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The BloodVaine EpicChapter 95: Utter Defeat
The Black Falcons did panic. Falconis’ temporarily imposed order broke as soon as the dragons started directly attacking the soldiers. The sight of the Cavaliers, Club Knights, and rebel Falcons thundering down the ridge at them broke their confidence completely, and hundreds began to flee in terror, only to be picked off by arrows by the archers.
But not all was chaos. The green-clad royal guard, nearly a thousand strong, and several regular companies of at least as many, all directly surrounding the king, were bracing themselves for battle. They stood side to side, shields overlapping, spears and a few pikes held ready.
It was them or the cavalry. Quorandis checked his horse for a second, allowed his men to regroup, and then broke into a full gallop two hundred yards from the elite Falcon lines. It was Falconis’ men or his own. He rather pitied the Falcons for having to face both Cavaliers and their own determined countrymen.
The Cavaliers smashed into the Falcon line, throwing them back, breaking the defensive line completely. To the right, the five times large Club Knight force had battered its way into the Falcon lines. On the left, the Falcons, startled at the sight of blue and black horsemen charging against them, had given way to the deepest penetration of their lines yet.
As the battle raged, King Falconis saw the leader of the rebels Falcons, and the ahead-most of the renegade Falcons cut off from the rest of their army, having ridden on too hard. Here was a sweet chance for revenge. A very sweet chance. This captain would pay for his treachery. He would deal with him personally.
Watching from another part of the battle, Quorandis noticed Falconis advance on Randolph. But there was something odd, the Cavalier thought, about the way that the regular Falcon soldiers around Randolph were acting. Then he remembered something Randolph had said:
“Not exactly...there are many, many men who do not like our king, and many who would be glad to see his overthrow, but there are no other organized rebels that I know of.”
Quorandis smiled to himself. He might be wrong, but unless he missed his guess, these soldiers were among those discontents that Randolph had mentioned. Randolph was not quite so cut off as Falconis thought. But the Cavalier had no more time to waste in contemplation. There was still a battle to be fought.
The larger part of the Falcon army was thrown into confusion. The sight of their own tuning against them was simply too much. Most fled, dropping their weapons and attempting to surrender. Usually, the cavilers simply rode past, cutting though those that were still fighting. At the back though, just outside the village stood the elite of the Falcons already arrayed in a defensive stance. Randolph’s contingent had reached them already, but they were having a hard time of it. To them, Randolph was simply another enemy to be dealt with as any other foe.
The king had broken out surrounded by a few of his own men. The rebel Falcons were having a hard enough time already, nearly a hundred had been killed. Randolph was busy warding off the blows and slashes that were given to him. Here he treated his enemy with no mercy. His sword came down on a soldier’s helmet, cleaving the skull. Coming around to the other side, Randolph quickly blocked a strike that would of killed his horse. Suddenly, he felt a sharp stinging pain shoot up his leg. A well placed blow had drove itself through his leg piece and cut his flesh.
I can’t stop now - I must go on. he thought. Already the pain was becoming almost unbearable. Gritting his teeth, he continued, trying his best to ignore the pain.
Looking up, Randolph saw Falconis making his way towards him, killing a few rebel Falcons that tried to engage him. For an older man, he still had quite a bit of strength and even more skill. All his life he had been brought up in a military lifestyle and the training he had received years ago showed itself.
Soon both men were facing each other, locked in deadly combat. Falconis struck first, but Randolph was able to block him with his buckler. Again Falconis struck on Randolph’s other side, but here to he was blocked by Randolph’s sword. Quickly drawing his weapon back, Randolph attempted to thrust at Falconis’ exposed body. The older man parried him with his shield. Swinging again, Falconis hit Randolph square on the shoulder. Grinning, the king was about to drive his sword through Randolph’s neck, leaving himself exposed. Summoning every single last bit of energy in his body Randolph raised his sword and drove it straight down on Falconis’s helmet before he passed out, falling on the ground below his horse.
All of this happened in the course of a few seconds. A Black Falcon nearby Falconis grabbed the man and drug him away from the battle. The king was not dead, but lingered on the edge.
The tide of the battle was turning, but many Falcons still stood their ground, pikes outstretched. The bulk of the army had fled though, scattering to the four winds.
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