Getting down the hill hadn't taken us all that long. Quu'za picked a pretty good path for us and she made sure that we maintained our momentum as we kept going as well. Still my knees felt terrible when we reached our lines. In hindsight it was a good thing that I didn't have to carry my sister like I had volunteered. I might have not made it otherwise. Or at the very least we would have had to stop for a break or two. As things were we only slowed down when we reached our lancers, still hidden in between the trees and the undergrowth a little behind and above the rest of my troops.

The lancers stood besides their mounts, all geared up, waiting for their chance to surprise the enemy. The tension was high but those who saw us arrive relaxed a little at our sight and that relief washed across our lines like an invisible wave. It meant that we had achieved a first important victory after all. Only Tora'pheer, helmet in hand, winced as she saw me. “Lady Keza, your horn.” She didn't say any more and her voice was laden with sympathetic pain.

I wanted to wince. I really didn't need that reminder. The cut had stopped bleeding but I still felt the throbbing pain flare up with every heartbeat. I put on a brave smile anyway and raised the bundled up cloak with the head of my opponent, so that everyone could see it. I raised my voice as well so everyone nearby could hear me. “Want to see the other guy?” That earned me a number of chuckles and the tension dropped a little further.

I took that chance to calm my breathing and relax my tense muscles a little. Kaele, Tortho and the scouts did the same. Only Quu'za looked as if she could have kept going, for only the Maidens know how long. I ruffled the harpy's feathers a little before addressing the captain of my cavalry again. “We had a little run in with a vampire in addition to the wyvern and its ghoul king rider up there. Kaele put a few nice holes into her but spread the word to keep alert anyway. Blast her with magic if she shows her face or call for someone who can. Normal weapons are little good against that thing.”

She nodded and one of her subordinates immediately set out to spread the word. I didn't expect the creature of the Devourer to actually strike here but it was better to be save rather than sorry later.

I had gathered my strength and left after flashing my captain of the cavalry one last smile. I was headed for out actual line of battle and the two officers, Yath'zur and Arngard, currently commanding it. Kaele, Tortho and Quu'za followed me while the scouts disappeared into the forest to join those already keeping an eye our back and our flanks.

I got my first good look at our defenses as we left the treeline behind. Compared to the mass of infantry headed our way our lines looked haggard and more than a little sorry. Everyone was exhausted after our forced march to get here and it showed. As a matter of fact it showed a little too well. Or at least that was my first thought upon seeing the rest of my men and women. Arngard must have noticed the frown creasing my brows as he approached. “Don't worry, lady Keza. I ordered them to make a great show of their exhaustion. It isn't actually as bad as it might look. Everyone had a little something to eat and some watered down wine to go with it as soon as we got here and now we are resting up a little until things gets serious.”

I nodded. Misdirection was one of the oldest, most basic but also most important tools available to us. I let my gaze wander past our ragged line towards the approaching enemy. They were still a fair distance away. Maybe they had hoped to draw us out further into the open? Well that wouldn't happen and they must have realized by now. Anyway we probably still had some time before they would be within bow shot and then some more before it would get close and personal.

Arngard moved to stand at my side and followed my gaze. “Yath'zur and his fellows will be able to launch some heavy shot at them soon. He suggested to focus on their flanks first to herd them closer together and disrupt their formation.”

I nodded. “The heavy stones should be able to penetrate several ranks deep. It will be a terrifying experience for them.”

The human mercenary laughed out loud. “Almost as terrifying as the storm you conjured. I have to say that I'm mighty glad that it didn't head our way. I doubt hiding between the trees would have done us any good if it had moved this way.”

While he was still talking I could see one of the trolls along our line load a heavy stone into his sling. I nodded into his direction and kept watching as he spun the sling up. “They will probably speed up once the first projectiles hit their lines.” With a little cheer from the men and women to either side of him the troll sent the stone flying.

Arngard grunted in agreement. He didn't need to give any additional signals or orders though. Our warriors straightened up as cries of pain and terror from the approaching enemy reached our ears. Without any further prompting the formed up in a proper double line. It still looked meager compared to our enemy but that was deceiving. I was certain that we would win the day. And if anyone had any doubts, they kept to themselves.

I pointed to a position at our right wing, close to the now no longer dry creek that would shield that flank. Several large shields from our siege experts had been set up there to provide some cover. “Kaele, you take shelter there and rest up a little more. Quu'za, you accompany her. Once they get close I want you to spread some of those magical seeds you brought just ahead of our lines. Shrubs, brambles thorns. Stuff like that. Make them spring up right under their feet, to disrupt them when the time is right.”

There was no protest and I watched them leave before turning back to Arngard. “Let's join Yath'zur for a moment to judge the effect of the bombardment.”

And a bombardment it was. More and more of the trolls and giants of the Wall Breakers spun up their slings to send heavy stones flying towards the enemy from a range that was still well beyond their archers ability to return fire.

Yath'zur was launching stones as well, just like the rest of his company and he didn't stop either as we reached his position on the left wing of our line. He acknowledged us only with a brief nod before sending the next projectile flying. It was part of a quickly dwindling pile of stones that had probably been grabbed from the creek at the other end of our formation.

I frowned a little as I observed the impacts and the effect they had on the enemy. Most projectiles were hitting the flanks of the enemy formation and as predicted the soldiers were moving more and more towards the center to avoid the worst of our bombardment. So far, so good.

That wasn't the only effect though. As anticipated the humans sped up as well. On dry ground that would only have mean that they would reach us quicker. The ground wasn't dry anymore though. It was wet and as the first ranks charged ahead they tore up the ground even more, turning it into a slippery, muddy mess slowing down those that followed behind them.

Either they hadn't noticed that their formation was breaking up worse than I could have hoped or there was no one there who could do anything about it. Either way I counted this as another small blessing. “If they keep this up the first ranks will reach us well before the rest.”

Yath'zur let out a bellowing laugh at that. “As far as I'm concerned the first ranks won't reach us at all. Not as anything resembling an actual rank anyway.” He kept launching stones until the pile he had readied was used up. All along the line his people did the same. Curiously enough I saw them shift their fire from the front ranks to those that followed behind at some distance. Someone, a seasoned sergeant judging by the sound of his voice, managed to turn the men with spears and shields or longer pikes back into a coherent formation as the bombardment shifted away from them.

I readied my glaive and many others readied their weapons as well. Yath'zur didn't seem worried though and only moments later I learned why. He and the rest of the Wall Breakers weren't done with the advancing enemy yet. When they ran out of stones they reached into bags at their hips, withdrawing heavy, jagged lead sling bullets by the dozen.

The enemy were at most thirty paces from us by now and that apparently was just the right distance for another nasty surprise. My giant captain launched these new missiles by the handful directly into the enemy and he launched them with no less force than he would use to bring down a wall.

The pointy lead projectiles tore the human formation to shreds. There was no other way to say it. Not even the shields of the front ranks offered them any protection worth mentioning. Within moments the dead and dying covered the ground where seasoned warriors had advanced on us.

I gathered some Mana and formed the spell matrix for the Lion's Roar spell. “Save your ammunition! Infantry! Charge!” My voice carried from one end of the line to the other and I could see the few remaining men of the enemy's front ranks blanch. They knew now what was coming their way.

Within moments we covered what little ground remained between us and I led the charge. What followed was a massacre as quick and bloody as the bombardment that had preceded it. I jabbed the point of my blade over the edge of a shield into the face of a man who had lost his helmet. In a way he had probably been lucky that the sling bullet had only torn the protective gear away instead of his whole head. When he came to face me he ran out of luck though.

By the time I had withdrawn my weapon from the bloody mess that had been the man's face the few humans still standing were in a full rout. I swung my glaive at the heels of a retreating pike man. Had the blow been dealt with any other weapon he might have even survived it. I barely nicked him after all. Still the flesh around the otherwise minor wound turning black almost immediately and within moments he was on the ground screaming incoherently.

I paid him no more mind. I had more important things to consider. Things like the rest of the human and elven ranks getting within range even if they still were in disorder. I gathered more Mana for another shouted order. “Retreat! Reform ranks!”

I didn't turn my back on the enemy though and neither did anyone else. It filled me with pride how my exhausted men and women retreated step by step along with me, always keeping weapons and shields in between them and the enemy.

A few moments later I realized that I might have made a mistake though. Not regarding our short charge or our orderly retreat afterwards. The mistake I made was giving myself away by shouting my orders like that. Sure my superior weapon and armor would have eventually given me away sooner or later but by shouting my orders like that I had made myself a priority target. The arrows that started raining down around me left no doubt about that. Well every arrow aimed at me was one less aimed at the rest of my little army.

Plenty of them missed anyway. A few were on target though. Once again my armor saved my life as most arrows either bounced off harmlessly. A few splintered though, showering me with shards of wood. I swatted one arrow out of the air that might have just cost me an eye or my life, then I was back at the side of Yath'zur who shifted the large shield he had set up slightly to provide me with cover from any other arrows that might be aimed at me.

A quick glance down the line let me know that not everyone had been as lucky as me. A few of my mercenaries were on the ground, some of them not moving any more. In general though we had gotten off easy.

Someone, I had no clue who exactly, slid to a stop in the wet grass next to me, handing me a light shield.

I nodded my thanks and picked it up. Fighting with glaive and shield wasn't my favorite way of fighting but right now it probably was the most prudent way to go about things.

I came back around the edge of the giant's set up great shield, now with my own shield for additional protection. The rain of arrows was already letting up. The elven archers didn't have a supply train. They had had to keep up with the quickly advancing pike men as well. None of them had brought more than one quiver.

A ferocious grin spread across my face. Once again I bellowed orders with Mana strengthening my voice as I took stock of the enemies facing us now. “Infantry! Ranks! Artillery! Fire for effect!”

We had utterly destroyed the two front ranks, maybe a quarter of their pike men. None of those remaining carried any shields worth mentioning. We still had to be careful since they had formed a proper wall of pike now. It wouldn't help them against the bombardment of the Wall Breakers but we couldn't charge them like this.

Still I had more orders. I only passed those along when my spell faded out. “Messenger! The Lancers are to circle around the melee. I want them to go for the archers!”

The figure who had passed me the shield I was now using was away like the wind the moment I stopped speaking and only now I realized that it was one of Quu'za's harpies. That put another smile one my face. They were really proving useful.

I smiled even wider as another shower of sling bullets hit the enemy ranks. They dropped by the dozen. Still they kept advancing. On any other day I might have admired such discipline. Another salvo tore holes into their formation but they still didn't break.

Ten more paces and they would start poking holes into us. This was Kaele's moment and she knew it. I had no clue how exactly she did it but all off a sudden shrubs and at times even trees sprung up around the enemy's feet, either entangling them, knocking them over or at times sending them flying. Maybe she had the harpies spread the seeds along the ranks?

I would ask her later. Now I had no time for such idle thoughts. The enemy was in disorder and we had to use this chance. We probably wouldn't get another. I gathered Mana for another Roar. “Wall Breakers! Break the pikes!”

Yath'zur picked up a small tree that had until now been laying in the grass next to him. Two quick steps of his covered the distance between us and the enemy. Then he brought the tree down but not like a hammer. Instead he swung it like a scythe, reaping a bloody harvest. Pikes splintered by the dozen and men were hurled far and wide.

Now was the time for one last order, one last shout amplified by magic. “Infantry! Charge!” And just like that we were among them with a great shout.

I had no more time to give orders. I had no more time to check if our cavalry moved into the human's back. I was too busy killing. I stepped atop the first man. This one had been knocked to the ground by the quick growth of a bush. I crushed his skull as well as his helmet under my foot.

I gutted the next with my glaive. Links of his chain mail flying wide glittering in the air. He went down trying to hold his guts in. He was still screaming and foaming at the mouth as I moved past him. I stabbed my glaive at two more, dooming them to a similarly miserable fate. By comparison the one that got his face smashed in by my shield got off easy.

Slowly the world took on a bloody red hazy as I kept dancing among the enemy, killing them left and right with every step.