Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 400: Retreat (3)

They yelled as they are stabbed, shot by their own arrows. 

Terrible scenes of carnage took place as wounded men screamed in agony, some died instantly when the sword or axes cut the owner body in such grotesque way.

Others ran around in mortal distress, clutching at arrows in their eyes, their chest, their thighs, all around their body, bleeding and in pain, twitching and screeching in the wounds, as the weapons guided by Arial prodigious control of internal energy, trying to pierce the white bone as the arrows drill and drill and drill. 

Pain unimaginable, as the screams continues like an echo in a long dark cave, and death amounts to hundred thousand.

The shield on the other hand attack the enemy with their sharp edges and one could see hundreds of soldier died stabbed by the shield sharp edges, some decapitated by the shield fast speed.

The shield wall corps that Harald is so proud of is easily destroyed as one by one fall to the onslaught of divine power shown by the Duke. 

He alone is now slaughtering thousands, as blood flows from the wound of his enemies that could form tens of rivers, wailings and screams that could be heard to Heaven Above, rending the heart of Angels and Apostles if they could have seen the carnage that Arial is unleashing right now, like the scene of Hell, of torment and torture, of pain and death.

The Arrandians look in awe of their Duke power and their uncertainty and anxiety is now replaced with elation and inebriated joy with a mixture of fear and respect to their lord. 

Now the advantage lies in their force. 

They could see thousands of Harald army is running away, the other die under the flying threats of their own weapons and shield.

Then after almost fifteen minutes finally there is no weapon in the sky anymore and the vassal lord look in worries and concern towards the Duke as they could how pale their lord really is, with beads of sweat in the Duke forehead, and his laboured breathing. 

His entire body is trembling and Arial felt himself drained

And then he staggered and West quickly offer help and grabbed the Duke before he could fall to the ground. Pale and listless the Duke order

"What are you all waiting for? I have given you a divine help and now you standing doing nothing? Win the war!'

The lords nodded and Kyle took temporary control over Arial unit as they charge into battle.

Holes and blind spot is made in the defence of Harald forces who is now in chaos with some running away, and some picking back up the weapon from their comrade dead body, and soon Harald proud army collapsed altogether, leaving pockets of defenders fighting back to back, perhaps fifty strong and loyal defender of the King against an enemy now present on the hill in overwhelming force.

This is the power of an Immortal; the fifty men carved this memory deep into their mind. To be exact Arial had seared it into every mind, every witness that has seen his prowess.

With one attack Arial had changed the tide of battle to his favour.

This is the power of Central Celestial, the strongest man in the world. Neither earth or heaven can hold him.

Many of the Vanguan army is trampled to death by the Arrandian cavalry who is now wreaking havoc at those that is running from battle and at the same time trying to loot the fallen enemies as they fell running.

A terrible hand-to-hand combat now ensued between these two armies as the King is at the back mourning his cousin in law Girth and Lyons who have used their bodies to shield the King. 

The King sorrow wails could be heard to the front of Kyle units as West forces is now controlled by another lord, a vassal lord of West.

This is war. It is tragic. It is heartrending. People die. And the loser is forgotten

During that last attack, Arial had kill thousands of people, many great lord and knight lords of Vangua, and pillars of Anglais Raxons community. 

West is now once again engaging in the battle after leaving the care of the Duke to other lords.

He is now slaying all around him in heaps and on one occasion scything down both horse and rider from a single swing of his stolen battle-axe after his sword got chipped after killing so many enemy soldiers.

Lord Sothern younger brother got his arm cut off as he tried to seized the Vanguan standard and swiftly the loss of his hand is avenged by his brother by slicing the offender head.

Lord Eustace is almost dead and humiliated in single combat before Kyle rescued him by interfering in the battle, striking and arrow into the opponent head from 15 miles away, with a speed that is almost unbelievable.

Victory is all but certain as the King is retreating.

Arial is still resting far away from the battle when his vassal lords quickly after that display of power brought him far away, fearing for his safety, but he is still on the hill, meditating cross legged and recovering his internal energy.

Many of the Arrandians broke off the fight to plunder the dead and dying. But Arial knew the battle is not over while Harald still lived. 

Could they not understand this logic? Gold and loot…. this is not important. 

Harald head is. 

Get his head, and all the gold in Vangua, all the resources will be for the taking. the threats that plaques his family would disappears and peace will dawn.

Opening his eyes Arial saw the King on the top of the hill, with the remnants of his knights and soldiers still grouped around…. waiting.

Arial rise from his rest

'My lord' the worry is clear in Eustace voice. 

'What are you doing?'

'Harald is waiting for me.' Arial reply

Then Eustace looked at the direction that the duke is pointing. 

'A single combat, my lord? In your condition?' Eustace shake his head in indignation

'Order me instead my lord. Let me assault Harald with my best knights. With a four-man hit squad it will be an easy matter to slay King Harald.'josei

Arial shakes his head. Harald has his honour. Arial has his.

Then he yelled as he used to yell during his time in the Orc Plains.

'HARALD! MY STRENGTH AGAINST YOURS! WHAT SAY YOU!' he yelled with his remaining energy and still the words reverberated. 

The looting soldiers stopped in their tracks and release their loot from their hands.

Their duke is challenging the King when he is clearly have expended his internal energy in the last battle.

It took some while, a moment of silence and then the King reply, this time his anger is not masked, clearly still grieving for his cousins.

'I ACCEPT' Harald yelled to accept the request.

Arial then took his horse and ride to the Harald area, behind him is his whole army as the battle of Arleans is reaching its climax, to determine the victor.

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