The Accursed Chronicles: Episode 1
A Power World fanfiction by Ceres 82.1
Author's Note
I have little to say in this chapter's Author's Note. I promised an update to come soon, and here it is! Enjoy it, and if you want to make it more enjoyable, please give me advice/comments in your reviews (or PM if you want to say it privately). I will thank you in advance.
Be warned: This is a battle chapter. If you can't stomach the war chapters, you might want to stop reading altogether; this fanfic series will mainly compose of war. But don't worry, I'll be sure to put in other themes.
Also, I've been planning to make sketches of battle maps related to this fic and upload them in my site as the story progresses. This is yet a plan, however.
By the way, I'm giving credit to my reading of The Lord of the Rings: The Twin Towers for helping me with the battle chapters. You may also notice its effect on the characters' dialogues.
And a small favor from you, dear readers. I'm very inexperienced in weaving the words and behavior of girls and women in the medieval age (think Fire Emblem or Zelda or Runescape or something like that). If you find the dialouges of the female characters (AKA Kira, Drabiticium, Seira, and Ezinale) unfitting for their gender or are needing some improvements, please do not hesitate to review or PM me about it.
Chapter 5: The Battle of Dagger Pass (Part 2)
Things are not going well for the front lines. The Revenants have slowly gained ground, with the barricades almost fully taken. The two remaining commanders are struggling to defend themselves against the attacks of their enemies, and the defeated are piling up on the blood-soaked ground. It is a dreadful sight, and it struck the hearts and spirits of the men.
"Gaah! When is this going to be over?" Tethas said. "And this night, this night seems to be much too long for a night!"
"I'd agree with you, my friend," Cloud shouted over the din of combat. "This inky blackness discourages me. I long to see the light, shining radiantly over the horizon!" And as he said this, he dodged a Revenant's swipe. "And the endless sight of these monsters are dousing the fire of my spirit."
As the battle progressed in the front lines, Drabiticium and Seira still are in a hot discussion about their retreat strategy inside the main tent.
"But, we must reach them in time! This plan will fail if the forces are pushed back to the camps, or if they break through the lines. And the lines will be in the verge of breaking."
"That will be easy. We have our cavalry to push back their advance, and the footmen to hold them longer. Our retreat will be smoothly executed, and will save the bulk of our forces."
"But, how will our meagre forces-"
The two were interrupted by a guard who announced to them, "My lady! A company of cavalry is approaching us from the rear!" The two hurried outside and looked at the direction where the guard is looking and saw a large company of horsemen riding some distance away from them.
"Just in time! Ezinale has arrived. But who is that rider with her? I do not recognize him," Seira said.
"Neither do I," Drabiticium agreed. "Come, we shall meet them at the rear gates and give them counsel about the situation." The two then stood outside the gates, waiting for the company to arrive. Soon, the veritable army rode and stopped in front of the gates, bristling with lances.
"Well met!" Dabiticium greeted the newcomers. "Our situation is grave, and you have come in the nick of time. Ezinale, and you," she nodded to the rider, "come with me to the tent. We have a strategy, and we must execute it as fast as we can." The yet unknown rider ordered the men to make a defensive position in the camp, and went inside with the three.
"Okay! Here's the plan," Drabiticium started, as she brought out a map and some sketches. "We will be moving forward in three flanks, one main flank led by Seira and you," she nodded to the man, " which comprises our combined cavalry, and two trailing flanks led by me and Ezinale which comprise our footmen. The main flank will push through, while the front lines retreat. At the moment that the front lines have started to withdraw their forces and make a retreat, the trailing flanks will go forward, strenthening the assault and protecting the main flank from a three-sided attack. Once the front lines have withdrawn fully to the continuation of the pass, the main flank will withdraw with us, the commanders, and the two other flanks will retreat. Once we have reached the edge of the clearing, the forces are safe, and we can ride on to the Middle Guard. All pursuing forces can be easily fended off. Is this strategy clear to you all?" The three nodded their assent. "We shall go, then. We must not delay any further." The four then walked out of the tent, ordered their men, and rode on their steeds, ready to go to battle. Drabiticium was approached by the rider.
"By the way, Drabiticium, my name's Argyle, Captain of the Middle Guard's night watch." Argyle did not wait for a reply, and rode to his company to give orders, putting on his helmet, sheathing his blade, and riding out to his company. Drabiticium then rode out to the forefront of their army, and shouted, "Riders of Rothlen, we ride! We ride to aid our ailing comrades! We ride for our future! We shall not win tonight, no, but I assure you that we will win, and that time shall be soon!" The troops gave a wild cheer, and the main flank rode forward, the footmen running behind them.
"Sir! Reinforcements are coming!" A soldier shouted at Dresdian, who looked behind him and saw an approaching company of horsemen, one of them shouting, "Give way! Give way!" The troops dived out of the way as the cavalry rode forward, but once they're out of the way, they cheered, their spirits refreshed at the arriving forces. Dresdian, although still wounded, stood and ordered his troops, "Men! I am weak and wounded, but mind me not! Go on, join them, and crush the enemy beneath us!" His soldiers cheered, and followed his command, running in step with the other forces. He and his personal guard then retreated to the main camp and looked upon the battle with apprehension.
"Retreat! Our lines cannot withstand this assault any longer!" Cloud shouted the order, and his forces quickly turned tail and ran nearly into the hooves of the incoming reinforcements, Argyle shouting, "Charge! Cover the retreat!" With this, Tethas also ordered his men to retreat as the cavalry mowed down the front lines of the enemy, and the trailing forces quickly filled up the space left by the retreating forces, and started to hold back the incoming wave of enemies. Fighting with vigor and enthusiasm, the incoming forces drew back the enemy lines, as the front lines retreated to the edge of the clearing, making it slowly to the Middle Guard.
"Tethas!" Dresdian called out to the burly commander as he was running to his horse, which he left at the main camp. "Are we retreating?"
"Aye, sir. The reinforcements are holding the enemy lines so we can retreat safely." Tethas got up on his horse and rode off, Dresdian following suit shortly after, bearing the pain caused by his aggravated injuries. Soon, most of the army made it to the edge of the clearing, riding and running over the hard-packed earth on the way to the massive gates of the Middle Guard. Argyle saw the last footman disappear into the inky darkness in the dark, narrow pass.
"They've left the clearing! They're safe!" Argyle shouted as he hacked his blade hard onto the body of a Revenant. "We should sound the retreat in a short while!"
"We will leave in a short while," Drabiticium replied. "Our retreat must be sure, and it should happen at the right time." A short time passed as the forces held the enemy lines in a deadlock, until Drabiticium called, "Main flank, retreat! We shall be riding with you! Footmen, cover our retreat!" The three commanders pulled back with the cavalry, riding hard across the clearing as the footmen trailed behind them, slewing down some pursuing Revenants. Soon, the main flank made it to the edge of the clearing and into the narrow pass, riding off into the distance. The footmen slowly backed into the pass and then retreated, the Revenants hot on their tail. As Seira looked back, she saw the footmen slowly being overrun by the more agile, faster Revenants.
"We must reach the Middle Guard before we are wiped out! Most of the main forces must have arrived before its gates," Seira said to Drabiticium as they rode out. "How many leagues from the clearing to the Middle Guard's gates?"
"About five leagues," Ezinale grimly said. "and we have crossed but a small fraction of the distance.."
Okay! Here's the fifth chapter. I hope that it was great! Please give me feedback and advice, because I will be making a lot of battle chapters for this fanfiction series. Constructive criticism is nice, too. And, how's my attempt at a cliffhanger?