin here.”

“Arwaro, what are you doing!? This is madness! The Emperor doesn’t give two flying ducks about you.” Erdwin whispered to him before loudly interceding in the conversation: “Let me also point out to your lordship, that if you do not surrender, we will attack, slaughter your men and take your wives, daughters and sons into eternal bondage to cruel masters!”

“Erdwin!” Arwaro shouted out in frustration, trying to silence his friend.

“It is true!” He finished.

The elder sighed and looked once more straight at Arwaro.

 “You are a wise man… I shall confer with my equals and relate to you our answer.”

Before leaving, the elder made a gesture of respect, and was led with the riders back behind the demon lines.

“Erdwin… Sometimes I really do hate you.” Arwaro growled.

“Hey, I got the point through right? I didn’t scuttle the talks this time.”

“We’ll see…”

They waited for a long time. The sun was just about to set when the elder returned to them. His outward display of calmness belied some other truth.

“My lordships… Our council has decided that there will be no surrender.”

“What?” Arwaro could not believe his ears. “Please, make them reconsider! At least release the children into our custody! I swear on my honour I will see to it they are treated generously!”

“The answer is no…” The Elder could no longer hide his bitter tears. “It is final…”

“War it is then!” Erdwin turned around and rode hard back to the army shouting orders to form up and make preparations for the advance.

“I apologize young man. Perhaps in a different circumstance our calmer minds would have brought the world into a new era of greatness…” The elder forced a shaky smile and loosened his necklace. Here… Please accept this. It will protect you… And kindly remember me the next time you hold the fate of my kin in your hands…”

Arwaro accepted the necklace and put it around his neck. “Thank you elder… I shall pray to your Agzichta to receive you with swiftness.”

“Eihvige see you into the grace of old age.” The elder bade him farewell.

Arwaro turned his horse around and rode back. Glancing over his shoulder, he watched the old man walk slowly towards his death.

Arwaro felt a great weight in his chest as he returned. The soldiers made way and immediately reformed their spear wall. The order was given, and the soldiers advanced.

Just then, a loud noise was heard, and a massive shockwave erupted from the demon holdout. He watched on in horror as the demons writhed and then disappeared in explosions of blood and gore. The shockwave expanded slowly, tearing the ground to pieces. Men in the front lines shrieked as their bodies were subjected to the same treatment. Discipline broke and soldiers climbed over each other trying to escape. Some roared out against their deaths, while others offered up their last prayers. Thousands died every second, and Arwaro looked on in horror as a soldier was disintegrated before him.

“Arwaro!!” He saw Erdwin in one second, before he disappeared in a puff of blood.

Carnage was upon him. His own horse disintegrated under him and he fell to the ground. All around him, those who did not simply vanish fell to the ground lifeless. Horses and soldiers fell in droves, their bodies never to stand up proudly ever again. High above, the Imperial dragon riders, a cadre of the most battle-hardened and professional troops were annihilated in a second. The big dragons fell along with their riders, all devoid of life and smashed the lifeless corpses where they landed.

He felt like he was sinking. He recovered from the shock of being suddenly dropped to find all around him slick with blood and guts He tried to upright himself, but his hands found no good grip in the vast field of gore. Everything around him was shrouded in a red mist, the very air he breathed was thick with the scent and taste of blood. skeletons lay strewn all around him.

“Gods help me, gods help me…” He muttered as he staggered towards the spot where the Emperor and his advisors had been only moments before. Nothing remained save for the armour and regalia.

Left with nothing but death around him, he staggered away, occasionally tripping over a soulless corpse, or an empty set of armour. He only thought of leaving the field. Through the ravaged treeline and into the forest. Gradually, the signs of destruction lessened, and after a while he arrived close to the camp. The guards stepped aside slowly as he brandished his sword and ring, both red and nearly unrecognizable by blood. Two steps through the perimeter gate was all he managed before darkness swept over his mind.