The First Great War Chapter 2: The Phoenix and the Lion
The Colovians encamped themselves at a fortress they had recently built along the Valenwood-Colovian border, the one that they would use to continue their campaign into the second heart of the Dominion.
The site of the battle had become clear to them the moment a scout had seen Falcrion's forces on the other side of a river, waiting.
A council was held among all the generals.
"It shall be as I had originally thought in Kvatch, we shall send a massive number of cavalry men as the rest shall wait in place with our Imperial survivors and have them come down behind the Dominion lines whilst we attack from the front the moment they do as they come down from the hills on the left side of the river." Stated Numerius as he went about the plan now that the warrior of Trinimac's army was in their road to the Eagle King.
"Now, when we split before the time we have agreed to begin the battle the cavalry shall split and make the night journey to the hill and secure it before they push down as Falcrion's encampments have been spotted there and that is where we shall utterly crush those there before they come to tie the noose on him, or at the very least force them to run with their tail between their legs."
"The holding force shall cross the river and setup before attacking him. Once we cross and spend the night abreast of the Dominion we shall act and put on a show as though we are at full force, he may already know of our number. We must be on best showmanship." The Tactician of the Colovians explained to them.
"And you think that he will stay where he is? We all know that he is a wild sort." Stated Erich as he thought over the matter.
"His men are no doubt tired after a day of fighting, and he has had barely the time to prepare for our larger forces against his own. Whilst his are of a better stock than the Thalmor zealots and the Dominion's Bosmer and Khajiit conscripts I've no doubt of this strategy." Assured Numerius.
"The warrior of Trinimac shall be dead by the end of this, and with it so will be the entirety of the Dominion's ability to wage war with us, the other kingdoms may still struggle against them but we never factored them into our overall strength in the first place." The Tactician promised.
The generals looked towards him with hope.
The long-standing tactician had always been one who could control the flow of battle, after all the scores of battles they had all fought with him, and had grown alongside with.
Their confidence within each other was unshakable.
However, Warlord Berlin had an amendment.
"Numerius, to keep up appearances for the sake of the pincer the main shall skirmish as a distraction." He stated as he gave an addition to the plan.
It was unanimously agreed upon.
With that among the splitting of their forces into separate tasks and news that they would be getting reinforcements in the form of 2 nibenese and a single heartlander contingent from their respective states, the red clad warriors of Colovia prepared to move.
As night approached, Numerius and a few lords were about as they were preparing to make their own march.
He read over the unit lists.
The Hammer, the pincer formation of the 20,000 mounted cavalry would have the following key lords:
Erich von Model, the formation's leader.
Klaus von Kielholz, another prominent man of the kingdom, and the oldest of them all.
Tsaryov von Ilyich, a posh man from the Estates. He was a rather skilled commander.
Isebrand von Drach.
Alwin von Kessel.
Mars von Kessel.
Ingrid von Hochmeister, an Altmeri woman.
Edda von Hochemeister, Ingrid's daughter.
Merle von Eisner.
Kuno von Bayer, an exemplary Kosak.
Were all the important ones he had picked for the massive hammer group, and they had been chosen well as the old tactician believed.
He then looked at the Anvil group.
Siegward von Berlin, his dearest friend and master. He would lead them all into a great and bright future.
Wolf von Berlin. Whom he always called by his Imperial name as 'Ruigus'.
Reinhard von Drach.
Andred von Kessel. Not much of a lord but he was appreciative of the man's prescence anyways, they were all family in a sense.
Pascal Horn, a good commander and an upcoming warrior with many fights to his name.
Luna von Salzer, one of the few lords aside from Erich that possessed great magical abilities.
Ludwig von Kessel, a cousin of Alwin.
Oda von Kessel, Ludwig's sister.
And several others made up the sturdy anvil.
Numerius himself would be a part of it.
He then approached Erich, who was conversing with Klaus.
"Model, I'm counting on you." He stated.
Erich regarded him with a slight bow.
"I will do my best to ensure your plan comes to it's fruition Numerius!" He replied dutifully.
Numerius was feeling apprehension, a dread that he had trouble hiding.
Klaus, ever being one to notice things amongst them raised a question.
"Is something the matter Sir Ercolani? Is something worrying you?"
Numerius looked up at Klaus who had an understanding aura to him.
"…...Nothing. It is not worth troubling oneself especially either of you over."
The loud footsteps of the Warlord approached behind them.
"Kielholz, Model, good luck to you." He stated with the corners of his lips upwards.
"Same to you, and you sir Ercolani! May the spirit of the Rislav protect you!" Approved Klaus.
Andred, Reinhard, Mars and some of their followers were conversing around a bonfire before they would all depart to their respective units.
"Mars shall go with Erich's cavalry through their camp on that hill that Falcrion is set up on and that shall force him down where we will move to keep him in place." Explained Reinhard as he went about the details.
"And with the two main forces surrounding and outnumbering him victory shall be assured, it works in our favor now that he has already wasted his terrain advantage on the Legion."
"This is the plan that our tactician, Lord Numerius, has devised for us."
"Like a hammer coming down to smash a weapon on an anvil….So that's why his strategy is called that!" Applauded Helmut.
Mars stood with a contemplative expression.
"Let me guess Reinhard, you have some suspicions about all of this?" He questioned lightly.
"I do, no battle with the Phoenix has ever gone without great bloodshed of our own. He is not called the God of War reborn for no reason." Affirmed Reinhard.
"Hmm good point there. In any case we don't have any real intelligence on him, it's hard to get it on these Mer especially considering we don't have many that can sneak into them in the first place. A repeat of what happened to the Blades in everywhere but Cyrodil would be terrible!" Stated Mars as he then realized and agreed.
"Tch, good riddance to them!" Came Tirza, the bosmer woman had never held back her ill will towards them. Her features reflected that in this moment.
"Oh Tirza, the Blades are fine. They're just redundant now is all." Sighed Mars.
"The Oculatus really came up and outdid them out of nearly nowhere. I suppose Mede II has his named precessor really helping him out beyond the grave in that regard. Though it's not like he's any good." He then nearly spat.
"In that sense Mede has been outdone as well. We were the only ones who told him that we were ready for war when this began. I've no idea what overcame him as to why he thought to declare war in the first place and then have the Thalmor show up the next week with the heads of all of them." Mused Reinhard.
"We must make sure that our heads are not next to roll about on the ground." Reinhad supplemented.
Mars's lips quivered. And he then faced his brother.
"Well then, how about this. Andred, make sure Reinhard doesnt lose his own and the Warlord too even if either of these Nirn-minded fools get themselves in a hairy situation whilst we're out there causing some mayhem." Said Mars as his hands were on his hips as he stretched himself out.
"Besides, Reinhard you're the Warlord's son in law after all. You'd best stay in the back." He then yawned.
Reinhard had been married to Warlord's only daughter three months prior, the warlord was most keen on him.
Helmut walked up and handed Mars a tonic.
"One of my tonics, bring victory lord Mars!" He excitedly said as Mars accepted the tonic.
"Ah thank you Helmut, they always keep me going far better than a stamina potion, you keep me ahead of the competition." Smiled Mars as he swished it around some.
Helmut, whilst of a more simple demeanor, took it to learning potions and tonics. The two things he focused in life was that and the wars his lord took him to.
The family warrior was grinning.
Andred, who had been rather quiet in the whole affair, stood up.
"I'll do my best for you all." He said as his eyes switched from his older brother to Reinhard.
"Just be sure to slice off some heads while you're at it Andred. There will be many more to get." Grinned Mars in his usual light-hearted fashion.
His brother's expression curled upwards.
"As many as will come to me." He replied.
They then would split an hour later, prepared for the battle against the Dominion's greatest.
Serdan Permaer was sitting criss-crossed with a hand resting on his left cheek as he stared out across the empty, dark fields of night.
"Hey, Serdan!" A voice called out.
Pyrder Yesnan strolled up to him with a light tone to his gait.
"Ah, Pyrder! Hello!" He twisted his torso around to greet him as the other Altmer sat down next to him.
"Still awake?" Asked Pyrder, to which Serdan nodded.
"Tried to sleep but felt too awake to so now I just decided I'd stay awake long enough to go to sleep." He replied tiredly.
"Eh? You're not nervous Serdan?" Asked Pyrder, who had felt apprehension about the inevitable battle.
"It's another battle between the Warlord and the Devotee of Trinimac, always ends in stalemate one way or another. They are both men dead set in their own ways." Serdan shrugged as he twirled a flower with his fingers.
"And you still submit your plans with such effort to him, sometimes I don't get you." Laughed Pyrder as he finished.
"He asks me to after I was worried that one time in Irony when they had come up to help the near defeated nibeneans in Leyawiin." Blinked Serdan.
"Far as I guess, considering how aggressive or er how do I say this? How the both of them are ruthless in their desire to win they're almost so reckless. I think Falcrion liked mine because he found something useful in them." Serdan stated as he looked out into the fields.
"You're more cautious than he is and you've got an eye for the field regardless, I think Serdan that he appreciates the view of someone more grounded than his own self, I doubt he does not realize that part of himself even after all this time." Replied Pyrder.
"Perhaps, I'm surprised that he's going after the Eagle King this time around as so as Falcrion says. I would have thought that he was something beneath the Warlord."
"Eh? Serdan, you don't mean to say that the Eagle King is weaker than him?" Pyrder questioned incredulously.
"On the field he's had no experience, he's a politician. Not a commander at all in comparison to a man who's fought hundreds of battles and has had maneuvered his way through the Imperial court without reaching their ire save for that one time we met him for the first time in person in Hammerfell. It's two very different men, just like Falcrion and Mede who I guess you could say are the same sort of counterparts." Cleared Serdan.
"...I never thought about it that way." Blinked Pyrder as he gave a nervous smile.
"Well, what about Mede? I've heard many laugh at the mention of him Serdan do you know much about him?" Serdan's good friend asked.
"Everyone says he's a weak ruler. As of this moment supposedly we have the reason to believe that his two Marshalls Wolfram and Caligula are directing the entirety of the Empire and not him or the council." Said Serdan.
"It'd be interesting to hear if it was really true, I'm not too sure of that."
Serdan then sighed.
"To be honest I'm none too sure if we'll get the chance to ever hear of it, the battle worries me still." He stated as he threw his hands up in defeat.
"Didn't you just say you were not worried?" Pyrder chuckled.
"I can fear for my life. I just thought that the battle will not be as terrible for us. But as Falcrion himself said, we will 'strike through the jaws of the enemy'." Replied Serdan with a neutral tone.
Pyrder nodded and quietly contemplated the morrow.
They would see very soon.
Morning, Northern border of Ohmes province.
The Warlord's Anvil force had crossed and taken the Dominion side of the river unopposed as they had done so outside of the Phoenix's reach in the midst of night.
Hammer under Erich's order split and went the long route in midnight to carry out the pincer.
Now, it was up to the Warlord to keep the Phoenix of Tinimac occupied.
"Wolf, you shall take to the front of our formation and prepare to skirmish along with Pascal Horn and Marc von Kapsner to your left and right flank respectively. I wish the best to you before we begin." Stated the Warlord to his dear brother as he would take the center frontline of the Colovian formation.
Numbered at an around 18,000 men, the Colovian Anvil spread themselves out in a show of force, with their backs to the river and no clear flank for the Aldmeri forces to go around. Befittingly, they had arranged themselves in an Anvil formation due to the overall size of the field they fought on.
A natural fog began to settle in not long after they had crossed.
An eerie feeling found itself inside the Warlord's heart.
Keeping his usually light yet ruthless demeanor, he showed no worry. Much as he suspected from his friend and tactician.
"Apprehension before a battle, I never change." Thought the warlord as heinwardly laughed at himself.
Reinhard, who commanded the Kessel brother and the cousins in his force, stood at his side.
"Reinhard, you shall be in reserve as well as I. We remain careful, move to aid when they come into terrible danger." He cleared to his Step-son.
"I shall do so, Lord Siegward." Reinhard bowed his head.
"Good. The plan is all set."
The Warlord stared out into the distant fog.
The self-proclaimed reborn god of war Falcrion Salingorin stared into the field the Colovians had situated themselves on.
Finishing a sip from his glass bowl, he stowed it away and reached for his sword.
He raised it to the sky as his eyes did not waver from his favored enemies in the far distance.
"Charge!"
An army of 30,000 of the Dominion's finest emerged out of the fog and came barreling towards the Colovian lines like a tornado.
The warrior of Trinimac with his finest leaders charged along the forefront as infantry, mages, and heavy cavalry made their aims.
He could not suppress his own smirk.
"Lion of Colovia, may we settle this."
A cheer broke out among the Colovian grunts whilst Numerius looked on in horror.
Siegward held realization and Reinhard stared widely at the Elves as they emerged out of the fog, their rumbling thunderous.
"No, no! It is too early for the Hammer and Anvil to have worked!" He declared calmly to his men.
"Impossible...It's unbelieveable...Can't be….Why?" Numerius cried quietly.
"Everyone keep it together! Send the word for all to prepare the Dominion's attack! They're in a circular formation!"
"Keep our formations! Mend any breakthroughs and hold! The Anvil will arrive in time!"
The Warlord pointed forwards with his command sword, it's goldness gleamed in the light above.
"My lord may we start the war drums?" Knelled one of his entoruage. The Warlord nodded.
"At once." He stated.
He heard a chanting come from the Dominion warriors.
"Trinimac zealots. Undoubtedly doing their rites before slaughter as ever." Thought Siegward.
"The war drums shall counter that." Stated a calm Reinhard.
"It, much like our cavalry is part of the reason why our battles are won in the first place, obvious exceptions on that hand." Assured Siegward as he maintained a worry-less composure.
"Do you wish for my army to move forwards?" Asked Reinhard.
"Stay for now, you will be needed soon." Siegward stated as his Tactician remained despaired.
"Numerius, it is a mere mistake. Focus on survival." He reprimanded.
"I have failed." Whispered Numerius's reply.
The Warlord kept his attention forward.
"You saw right through us, most impressive Falcrion." He thought as he fixed his helm.
Half an hour passed as reports came in after his orders had reached the front, the Dominion forces were certainly near overwhelming the strong soldiers of Colovia. His brother as well as Kapsner were slowly cracking but holding as best they could. Pascal was merely having arrow upon arrow fly into the Dominion ranks as it was told, but a unit of Trinimac zealots was said to have been spotted heading towards him, a group who wore enchanted armor and half of which could use magic as the Colovians had discovered battles past.
The Warlord had heard that a group of their mages had just warded off an attack from multiple spells belonging to their foe.
Falcrion was not one to solely rely on magic, and it was well known.
Suddenly, a horseman rode up, five arrows were poking out of his back.
An attempt to halt him was made by two spearmen, but let him through a moment afterwards.
"Kapsner…needs…..." The man choked, his voice was full of the last moments of a man before he passed.
"Aid."
He fell frontally onto his horse, and his body fell to the ground. Numerius and another couple lords rushed to his body.
Siegward stood out of his chair, a most grave expression on his countenance.
"Tell Reinhard to go to the aid of Kapsner." Issued Siegward to a retainer.
"In your name!" She knelled and went for her horse.
"That saves the right…..But that leaves only Numerius to aid the other flanks." The warlord recomposed.
He watched as the bright-red warriors of Colovia with Reinhard and the Kessels leading them moved to save Kapsner.
Siegward began to mentally prepare himself.
His own worries began to claw at him as to the possible fate of Kapsner.
"Spearmen! To the front!" Yelled an order from Kapsner as another wave of Dominion troops marched towards his near shattered force.
The Colovian commander had nearly considered retreating, but believed his role was to hold off as long as possible without risking the Warlord.
He had taken an arrow to the thigh none too long ago, he had downed a healing potion but that did nothing for the nerve damage and physical pain he felt as he was forced to engage in battle again and again.
He would not hold for long.
As much as his enemy's stamina had been drained, so had his and the elven forces were of much greater number than he.
His unit of spears met an approaching group of the enemy commander's spears.
The Elves chanted "Trinimac." As they approached.
The two groups were kept to their formations as they reached the sufficient range to use them, the lines stabbed at each other as many of them crossed and knocked the other.
Designated colovian soldiers crawled under the spears with swords as to get at the legs of the dominion spearmen as to either outright kill them or to make them incapable of fighting.
Unlike their Thalmor counterparts, the Dominion troops kept tight discipline, the elves made a coordinated fallback as they grew wounded and tired.
This unit of elven spearmen was ultimately wiped out by the colovians, who themselves had lost half their unit.
Cavalry charged at them, normally a suicidal affair for them but the Colovians were tired and outnumbered.
A hole had opened in Kapsner's flank as the attackers pushed through his poor men as they were trampled, speared, or lanced.
They aimed for him and his bodyguards.
At the head was a warrior Kapsner knew very well.
Farna Gaelock was her name, he had wounded her once before. No doubt this woman had come to kill him out of vengeance.
"So you have come to get yourself slain this time, dog of the Dominion!" He insulted as the Altmer woman rode with a furious pace towards him as their bodyguards clashed.
"Die!" She screeched as she thrusted her spear towards his torso.
Kapsner caught it before it could get to him and gritted his teeth to hold her off as she tried her best to aim again for a stab.
Parrying it, he followed up with a swing of his spear to her head, managing to strike the helmet off of her.
She held a furious, collected expression as blood came from her forehead.
"I shall kill you today Kapsner!" She growled her threat.
"Ha! I have wounded you again Elf! Come back and try your worst!" He cackled as he regarded her very seriously in her claim.
As Kapsner had once heard from the Warlord, 'Never look down upon the fallen warrior'.
He heard the sounds of Colovian horns, as Reinhard and the Kessels rode to the rescue.
As he turned his head, he saw the woman taking off with her warriors.
"You come at the best of times Reinhard! She nearly had killed me there." He stated, genuinely gracious.
"My apologies, I was nowhere near as punctual as I should have been." Replied Reinhard.
"Well I wouldn't charge in the front of my unit at the very least Reinhard!" Kapsner replied as a group of his bowmen sent arrows flying into an enemy formation.
"I would never plan on it." Smirked Reinhard.
"Haha! With you here that'll scare them off for a bit."
Two groups of Cavalry advanced upon them.
"Well, I guess not." Amended Kapsner.
"We shall handle them, take the opportunity to rest yourself Kapsner." Suggested Reinhard.
"Yes sir." Replied the lord before he rode away to give a retreat order.
"Spearmen! Hold their advance!" Ordered Reinhard as he quickly took hold of the situation.
"Reinhard, I can take out their leader here." Stated Andred, at his side.
"You are certain?" Reinhard asked. To which Andred affixed his mask onto his helm.
"I can do it." He stated once more.
"….Go for it." Approved the son of Drach as he was full of concern.
"He can pull this off, he is a great asset after all." Reinhard mentally reassured.
Andred galloped into action as the two forces clashed, the leader of the Dominion cavalry was leading a formation of his own, his lance drawn out in preparation.
Andred breathed deeply as he steadied himself, the officer accelerated and accepted his challenge as he drew nearer.
"Do it just as brother taught." He thought as he observed the lance, all there was to do was to nudge it away with his spear and follow up with his spear striking through the man's chest.
At this speed the two were in, it was possible.
The Elf closed in.
Pulling a life threatening maneuver, Andred's spear managed to knock the lance off target by swiping in first, nearly losing his own grip in the process.
Andred dragged the weight towards the Elf's chest, eyes wide behind a concealed face.
The officer flew backwards into the heavily armored dominion horseman behind him, his blood spilling from the wound.
Andred quickly veered off as to not take in the vengeance coming from the officer's group.
"Protect Lord Andred!" Yelled a Colovian officer as reinforcements came to pick them off.
The Mer turned and tried to flee, but some were hunted down.
"Well done sir Kessel!" Congratulated one to Andred as he rode back to Reinhard.
A few more of the Dominion units were thrown into disarray with the losses of officers, lowering morale, and the newly arrived fresh colovians.
He came to Reinhard, who was most impressed.
"You'd make Mars jealous of that." He stated.
"I hope I helped." Andred simply replied.
"Yes, you did greatly. Think you can pull it off again?"
Andred nodded.
"Not if they're good." He stated.
"We got a lot of those out there, stay with me for now. I intend to bloody my hands as well." Reinhard gripped tightly around his spear.
A large wave was approaching after the last had disenaged.
"Archers! Volley!"
"Pascal holds…." "Reinhard is holding for Kapsner….."
Siegward had not heard from his brother for the last ten minutes. He was about to make a decision but then Numerius approached him.
"My Warlord, I have come to say farewell." He stated as he stood in front of him.
Numerius's expression was a mixture of defeat, conviction, and sorrow.
There was silence from Lord Berlin as he regarded his dearest friend.
"Though you have brought me up from mere rags. From one's previous station of nothingness….Please forgive me for never repaying my debt to you for after all of these years."
"….You have nothing to say to me?" Agonized Siegward.
Numerius's eyes shone with certainty.
"I do my lord. August Metz is most fitting for the protection of against the Dominion in Hammerfell, please grant him the ability to." His will passed through the ears of Siegward like a bad dream as he knelled.
"That man shall not be felled easily, not even by the likes of the Red Cat and Lady Arannelya." He finished, and stood up.
"I thank you deeply for all that you have done for me and these people. I take my leave." He bowed, and turned away.
A piece of Siegward walked out of that camp.
"I won't tell you not to go."
"A tactician who's life is entwined with the world of battle plans is fated to pass in them." He whispered as he stared at the disappearing form of Numerius as he mounted his horse.
"You've made it your last to find my brother and buy time as your penance, didn't you? Yet, Numerius…..are you just going to leave us behind!?"
Numerius Ercloani rode off and took his force to the center. Intending to plug the breach and save the Warlord's dear brother as the forces of Trinimac encroached.
Numerius found fields of dead dominion and colovians as he lonesomely searched desperately around for the whereabouts of Ruigus, as he often called the Warlord's brother by his Imperial name by Ruigus's own urging.
"Ruigus! Where are you!?" He yelled as he rode around the battlefield, the fog had been long replaced with dust that occasionally kicked up into the air.
There were many terrible sights for the tactician, he began to recognize the faces of some that had fallen.
He believed he was close to the brother of the Warlord, but no other man stood in sight.
Tattered flags on both sides laid among spears as his horse navigated over them.
Yelling one last time he saw a figure stand up barely, and rushed to meet it.
A bloodied figure with multiple spots of intense magical damage and physical cuts upon his armor was in front of Numerius.
Wolf 'Ruigus' von Berlin barely stood upwards as Numerius dismounted.
"N-Numerius." He coughed blood.
"By the gods Ruigus! Your wounds!" He walked up. His expression in horror.
"I-I-I think I killed them all….I couldnt-couldnt live up to the plan Numerius. I'm sorry...I lacked the strength…."
Numerius went to lightly hold the man.
"Pl-Please apologize to my brother….For me..Tell him I couldn't do m...my best. I was unworthy…...Kin..."
Numerius stood in shock.
"What are you saying Lord Ruigus!? There is no-one else in the entire continent that could match up to your skills!"
He stated as he walked with him to load him up onto his horse, Wolf gripped his blade heavily as blood poured from his hands.
"I beg of you! Don't give up and pull yourself together, we can make it!" He cried as Wolf's pace became slower.
"Numerius….protect….my brother.." Ruigus's voice was barely a whisper.
"Take care…..of Colovia..."
Numerius tried to pull Ruigus upwards but he slumped and fell face first into the ground, having seemed as though he had merely tripped over a body of a Colovian bannerman.
"Ruigus?"
Siegward's brother Wolf 'Ruigus' von Berlin, had fought to the last man against the Dominion in a fierce battle after a fierce battle. Having been known as among the greatest sub-commanders to have existed in centuries, his name would be remembered by many in Cyrodil.
Wolf would later see himself succeeded. As of a generation that would come through similar days to that of his own.
After having grieved for his death, Numerius arose. Sensing danger, he decided he would go for his horse when he was stopped by the appearance of a unique battle banner of the Dominion.
Before his eyes with a gale speed, the banner that held the ancient aldmeri letters 'T R I' standing for Trinimac.
And with it, came none other than Falcrion Salingorin.
"Wait damn you! I can tell, from those flags! You must be Lord Falcrion!" Exclaimed Numerius as he pulled his longsword.
Falcrion turned his head to regard the colovian warrior as his retinue halted.
"To where it is do you think you go?" This land is where you die today! Do you think you can make one last suicidal run!?" Numerius yelled.
"Words of one who does not revel in it." Was all that Falcrion replied with.
"How dare you, you mer fiend! The brother of Siegward lays dead and all that you muster within you is murder!" Numerius chastised.
Falcrion's eyes wandered at the body beneath Numerius's feet.
"It is war, your master knows that almost better than I." Replied Falcrion calmly as he faced forwards.
"….I ask you one question, God of war, how did you see through my impeccable plan?" Asked Numerius.
"Your plan? So you are the great man at his side then. You've schemed heavily to lure me here before he could fight the Eagle King." He stated as he refocused onto the human.
"I am, Numerius Ercolani. The man who shall have your life taken this day. This is my final plan, and it shall keep my great lord alive!" He stated, full of fire.
Falcrion regarded him neutrally.
"Even a man of your legend cannot deceive this body and soul of mine."
Numerius with his sword, aimed to take down the greatest enemy of their land.
"Gah!"
Numerius fell down as Falcrion's blade dripped with his blood.
He had failed, once again.
Numerius coughed out blood, Falcrion had anticipated him and had struck him right next to the heart.
"Gah...why….You are called Trinimac reborn but there was no way you could have detected…..." He stated to him as Falcrion sheathed his blade.
"Lord Numerius, I always stare at my enemies with my whole attention directed towards them. I have seen through and inferred from many foes. My scout had heard sounds in the distance and it was all it took. Farewell, my good enemy."
"May the Divines show you mercy." Falcrion then kicked his horse into a gallop, into the direction of the Colovian main camp.
Numerius, as he lay dying had realized his fatal flaw.
"Ah! I had not sent them far enough! Impressive, Falcrion Salingorin, most impressive!"
He then cackled roughly.
"Hah…...Yet Falcrion, much like your god you too are about to be entrapped and beaten down. May you try to fly off in fear…..."
He heard the thundering sound of horses far from him, and closed his eyes.
Numerius Ercolani, the man who had contributed litanies worth to the Colovians as their great tactician, died alongside the Warlord's brother at the border of Ohmes.
However, the last sound Numerius had heard was unmistakenable. The hooves of the great Colovian army under Erich, rushing down from behind the Dominion army.
Several hours earlier
The army of 20,000 horsemen were halted as Erich gathered up Klaus alongside Alwin and Isebrand as well as Tsaryov.
"That Falcrion is just immovable this time around." Growled Erich as the night sky still darkened their view of the main camp.
"Indeed! He simply won't budge at the slightest." Agreed Klaus as he shared the frustration.
"My lords!" A colovian on horseback arrived.
"The Kosaks have reported, not a single life has been spotted inside the camp!" The man cried.
Instantly the five ordered their men forwards.
As they reached to the camp itself, Erich cursed loudly.
"Damnit! Damnit! Stop the entire army, halt!" He ordered as they searched through.
They had come upon it, finding it completely bare and devoid of any Dominion troops.
"Calm yourselves! Everyone calm yourselves! Rush around to save Lord Berlin!" Erich issued quickly.
"We've been duped! Damn the humiliation of it all!" He then cursed quietly as the massive cavalry force was quickly reorganized.
"Despoilers! At speed!" The great lord issued to his personal unit as they all had to no time to be lost.
"Falcrion…...what an endlessly terrifying man." Remarked Klaus as they had been utterly taken for the fool in this instance.
"He sure pulled the wool over us without even having to use Illusion magic." Added Klaus.
Full of vengeance, they had no choice but to go the long route to try and rescue their warlord.
Mars von Kessel, who had been riding in the midst of this, grasped at his necklace of the moon Masser.
"Stay alive, brother."
Present time, Colovian main camp.
The Phoenix rode forth, his warriors of Trinimac with him as he aimed to get into the main colovian camp and claim the life of the Warlord.
Spearmen tried uselessly to run towards them from a distance.
However, a group of Colovians gathered to the front of them in two rows.
Falcrion recognized their weapons.
Hammerfell gunpowder weapons, no doubt taken from them.
"Fire!" Screamed the Colovian officer as the men fired their guns at the Dominion horsemen, most of their enchantments failing them as the volley proved potent as ever.
Falcrion himself had barely come out of it, his magicka reserves were at their ends as he had spent it all on his wards which had now faded after getting hit with such chaotic weapons.
Circiling around, Falcrion searched for another way in.
"Halt! You cannot pass-" A colovian guard had yelled before a blade ran through him as the now lone Altmer rode blisteringly through unopposed.
His target was in sight, almost completely alone save for a handful of guards in his path.
Much to the Warlord's horror, his own guards died before his eyes as the Mer drew closer.
"Damnit! There's no time to reach my blade!" He thought.
Yet, he held one thing in his hands.
"It ends here Berlin!" Declared Falcrion as swung for his head.
Raising his command sword upwards, Siegward gritted in pain as he blocked the life-ending blow.
Falcrion smirked as he aimed for another strike, leaving Siegward no time to reach for his true sword.
Siegward crossed swords with the Altmer once more, creating several more cracks in the dull metal blade in his hands.
Siegward could barely keep up like this, without any true way to defend himself he was most definitely…
His sword flew out of his hands, and Falcrion prepared himself one last final blow to Siegward as the Elf felt a most immense glee inside of him.
Two spearpoints came to the front of his face.
Falcrion had barely dodged to see to see two panting colovian warriors.
Reinhard and Andred had managed to make their way to the rescue in time.
He smirked once more and quickly spun his horse into action.
Gaining some distance as he made a move towards an escape, he turned his form.
"You scowl this battle." Came the Altmer's voice.
"I do not imagine it would be hard for one not too, given the knee length blood that will be wadded through today." Replied the Warlord.
Falcrion was silent. And then realized time was far shorter than it should have been.
"Until our next battle, Lion of Colovia."
With that, the Phoenix made his exit.
After a total of fifteen battles this had been the closest the Altmer had ever been close to in taking the Warlord's life.
Salingorin truly felt ecstasy from these fights against him, but simultaneously felt the immense lost each of them brought.
On the contrary, the Warlord enjoyed fight, yet felt distaste to it all the same. It was all but stepping stones to what he desired, the growth of his land.
Reinhard reached for Siegward's command sword and presented it to him whilst on a knee.
"I am sorry that we could not have arrived sooner." He apologized to the Warlord who accepted the sword.
Andred was keeping watch as Colovian troops reinforced the camp.
Siegward chuckled his response.
"No, I'm rather impressed." He stated as he arose out of his chair.
"It seems the hour of the Divine's judgement is upon us." The Warlord added.
"If that is the case, I beg that you retreat in the event that he tries to kill you once more." Pleaded Reinhard. Sweat dripped from his forehead as the stress of the fight tore at him.
"Hm, I don't want to turn tail but….Reinhard, take command of my unit, I shall be taking Andred and most of my and your retinues away until he's sent routing his way back to the isle itself."
"I endeavor to do my best to retain the resolve of Lord Numerius." Replied Reinhard as he bowed, feeling great honor bestowed upon him.
"I shall not allow his sacrifice to be in vain Reinhard, I will go at once." He declared, feeling a great deal of pain enter his soul as he spoke of his old friend.
Then, a colovian ran in.
"My lord! A small force has been spotted from behind us!" The scout reported.
"Heh, Falcrion you think of everything, don't you?" Replied Siegward as he stood.
"I suppose I will have to stay here then. Reinhard, I leave them to you." He then issued.
"I shall deal with them swiftly, first I must ensure our immediate area is secure before I do." Came Reinhard's stratagem.
"A little recklessness never has hurt us before." The Warlord joked rather surprisingly. His attempt of easing some tension in those around him.
"At the end of this day I shall regret saying that heavily, but it is good to have someone so young take up the sword." Was the leader of Colovia's thoughts.
"Say Reinhard, how goes Kapsner?" He then asked.
"He told me to get me and my men heading towards the camp the moment he noticed Numerius's men failing in the center. He said he had the right handled." His son in law explained.
Siegward looked at the ground beneath him, took a deep breath and refocused his eyes upwards.
He had another vassal to bury.
The Warlord then raised his half shattered command sword forwards. "Rally the men! The Hammer is about ready to strike them! Send word to tighten the defense, we've a need to consolidate our manpower."
"Charge! Scatter the Mer about without mercy!" Came Erich's order as the Hammer had finally come.
The arrival of the Colovian cavalry army was an immediate route for all the Dominion that could attempt to make an escape in time.
Beleaguered, near destroyed Colovian forces found themselves being saved when their foes were brutally charged down by lances and spears.
Their saviors had finally come, tired from their journey, but filled with a vengeance to make the Dominion's great general pay for his trickery.
As Erich's own charged an Aldmeri Sword and Shield formation they were crushing their way through to the Phoenix.
The battle, having once been a desperate survival for the forces of the western state, now turned to one of a hard retaliation.
Many of the Dominion troops that could not escape made their last stands, finding themselves cut down to the last man as Colovian Infantry threw themselves against them with cavalry coming to slaughter them from their sides.
The Zealot of Trinimac called for a retreat.
The hunt for him was furious, but the tiredness of hours of fighting and running reached the Colovians, whilst that of Falcrion's were still at worst winded as he had cycled his forces out repeatedly to combat that issue.
He had fully expected to not make it to the Warlord in time, but in the end he had the greatest moment of his life fighting against the Empire and had results which would please those at home across the sea as well as the people of Valenwood.
He pondered over it as he slayed a Colovian horseman as he rode on with his great commanders.
It was a strange affair, he had nearly lost the entire army yet would still be praised just for the death of a few troublesome Colovian lords. Perhaps it was fate that had made them strong to be a great challenge to him.
Falcrion was most pleased to see that the Bosmeri contigent had secured the escape route.
His enemies could no longer keep up.
He had survived, later he would converse with Trinimac.
On the other hand, frustratingly for the Colovians, they were just stopped short of claiming the Altmer's head, again and again they thought they had cornered him only for he and his troops to breakthrough them once more.
With Falcrion and his survivors still great in number speeding away, they gathered to recuperate and go over their losses.
The colovian lords that had been with the hammer group knelled before their warlord, their heads facing the ground.
"My lord, no word can express our apologies." Stated Erich von Model whomst was at the front of the forty lords that led it.
"Wolf, Numerius, and Kapsner are all dead. I offer my life as apologies." Were his words as he sat up and pulled a blade to his throat.
Siegward motioned him to cease.
"I do not want to lose another vassal this day. Too much has been lost." Replied Siegward as wind blew heavily through the camp.
"I am not going to ask you to make amends over something beyond your control, the Phoenix was more prepared than I. It is not your fault or that of anyone else in this army." He further assured.
"You all came to save us in the end, and have killed many Dominion troops yourself. We must not waste time over something so trivial." Said Siegward.
"I must take my leave for the moment. Reinhard, Erich, Klaus, and Tsaryov I ask that you come with me, vultures and other creatures come soon, I wish to find the bodies of my brother and Numerius."
With that, the Warlord strode for his horse as the four named men followed him.
The Warlord dismounted as he approached the site of the two's deaths as guarded by some Colovian warriors who fell to their knees.
Silent as the Warlord stood over the bodies of his brother and friend.
"Thank you. Head back to your stations, I wish to be left alone with them and the lords." He said to the troops.
"For you, Warlord!" They said in unision, and then jogged away.
Siegward stood in silence as he stared at the two corpses before him.
It was as though the two had died fighting back to back and had merely fell upon each other.
He fell to his knees as he reached for Numerius's body.
He held him with a hand onto his head as he embraced him.
Then after some minute or two, he let him down lightly.
He then embraced that of his brother, and took off the war mask he had worn.
His expression one of pain, and half liddled dark brown eyes.
Eventually, he let his brother lie down.
"Numerius, brother. Your deaths are my failing."
And was about to arise when he had spotted something that caught his eye.
Reaching forward, he pulled a colovian flag from the ground, and raised it upwards.
The Colovian flag with the two spears going into a diamond with a horse in the center had it that the diamond was perfectly filled in blood whilst the rest of the flag was in perfect shape.
"Reinhard, come here." Came his voice, for once that Reinhard had ever heard him it was as though the old warlord had lost some of his composure.
The Warlord faced him as he stood next to him.
"The blood of Numerius and my brother have filled the diamond. Reinhard, I grant you the blood flag of Colovia. Never forget the loss you will suffer from each battle as you go on." The Warlord stated as he handed it to Reinhard.
Bowing his head, Reinhard accepted it.
"They had fought to the last in an act of rare and uncommon bravery. Carry on their spirit."
"Now, may we send them off to the land of Shor." Stated the Warlord as his eyes wandered to the sky.
Later during the day, Midnight.
Multiple pyres were burning before the shrines of multiple gods.
Akatosh, Talos, Shor, and Orkey were being dedicated to after this battle.
The Warlord stood at the forefront of a hundred lords whomst all sat in the posture of a butterfly upon the grass below them in complete silence.
"My dear vassals who have passed. We shall continue to strive in your spirits. Through all the years we have gone through together they now reach it's end. I hope that until the end of our days that you continue to watch over us, and remind us of who we are."
"At the end of times I ask for no forgiveness, and all that I shall say is that your deaths are all my failing, and in time I believe that I shall make you proud."
With that the Warlord finished speaking, and began a prayer.
"Great lord over time, lord of man, lord of death, and great lord of the endless war beyond our life. We dedicate our suffering to you, our joy to you, our victory to you, our desire to move forwards to you."
All of the lords behind him chanted the prayer, he heard his son and Reinhard behind him prominently.
"Our time on Nirn lingers and grows tempoary, we exist for the will of the land as granted by you. And let us be parted with it in our hands."
The Warlord then clapped his hands twice in a slow pace and bowed his head as the lords chanted.
In the end, it had been a great victory for the Colovians, the Phoenix would be able to come back at them in full force for three months, and the path to the Eagle King, the heart of the Dominion was wide open.
They would continue their march. The mourning would not slow them down.
Much work was in front of them, and the bloody path they had longed walked on grew ever more longer and harder.
Siegward would endeavor to do his best to see the shared dream succeded.
Endless glory.
Valenwood, two days after the battle with in northern Ohmes.
Falcrion Salingorin sat before a statue of his god.
Dressed as though he were but a normal citizen he talked in silence to it.
His hands in a prayer before his face as he stared past them in thought and silence.
Three commanders stood behind him, staring up at the statue of Trinimac that the bosmer had erected here years ago.
"Farna. Have you killed the one who wounded you twice?" Falcrion spoke up, asking something that had come to attention in his head.
"Yes, he has been dealt with." She replied.
Falcrion thought to himself some.
"I see." He replied.
"Come, join." He requested.
Farna Gaelock smiled, and sat behind him.
"Tuminar. How fares home?" He asked an Altmer no more than 300, he was a fair man.
"They are displeased with the war, however they are slow to make change." He stated.
"I see it so, the world is not the way it should be headed." Falcrion replied.
"I ask that you join in prayer." He asked the man.
Tuminar Spellfhar nodded, and sat down.
"Jovriss. Do you think we travel the right path?" The warrior of Trinimac then asked his old friend.
"Yes, we still follow our promise to it's fullest. At the end of each day we still defend our home, that battle was the loss of the Thalmor." The older Altmer voiced.
Falcrion lips curled upwards, contented.
"Join."
Jovriss joined the three, placing his hands up together in a prayer.
They were silent as the smell from the burning candles waved into them.
"My lord, this day we mourn the loss of those who have perished gloriously in battle for the sake of Nirn and you. They were good fighters and better friends, it was an upmost pleasure to have had them."
"We have come to wish the souls of our enemy go to the gods as well. A worthy and great people of likes that shall not been seen in years. The greatest foes that you could have been given to me, each fight with them is ecstasy. I thank you, and wish you are kind on them as you are to I."
"The life and purpose you have given to me since the day I came to you I have never forgotten. One day I know I shall meet you as you were in the days of the beginning."
He then grabbed a glass bowl that was full of water, and drank from it.
He looked forward to the next battle with the Lion of Colovia, it had given him a refreshing breath of life since 204 years ago there in Valenwood, the days he had reformed himself.
He finished the water, and then raised it to the air empty as his expression changed to that of contentedness.
He would observe the Warlord's battle with the Eagle King.
He looked forward to it in all that he could learn and admire from.
End of the First Great War Chapter 2
Hello everyone, hope things are still alright with all of you considering the pure amount of craziness going around right now.
The next chapter of the main story shall be within the month for sure.
And to those who live in the US, happy Independence Day to you!