Battle of Aster Conclusion Pt.2

Viller Dunsten, Month 11, Day 21, Year A.F 652. City of Aster, Kingdom of Rosalia.

I took a step forward, the seven hundred knights behind me readying themselves against the advancing enemies.

The sounds of armor clanking enter my ear, a sound that fills me with dread. I know that I have taken part in the battles before, yet this one feels different and finality filled the atmosphere.

A terrifying sound of marching enters my ears, recognizing the view before me. Thousands of men and hundreds of knights about to take part in a battle.

I close my eyes as I try to fill myself with determination before raising with a shout, "All men. Advance!"

Athan Geldstein

The tremendous sounds of marching were apparent, certainly when you stood behind it all watching it all unveil.

I would have lamented the fact that they hid me behind the army of thousands. But the army before me would've been enough to scare me. A man reminded of his failures in command.

The sounds of battle as metal struck metal, the smell of blood as it bathed the men defendin me and the sounds of screams, haunting and disastrous, I close my eyes away from such thoughts trying to breathe.

The only thing I could do now, a fact that leaves me helpless, was watch as Duke Vincent raises his sword as he shouts, "CHARGE!!"

Starting a battle that could define my future.

Viller Dunsten

We trot forward, vigilant of any sudden movements that might come from the enemy. This continues for a few more minutes till we stop a hundred meters away from one another.

The oppressive atmosphere was suffocating, the two armies watching one another. Their eyes filled with hatred as the city behind us rise in smoke.

Though before any orders are given on our side, the enemy charges.

Their shout were ear-splitting, filled with such hatred and thirs for vengeance it was as if a thousand hands grabbed at my throat. Combined with the thunderous sounds of their footsteps, I almost cracked in my first actual battle.

This view, one which fills me with such dread as I felt my throat turns dry, my ears ring like a bell and my heartbeat drums as if breaking free.

I await my uncle's orders, watching with intent as he raises his sword forward as he charges with a shout, "CHARGE!".

We spur our horse forward, the once slow trots now turns into a deadly gallop. The ride felt almost ethereal until the appearance of a scorching heat.

Fear grips my heart before I raise my hand as well, meeting back the barrage, resulting in an explosion unlike any other I've seen. The noise alone was deafening.

Nevermind the heat and power that swallows our contingent whole, yet we push forward. With a shout we charge, spurring our horse forwards from the heat and smoke.

Though before I knew it, my men bypassed me, before clashing with the enemy knights. The sounds of steel clashing with steel was ear splitting.

I hear the shouts and screams as the smoke fades, leaving the sight of a chaotic battle. With a flourish, I swipe my sword, taking the head of an unhorsed enemy.

We penetrate deep into the enemy army, taking out anyone in our tracks.

We rode forward, slashing and hacking against the seemingly endless sea of men, though unbeknownst to me, the bulk of my army couldn't do the same.

I look back to see a line of knights cutting our route of escape and before I could react, a knight flashes by, unhorsing me. I slam to the ground, my head hitting the ground hard as my ear ring in disorientation.

My hand fills with power, confusion filling me as I try to strike the incoming enemy force. Unknown to me, behind was another knight raising their sword, ash and soot covering their face as they shout, "DIE!"

One of my men slams into him, slamming him into the ground. I try to stand up as my ears ring from the clash of steel growing louder.

A group of knights tries to run to my position, only to be overcome by a wave of enemies. I grit my teeth before slashing down another man that tried to strike. It seems that most of the men that joined me in the initial clash are dead and I am almost surrounded by enemies.

Seeing this situation, I rally the men before me, "All men to me!" Tens of men gather at my location, their injuries apparent from the blood and their eyes glazed with confusion. They take formation, back to back, hoping to survive the chaos.

Unfortunately, this came with the enemy's attention focusing on me, realizing who I really am.

With hatred in their eyes, they ride in my direction, hoping to encircle me. I decide to run back to the bulk of my army.

"All men follow me!" I shout to them, with my heart pounding as I continuously slash and strike down enemies for what felt like hours. I did all I could, trying to force my way out of the encirclement I found myself in.

"Sir!" a knight shouts to me, their contingent forcing their way to me. Fireballs stop them in their tracks and they recoil back as an enemy contingent comes from behind us.

Though before we could push forward, I notice an enemy contingent, "Take that man!" an officer shouts as tens of men ride to my location. Their horses galloping through the mess of dead and steel, their face covered in armor, fresh troops from their rear.

The deadly charge makes contact and our formation crumbles into a mass of battle and blood. It felt like eons as I hack and slashed my way, my blood pumping as my breath quickens, the smell of blood and dirt mixing into the mess of cries.

I give out one large exhale as another man bleeds by my blade. Noticing another running in my direction, I ready my sword once more and as one closes up to me, his sword ready to fight, I raise my sword to parry.

The familiar sound of steel came with my aching hand as I parry his strike, the power of which was heightened by the speed he came at.

He turned his horse back to me, once more deciding to take me down. Though this time his hand lit up as magic concentrates on his hand.

I reply back as I feel the familiar pull of magic dancing in my fingers. With a flourish our magic explodes in a fiery hell and he gallops to me. With a quick strike, I slice his neck and I push him off his horse.

With quick movement I rode up his horse and with a raised sword I shout, "All men, break through the encirclement."

We raise our arms, hoping to cast magic as the others hold back the tide of men, hoping to take me down and to release us from the situation, though before any action could be taken another barrage interrupts us.

Another enemy officer arrives with a hundred men beside him, mowing down my unhorsed men. Their screams and shouts as they try and fail to defend against the tide of knights echoes in my ears.

My men fought back with equal ferocity. Some took down their horses, their magic, that required a long time and a certain degree of concentration could not be utilized once a few knights enter our formation, leaving most of them vulnerable.

The clash of steel became louder as they fought with increased ferocity, hoping to take me out. More of my men fall, yet more of them win.

Though before I could lead us to victory, something unexpected occured. My hand shakes as the tiredness comes over me. The sword becomes heavy as I suddenly gasp for air. My body failing from exhaustion.

I grit my teeth as I look forward, noticing my contingent coming ever closer to me. I then ride my horse forward, hoping to take the men out between me and the contingent.

Through the chaos, I ready my sword once more, hoping to fight.

Before I could lead a charge, a sharp pain echoes from my arm. I shout out in agony as I feel sword cut deep within my arm. I can feel the blood dripping down and I look back. An enemy knight stood behind me, his sword dripping in blood, his face covered and fear washed over me as I look behind him to see the troops dead in his tracks.

I ready my sword to strike him down before a blunt object strikes the back of my head and I fall down to the side and to the ground, my consciousness fading.

"Take the man back!" were the last words I heard before the sounds of battle, grows louder than what I assume to be my contingent finally breaking through the line as a hand scooped me up from the ground.

I probably should have stayed at the back.