Assyrian Advancement

"General Rabona, I have spotted the old capital Assur off in the distance," exclaimed a soldier who had returned from the front of the line.

"Great job, soldier! Then we march onward to the city. There we will rest for the night," commanded Rabona, the lowest-ranking general among the Assyrian empire's forces.

Rabona was an average man who didn't possess any exceptional qualities. However, this mission he was tasked to complete held great significance for him as it had the potential to improve his rank among the other generals.

A group of 150 men from the Assyrian empire marched south from the capital towards the city of Babylon. The journey to Babylon from Nineveh would take almost two weeks, and the small army was already feeling the strain of fatigue.

"Come on, men! It has only been a day of walking. This progress puts us a day ahead," remarked Rabona, trying to motivate his weary troops.

Upon reaching the old capital of Assur, many soldiers collapsed in exhaustion, but Rabona remained alert. He retrieved his map and began planning their departure time for the following morning.

"A few days ago, we dispatched a messenger who should arrive a day or so before us. Those fools in Babylon won't see us coming. Although we present ourselves as a small and peaceful army, we will strike their city when they least expect it. Our strategists back in Nineveh are truly geniuses. According to my map, once we reach the old capital, the next stop should be the city of Opis. The journey along the river should take us around three days. From there, it will be an additional two days to reach the city of Babylon. I am confident that I will be remembered as the first to shorten the two-week march to Babylon," said the general, concluding his statement with an evil laugh.

The soldiers outside, camping and sleeping on the ground, were not the strongest warriors. In fact, they were the weaker reserves. The strongest and most experienced men were either focused on protecting the city or engaged in the war in the west against the Egyptians.

In a similar fashion, a force of approximately 800 soldiers marched due west to engage in battle against the Egyptians. The large army trudged across the cold sand, with more soldiers stretching out as far as the eye could see. Two generals led the army, one of them being Balashi.

"Hmm, it seems that taking the longer route would have put us at a greater disadvantage. It was a wise decision to cross the desert," commented Balashi as he conversed with the navigator while riding on horseback.

"Yes, Commander. Although the cold weather is the only issue, I can't find any flaws in your decision," replied the navigator.

"So, we left the capital city about three days ago, and the other army probably set out due south yesterday. Do you think they have reached Assur by now?" inquired General Balashi.

"Perhaps, but that would be quite an impressive feat for an army. Usually, they would stop and rest somewhere around the halfway point," answered the navigator.

"That general holds the lowest rank due to his lack of experience, but I have a feeling he will surpass some of the other generals," said Balashi.

Just as Balashi finished his sentence, a commotion erupted in the middle of the formation. Balashi was taken aback and wondered if it was a surprise attack by the Egyptians, considering they weren't too far from the front lines. He pondered how the Egyptians could have ventured this far back east from the battlefield.

"Could it be that the Egyptians have defeated every soldier at the front lines? No, it's more likely that they received information about our direction and decided to flank us," thought Balashi. Realizing he had no time to sit and contemplate, he swiftly moved towards the commotion.

"I wonder how much farther we have to go until we reach the front lines," complained soldier 1.

"Man, we still have a long, long way to go," replied soldier 2.

Both soldiers bore bags under their eyes, and their bleeding feet could feel the pain from the miles they had already traversed.

"So, which town are you from?" soldier 1 initiated a conversation.

"I'm from a small town just south of Assur. I moved to the capital in search of employment. What about you?" replied soldier 2.

"Yeah, me too, except I'm far north of Nineveh," responded soldier 1.

"You don't say. I've heard the weather is nicer up there," hinted soldier 2.

"Yeah, it is. It's nice, and there is..." Just as soldier 1 started speaking, he was interrupted by the ground trembling beneath him.

"What is that?" exclaimed a different soldier from within the large army, looking down.

A hole began to form where the sound originated, and people gathered around it.

"What could that be?" wondered soldier 1.

"Let's check it out," suggested soldier 2, and they both approached the center of the hole. In an instant, something emerged from the sandy pit and swallowed up the two soldiers. Not a single scream was heard, but all that remained was a piece of one soldier's leg. The other soldiers stepped back while some raised their spears.

"It's a giant snake!" shouted a soldier in the crowd, who, unfortunately, became the next victim of the snake. The enormous serpent terrorized the middle of the marching army, devouring humans left and right. The sand beneath their feet became soaked in blood and scattered with half-eaten bodies. Despite the snake's attack, many soldiers still gathered around it in a circle, either waiting to strike or be consumed by the beast. A few soldiers managed to stab the snake's vulnerable spot—the body emerging from the ground. However, their success came at the cost of their lives as the snake retaliated, crushing their bodies.

As the snake ceased its onslaught, it hissed and prepared for another attack. Suddenly, a man leaped forward, slashing the snake's tongue. It was none other than General Balashi, wielding a grand longsword rumored to be a treasure of the empire. The sword was said to be incredibly heavy, rendering it useless to most men, but not to the general. He was possibly the fourth strongest figure in the entire empire.

The snake lunged at Balashi with its mouth agape, but the general expertly evaded its advance. Many soldiers who had circled the beast cheered and stepped back, creating space for the two adversaries to engage. A few warriors joined the general, attacking the snake from various angles. The snake recoiled, then struck again with increased speed, focusing its bites on Balashi. However, the general effortlessly evaded each attack.

Two warriors attempted to flank the snake from behind but were swiftly killed by the serpent's other end, which emerged from the ground, creating a new hole in the sand. It encircled the two soldiers, crushing their bodies without mercy.

"Foul beast! It's killing too many of my men. I must end this quickly," declared Balashi, gripping his grand longsword firmly.

Amidst the chaos, the sound of a distant horn reached the general's ears, capturing his attention.

"Those fools! That horn is only sounded when the enemy is sighted..." Balashi paused, lost in thought. "It's an attack!"

"Men, prepare for war!" he shouted to those within earshot. He then turned his focus back to the giant snake, raising his sword and issuing a challenge. "It's just you and me, you slithering abomination."

Balashi readied himself for battle, dodging the snake's next attack. In a bold move, he leaped onto the serpent's back, using his sword to anchor himself. The snake writhed violently, attempting to dislodge the determined general. Balashi held on tight and began slashing at the snake's exposed back, causing the creature to writhe in agony. His efforts weakened the beast significantly.

Three warriors, who had chosen to halt their advance toward the front lines to aid the general, simultaneously stabbed the snake from different directions. The snake's head dropped to the ground, its eyes closed, and blood oozed from its mouth. The three warriors jubilantly stood before the fallen creature's head, while Balashi approached and ensured its demise with a final stab. He expressed gratitude to the warriors for their assistance.

"Balashi is so incredibly impressive!"

"I've heard he's slain many beasts before."

"Look at him, he's practically a hero," whispered the three warriors, their eyes filled with awe for the mighty Balashi.

From atop the snake's head, Balashi surveyed the ongoing battle at the front lines. Despite the darkness, he could discern the violent swings of torches and the clash of blades.

"These Egyptians, savages! They choose to fight at night, but an all-out war is utter madness," Balashi remarked with anger.

Mounting his horse, Balashi galloped towards the forefront of the battlefield, where most soldiers were already charging ahead, ready to confront the enemy. To his left, he noticed an explosion of flames and signs of multiple casualties. Urgency coursed through him. Another explosion erupted to his right, followed by yet another straight ahead.

"Those Egyptians must be employing their dark magic," Balashi muttered, fueled by a mix of anger and determination.

Arriving at the front lines, Balashi beheld an opposing army of around 400 soldiers descending from a distant sand dune. With a surge of adrenaline, he rushed to the forefront of the battle, slashing his sword and cutting down numerous enemy soldiers.

"Oh, what sweet, sweet violence! Death, destruction, and pain!" exclaimed a cheerful voice from atop a taller sand dune in the distance.

"I just love manipulating these pitiful humans!" the voice continued, revealing a figure standing on the sand dune. It was a horned man wearing a cloak, with long black hair and legs that appeared hairy and hooved. Another demon, although not as massive as Akolon, who is the very demon that terrorized the King of Babylon.