Intelligence suggested that Prince Philip would march over the desert, known as The Sands, with mostly infantry. It would be his first major battle against Hurdland since recently becoming the highest Commander of Amaratsu's military, his continuation of the world war which was what the game revolved around.

Despite the shake-up Philip's ascension to this position would cause the eastern armies, Hurdland expected the typical Amaratese Spearmen and Swordsmen to show themselves on the battlefield. Use of simple infantry was a hallmark of Amaratsu's tactics, but with overwhelming numbers. Hurdland on the other hand had access to horses, and a large number of men on foot can easily be overrun by cavalry half their number, which was the plan.

Intelligence gained by the scouts was sorely wrong, somehow... Prince Philip never showed. Princess Ashara did. This other grand Commander of the forces of Amaratsu was also a new placement in the military, but was widely known as a powerful magic specialist. Her honour guard were magic users, Flame Pitchers, people able to hurl fiery balls of energy across entire battlefields. Her troops were magic users too, though at a lesser power. Her entire battle strategy revolved around the use of the Fire Breather Job Class and its higher level Job Progressions: Fire Dancers and Flame Pitchers.

As is turned out, horses hate fire. The entire plan that required cavalry was quickly brought to ruin as the Amaratsu troops covered the desert in flame. The battle became a chaotic mess, horses and dead knights mingled with Soldiers on foot. Swords fell on flesh, flames fell on armour, each either cutting or melting and burning. All thought of strategy left the Hurdland side as soon as the hot air of The Sands transformed to fire. As if breathing wasn't hard enough, now their lungs filled with smoke and their eyes burnt not from the sun, but from the flames.

Fayyim Tallhart tried her best to control her troops, but even their renowned composure was broken under the pressure of this battle. Not even a battle, it was slaughter.

For near two hours the Hurdland armies fought. Their horses died first, then their Knights. The Soldier's held their own once in striking range, yet when the enemy fell, they were replaced with explosions, deadly magic cast from a distance. The day turned to night, but the difference could not be seen. The temperature was the same and all vision was obscured by the brightness of the flames. The sky was no longer blue however, like in the day, instead it was orange, a reflection of the earth below.

Soldier's were about her, some in the red and white of the Red Front, others in the typical blue of Hurdland from other armies. All were surrounded by flames, boxed in and trapped. Through the fire ahead of her she could see the flaming fists and feet of Amaratese Fire Dancers, their charge abundantly clear.

'Gather up!' Fayyim called. 'The enemy is ahead of us, there is no going back from where we came, not yet.'

The Red Front listened well, the men and women took Fayyim's side, swords and spears at the ready. The other Hurdland regular Soldier's were not so responsive.

'I am Commander Tallhart, and you will obey me, and you will live! Form a wall!' She barked.

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Her own troops knew the drill. Those with swords took her side in a straight wall formation, all spears stepped ahead in another, pointing their spikes at the enemy in defence. The approaching enemy neared the eastern side of the ring of fire, yet the Hurdland regulars still faltered.

'Red Front!' Fayyim screamed. 'Let them hear you!' The Soldier's of her army roared. 'Let them all hear you!' Again they roared, their weapons raised in their hands. 'Wait for them to enter the flames. It may not hurt them, but they'll be as blind as anyone in the light. Listen for me when that happens.' Her troops roared again in answer. 'Spears, ready!'

The Spearmen pressed their feet to the ground, their knees bending in anticipation. The sword wielders still cried and screamed and bellowed. Some of the blues finally took positions in the lines, their voices adding to the noise. An explosion rocked the earth somewhere to the north, a pillar of fire rising up above the battlefield.

'Focus!' Fayyim ordered. 'Here they come, get ready.'

The Fire Dancers entered the flames, red, orange and yellow licking up at their skin. Fayyim gripped tightly at the sword in her hand, she had almost forgotten it was there.

'Spears... Charge!' Fayyim Tallhart commanded and her troops obeyed. The Soldiers headed directly towards the enemy, their screams mingled with the pounding of their feet. 'Swords!' Fayyim raised her blade. Once they're focused on our first charge, the second will clean up. 'On my mark...' One... Two... Two and a half... Three! 'Charge!'

She did not even wait for her men, she was ahead by a good three steps. Fayyim drew her sword to her side, ready to pierce anyone in her way. Ahead, with glistening tanned skin and flowing silken robes, were the frightened faces of Amaratsu Fire Dancers as they came through the flames into the points of Hurdland spears. Fire sparked from their hands to defend themselves, but the fire of their lives were extinguished.

Fayyim found a gap in the spear wall, she headed through and lunged with the tip of her rapier. It found a target who fell to the ground, then found another behind it. Before she could attack another enemy, the other Soldiers clashed with the Amaratese and made short work of them. When the last of them died, the ring of fire began to weaken and die.

'Form a defensive line!' Fayyim waved her men together. In the fire light, she could make out the bodies of the recently fallen all around her. There were Knights to her left, their armour scorched and melting, horses too in even worse condition. To her right were the remains of Lupin's charge, with Lupin nowhere to be seen. Soon enough none of the dead would be present, as their bodies disintegrated and reintegrated back at their last point of safety. Beyond those men were Bronze John's forces, many retreating, most of them already defeated. All movement was outlined with the golden light of Amaratese fire.

Fayyim reached out with her power. She drew her abilities from the psychic Reader Job Class Progression, its most elite level in fact, the Accessor. She was one of only a few. This Job Class allowed the user to bind another person's abilities to their own, like drawing on an ally Archer's accuracy and skill with a bow, or a Jumper's ability to leap high into the air. Yet it was a lesser skill that she used now: she scanned the battlefield and felt for the enemy. In her vision, small windows of data showed up above the heads of her opponents. These were graphs and charts for each enemy in range, they denoted health points, experience points, Job Classes and abilities. With this information, Fayyim could devise a plan to tackle them. However, the sheer number of enemies she was reading was above and beyond what Hurdland's gathered forces could manage. The state of the battle had already proven that. There was only one thing for it.

'Retreat!' Fayyim commanded as loud as she could. 'Retreat to Hurdland!'