Chapter 12: Start of the Battle

The men I sent to deliver the news performed their assignment perfectly and quickly. The news of the atrocity spread like wildfire, and by the time the sun completely disappeared behind the horizon, the fragmented pieces of my army finished gathering.

Even though the men have been marching for hours they didn't ask for rest! Seeing the gruesome sight before them, a ruthless fire was lit in the core of their hearts.

Looking at the final remnants of my scattered army finally combine again, I hear Hamilcar say "My liege, the men are all eager to fight. It appears your plan has worked as you intended."

I nod acknowledging his words, and then I say "Although this wasn't the original plan, we still benefitted greatly from it." Then I ask Hamilcar "Grand Marshal did my arrow find it's target?"

"Indeed it did, sire. The fools accepted the wine we sent them with open arms, hahaha." Hamilcar finished while laughing at their idiocy.

Then I turn to Sodarus and ask him "Were our movements seen by the enemy?"

"No, my liege. We didn't encounter a single scout all day!" He replied confidently.

"Excellent! Then have the men rest for an hour, and then we will begin our march using the cover of night. And Sodarus, have your knights keep an eye on the enemy's movements at all times." I say authoritatively.

The generals saluted me before leaving to do their duty. As they left I kept staring at the small sea of men in front of me, and I couldn't help but smile slightly, as I already saw the end of the Luminous Empire in their eyes!

After an hour the army once again marched forth, but this time we didn't split it. The army moved in the desert at night with no torches, and trying to make as little noise as possible. But to be honest we didn't need to do that.

Since our enemies were so complacent after their victory that they didn't even bother with putting simple patrols around their camp! Taking full advantage of this carelessness we positioned the army in the perfect location for a surprise attack!

Currently I was standing on a sand hill with Abraham, Horus, Sodarus and Hamilcar. We were staring with wide eyes at the scene Infront of us. We could hear the sounds of drunken men partying, fighting and gambling.

The enemy camp was so chaotic and unorganized it looked more reminiscent of a gypsy camp and not a military camp of one of the strongest empires in the world?!

"What the hell is that? My liege are we sure that this's the enemy army?" Abraham asked with a confused face.

"It has to be them. They are raising the Luminous Empire's flag, right?.....Right?" Even Horus began to question his eyes.

Sodarus trying to find a reason for the idiocy in front of him asked "My Liege, did you by any chance put something in the wine we gave them?"

"No, I gave them normal wine!

After all, they could easily find out if I put anything in it." I said, while thinking 'I mean, I did give them the wine so that they could relax, and lower their guard against us, and thus we could have an easier time during the battle, but I never expected something like this!

In a split second Hamilcar charged inside the camp, and that alone caused dozens to be injured and killed!

But this was only the beginning, he then concentrated his power at the edge of his axe and swung horizontally, releasing a catastrophic red arched slash, that destroyed everything in it's path, killing hundreds in seconds!

And like a war god announcing his arrival to the world he released a bestial roar, that horrified all who heard it! Then using the blades on his armor he attacked the helpless enemy soldiers with his knees, and elbows, leaving them in shreds!

If they believed that Hamilcar's charge was all, then they were horribly mistaken. Seconds later the onslaught of the Diomedes Knights began! The Diomedes Knights were the second most feared knights in the empire, after the Chimera Knights.

That's because these men rode the most infamous warhorses in the world, the Diomedes Warhorses!

Diomedes Warhorses were all black, with amethyst eyes. They were also bigger, stronger and faster than any horse in the world. But what truly distinguished these horses from their counterparts was their diet.

Unlike normal horses who were herbivores, these infernal beasts were carnivores, and they only ate one type of meat. Human flesh!

The horses smelling and seeing all the carnage before them, went into a frenzy, and their normally amethyst eyes became blood red!

Under this frenzy they went into, they charged mercilessly at the enemy, and all who were not trampled to death or skewered by the knight's lances, were instead devoured by the horses fang filled mouths!

And as a cherry on top, Horus quickly arrived with thousands of infantrymen. These men all wearing black armor, large round shields and gleaming curved sabers and spears, flooded into the camp!

Our foes were caught completely off guard, and many of them were so drunk that they still didn't understand what was going on. And those who managed to understand what was happening ran away in horror. But how could we allow them to simply leave as they please?

And they were hunted down by the demon like Hamilcar, and the wraith like Horus!

Although Horus wasn't showing his talents in the beginning, since it was his first battle, as soon as he got accustomed to the smell and feel of it he turned into the embodiment of death on the battlefield!

All the men saw before dying was a silver flash in the periphery of their vision before darkness engulfed their consciousness!

SCREEEEEEEECCCHHHHHHH!

It was then that we heard a loud monstrous sound from the skies! Looking up we saw the Gryphon Knights armed and armored for battle flying to the heavens confidently. Seeing this I smile and order the mage next to me "Our prey is finally here.

Tell Sodarus to send out the bait." I say with a predatory expression.

"Yes, my emperor." The mage saluted and raised his staff to the sky and launched a fire spell that exploded loudly and brightly in the air, signaling the beginning of the hunt!