Disclaimer I do not own any of the characters from gate nor any of its bs its just Erdia and the concept of the nations within it
10th of March, 687 A.D
King Duran oversaw his army as they continued their march past the Tybe Mountain. His army was soon to reach the encampment in Alnus Hill, yet something was already amiss.
Duran knew he wasn't the only one experiencing disappearing scouts and foraging parties. Other Allied armies had also encountered such disappearances.
Thankfully, as they neared the encampment in Alnus, the incidents lessened, yet the fear lingered. The men grew restless, much to Duran's frustration. They couldn't track down the source or find where they were. Wyvern scouts weren't much help when they flew high above, risking their lives, especially considering their limited numbers.
"My lord, we're nearing the encampment in Alnus Hill," one of Duran's retainers interrupted his thoughts.
As soon as they arrived, Duran was called upon. Giving orders to his men to rest and prepare for the coming battle, the Lion of Elbe neared the Command Post, where he could hear arguing among the commanders of the vassal armies.
As he entered, he saw the King of Mudwan and the King of Alguna arguing over whether they should attack now or wait.
The King of Mudwan pushed for using this time to dig in and establish siege weapons with the Duke Merain Engineers, while the King of Alguna wanted to launch an immediate attack tomorrow.
Duran listened intently until the League Principality, Duke Ligu, asked for his opinion.
"So, Lord Duran, what do you believe is the best course of action right now? Though I agree with Alguna," asked Duke Ligu.
Duran eyed him for a moment before finally voicing his concern aloud. "Where the hell is the Imperial Army?" His words hung heavy in the air, leaving the entire tent in utter silence.
With the question lingering in everyone's mind, 'Where the hell is the Imperial Army?', a sense of weariness settled over the gathering.
The king of Mudwan broke the silence first. "Has anyone spotted even a single sign of the Imperial Army?" His inquiry was met with complete silence.
Not a single trace of the Imperial Army had been spotted. No Imperial soldiers, no messengers-absolutely nothing. Suspicion hung heavy in the air.
Amidst the growing uncertainty, it was one of the Allied Army commanders, Duke Varland, who voiced what many were thinking. "So did Emperor Molt simply send us here to do the Imperial bidding?" His question stirred further doubt, yet silence fell once more when Duke Ligu rose and countered, "And so what if he did? Isn't it all the better? We'll seize the glory and showcase our power even more."
He was swiftly countered by a weary King of Mudwan "And so what win a pointless battle for the empire? an empire that doesn't even care for us?" with a weary view.
An argument brewed as the realization sank in: the absence of the Imperial Army meant one thing to many. Either the Imperials had suffered a severe defeat, compelling them to delegate their tasks to the allied forces, or Emperor Molt was manipulating them. Yet, it was the Lion of Elbe who, with a weary tone, posed a crucial question, "Has any of you even come close to capturing the foes who attacked our scouts and foraging parties?" Once again, silence fell over the tent, punctuating the weight of their predicament.
As they advanced towards Alnus Hill, the initial attacks were frequent, with the Mudwan army suffering the most casualties, totaling over 1,000. Despite their losses, they hadn't managed to capture a single foreigner.
The Allied army commanders found themselves in a dilemma, torn between going on the offense or withdrawing. Ultimately, they decided to follow King Mudwan's plan. Foraging parties were sent out to gather wood, while Duke Merain Engineers began constructing catapults as night fell.
--
The following day saw the allied commanders continue to bicker, yet the engineers of Duke Marain finished their construction of the catapults with preparations underway. However, on the fourth day, as the allied commanders bickered among themselves about leadership and strategy, a soldier from one of the allied armies entered, bowing before announcing to all the commanders that messengers from the gate had arrived. This announcement left most uncertain, but as the messengers entered, they watched the Otherworlders with clear interest.
The messenger bowed before stating, "My lords, our great Marquis wishes to negotiate with all. After all, is it not true that our true enemy is the empire?" His question was met with silence as many began to whisper among themselves.
Yet Duran spoke after a brief silence, "And so what? You have desecrated the sacred hill of Alnus and have attacked our men. What will be in it for us?" His words hung heavily in the air.
It was Duke Ligu who stared in shock at Duran. "King Duran, are you seriously considering betraying the empire?" his statement had already struck a deep nerve within the Allied army.
Some, if not all, began to question, while others wanted to continue, and some seriously pondered the idea of betraying the empire.
The announcement of what the Otherworlders' messenger had said, even going so far as to show an Imperial Centurion Helmet, only added to the uncertainty.
Yet somehow, it was the King of Mudwan who made it clear. "There will be no negotiation until the first blood is spilled," he declared firmly. "After all, we are still enemies. But most importantly, there is the simple fact of uncertainty."
With the messenger sent off, the entire Allied Command broke down virtually. Commanders split between those eager for battle and those wishing for independence. Some were decidedly continuing the battle ahead, while others, visibly unwilling, decided to stay back. Out of the 21 other kingdoms, which include Elbe, Alguna, Mudwan, and the Principality League, the divisions were clear and tensions ran high.
"I can't believe what you're truly saying, King Duran. Has age caught up with you?" asked Duke Ligu, observing the other commanders continue bickering over who would take the first charge against what most began to perceive as arrogance.
Duran countered his friend, "That's not entirely it, Ligu. Look around you. There wasn't even one sign of the Imperial army, almost as if they've been utterly defeated. I advise against going until we see the result." The duke only nodded; in truth, he was beginning to see Duran's words with all signs pointing to such.
Out of the 21 kingdoms, 11 enacted an assault tomorrow morning, hoping to show the others their words, yet also themselves being uncertain.
--
11th of March, 687 A.D
As the armies of the Alliance began to organize, the sun had only just begun to shine. Men ran toward their formations, and knights gathered, making speeches to inspire those who would attack and calling the others cowards.
The Duke of Marain, King of Mudwan, King of Alguna, King of Varsee, and the 7 Kingdoms made it clear as they began their march. Within the front of this formation were their light infantry and auxiliaries.
It was first decided to send them forward to test the enemy's defense, and from there, they would decide further. Duke Marain's engineers went ahead. Another important factor was their wyverns. While the Otherworlders had dug themselves in and seemed laughable, it was something they couldn't ignore.
As the first column began their advance towards the gate, the wyverns high above observed. The first column comprised over 10,000 auxiliaries and light infantry, along with skirmishers.
The wyvern riders observed as the auxiliaries spread themselves into five different formations, hoping to spread out and test the enemy's defense.
Yet, one of the wyvern riders discerned something amiss. He could hear something whizzing, then suddenly, Alnus Hill seemed to erupt. Observers on both sides, those who decided to attack and those who did not, watched in utter shock as the auxiliaries and light infantry were torn apart by thunderous explosions that reverberated throughout the battlefield.
The scene was one of utter shock as Duran struggled to control his horse, while others were unfortunate victims of the thunderous roars. The explosions tore through the auxiliaries and light infantrymen, shaking nearly everyone to their core.
Amidst the chaos, Duke Marain's voice boomed, "Our damn catapult won't reach that damn far!" His frustration evident as he grappled with the impossibility of the situation.
Turning to the King of Mudwan, he implored, "Can we do anything to stop this?" However, his plea was met with uncertainty.
In a fit of desperation, the King of Varsee erupted, "Stop this madness! Are you questioning my sanity?" His voice echoed with a mix of anger and disbelief, adding to the cacophony of the battlefield.
!
The revelation about the siege engine used by the Otherworlders brought a momentary pause to the chaos. Despite the understanding, anger still burned within the King of Mudwan, fueled by the loss of his son to those "damned bastards." He wasn't about to give up, not after what they had taken from him.
The King of Alguna stared at him, shouting that he was utterly mad. However, their argument was abruptly halted when another wyvern rider intervened urgently.
"My lord, the Otherworlders are preparing to attack!" The news stunned everyone into silence, prompting swift action as orders were relayed among the commanders.
Duke Marain swiftly inquired about their numbers, seeking to understand the enemy's composition. The messenger gulped before reporting: "One thousand cavalry and twenty iron carriages, the rest is infantry."
The revelation sent the entire tent into panic once more. King Ulran of Kievan asked about their course of action. The King of Mudwan suggested spreading out, learning from the mistakes of their first attempt.
Meanwhile, Duke Marain ordered his engineers to ready the catapults. The King of Varsee emphasized the need to adapt quickly to the enemy's tactics.
King Kievan agreed, along with others. While spreading their forces may weaken them, the goal would be to leave their Seventhy Thousand infantry behind to hold the ground, while their cavalry, twenty thousand strong, would flank the enemy to get close.
Initially hesitant, the King of Varsee conceded to leaving his mages behind, realizing the necessity of holding their ground.
There were still uncertainties regarding how the enemy actually fights on foot. The King of Mudwan elected to stay behind, along with Alguna, who stated he never expected to fight side by side with him.
On the other hand, the Otherworlder's ability to rapidly kill the auxiliaries and light infantrymen meant that they couldn't rely solely on their numbers. With their plan set, the Allied army began their maneuvers.
--
King Duran and many of those who hadn't joined in the assault pitied the men who had, calling them fools. Yet now they had witnessed firsthand the devastation wrought by the Otherworlders. Duke Ligu stood beside him, his eyes fixed on the battlefield.
The man had already fallen off his horse during the sudden eruption when the Otherworlders utilized their magic. Duran observed that if those fools had attacked head-on without testing the results, the outcome would undoubtedly have been the same.
He couldn't help but acknowledge their prowess, yet the battle wasn't over. One of the kings observed that the Otherworlders were mounting an attack.
They watched as their allies split their army, with most staring in anticipation. Suddenly, the location where the encampment was began to explode once again. This time, however, most of the kings decided not to stay on their horses, remembering how they were kicked off last time.
As they observed the chaos unfolding in the encampment, it didn't take one look to know that the men there were facing certain death.
The barricades did little to stop it, but a line of wind swirled high up, a clear sign of Varsee's formidable mages. Yet it did little to buy time as the explosions resumed. Duke Ligu suddenly spoke, pointing towards the Otherworlders' encampment. "Look over there," he said. It was clear they were advancing under their magic.
He and many here only knew of one conclusion: when the mages' barrier fell, the resounding explosion felt like the roar of an angry god. The booming sound led to the horses' handlers releasing them, and others falling.
Within that time frame, the roars of thunder ended. As Duran took a look in utter shock, nothing remained of the camp. On the other hand, the Otherworlders' army had reached. At first, they were marching, but then they began their charge, a clear intent to finish the battle.
One of the kings suddenly drew their attention to the surviving cavalrymen, or at least what remained of them. "Oh gods above, what kind of demonic weapon is that?" one of the kings exclaimed in horror as the iron wagons kept advancing towards the cavalry.
The cavalry, in turn, desperately tried to charge them. On the other hand, the Otherworlders began to form what seemed to be a square formation, which left many confused at first until they realized.
The cavalry charged past the iron wagons as they headed directly into the Otherworlders' armies, who retaliated with their magic. Despite the onslaught, the cavalry didn't falter in their charge.
Yet there was a question were was the other side, One of the kings, the kong of Saltwater called there attention as many watched with interested fascination.
There was a question lingering in the air: where was the other side? King Saltwater's inquiry drew the attention of many, who watched with intrigued fascination.
The Otherworlders' cavalry seemed to have halted, facing a force of Cavalry. They began to harass there allies cavalry with their magic once again.
Meanwhile, the attempted charge into the Otherworlders' infantry saw slight success. They managed to inflict casualties, but ultimately, they were virtually wiped out to the last man. Those who survived chose to surrender.
It was a telling moment. While it showed some success, it also highlighted the grim reality of the situation. Only a fool would believe otherwise. They faced a far bigger and more formidable enemy, and that was crystal clear to the remaining commanders.
As the survivors began to surrender, it became evident that Mudwan's choice had been a disastrous one. It was clear that Molt knew and sent them to their deaths. With this realization settling in after the battle, their focus shifted to strategizing against the empire. But before that, they needed to carefully observe the other side. Duran mused on this as the surrender unfolded, reflecting on the events that had transpired.
--(Glosary)--
the other worlders
A term used by most within the alliance instead of barbarians, it would become a common slang amongst the allied armies.
Loses estimation.
Allied Army(Surrendered)
Estimated losses
120,000 - 100,043
Charterian Expeditionary Forces
500 - 437