Pulping the last standing Wraith with his sceptre, Hongji barked, “Casualty reports.” Without waiting for the answer, he strode out of his tent to get a better view of the battle, unwilling to Scry just yet in case there were still more assassins lurking about. Leaping into the air, he Cloud-Stepped at the peak of his ascent and Lightened for all he was worth, ignoring the disgraceful image he presented while hopping in mid air to get a good look at the oncoming Defiled horde. Other commanders would Conceal themselves or order a subordinate to do this in their stead, but Hongji lacked the skill required to Lighten, Cloud-Step, and Conceal all at once, and he preferred seeing things with his own eyes rather than hearing about them from another’s mouth.

So what if he looked like a child at the fair trying to see over the crowd? Besides, embarrassing and exhausting as this was, it showed his soldiers he was still alive and uninjured, which was always an uncertainty when dealing with Wraiths. All it took was for one of the slippery bastards to slither past your guard and you’d be dead before you hit the ground...

The air shook with the roars of bellowing Defiled and his stomach sank at the sight of a wave of flesh and ferocity converging on Sinuji’s walls. There were so many of them mere numbers didn’t do the sight justice, hundreds of thousands of Defiled screaming bloody murder. So consumed by their lust for death, there was no room for fear or trepidation as they raced to be the first to draw blood. Imperial soldiers might balk at seeing the fortifications before them and stop to build ladders or siege-engines to help take the fort, but not the Defiled. With nothing but the weapons in their hands and the head-wraps covering their faces, these bare-chested savages sought to bury Sinuji’s defenders in sheer numbers and feast upon their corpses. They would fight until there was no one left to fight, a swarm of devouring locusts in search of violence for the sake of violence. Such was the fate of those who succumbed to the Father’s vile machinations, and even after so many months of fending errant warbands off, Hongji was not prepared for the sheer intensity of killing intent emanating from a true Defiled Horde.

Grace us with your favour, oh Mother in Heaven, for your child sees no way to weather this tribulation except at great cost...

Taking stock of the situation while the relevant reports poured in, Hongji issued a stream of orders through his aides. The junior officers stationed on the battlements had suffered dearly from the Wraith assault, unsurprising since the cramped confines and open spaces made them easy marks. Tam Taewoong was now the highest ranked officer remaining, not the worst case scenario by any means, and he informed the young officer himself. “Hold the walls,” he ordered, as if Taewoong could do anything else, “But keep our contingency plans in mind. Give ground if you feel it necessary, and do not be too proud to request reinforcements. Mother guide your hand, Warrior.” And with those words, Hongji left the twenty-five year old Warrant Officer to his work as the Defiled lines crashed into the earthen battlements.

“Call-sign Spear injured and unresponsive. Call-sign Mister taking command.” Cursing beneath his breath, Hongji prayed for Sun Qiang to make a quick recovery and focused on unravelling the mysteries hidden within the report. So many Wraiths had been committed to the attack there, and now two thirds of the charging Defiled were headed towards them, a force stronger than those sent to take the battlements, but why? Even if the northern flank collapsed, it offered no discernible advantage to the Defiled attacker. If they pushed through the camp’s defenders, the Enemy could send their forces through the campgrounds to attack the fort from the rear, but if this was their intention, then why not take the extra hour or two to surround the fort before engaging? Hongji’s cavalry was stationed outside to harry them, but a mere four-thousand mounted warriors could hardly hold back a horde numbering hundreds of thousands strong, so what was all this fuss about? Simply to kill Falling Rain? Nonsense, even capable as he was, Rain’s death would not break the soldiers of Sinuji, nor was it worth it to commit so many resources stamping out what was essentially an independent camp.

A mystery, but one he had no time to mull over. Ordering a message Sent to warn ‘Mister’ Rustram of the oncoming force, Hongji hesitated to wasted manpower holding an inconsequential position, but the immediate reply arrived before he made up his mind. “Call-Sign Mister reports: Understood,” Hongji’s chief courier Sent, repeating the message he’d received from the northern flank. “Advise cavalry to hold back until Enemy is stuck in.”

Ha! So Rain wasn’t the only person in his retinue with a lion’s courage and a dragon’s temperament. Dropping back to the ground, Hongji informed his guards of his intention to Scry before turning his sights onto the northern flank, where soldiers re-positioned themselves in response to Rustram’s rapid-fire orders. Rather than hold the various choke-points along the first line of defences, the plucky Bekhai second intended to draw the Defiled into the camp proper and trap them there, then use the cavalry to cut them off from the rest of the army once they were fully committed. The Enemy charge faltered once they were through the unmanned defences, hopping over the spiked pits and chopping through iron barricades to find no adversary to fight, and several of the frenzied savages even turned on their allies in frustration. Milling about for a handful of precious seconds, their confusion bought enough time for Mister Rustram’s hastily-amended defence lines to fall in place before the Defiled renewed their attack. Though the line buckled before the initial charge, it held strong as Rustram joined the fray with his Death Corps escorts, urging his soldiers to hold while his sword brought death to the Enemy. The press of bodies grew thick as the Defiled funnelled into the camp, prime targets for the Bekhai archers and crossbowmen standing atop the wagons. Firing a storm of bolts and arrows into the Enemy ranks, they slowed the rate of Defiled advance and forced the Enemy to trample over their dead and injured in their haste to join the fray.

The scene held Hongji’s attention for longer than it should have, for it defied too many of his expectations. The basic precepts of warfare stated it was best to engage the Enemy from behind static defences, but here he watched his soldiers abandon those defences in favour of fighting on mostly open ground. Aside from a secondary line of spiked pits which kept the Defiled from encircling their position, his soldiers were essentially in a man-to-man engagement, a decidedly unfavourable tactic when faced with overwhelming odds, but from what he could see, it was working. If the Enemy were instead an Imperial force, then their commanding officer would hold off the charge until his soldiers had gathered in significant numbers for a concentrated push, but the Defiled were so crazed with blood-lust they continued to funnel in through the maze of defences and arrive at the battlefront in scattered, piecemeal groups, where the gathered soldiers of the Empire dispatched them with ruthless efficiency.

It would take the Enemy some time to dismantle all the defences and truly get stuck in on the northern flank, so he made a note to rethink his position on ranged weaponry and handed command of the cavalry over to Rustram before turning his attention back to the battlements. Though tenuous at best, Tam Taewoong held firm against the crashing waves of Defiled, smashing his foes aside as the Defiled largely ignored the winding paths and sought to overwhelm the battlements by sheer force. Other, less notable officers of Central also performed admirably and he had his scribes take down their achievements so tales of their heroics could embolden the people of the Empire. The Defiled were a threat, but it was the Enemy they must guard against, so even if Sinuji were to fall this day, stories of their struggles could still serve to inspire and embolden.

Though perhaps not all stories. Noticing something out of place amongst his reserves, he snarled in fury at the Society’s audacity. They’d taken it upon themselves to shift their place in the deployment lines and stationed themselves closer to northern flank in a blatant attempt to influence his decisions. No doubt they caught wind of Sun Qiang’s injury and expected the northern flank to collapse, so they moved in hopes Hongji would dispatch them to reinforce it and give them a chance to deal with Falling Rain in the chaos of battle. Fools one and all to continue with their schemes and politics even in this time of danger, but Hongji merely ordered them to hold position and accepted the new arrangements. Shuffling them about now that battle had been joined was too dangerous to risk, for even a delay of seconds could cost them dearly.

Issuing a formal complaint would need to wait until after the battle was won, but Hongji had his scribes note the Society’s infraction while he focused on keeping ahead of the Enemy. Battles were a dance between hostile partners, and the trick to keeping one’s toes intact was to anticipate and move before your opponent’s foot left the ground. It took precious time for orders to be formed, Sent, relayed, and soldiers to move out, so if one waited until disaster struck to issue commands, then it would already be too late. It didn’t take long to get into the rhythm of the Defiled attacks, for they advanced nonstop into the waiting weapons of Imperial soldiers, hammering at the walls and battlements in an endless wave with indefatigable brutality, so Hongji deployed his reserves as needed.

Taking inspiration from Rustram, he dispatched five hundred soldiers to help hold the rightmost battlements while lifting the left most gates, creating an opening for the Defiled to surge through and ease the pressure on the foremost defenders. His second line of defenders came into play and met the Enemy with valiant fervour from atop their earthen ramparts, attacking from above as the hateful invaders funnelled through the previously ignored maze of defences. Divided and assailed from all sides, the savage Defiled were unable to gain the traction need to leap onto the walls and were instead torn to pieces as they moved through the narrow corridors, but still they continued to stream in to be herded to their deaths.

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Tense minutes passed quickly and good soldiers died hard while Hongji preempted one disaster after another, but all too quickly it came time to give his front-line defenders a chance to rest, except the Enemy would not allow it. A miscalculation on Hongji’s part, for this was his first true battle against the Enemy, and he now realized the rumours of Defiled tenacity had all been understated. Countless Defiled tribesmen lay dead on the stone paved path and piled up before the rammed earth walls, yet still they pressed on without hesitation, needing no time to rally or reorganize as they continued with their relentless, sustained assault. Though brave and willing, Hongji’s soldiers were mere mortals of flesh and blood, their stamina drained and spirits flagging. Once a vital, indomitable young hero whose efforts emboldened all who saw him, Tam Taewoong now spent his strength like a penny-pinching fishwife, only when absolutely necessary and with grave reluctance.

And he was the best of them, Central’s own Benevolent Asura defending its people from the Defiled threat.

Unable to order a safe withdrawal and unwilling to sacrifice so many courageous soldiers, Hongji had no choice but to order his reserves in to extract his people, beginning with the Society forces arranged so close to the front. A dangerous gambit, because even if the reinforcements threw back the Defiled offensive long enough for the weary front-line defenders to withdraw, committing so many forces to the field at once lowered the efficiency of his warriors and cut down on their time to rest. It was playing right into the Enemy’s hands, for there was still a sizable force sitting a kilometre away, a disciplined, well-equipped battalion of Defiled... soldiers. There was no other word for it, because that was exactly what they were, the Enemy’s elite fighting force waiting in the wings while Sinuji’s defenders exhausted themselves against an overwhelming horde of tribal savages.

Hongji tried not to think about where those soldiers came from or who might lead them, for despair would serve no purpose in this hour of need. No sense wondering if he was facing a Great General of the West, a hero of the Empire turned traitor and now in service to the Enemy. Who could it be? Surely not Gao Changgong, for he was famous for single-handedly breaking the siege of Luoyang and would never stand for this farce, but who could discern the mind of one touched by the Enemy? Maybe it was YuChun of the Ten Thousand Spears, for many of those elites were armed with his namesake, but that was hardly enough evidence to go by. Then again, perhaps it wasn’t a Great General, for they were the best the Western Province had to offer and would never succumb to the Father’s lies. No, maybe this elite force had been provided by one of the West’s criminals, like Huanhuzi, the half-badger and self-professed king of bandits who plagued the Azure coastline for over a hundred years. Huanhuzi wouldn’t be the first bandit leader to turn Defiled and Hongji hoped it was true here, because otherwise, it meant it had taken just over a year for the Enemy to train and equip this elite fighting force of Imperials turned Defiled.

A thought which terrified him to no end.

Fifty-thousand heavy infantry was bad enough, but word arrived from OuYang Yuhuan saying that the Enemy sets of blue or yellow armour were Runic in nature. Fighting Defiled with any sort of armour was already bad enough, but how was he to deal with so many Champions wearing nigh-impenetrable brigandine? A cursory glance told him at least a tenth of the Enemy elites were garbed in Runic Armour, a mind-boggling ratio never before seen in any fighting force in history, so not only would Hongji’s forces have to face the Defiled soldiers while exhausted and outnumbered, they would also be under-equipped to boot. Even without mentioning the too-many demons standing in plain sight and the many more which could be hidden beneath the earth or Concealed in shadow, Hongji had long since cast aside all hopes of victory and instead fought to hold until the requested reinforcements arrived.

One day, nay, a mere twelve hours should be long enough, assuming his fellow Field Officers weren’t dragging their feet. Had he known the Enemy’s elites would arrive bedecked in Runic armour, he would have damned the consequences and set fire to the plains a day ago instead of holding out for a bigger army of Defiled to march out in force.

Though a massive pain in his ass, Hongji was pleased to see the Society finally do something right as they extracted the tattered remnants of his first-line defenders with relative ease, though they lost the outermost walls in the process. Most of those rescued soldiers were under Hongji’s direct command, and while it pained him to see how they’d been bloodied and battered, he swelled with pride to know they remained unbroken as they filtered back towards the healing tents. Though initially worried about handing control over to an untried youth, he was indebted to Tam Taewoong for taking care of his people so well, the young man covered in the blood of his allies and enemies alike as he carried two injured soldiers away from the battle, his eyes grim, but resolute as he sat to rest and await his return to battle. The stench of blood wafted through the air as Healers swarmed about to stabilize the dying, and the pragmatic commander in him advised he should leave the worst off to die and focus on those who could still fight. Ultimately, he was unable to give so callous an order, and though it might doom his people in the end, he could not give up all hope just yet.

For without hope, there was only despair, and such dark, desperate times lent credence to the Father’s whispered lies.

Putting the pained cries and suffering groans out of mind, he returned his focus to the battle at hand. Eager and well-rested, the Society forces quickly retook the foremost walls with a zealous counter-attack. A mistake in his opinion, for the lost ground was less valuable than the stamina of Sinuji’s defenders and he still had a third line of walls, but the improved morale could not be neglected as the soldiers cheered for their figureheads. Han BoSha, Situ Gulong, and a smattering of OuYang something or the others, alongside a few other prominent names from forgettable factions. Knowing he now had three Patriarchs and however many Experts guarding the battlements, he finally found time to turn his attentions back to the flanks. The southern flank was largely intact, though this was mostly due to a lack of Enemy interest. Perhaps he could use them for something, though ordering them to sally forth and assault the Defiled horde would be consigning them to death, especially with the Enemy’s armoured battalion still lying in wait.

More worrisome was the northern flank, which threatened to collapse at any moment. The lion-hearted Mister Rustram continued to hold the line, barely out of breath despite having fought since the battle began. Despite his best efforts, the mounting Defiled pressure had pushed his line back and stretched his people thin, forcing him to commit every available soldier to holding a massive clump of Defiled warriors in place. The cavalry had yet to enter the fray, but for good reason: the Enemy cavalry outnumbered them and were waiting for them to commit. If the Imperial forces moved against the Defiled horde, then their gajashia-mounted cavalry would intercept, and in a match up of lances, victory was usually decided by who charges whom. Thus, the cavalry were stuck in a deadlock and the battle on the northern flank rested squarely on the shoulders of their infantry. Situ Jia Zian flourished his blades and Han BoShui crushed his enemies, while Wu Gam fought with impassive fury and Du Min Yan scythed through her foes, but regardless of their gallant efforts, Hongji knew they danced upon the knife’s edge. If the Enemy broke through that thin, wavering line of Imperial soldiers, then the entire camp would fall as Falling Rain’s allies were engulfed by the horde of savage desert tribesmen.

Cold dread surging through him, he cursed himself for not checking in sooner and Sent word to Mister Rustram of incoming reinforcements, but to his surprise, a reply returned shortly after. “Call-sign ‘Mister’ reports: No need for support, all going to plan,” was the message Hongji’s aide relayed, and not moments later, he understood why. The battle came to a standstill as all of Sinuji shook underfoot, a minor disturbance emanating from the precarious northern flank. Still Scrying their position, Hongji’s jaw dropped as a wall of shifting earth rose between the Defiled and Imperial lines, pulling the ground away from under the very feet of the Enemy. Crashing forward like a rolling wave of dirt and debris, the ground opened wide and swallowed the Defiled attacks, dragging hundreds, if not thousands down to rest in its dark, crushing embrace. When the dust settled, the dirt smoothed out as if nothing of importance had taken place, the bodies buried beneath untold tonnes of earth and soil.

All was silent and still across the entirety of Sinuji, as those who were ignorant waited and those in the know stood in shocked disbelief. A booming laugh sounded off in the distance, echoing across the hushed battlefield for all to hear. “Listen here, you little Defiled shits,” the Chi-magnified voice began, and though arbitrary, battlefield-wide communication was against Army regulations, Hongji allowed it simply because it gave his soldiers a precious minute of rest. “They call me Eccentric Gam, and your grand-daddy here can kill these Defiled dregs and dirt-grubbing Demons as easily as turning his hand. Come one, kill one, come a thousand, kill a thousand, I can do this all day, from sun up to sun down.”

Cheers rang out from Hongji’s troops and the boost to morale was much appreciated, but then Eccentric Gam continued speaking. “What say you make things interesting for this grand-daddy and send some of them big-boy Demons down to dance, eh? Enough with the shit-swimming mole-rats ye got crawling around, I ain’t getting younger waiting for a real challenge. So what’s it gonna be? You coming to me, or you gonna make me come find you?”

Hongji’s many attempts to shut the half-fox’s mouth fell on deaf ears, and he was mere seconds away from running over there to smack the arrogant bastard over the head, but the Enemy responded with a guttural command in the twisted tongue of the Defiled and the battle resumed forthwith. Hongji’s sigh of relief was cut short as the previously idle Demons came to life and trudged towards the battle-lines, three moving for the fort walls and no less than five heading directly for the northern flank. Hurrying over to support them, Hongji cursed Eccentric Gam a thousand times over because they both knew most of Falling Rain’s Experts were with him and the cavalry, while the rest of his allies had precious few to call upon. If the damnable half-fox thought himself strong enough to deal with five Demons single-handedly, then he was a lunatic and a fool, for not all Demons were equal, and among the five approaching him was one who matched evenly with Colonel Jukai. A slender, pale-faced creature with a billowing cape of blades and twin katars for hands, Hongji remembered its battle against Jukai and prayed the others were nowhere near as formidable.

Though they both held the same rank, Hongji was under no illusions of his personal strength. The Twinned Dragon of Shen Bin earned his rank more than twenty years ago, shortly before retiring after the death of his comrade in arms. Had he not removed himself from the public eye, Jukai would undoubtedly have risen to the rank of Brigadier if not higher, yet he still failed to kill the Demon with the cape of blades mere minutes after its birth. How strong would the Demon be now after it had time to consolidate and develop?

Smacking his sceptre against the palm of his hand, Hongji prayed he would not have to find out firsthand, for Jukai and Eccentric Gam would both have to die before it came Hongji’s turn to fight the formidable Demon. Glancing at the sun, he marked the passage of time at a little under two hours since the battle began and suppressed the urge to shudder. Ten more hours, that’s all. Just ten more hours and the reinforcements would arrive to send the Defiled army fleeing back to the west. Ten hours. Six hundred minutes. 36,000 seconds. Less if his allies hurried...

Not long at all. For better or worse, this battle would soon come to an end.

Chapter Meme