Chapter 457

Chapter 457

Pulping the last standing Wraith with his sceptre, Hongji barked, Casualty reports. Without waiting for the answer, he strode out of his tent to get a better view of the battle, unwilling to Scry just yet in case there were still more assassins lurking about. Leaping into the air, he Cloud-Stepped at the peak of his ascent and Lightened for all he was worth, ignoring the disgraceful image he presented while hopping in mid air to get a good look at the oncoming Defiled horde. Other commanders would Conceal themselves or order a subordinate to do this in their stead, but Hongji lacked the skill required to Lighten, Cloud-Step, and Conceal all at once, and he preferred seeing things with his own eyes rather than hearing about them from anothers mouth.

So what if he looked like a child at the fair trying to see over the crowd? Besides, embarrassing and exhausting as this was, it showed his soldiers he was still alive and uninjured, which was always an uncertainty when dealing with Wraiths. All it took was for one of the slippery bastards to slither past your guard and youd be dead before you hit the ground...

The air shook with the roars of bellowing Defiled and his stomach sank at the sight of a wave of flesh and ferocity converging on Sinujis walls. There were so many of them mere numbers didnt do the sight justice, hundreds of thousands of Defiled screaming bloody murder. So consumed by their lust for death, there was no room for fear or trepidation as they raced to be the first to draw blood. Imperial soldiers might balk at seeing the fortifications before them and stop to build ladders or siege-engines to help take the fort, but not the Defiled. With nothing but the weapons in their hands and the head-wraps covering their faces, these bare-chested savages sought to bury Sinujis defenders in sheer numbers and feast upon their corpses. They would fight until there was no one left to fight, a swarm of devouring locusts in search of violence for the sake of violence. Such was the fate of those who succumbed to the Fathers vile machinations, and even after so many months of fending errant warbands off, Hongji was not prepared for the sheer intensity of killing intent emanating from a true Defiled Horde.

Grace us with your favour, oh Mother in Heaven, for your child sees no way to weather this tribulation except at great cost...

Taking stock of the situation while the relevant reports poured in, Hongji issued a stream of orders through his aides. The junior officers stationed on the battlements had suffered dearly from the Wraith assault, unsurprising since the cramped confines and open spaces made them easy marks. Tam Taewoong was now the highest ranked officer remaining, not the worst case scenario by any means, and he informed the young officer himself. Hold the walls, he ordered, as if Taewoong could do anything else, But keep our contingency plans in mind. Give ground if you feel it necessary, and do not be too proud to request reinforcements. Mother guide your hand, Warrior. And with those words, Hongji left the twenty-five year old Warrant Officer to his work as the Defiled lines crashed into the earthen battlements.

Call-sign Spear injured and unresponsive. Call-sign Mister taking command. Cursing beneath his breath, Hongji prayed for Sun Qiang to make a quick recovery and focused on unravelling the mysteries hidden within the report. So many Wraiths had been committed to the attack there, and now two thirds of the charging Defiled were headed towards them, a force stronger than those sent to take the battlements, but why? Even if the northern flank collapsed, it offered no discernible advantage to the Defiled attacker. If they pushed through the camps defenders, the Enemy could send their forces through the campgrounds to attack the fort from the rear, but if this was their intention, then why not take the extra hour or two to surround the fort before engaging? Hongjis cavalry was stationed outside to harry them, but a mere four-thousand mounted warriors could hardly hold back a horde numbering hundreds of thousands strong, so what was all this fuss about? Simply to kill Falling Rain? Nonsense, even capable as he was, Rains death would not break the soldiers of Sinuji, nor was it worth it to commit so many resources stamping out what was essentially an independent camp.

A mystery, but one he had no time to mull over. Ordering a message Sent to warn Mister Rustram of the oncoming force, Hongji hesitated to wasted manpower holding an inconsequential position, but the immediate reply arrived before he made up his mind. Call-Sign Mister reports: Understood, Hongjis chief courier Sent, repeating the message hed received from the northern flank. Advise cavalry to hold back until Enemy is stuck in.

Ha! So Rain wasnt the only person in his retinue with a lions courage and a dragons temperament. Dropping back to the ground, Hongji informed his guards of his intention to Scry before turning his sights onto the northern flank, where soldiers re-positioned themselves in response to Rustrams rapid-fire orders. Rather than hold the various choke-points along the first line of defences, the plucky Bekhai second intended to draw the Defiled into the camp proper and trap them there, then use the cavalry to cut them off from the rest of the army once they were fully committed. The Enemy charge faltered once they were through the unmanned defences, hopping over the spiked pits and chopping through iron barricades to find no adversary to fight, and several of the frenzied savages even turned on their allies in frustration. Milling about for a handful of precious seconds, their confusion bought enough time for Mister Rustrams hastily-amended defence lines to fall in place before the Defiled renewed their attack. Though the line buckled before the initial charge, it held strong as Rustram joined the fray with his Death Corps escorts, urging his soldiers to hold while his sword brought death to the Enemy. The press of bodies grew thick as the Defiled funnelled into the camp, prime targets for the Bekhai archers and crossbowmen standing atop the wagons. Firing a storm of bolts and arrows into the Enemy ranks, they slowed the rate of Defiled advance and forced the Enemy to trample over their dead and injured in their haste to join the fray.

The scene held Hongjis attention for longer than it should have, for it defied too many of his expectations. The basic precepts of warfare stated it was best to engage the Enemy from behind static defences, but here he watched his soldiers abandon those defences in favour of fighting on mostly open ground. Aside from a secondary line of spiked pits which kept the Defiled from encircling their position, his soldiers were essentially in a man-to-man engagement, a decidedly unfavourable tactic when faced with overwhelming odds, but from what he could see, it was working. If the Enemy were instead an Imperial force, then their commanding officer would hold off the charge until his soldiers had gathered in significant numbers for a concentrated push, but the Defiled were so crazed with blood-lust they continued to funnel in through the maze of defences and arrive at the battlefront in scattered, piecemeal groups, where the gathered soldiers of the Empire dispatched them with ruthless efficiency.

It would take the Enemy some time to dismantle all the defences and truly get stuck in on the northern flank, so he made a note to rethink his position on ranged weaponry and handed command of the cavalry over to Rustram before turning his attention back to the battlements. Though tenuous at best, Tam Taewoong held firm against the crashing waves of Defiled, smashing his foes aside as the Defiled largely ignored the winding paths and sought to overwhelm the battlements by sheer force. Other, less notable officers of Central also performed admirably and he had his scribes take down their achievements so tales of their heroics could embolden the people of the Empire. The Defiled were a threat, but it was the Enemy they must guard against, so even if Sinuji were to fall this day, stories of their struggles could still serve to inspire and embolden.

For without hope, there was only despair, and such dark, desperate times lent credence to the Fathers whispered lies.

Putting the pained cries and suffering groans out of mind, he returned his focus to the battle at hand. Eager and well-rested, the Society forces quickly retook the foremost walls with a zealous counter-attack. A mistake in his opinion, for the lost ground was less valuable than the stamina of Sinujis defenders and he still had a third line of walls, but the improved morale could not be neglected as the soldiers cheered for their figureheads. Han BoSha, Situ Gulong, and a smattering of OuYang something or the others, alongside a few other prominent names from forgettable factions. Knowing he now had three Patriarchs and however many Experts guarding the battlements, he finally found time to turn his attentions back to the flanks. The southern flank was largely intact, though this was mostly due to a lack of Enemy interest. Perhaps he could use them for something, though ordering them to sally forth and assault the Defiled horde would be consigning them to death, especially with the Enemys armoured battalion still lying in wait.

More worrisome was the northern flank, which threatened to collapse at any moment. The lion-hearted Mister Rustram continued to hold the line, barely out of breath despite having fought since the battle began. Despite his best efforts, the mounting Defiled pressure had pushed his line back and stretched his people thin, forcing him to commit every available soldier to holding a massive clump of Defiled warriors in place. The cavalry had yet to enter the fray, but for good reason: the Enemy cavalry outnumbered them and were waiting for them to commit. If the Imperial forces moved against the Defiled horde, then their gajashia-mounted cavalry would intercept, and in a match up of lances, victory was usually decided by who charges whom. Thus, the cavalry were stuck in a deadlock and the battle on the northern flank rested squarely on the shoulders of their infantry. Situ Jia Zian flourished his blades and Han BoShui crushed his enemies, while Wu Gam fought with impassive fury and Du Min Yan scythed through her foes, but regardless of their gallant efforts, Hongji knew they danced upon the knifes edge. If the Enemy broke through that thin, wavering line of Imperial soldiers, then the entire camp would fall as Falling Rains allies were engulfed by the horde of savage desert tribesmen.

Cold dread surging through him, he cursed himself for not checking in sooner and Sent word to Mister Rustram of incoming reinforcements, but to his surprise, a reply returned shortly after. Call-sign Mister reports: No need for support, all going to plan, was the message Hongjis aide relayed, and not moments later, he understood why. The battle came to a standstill as all of Sinuji shook underfoot, a minor disturbance emanating from the precarious northern flank. Still Scrying their position, Hongjis jaw dropped as a wall of shifting earth rose between the Defiled and Imperial lines, pulling the ground away from under the very feet of the Enemy. Crashing forward like a rolling wave of dirt and debris, the ground opened wide and swallowed the Defiled attacks, dragging hundreds, if not thousands down to rest in its dark, crushing embrace. When the dust settled, the dirt smoothed out as if nothing of importance had taken place, the bodies buried beneath untold tonnes of earth and soil.

All was silent and still across the entirety of Sinuji, as those who were ignorant waited and those in the know stood in shocked disbelief. A booming laugh sounded off in the distance, echoing across the hushed battlefield for all to hear. Listen here, you little Defiled shits, the Chi-magnified voice began, and though arbitrary, battlefield-wide communication was against Army regulations, Hongji allowed it simply because it gave his soldiers a precious minute of rest. They call me Eccentric Gam, and your grand-daddy here can kill these Defiled dregs and dirt-grubbing Demons as easily as turning his hand. Come one, kill one, come a thousand, kill a thousand, I can do this all day, from sun up to sun down.

Cheers rang out from Hongjis troops and the boost to morale was much appreciated, but then Eccentric Gam continued speaking. What say you make things interesting for this grand-daddy and send some of them big-boy Demons down to dance, eh? Enough with the shit-swimming mole-rats ye got crawling around, I aint getting younger waiting for a real challenge. So whats it gonna be? You coming to me, or you gonna make me come find you?

Hongjis many attempts to shut the half-foxs mouth fell on deaf ears, and he was mere seconds away from running over there to smack the arrogant bastard over the head, but the Enemy responded with a guttural command in the twisted tongue of the Defiled and the battle resumed forthwith. Hongjis sigh of relief was cut short as the previously idle Demons came to life and trudged towards the battle-lines, three moving for the fort walls and no less than five heading directly for the northern flank. Hurrying over to support them, Hongji cursed Eccentric Gam a thousand times over because they both knew most of Falling Rains Experts were with him and the cavalry, while the rest of his allies had precious few to call upon. If the damnable half-fox thought himself strong enough to deal with five Demons single-handedly, then he was a lunatic and a fool, for not all Demons were equal, and among the five approaching him was one who matched evenly with Colonel Jukai. A slender, pale-faced creature with a billowing cape of blades and twin katars for hands, Hongji remembered its battle against Jukai and prayed the others were nowhere near as formidable.

Though they both held the same rank, Hongji was under no illusions of his personal strength. The Twinned Dragon of Shen Bin earned his rank more than twenty years ago, shortly before retiring after the death of his comrade in arms. Had he not removed himself from the public eye, Jukai would undoubtedly have risen to the rank of Brigadier if not higher, yet he still failed to kill the Demon with the cape of blades mere minutes after its birth. How strong would the Demon be now after it had time to consolidate and develop?

Smacking his sceptre against the palm of his hand, Hongji prayed he would not have to find out firsthand, for Jukai and Eccentric Gam would both have to die before it came Hongjis turn to fight the formidable Demon. Glancing at the sun, he marked the passage of time at a little under two hours since the battle began and suppressed the urge to shudder. Ten more hours, thats all. Just ten more hours and the reinforcements would arrive to send the Defiled army fleeing back to the west. Ten hours. Six hundred minutes. 36,000 seconds. Less if his allies hurried...

Not long at all. For better or worse, this battle would soon come to an end.

Chapter Meme