Flames licked at the sky, highlighting the silhouettes of the houses, businesses, and homes. The wall around the village blocked Jason’s sight of much of the action, but frantic shouts and the spreading orange glow gave his imagination ample feedstock for future nightmares. Crackling whirlwinds of sparks swirled up into the night sky, and Jason had another unpleasant worry. What if the surrounding grass and forest is set ablaze?

He shook his head and watched the dark wall before himself and his men. A worry for later, even if later is a few minutes away. This battle is not yet won. He avoided staring directly at the flames growing ever higher, trying to preserve his night vision.

Jason and his group held their positions as they listened to gunfire pick up on the other side of the village. It wasnt long until a half dozen enemy soldiers stumbled out of the nearby town entrance, coughing and shielding their faces from the light and heat of the nearby inferno.

Jason slowly raised his weapon, and the men beside him did the same. Showing the training and discipline they’d learned in the past days and weeks, they waited for their commander to take the first shot. They didn’t have to wait long.

A few cracks of muskets, and all but one of the enemies crumpled down on the dirt. The remaining soldier lasted a few more steps before succumbing with the rest.

The group reloaded and waited for their next opportunity.

—

It was grim work. As the night wore on, more and more enemy soldiers emerged from the burning town. They were easy targets for Unity’s soldiers, hidden in the relative darkness. Some of the escapees attempted to sprint to safety. Others took a more cautious approach, drawing their bows and aiming at their unseen threat.

The only successful attempts were those with enough numbers and sufficient speed to overwhelm their opposition’s rate of fire. Some lucky few made it into the woods, but it was a minority.

Jason was sure that they would keep running, but just to be careful, he detailed several men to reposition and watch their rear and flanks. It would allow more to escape, but prevent a more catastrophic rally, however unlikely that may be.

Hours passed, and the battle - as much as it could be called one - continued. Jason’s men had grown used to significant periods of focused waiting in their recent campaign and remained disciplined. They made their shots count, alternating who fired at any fleeing enemy instead of all shooting at once to avoid wasting ammunition and to prevent any subsequent wave from having an unhindered route. It wasn’t perfectly coordinated, but it was far from the frenetic amateurism displayed at the beginning of the war.

Each man scanned the wall with his eyes, looking for the occasional silhouette that thought that route was safer than the main entrance. Sometimes they were right - and other times, a call of “another runner to the left” would be followed by three or four gunshots.

The flames spread to building after building, creating a massive inferno that lit up the night sky. Jason’s men were exhausted but refused to let their concentration slip.

Finally, as the first light of dawn began to glow on the horizon, Jason ordered his men forward. The majority of the town was burned, though the flare-ups and remaining glowing debris still added to the light of the approaching day. It was time to see what was left - would some desperate survivors lash out? Or was the battle finished?

Here we go.