841. Stele
The destruction of the elemental giants forced the troops of the Empire in a passive position. The casualties on their side began to mount, and multiple heroic assets started to suffer injuries or die due to the overwhelming numbers of the invading forces. Not even the cultivators in the fifth rank could avoid that fate.
That battle was leading to a defeat of the Empire.
The defenders had exhausted their defensive methods by then. Only a few shadows still lingered on the battlefield, but they weren't able to provide any significant assistance.
Retreating seemed the only option left, especially since the Empire knew that it had to preserve enough troops to fight the next battles. There were still a few valuable regions on the northeastern coast, and there was all the central area of the old continent to defend too!