Commander Julicous addressed his soldiers, "Due to urgent orders from the King, Commander Neil has to leave. Therefore, I will be in charge here. Is that clear?"

Every soldier replied in unison, "Yes, Commander!"

"Okay then, let's go and defeat those Neothalians!" Julicous declared, raising his sword high.

On the other side, in the Neothalian army.

A soldier said to their commander, "Commander, they are not here yet." The commander looked towards the sky and replied, "There's some time left. Be on guard, they'll be here soon."

While the Acronian army prepared for battle, Neil reached his horse and headed northeast towards the Royal Castle.

When he exited the camp, he paused and said in a disappointed tone, "If...if I were strong enough, then I could have saved their lives." He paused again and continued, "I can only hope casualties are as low as possible for both sides. The rest is up to you, Julicous." He mounted his horse and said, "Let's move, Kentio."

Back at the main Acronian camp, the soldiers gathered. One soldier stepped forward and said, "We are ready to go, Commander."

"Good," Julicous replied, ordering his soldiers to move. The army began their march towards the enemy camp.

After twenty minutes, Julicous ordered a halt.

"There's something wrong with this place," he said. He opened a golden map from his bag and studied it. "I'm sure there's something amiss here, but this map shows nothing." He called out to a soldier, "Bring me the Golden Hawk."

Within minutes, a soldier carrying a hawk approached, handed the bird to Julicous, and bowed slightly before returning to his position.

Julicous gazed at the creature, a majestic being with massive, golden-feathered wings and golden eyes. He commanded, "Fly to the high ground," pointing towards the area in question. The hawk looked at the designated spot, spread its wings, and soared towards it. After some time, it returned. Julicous examined the hawk and, satisfied, released it.

"Enemy soldiers are indeed hiding on the high ground," he confirmed. "They will attack us once we reach the middle. Their main army must be stationed at the core."

He pondered for a moment before speaking. "I have a plan, but..." He paused, gathering his strength, then continued, "Acroniyan's life is in danger. I will act as bait, but I need your help. I need a group of soldiers to divert their suspicion." He took a deep breath and added, "Our return is not possible, but I will definitely kill their commander and use this opportunity to eliminate as many enemy soldiers as possible, forcing them to retreat." He elaborated on his plan in detail, then shouted, "For Acronyia!"

Every soldier responded in a unified voice, "Long live Acronyia!"

Julicous ordered the Acronian army to form a surrounding formation. Soldiers moved into a ring-like structure around him,

with weaker soldiers forming the outermost ring, acting as a human shield, and the strongest soldiers in the inner ring, ready to attract their prey. Julicous looked at his soldiers, prepared to sacrifice themselves, and said, "I apologize...if only I could..."

"Commander, we are ready," one soldier interrupted, adding, "We are happy to give our lives for this land. If we die today, tell our parents, their sons haven't left the battlefield. Tell our wives their men loved them. And tell our children that we will always protect them, even if it costs us our lives."

Tears welled up in Julicous' eyes. After calming himself for a moment, he roared, "They will all face the consequences, and you will all be remembered as nameless heroes – not by me, but by all of Acronyian!" Julicous knelt down and lowered his weapon in a gesture of respect.

For a moment, everyone remained silent. Then, one soldier quickly approached him, helped him stand, and said, "Commander, you don't have to do this. We know you love our comrades. Please, don't hesitate. It is our decision. We will follow and respect your decision even after our deaths."

Julicious rose to his feet and commanded, "Move!"

The Acronyian soldiers, following their prearranged plan, began their advance. The remaining soldiers, awaiting orders, joined the movement. A mighty roar erupted from the soldiers, a sound that seemed to shake the will of their enemies.

In the Neothalian army, a lone soldier cried out, "They're here!" Their commander turned his gaze to the sky, analyzing the position of the sun. In a chilling voice, he declared, "Right on time. Neothalians, get ready to slaughter those inferior beings!" The Neothalian soldiers responded with enthusiastic shouts, a bloodthirsty desire to annihilate their opponents.

"Move!" the Neothalian commander ordered his army.

With each passing moment, the two armies drew closer. Though their paths led towards death, none amongst them flinched. For the Acronyian army, the fight was fueled by a desire to protect their people's safety and lives. Conversely, the Neothalians sought destruction and chaos.

On one side of the battlefield, the opposing armies marched towards each other. Meanwhile, Neil continued his journey towards the Royal Castle.

During his journey, he witnessed the horrifying aftermath of the beasts' rampage. Corpses of his people lay scattered, mutilated and devoured. Blood stained the ground, and houses lay crumbled to ruins. Acronyian soldiers were busy tending to the injured, searching for survivors, and transporting the deceased to their final resting places. Tears welled up in Neil's eyes as he saw Acronyian soldiers carefully removing rubble. Beneath the debris lay two bodies, completely drenched in blood. A gaping hole marred their backs, and their half-eaten internal organs lay scattered nearby. Emerging from under them was an unconscious girl, her entire body smeared with blood and the flesh of the unfortunate victims. The soldier checked her pulse and shouted, "She's alive! Take her to the infirmary quickly!" He glanced at the bodies and muttered, "Probably her parents. Who else would risk their own lives…" He didn't finish the thought, his voice heavy with sadness. The soldiers resumed their work, prompting Neil to speak to his horse. "I must return to the battlefield as soon as possible," he declared. "Move faster!" The horse, sensing his urgency, increased its pace. After a while, Neil stopped and looked towards a specific direction. "Just a little more," he said. He addressed his horse, "Can you go any further?" The horse responded by rearing its front legs and neighing, conveying its ability to continue. "Very well then," Neil said, and urged his horse onwards.

**A Few Minutes Earlier on the Battlefield...**

The two armies stood face-to-face. Both commanders issued their commands simultaneously. Julicious, addressing his troops, roared, "Attack!" The enemy commander countered with, "Charge!"

The battlefield quickly became a bloodbath. Julicious then ordered, "Ring Formation, First March!" The outermost soldiers formed a crescent moon formation, their front facing the enemy, shielding the inner ranks from surprise attacks. Julicious, surrounded by his most skilled fighters, charged toward the enemy's center.

He raised his sword as a signal. One of the outer soldiers severed the head of a Neothalian soldier and hurled it towards the Acronyian army as a challenge.

If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

A soldier from the opposing side simply muttered, "Move." The Acronyian soldiers marched forward to provide backup to their units as their comrades began to fall. Replacement soldiers from the Acronyian reserves quickly filled the gaps created by fallen comrades.

The enemy commander, his face twisted in a demonic grin, shouted, "Do it!" A volley of thousands of arrows rained down from the sky. He grabbed one of his soldiers and shielded her with his own body. He attempted to brace himself but was overwhelmed.

Julicious, noticing the incoming attack, yelled, "Shields Up!" The Acronyian soldiers raised their shields from their backs. Julicious held his shield high, hoping to deflect any arrows that pierced through. The other Acronyian soldiers followed suit. After a tense few moments, the barrage ceased.

The enemy commander shoved forward a soldier whose entire body was riddled with arrows. "You will all share the same fate!" he declared, kicking the soldier's body towards Julicious and bursting into laughter.

Julicious assessed the damage and took a deep breath, muttering, "Lucky we survived the first attack. But these shields won't withstand another." He then addressed Commander Lenthur, "Let's end this with a duel."

Lenthur responded with a booming laugh as he charged towards Julicious. "No, I'm not interested," he bellowed. "Only a fool fights alone!" Julicious barely evaded the attack.

"The best way to defeat someone is to wear them down with numbers," Lenthur continued, his next attack finding its mark. A deep gash opened on Julicious' left arm, blood flowing freely. Julicious stumbled back.

Seeing their commander injured, the Acronyian soldiers formed a protective shield around him. One soldier swiftly applied a paste to the wound and bandaged it tightly with a clean white cloth.

Lenthur stepped back and barked a command, "Kill them!"

The Neothalian soldiers surged forward, met by a resolute Acronyian line. Julicious braced himself, yelling, "Prepare yourselves! Incoming!" The Acronyian soldiers raised their shields, forming a wall of steel. Julicious, sword held high, charged towards the enemy, cleaving through their ranks with deadly efficiency. Luckily, he remained beyond the range of their arrows.

Lenthur emerged from the fray, his voice dripping with venom. "Look what you've done! You've killed a son, a husband, a father! Do you feel no remorse for stealing their everything, these innocent souls?" He muttered under his breath as he lunged at Julicious, "I'm well aware of my actions. If it weren't for you, their lives would have been better."

Julicious parried the attack, but hesitated when Lenthur seized an Acronyian soldier and shoved him in front of Julicious' blade. "Why stop attacking me? I'm defenseless!" Lenthur taunted.

The soldier, realizing Julicious wouldn't strike him down, spoke resolutely, "Commander, it's alright as long as my country is safe." He then raised his hand and snapped his own neck.

Caught off guard, Lenthur sputtered, trying to comprehend the soldier's sacrifice. Julicious seized the opportunity, lunging forward and plunging his sword into Lenthur's stomach.

Blood frothed at Lenthur's lips. "Kill him!" he roared, his voice choked with a mixture of pain and rage. Julicious attempted to withdraw his blade, but Lenthur's muscles locked tight. Through gritted teeth, Lenthur laughed, "If I die today, I'll take you with me!"

Sensing another arrow barrage, Julicious bellowed, "Quick! Grab your shields!" Despair filled him as he saw their shields lay in shattered pieces. Most of the soldiers who had initially escorted him were riddled with arrows, only a handful remaining.

Nevertheless, the backup forces took their fallen comrades' places, weapons raised despite the certain death that awaited them.

Dismay etched on his face, Julicious roared, "Raise their bodies! Your comrades' bodies! Shield yourselves after!" He then turned to Lenthur, who used their intertwined blades as leverage for a final attack. "My comrades have fallen because of your decision," Julicious declared. "Now, you too will die by your own!"

One of the soldiers, his eyes brimming with tears, looked upon the bodies around him. Recognizing his friend among them, he cried out in grief, "How can I use my friend's body? There has to be another way!" He frantically searched the carnage and stumbled upon the body of his own son. Grief choked him speechless.

"Faster! Do it!" Julicious yelled in desperation.

With heavy hearts, the soldiers used their comrades' bodies as makeshift shields. Tears streamed down one soldier's face as he searched for his friend, only to discover another soldier claiming the body. Feeling a sense of hopelessness, he muttered, "What's the point?" He closed his eyes, bracing for the inevitable.

When he opened them after a moment, nothing had happened. Lenthur, seizing this reprieve, took the opportunity to flee, releasing Julicious' sword. Anticipating this move, Julicious feigned shock. As soon as Lenthur let go of the blade, Julicious snatched it back and swiftly decapitated him.

A triumphant cry escaped Julicious' lips. "Victory is ours! Back to our lines!"

Turning Back Time

Julicious had explained his plan to his trusted captain, Captain Harsay Benorki. "I'll act as bait," he said, "and you'll take them out. I'm certain they have an altar, so take precautions to avoid detection. Here's the plan..." He added, "The fate of my and all your comrades rests on you, Captain Harsay Benorki."

Back to the Present

Upon receiving the head of a fallen Neothalian soldier, Captain Harsay discreetly ordered his troops to move in as backup, taking care to conceal their movements from the enemy. As they marched towards the battlefield, the soldiers skillfully hid themselves amongst the armies, taking advantage of blind spots. Thankfully, their distance from the main battle kept them relatively unseen.

Meanwhile, the Acronyian army continued their advance, carrying the corpses of their fallen comrades. The backup soldiers began their ascent up the two mountains flanking the battlefield. When they neared the summit, they tapped their feet in a prearranged signal to their comrades below, indicating they had reached the maximum climbable height.

"We've reached it," the soldiers on the ground acknowledged upon receiving the signal.

"Move," the captain ordered "...and use the bodies to check for danger," he said, bowing his head solemnly. "...they sacrificed their lives so fulfill your mission."

The soldiers solemnly began their grim task, hoisting the corpses of their fallen comrades onto makeshift catapults constructed from spears and scavenged materials. Grief gnawed at their hearts, but unwavering resolve hardened their gaze. Launching the bodies over the top of the Neothalian lines served a dual purpose: testing for potential traps and creating a gruesome distraction.

The soldiers below scrambled, desperately trying to deflect the falling bodies with their weapons. The distraction was precisely what Captain Harsay needed. His most skilled archers, hidden amongst the corpses, took precise aim. Arrows flew with deadly accuracy, finding their mark amongst unsuspecting Neothalian soldiers guarding the altar at the peak of the mountain.

A piercing horn blared, a frantic call to arms. The remaining archers on the mountaintop spotted Captain Harsay's men and let loose a volley. But it was too late. The Acronyian soldiers, hidden within the macabre rain of bodies, had reached the defensive line. A fierce close-quarters battle erupted on the mountain peak, the metallic clang of swords clashing against shields echoing across the battlefield.

Meanwhile, down below, Julicious watched the chaos unfold with a mix of relief and horror. Relief that his plan was working, horror at the gruesome cost. He rallied his remaining soldiers, their ranks depleted but their spirit unbroken. "For Acronyia!" he roared, charging once more towards the enemy lines.

The tide of the battle began to turn. The distraction on the mountaintop had thrown the Neothalian forces into disarray. Captain Harsay's elite archers continued their deadly work, picking off enemy soldiers with surgical precision. The remaining Acronyian soldiers on the battlefield, inspired by their comrades' sacrifice and Julicious' unwavering leadership, fought with renewed fury.

The sound of battle raged on, a cacophony of clashing steel, screams of the wounded, and the triumphant cries of the victors. Slowly, but surely, the Acronyian forces pushed the Neothalians back. The sacrifice of their comrades on the mountaintop and the unwavering courage of their soldiers had bought them a critical advantage.

On the Second High Ground

"So, you're here, Yeinto Acrest. Do you remember me? We fought last time," the enemy Vice Captain said.

"Yes, we were. I should have killed you that day, shouldn't I, Galki Nelkion?" Yeinto replied, secretly giving a signal to his soldiers to kill the soldiers with horns. He charged towards the soldiers with horns, and his soldiers began moving to save him.

Galki shouted, "Protect him!" He called out to his soldiers and pulled Yeinto beside him, saying, "Blow it!"

He raised his weapon and smirked, opening his mouth to say something, but stopped when he heard the sound of something falling. He turned and saw that the soldiers with horns had been beheaded. A soldier carrying a head threw the head, a hidden needle lodged in it, before jumping off the cliff. Galki grabbed the head as the needle entered his body, but he ignored the pain and charged towards the cliff where soldier was holding a cloth to swing back to his place, mocking him.

Vice Captain Yeinto used this opportunity to create a path towards the enemy Vice Captain and easily beheaded him. The Vice Captain couldn't react in time, and his eyes opened in disbelief before he died.

"Kill every enemy soldier!" Yeinto ordered. Then, he sat down and looked Galki in the eyes, saying, "Yes, you're right. That needle was poisoned."

Meanwhile,

Captain Harsay shouted, "Soldiers, stop them from firing! I will handle him. Let's fight, Cator Nelton," he said, looking towards the Captain of the Neothalian unit.

"Alright, very well. Let's fight," Cator said. After standing still for a moment, Harsay attacked first, but Cator easily dodged and retaliated. Harsay barely managed to survive.

Harsay muttered to himself, "I don't have time." He cut his wrist and said, "Let's end this quickly." His blade turned red, and he rushed towards his opponent. His attack was about to connect when an arrow suddenly pierced his eye. Ignoring the pain, he closed the gap between himself and his opponent.

Cator laughed. "If you want to fight with powers, so be it." He revealed a crystal sword with a wooden handle and a golden chain tied to its base.

Tears streamed down Harsay's face as he shouted, "What have you done to her?"

Cator laughed and said, "My pet was hungry for few days, so I just asked her to help me with this, nothing more, I swear." He continued laughing. "But she never came back. I wonder where she is."

Harsay's blade glowed crimson red, his eyes filled with rage. He moved towards Cator, who initially looked confident but began to hesitate, then fear. Cator started to run. Harsay lifted him by his neck, demanding, "Where is she?"

Cator, covered in sweat, stammered, "You're not Harsay. Who are you?"

Harsay repeated his question, increasing the pressure on Cator's neck. Under Harsay's influence, Cator was forced to tell the truth. "She's in the beast cell. If you don't hurry, she will die a painful death," he said, then started laughing like a demon.

Harsay roared, "Where is that place?" Cator wouldn't say anything else. Harsay responded, "Very well, then die." He pinned Cator with a needle and slowly cut his flesh, ensuring a slow demise. He also injected something into Cator's body, explaining, "This is the blood of the beast you sent to Acronyia. Don't worry, they're not that bad. I'm just giving you unbearable pain and increasing your pain sensitivity."

Harsay continued, "I think you won't need limbs," and proceeded to cut off all of Cator's limbs slowly. Cator cried in pain, but no one felt any sympathy for him. Harsay pinned him again and stuffed a cloth in his mouth. Holding the crystal sword, Harsay said, "I will save you, just wait. Move down," he ordered the Acronyian soldiers.

In the Present

Julicious said, "He did a great job." He sensed a strong power, and in an instant, all the soldiers on the battlefield were killed. A heavy voice boomed from the shadows: "Another weakling."

_____________

Next time...

He is strong. I can't move. I am done for....

Come sit here.. please take care of this for me..

Chapter 7: A New Enemy is on move

_____________