YEAR: 1724. SEPTEMBER 3RD. LOCATION: 9TH CORP’S LEFT WING IN THE PLAIN OF IMORAS
The battle between the 9th Corps and the Imperials had finally begun. General Cedric led a force of 10,000 soldiers at the center, clashing directly with the heart of the Imperial army. On either side, Brigadier General Lily and Major General William commanded the left and right wings, each with 7,000 troops, working to support the main assault.
The Imperials mirrored this strategy. They positioned 9,500 soldiers at the center, bracing for Cedric’s attack, while 7,500 soldiers held the left and right flanks, ready to defend against the 9th Corps’ advances. Both sides were fully engaged, their forces evenly matched, with the outcome hanging in the balance as the battle raged on.
At the left wing, the Imperials were charging in their calvary force at the front which numbered no more than 700. However, it was still enough to push through the ranks of the soldiers as they cut through the Corp’s soldiers like they were made of paper.
The Corp soldiers in return all tried to block the incoming calvary with their shield, but even their shield crumbled under the weight of the relentless assault. Calvary simply charged at them and the shielders couldn’t bear the force behind each attack, crumbling on the ground under the force.
"Attack!" Major Graves, the leader of the cavalry, bellowed, his sword gleaming in the early light. "Bring glory to the legion! Charge!" His voice was like a battle cry itself, igniting the spirits of his men. They roared in unison, driving their steeds even harder, plunging deeper into the enemy ranks with reckless abandon. The thrill of battle and their initial success had given them a dangerous overconfidence.
But as they surged forward, they failed to notice that they had left their infantry support far behind. The 9th Corps soldiers, seeing this, began to close in, tightening the noose around the isolated cavalry.
“Let the enemy advance until it is deep within our ranks!” Lily shouted her orders, receiving news of the battles one after another from the runners. “After they are deep enough, tell the heavy infantry to crush them while the light infantry along with the archers would support them.”
The cavalry charge, which had started so strong, began to slow down as the 9th Corps soldiers tightened their ranks. The path that had seemed clear was quickly filling with soldiers, blocking the cavalry's advance.
Without the speed to push through, the cavalry became an easy target. The 9th Corps' heavy infantry, clad in solid iron armor, began to march forward, each step steady and sure. The once confident horsemen found themselves surrounded, their movement restricted by the sheer number of soldiers pressing in on all sides.
The heavy infantry, with their shields raised and locked together, advanced relentlessly. The cavalry, unable to maneuver or retreat, started to lose ground. What had been a powerful charge was now a desperate struggle as the 9th Corps closed in, turning the tide of battle against the Imperial cavalry.
The rest of the force of the Imperials didn’t stand by as they charged forward, hoping to open the path for the calvary to retreat. However, the light infantry and the archers didn’t let them as they fought with great ferocity.
The battle on the left wing raged on, with the 9th Corps' light infantry clashing fiercely against the Imperial forces. Archers from the Corps unleashed a relentless barrage of arrows, forcing the Imperials to split their focus between the infantry at their front and the arrows raining down behind them. The struggle dragged on for an intense hour, with neither side willing to give an inch.
Eventually, the Imperial cavalry managed to break through by concentrating their efforts on a single point in the 9th Corps' defenses. However, this victory came at a steep price. Of the 700 cavalry that had charged, only 200 emerged from the battle, with the rest either fallen or too wounded to continue. The Imperial infantry, who had recklessly rushed in to support the cavalry, also suffered heavy losses, with 1,000 soldiers perished.
On Lily's side, the cost was also significant but better. The initial cavalry charge had caused considerable damage, with 800 Corps soldiers lost in the chaos. However, once they shifted their focus to defense and successfully repelled the cavalry, they limited their further losses to 400.
By the end of the first day on the left wing, Lily's force had lost 1,200 soldiers, while the Imperials had lost 1,500.
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YEAR: 1724. SEPTEMBER 4TH. LOCATION: 9TH CORP’S RIGHT WING
Major General William gritted his teeth, his voice hoarse from shouting commands as he cut down Imperial soldiers left and right. “Hold the line! Don’t fall back!” he roared, trying to keep his men from losing ground.
While the left wing had managed a successful battle, the right wing was in dire straits. They had lost over 2,000 soldiers the previous day, and William was struggling to keep his forces together. It felt like the worst battle of his life, but he knew he couldn’t afford to falter. He led the charge himself, hoping his presence would inspire his troops to fight harder.
Reports from his scouts indicated that the enemy commander was likely Major General Alysia, the new commander of the Third Division. Even though she was his enemy, William couldn’t help but respect her tactical brilliance.
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Yesterday, William had given orders for a massive volley of arrows to rain down on the enemy, followed by a full-scale charge. It was a classic tactic intended to overwhelm and break through the Imperial lines. But Major General Alysia had anticipated this move. Her forces had skillfully retreated just enough to avoid the brunt of the arrow barrage.
When the charge came, the Imperial continued to retreat. It seemed like a sign of victory to William, and he urged his men to press forward with even greater speed. Unfortunately, this was exactly what Alysia had hoped for. While William’s forces surged ahead, Alysia’s troops executed a clever maneuver, slipping around the flanks to strike from the rear.
Caught off guard, William and his men struggled to fend off the unexpected attack. The Imperials, numbering around 3,000, hit their rear lines while the front numbered 4,500. William’s forces found themselves facing a desperate fight on two fronts.
By the end of the day, the toll was heavy: 2,000 of William's soldiers had fallen, while the Imperials had sustained losses of only 500. The right wing of the 9th Corps was in chaos, and William’s earlier confidence now seemed like a distant memory.
Now, as he fought to hold the line, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Alysia was always one step ahead. The thought gnawed at him, but he knew he had to focus on the battle at hand. If they couldn’t turn things around soon, the entire right wing could crumble under the relentless Imperial assault.
“Lord William!” a runner shouted, racing towards him with urgency. “The enemy is approaching from the rear! It won’t be long before they surround us completely.”
William sighed in exasperation. “This again?” The memory of losing 2,000 soldiers to this very tactic was still fresh in his mind. He quickly gathered his composure and issued his orders. “Prepare for the Spear Tip Formation! We’ll break through their weakest line and escape. Once we’re out, have the archers provide cover fire for our retreat!”
“Yes, my lord!” The runner nodded and sprinted off to relay the command.
As William watched his men quickly fall into the spear tip formation, a sense of unease gnawed at him. The same trick wouldn’t work on him twice, and he was certain Alysia knew that too. Yet, he had no choice but to push forward—being surrounded would be disastrous.
The formation moved swiftly, cutting through the thinnest part of the enemy line. Surprisingly, they met less resistance than expected, breaking through with relative ease. Relief washed over William as they began to regroup outside the enemy’s encirclement. But just as the archers prepared to cover their retreat, a thunderous sound of hooves echoed across the battlefield.
The ground trembled beneath them as a cavalry force appeared on the horizon, heading straight for William’s troops. His heart sank as he realized that Alysia had anticipated his every move, setting the stage for this devastating counterattack.
William quickly assessed the situation as the cavalry approached. At first glance, their numbers, fewer than 500, seemed manageable. He sighed a quick sigh of relief, but then realized something was off.
Instead of wielding the usual lances or spears, these cavalrymen were armed with bows. In a synchronized motion, they notched their arrows and unleashed a volley at William’s troops. His own archers retaliated, launching a barrage of arrows toward the charging horsemen.
But the cavalry was swift and agile, veering sideways to avoid the incoming arrows with remarkable ease. A few fell, but the majority evaded the attack, while William's infantry wasn’t as fortunate. With nowhere to retreat, his soldiers took heavy casualties from the arrow fire.
And the cavalry wasn’t done. Using their speed to their advantage, they continued to press forward, staying just out of reach of William’s foot soldiers. They fired continuously from horseback, their mobility making them nearly impossible to catch. William’s archers tried to target the horses, but just as they lined up their shots, the Imperial infantry charged again, forcing the archers to fall back.
William had heard rumors of cavalry archers from the distant eastern nations, famed for their deadly accuracy with bows. But he had never seen them in action, nor did he thought of using them in battle. The concept of using cavalry to wield bows instead of lances was foreign to him, and now, as he watched his men struggle against this unexpected threat, he realized just how unprepared he was.
The cavalry, unhindered, ran circles around William's forces, picking them off with their bow. Thankfully, they seemed to have a hard time aiming on top of the moving horse since many of the arrows missed, but there were still many casualties due to them.
It was a brutal hit-and-run tactic, leaving William’s troops struggling to respond. The battle that had seemed manageable moments ago was now spiraling out of control, with his men trapped between the relentless cavalry and the advancing Imperial infantry.
Finally, William came to a grim realization: the only chance for survival was to retreat and regroup with the main force. Staying would mean certain annihilation at the hands of the Imperials, but retreating carried its own risks. The plan could expose the main force to an attack from both the right wing and the main army of Imperial forces. But if the right wing collapsed entirely, the result would be even more disastrous.
William’s heart sank as he realized that continuing to command the right wing would only lead to their total annihilation. Alysia was on a completely different level, outshining him at every move. He had no chance of winning against her. The only hope now was to regroup with the main force and rely on the Silver Tip, General Cedric.
Gritting his teeth, William made his decision. “Form up! Injured soldiers to the center, we’ll use the Spear Tip Formation again!” he shouted, his voice sharp and resolute. “Ignore the cavalry archers unless you’re sure you can take them down! Our priority is getting back to the main army. Move!”
His orders spread quickly through the ranks, and the soldiers began to reposition with grim determination. They understood the stakes; survival depended on reaching the main force. The Spear Tip Formation was their best chance to break free from the encircling enemy.
As they initiated their retreat, the cavalry archers continued their relentless harassment, firing arrows from a safe distance. But William’s troops stayed focused, pushing forward with everything they had. They were battered, exhausted, but they pressed on, determined to survive and fight another day.
From her position at the front of the cavalry archers, Alysia watched the 9th Corp’s wing retreating. Seeing that her strategy had worked, she ordered her forces to ease their attack. There was no need to press further; the right wing of the 9th Corp had collapsed, just as she intended. Now, they could regroup with the main Imperial force to finish off the rest of the enemy.
By the end of the battle, William had lost 4,000 soldiers, while Alysia’s forces had only lost 1,000. The right wing of the 9th Corp was shattered, and with only 3,000 soldiers left, William gave the order to retreat and regroup with the main army, hoping that General Cedric could turn the tide.