YEAR: 1724. AUGUST 17TH LOCATION: MEDIC TENT OF 9TH CORP MAIN ARMY OF NORTH SIDE OF PLAIN OF JADE.
I woke up again in a familiar tent, though this time it felt different—bigger, much bigger. I looked around, trying to get my bearings, and noticed I wasn’t alone like last time. The tent was filled with other injured soldiers, some familiar, some not, all being treated for their wounds. It was strange, almost surreal, to see so many faces I recognized in such a setting.
“You're awake,” a voice spoke from beside me, pulling me from my daze.
I turned my head, half-expecting to see Major Lyra like last time. But instead, there was Captain Deryk, casually sitting next to my bed with a basket of fruit on his lap. He was munching on some grapes, a look of relief mixed with his usual laid-back demeanor.
“What happened?” I asked, still trying to piece everything together.
Deryk swallowed his grape and gave me a slight grin. “Well, after Brigadier General Devon had you hauled off the battlefield, the medics got to work on you. They patched up your wounds, and—oh yeah—fixed up those severed limbs of yours. The head medic was grumbling the whole time about how tricky it was to get everything back in place.”
He paused, popping another grape into his mouth, as if the ordeal was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. “Anyway, after patching you up and reattaching everything, they brought you here to recover. You were out for quite a while, but it looks like you’re in one piece now.”
I glanced down at my limbs, which were thankfully all there, though wrapped in bandages. They ached a bit, but considering what I’d been through, it was a miracle I could even move them. The sight of my body in one piece brought a strange sense of relief.
Deryk leaned back in his chair, popping another grape into his mouth. “You’re lucky, you know. They did a pretty solid job of putting you back together. Just take it easy for a while, okay? We’ll need you back in action soon enough.”
His tone was light, almost casual, and it helped ease some of the tension I felt. The battle was over, at least for now, and I was still here, still breathing. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for the moment.
“But isn’t that supposed to be my grape?” I asked, glaring at him.
Deryk suddenly stopped chewing his grape, his face paling as he noticed my glare. Sweat started to bead on his forehead as he quickly set the fruit basket down, fumbling a bit as he grabbed an apple. Trying to dodge my glare, he began peeling the apple's skin, his words rushing out in a hurry.
"Uh, well, anyway," he blurted out, focusing way too hard on the apple, "one of the Imperials you took down—Brigadier General Varian—had a really powerful enchanted sword called Windwhisper. It got wind magic as an enchantment."
He handed me the apple, looking relieved to have something else to talk about. "According to military law—uh, I think it’s the 47th rule or something—you’re allowed to keep Windwhisper since you were the one who defeated him."
My eyes widened in surprise. I had witnessed firsthand the power of Windwhisper, and just thinking about its deadly force sent a shiver down my spine. And now, I was being told that I’d get to obtain it? It was the best news I could have hoped for! But before I could fully process the excitement, Deryk’s next words hit me like a bucket of ice-cold water.
"Also… you’ve been demoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant," Deryk said awkwardly, handing me an orange as if that would somehow soften the blow. "You see, the 6th Company was pretty much wiped out before General Cedric and his forces arrived, leaving only nine survivors besides you."
He paused, clearly uncomfortable with what he had to say next. "Normally, you wouldn’t take the full blame for what happened, since First Lieutenant Mira was the one who came up with that ridiculous plan. But... she pinned the entire failure on you. And to make matters worse, General Cedric agreed with her and personally demoted you. So, yeah... there’s no changing that."
I stared at the orange in my hand, the sweetness of the fruit doing little to take away the bitterness of the news. It was hard to believe that I had gone from the high of potentially wielding Windwhisper to the low of being demoted in the same breath. What should have been a moment of triumph now felt hollow.
I was lucky that I was demoted to the Second Lieutenant since it still meant I was an officer, but I couldn’t shake away the fury to Mira who was the root of all this.
“I swear that woman!” I shouted, causing the other injured soldiers in the tent to glance over in surprise. “Why does she hate me so much? I didn’t do anything!”
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Deryk just gave me a sympathetic look before dropping another bombshell. “Well, there’s more. Mira personally proposed that you be transferred to the 1st Brigade, and… it got approved.”
I stared at him in disbelief for a moment before I threw myself back onto the bed, yanking the blanket over my head. Burying my face in the pillow, I let out a muffled scream.
“F***************************KKKKKKKKKKK!”
[(0)]
YEAR: 1724. AUGUST 17TH. LOCATION: MAIN COMMAND TENT OF SECOND DIVISION SOMEWHERE IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PLAIN OF JADE.
“Are you certain of this?” Major General Remnell asked the soldier standing before him. His voice was calm, but there was a tension that couldn’t be ignored. “Are you telling me that both Colonel Ominla and Alysia’s forces were defeated?”
“Yes, General Remnell,” the soldier replied, his voice wavering slightly. “And… Brigadier General Varian was killed in an honorable battle against the 9th Corps.”
At the mention of Varian’s death, Remnell’s stoic expression finally cracked, revealing a moment of grief. It wasn’t the loss of the Windwhisper that hit him hardest, but the loss of a true friend who had failed to keep his promise to return alive. The room fell silent as the weight of the news settled over the gathered officers.
The other officers exchanged glances, their faces a mix of sorrow and concern. The battle was slipping through their fingers, and the realization was dawning that they were on the brink of a disastrous defeat.
“General Remnell,” one officer spoke up, his voice carrying a note of urgency and sympathy. “I’m sorry to interrupt during this difficult moment, but we need to act quickly. We’ve lost 25,000 men in this battle, and the remaining forces are not far behind. We have to come up with a plan, fast.”
Murmurs of agreement echoed around the room as the officers pressed for a decision. Remnell took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus as he turned his gaze to the map spread out before him, the pieces scattered across it like remnants of their crumbling strategy.
“We can’t keep playing into the hands of the 9th Corps,” Remnell said, his voice steadying. “We need to retreat from this forest and regroup. Once we’ve gathered our strength, we’ll take a detour around the forest, staying clear of the archers who’ve been harrying us. It’s the only way we can avoid complete annihilation and turn this fight around.”
The reason why the 9th Corp was fighting at the Plain of Jade was that the terrain allowed them to cover their smaller numbers and leverage their experience in battle. But everyone knew that once those natural advantages were stripped away, the tide would turn in favor of the Imperials.
While Remnell’s forces had suffered significant losses, the 9th Corps hadn't escaped unscathed either. According to the latest reports, the 9th Corp had lost over 15,000 soldiers, leaving them with only 25,000 remaining—the same number as Imperials.
While there would be more losses in the battle, Remnell was sure he could take Fort Kespare with only 10,000 when it came down to worse. After all, their siege weapons were still safe and unharmed.
“Rely the orders to retreat.” Remnell ordered. “We regroup, then strike the enemy back!”
[(0)]
YEAR: 1724. AUGUST 17TH. LOCATION: MAIN COMMAND TENT OF 9TH CORP SOMEWHERE IN THE NORTH SIDE OF PLAIN OF JADE.
“Sir, the enemies are retreating!” Brigadier General Devon’s voice rang out, instantly followed by cheers from the officers. But then he added something that brought the excitement to a screeching halt. “It looks like they’re abandoning the fight on the Plain of Jade and planning to take a detour around it.”
General Cedric let out a heavy sigh as he reviewed the reports. “So, they finally figured it out. Their pride kept them stubborn for a few days, but it seems they’ve realized they’re outmatched in this terrain and decided to pull back.”
The Imperials had never imagined that a mere 40,000 soldiers, even with the terrain advantage, could turn the tide in their favor. Their pride had been a major factor, but as their high-ranking officers continued to fall in battle, their confidence wavered. It became clear that the best strategy was to adapt to the new reality. Much of the pride, in truth, had come from Major General Caelen and his Third Division.
“Shouldn’t we attack their retreating force?” one officer suggested. “We should try to reduce their numbers as much as possible before we face them on a flat plain.”
“I agree,” another officer chimed in. “We could wipe them out completely if we hit them with full force.”
As several officers began to voice their opinions on the matter, General Cedric raised a hand to quiet them.
“Attacking them while they’re retreating might seem like a good idea, but they could set up traps for us. It’s risky. I wouldn’t advise it.”
“Then what do you suggest we do, Lord Cedric?” Devon asked, his eyes narrowed with suspicion.
“We do nothing,” Cedric replied calmly, leaving the officers wide-eyed and stunned.
“The Imperials will expect us to take action while they’re retreating. If we stay put, they’ll assume we’re setting a trap, which will make them more cautious and increase their security. Meanwhile, we can use this time to regroup, tend to our wounded, and prepare ourselves. The Imperials, on the other hand, will be left exhausted and stressed by the constant pressure. We’ll turn their expectations into our advantage.”
The officers all found it risky as the Imperials could also use the time to regroup and rest when they found out about their plan, but none voiced their objections. After all, there weren't many officers who would disagree with their generals.
“Prepare the soldiers to slowly advance toward the South side of the Plain of Jade.” Cedric ordered. “Make sure we don’t do any skirmishes or battles along the way, only retreat to prevent the losses.”