The Union 284 Shake the Earth

The charge of the Wismarines bent the Cantonese line. The Inkish were struggling too. Ash's heartbeat was pounding fast. The Wismarines were pushing them back.

"We s-should go back, prepare an escape." Harold said.

"No!" Magistrate Vulek barked. "Our men will flee. Don't you dare slump or show weakness."

"B-but we are losing!"

Ash caressed Harold's back. She also wanted to run. Their line was crumbling. Any moment now and the Wismarines would have a breach.

But she mustn't. All the struggles and all the hardships. The pain and the near-deaths. The tears, the sweat. The blood and the deaths. All of it led to this. All their sacrifices led to this moment, to this chance to end this conflict.

She steeled herself, shaking but firm. It took resolve but she endured. She looked at the lines again. It didn't look good.

Omniscient, she prayed. Please save us. Please don't...

The Wismarines broke through.

***

The sun was bright, Omniscient's gift. He was alive, Omniscient's will.

The lance was slipping from Henry's grip. His gauntlet was slick with sweat from his hand.

He urged his steed for speed. He was almost flying now, galloping toward the enemies. Beside him were the routing Cantonese. The Inkish had remained but half of the Cantonese were broken.

He let his purple cape flutter as he rode. His posture was straight- strong- like what the late Grand Master Nelson taught him.

'Aim straight, Henry.' He remembered Grand Master Nelson's advice. 'Straight as an honest man's words. Do not stray. Do not wobble. Aim straight. Ride straight. The Omniscient will guide your lance.'

The Cantonese were turning back now to Lady Ash's pleas. The sight of knights charging in the glorious full plates with capes fluttering must have been enough.

Henry did not slow. He did not falter. His knights folded the Wismarines. The breaching enemies were shattered by their charge, broken like splintered rocks. Now it was the Wismarines who were routing. Henry didn't give respite. His knights backed and charged again. The impetus drove them deep into the enemy lines, splitting the Wismarines.

But as Henry looked forward, he saw Elephants.

***
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Vanadian-Borondian Line

Arthur's trousers were wet. He liked to see it as moisture from sweat but the water dripping down his saddle was too much to be sweat.

The Wismarines were battering the Borondians to his left and the Vanadians to his right.

Oh what was that? Yes a Vanadian just got his throat slit. How about that? A Borondian had his face crushed. Crushed like literally pulped. A Wismarine's hammer caved through his helm. Arthur couldn't believe this. He couldn't believe his fate. Oh how cruel it was.

"Arthur!" He heard Ventil's voice.

Arthur looked and Ventil didn't look nice. His helm was dented. His arm had a gashing wound. His lips were busted. He was in the front lines, holding a sword and a spear. Arthur was further terrified.

"The flag you fool! The flag. Get the flag. Wave it!"

Arthur snapped from his fearful trance. The flag. Right. He saw it on his hand, lowered and shaking, the Union's flag which Lucia herself designed. He raised it through trembling hands. The figure of a pelican on top a lion with a sword on the left and ship on the right was colored brightly. He raised the flag despite the wound on his side. It ached. He just gritted his teeth.

Lucia better provide me with a fat allowance to squander after this, Arthur thought.

***

Vanadian Line

William stood firm amidst the battle, wishing he could participate. But what could a disabled person like him do? Nothing.

The Vanadians were holding fine. The Borondians were being pushed back but that was understandable as their formation still lacked coherence. The Inkish and the Cantonese were in worse shape though. He had seen that close rout earlier. Fortunately Henry was able to plug the breach and even push forward. But he had never seen Henry after that. A small worry sprouted from him but he disregarded it. The Grand Master is fine, he thought.

As for the Castonians in the far right flank, they were doing better than the other units. They were pushing the Wismarines. It was expected from them as they formed the backbone of this army. If even the hardy Castonians routed, all the rest would follow.

The Wismarines did several flanking maneuvers though but the Tulosans who did not join Henry's charge earlier met them. The desert warriors also defended the flanks despite losing Cohir.

For now William was satisfied. The lines were safe for now.

***

Castonian Line

"Advance!" Bourgis' voice joined the clang of steel.

The Dawn legion was pushing hard, leaving corpses in their wake. They were pushing the Wismarines back. They were winning.

Horns sounded. Not a warhorn, but something more organic. Bourgis looked to the side and soon felt cold behind his armor.

War elephants were charging at them. Hundreds. There were hundreds of such beasts. Steel-tipped tusks. Armor bodies. Bladed legs. Experienced lancers on top. The beasts shook the ground as they barreled toward the Castonian legions.

Riders were beside the elephants. Thousands, maybe as much as twenty. They dotted the land. Omniscient. It was terrifying. After squinting, Bourgis' fear was maxed. Some of the cavalry were Falconheads.

The elephants and the Wismarine cavalry plowed the Castonians line, sweeping like a deluge. In a moment the once pristine line of Castonians were shattered. It was bad. Disastrous. And Bourgis saw several Castonian Centuries mowed in an instant. Several other Centuries were already routing, mostly the green ones though the veterans cannot stand for long either.

Soon it was turning into a rout. A full rout of Castonians. Bourgis cannot believe his eyes.

"Steady!" He raised his sword and shouted but was stopped when an elephant flung him to the side.

***

Henry had lost many of his brothers. Omniscient guide them to a peaceful rest.

The charge earlier led them to the waiting arms of the elephants. He steered his knights away but some were ran down, crushed in their armor or skewered by the tusks.

Even he was bloody. He wiggled one of his left fingers, the ring one. The pain bit him. Broken. He also had cuts all over. His breastplate was dented. Perhaps he and what remained of his brothers should rest for a while.

"They are charging Grand Master." a knight informed him.

Henry saw what was happening. The Wismarines collected their cavalry and went for a single powerful charge. It was a smart move. Routing the Castonians would rout the entire army.

A loud bang echoed in the battlefield, the sound of a multitude of armor being crushed as the Wismarine elephants and cavalry hammered through the Castonians. The Castonians would soon shatter, Henry knew. But they should be commended for still holding despite that terrible charge.

"Collect the other Tulosan units to aid the Castonians." Henry gripped the shoulder of one of his officers. "Do it now!"

The knight nodded and went on his way. Other officers also scrambled to inform the others of the crisis. Queen Emily's men, the tribes of the great plains and the knights who hadn't join the battle must rush to help the Castonians.

Henry looked to his back. He had about three cohorts of knights with him. He raised his lance, pointing forward.

"Charge brothers. Charge! The Omniscient is watching. Charge!"

***

"Fifth cohort of Roar legion fill that gap. Third cohort aid the lad on the left. Apple legion stand and wait. Steelsword legion hold the elephants."

"Sir the Steelsword had been wiped out." A messenger informed Erik.

"Not all of them. Not all. Dammit lad." Erik grabbed the four rolled papers and handed each one to a messenger. "Ride."

The messengers galloped away, bearing Erik's orders. The Castonians were in peril. The whole of the Union's army was in peril. Henry arrived with his knights and other Tulosan cohorts were also reinforcing but it wouldn't be enough. It would never be enough.

The Wismarine infantry had also focused their attack on the Castonians. They were outnumbered and close to routing. Erik could already see groups of Castonians running from the front lines. It was painful watching the slaughter.

But when Erik swayed his look to the northeast he gasped. Another group of riders were approaching. The banner, he squinted, the banner appeared to display a Rooster crowing.

He ran to the back lines of the Castonians. "The King!" He shouted as loud as he could. "The King is here! King Timothy is here!"

There was a momentary respite in the fighting as both sides looked north. The banner of the Rooster was apparent now. The King had arrived and with him the Rooster.

Cheers erupted from the Castonians. The Vanadians, Tulosans, desert warriors, Cantonese, Borondians and Inkish had also caught up with the news. The routing Castonians were now firm.

Six thousand including the royal guards, Erik estimated. But the Rooster brought more than just numbers. More than the strength of the hardy veterans and the thundering charge of their horse, the Rooster brought hope.

***

The wind was silent to their charge. The sun was a witness to the history they will make today.

Lucia was behind him, her hair flowing behind. It was safer for her to be with him rather than stay in those galleys. She met his eyes and smiled, that sweet smile he had grown to love.

They met a year ago and he wouldn't have thought then that they would end up like this. She was his half, his partner and his wife. Omniscient. Whatever may happen, whatever the result of this charge might be, he was happy to be with her.

"I love you" She said, too low to hear but Timothy read her lips. She looked forward, still with that sweet smile.

Timothy also looked to the front, contented and steeled. The Rooster was heading toward the back of the Wismarines. They would clash soon enough.

"One last crow, men." He raised his sword. "One last crow. Crow for the Union. Crow and shake the earth!"

Chapter end