Post

Outside of the Akaviri Encampment

With cooperation between old time friends and notable officers, Generals Saciand and Adraria's plan was set. All forces were established and waiting, the horses, lined up in uniform formation all awaiting orders. From what the scouts reported, the Akaviri were still gathering strength, remaining patient and capable that they would easily defeat the Nibenean Empire. In the darkness of night, General Saciand ordered the Horsemen's spearheads to be wrapped in cloth and covered in pitch, the bowmen's arrows to be wrapped in similar fashion and they would set the night aflame, hopefully sending fear and doubt into the minds of the mindless Akaviri that would hope to match the forces of Nibenea. With one decisive attack, Saciand and Adraria would send the Akaviri scurrying back.

And so the order was given. The arrows were lit first, Saciand's modification of the original plan. She wanted to send arrow storms into the camp, hopefully scattering and confusing the Akaviri before the horses charged like a sea of death onto the encampments. In a single, quiet hand motion, the arrows were nocked, drawn and losed to the Akaviri, and with the other hand, Saciand ordered the charge. Screams could be heard as the four hundred horses charged at once, their spears lit and producing an ungodly amount of light. The Nibeneans screamed and shrieked with pride and adrenaline as they all had a single motive: kill them all. Over the hills they charged at fast speeds, spears hung low, ready to impale their targets and though they were filled with adrenaline and anger, the Akaviri remained stalwart and had quickly regrouped from the arrow storm. As the horses met at the outer camps borders, snow demons rushed them, tearing the vanguard apart and ripped through horses and men at breakneck speeds. The cavalry charge was being slaughtered as the quick and lethal talons of the Kamal and any who made it past were savaged by serpent-men, who wrapped around the horsemen and tore their heads from their necks. Though the Warhorses were being brutalized, they were ensuring that they took just as many with them. Spears impaled hundreds of snow demons and serpent-men and following close behind were the brave warriors of Saciand's ground force, who met the snow demons with shield and sword. Within the first thirty seconds of the attack, the cavalry had been reduced to half their numbers and with their surprise and speed withered down, they were being torn apart and soon enough, the cavalry had been recalled with only a few dozen horses remaining.

As the fifteen thousand men swept down from the north, east and west, they faced heavy resistance and soon the advance was slowed to a halt and their momentum was lost. With Saciand's forces stagnated, the force wouldn't last long against the fierce species of Akavir and General Adraria's 10,000 men were called to march. Snow Demons and serpent-men ripped through the Nibenean frontlines as the size and ferocity of the creatures of Kamal and the elusiveness of the creatures of Tsaesci outmatched the shield walls, spears and swords of the men. No good defense could be utilized and Saciand's forces were being routed. After such a costly few minutes of battle, the western front was breaking as Akaviri were slipping through and counter-attacking the flank of the central force, causing immense damage. General Adraria's men arrived quickly dispatched the three dozen or so Akaviri that slipped through and reinforced the western and central front, allowing the tired troops of Saciand's to fall to the rear and defend. With four hundred bowmen lying in reserve at the forward camp, General Saciand ordered arrow barrages at the rear of the Akaviri encampment, hoping to claim as many flank guards as they could to instill further chaos. Thousands of human and Akaviri bodies littered the battleground, so much so that troops from both sides were now standing on the dead, fighting, slaughtering each other.

As much as the top officers of the Empire were confident in their Army's ability to repulse the Akaviri landing, they had no experience fighting Akaviri and the attack couldn't be sustained. 8,000 men from Saciand's force and 6,000 of Adraria's force were killed in the fighting. With less than half of their forces left and the Akaviri still fighting strong, General Saciand called a retreat, which was ignored by General Adraria, who believed with continued resolve, the Akaviri would be forced into the sea and leave. Unable to retreat and leave Adraria's force to be slaughtered, Saciand ordered her force to re-engage. General Adraria left the forward camp with his own personal guard and joined the fight, raising the morale of his troops for the time he was there, before he was ripped in half by serpent-men. With General Adraria dead and the western and eastern fronts collapsing, General Saciand ordered a slow retreat, keeping the fronts unbroken as they had hoped the Akaviri would back off and assess their wounded. They did not. The Akaviri continued their relentless assault and the slow retreat ordered by Saciand had now become an unorganized frenzy of running soldiers, being chased closely by Akaviri. General Saciand's forward camp was soon assaulted by Akaviri forces, unaware that her forces were now completely scattered and after a brief defense by the four-hundred bowmen and 64 warhorses, General Saciand was captured. By the end of the battle, the 25,000 strong Nibenean force was decimated with barely 3,000 surviving, only 1,700 of whom returned to Leyawiin. News traveled quickly to Emperor Medora of the defeat. With General Adraria dead and Saciand captured, the Empire suffered a stunning strategic and tactical defeat at the hands of the Akaviri. The 20,000 troops prepared the defense of Leyawiin under the command of General Odenius. Changes had been made to the secondary plan and 30,000 men from 3rd and 4th Armies crossed at the Mouth of the Panther and moved southward, stopping at Fort Doublecross and making camp, ensuring that no Akaviri attempted to invade northward. Once the Akaviri attack Leyawiin, those 30,000 would sweep down from the North and counter-attack, hopefully sending the Akaviri assault reeling back to the beaches and out of the Empire. The remaining 13,500 would travel to Leyawiin to support the defense.