Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 215: The rats shows themselves (2)

Before, Silas advise him to put the ten thousand troops under Lord Aleister, Silas has secured the support of the other noble lords that he is sure not involved in the alliance,

under his name, Silas has been sending them letters to show their loyalty to the throne of Arakath by protecting the King when the time comes

And to complete that plan, before this battle, he has planted some spies in the ten thousand troops sent to Lord Aleister and bribed several of Lord Aleister allies to not show up for battles.

Silas also said that not all lords know the true intention of Lord Aleister conspiracy and most of them follow him was seduced by Lord Aleister promise of gold and riches

Lord Aleister must believe that the other nobles did not show up because he needs to show first that he can win this first hurdle.

It was at this time Azrael look at Silas with trepidation. The planning and the subterfuge he employed fills him with amazement.

Silas reminds him a bit of his brother in law, Mikael Devonhurst. Azrael would love to have Silas in his court. He is not a trustworthy one but his talent in politics is undeniable.

'AZRAEL!' Lord Aleister yelled a few miles from Azrael big tent

'I HAVE COME HERE TO TAKE YOUR HEAD AND PUT IT MY DECORATION PLAQUE' he shouted, laughing, confident of his victory.

Azrael jumped to his horse.

'Silas will you follow me into battle?' Then he shakes his head.

'Battles, swords and shield are not my specialty. Words, plots, intrigue, that is my game, Your Grace. I'm afraid this is where I part from you. This is your part' Silas said to him, standing still at his spot

Azrael chuckles and nodded. He then rode off and yelled

'It will be me taking your head off!' and they laughed. They could not believe the boastful words that comes out from Azrael mouth.

After all, he is alone, and Lord Aleister brought forty-five thousand soldiers. This is already an overkilled

They were laughing until suddenly the back of Azrael tent were filled with torches, making the dark night suddenly bright.

Behind him is seventy thousand troops from Arakath.

Azrael have long sent letters to Arakath to send reinforcement under the greatest secrecy before he even tells the news to Elkar.

The battle loomed over them as the soldier in Lord Aleister side tremble, drop their weapon and flee.

Some run to Azrael army showing their intention to defect, mostly consisted of Silas spy and this encouraged Lord Aleister troops to defect to.

'YOU!' Lord Aleister screams at the top of his lung, looking at the suddenly reversed situation.

Under Azrael direct command he led the seventy thousand troops.

Aleister confused and fearful on what he must believe an easy victory startled and very much afraid, and Lord Daimon seeing this, without no other choice, took charge and deployed defensive position in Bergeit.

This battle of nerves begins as dawn is showing. Seeing the sun, and seeing them almost clearly, Azrael believed it is the time to follow them

'FOLLOW THEM!' he yelled as he began the first charge with the cavalry.

Lord Daimon is protecting Aleister rear as Aleister retreated with the Orc King.

'COWARDS!' Azrael yelled seeing that they are trying to run away.

'They cannot get away. They must not get away. Faster!' Azrael yelled as his cavalry unit rides faster.

Lord Daimon deployed his troops in a strong defensive position, flanked by two streams with high ground on the opposite banks.

On his right flank, an allied lord, Lord Areen, held a position on a third rise, Lord Lar Kor an Orc General, on the far side of the Bergeit River.

Although well positioned, the troops were tired from the day's march, and their own morale is diminishing.

With such overwhelming force Azrael could understand their fear and uncertainty.

He approached them and battle is moments away. He then charges forward and with one push they broke their infantry lines with a cavalry charge as they slash their way inside

Azrael quickly engaged them.

"TODAY IS A GOOD DAY FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO DIE!" he yelled and with that his soldiers followed him into battle.

The resulting charge resulted in many of the infantry lines of Lord Daimon trampled to death; sound of skull crushing under the hoof of their warhorses is like the sound of song with their rhythm.

CRACK...CRACK every a few second interval.

They were slashing away, as head flies and limbs severed.

Lord Mila, Azrael father in law led the advanced guard, holding Azrael left flank, and charged north along the river against Daimon right center.

He has more than enough reason to be angry and furious than most. He is almost used as a tool to start a war.

Not to mention The House of Crow and house of Vor is his father in law friend and both of them are the noble houses of the Heavenly Noble Protector.

One could only imagine his feeling of being betrayed by his friend.

The ground was sodden with the previous day's rain, so the battle there soon degenerated into a slugging match.

The orc soldiers used clubs as Azrael could see the head of his soldiers smashed like a pumpkin

punching the enemy an Orc soldier using their strength to smash his troops head with one punch

With one punch the troops head turns liquid mush, blue blood flow

Some of them uses their feet and kick people, killing his soldiers easily with one kick or a stomp.

Some of the troop even uses their teeth and all part of the body is used to inflict the most severe injury any of them could do.

It is brutal. It is bloody as red blood, the blood of Orc and blue bloods shower the ground and yelling and screaming is nothing but siren song.

Mud and mud, and the brown earth, the sand surface turn quickly red and blue as blood showers them.

With the battle thus opened, Azrael, sensing an opportunity ordered attacks from his right against Lord Daimon left, and his center to support Lord Mila.

Quickly his vassals understand his intention and followed his stratagem perfectly.

This left, as he had hoped, Daimon center untouched, and he quickly commanded Arul Forre, another Orc general to come to the aid of his buckling right flank.

Azrael smile.

'That won't work' he said to himself

Arul refused to move. He is one of Azrael people. And for now the fact that he is not moving from his spot is good enough.

It decreases the enemy's morale and envelope them in despair, depriving them of hope.

And at this time, sitting on top of his horse, looking at the battle Azrael remembered Silas words to him.

"There is nothing harder than to win minds and hearts of men. Win it and there is nothing you can't achieve"

Azrael nodded at the time but didn't pay it too much attention. But it seems that the playful Sage is right again

Some troops pass the defensive circle and tried to attack him. He quickly dispatched them as he moved in harmony with his troops, mowing any enemies on his path.

But in the grand scale of thing Azrael need to be planning and wait for the opportune moment to deal the finishing blow.

On Lord Daimon right, Lord Mila attack with its supporting troops is gaining ground, with terrible anger Lord Mila with his large glaive cleave anyone in his path to be cut to two and this induce fear in the enemies' soldiers

What Lord Mila doesn't realize during his attack, is that, at the same time he is focused on his attack, he is exposing his own flank to a force across the river commanded by Lazar Vorm, a dwarven Elder.

Just past Lazar force was that of Bako Verim on Bergeit Hill.

Both of these forces were in a position to smash into Azrael exposed left flank, and Lazar acted. Azrael quickly fortified his position as his elite guards encircled his positions more tightly to guard him

Lord Daimon men stabilized the line and repulsed a second attack by Lord Mila.

'I guess he is a capable lord' Azrael thought to himself looking at Lord Daimon.

It is a pity he chose the wrong side.

With momentum shifting, Lord Daimon yelled clearly believing he can strike a charge using Bako that is on top of the hill.

Azrael forces is now prepared to engage him.  Azrael yelled to his troops

"BE READY!"

"HAH!" His troops replied

'CHARGE DOWN BAKO, AND ATTACK!!' Daimon shouted his order to charge down from his hilltop and begin to roll up the army.