The army of Berig left the beach toward the north. As they departed, the alliance army gave chase to the imperial forces immediately.

Both the armies were humongous and moved slowly. The imperial army would have to initiate a battle for anything decisive to happen during the imperial-alliance war.

The command of the army was given to a general of the city-state of Genev, Junez Flores. He was more of a politician than a general. Many other leaders had called for Rufus and his entourage to lead this massive army, but sadly that was not to be.

Junez Flores had said he would send his soldiers back to fight independently the empire unless he would be made the commander. For the good of the army and their shared goal, and Rufus's own tendency to be a pushover, Rufus backed down and didn't at all resist the decision.

As they were marching the formations of the army had stretched out into a massive line that twisted over the hilly terrain in the Etnian countryside.

Amala had gone to the rears of the army along with Pema. She looked around and saw almost no cavalrymen guarding the rears and flanks for a possible ambush.

"This Junez has more sand in his head than brains. If we are ambushed now we would not be able to spot them early enough," Amala said while looking around.

Pema hushed at Amala. He then took a stone from the ground and looked ahead to the light forest that seemed empty.

He then threw it and a soldier who was hiding in the bushes who fell to the ground as the stone hit him.

Large sways of soldiers started to appear from hiding. All were varangians of the imperial army.

"Alert the others! We are being ambushed!" Pema yelled.

Amala started to ride out back to the army as Pema held off the charging soldiers.

Pema turned his fists into carbon and started to bash the varangians. One soldier tried with a large ax strike down at him, but his weapon was destroyed as Pema blocked it with his hand.

Then an attack came at him that was aimed at his neck that would have killed him unless he would have dodged it.

"What great luck I have. I get to meet you right away," Skal said who entered the battle.

~ ~

Amala arrived at the army swiftly.

"WE ARE BEING ATTACKED!" Amala yelled with everyone hearing it.

Gunshots were heard and arrows flew at the army. It was an ambush that the first child in purple had laid for them.

Soon ranks of soldiers charged the unknowing soldiers of the Etnians who were the greenest and most unprepared of all the soldiers in the army.

The Etnians tried to form battle lines with the Vatigaadian crossbowmen answering back to the fire and the Genev infantrymen forming battle lines. ¨

Even though they tried to resist, the varangians were all professional soldiers who were outmatching their enemy in front of them.

As the entire column of the mighty alliance army was about to break in two, a woman charged in and killed dozens of varangians. She wielded two blades that had turned into diamonds and commanded troops wearing the same colors as she. It was Ximena and her mercenaries.

~ ~

As Rufus rushed back with his Ghersengs, he looked and saw varangians in black armor had attacked the artillery of the Fairfax kingdom.

Rufus immediately defended his soldiers and warriors who were being brutally killed by the men who wore black armor and waved a black flag.

As Rufus was getting close, a monster made from blood jumped at him. Rufus evaded the monster and then the Ghersengs cut it down with their glaves. As the monster was shredded, it then quickly reformed itself to the surprise of both the Ghersengs and Rufus.

"Pretty neat trick isn't it."

Markus stepped forward from the battle and stared at Rufus. He was being accompanied by Mona and a couple of his soldiers of the black company.

Mona went to attack Rufus with her sword-like claws. She was stopped by him who created a divine sphere between them.

Rufus then got closer to her and tried to touch her. She then plunged her nails at him, but Rufus blocked them with his palm that eroded the nails.

Mona then quickly reformed her weaponry as her nails grew back.