Valkyrie's Shadow

Empire in Chains: Act 6, Chapter 32

Empire in Chains: Act 6, Chapter 32

Chapter 32

The brisk cadence of hundreds of men in plate armour filled the air around Ray, echoing up the slopes of a shallow ravine leading to the bottom of the highland plateau’s eastern valley. Their course was relatively straight, leading directly to the ford below the escarpment where the enemy’s main force awaited them.

Could it be any more obvious of a trap? Did the battalion’s straightforward movements signal obliviousness or the fact that they understood that a trap had been set? Was that all to the trap there was? Understanding the battlefield and how an enemy Commander would act was a complex enough exercise when it was only Humans involved. Adding non-Humans added a whole slew of unknowns that cast one adrift in a sea of possibilities; a vast frontier no less challenging than the physical frontier that faced the Sixth Legion.

Ray peered through the trees to the east. Somewhere in the distance, Lady Zahradnik’s ‘company’ was preparing for their part of the battle. The gradual revelations that she brought to his awareness were deeper than words could express and she had likely chosen her peculiar methods due to this.

Was it a calculated choice? Though he was now aware of certain aspects of her personality, others remained inscrutable.

As he methodically reprofiled her character, motivations and behaviours, Ray suspected that much of what she did was not due to conscious calculation. Many things about the Baroness suddenly made sense if one considered her an individual that acted intuitively. This meant that she was the type who reliably knew the correct answers before understanding why they were correct.

In an Empire where competence and success were attributed to logic and reason, those who functioned this way were at best suppressed. Those in power did not accept ‘intuition’ or ‘feeling’ as valid in proposals and procedures, nor would any authority or resources be granted to people who operated in that fashion. In fact, the Empire considered such individuals dangerous gamblers and worked to strip them of their power, wealth and influence.

A few managed to thrive, however. Most were employed in artistic vocations which were deemed ‘mostly harmless’ by the central bureaucracy. Some possessed the intelligence and patience to take what they knew to be correct and work through things backwards to figure out why. Lady Zahradnik appeared to be one such person, which was surprising considering her young age. Perhaps she had the benefit of a mentor in her family or one from the Sorcerous Kingdom.

?Cheswin here.?

?Report.?

?My Rangers found one of the positions you were looking for, sir. Two kilometres south by southwest.?

?Numbers??

?Maybe around a thousand. They’re looking to the southeast so it might be the northernmost group on that side.?

?Let’s not make that assumption yet. We’ll see what the others locate. What sort of Demihumans do they have??

?That we’ve seen so far? The same mix. They’re laying low, though, so we might’ve missed anything new. No visible Lords, either.?

?No Hobgoblins??

?Nothing Human-sized was spotted, but again…?

?I got it. Keep me updated on new developments.?

?Yes, sir.?

So far, it seemed, so good. Nothing out of the ordinary to deal with and no Hobgoblin officers that might swiftly communicate the situation to the enemy army’s Commander. Ray shifted the direction of his battalion slightly to the west, but not enough to suggest that they had detected the ambush group.

Ideally, he wanted to get close enough to spook them into attacking. That way, the enemy Commander would have to decide between losing the group to maintain the trap or moving in with all of his forces to salvage their compromised plan. The former would give Ray a free battle and the latter would see the enemy sacrificing their advantageous position and employing an awkward manoeuvre that disrupted their careful preparations. How quickly they reacted would also give Ray an idea of how many Commanders were present in the Demihuman army.

?Zahradnik here.?

?Yes, my lady??

?My Rangers have started to return with their reports. The first warband in our half is roughly fifteen hundred metres to the southeast of my company. One Ogre Lord that doesn’t appear to be very strong. No Hobgoblins. Nothing else of note.?

?Numbers??

?‘Big Tribe’ is the estimate…my apologies, Your Excellency, Goblins aren’t so great at counting.?

?Your Goblins weren’t detected??

?I’m sure that they were, but they have plenty of leeway. The enemy is looking out for Humans and some Goblins wandering around in the dark aren't going to attract much attention when there are thousands of Goblins in the area.?

Goblin spies. Given the prevalence of Goblin populations in the wilderness, it was another compelling reason to employ them in the Sixth Legion.

?You’re not worried that they’ll betray you to their fellow Goblins, my lady??

?No. They aren’t from the same tribe and are just as likely to fight against one another in a normal situation. My Goblins are part of my tribe and I’ve not given them any cause to resent me.?

?I see. Get within a kilometre of the first enemy camp and wait for my call. My battalion needs to attack first and become the focus of their attention.?

?Understood, Your Excellency.?

?Ulura here.?

On the heels of his orders, another report came in.

?Let’s hear it.?

?Rangers just came back, sir. There’s another camp about two kilometres past this closest one. Thousand and a half Demis set up all cosy on a big outcropping.?

Captain Ulura’s voice was noticeably subdued. They were up to roughly eight thousand enemies now – eight thousand to their thousand. As expected, their enemies had resorted to a trap using superior numbers to encircle and destroy them, meaning that there should be at least one more group on the opposite side for Lady Zahradnik's forces to deal with.

?Dace here.?

?What did you find??

?There’s a third group on our side. Over a thousand. Four kilometres south, just off of the river.?

?That’s it, then??

?Seems like it, sir.?

Five thousand across the river, four thousand on the right. If the trap was symmetrical, they were well over the initial upper estimate of ten thousand.

A thrill of anticipation rushed through him. Would their equipment, discipline and tactics prevail? Or would the hastily recruited Goblin army overwhelm them with sheer numbers? The battle would mark a new era in the Imperial Army’s history either way, but a feat of impossible valour would make for a spectacular opening.

?Zahradnik here. We’re a kilometre from our first objective.?

?Standby.?

Ray looked to his right as they continued advancing along the west side of the ravine. The slopes weren’t particularly steep, but they were still steep enough to steal the energy from any charge.

?Cheswin, how far off is that first Demihuman group??

?They’re directly to our right; about five hundred metres. Looks like they’re sitting tight, though.?

He looked up through the trees.

?Zade.?

?Sir??

?We’re about to begin. Keep an eye on the group to the southwest of us – let me know the moment they move.?

?On our way.?

One by one, the companies stopped as Ray reordered them to face the first Demihuman ambush group. His heavy infantry took the left flank while the dismounted Cavaliers formed the rest of the front. A group of fifty Rangers formed ranks to the right of Ray’s bodyguard, where the battalion’s War Wizards were held in reserve.

“Do you plan on giving the men some inspiration?” Bennet asked.

“As if those Demihumans will wait for that,” Ray answered.

?Close to two hundred metres!?

The battalion advanced, boots stepping in time with one another over the rocky forest floor. Ahead of them, the Demihumans massed to face their approach. The moonlight flowing down through the skinny conifers of the highland seemed to highlight their rising agitation.

?Lady Zahradnik, we’re in position. You may begin your assault.?

?On our way. May Surshana guide your hand.?

He blinked at the Baroness’ words. While religion still played an important role in the Imperial Army, it was a quiet undercurrent that went mostly unnoticed outside of private affairs. Pious blessings were nearly unknown from all but the priesthood.

The god of justice, judgement and death. A divine patron suited for a Noble, I suppose…or a military officer.

Ray’s battalion came to a halt. He swept his gaze over the Demihumans as they shouted out their challenges and made threatening displays.

?Rangers, start thinning out this mob. Focus on their left flank if possible.?

From beyond the range of Goblin shortbows, Arrows flew in to hammer the Demihuman mob. While it would have been nice if the Rangers could just send twenty arrows each into their enemies to deal with most of them, their opponents recovered from their initial confusion quickly enough. They boiled down the slope, Ogres leading the way with large branches serving as improvised clubs.

?Prioritise the Ogres. Rangers, you too. Watch for flanking attacks by all those Goblins.?

Arrows and crossbow bolts hissed through the air, scything down the leading edge of the Demihuman charge. A second volley of arrows arced over the infantry line, followed by a second volley of crossbow bolts in time with the third volley of arrows.

?Prepare for contact!?

Crossbows were set down, replaced by spears, shields and longswords. The much-diminished Demihuman charge faltered as they faced a wall of imperial steel. Calls to brace sounded across the line and the few dozen surviving Ogres were stopped in their tracks. They fell moments later as the second rank put multiple spears into each of them.

“Well, that was overkill,” Ray muttered.

?Front rank, advance! The rest of you, recover your crossbows and pick off all those Goblins.?

With the fall of their heavy infantry, the Goblin skirmishers could only offer token resistance. Their crude stone arrows bounced off of the plate-clad line as black-fletched iron bolts struck them down in return. In less than fifteen minutes of the Rangers’ opening volley, the Demihuman forces had been decimated, its survivors scattering into the forest.

Ray nodded quietly at the results. Given what they were facing, it seemed like a foregone conclusion. Both he and the enemy Commander understood that the Demihuman denizens of the highlands needed sufficient numbers to absorb losses and overwhelm the Imperial Knights. Without those numbers, they were no match for the discipline and equipment of the Imperial Army.

?Reform ranks! We’re just getting started!?

He glanced towards the next Demihuman position, wary for signs of movement through the trees. After setting his men on a brisk march to the distant outcropping, Baroness Zahradnik’s voice sounded in his head.

?Zahradnik here. We’re cleaning up our first group. I can’t hear any fighting from your side.?

?We’re on the march to the main body on this end. Scouts report fifteen hundred Demihumans and another thousand beyond them. I haven’t received any reports of an enemy reaction.?

?We’ll try and keep moving in time with your attacks, then.?

The outcropping where the second Demihuman force in their path awaited became visible through the trees five minutes later. From a distance, it looked not much more than a bump along the terrain, but Ray imagined that, to any Commander, it made for an attractive vantage.

?This is Zade here. That group you’re headed for is repositioning to face you.?

?Can they complete their manoeuvre in time??

?Uh…I think so? They all started moving at once and they’re being pretty quick about it.?

?What do you see along the top of that outcropping??

?Just a moment while I get in closer, sir…some Trolls…mystics, I think? Ah – I see ‘em: three Hobgoblins with a Bugbear bodyguard. Should we sear them off that rock with Fireballs??

?No, conserve mana and stay invisible: we’ll need you when the enemy commits all of their forces.?

?Understood.?

As they closed on the Demihumans, Ray noted that the enemy’s level of organisation was far greater than the group they had just dealt with. Their ranks were neatly sorted by function with sufficient weight to absorb charges and used improvised shields to weather harassment from range. He had never fought against Hobgoblins with such large numbers at their disposal, but the difference that they made was clear at a glance.

“Do you want the mages in on this, sir?” Totre asked.

“I’m not sure yet,” Ray answered. “As imposing as this group looks, it’s only ten per cent of the enemy force. Breaking them up as we did with the previous group will be ideal – we still have the same advantages over them as before.”

?Yovel here.?

?Report.?

?The Demi’s are moving, sir.?

?Which ones??

?All of them. Converging on your position.?

?Even the group near Lady Zahradnik??

?I’m not sure exactly where Lady Zahradnik’s forces are, sir, but the group she should be hitting next is headed straight across the way for you.?

?Understood. Don’t do anything yet – I’ll have orders for the air wing later.?

So this is where we make our stand…

Ray took a deep breath. As soon as he touched the Hobgoblins, the entire army moved so they could probably use the same battlefield communication Skills that Commanders and Captains could. Still, it was not the worst-case scenario. Not by a large margin. He eyed the Demihuman position, peeling it apart in his mind.

?Looks like the Demis have woken up. The ones in front are keeping our defensive position warm for us. We have thirty minutes to kick them out. Rangers, start hitting them as soon as we get in range – everyone else, advance to one hundred fifty metres and use crossbows. Mages remain in reserve.?

The enemy formation stirred but held as the first volleys started raining down on them. Diminutive shadows came forward as Goblin skirmishers were sent to counter them, but getting close enough to use their shortbows made them easy marks for Ray’s men. As with the previous group, what little that reached the Imperial Knights bounced harmlessly off of their plate armour.

Five minutes later, the Hobgoblins pulled back their skirmishers. The Demihuman ranks fell back to hide behind the outcropping. Ray eyed the enemy Commander’s exposed position.

?Advance to one hundred metres! Keep that pressure on them! Watch for anything sneaking in from the flanks.?

?This is Zahradnik. There’s a small chasm blocking our path on this side. We’re headed in your direction while looking for a way across.?

?The entire Demihuman force is converging on my battalion, so we’re kindly asking for this group here to give up their defensive position. We’ll be setting up the anvil here.?

?How do you want me to hit them, Your Excellency??

?I’ve placed my heavy infantry on my left flank. If you can free them up, they can help roll up the rest of the Demihuman forces. We’ll be holding fast until then.?

?Understood. We’ll be on our way after we deal with these warbands, but it may take half an hour or more.?

?There’s plenty we can do here to give them pause. Oh – the second group on this side has Hobgoblins, so they may be on your side as well.?

?I see. I’ll silence them as soon as possible.?

Ray eyed the Hobgoblins atop the outcropping, who were bellowing out orders to their warband. Lady Zahradnik made it sound as if she could simply leap in and assassinate enemy officers. Maybe she could, but it was yet another asset that the Sixth Legion did not have at its disposal.

The strongest soldiers in the Empire went to the First Legion, the Royal Earth Guard, the Royal Air Guard, the Whitesilver Imperial Guard and the Great Imperial Knights. These units were all present as the Emperor’s bodyguard or as the forces defending Arwintar. A case needed to be made for at least a few of Baharuth’s mightiest warriors to act as Captains and Champions for the expeditionary force instead of concentrating them all in the centres of political and economic power. If Arwintar employed Death-series servitors, those warriors wouldn’t be needed there anyway.

His battalion continued their methodical advance, laying a withering rain of arrows and bolts upon the Demihumans still exposed to their attacks. As they came closer, a few Magic Arrows, Acid Arrows and Scorching Rays struck his ranks. It was nothing the battalion’s Clerics couldn’t keep up with, however.

Eventually, the last few Demihumans were forced off of the stony outcropping.

?Be careful pushing around! We need to kick them out but we still have the main event ahead of us. Rangers, get up top and get rid of anything nasty-looking below.?

The sounds of battle rose as he ascended the enemy Commander’s former post. He looked up to a Ranger who was sending arrows into the melee.

“What’s happening down there?”

“Another group just came in from the southeast, sir. They’re trying to push back.”

That should be the third warband on his side…

Ray stepped up to the top of the outcropping and examined the scenery below. The new group was still swarming in from the southeast, pushing into the backs of the retreating defenders. Ray’s battalion was coming around from both sides but the sheer weight of bodies before them stalled their advance. A stone arrow from below bounced off of his helmet, causing him to duck instinctively.

?Clerics, get Bless and Prayer up as you can – we need to secure this position. Make sure you don’t overlap too heavily!?

The sounds of fervent spellcasting rose to either side. In the distance, Ray thought he could see the main body of the Demihuman army: a shifting mass that filtered through the trees in the bright moonlight.

?Zade, what does it look like up there??

?The main force just finished crossing the river, sir. They’ve formed ranks and they’re marching towards you now.?

?Alright, this is what we’ve been waiting for. Put every Fireball you can into them – I want a carpet of roasted corpses from there to here.?

?Will do. May the gods watch over you, General.?

Ray narrowed his eyes at the mass of bodies struggling below. His men had barely made any ground, but neither did they seem to be struggling. At their current rate, however, the main Demihuman force would swarm over them before they could reorganise their defences.

?Rangers, light up the woods around us. Mages get up here and ready yourselves. Let’s pick up the pace!?

His battalion roared their affirmative, renewing their deadly offensive. Flight arrows enchanted in advance with Continual Light flooded the battlefield with their radiance. Steel already drenched in blood struck out in its thirst for more. The tide of Demihumans reversed, but it wouldn’t be long until five times their number came to join the fray.

?Zahradnik here. The second warband on this side is down. There were Hobgoblins here but I think I got them before they could warn the rest of the army.?

It seemed that she could just assassinate enemy officers in the middle of their regiments. It was yet another thing that the Imperial Army needed an effective counter for.

?The third warband on this side joined the second mid-fight. We’re still working on them. I’ve ordered the air wing to begin their attack, so we should be seeing their handiwork soon.?

?Our third warband is nearby, we’ll be coming up from behind them and joining you after that. Any sign of a response from the main body??

Ray hefted his shield, propping it up on a rock in front of him before looking out over the valley. With the Rangers planting their lighting in the trees all around, the world beyond had become a dark and formless void. All he could see was the churning mass of bodies below.

?I’m not sure. The air wing hasn’t noted anything and I can’t see anything of the sort from my vantage. We already have Continual Light on the trees around us so vision beyond that is impaired.?

A rock flew up, caving in the head of the Ranger beside him. Ray cursed, lowering himself below the edge of the stone again. A series of explosions sounded in the distance. He crawled up and took a peek at the battle below.

His battalion was only halfway to joining their two flanks. Fireballs continued to sprout from the darkness at regular intervals, casting shadows from the multitude of Demihumans closing on their position.

?Zade! How are you doing with that main body??

?We’re roasting Goblins left and right, sir. The bigger stuff, not so much. It’s taking two or three Fireballs to kill the Ogres. Even more for the Bugbears and Trolls.?

?Keep at it. I want everything you have!?

?Yes, sir.?

He clenched and unclenched his fist, trying to make details out of the advancing formation. His two flanks were nearly joined, but with so many in the enemy’s main body, they could split any which way. Furthermore, these would presumably be the most powerful forces in the Goblin army.

What would hurt me the most…

If any extremely powerful individuals were present in the enemy army, they would have probably sent them in advance to reinforce their struggling allies. At least this was his assumption from the defensive manoeuvring that the Hobgoblins had displayed thus far. Conventionally speaking…

?I want mages overlooking the right flank. If there’s a way to screw us, it’ll be throwing shock troops at our Cavaliers.?

Footfalls sounded from behind him as his men moved to reposition themselves. Four hundred metres away, the ranks of the Demihumans’ main force entered the edges of their magical lighting. A glance was all it took for Ray to make out their formation.

?By the gods, I did not want to be right about that! They have Trolls and Bugbears on their left wing. We’ve got a hard fight ahead of us – don’t be stingy with mana and consumables! Mages, prepare Fireballs and wait for my call. If you don’t have Fireball, use Acid Arrow on the Trolls. Air wing: squeeze out what you can on the enemy’s left!?

Arrows peppered the advancing shock troops. The ground rumbled as they came forward like a herd of stampeding Aurochs, bearing towards the ranks of dismounted Cavaliers braced for their charge. A few Fireballs from above blossomed in their path, but their fearless abandon drove them forward through pain and death.

?Steady! Mages, take your marks!?

The line of Demihumans crossed the twenty-metre mark.

?Unleash hell!?

Spheres of flame the size of a man’s fist rained down across the front. The resulting conflagration bathed the landscape with its orange glow, carrying with it the screams of their burning enemies. A savage grin formed on Ray’s face as the stench of burning flesh wafted over him.

?Don’t stop, keep going! Cast at will!?

The second line of shock troopers was incinerated, its few survivors overwhelmed by the awaiting Cavaliers. Another line broke through, however, untouched by the inferno laid down by the battalion’s War Wizards.

“What the…what happened?”

“The spells landed, sir, but they have energy resistance on them!”

“Son of a…”

Caught off guard, fifty men were instantly crushed as the wave of magically-reinforced shock troops crashed into them. The mages watched, aghast, looking to Ray for orders.

“We can’t Fireball our own men, sir!”

?Those casting Acid Arrow, support our front line! Keep those Fireballs going – we still have plenty of Demis incoming!?

Ray narrowed his eyes, watching as his right flank bent backwards under the Demihuman assault, devolving into a chaotic melee. Occasionally, a man was sent flying over the line and a Cleric scrambled over to see if they could be healed. He looked over at Bennet.

“Bennet, take the Clerics here and support the right. We can’t let them break through.”

“Yes, sir.”

He turned his gaze towards the skies.

?Dragoons: drop and reinforce the right where needed!?

Already on location, the Dragoons of the Legion’s air wing fell upon the Trolls and Bugbears, driving spears into heads and backs. Their mounts followed within seconds, rending all enemies within reach. The beleaguered Cavaliers rallied around them, restoring their buckling lines.

Yet, they were far from stabilised. A sea of Demihumans flowed towards them, unharassed by arrows and spells. For all of their efforts, they were being pushed back by the sheer mass of their enemy.

?We’re here.?

Savage roars rolled over from behind him, joined by a rousing cheer from Ray’s left flank. He turned to see a silver arc flash into the press of battle below.