The Ambush

Duke Ivar marched towards Lykaios, his mind focused on the task at hand. He knew how hard it was for Prince Leonidas to hold onto the territory he had taken, so he was determined to help him expand his kingdom.

"We must move quickly," Duke Ivar gave his second in charge, General Lirien. "Prince Leonidas needs our support, and we can't afford to waste any time."

Lirien, the General, nodded. "I agree, My Lord. But we should proceed with care. Prince Felix will not take well to our interfering."

Ivar, Duke, snorted. Prince Felix is a fool if he thinks he can beat me as well as Prince Leonidas. He will be crushed beneath our feet.

Meanwhile, news of Duke Ivar's approaching arrival was reaching Prince Felix from his spies on the border.

With a low bow, a spy reported, "Your Highness, Duke Ivar is coming with reinforcements." "He's taking the short route along the border."

Prince Felix's eyes became tense. "The troops should prepare as we are about to go. We're going to keep them out of our region."

The veteran fighter Commander Lyrik Stormsurge saluted. Yes, my beloved prince. Generals, prepare your forces! We are leaving immediately!"

The sound of drums and trumpets filled the halls as Prince Felix's army readied itself for battle.

His scouts marched toward the designated area and reported back to Prince Felix. Your Highness, Duke Ivar's warriors are on their way. They seem well-prepared and earnest."

Prince Felix smiled, his eyes glimmering with joy. "Excellent. Let's give them a warm welcome and share a pleasant surprise I have in store for them."

He turned to look at Commander Lyrik. Assume the role of an ambusher. We shall teach Duke Ivar the true meaning of power."

Commander Lyrik nodded, his expression unshakable. Yes, my beloved prince. We guarantee Duke Ivar will never regret crossing us."

The soldiers of Prince Felix then prepared their trap, waiting for Duke Ivar's reinforcements to come right up to them.

Prince Leonidas had told his scouts to keep a careful eye on Valtainia's forces. "I want to know every move they make, every step they take," he had issued the directive.

Therefore, the scouts were quick to notice when Prince Felix began escorting his soldiers into the forest. They hurried back to Prince Leonidas's tent, their faces bearing a serious expression of urgency.

"Your Highness, the army of Valtainia is on the advance," a scout remarked, bowing mildly.

Prince Leonidas's eyes narrowed. "Where are they headed?"

"Your Highness, they're marching towards the border," the scout replied.

Prince Leonidas had a cloudy look. "Get my army ready," he snarled. "We don't know what they have in mind, but we won't let them succeed. Not in my presence.

Swords clanging and armor clanking, his generals and troops came into position, racing to prepare for battle.

"What's our plan, Your Highness?" asked a general.

Prince Leonidas said, his eyes fixed on the horizon, "We'll meet them at the border." "We'll show them the strength of our army and the determination of our people."

Plans and strategies were racing through Prince Leonidas's mind as they moved closer to the frontier. He knew Prince Felix was a crafty and vicious man, but he also knew how brave and loyal his own army was.

As Duke Ivar's men approached, they were aware of a problem. The trees seemed to be watching them, and there was tension in the air.

With a hand on his sword hilt, Duke Ivar said, "General Lirien, I don't like this." "Something feels wrong."

Gen. Lirien grimaced. Indeed, my lord. Let's proceed with caution.

But it was too late now. Prince Felix's warriors burst from the trees, swords raised, the sound of their battle cry echoing across the woodland.

"AMBUSH!" General Lirien raised his sword and let out a shout. "DEFEND YOURSELVES!"

And thus the war began.

"Attack!" was cried by Prince Felix as his archers released a torrent of enchanted fire arrows, falling on Duke Ivar's warriors like a destructive storm. The flames destroyed everything in their path, scorching both people and horses. The second-in-command to Duke Ivar, Lirien, noticed the danger approaching and exclaimed, "My lord, they're charmed! Do not get near them at all!"

Duke Ivar's face darkened as he raised his blade. "Looks like the enemy has a mage in their ranks," he stated. "Build a shield wall and advance! We're going to surge through this fire and destroy Prince Felix's forces!"

Duke Ivar was taken aback by the abundance of wizardry potential among the Valtanian army's ranks.

The duke's men rapidly formed a compact shield wall, shields raised above heads to deflect fire arrows. As they moved, the flames flickered across their shields, casting flickering shadows across the ground. The air was heavy with the pungent smell of burning flesh and wood.

Prince Felix watched the chaos from the saddle of his white stallion, his eyes hard and analytical. He was aware that Lyra, his mage, had enchanted the arrows with a potent fire spell to give his men an advantage against Duke Ivar's army.

"Lyra, how long can you sustain the enchantment?" Prince Felix called out to the young magician who was perched on a nearby hill, her hands making intricate designs in the air.

Despite the chaos downstairs, Lyra said coolly, "As long as I have the strength, Your Highness." "But we must be careful – Duke Ivar's forces are not to be underestimated."

As the battle dragged on, Prince Felix's soldiers took advantage of the disarray the fire arrows had produced to launch a torrent of brutal strikes. Despite their valiant fighting, Duke Ivar's forces were progressively losing ground.

Just as Duke Ivar's shield wall was about to move forward, a burning tree fell, sending a loud bang crashing across the battlefield. The duke's face reddened with fury as he comprehended Prince Felix's plan.

"They're trying to funnel us into a kill zone!" Duke Ivar snarled. "Breake through the shield wall to take down their mage! We can yet prevail in this battle!"

His warriors gave a shriek in return and surged on with renewed determination. Prince Felix's warriors readied themselves for the hit, knowing that the fight's outcome was in their hands.

Duke Ivar's forces began to dwindle as the battle went on, with almost 40% of his men suffering wounded or losing their lives in a flurry of steel and fire. But the duke was still a lethal opponent, his sword slicing through the ranks of the enemy with deadly accuracy.

"You may have the advantage of magic, Prince Felix," Ivar, the Duke, hissed, "but I have the advantage of experience and strength!"

Prince Felix snorted, his eyes full of bravado. Your experience is going to be your downfall, Duke Ivar. My magician Lyra will see to it."

Prince Leonidas's eyes widened in shock as he approached the battleground. Prince Felix's army was already facing off against Duke Ivar and his forces. The air was filled with shouts and the sound of steel clashing.

"Attack!" Prince Leonidas screamed as he pushed forward, his men at his heels.

Swords gleaming in the light, the men pushed forward, taking down Prince Felix's soldiers. Prince Leonidas sliced through the enemy ranks with deadly accuracy, tearing through armor and flesh with his sword.

While battling his way through the chaos, Prince Leonidas came across Duke Ivar, who was gallantly rebuffing Prince Felix's troops. With a thunderous shout, Prince Leonidas charged the duke, his blade shining in the sunlight.

"Duke Ivar, hold on!" Over the din of fighting, Prince Leonidas shook his head and yelled. "I'm coming to back you up!"

As Prince Leonidas vanquished the adversary, Duke Ivar's face glowed with appreciation as he appeared at his side, his sword gleaming. The two leaders fought side by side, their swords slicing deadly precision into the ranks of the opposition.

The battle went on, and the outcome remained uncertain.

"Thank the gods you've arrived, Prince Leonidas," Duke Ivar cried, exhaustion pouring through his chest. "I've lost nearly half my men, but I've managed to inflict some damage on the enemy."

Prince Leonidas nodded grimly. Duke Ivar, we are still capable of winning this battle. Let us illustrate to Prince Felix the true essence of authority."

With a fierce cry of battle, Prince Leonidas's troops charged into the battle, slamming swords and spears into one another. The sound of steel on steel echoed through the forest, joined by the screams of the wounded and the dead.

The magician Lyra was becoming tired of the battle. Her magic was powerful, but it was expensive, and she knew she wouldn't have much time to utilize it.

Lyra said in a voice shaking with fatigue, "Prince Felix, I must warn you." "My magic will wear off quickly. We may lose if we don't wrap up this battle quickly!"

Prince Felix's face twisted with fury. "Lyra, right now we can't afford to lose! Not as long as we're in charge!"

But Lyra shook her head. We do not oppose them, Your Highness. Not right now. While Duke Ivar is still fighting, Prince Leonidas's army is just stronger. If we don't pull back and reorganize, we can't take any chances."

Prince Felix realized that Lyra was telling the truth, even though his demeanor darkened. With a curse, he ordered his warriors to back off, progressively putting an end to the battle.

When the dust settled, the survivors evaluated the damage. Not only had Prince Felix's men lost a great deal of ground, but Duke Ivar's forces had been wiped out. The true cost of the war remained mostly unknown.

Prince Leonidas stood straight in the middle of all of this, his highly focused eyes on Prince Felix.

"Prince Felix, this isn't over," he growled. "Not by a long shot."

Prince Leonidas considered this information carefully. "Observe their movement with great care. I want to do whatever they do. We must not allow them to surprise us."

Prince Felix's men withdrew, and Prince Leonidas and Duke Ivar nodded to one other in thanks.

Prince Leonidas calls out to Duke Ivar as he gets closer to his horse.

"Duke Ivar, we need to talk," Prince Leonidas said in a firm but calm voice.

Duke Ivar nodded, squinting his eyes. "What is it, Your Highness?"

The intensity in Prince Leonidas's gaze increased. "Why did you decide to take the shorter route through the forest? You know there's a lot of tension in the region. Going without the proper escort was a foolish decision."

Ivar Duke's face became serious. "I thought you had a letter from the king informing you that I will be arriving with additional soldiers. I did not expect any issues."

Prince Leonidas's eyebrows shot up. A message from the king or queen? I was not made aware of this. Even if you had received such a letter, wouldn't it have made sense to send a reconnaissance group ahead to ensure the passage was secure?"

Duke Ivar's expression turned defensive. "I didn't think it was necessary, Your Highness. I have driven on these roads quite a few times. The attack by Prince Felix's men caught me off guard."

Prince Leonidas increased his voice. That is exactly what I am saying! In these perilous times, it was only fitting that you prepared for the worst. And what about your scouts? Did they neglect to report any signs of hostile behavior?

Duke Ivar's face grew serious. "Your Highness, my scouts did not report anything out of the ordinary. I swear that I was quite cautious."

Prince Leonidas's expression softened and his voice becoming more measured. Ivar Duke, I know you didn't mean to put us in danger. However, we must be cautious in these times. We are unable to afford to take unjustified risks."

Duke Ivar nodded, looking down. "You are right, Your Highness. I'll be more cautious going forward."

Prince Leonidas placed his hand on Duke Ivar's shoulder. You are aware of the particular place you occupy in my heart—you are my spiritual mentor and the person who taught me how to wield a sword. I appreciate and admire you. We are more in need of your strength and commitment than ever."

The two leaders stood in silence for a short period, their responsibilities clearly pressing down on them.