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The BloodVaine EpicChapter 53: The Black Falcons' Barrage
It was morning, and the sun has risen . Sirion stood by the window while his men slowly and carefully put his armor on.
“Milord,” Raderice said, coming in from the door.
“What is it?”
“We have news of the Falcon march and of a man called BloodVaine...”
Sirion’s eyes widened at this news.
“From what I have gathered, BloodVaine and Dragon Masters along with their dragons are headed here.”
“Where did you get this news?”
“From BloodVaine himself.” cackled Raderice.
“What the tyco!”
The men putting on Sirion’s armor grabbed him and slowly leaned him out of the window.
“Today at sunrise, King Sirion committed suicide while his men put on his armor.” Raderice smirked evilly.
“Megablocks you boy!”
A knight walked in and gaped.
“What the megablocks!”
The knight pulled his sword and ran towards Sirion to free him. But suddenly Raderice was in his way.
“Do not be a fool, walk out that door and never come back, boy...”
Behind them a scream tore threw the air.
Raderice continued, “See, it is too late, the King is already de...”
He stopped short, feeling cold steal at his neck.
“If I were you, hire stronger men when your trying to throw a king out of his own window.” quipped Sirion.
Knights poured into the room and Sirion cried, “Take him away!”
“Yes milord…”
“BloodVaine will kill you!” shrieked Raderice.
“He may, but not until I have killed every last Falcon that has passed my borders!” retorted Sirion.
“What shall we do with him milord?” asked a knight.
“Hang him today.”
Later, Sirion walked outside, mounted his horse and rode out with the Black Knights army. A knight approached and began to rattle off information.
“Milord, over 10,000 troops have gathered to fight. Another 8000 waits in the city for weapons and armor.”
“Good.”
Sirion looked towards the sky, but instead of the sun he saw smoke.
“What the megablocks!”
“That was a small village that was attacked last night by the Black Falcons milord.” explained the knight.
“Where is my dragon, Beleriand?”
“He is waiting by the army, milord.”
The horses climbed a hill, revealing a Black Knight army of 10,000. Sirion stopped his horse, and so did the others...
“Milord, look over there!” the knight pointed.
The Black Falcon army was in sight.
“So it begins...”
“Milord?”
“What is it?”
“Shouldn’t we head for the back of the line?”
“No. I will stay here while my men fight and fight beside them.”
“Yes, milord.”
Sirion kicked his horse and headed for the front of his army. As he rode past his men, some men were looking at the ground, others looked at Sirion as he rode past them. Sirion jerked his horse around and around again, going back and forth as he cried, “Black Knights! Today is the day we drive the Black Falcons back!”
Sirion turned his head and spat on the ground. The men cheered and began to chant, “King Sirion! King Sirion!”
The smile on the king’s face slowly faded to a frown.
“Even though our blood will be spilt on these grounds, let us not forget the people we are protecting...”
Sirion turned his horse so it faced the Black Falcon army that had stopped advancing.
“Milord!” a knight yelled from atop his horse as he rode up to Sirion.
“Yes?”
“Beleriand has a request for you.”
“And, what is it?”
“Beleriand requests that he flies into battle alone and that any man will only slow him down.”
“Indeed it will, his request is granted. Just tell him this...”
Sirion paused.
“Yes milord?”
“...Tell him to do as much damage as he can before both armies clash.”
“Yes milord.”
The rider kicked his horse and returned to the back of the army.
“They’re waiting for something...” a knight behind Sirion said
“Yes, they are waiting for something...” Sirion replied.
All of a sudden, a huge ball of fire hit the front line of the Black Falcon army. The Black Knights watched as the Black Falcon soldiers screamed out in pain. Beleriand flew out of a small forest next to the battle field.
“Yes!” Sirion yelled as his men cheered.
Beleriand landed right in the middle of the Black Falcon army. Fire came forth from his mouth and burned the troops. Their screams were so loud that the city that lay behind the battle field could hear them.
“Sir! The Black Falcon army is advancing towards us!”
“Give out the orders!” Sirion shouted.
Everywhere, knights riding on their horses were screaming out orders.
“PIKEMEN, FORWARD!”
“BOW MEN!”
“READY ALL SWORDS!”
I can only hope BloodVaine does not come with his dragons... Sirion thought to himself as the pikemen rushed forward.
“PIKEMAN! READY!”
Pikemen gathered together in the first line and readied their pikes as the Black Falcons came closer and closer.
“UNSHEILTH SWORDS!”
Shing! The Black Knight troops unsheathed their swords just as the Black Falcons crashed into the pikemen.
“HOLD!”
Falcon soldiers screamed as they ran into the pike heads.
"SWORDS MEN! ONWARD!”
Swordsmen rushed forward.
“Milord, their breaking through our first line!”
“Call them back!” Sirion yelled back to the man as he sat there on his horse next to the second line. Black Knights started to escape the first line as Black Falcon troops passed through.
“Our pikemen are in the third line, milord.”
“Forget them! Form a line of spearmen and swordsmen!”
“Yes, milord.”
Swordsmen and spearmen made a thin line. Behind them was Sirion.
“Here they come boys!” cried the second commander, “Show them wha--” he was cut off as he was shot in the neck by a Black Falcon bowmen.
Sirion looked towards the men, but when he looked back the Black Falcons had already hit the second line.
“HOLD TOGETHER!” Sirion yelled out as Black Knight and Black Falcon blood was spilled.
“RETREAT!” a Black Knight yelled out.
One by one every Black Knight that was in the second line ran away, only to be shot by Black Falcon bowmen.
“MEGABLOCKS! HOLD, YOU FOOLS!”
Sirion got off his horse and unsheathed his sword. A Black Falcon charged him with a spear, only to have his head sliced open by Sirion deadly blade.
“HOLD TOGETHER MEN!” Sirion yelled out as he cut a Black Falcon across the chest.
The Black Knights started to push back the Black Falcons, but they were losing one Black Knight for five Black Falcon troops.
“Sirion! Pull yourself back!”
Sirion withdrew himself from the battle, dodging the Black Falcon arrows, and headed toward the third line.
“Are your men ready?” Sirion asked a man with an eye patch.
“Indeed, all 800 of them.”
“Good, move the third line back and place your men as the second half line.”
“I am happy to serve my king and an old friend.” the man replied back.
“Just hold the line for at least three hours.”
“Me and my men will hold it for five.” the man replied.
“Then I shall trust you to your words.”
The second line was breaking and some Black Knight troops were retreating without orders.
“Let us hold the second line for King Sirion!” the man with the eye patch yelled as he kicked his horse.
800 elite Black Knight followed the man. They crashed into the second line killing what was left of the first line of the Black Falcons.
Large as it was, the Black Falcon army was by no means unwieldy. The Black Falcons were self-professed experts in the arts of war, and this boast was far from an idle comment. The one million-man army was divided into five distinct segments. The front lines, which constituted about a quarter of the army was made up of second-class soldiers, men who had been formally trained, but were not recognized as ‘elite’. Their weaponry was varied, the first few lines solely made up of pike and swordsmen, while a mixed regiment of crossbowmen, protected by portable shields, stood behind them.
The second line was farther back, and was made up of roughly 80,000 elite heavy infantry interspersed with longbowmen, placed there ready to break the opposing force once the first wave was repulsed. A third line, far from the field of battle could hardly be called an army at all, its only function was to serve as porters and guards for the immense supply train that was in the back. In addition, there was a large group of reserves, nearly a 250,000 strong, ready to fill any gaps caused by some unforeseen event. On the right flank, there was a group of heavily armed horsemen, prepared to charge forth when the time came.
Randolph the Black Falcon, experienced as he was, had never witnessed so much carnage. He was positioned on top of a large hill a mile away, and commanded the group of heavily armored knights. Looking down at the battle, he quickly called to one of his sergeants, “Make haste to my battalion commander. Ask what he wants to be done."
“Yes my lord. Right away.”
Randolph looked out again. The two front lines had clashed. The battle had began in earnest. A few moments later, Beleriand made another pass, his fireballs killing dozens. The Black Falcon soldiers were well-disciplined though. Randolph watched as the first few lines, disorganized and with many of the men badly hurt, fought their way through the Black Knight’s ranks until they were cut down themselves. Though the first few ranks of Black Knight soldiers were swept away, the first attack was repulsed, and the Black Falcons drew back in good order, their archers firing, inflicting many casualties among the Black Knights ranks.
However, they were not without losses themselves. The bowmen that stood in the enemies ranks had inflicted terrible damage, and the first four lines of Black Falcons had been cut down. The scorching breath of the dragon had put several hundred soldiers to an untimely death as well. Regrouped, the Black Falcon soldiers made another charge with the same results.
A bloody battle this will be... thought Randolph. At this rate, half of our first wave will be cut down before we overcome our enemy.
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