The entire werewolf army let out several loud howls. Akira joined in and added his own howl to the cacophony of sounds.
The chilling sound of the howls coming from the werewolves and their exotic transformations into savage beasts, brought the entire Beorin’s army to a halt as they watched the transforming werewolves and listened to their howls.
The smell of a latrine grew extremely strong as several green soldiers and even a few hardened veterans bowels emptied when they heard an extremely loud and menacing howl come from the werewolves several hundred yards away.
“For the love of all that is sacred! Get a hold of bowels! They’re just a bunch of mutts!” shouted an angry officer at the soldiers around him, not hiding the new wet puddle at his feet.
“Don’t let a few barks from those mutts scare you! Remember you are part of the elite Beorin army!” shouted Brutus as he rode his warhorse in front of the troops trying to rally them and boost their morale before the werewolves launched their attack.
The soldiers and officers seeing the General and hearing his words regained some of their composure.
Seeing that things had calmed down Brutus returned to the center of the army where the rest of the Cavalry was now acting as heavily armored ground shock troops making up the core of the center.
The 2000 knights had to fight on the ground with the rest of the army due to the fact that there was no room for them to maneuver on the swampy dry land they had picked to fight the battle. They would have just been in the way if they tried to use their horses and would be unable to build up any speed to do much of anything.
***
“Shields forward! Charge!” shouted the voice of Redbeard along with the many other officers.
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New skill set learned!
Tactics: This skill set has many sub-skills related to fighting. To unlock new sub-skills you must participate in a battle while commanding warriors and have the proper level of charisma.
The only way forward is to learn through experience!
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New sub-skill learned!
Charge: adds a small boost of energy to those in your party and under your command allowing them to run faster towards the enemy and deal a large amount of damage on impact.
Without hesitation, Akira used the new skill while shouting “Charge!”
He and the three other shield warriors that were in his small wolf pack were all in the front of the unit so they could use their shields to block the enemy deadly attacks and protect the soldiers behind them.
The werewolves’ shield bearers were made up of mostly stronger and larger built werewolves that could either dish out the damage or hold off the enemy from breaking through their ranks.
All at once the whole werewolf army lurched forward like an unstoppable tidal-wave closing in on a beach where it would wipe away everything in its path.
Akira and the other shield bearers at the front of the army set the speed of the army as they charged forward plowing and splashing their way through the shallow water while blocking the numerous arrows that were now raining down on them.
Several grunts and snarls of pain sounded out as several of the arrows that had gotten past the shield bearers found purchase in several warriors arms, legs, or shoulders only slightly wounding them.
Hearing the sounds coming from behind them the shield bearers picked up their pace and charge with all they had to get to the enemy that had still not moved since the warriors had transformed.
Akira charged out of the shallow water and onto the dry land with thousands of warriors following behind him.
Several shield bearers used their full strength to throw one of several short spears that they were carrying in order to soften up the enemy front line. Akira followed their example and made sure to use the [Pierce] skill as he launched the short spear forward and watched it fly forward and pierce two soldiers before it stopped.
With another howl of triumph at successfully crossing the stretch of dangerous swamp water the werewolves stormed onto dry land and continued their charge towards the humans that had just started to move in order to reposition themselves so that they could properly take the full brunt of the werewolves charge.
Bam! Crash! Clang!
The werewolves slammed into the human soldiers using their shields and strength to bash away the weapons along with the humans that stood in front of them.
Akira used his spear to impale the soldier that was directly in front of him before switching to his sword so he could better fight in the hectic close combat.
Two swords came flying towards Akira both swung at the same time forcing him to raise his shield to block them.
Clang! Bang! Many blows from several soldiers started to rain down on Akira as he blocked each one with his shield or sword.
Each and every shield-bearer at the front were enduring a similar onslaught all along the line of battle with the fiercest fighting happening near the middle where both armies tried to break the other.
The blows lessened as werewolf archers and warriors with crossbows let out arrows point-blank into the enemy’s front lines decimating hundreds of unprepared soldiers all at once.
With the attacks lessened Akira was able to launch an attack of his own. Using the skill [Sword Slash] a blue light flew out in a wide arc in front of him cutting down several soldiers either killing them or leaving them with fatal wounds.
As one person was cut down another stepped over the dead body and plugged the hole that appeared in the line not allowing the werewolves to break the battle line.
Akira was not entirely focused on pushing forward and was more focused on keeping the warriors under his command alive, with thoughts of the mission he had received earlier popping up every once in a while.
Bam! Akira acted quickly and blocked an attack that would have heavily wounded the shield-bearer on his left.
“Thank you,” said the nameless warrior full of gratitude. Akira only gave a grunt in acknowledgment and continued to fight the enemies in front of him.
The battle had now been going on for several hours and was surprisingly still at a stalemate.
“We’ve been ordered to make a strong push on the enemies left-wing!” shouted Ardolf over the sounds of battle.
“Understood!” shouted Akira as he killed the soldier in front of him who had heard their plans.
Akira slightly turned and pointed with his sword towards a random soldier on the left flank and shouted, “Attack the left flank!”
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New sub-skill learned!
Full attack: Point to an area or a single person for everyone in your party and under your command to attack. They will receive a slight boost to their attack power for a short time. Can only be used once per target.
Akira turned his full attention towards the left-wing of the enemy army and used the skill [Shield Slam] to plow his way through the enemy that tried blocking him making it easier for those behind him to follow.
As Akira reached the left wing he started to launch a few more skills to soften them up killing many soldiers at once causing the humans near him to be scared and reluctant to fight him since everyone who stepped near him seemed to be getting torn to pieces.
The fear of special skill users was not unique to humans as the demon races did not hold enemies with special skills in high regard and would often gang up on anyone that showed off a special skill making it so that the enemy had no chance to cause further damage.
In response to the attack, the Beorin army launched their own counter-attack from their right and onto the werewolves’ own left flank to try and break it.
Both sides continued to fight each other late into the day neither side giving the other a big enough mistake to seize victory.
With the coming of night, the werewolves were forced to make a well-ordered retreat pulling their dead and wounded back across the shallow waters in order to recuperate from spending so many hours transformed.
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New sub-skill learned!
Full Retreat: Boost the defense of all warriors in your party and under your command allowing them to retreat to a designated area more easily and orderly
With the end of the days battle the officers of both armies gathered in their respective camps to go over the days’ losses and plan for the battle that would most likely start at dawn.
***
Brutus sat at the head of the table with his hands gripping the table.
“How bad is it?” asked Brutus with a grim face.
“Commander…we lost over 1000 soldiers today. The majority of the soldiers that died were from the initial clash with the enemy’s arrow attack at the beginning of the fight. The losses were heaviest on the left-wing where many of the units were wiped out by a skill user. The units that survived only have a few people left in their unit,” said the officer in charge of such information.
“Has there been any news from the vanguard commander?”
“Even if the prince forced marched the vanguard there and back it would still be several more days until they return.”
Bam!
Brutus slammed his fist into the table. He wouldn’t have an army to command if the war continued like this for a few more days.
He was beginning to regret his previous battle plans now that the enemy had countered them so thoroughly forcing them into this stalemate that could turn into a complete disaster at any time.
“Send some of the knights to the left and right wings tomorrow to support them. When the signal is given they will launch simultaneous attacks on the enemy flanks to try and break them. Make sure that the archers gather all their arrows and replace any that have broken. We need them to blunt the enemy’s charge,” said Brutus.
“It will be done as you say General!”
‘We need to crush them soon or there won’t be much of an army left when Rodger returns,’ thought Brutus.
***
“…and the full moon will be out tomorrow, so it will give us an edge over the humans,” said Seff the information officer.
“Your plan has merits but if we fail to control the situation, it will be a near-death sentence to those who are given the task,” said General Blaez.
“General our losses were light today compared to the enemies but if we continue this long drawn out fight over several days the enemy may be able to receive reinforcements from either the left or right harassing armies. Then we will be back to being outnumbered and the losses will keep adding up.
I agree that the task is dangerous. But if only a few more warriors have to die to stop this war. We should hold onto this chance,” said Redbeard.
“Since you are championing it do you have anyone in mind that would have a chance at pulling it off?”
“I do, but I have to ask him first. I don’t think his grandfather will be okay with this but it is a war and we can not protect him from stubbing his toe forever. We should not block him from growing.”
“If you are talking about that young man, then you’re putting me in an awkward spot. If he were to die then I’ll have to answer to the grand elder.”
“I will offer my own explanation to him if that happens,” said Redbeard.
“Does anyone else have an opinion on this plan? Or a different idea?” asked general Blaez.
Everyone shook their head no. Although the plan was dangerous with a slim chance of succeeding they would still go with it rather than the alternative of continuing the stalemate.
“Very well, then each of you are to gather a few people that are willing and we will form three groups with their own task. This way if even one of them ends up succeeding we will be able to brute force our way through and crush a large portion of their army and cruise through the rest of the war.”
***
The next morning when the sun rose the human army was already starting to form up the sleepy soldiers who had been given “dry” rationed bread to eat while they formed up onto the battlefield that had been cleared the night before but was still dyed a dark red from the blood of the dead and wounded.
An hour passed and the sun had risen high enough to fully light up their surroundings. The Beorin army continued to stand, waiting for the attack from the enemy.
“Where is the enemy? What are they doing?” asked the impatient Brutus concerned that something was wrong.
“I’ll send a scout out right away sir!” shouted a subordinate officer.
“Send two.”
“Yes, sir!”
Brutus watched as the officer rushed over to a small group of lightly armored knight scouts the only ones that were still on their horses. Seconds later two of the knights left the main army making sure to put a wide distance between themselves as they rode their horses forward at a quick pace splashing into the swamp water and running to the opposite side for a look at the enemy that was hidden behind the many trees.
The lightly armored scout in the front immediately became a pin cushion as several arrows and cross bolts pierced him and his warhorse killing them both instantly.
The second scout that was still a good distance behind immediately turned around and charged back towards the safety of the Beorin army, urging his horse to go as fast as it could as arrows flew after them.
When he returned he had an arrow piercing his left shoulder along with one in his left arm.
“What did you see?” asked Brutus.
“General! The enemy’s army is still there but they seem to not be making any move to form up and attack!” saluted the knight with his right arm.
“Are you sure? Is their whole army still there?”
“I’m positive! I saw them all talking and eating their morning meal next to fires. Sod was killed by a few sentries that spotted him.”
“Fine, you can go and get your wounds treated at the medical tent,” said Brutus dismissing the soldier with a wave of his hand.
With an awkward pained salute, the knight turned around and walked away revealing an arrow stuck in his butt that quivered and moved every time he took a step.
“General this is outrageous! They are taking us to lightly! Say the word and I will lead the charge forward into their camp!” said an officer next to him.
“No! I don’t care if they are taking us lightly. If they do not wish to attack us then this benefits us more than them. All we have to do is wait for the vanguard to return,” said Brutus.
“Then…do you want us to return to the fortifications?” asked the officer.
“We can not do that either. This may be some trick of theirs to make us let down our guard… we must stay ready to receive and counter their attack. Send the word to the other officers that the army will stay in formation but they may rest at east right now until otherwise ordered.”
Around noon the sky started to cloud up and a cold drenching downpour began to fall from the sky.
The rain battered the human army as they stood out in the cold rain for over an hour until Brutus reluctantly ordered them back to the fortifications while cursing out loud when there was no sign of the enemy attacking or the rain stopping.
***
“Is everyone still confident with the plan for tonight even with the weather turning for the worse?” asked General Blaez.
“The winter rains may have come early, but I believe that they will not hurt our chances. Either way, we can not call the three groups back they have already left,” said Gren.
“All we can do is hope for the best and if it turns even worse we will just have to deal with it,” said Seff.
“Alright for better or worse we will go forward with the plan. Everyone must do their own part in making sure that it succeeds.”
