Chapter 4: The Battle of Alnus Hill
The Reich Empire camp lit up in a blaze of activity. Knights and soldiers raced into positions as their officers barked orders and horns blasted. Itami stretched as he came out of his tent armored up and with his epaulet jacket cape on.
The knight tried to calm his racing heart but refused to let it show as he walked about with Forest, who snarled behind him. They passed Freidhelm, whom Sherry ensnared in a fiery kiss before he reluctantly pulled her off him.
"I have to go, my love. I am a lieutenant."
"Please, be careful!" Sherry pleaded with tears in her eyes.
Freidhelm's dragon whined and licked Sherry before pulling his rider onto his saddle. Freidhelm began directing a squadron of knights while Alra and her dragon brought infantry up to the fortifications.
"Auf geht es! For the Father and Reich Empire!" She roared.
"You heard her!"
"Ja, to arms!"
"So noisy." Itami sighed.
He approached a guarded tent where Bruno stood with Bozes. Itami could have heard what they spoke of via Forest's enhanced hearing but realized it was a private conversation. Plus, the pleading looks on Bozes's face, and the gentle smile on Bruno's gave him a reasonable idea. Not wanting to interrupt, Itami snuck around the back as the guards inclined their heads. He returned their gesture, then lifted up the tent just enough to speak inside.
"Pina, it's me. May I come in?"
"As if I have a choice."
"It would be rude to come in unannounced. You might be in a state of undress."
Pina grumbled something but gave him permission all the same. Itami snuck inside and sat her sitting on a cot, arms crossed. She tried to maintain a dignified composure, but Forest had other plans. The dragon gave an evil grin, then pushed Pina onto her back before assaulting the princess with a series of licks. Pina screamed and tried to shove her off, but Forest proved too strong.
Itami chuckled and shook his head. After a minute, Pina's shouts transformed into giggles. Her face followed suit as she gave a child-like smile, and tears of joy streamed down. Itami sat down beside the princess, and Forest finally relented.
"It seems we have to fight your people. I hope you can forgive me."
"Humph, the gods are on our side, barbarian. My father is a conqueror, and his army is the mightiest in the world!" Pina snapped.
"In this world, perhaps." Itami said.
He saw a fire ignite in her eyes, but there was a hint of lament there, too. Unlike before, she seemed rawer and less focused. For the briefest moment, he thought he saw regret in her face, and she opened her mouth as if to say something but then clamped it shut.
"I have to go now. But I wanted to tell you something first. Whatever happens, I am glad I met you, Pina. Whatever you think you need to do to earn your father's love, know you are worthy of it regardless."
Before Pina could speak, Itami leaned in and kissed her cheek. The princess turned redder than her hair, and her lips quivered while steam shot out of both ears. Forest howled and wagged her tail while Itami got up.
"Pray for me, Pina."
He turned to see Bruno had followed his example but proved bolder. The Polonian knight kissed Bozes on the lips, and she appeared ready to melt. Yet as he tried to pull away, Bozes refused to let go and kissed him back harder. Itami and Forest nodded together, and Pina proved too flustered from the kiss on her cheek to speak.
"I will return, I promise." Bruno said.
"Alright, come on lover boy." Itami pulled Bruno along.
They made their way to the left flank, where Itami took off into the air on Forest. Thankfully, Bruno had them devise an order of battle last night in case Augustus committed to battle. Over thirty thousand Reich heavy infantry lined up along the hilltop in a tight formation while over a thousand crossbowmen stood in a trench fifty meters ahead with wooden stakes protecting them.
Frederick, Jean, Suzaka, and Alra flew over the line while Freidhelm did the same over the right flank. There, a squadron of mounted knights on equoferri stood ready with more halberdiers behind them. Itami scratched his cheek while looking over his own men below. He commanded the left flank, where a second squadron of knights and halberdier formation stood ready.
"Everything is set, I guess. Let's see what Pina's father has in store for us."
Peering down Alnus Hill, Itami surveyed Molt's order of battle. His legions stood in the center, roughly thirty-thousand legions in formation opposing the Reich soldiers. Flanking them stood several thousand men in bronze-colored breastplates with Corinth helmets, small round shields, and great pikes held high into the air. Given their different banners, these had to be vassals of the Empire, nor were they alone.
In reserve stood thousands of men in leather or mail armor with iron helms, and some with just tunics. They carried an assortment of weapons, from shields, spears, swords, and axes. Unlike the legions or phalangites, these warriors barely formed up.
Forest growled when she spotted more monsters among these vassal troops. Pig beasts, orcs, minotaurs, and more stood ready with bloodthirsty expressions. So they would wait. After all, their army held the high ground, and Augustus had to drive them from it to gain victory. Catapults came up while soldiers chanted around them.
"Here we go."
Itami glanced toward Jean and Silver, who flew a little closer to the enemy. When the catapults hurled their rounds towards them, the Royaume knight pointed his right finger toward one. The enemy army gasped as one when a beam of silver light flew through the air and consumed the boulder in an explosion. Before they knew what happened, Silver unleashed another beam from her jaws and destroyed the second boulder. One by one, dragon and rider ended the threat before unleashing two more beams.
Two catapults erupted in silvery light while the crews scattered before shrapnel. Cheers erupted from across the Reich lines, but Itami kept his eyes fixed on the enemy lines. Men and women dressed like the old man from the commune raced about. One muttered something, and a red light formed in front of him, shaped like a shield.
When Jean's next beam struck, it rang like a gong but did no damage. Itami sighed. He feared such a development and supposed he was foolish for thinking it might be that easy. Still, he found some comfort when the spellcasters shot back, only for chaplains and nuns in their ranks to absorb them without incident.
Even if bonded magic would not win them an easy victory, they still had their new weapon from Envidia. Itami glanced back toward their line, where four cylindrical pieces of metal held down by wooden sides rested. Unarmored soldiers filled the cylinders with blue powder while others loaded round balls in after.
"Make ready! Fire!"
At Frederick's command, Itami covered Forest's ears, and four thunderous explosions roared across the hilltop. A cloud of blue smoke shot up from the four mortars while the spheres soared through the air. Itami saw the terror and disbelief on the legionaries' faces through Forest's eyes. Men scattered, and the last four catapults shattered before the mortar rounds.
"And now we wait for Molt to act." Itami sat back in the saddle but remained vigilant. Forest whined and pointed her head to a formation of violet armored legionaries in the rear. Peering closer with her, Itami saw a middle-aged man with thick blonde hair and a mustache gritting his teeth. He wore a golden laurel reef and violet muscle cuirass with a fur mantle.
"Molt Augustus. Pina's father." Itami's stomach tightened.
The minutes dragged on as their side kept up the mortar fire. One by one, they destroyed the Empire's war machines and managed to kill a few bunched-up monsters. Molt brought his officers to him, and what looked like a fierce conversation began.
"Come on, fall back. Father grant him the wisdom to fall back." Itami pleaded.
Instead, he sighed as the officers returned to their posts, and things started moving. Hundreds of unarmored men in wolf pelts raced ahead of the legionaries alongside men with slings and bows. They raced up the hill toward the trench and stakes.
"Poor souls." Itami moaned.
As much as he wanted to look away, he had a responsibility to keep situational awareness. The crossbowmen set up large pavise shields over themselves and hunkered down as a hail of arrows, javelins, and stones rained down upon them. Yet, it had no effect. The shields, trench, and helmets protected each crossbowman from any arm.
At their lieutenant's command, they raised their crossbows and unleashed a wave of bolts. Itami gritted his teeth but forced himself to watch the carnage unfold. Hundreds of the unarmored missile troops all but fell apart from the volley of deadly crossbow bolts. Without armor, the iron-tipped projectiles tore through their soft bodies. Blood and human entrails poured out amid cries of anguish and lament.
Several chaplains tried to race out, but Reich soldiers restrained them. As much as it pained Itami to admit it, those soldiers were right. The other enemy forces would show them no mercy. Itami tried to frighten them off with some magical spiked roots, but they withered before a witch among the missile troops. Thus, the carnage dragged on longer.
Two more volleys proved enough, and what remained of the missile troops routed all the way back to their lines. Some even fled the battle entirely and disappeared into the countryside. Over half the enemy missile troops lay dead, and jeers erupted from the Reich soldiers while the Empire's troops snarled back threats.
"Alright, now withdraw. Gefallen." Itami pleaded.
Alas, Molt did not budge. Horns played, and the legionaries advanced up the hill. The phalanxes on the flanks did the same while the reserve heavy infantry came up behind. Rocks fell into Itami's stomach again, and he tightened his grip on Forest's reins.
"And so, it begins."
Several winged dragons flew up over the advancing troops but kept their distance from the Reich ballistae.
"Bruno, are you ready?"
"Ja! At your command!" The lieutenant roared from atop his equoferri at the head of their squadron.
Waiting was always the worst part of a battle, and Itami could do nothing but watch the enemy come closer and closer. Their crossbowmen shot another two volleys, but unlike the missile troops, the legionaries held firm. They raised their shields and, with lockstep discipline, moved up as one.
The crossbow bolts bounced off the scutums and helmets with no effect. Seeing this, the crossbowmen shifted their attention to the phalangites and less armored warriors in reserve. These poor souls were not so fortunate. Even those with armor fell to the powerful bolts. Volley after volley thinned their ranks and scattered those who suffered the most. Forest groaned and gestured to the left flank.
Itami patted her snout and nodded. She was right. He needed to focus on his part of the battle. A formation of phalangites marched up the hill as a cohesive unit, shields raised and pikes out. However, they did not come up alone. Three wyverns and their riders flew over the vassal troops, but Itami realized they were but a distraction.
Forest fixed her gaze on the real danger. Horseriders moved in an arching path. There had to be hundreds of them. Equities like Pina's Rose order took the center; only these were men. Lighter, unarmored horsemen with spears moved up on their left, while men clad in mail or leather came up on the right.
"Ahh, I see, hammer and anvil. Very clever. Bruno, you see those riders?"
"It's hard from down here, but barely."
"Bruno, begin a trot. Wait for my command, then charge."
Bruno echoed Itami's orders and spurred his equoferri a little until it huffed and started a gentle walk down the hillside. The halberdiers behind them did the same, marching to the beat of a drummer with their polearms raised. Inch by inch, the knights kept their slow pace toward the phalanx. Itami let Forest watch the three wyverns circling over the phalangites, just waiting to attack her. He watched the enemy cavalry, which had now moved perpendicular to Bruno's squadron and the Reich infantry. They then started to gallop. The phalanx, too, tightened their ranks and marched faster up the hill, ready to try and impale the equoferris' tough hides. But Itami had other plans.
"Now, Forest." At her rider's command, she let out a thunderous roar that jumped the phalangites and enemy horsemen for a moment.
At that time, Bruno turned his mount away and led the other knights behind him until they formed a wedge shape facing the approaching horsemen. Then at the sound of a horn blast, they spurred their equoferri and raced down the hill in close order, stirrup to stirrup. Each knight couched a lance under their arm and cried out in Reich. The charging equoferri shook the ground itself in an artificial earthquake, making the enemy horses rear in panic. Equoferri already towered over ordinary horses of Itami's world, but those of the special region stood even smaller, making them all but dwarfs to the steel creatures charging them. The equites and their auxiliaries tried to flee from the charge, but the knights all but flew down the hill. All three wyverns broke off in a desperate attempt to stop Bruno's squadron.
Forest snarled in delight and Itami guided her over in the nick of time, slamming two equoferri back with a punishing body slam and knocking the third away with her tail. The smaller dragons tumbled away, barely remaining airborne, and Itami watched the carnage unfold beneath him. Bruno's lance tore through the equites captain's muscle cuirass with such force that it ripped the man's torso apart. The knight lieutenant kept hold of his lance and down one of the mailed auxiliary riders before his weapon snapped. All around him, the other knights found similar success and smashed through the larger cavalry formation. Their equoferri slammed the little horses through the air or trampled them beneath their hooves without tripping or bumping into each other. By the time Bruno and his knights came out from the other side, over half their enemy lay dead, and the rest scattered. A chaplain riding among them quickly washed away the injuries of any who sustained a blow, but Bruno lost no men in the charge.
Once regrouped, he drew his sword and launched a second charge to finish the horsemen. What followed was butcher's work, where the huge Reich knights cut apart the smaller men like lambs for the slaughter. A few equites managed to land counter blows, but their spears and swords glanced harmlessly off the knights' suits of gothic armor. Many more fled while others surrendered and received mercy. Itami let out a deep exhale and gave thanks to Saint Petronas for watching over Bruno and the others.
"Saint Petronas, pray for the rest of us, too." He said.
The dragon knight parried the lances of all three wyvern riders. Forest tore through one dragon's neck with two strokes of her front leg claws. Scales and blue blood poured down like rain while Itami sent a jagged root through the air from his offhand and impaled the man through his cuirass. Down below, the phalangites fared little better. They jabbed at Itami's halberdiers, but coming down the hill, his bigger men reached out with the hook ends of their polearms and started snatching the pikes by the shaft. Given their immense strength compared to the little men, many halberdiers ripped the pikes out of their owners' hands or snapped the metal tips off. Some of the phalangites dropped their small shields and gripped their pikes by both hands, but the Reich gave them no respite. A volley of crossbow bolts tore into their ranks, puncturing armor, flesh, and bone. The great length of their pikes kept the phalangites so far from the Reich soldiers that none fell to friendly crossbow bolts. A few men in the phalanx managed to jab at the halberdiers, but their pikes just hit solid brigandine or plate. Any that found exposed skin had their work undone by chaplains mixed into the ranks, and their healing water.
Then, Itami saw his second rank fall into position and pitied the phalanx. Reich soldiers with pikes of their own reached over the heads of their halberdiers and jabbed down into the enemy formation. With methodical precision, they jabbed at exposed areas among the phalangites' armor and faces, dropping them one by one alongside the withering crossbow volleys. Itami focused back on the danger before him and blocked two incoming sword blows. Forest bit down on the nearer wyvern's neck, then tore its body apart with jagged roots shot from inside her jaws. Itami shoved the second rider back and slashed through the first, toppling him in half. With this, the last wyvern broke and flew off with its rider, giving Itami a front-row seat for the rest of the battle. Freidhelm and his forces on the right flank found similar success to his forces, while the legions came within thirty meters. The crossbowmen fell back from the trench, but the heavy infantry did not step into it. Instead, they stood on the edge and held their halberds/pikes out along the wooden stakes.
The legionaries halted, then, as one, brought their arms back and hurled a volley of javelins through the air. For a brief moment, Itami braced himself but then relaxed when a violet magical light surrounded the pilum. Suzaka and Crusher's gravity magic brought the darts straight down into the trench. In a fury, the legionaries hurled a second wave but achieved the same result. The samurai held his magicae naginata out while Crusher growled at the circling wyverns across from him. Despite the failure of their pilum, the legions pressed on and started pulling at the stakes. As they did so, halberds and pikes jabbed over their scutums. Some of the polearms used their hooks to wrestle shields away from legionaries. The Empire's main soldiers' lorica segmentata offered them better protection than the phalangites' armor. However, their spatha swords could not reach the Reich soldiers, and even if they could, their armor proved too strong. Every six minutes or so, the centurions blew a whistle, and the men at the front cycled back, and the next man took his place.
Itami nodded in amazement at the cohesion and discipline of the legions. Such a tactic necessitated intense training. It was a shame that it did not help them. Chaplains and nuns washed away injuries and fatigue throughout the Reich ranks, who kept up their efforts against the legionaries. The minutes dragged on, and despite the legions' tactics and discipline, attrition took its toll. A few spellcasters tried to break the stalemate, but the Reich chaplains washed their magic away. Above, Alra and her dragon Löwe kept two wyvern riders back, allowing Suzaka and Crusher to hunt down another three. Jean blasted one out of the sky with Silver and slashed two more, protecting Frederick, who slammed a rider and wyvern into the ground with Drache.
It did not take a military genius to see the outcome of this battle. Even amid the screams, roars, and blasts of magic from the air, Itami saw their victory so long as Molt had no surprises for them. Perhaps he did, so Forest and Itami kept their eyes on Pina's father. Then, the knight cursed himself for jinxing it. Another horn blew, and Molt sent the last of his reserves in. Snarling and grumbling, thousands of auxiliary warriors moved forward like mobs, howling their war cries. Among them came pale orcs, minotaurs, pig monsters, and something else. Big, fat, and tall orc-like monsters lumbered toward the Riech ranks with oversized clubs in hand. "Trolls." Itami thought.
Some of them exceeded eight feet in height, and a foul stench filled the air from their direction. Forest groaned and rubbed her snout. As much as Itami wanted to deal with them, the last wyvern remained a threat. Thankfully, others took care of them for him. After finishing the enemy riders, Bruno charged the wavering phalanx on its flank, sweeping over them like a tidal wave. This freed up the pikemen and halberdiers, who marched after the approaching reserves while crossbow volleys tore into the monsters. The barbarian warriors, orcs, and pig monsters broke upon the halberd tips like waves upon a rock. The minotaurs and trolls tried to bat the pikes away but found themselves stabbed again and again. Greasy blood poured onto the grassy hillside, causing many orcs to slip until two dead trolls crushed a dozen beneath their bulks. Yet, the worst was still to come. A Reich horn blasted, and chants erupted across their lines.
Itami almost jumped with a giddy expression, and Forest panted in delight. Hundreds of heavily armored men-at-arms with great steel wings on the back of their suits marched from the camp. They were Bruno's people, the Polonians, and a chorus of terrified yelps and screams escaped the Imperial army when they saw them. The shortest of these heavy infantrymen stood over eight feet tall, while the tallest exceeded ten. They wielded massive halberds or broadswords and bore down upon the enemy reserves. A few trolls and minotaurs snarled, then marched to challenge them. What followed was no fight but a massacre. The Polonian soldiers tore through the giant monsters without losing a single man, then began butchering the auxiliaries. The orcs and human barbarians broke and fled the battlefield against them and the other Reich pikemen. Bruno and Freidhelm's cavalry ended the battle with a pincer movement along the now-exposed flanks. They rolled up the weakened legions from both ends while the Polonians joined in. The main Reich infantry pressed forward, completing the encirclement.
"And so it ends." Itami exhaled.
He hoped and prayed the legions would surrender, but many fought on until put down. The last wyvern riders broke in panic alongside legionaries, equities, and auxiliaries that escaped the encirclement. Molt tried to rally them, but Itami's heart stopped when the swarms of orcs and trolls came straight for him. His praetorians formed a barrier and cut down many, but the orcs pressed in like a flood. Molt, too, joined his guard and killed a troll that smashed through. However, the damage was done, and orcs swarmed over them.
"No!"
Forest shot herself at the frey alongside Drache. Both dragons slammed into the grass, flattening dozens of orcs beneath them before they raked more with their tails. Itami impaled another ten with his roots while Frederick transformed into a human-dragon hybrid. Snarling, the prince leaped off his dragon and slashed the final troll's head off. Together, the cousins and their dragons soaked the area with orc blood, but alas, they were too late. Itami gagged and staggered back into Forest when he saw August's butchered body. Fredrick, still in his dragon form, groaned and knelt beside Molt, closing his eyes.
"Scheiße. This is no way for an emperor to die."
"Pina." Itami's stomach turned to stone. How was he going to tell her this? How could she forgive them?
The battle wrapped up with the Reich rounding up their prisoners and looting the enemy camp. Vultures started circling over the bloody corpses and fought with the Reich soldiers who stripped the dead of everything valuable. Suzaka cried out in glee as he held his weapon up. Alra rolled her eyes while Jean shook his head.
"Father preserve us. Molt's beasts turned on him?" Freidhelm muttered.
"Ja, it appears we did too well. Itami, Pina must be told." Frederick sighed.
Itami swallowed hard but nodded. Forest whined a little but carried him and Bruno back to their camp, followed closely by Freidhelm and his dragon. Itami's mind raced at a thousand miles per hour as he envisioned Pina's reaction. Her tears and sobbing alongside a broken pale expression.
"Father, please, help her." He pleaded.
Freidhelm and his dragon broke off, and they reunited with Sherry. The former Rose Equites jumped into his arms and ensnared Friedhelm in a kiss. Across the camp, the other former Rose Order members did the same with their returning husbands. The sight warmed Itami's heart a little bit. By the end, they suffered several dozen wounded, but not a single Reich man died that day. This alone was more than worthy of thanks to the Father.
"Scheiße! Itami!" Bruno cried.
Itami looked where he pointed, and the dragon knight's heart sank. Pina and Bozes's tent stood there with most of the loyal Rose Equities on the ground, being restrained by the guards. Forest yelped and landed among them before ripping the tent open. Itami and Bruno's faces turned pale when they saw it lay empty.
"Erbarmen, Herr Itami, Herr Bruno!" One of the guards pleaded. "These fraulines were being escorted to lunch when, as one, they fled from their guides and swarmed us. It took us several minutes to restrain them, but in that time, the princess and her lady escaped."
Forest had to hold Itami and Bruno up. Both shivered, their muscles failing them as dread closed in around them like an avalanche.
"Princess Pina is safe from you barbarians! She will rally us!" One of the women declared.
Jubilation filled the Reich encampment. Music flowed like a harmonious wind through Alnus Hill as knights, soldiers, and noncombatants danced, feasted, and drank in celebration of their victory. Even the former Rose equities danced with their new husbands, just as pleased about the results. Joy overtook almost everyone except Itami, Forest, and Bruno.
They sat in the command tent but barely touched their dinner. Suzaka, Freidhelm, Jean, Alra, and Frederick joined them with their dragons. Suzaka regaled them with the details of his exploits during the battle, all while drinking Reich schnapps. Jean shook his head while drinking wine with Silver. Despite their overwhelming victory, Itami's heart lay in pieces. Pina was gone, and even if somehow he found her, she would never forgive him. Bruno looked no better after Bozes's flight. Forest whined in a high-pitched tone and rested her massive head on Itami's lap. He stroked her scales but found little comfort.
"Alright, let's wrap this up quick. I want to celebrate with the men." Frederick said.
"Ja, tis good for morale." Drache growled. The black dragon gazed longingly out at the party going on outside. Frederick moved his hand to a map of the local area lay on the table before them, recovered from the enemy camp.
"We won a great victory, but we cannot sit idle either. The enemy will be in chaos with Molt dead, which means we have a chance to secure the local area and fortify. Once we are in power here, we can go back to the negotiating table with Zorzal and organize a proper peace. This town here, Italica, is the largest settlement in this region, correct Sherry?"
"Yes, your highness." Sherry said and bowed her head. "It is a commercial town that provides significant revenues. Many merchants travel there. It is fortified, but the local garrison would have joined Molt in his army as he passed through."
"We scattered much of the Imperial host. There is a good chance many survivors fled there or plan to." Friedhelm said.
"Ja, you are correct, which is why we must take it. Itami." Frederick turned to his cousin.
Itami looked up but remained silent. The Imperial Prince took a deep breath. "Itami, I understand you are upset. But, I need you in your right mind, cousin-"
"I am in my right mind. Would you have me take the town?" Itami said louder than he intended.
"Ja. I want you and Alra to assemble a regiment and take control of Italica. Offer them terms to surrender; if not, they do not seem to have means of stopping our dragons, so it should be a simple enough manner. I want to win over the locals so they will be more apt to help us and accept conversion when the time is right. Treat them with proper courtesy."
Itami and Alra bowed their heads in response. Frederick nodded before moving his hand to the countryside.
"That leaves us with the matter of the other survivors. Many of Molt's auxiliaries and vassals will have returned home. Those who have not are likely going to become brigands and plunder the countryside. Jean, Suzaka, I want you to take a retinue of scouts and track them down. If they surrender, take them alive. If not, do what you must. I also want you to make contact with the local villages and inform them that we are in power now. Instruct them to send representatives here."
"Oui, mon ami. It will be done." Jean said.
At that, Frederick departed to join the festivities. The others joined him, save Itami and Bruno. Both sat there, crippled, before Suzaka grabbed Itami and Jean Bruno.
"Come on, Aciemes boys. Time to get your mind off those women." Suzaka laughed.
"Oui. We celebrate." Jean said, and Alra came up behind and pushed them out of the tent, laughing as she did so.
Author's note
Greetings, I hope you guys are enjoying so far.
If you guys are interested in the world Itami comes from, I have written a novel set in the equivalent of Spain. The story is on my Wattpadd account under Fictionknight2 and is called Righteous Ambitions: A King's Journey. It is heavily inspired by anime like One Piece and Fairy Tail and also takes inspiration from history. If you are interested, please consider taking a look.
As for this story, it is already completely written so I am afraid I cannot take requests for characters.
So until next time,
Please review, comment, suggest, or ask (VIA PM)