They felt them through the earth before they could hear them. They could smell them on the wind before they could see them.
Over twenty thousand battle Rams broke through the tree line at a full sprint. Some so large that they didn't even step to move out of the way of some trees. Preferring to just splinter them with a single toss of the head and jump over the trunks as if a low laying wicker fence stood in their way. Crude swords and axes being wielded with an unruly strength of arm, so it appeared they were swinging a stick. "EYES FORWARD AND FORM UP!!! YOU CAN BET THEY BROUGHT SOME KAR'NUL CHARGERS WITH THEM!!! DO NOT WAVER AND DO NOT BREAK RANKS!!!" The section commander's voice boomed over the sounds of running knights in their light and medium armour. Shields and spears clattering against themselves, and thankful for that were the knights, for it covered the clattering of teeth and knees.
The first ranks clashed with a deafening roar. The front line taking the brunt of the force for only a few fleeting moments before they were swarmed over by the slower running Kar'thul. "Why haven't they commanded the archers to fire?!" Talix blurted out through stunted, panicked breathing. The knight to his right replied. "They are too far dispersed. These beasts dont fight with order and skill. They fight with sheer ferocity, and ever since the joining of clans over 100 years ago they have been able to increase their numbers exponentially. Overwhelming their foes with numbers alone. This of course creates some discord between the clans. For the last 4 thousand years they have been warring internally, fighting amongst themselves, mostly leaving us alone. Their warriors don't have any strategy or order. Some back then feared what kind of destruction they would reign down if someone amongst their kind could gather the clans chiefs and unite. Looks like we're about to find out for ourselves first hand."
"He means their warriors don't have any strategy or order. They are far too dispersed for the majority of missiles to strike a target. Too many would go to waste. So they wait until they have all caught up with eachother." A second knight replied. He appeared more seasoned, with a whisp of metallic grey hair appearing around the tops of the ears. Not drawing attention away from the massive scar that ran vertically down both lips to the left of center. Right down, leaving a dip in his chin where the weapon obviously embedded itself in the bone. "Wait. Aren't you Rednar the fierce?" Talix asked. "You... You're supposed to be dead! I heard you..."
A thrumming filled the air cutting Talix off short. The air vibrated with hundreds of bow strings whipping through air. Accompanied seconds later by the faint whistle of the arrows arching through the air. Casting blotched shadows on the massacre taking place blow.
Heads fell, horns snapped. Bones pierced the skin and intestine from any number of fallen, spilling out of any number of wounds. Screams and bleats raked the battle field. Arrows came in waves taking out hundreds at a time. But letting enough through to appear useless. Like a galloping tsunami the Kar'thul washed over the front lines. "CHAAAAAAARGE!!!!" The order was screamed from the section commander. Nearly being cut off by the deafening roar of the Kings Forward Knights, Section 12 as they screamed their battle cry and ran in to the fray.
The Grim Warg shot off it's mark faster than any arrow shot out of even the strongest bow. Darting through the sprinting knights, so fast they appeared to be standing still. The beast hit the front line first, bowling over half a dozen Rams and tearing the weapon arm off one of them as if it were nothing at all. Wasting no time in spinning around knocking over another 2 attacking enemies and biting another by the leg and throwing him around in the air like a rag doll. Until the leg mercifully tore off the body of the already dead warrior. Flinging him behind his own lines so far no one saw where it landed.
Talix was rushed forward with the wave of bodies that were streaming towards the front line. But not before he got to watch the most wondrous thing he had never even dreamed of before.
A second after the Grim Warg launched his attack. The Paladin lowered himself to one knee. Drew his massive war hammer from its ethereal bond off his back. Held it by two hands and put his forehead to the weapon. He couldn't make out the language for he never heard any tongue other than his own. The lips appeared to move in a blur, giving the illusion of multiple sets of mouths muttering a great number of symphonic phrases all at once. Then he saw the massive hammer start to glow. It seemed to pulsate and throb with an intertwining ethereal magnificence. Then the Paladin stood up and held out the hammer before him with a single hand. The handle shot down and extended in to a two handled weapon. Throwing out blue and purple sparks that dissipated before touching the ground. Then just as Talix lost sight of him with the motion of the crowd. He saw the Paladin crouch down and jump, so high that he was blotted out by the sun for an instant. Making him saying and loose sight for a second. Until he blinked a couple times and saw the Paladin raise his huge weapon high above his head, at the pinnacle of his leap. Then bringing it down in a terrifying cry, mere moments before he made impact with the earth. Or perhaps some poor hopeless Ram that never even saw his own death blow coming.
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The power of the impact nearly took him off his feet from close to 60 paces away. The knights that were the closest got thrown off their feet and they were still 20 paces away.
The real impact zone was reduced to nothing but a crater so wide it couldn't be jumped over. When the hammer made connection with the ground, after having gone through a large Ram and turning him to vapor. There was a blue and purple pulse wave that sent Rams flying through the air in all directions, killing at least twenty Rams in a single strike. One of these Rams flung through the air soared high, Limp from having most bones broken by the force of the wave traveling through him at such a close distance. Landing on top of Talix with a thud and weighing at least 5 times his own, he hit the ground with such force he knocked himself out on the ground after his helmet flung off his head and skidded back seven paces with the forward trajectory of the lifeless corpse.
The Paladin and the Grim Warg slayed their prey in beautiful harmony. Pirouetting around a lunging bite. And jumping over a wide swung hammer to come down on the throat of another Ram. The Mages were throwing all they had at the ensuing forces. Frost and fire magic for wider dispersed enemies. But focusing mainly on supporting the Paladins and the 2 remaining Grim Wargs. The Calvary was all but wiped out on their first charge. Galloping head long in to a band of Kar'Nul.
Kar'Nul
Kar'Nul, the Alpha Rams. Standing half a pace above the already formidable Kar'Thul. But twice as heavy. With denser bones and larger horns. These killing machines were all but impervious to arrows and small arms. Their thick hide stretched tightly over buldging muscles that seemed as snakes in a pit rolling and undulating. Never seasing movement, the muscle fibres protruding while swinging weapons of jagged rusted metal sharpened to a razor fine edge, gave them the eerie appearance of being possessed of strength even they knew not the bounds. Thicker set brows to protect the eyes. Hands that could crush a man's skull even within a Helmut, without pause. The only class of battle Ram that utilized some form of armour. Mostly opting for sporadically placed items of stolen plate armour bound down with leather straps for there was no other way to fit them. Some had chain mail tunics hanging by rusted and blood stained loops. Their size betrayed no speed. These were prime stock. These were the pride of the Joint clans. For they laid waste. Taking out the legs of three horses from beneath them in one swipe, for such was the power and reach of the killing blow of these murderous fiends.
Those poor, poor calverymen. As soon as their charge orders were given the galloped off the mark. The front rows carrying spears to cause as much damage whilst negating as much as they could with their superior speed, mobility, and range. The charged right up the middle. Trying to split the throng of savage beasts and cause as much confusion amongst their numbers as possible. That plan didnt last long. Within minutes their numbers went from the hundreds to the dozens. Too few survived. Far far too few.
Ava'lak
The Mages were as effective as always. The elemental mages wrought down a destruction of nature amplified beyond the bounds of natural limitations. One such Mage by the name of Ava'lak, used his abilities with perfect synchronicity, he was a dancing blur of wonderous death. He was the first Mage to come in to contact with the hoard. Standing stoically still with his deep, deep purple hood, with gold lining and filigree, drawn low over his eyes. His hands over lapping each other in his long sleeves. Waiting until the last possible instant to make his move. Letting as many of the charging hoard get as close to his area of destruction as viable. Then with a blur. Ava'lak shot one of his hands towards his first attackers. Being a Mage of the Elemental discipline, he needed no chants or mantra to summon his magics. Drawing from the beautiful and natural destructiveness of the environment, and being able to manipulate and amplify the elements at will. The first ten Rams that fell to their folly of thinking an easy kill was a sword swing away. Met their demise so gruesomely it gave the next row pause. But their hesitation lasted only an instant. For they caught the brunt of the bodies that had been flung backwards at them by a gust of wind so forceful and violent, it literally tore the skin and flesh off their faces. Leaving them alive enough to know exactly what had happened to them and able enough to scream and bleat in excruciating agony. But not alive enough to continue on. Leaving them to die writhing and kicking on the ground to succumb finally to either shock or blood loss. The wave after them fell to a wall of fire that was amplified from a single spark of two swords meeting. The Mage suspended the spark in mid air and sustained it's glow, and with some rapid hand movements and foot work to establish proper balance and angle. A whipping hand motion that seemed to indicate expansion and the body movement that gave the direction. That lone spark turned in to a roaring inferno that was launched at the next wave of Rams. The first few rows were turned to ash instantly. But further back, as the wave started to dissipate, the damage was less so. But even at the end of the fire wall's destructive path. It still carried enough heat and force to singe off every hair on the Rams chest and char the face rendering them ineffective. Leaving behind burns that bubbled and popped, but not killing. But for the forty paces between them and the Mage. There was nothing but scorched earth and charred bodies. The ones furthest from him still trying to crawl away not knowing that they were already dead. Where as the ones closest to the Mage were taken away as ash on the eternal breeze.