The Great War
Chapter One, Book One: The War Begins
It is the 30th of Frostfall, year 171 of the Fourth Era and the Aldmeri Dominion has issued an ultimatum to the Empire in the form of a long list of demands after gaining control of Valenwood and then Elsweyr. Within Days of Emperor Titus Mede II's refusal of the proposal Aldmeri forces simultaneously invaded southern Cyrodiil and the south coast of Hammerfell. In Cyrodiil the city of Leyawiin quickly fell to the invaders and Bravil was put under siege. Meanwhile in Hammerfell, much of the southern coast of Hammerfell is being overrun and the much outnumbered Imperial Legions have a choice, fight to the death or try to retreat across the great and vast Alik'r Desert.
The defenders of the town of Gilane in Hammerfell face a grim fate should they choose to stand and fight. The effort to defend the south gate is on the shoulders of Plumberius Maximus, an Imperial Centurion, and this is where our story begins.
Catapaults launched fireballs over and at the walls of the town, starting fires and causing mayhem and destruction for the few defenders, who were doing their best to hold fast against the attack. The battle was going poorly for the Imperials and their Redguard allies though, Bosmer skirmishers had picked of any one who dared show their head over the walls and the catapaults were taking their toll on both men and buildings. A battering ram was slowly making it's way to the southern gate, ready to break through and overwhelm the few men and women who stood against the assault.
Plumberius watched as soldiers rushed to and fro, trying their best to put out the many fires that threatened to swallow the town in a wave of flames. He silently wished them and all of his men the favor of the gods when he heard a massive thud against the gate and saw it shake whith the force of the blow of the ram, the bar holding it shut creaking from the shock of the impact." Hold that gate closed men!", he ordered, and several legionnaires broke from their ranks to hold the gate shut as best they could. Again and again the ram did its best to batter down the gates, and again and again the men holding the gate shut did their best to hold it shut until the wooden holding bar gave one final groan and split in half, the gate itself coming open slightly. Almost immediatly several armored hands and arms shot through trying to find purchase on the edges, and once they did the gate began to slowly open even more.
"Keep that gate shut!", Plumberius shouted as he motioned for more of his men to hold the gate shut. The gate went back and forth between opening and closing as the Aldmeri forces committed more and more soldiers to pushing open the gate and the defenders put more and more men into holding the gate shut. This went on for another hour until a combination of so many bodies on the outside of the gate and the waning strength of the legionnares on the inside caused the gates to slowly open once more and the invaders came pouring in, some blasting destruction spells, others drawing their bows, and the rest wielding more conventional weapons. They quickly slaughtered the men and women who were previously holding the gate shut before they could even draw their weapons, and once they had finished that they quickly turned and charged the bracing imperial shield-wall.
Arrows and spells flew at Plumberius and his men, who blocked with their shields as best they could but he still heard cries of pain from a few of his soldiers as the projectiles found their marks. The first enemy soldier to charge Plumberius personally was an Altmer battlemage who was shooting firebolts at him, each of which he blocked with his shield until she finally came within several yards of him and drew her sword, charging him with her arm raised, apparently intending an overhead blow but just as she was within a foot of Plumberius, he bashed her in the face with his shield, staggering her and breaking her nose. As she staggered backwards he quickly followed up his shield-bash by slashing across her belly, spilling her intestines on the dusty ground. As she screamed in pain, he prepared his own overhead slash and brought his scimitar down and cut off her sword arm just above the elbow. As she screamed even louder, he gave her a powerful kick to the chest, sending her away a few feet, where she lay cursing at him and dying in a pool of her own blood.
The next opponent he faced was a Khajiit wielding a battleaxe who wasted no time in charging straight for him preparing himself for a horizantal swing. Plumberius reponded by waiting until his foe had begun his swing and then he quickly got down on one knee and raised his shield, just in time to block the axes swing. While the Khajiit recovered from his block and prepared another swing, Plumberius stabbed up and inbetween his enemies legs hard, the cat squealing in pain and falling to his knees. Plumberius got up as quick as he could and sliced across his throat, hot blood spurting out. The Khajiit sounded like he was trying to speak but only made gurgling, choking sounds before he fell backwards, dying.
Plumberius saw his next opponents out of the corner of his eye and blocked an incoming arrow with his shield, the other arrow skidding off of his shoulder armor. He turned slightlty and saw them, a pair of Wood Elf archers, one male, one female. He blocked their second volley and yelled, "Any man who isn't engaged, form up on me!" In response, three legionnares broke off from the main fight and formed up on his flanks, two on the left and one on his right. They blocked another volley from the two Bosmer and he shouted, "Charge!" With shields and swords raised, the four of them ran towards the archers, giving their battle cries.
The Bosmer pair took out one of his soldiers on his left by shooting her through the eye and another on his right by shooting him through the throat. Once the remaining two of them reached the archers, Plumberius swung his weapon overhead before the Wood Elf had a chance to draw her sidearm but blocked his blow with her bow, the springy material of the bow causing his scimitar to bounce off and stagger him for a moment but that moment was enough for her to pull out her dagger and slash at Plumberius, who just managed to dodge the blade enough to prevent it from slicing his face open, but not enough to prevent a large cut on his right cheek. The female Bosmer gave a small smirk as she saw the blood drip down his cheek and prepared for another swing, but the blow itself was blocked by his shield. She continued her assault for several more minutes, never allowing him to get a blow in. Just when it seemed this was never going to end, he saw the bloody end of a sword pierce her abdomen, with her looking down in shock and trying to form words with her mouth, but nothing came out. The sword retracted and the woman fell to the ground, revealing the remaining soldier who just gave a nod to his commander and Plumberius nodded back.
Plumberius took a head count on his remaining legionnares and determined that out of eighty men and women, about sixty or so remained, with about as many Aldmeri dead as payment for their lives, give or take a few. Still wasn't worth his soldiers lives in his opinion though.
Plumberius knew this was just the initial assault though and that more would be on their way soon so he shouted an order to his remaining legionnares. "Men! Form a shield-wall!" His men responded with a unified "Aye!", and they formed a solid wall of shields and weapons, with Plumberius taking his place at the center of the formation, him and all of his soldiers ready for another assault, though he knew that they may all very well not survive the size of the next attack.
Just then, the sound of racing hooves could be heard and an imperial courier appeared around the corner on horseback. He slowed his pace until he had reached Plumberius and said, "Governor Darius is ordering a full retreat Sir, we'll have to cross the Alik'r Desert and regroup in Skaven." With that, the courier rode off again, likely to find whatever other officers he could to tell the same message to.
Plumberius wiped the blood from his cheek and without hesitation, ordered, "Alright men, time for us to go to the north gate and retreat north to Skaven. Move out!" His men responded once more with a resounding ,"Aye!" Plumberius started a brisk jog with his men forming up behind him, but suddenly, a fiery shot from a catapault smashed into a tower, bringing it down and crushing several of his men in the process. It also cut off their quickest escape route to the north gate, giving them that much less time to get out of the city.
"Damn." Plumberius muttered under his breath. His men all looked to him as to what to do now and he answered them by saying, "Alright men. Change of plans, we're going the long way around." With that, he and his men started on their way to the north gate, to retreat across the harsh and unforgiving desert.