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- House Howlester, The Vigilant Shield.
After Abelhard Latimer successfully cleared the blockade around the Island province of Driskaan, a red flare was shot clear into the sky. A few miles out, this same red flare was spotted through a half dozen spyglasses upon transport vessels which were carrying the gargantuan 40,000 man army under the command of one Field General Natharia Mac Conall, a new member of the Marshal Cabinet all set to make her debut. Untried and untested, a certain nervousness was felt deep within the Highland woman's core, an echoing fear of defeat that she refused to allow the men and women under her command to witness, lest it prove her anything but as stoic as the men in her family. With the blockade having been defeated, by now the Sendrassian Army aboard Driskaan was expected to have been scrambling a defence force which Natharia had to see put down. She signalled the captains aboard the transports to lower all masts and make haste for the Southern Shore where they expected the least resistance.
An hour passed before the hull of the first transport made land. A couple of hundred armor clad Regalian soldiers stormed the beachline and were instantly met with Sendrassian resistance that was swiftly attempting to create some sort of defensive position. With only a token force, Field General Natharia knew she could not press any advantage for risk of pushing the current force back into an incoming larger force and opted to command the front line of those two hundred Regalian Men-at-Arms against the Sendrassian 1,000 which had mobilised. Maz-Allar and Als-Allar seemed to come out of nowhere, and despite more of the transport vessels arriving, it was becoming perfectly clear to the General that merely holding the line was no longer going to be advantageous; moving onto the second part of her pre-established plan, sent a tag team of known rogues eastward and up the coastline to a nearby Sendrassian occupied port town to create a distraction amidst the chaos on the dunes.
Silver Swyftfursat, Llosinssa and Nefer, all members of Natharia's stealth group managed to cut away from the carnage and make it to the treeline, ducking and diving between groups of Regalians and Sendrassians who were locked in the heat of battle. They had not far to travel but the journey was dangerous nonetheless. A single patrol group and all three could have met their deaths there and then. Darting through trees, taking cover, they heard the stampede of an oncoming group of Maz-Allar reinforcements which Silver deduced meant they didn't have long before Natharia would be absolutely swamped with Sendrassian attackers. It was then that Nefer saw what they were carting with them -- gunpowder. Not just any gunpowder, but Regalian gunpowder, as evidenced from the Howlester monopoly seal upon each barrel's side. Thinking quickly, Nefer dove from behind the tree and into a nearby bush, using the foliage as cover to get close enough to the cart to climb up into it and set a fuse with a flint and tinder. It all happened so fast and before the Maz-Allar could react, all three Regalian rogues had disappeared back into the trees and the convoy of reinforcements exploded with each barrel booming one after the other.
The noise and shockwaves from the explosions were felt back on the beach where Sendrassian officers suspected they were being attacked from the rear. They split their troops, moving back into the treeline which gave an opportunity for Natharia to send forth her Field Commander Valentino di Callegari with 10,000 of her 40,000 man army to swing around the Sendrassian defence and flank them. Naturally, this proved incredibly useful as the Regalians knew that only 15,000 Sendrassians occupied the Island, and despite efforts to prevent Valentino from his maneuver, the fresh troops straight off of the transports were invigorated and ready to fight, and made short work of any attempt to stop them. The quick and decisive movements from Natharia proved vital to this landing success, and her manner of prediction on how the battle could be won shun through. Valentino remained atop his horse, stopping any retreat while Natharia's second column of 10,000, which was commanded by Field Commander Yao Nil'Hund who stormed through the jungle, stopping the retreat from the west as a secondary task, but beelining for the main port on the Island to capture it. Natharia herself, after the Sendrassians were pushed out, watched atop her horse outside of the port, smiling to herself at her first major victory on the front. Her plan had worked perfectly, proving once again that the other male generals had to step up their game.
----
The island of Zilat was like any other in the great Sendrassian seas. Fishing villages dotted the coast, teeming with life and families trying to make it through the war. It had taken their toll on civilian life as well, with harsh taxation and army foraging stripping towns and villages of what they need and whenever they need it. It wasn't easy, but for the sake of survival there was no other option but to adhere to the cruel law of Digmaan Vholzzat, an aged and callous warlord whose skewed moral compass allowed him to create brutal systems of subjugation of the island's natives. Production quotas and forced labour were all par for the course on Zilat, and with the war intensifying so has the treatment of the natives. However, despite all this, Zilat stood out from the other islands in that the coast was relatively unguarded. Pirate raids and the imperial navy's presence made construction a precarious investment so close to the sea, with only smaller ports and fishing villages having been there long before the war had begun. No real defenses were built there beyond makeshift palisaded encampments outfitted with cast-iron cannons and stone brick foundations, with the hope that it would be enough to deter the fleets floating about in this war.
Lo and behold that theory was about to be tested to the fullest. Twenty-three ships under the command of Admiral Valentino came for Zilat with the empire's resolve and cannons. Mostly cannons. With the island within range the Admiral ordered out the signalling for the fleet to split off. His flagship, The Phoenix and seven ships turned to the south-eastern side of the island, scoping out for defenses. Perhaps they were unaware, but there wouldn't be much to find. Hidden away, camouflaged between thick jungle foliage, sat the makeshift encampments waiting like hungry wolves. The Phoenix's figurehead peeked out between the trees out at sea, soon to be joined by the seven others. The range was right and the Regalians were in sight. Cannons fired off at them, the flames spewing out from the muzzles lighting the underbrush ablaze. The Regalians, surprised and panicked, set up a quick line, returning fire up to the hills. Heavy lead volleys flew through the wooden fortifications, smashing supply crates to pieces and wreaking havoc on the garrison. The battle was short and the victory was satisfactory enough. The initial ambush had torn holes in the sides of three out of seven Regalian ships, with some seventeen cannons being demolished. Admiral Valentino Solisti ordered that his division lick their wounds before continuing on their, from now on, quiet patrol.
The thunder of battle echoed over the island to the villages. The small garrisons prepared themselves for whatever looming danger was coming, setting up small cannons in huts and hiding mortars amidst the larger buildings. Ten more ships of the Solisti fleet had been harassing the other coast, giving off the impression of a full-blown invasion. The fortified positions were left in a hurry, the garrisons joining with the main Sendrassian army on the island. But the villages, though, they stood firm in the face of danger, fully prepared to defend their homes at the threat of violence from Digmaan Vholzzat. Captain Marisa Morgann and the remaining five ships of the Solisti fleet sailed straight for one of the villages, one notable for its possession of a port deep enough for warships. Transport ships sat in the background of their slow approach, waiting for a clear path as Morgann loomed closer and closer to the port. Then, just like with the jungle forts, shots were fired. The terrible moral dilemma fell on Marisa that day, faced with a village of forced conscripts firing on her ships. There had to be retaliation. Begrudgingly she ordered the ships turn around. Broadside. There will be no great stories told of this skirmish. No eternal songs sung in honour of the heroes. The pacification was a quick business, and extremely efficient. A single volley from each ship was enough, with not a single Regalian troop injured. The signal was raised for the Typhonus-Nowotny army to disembark, filing orderly into the small, scorched town to set up their encampment. The natives hailed them as liberators as they saw the regalian banners fly high above their huts. Tuija Viduggla, without any soldiers of their own to save, sent out her medic teams to help the villagers, raising relations with the razed town's dwellers. The Imperials were the heroes today, heralding in the beginning of the end of Digmaan Vholzzat's regime, but the elders of the town were not pleased with how it came to be, preparing a strongly worded letter to the Qar-Digmaan about the bittersweet victory seen here today.
----
A day and a half after the bombardment of Zilat's shores the last of the Grand Marshal's soldiers has disembarked, their supplies set up and a great camp build around the fishing port. Approximately seventy thousand men and women would now call this island home alongside the indigent natives, now freed of the chains of the island's warlord. Word of the liberators' arrival had seeped through the jungle ridden island quickly, bringing about murmurs of the end of the war. The sudden change of circumstances had brought on not just the attention of the island's capital, but also the lesser lords of Zilat's society.
On the fourth morning Reimar would awaken to the arrival of six clan leaders. Dignified and disgruntled lords whose prides had been gravely wounded under the hostile take-over of Digmaan Vholzzat. Yetztul, Gok-Qoxop, Xallec, Oaztich, Xexyo and Zeyax. The former great clans of this proud island who felt deceived and subjugated like common plebs. The mightiest of them, the Digmaan of the Xallec, made their offer to the Grand Marshal. "Great Lord Reimar, the foulspawned Vholzzat has trampled on our laws, spat at our customs and laughed in the face of our authority and rights. The people feel it as much as we do. The cowardly cretin hides in our old home, guarded by mighty walls and blood-supping demon-soldiers. He is not aware, but Gok-Qoxop's man holds sway of the city watch, the men are eager to throw away Vholzzat's shackles and to see their families prosper again. We offer you our assistance in taking the island, but we must demand in return that we are granted to elect our new ruler among us." The proud scalie said, even lowering his head in deference to the Grand Marshal, showing an awareness of imperial courtesies. Xallec continued, then. "We shall know to answer to the illustrious Qar-Digmaan Zzhin Yaotl, and to your Emperor Alexander." Reimar pursed his lips and exchanged glances between his commanders, wordlessly seeking their opinions, only to be met with unanimous nodding.
The fledgling legend set his eyes back on the delegates then, nonchalantly replying, "We march at the morrow. Prepare your people."
And so the morning came. Tens of thousands of tenpennies fitted themselves into their armour and sharpening their weapons. Rations were issued and downed swiftly to fill their bellies for the march. Vulmar and his Good Company sat eagerly and waited for the drums of war to beat, likely having been ready since before any of the other commanders had even woken up. Reimar and his tacticians rode along tents and groups of soldiers preparing themselves, starting the march earlier than usual to catch the Sendrassians still in their morning haze. Seventy thousand soldiers is hard to miss, even in the thick jungles of Sendras. Ambient noises of war horns and drums played along the long columns of troops, boots marching in unison, sending a terrifying thunder through the underbrush as they went. The footsteps would be joined along the way by warriors from the previously met clans and their champions donning the finest of armour and scariest of weaponry. To them this was the greatest honour they would experience, their finest hour. For Reimar and his commanders it was a bump in the road. The smell of city-life drew closer to the Regalian army. And so did the sounds of battle. As the vanguard reached the walls they realized the guardsmen there had already begun their insurrection. Struggling against superior numbers it became a battle against time to breach the walls before the gates could be closed off again. Ibrahim Botanoglu and Theresia Kaeppler's regiments sprinted forth along with Vivana Avalorn to relieve their allies. Two thousand light armored soldiers made it through the gates just in time for the portcullis to drop in behind them. The coordination between Ibrahim and Theresia saw the streets by the frontgates blocked off from more reinforcements while Vivana took a skeleton crew into the gatehouse where the fighting was the fiercest. The altalar's dance of blades cut through dozens of Sendrassians before they could even have the time to react, the steel in her hands morphing and molding into new tools of killing as needed. Her small crew began cranking the gates back up while enemies kept pouring in, wave after wave they charged at them, and wave after wave Vivana left them in maimed messes in the hallway. A loud click snapped behind her in the heat of the battle, the gates had been raised. The cheering of tens of thousands rumbled over the city as they charged in to assist their brothers and sisters in arms.
Half the army had stuffed themselves into the tight streets of the city, fighting elbow by elbow between eachother, struggling with each blow despite the far superior numbers. General Nowotny's Golden Eagle flew high above the houses, hunting down the location of officers and beasts of war. Then he was found. The foul Digmaan. That wretched villain they had heard so much about. Vholzzat barked orders with a fiery fury, waving a battered sword around as the paranoia sank deep in. Victory was deep in the grasp of the Empire, all he could do now was hold off and pray for a miracle. And so, it came. His escape from battle. Famed knight Wilvamair Arnyn swept down from the skies and clutched his arm around the Allar's neck, hoisting him far and away from earshot. The sudden loss of their commander sent a disrupting ripple of failing leadership through the rank and file of the Sendrassians. Minor skirmishes were won throughout the city minute after minute by the likes of Philippe du Langelier and Zelgius Pavise, crushing the last that remained of any Sendrassian morale. The final victory would belong to Theresia Kaeppler who pinned down Vholzzat's bodyguard units after Cillian Mac Connal's pathfinding expertise brought him on a daring flanking maneuver with his men through the alleyways of the city so they could sneak behind Vholzzat's champions as they held firm against Theresia's war fervour. The surrender was officially raised at approximately fifteen minutes past midday, and the Digmaan Vholzzat was sat at the feet of the clans for their own judgement, the Grand Marshal occupying a nice warm bed in the soon-to-be dead Digmaan's palace for a well earned rest.
----
After the close stalemate on Dregux, Field Marshal Valarosta Ino-Femunn spared no time in returning back to Regalia to amass a far greater force to help prevent being pushed off the island and back into the sea. By the time the new troops arrived, the Dregux standing army had been battered, bruised and morale was at an all time low. There was no fanfare this time as Field Marshal Ino-Femunn departed her troop transport, neither were there for Field Generals Eddair Mac Conall or Theopold Kreiburg. Their task was a great one, a terribly grim and pessimistic one -- save the Regalian position on Dregux. After all, the Empire had suffered great hardships and hundreds if not thousands had already died on Hadarian soil there in the pursuit of keeping the Sendrassian advance at bay. In total, 130,000 Regalian soldiers occupied a small portion of the Island with the intent on pushing back and repelling the Sendrassian army of 120,000. Every man and woman knew that the coming battle would be bloody, and with these numbers? Unlikely to entice a retreat from any side too soon.
Field Marshal Valarosta returned to her previous vantage point atop the hill where she had been able to receive supplies some time before. The odds were far more even now, and to some extent the cabinet was confident that they had an inherent advantage in their position. Tens of thousands of Regalian sabatons rattled behind her as Field General's Eddair Mac Conall and Theopold Kreiburg stood at her side. Wave after wave of fresh troops marched onto the battlefield, preparing a defensive stand against the Sendrassian Army which had already been spotted on the move back to the Regalian position after licking their wounds. "Digmaan Deridess has been spotted with the oncoming army" Mac Conall read, a report curling in his hands before being tucked away. "...and Digmaan Zzondizz" Kreiburg mentioned, having a scouting report of their own. It made sense to the three. After all, an army of that size and magnitude was bound to have more than one General, just as the Regalians had. Mac Conall was the first to depart the Field Marshal's position "I best prepare the defences, Field Marshal. Good luck and hold strong." Just as quickly as he had approached, he started off down to his 43,000 man army.
Mac Conall was immediately joined by his cabinet, notable Field Commanders Pellegrino di Caitagna and Viggo Sorenvik signing on with Calidh Mac Conall to hear out the Field General's overall strategy for pushing the Sendrassians back. Simply put, Eddair had orders to split the 43,000 force into two and assign Field Commander di Caitgana, who had Marshal experience, to one half of the force while Mac Conall personally oversaw the other with the help of Viggo and Cailidh. A simple yet tried and tested tactic was adopted, the Highlander known 'Schiltrons' which primarily involved the utilisation of pikes and spears with layered shield walls to repel the faster moving oncoming force. One of the retinues within Mac Conall's right column, the Noble Kara Sorenvik helped organise the Regalian soldiers, having experience both with javelin and shield combat, but also having culturally known about the Highlander formation due to her Northern heritage. Viggo stole the attention of Mac Conall, if only for a moment before joining the troops. "Best of luck General. Today, the Gods shall smile upon both Velheim and Highlander in unison, for the first time in longer than I can remember." before departing, confident. Everyone knew what they had to do and old grudges, cultural or otherwise were put aside for one task. To ensure that Dregux did not fall. The soldiers waited, taking a position while Field Commander Pellegrino readied his men to move once Valarosta's army made their middle columns.
Swallowing hard, the Field Marshal lifted her hand, clicking her fingers to signal to her Field Commanders to begin rallying her troops into their designated positions. One could have sworn the noise from those fingers alone echoed throughout the valley, the sheer power behind that otherwise simple motion causing a stampede of movement from the armor clad Regalian Force. This was what it was like to fight with the Regalian Banner hoisted behind you, she thought. The same banner she had some time previously seen as a symbol of hate, something that made her blood boil and disgusted her. Now something she would defend. She was a different woman, in emotion, in mentality and in form. This was her legacy, and this battle? It would be her magnum opus. Her four hardened Field Commanders made to their posts. Mateo Silva arrived first, as he usually did, mingling with his own men and keeping morale high amid the self proclaimed 'Wandering Warband' of mercenaries. All were happy to see him, but it was obvious they were not sure this was exactly where they wanted to be. Nonetheless, they were ready and prepared to lay their lives down for this battle and see their Commander made proud.
Thalion Amlugonnen then moved to his men, raising a hand to keep his 'Oakleaf Sentinels' ready to fight. However, he noted from atop his mount some commotion in the rightmost column of the vanguard. "Halt." He commanded. "I said halt and stop this jovialness. Whatever it is. You! Soldier!" He signalled to the one armored male smack bang in the middle of the group, helmet and visor covering his face with fancy looking scimitars at his side. "I thought you better than to distract other Sentinels with merriment right before a battle. Distractions are not tolerated. You're creating a liability" The other Sentinels quit their laughter and stood to attention. However, a confident snort emitted from below the visor of the tall, out of place soldier, a pale hand lifting it up and removing the helmet, letting it fall to the side. Thalion immediately dipped his head in a bow as he scanned the dark haired, tell tale face of the Lord Chancellor himself, Jared Bancroft. "Not a Sentinel Field Commander but I do apologise. The blasted Grand Marshal sent me off on the wrong damn ship." More laughter ensued in other lines that had overheard. "I'll get out of your hair. Good lungs on you though lad, I'll have to channel that sort of energy when I get that Falkenreich in my office after all this" With a confident gait, the Lord Chancellor turned, making his way to the backline before placing his helmet back onto his head, eager to fight as he had done many times before.
News travelled fast and soon the Field Marshal had heard what had happened though was thankful for the support. She opted to leave him where she thought him happy, observing as the last two Field Commanders, Lithandir Telarel and Osira Lae'rinsyr, made it to their stations. It was Valarosta's two most trusted scouts, Yue-Liang Hou and Arayaa Leslyaan, that were alerted first to an alien noise coming from within the dark, dense jungle half a mile from them. "It's coming. The army, it's coming!" they called back, inciting Osira to commence shouting orders to his troops to begin filing in. With the commotion conveyed quickly through the army, Mac Conall ordered Pellegrino di Caitagna to swing around Valarosta's 70,000 to act as her flank buffer to the north while he and his remaining 20,000 covered the flank to the South. Horns echoed throughout the valley, coming from just inside of the jungle. Birds, numbering what seemed like hundreds shot for the sky to remove themselves from the oncoming danger, trees bending and plants flying as thousands of Maz-Allar and Als-Allar ripped through the valley with unprecedented speed. Despite the openness of the battlefield, a flurry of Two-Clawed Raptors and Maz Allar that were perfectly adapted to the terrain saw the Regalian vanguard swiftly engaged before the respective generals even had time to properly respond. Osira held back, ordering the troops to brace as the Void corrupted Allar hit their shields with the force never before seen in this theatre. Three lines of Men-At-Arms were knocked aside and misplaced from their station and cries of death rang out through the ears of the entire column. Osira retrieved his bow from where it hung against his back, knocking arrows and firing in quick succession, expertly driving each projectile one after the other through the skulls of the few enemies encroaching on his position. "I need help!" he called out, alerting three soldiers in the column along to what was going on.
Three awkwardly placed soldiers came sprinting over from Telarel's regiment, ducking and diving, weaving and making their way through the chaos to assist Osira. With his back against the floor after being displaced from his horse, Osira was at the mercy of the sharp claws of the raptor that veered back, readying to make its kill. He closed her eyes, making peace with the inevitability in front of him, right before a sharp, metal sounding noise rang out. Opening his eyes again, Khaine, standing in pure defiance to the killing blow with the raptors claws against his chest. Having become the pure embodiment of a Bulwark with thanks to his Primal abilities, his Dragon scale hide stopped the deathly strike, giving Khaine time to lift both hands and gouge out the creatures eyes with his clawed hands, impaling deep into the creatures brain. Jared Bancroft, still in the armor earlier held off Maz-Allar shock troops number half a dozen with his scimitars, deflecting attack after attack while Khaine regained himself and was able to properly rejoin the fight. Bancroft slashed one of the larger shocktroop's thigh, forcing the creature to fall to the floor before laying one scimitar over either of the enemies shoulders and slicing its head clean from its shoulders. Meanwhile Mae Keppkuula engulfed the oncoming Sendrassians in flame as he took the form of a Cinder Demon, heat radiating from his very core as he charged amidst the Maz-Allar reinforcements, practically dancing as he fired heat off his charcoal and cinderlike body, sending the reptiles screeching in pain. He barely even noticed amid his ballet of flame that the Cro-Allar in front of him was the very General that had given Field General Kreiburg the battle of his life on Zzondaal -- the notorious Digmaan Deridess. With barely time to think, Mae jutted to his left, narrowly dodging a swing from the Digmaan's polearm. Cut off by fire, the Digmaan's personal guardforce of Rhax Maz-Allar could not assist, giving Mae the perfect opportunity to help end half the conflict there and then -- if he could pull it off. He had only a limited time before he knew he'd be trapped with him, making each slash of his arm count as he fired embers into the Cro-Allar's snout, knocking him off balance before ducking and diving, shooting flame up from his other side. Deridess relinquished his weapon to the soil, opting to allow the swiftness of his claws to make short work of the man. He clashed and slashed with Mae for minutes, only managing to hack at his shoulder once which barely left a mark -- a light flesh wound. The Digmaan's hand recoiled as the searing heat of his body singed the Digmaan's reptilian flesh. Backing away, he grabbed for his injured hand with his other, which allowed Mae to use the jets of fire in his hands and legs to propel him up onto the Sendrassian's shoulders were he wrapped his thighs around Deridess' neck. Succumbing to the burns, Deridess fell to his knees -- a perfect opportunity for Keppkuula to end the fight once and for all by pressing his hands on either side of the Digmaan's head, boiling his head until the screams stopped and his body keeled over. With Deridess deri-dead, half of the Sendrassian army began collapsing in on itself. Pressure was placed on what remained of the North most part of the 120,000 Sendrassian host to split it in two and route it, forcing the remaining Digmaan to retreat. Overseeing this attempt, Mateo, Thalion and Lithuandir used the combined force of the 70,000 middle army to push hard, fast and with expert skill. Despite attempts by the Sendrassian flanks to stop the wedging, Mac Conall's buffers held and repelled them again, and again, and again. Soon enough, much to the pleasure of Field Marshal Ino-Femunn and Field General Kreiburg and Mac Conall, the enemy began a full fledged retreat.
With the ongoing route, the order was given to make chase, for every Sendrassian the soldiers could kill, that would be one less knocking on the doors of Yaotl, and one step closer to repelling the Sendrassians back to the corrupted jungles they came from. All seemed well, so much so that Valarosta had advanced her commanding position to further into the field as the Regalian soldiers were on the chase against the retreating Sendrassians. Orders kept being filed in to keep all the troops marching in formations so as to remain aware of any surprises that may lay in store, but none could have anticipated the ground underneath them opening up. It started like a slow rumble at first, but before long, the whole valley that they descended into sank by several feet, then raised again, and then sank further, throwing everyone off their feet. The ground kept moving as if it was breathing, the whole hill, surprising both the Regalians and the Sendrassians alike, until it burst open like a sudden volcano, shooting soldiers and metric tonnes of dirt and rock up into the sky, with a Draconic roar to follow that could be heard for miles around.
Hundreds of Sendrassians and Regalians were killed on impact, hundreds more died from the falling debris and bodies that had been flung hundreds of feet up in the air before coming back down, and hundreds more slipped and fell into the massive sinkhole that had made place for a Rubine Dragon to burrow its way out of the ground. It indiscriminately clawed its way out of the ground, shredding and crushing Regalians and Sendrassians alike with complete disregard for friend or foe. Lithuandir Telarel was lucky, being one of the last few close enough to see the ground in front of him slide away with a sudden 10 houses-tall drop into the depth below, and a massive Draconic figure in front of him blacking out the sunlight, dripping rocks and roots all around. Many had seen the Imperial Dragon, and large as it was, it was no larger than a regalian battleship, but this Rubine Dragon was something else. It was larger than the whole Imperial Isle in Regalia, creating a hole larger than was created during the Clicker Crisis in the heart of the city. It didn't even seem like it was fighting, it was just moving into the Regalian battle formations and causing staggering casualties as it did so. It appeared different from last time it was sighted as well, no longer cobbled together bone and flesh, but rather a complete Dragon, yet still with patches of unmended flesh and gore from which steaming jets of toxic gasses killed anyone who took so much as a single breath.
As the Dragon reared, Lithuandir could see it rear its head backwards, the head which in itself he would wager was about the size of the whole Imperial Dragon, before it spewed forth the largest torrent of gas of living memory, straight at the heart of the pushing Regalian line. This gas did not kill on impact like those crushed by the Dragon's claws, it spread through the ranks who tried desperately to hold position and await orders on how to respond. Artillery had meanwhile already started firing at the Dragon's head which seemed to just shrug off the explosions occurring mere meters from its nose and eyes. To make matters worse, the projectiles' heat interacted with the gas, causing it to ignite in locations with gaseous explosions that wiped out whole battle lines. Valarosta was quick to respond by using her Burgundy Heart Spire to lift herself out of the thick green miasma that had spread across the battlefield, hoping to gain the vantage point. Soldiers below were clamoring to climb up the tower, stumbling over each other as they reached up the narrow causeway that lead to the top trying to reach for safety. It was up here that Valarosta could see the true damage of the noxious gas.
She fell to her knees to look over the edge, seeing the Regalian soldiers below suffocating in the poisonous mist, falling on their backs and to their knees foaming from the mouth, their eyes wide and almost bulging out as every vein and tendon in their neck strained to the point that she thought their heads would explode. The sounds of battle quickly made way to an orchestra of gurgling and groaning as the soldiers seemed to be gasping their last breaths, Valarosta curling her fingers over the edge of the tower as she suddenly saw Khaine on the floor a few dozen feet away, twitching and gurgling, his mouth foaming and his eyes rolled back. She tried to use her Magic desperately to pull him towards her, but none of her spells worked.
In anger, she instinctively looked back at the massive Dragon that was still easily half a mile away from her, but it seemed like it was staring straight down at her, the red eyes having a sense of knowing, knowing that her Magic was Primal, and knowing how to disable it. With tears welling in her eyes, she turned back, her throat unable to make the sound to scream out at the lack of power in the situation of everything that was happening around her, unable to help the soldiers crawling up the tower and dying on top of each other as they crushed each other in a panic, or the people who were writhing down on the ground. The Sendrassian Allar seemed unaffected, turning quickly on the Regalians and brandishing their weapons to clean up the work whatever the poisonous mist could not. At first, Valarosta did not even register the giggling, she was too busy keeping her eyes trained on Khaine who she thought was making his last motions of being alive, until the noise sounded like it was coming ever closer. There was something off about the giggle, like it was made by a little girl, a girl who should not be anywhere near the battlefield.
All of a sudden, floating in front of Valarosta, a small creature appeared. It was about the size of a child and lizard like and a draconic thin-framed head, very slender and with yellow scales, purple eyes, and see-through membranous wings with iridescent colors. It seemed to giggle in front of Valarosta in an almost mocking manner, before it flicked its finger over her nose, as if to "boop the snoot". Valarosta, utterly confused, and taken out of the misery happening below her, tried to speak up, but before she could say anything, the creature flapped its wings with a high pitch noise and dove down to the ground, Valarosta suddenly seeing at least five more like them in different positions across the battlefield making similar bomb-dives into the gaseous toxins, spread emanating waves of iridescent shockwaves that seemed to dissipate the mist on impact. These little creatures started to dance across the battlefield, or at least it looked like they were dancing, hopping, skipping and twirling in place as each movement sent out a wave of see-through water that splashed and sprayed over the soldiers, seemingly curing them of whatever the mist had caused on them. Valarosta muttered "Yellow Dragons" to herself, from where the recognition came she did not know, but it would not be the last surprise of the battle.
Soldiers and commanders alike started standing up, the little Yellow Dragons dancing between them, giggling, flipping some visors and tossing some capes around, finding any little action they could to prank them as they moved through the battle lines healing and removing the miasma that had affected the soldiers. Khaine stood up with the help of another soldier, before long he no longer needed the assistance, and felt invigorated by whatever these little yellow creatures did to him and the others. He looked up at Valarosta who had tears of joy in her eyes, though in doing so, noticing two large blue objects descending onto the Rubine Dragon. Another soldier down the battleline yelled "Imperial Dragon!" and another screamed "Dread Dragon!", both unfolding their wings as arcs of lightning shot forth at the Rubine Dragon, scorching its scaled and causing it to recoil, the ground rumbling. Feeling her Magic return to her, and the soldiers recovering, Valarosta quickly issued commands from her tower to turn back on the Sendrassians that were pushing the Regalians, and to fortify around the tower for a forward position until Kreiburg and Mac Conall had reformed their positions also, the Yellow Dragons meanwhile continually dancing in between the soldiers to heal up cuts, slashes, and seemingly even revive some that had died at the hands of the Dragon or the Sendrassians.
The Two Blue Dragons continued to engage the Rubine Dragon who was half out of the ground, half still under, slashing its massive arms at them while they outsped it and shot arcs of lightning from their mouth and wings each time to push for every slow movement. Then, one of the Dragons, Valarosta could not tell which, turned its head and shouted in Wyrmtongue to form up on the flank, and retreat from it. Valarosta was not one to object, and quickly issued the command. Sure enough, from the flanking hill, three brown-scaled Dragons appeared, equally with red eyes, barging towards the soldiers from the flank. The soldiers started retreating from that position as these three house-sized Dragons started spewing brown and rusty liquids forth from their mouths, putrid pestilence. A few soldiers unlucky to be caught seemed as if they manifested every disease known to Ailordom, buboes, rot and decay, before decomposing in a matter of almost seconds. A terror broke on that flank, before there too, a second surprise would come. The ground beneath the soldiers started shaking, and from two different points in the flank, two Gray Dragons emerged from the ground, wingless Dragons the size of horses with gray stone-plate scales and purple eyes. They howled some sort of chant or song, as if sung by a thousand bearded baritone men, the ground in front of them raising up a wall of solid stone that acted as a dam, preventing the flow of diseased bile from reaching the soldiers and protecting their ranks. The Gray Dragons climbed on top of the walls and continued their song as humanoid creatures that defied identification emerged from the stone wall like guardians buried in the stone and made of stone, pushing back the Brown Dragons as they raged against the wall.
Anathema meanwhile on the opposite end of Valarosta's position felt the ground rumble once more, similar to the first Rubine Dragon appearing, in fact identical. Anathema tried to take as many soldiers into them as possible, picking them up one by one before the inevitable crack, before the inevitable unburrowing of the second Rubine Dragon, but it wasn't enough. Ten, thirty, forty five, Anathema tried taking more and more with only seconds to spare, but it wasn't enough. There were too many soldiers, Anathema couldn't save them all no matter how hard they tried, some even attacking Anathema now, unsure whether Anathema was actually attacking them or helping them as they swallowed more and more soldiers into their body with Magics. Then, just before the burst came, from the corner of one of their eyes, Anathema saw a beautiful dark-blue flower bloom as if in the blink of an eye, between the panic and the swords and the blood and the Regalian colors, an intense blue flower bloomed, and another, and another, with cloud bursting sounds up above. Anathema quickly grew a pair of extra eyes on all appendages to see more, to see all of it, and from above, they could see two Green Dragons descending in a circling formation.
The two flew in a perfect circle, singing into the wind with a sound best compared to the singing of whales in the oceans, reverberating across their side of the battlefield. The ground underneath was just about to burst, the growling of the second Rubine Dragon becoming audible for all to hear, but the Green Dragons had their response. They kept circling overhead, spreading a mist with glittering golden glow on the land below, causing all manners of flowers grow, bloom, fruit, and wilt in a matter of seconds, covering the whole area with a dense flower field. The ground burst open, but instead of causing the deaths of thousands in an instant and swallowing Anathema into a black hole of death, roots and flowers wove their ways through the falling dirt and rock, like soldering fluid reaching for every hole and crack and welding everything back together stronger. The roots caught soldiers falling, gently wrapping them in a blanket of flowers and raising them back up to the ground, while also holding the Rubine Dragon down below the ground. From eyes near their hands, Anathema could see the Rubine Dragon's eye staring back at them, sniffing gas through the flowers and roots while it raged in an attempt to burst free, but held back by wild nature growing around it. A Yellow Dragon burst overhead, just as Anathema prepared to remove their respiratory system to avoid breathing any of it in, bouncing over Anathema's head and seemingly forcing all of Anathema's saved soldiers out of their body, before giving Anathema a mocking sticking out tongue, racing off to some other section of the battlefield.
Kaya Sorenvik was caught somewhere in between, watching two Blue Dragons try to push one of the Rubine Dragons back into the ground, and watching the two Gray Dragons prancing and bouncing on top of the wall like happy dogs while their stone guardians gave a trouncing to what Kaya presumed were the Brown Dragons behind the stone wall, for she could not see. The Gray Dragons had sectioned off an entire part of the battlefield, content to deathmatch the Brown Dragons away from the fight. Before long, it seemed like they were retreating, the Gray Dragons nuzzling each other before they slid down the sloped side of the wall they had made, it shrinking back to the ground as they went, and just about in time to reveal the retreating Brown Dragons that ran to the hill they came from, snapping angrily at each other like dogs denied a starving meal. They ran through the soldiers, albeit not really paying attention to the Regalians as they roughly knocked them aside while speeding towards the next obstacle, the Rubine Dragon that the Green Dragons were just barely keeping under the ground. It had meanwhile gotten one arm free and dragged one of the Green Dragons from the sky onto the ground where it tried to crush them, the Grey Dragons reverting back to baritone song as the stone around them started shaking and pelting the Rubine Dragon like canister shots from a cannon. Kaya spotted the wounded spots on the other Rubine Dragon that had been pummeled by lightning strikes from the two blue Dragons, quickly passing the information along the soldiers while forming a bracing position for the advancing Sendrassians, so the artillery knew to fire. Mateo da Silva meanwhile held off numerous Sendrassians, buying Kaya just enough time to re-organize her frontline command and get the soldiers to line up again, before falling back in line himself, and being afforded some rest by his fellow soldiers for buying them time.
Sure enough, artillery again opened a barrage aimed at the wounded spots which seemed to do the trick along with the lightning that burst forward, Artillery and Dragons taking turns, causing the Rubine Dragon to reel and cry out, before burrowing back under the ground. The Grey Dragons meanwhile barked mockingly at the other Rubine Dragon which also started retreating, diving in after it to chase it in what was assumed were the underground tunnels. The Green Dragons quickly mended the holes left behind by the Rubine Dragons, while the Yellow Dragons healed up whoever was still wounded or dying from their sudden arrival. The Two Blue Dragons turned on the Sendrassian lines and threw out a large burst of thunder all over their front line, a hot stream of white static that torched hundreds of them alive, thus establishing a clear frontline for the Regalians to continue their push, before disappearing back into the clouds above that had formed, the Green Dragons following after them, one of them supported by the smaller Yellow Dragons like Remoras on a Shark, disappearing beyond view from the clouds. The battle was not yet over however. As sudden as they had appeared, the Dragons had left, but the situation had only acted as an interlude to the actual end of the battle, redrawing the frontline, and giving the Regalians the quick reset after the sudden arrival of the Rubine Dragon.
Despite being stunned by the events that had unfolded, Eddair Mac Conall was roused back to reality by his Tactician and daughter, Greer. "Father! Father, come on father, we must press on. We must press on to victory. It's within our grasp." Eddair looked to the sky, spotting the Drahl of Alasdair Lachlan overhead which snapped him back to the task at hand. "Have both flanks pincer from the sides and get Kreiburg to storm the opening the Dragons created. We capture and kill as many of the fuckers as we can entrap. Go! Go tell the officers!". His voice carried over the battlefield as the bloodshed ensued, only this time, they were going to end this for good. All defensive maneuvers were abandoned, and Cailidh Mac Conall, Alasdair Lachlan and Triss Aduro stormed around the right hand side of the battlefield with thousands of Regalian soldiers, chasing down their target and slicing through Allar after Allar with impunity. Alasdair fought valiantly, his front stained with the blood of the very creatures that would have seen him devoured in the earlier stages of the battle. He couldn't remember how many Sendrassians he had killed but he knew it was a great deal. Triss and Calidh used their spears and shields from the former formation to their advantage, eyeing one of the armies Rhax in the distance. Without words, Cailidh ran ahead of Triss and fell to his knees, holding his shield up above his head as Triss sprinted after him, using Calidh's shield as a springboard to launch herself, tossing her polearm through the air and straight through the Maz-Allar's abdomen. In the other half of the army, one Fen'nan Solaveira and Aaewynne Silbass valiantly hounded down a retreating squadron that split off from the main force. "They're going to escape! Shit!" Fen'nan screeched, dagger in hand. Aeawyn, assessing the situation -- grinded to a halt where she stood, breathing in hard as she channelled all her concentration into one singular action. "The hell are you doing! Come on!" Fen'nan tried waving her on, but that did nothing to deter Aeawyn. Within seconds, the jungle brush, flowers and vines began to assemble into a large, 8 foot tall creature, resembling that of an ogre right in front of the platoon of fleeing Allar. It ruthlessly began smashing and pounding through the Sendrassian numbers, bringing a grin to Fen'nan's lips as she joined the fight atop the creature's right arm, balancing herself with her legs as she stabbed and sliced at the weak points in the Maz-Allar's anatomy.
Following the alert from Greer Mac Conall, Theopold Kreiburg atop his horse rallied his smaller, yet crucial force of 20,000 and charged as quickly as he could with his men through the opening in the Sendrassian column as Mac Conall and Ino-Femunn wedged them open and kept them from closing it. This was it. The other Generals might have made up the brunt of the Regalian force but they were the hammer and he and his men? They were the nail that would end this. As his horse galloped he could see the retreating Digmaan Zzondizz. Filled with Regalian patriotism, he raised his sword and signalled to his four Field Commanders to commence a full on attack. Field Commander Gerard Kreiburg watched as Mac Conall's pincer enclosed around the bulk of the Sendrassians. There had to have been tens of thousands, trapped without escape and together with Ino-Femunn, they were going to ensure that the next battle would not be a numbers game for the void aligned Digmaan. Gerard dismounted his horse and drew his weapon, joining with Aaliyah, another Frontline Commander in hunting down the last of the Sendrassian shock troopers who were far too slow with their armor to make any sort of escape. Hullinera Venicier joined Gerard, firing a shot from her bow over his shoulder and downing one of Zzondizz's Rhax.
This however, was not enough. Field Commander Wasa Singateh could see their General approaching and did what any loyal soldier would do. "Men, carve an opening! Tonight, we kill the beast Zzondizz!" Soldiers from the nearby column both joined this task force and cleared the way for Theopold, fighting through the rapidly dropping number of Sendrassians. Alexa Haaven and Ana Cervantez worked with the backline, administering aid to the Regalian soldiers that were still breathing with the other medics. The extent of the wounds were shocking but their skill could not be matched, clutching for the soldier's life where others would fail. Meanwhile, Edenardenne of Valtyr came to blows with three Sendrassian shock troopers at once, fighting back their claws with his stave until an opportunity arose whereby he was able to blundgeon and kill all three in what was practically a dozen or so seconds. The fighting was intense but Kreiburg's men were ready. Before long, there was only a token force remaining. Theopold dismounted, joining Gerard, Jayden Beahan, Wasa, Hullinera and Edenardenne as they came face to snout with the gargantuan Digmaan of the Sendrassian Army. The Digmaan didn't plead. Nor would he let himself be captured. Instead, he charged for Theopold to kill him but was staggered by a blow from Jayden, tripping him onto his back. A sword swung down from Gerard, pinning the Digmaan to the ground through the leg as he writhed in pain. Like clockwork, the other soldiers did the same. Hullinera his right arm. Edenardenne his left leg. The Digmaan was at the mercy of the Regalian General, who slowly approached with his sword. There was no speech. No screams by Deridess. No monologue by Theodore. Him and his retinue had captured Deridess and they knew, he would not talk. With a single downward thrust, Theopold embedded his longsword through Deridess's skull -- the only sound coming from the Cro-Allar's maw being his final, struggled breath.
All of a sudden, silence overcame the Dregux battlefield. Bodies piled high, like mangled, red ridges amidst the scorched, trampled earth. The Regalian force had won, due in part to all three Generals on the front, their valiant retinues and whatever that chaos was on the battlefield with the dragons. In total, nearly 80,000 Sendrassians were killed in the final Battle of Dregux. A gargantuan number that meant more for Regalia than any battle prior. Valarosta, Eddair and Theopold's first, major victory, their crowning battle, was relayed back to armies all over the Hadarian front raising their morale and causing a great deal of celebration. There was hope now. The Sendrassians host /could/ be pushed back, no matter the numbers. Back in Regalia, it became the news on everyone's lips. The Battle of Dregux. The Clash of Dragons. The Sendrassian Disaster. Whatever the title of the story, it travelled and travelled fast. Overall, every General and Admiral on the front had done their part, not just well, but expertly, and kept Qar-Digmaan's Sovereignty intact with their valiant efforts and sacrifices. Would this continue? Many hoped it would, but it would come down to the unification of the Marshal Cabinet and whats more? The desire to learn from their prior mistakes. For it was not the successes they would learn from, and with the war far from over, errors and miscalculations could still prove disastrous if they were to deter the Void threat from the South, once and for all.
