Thirty five. Thirty five was the number William was thinking about currently. The reason, It was the number of people who could have a rifle. Thirty five guns against six thousand legionnaires. That number didn’t include the auxiliaries this legion might have attached. Every rifle had to silence over one hundred and seventy each. Thankfully his rifles had a great effective range of one hundred yards and could fire twenty rounds in less than a minute. The Imperium used effective team tactics to weather an assault. But rifles well, they don't care.
The forty six caliber ball would pierce six to eight inches of tree stump. Thin mail and scale mail would prove ineffective. Even the shields would be punched clean through. Every shot on target would either injure, maim, or kill. All three were suitable in William's eyes. As all three would slow down the legion.
William's guerrillas took a day to find the scouts they were noted but left alone. The legion and it's baggage was found another day back and were the prize. William's hunters had led them through little known game paths and easy terrain. They made fantastic time. Thankfully for the small group their enemy had to use the slow meandering main road merchants used. Which meant while they were only two days away from Runick proper. The aggressive foothills, woody wetlands, and muddy timber lands of the surrounding area kept the legion from wandering off the main path. As the the hunters led them through the wilderness William was very thankful to the hunters. They had told him the threats of the territory. The area had hag covens, dark groves, demon tears, dark fey and a whole host of other monsters roaming the area. The area was downright horrible to travel through if you were bumbling around. However while it was horrible to outsiders it was accessible and easy to navigate by veterans. So William made his plans for ambush.
There were many large bends on the main road for setting up a ninety degree cross of fire. Their main targets would be the officers. All except for Grock, Kena, and the goblin guards. Grock, and the goblin guards would be shooting to cause mayhem the middle of formations those taking initiative trying to move toward the shooters. Kena would be using her magic to start the battle by blocking the road with debris then to destroy the tongues and yokes of the carts to free the animals. The other main objective was to leave the freed animals alive. This would disrupt the baggage train as there was only so much room to maneuver on the two way dirt road. Of the thirty six of them only thirty five of them could shoot and do damage. So five teams of seven were established. Every person had twenty shots each. After expenditure they waited for the rest of their team of seven to expend theirs. After that they would break off and make for a designated meeting point. As a contingency if a group of legionnaires made it to one hundred feet of the entire force the group was to break off early and meetup at the same place.
With that they made for the front of the baggage train to set their ambush. William's group was made up of Cluci, Kena, and five hunters their aim was to start the ambush but also disrupt reinforcement from the rear of the marching column. They got into position and waited for the legionnaire columns to move past. As a precaution Will had made gillie suits from leather strips to further conceal the guerrillas. William couldn't do anything but direct Cluci onto good targets. It saddened him to no avail that until he made a concerted push to make gunpowder weapons he would be stuck to traps and prepared explosives. He dreamed of having a bomb launcher of some description. But his dreams cut short as their window of opportunity came closer.
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All was silent except for the cadence of the marching legion and clicks and groans of the carts and animals behind them. The only other noise was the summer breeze filtering through the leaves. It was serenely quiet those that marched thought of drink, a warm meal, or a break to their forced march back to friendly territory. The place they were in was uniquely hostile to those that did not respect its power. Here was the the legions march disrupting the landscapes slumber. As some sick sort of joke in a split second it came alive. Its full displeasure on full display.
The first moment centurions dropped like flies. The second moment any veteran of the legion joined them the third moment any man that pulled men together through the blood and splattered entrails. Loose cart animals caused mayhem with formations. It seemed as if the only ones spared were those of non officer rank but even legionnaires known to have good sense in a normal melee were eventually cut down like wheat before the scythe. The legion column tried to help but met the same invisible force. Just as sudden as the invisible death sought to send them to the Lady it was gone. The dead lay still, the near dead laid howling, the injured barely responsive, and finally those that were cognizant wild with anger and religious zealotry. The regalia of the last six legion centurions wet with the blood and mud where their wearers had fallen lifeless a single hole entering their skulls.
When the Legate of the forty fifth legion finally approached the carnage he expected a gruesome horrible monster to lay slain at the feet of victorious legionnaires. There was no victory here, nothing to speak proudly on to his fellow senators back at the capital, all he found were the bodies of nearly seven centuries either dead or screaming. Something was very wrong.
Varia’s eight legions had passed through here near half a year ago. Nothing like this had happened a few ogres or trolls during the night. But this…this was too efficient too perfect, on his legion’s lips was the talk of the Night the absolute enemy of their goddess. But the Legate would not stoop to this level of superstition. He had seen to much death in his long prolonged life to be spooked both impersonal and hands on on the autopsy table. He walked the corpses saying prayers more as a mantra to remain logical and focused. As he did the glint of metal caught his eye. There among the grey matter of one of his dead men was a near perfect ball of metal. Large enough to fit into the circle of his thumb and idex finger. While he was a man heavily invested into the ways of natural philosophies and a man well versed in the implements of war. He had never seen such a implement before.
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It was present within the brain cavity. He looked at another one of the more intact corpses… there! A hole the size of this metal ball. This couldn’t be magic why use something so small and precise. This was no sling but… something else. Whatever the case, these balls were sentient made. Something or someone was not happy he and his legion were here. If he continued as they were they would all soon be crow food.
He called for his faithful aid Irene. “Yes Senator Locke?” her voice pleasant as ever but she had broken pesky protocol on purpose again. “Irene, I told you to use proper military titles when addressing me on campaign it was funny the first dozen time I hate being here as much as you but while here we must adhere to stupid tradition.” “Sorry, my mistake again Legate Adler, now what can this aid do for you?” He could literally see the smirk on her face he almost chuckled at that almost. “Have the men cut up the broken wagons covers and display the white linen in full view. We have been soundly beaten six more attacks like this and we are finished. You and I will be the only survivors as long as you know what doesn’t happen. Also we are making camp on the road. Have the men make barricades we simply don’t have the room for a true camp tonight. Have them prepare the dead for burning in the dawns light and such.” “It will be done.” His aid then began giving orders her presence having a calming effect wherever she went. Legate Locke Adler after taking a long look at his wife then took another at the metal ball in his fingers and asked the uncaring metal ball, “Who do you belong too little one?”
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When William had sat and watched the quiet death dispensed in front of him. He watched in abject horror. When he thought of battle he thought of the horrid set pieces shown by war movies. While the visual and audio scenery of such events had eventually been perfectly achieved it held not a single candle to the real thing. When he thought on the smell, taste, sound, and sight of the ambush he felt nausea. Maybe it was his passive modern sentiments but he did not like combat it made him nauseous in every fiber of his being. But he was willing to bear through the nausea to see that which he cared for was safe. As William thought more on it his targets were so woefully unprepared for the type of ambush he unleashed upon them. It was a literal slaughterhouse. He had heard from the other groups not a single shot missed. The legionnaires didn’t know to take cover from gunfire they couldn’t have. The gun was completely new on this world or at least this continent. William had ordered six hundred and eighty men slaughtered to save just a handful in comparison a hundred and eighty seven people. These numbers were not equal. They solved nothing. Gave no solace or clarity. He wanted nothing to do with more senseless death but deal death he must. When he looked at his group that had volunteered for the chance they were in shock as well. Even they couldn’t believe the slaughter they had been a part of. The only sober one was Cluci who wasn’t happy or sad he just had a scowl on his face in hard contemplation. William then coughed which brought everyone out of their stupor, he then spoke.
“In my world when these types of weapons came upon us we saw it just another weapon in a long line of other weapons. However unlike the others this one caused death on a much greater scale. Eventually we started to see the light but it was only after many great conflicts. When I came here my world had all but managed to snuff war from its culture we settled our disagreements with economic and political power instead of blood and iron. I seek peace for all of you help me achieve this and you too can truly say ‘my what peaceful times we live in’ without the possibility of a jinx. I will only wage war with these weapons again while on the defense unless they have crossed lines to warrant such atrocities." William let out his breath then deeply inhaled then bluntly spoke again "We seek parlay with the Imperium tomorrow. Only I will go. You shall cover me from the shadows should they deign to hurt me.” Not a single person said a thing against the idea.
“We move to the head of the column before nightfall and meet the Legions Legate before noon tomorrow.” He gave his group a few moments to collect themselves then they made headway to the front of the legions column.
The next day William was dumbstruck the Legion was also looking to parlay. They held ripped white linen as they marched. At the front of the column William walked out as clear as day also holding white. A horn call could be heard and the legion came to a halt they stopped well outside rifle range but William had no intention of leaving his zone of death.
Eventually a procession of three people came forward one wore regalia of a Legate a lanky male the second was a female the last seemed to hold informal command the third was one of the most veteran centurions most likely also male by the size of the frame. They approached him now within the killing zone. William made a deep bow they stopped immediately. Williams dress was rather plain that of Runick, common hides as the clothier had been burned a rifle was upon his back for good measure. He greeted the small group. “This Lord greets such esteemed guests. I ask for parlay and seems you do as well. What say you?” The legate answered “We do indeed. May we retire to a tent the sun makes our armor ever so hot and heavy.” William smiled an evil smile as he gestured wooden debris shot from the forest “Certainly give me one moment.” William used [ Create ] to make four chairs and a large wooden shade. The shade he positioned to block the morning sun for the next several hours without compromising angles of fire. Will then sat in the single chair closest to his men.
“Have a seat. Make yourselves comfortable”