He stood there on a hill of the retched dying, a scene of gore set to the somber moans of prolonged dying accented by the ecstasy of a quick death. The corpseflies droned, setting an urgent pace and spurred Jhev away from the grotesque work of his army. Two shield-bearers stood near him, fanning the giant flesh biters away before they got a hold of something still able bodied. It was oppressively hot, as if Betsol was throwing her contempt at his army from Elysium, he used a red glove to mop his brow, straw blonde being pushed back atop his head. It had been a decisive victory, one small step towards the greater battle. From here he could see the body of his main force arraying down the valley across from the Vulk horde. The Dawnbreakers were set to work, scorching the woods with columns of flames that would soon turn the forest into an inferno if the Vulk didn't have any Greensoothers with them. He could see their Skycallers from here, gray robbed individuals gathering in rings starting their chant, they'd be too slow, Trife was always too slow. His armada would be here soon, which meant those Sunbelchers would need to be brought down before too long, hidden among those sentinel pines. A breeze caused Jhev to snap to attention, to long idling and Trife would bring about one of his storms at the Skycaller's request, the breeze brought with it the sharpness of the evergreens and that of dampness and mold... wet Vulk.
A runner broke from the circle of soldiers that had been watching the immortals fight, lucky for Jhev that theirs won the day. The runner came up puffing, helm hanging under one arm black hair of a lowborn matted against a square head. He gestured respect as he rose through the mess of blooded dirt to reach Jhev.
"The Hill is ours Sire, the Immortal Kanis has defeated theirs, and their supporting lancers have retreated to the woods below, we have the high ground and Marshall Derek is bringing up the archers and Dawnbreakers," He had an accent that placed him from the Mellows, interesting that he had found himself within this army, Jhev would need to check with his quartermaster once this affair was over.
"Yes, yes I can see that. Have Marshall Havsid send a detachment of Black Knights into that copse of sentinels there. I'll have us screened for any sort of counter maneuver they might try."
The runner gave the gesture for respect again before trudging back down the hill and jogging back towards the lines of infantry now reforming at the base of the hill that had just been won. Jhev once again took in the vantage granted, his forces marched steadily towards the horde black smoke had begun to rise from the forward ranks of Black Knights as their rifles gained range. Again a column of fire stretched from behind his lines, splashing into a cluster of Vulk and incinerating them. He would give them their due, these Vulk were a feverish sort of warrior, he had yet to see their army route, simply warily pulling back before presenting another strong front for Jhev's army to crush. Unless they adapted, they would be soundly defeated eventually, they'd entered the Valley of Storms not a few days ago and soon the Vulk would run out of room to run. The brew storming was a problem, but once these Sunbelchers had been taken he'd be able to use his armada to their full advantage and cut the Vulk's retreat off. Marshall Johanna had been trying to slip her leash, and if Jhev didn't let her loose soon, she'd do just that. He reached the back ranks of his soldiers, each wore breastplates, large pauldrons, bevors, and great helms, lest a Vulk's fangs find something vital when they got close. Most wore leather below the waist to help them kill up with their faster foes, but other still chose plate there as well. Each solider wore the yellow tabard of Kamok. They gestured respect as he passed between the open ranks, moving towards their head where Marshall Havsid would be. The lines were crisp, each solider stood in place, one a replica of another, their spears retrieved or replaced points gleaming in the sun, falchions sheathed on their hips. The finest army money could buy and it marched to his purchase. That's not to say that he did, not technically at least, Komak paid to train these men and he as Lord Marshall commanded them to the purpose of Betsol, if she could be bothered to inform him what the purpose was. He cleared the ranks and found Marshall Hevsid gesturing Divinity to the Chaplain leading the Black Knights, before Jhev closed the distance the Chaplain was leading her knights down the rise towards the trees he'd noted earlier.
"Lord Marshall Jhev, I've just sent Chaplain Ohan ahead with your orders." Hevsid said while gesturing respect. "Expecting them to try to push us off the hill after the bleeding they just took? How many times will we have to whip these Vulk before they learn!".
"They're not Kych, a few bleedings won't quench their blood frenzy. Regardless, they'll have no choice but to try and move us off this hill once the Dawnbreakers start scorching their flanks."
"Why not just keep fleeing, they've got the Eternal Wood behind them they could disappear real quick and leave our Dawnbreakers and archers without targets"
"They'd have to leave their Sunbelchers behind, and then they'd be at the mercy of our Skyreels, Vorcinerex probably believes they're best chance to waylay us is to make a stand with the cover of the woods to shelter him from our archers and priests. Be prepared to march Hevsid, we will not let them bring their Immortals to bare on the front of my army."
Havsid bowed deeply, his golden horned black helm threatening to topple him. "We'll my ready Sire, but I'll tell you I don't like it. It reminds me too much of Shellbrook."
"Shellbrook? That was a siege on a shallow lake?"
"Aye, but the feeling I had before it, like they had one up on us and we didn't even know it."
"Ahh, that feeling. Yes, you're not wrong there. That is why we'll have the Black Knights to screen us, their rifles should create a large enough cloud that we'll be able to sneak these lines up to their flanks before they realize we're near upon them."
"You mean to leave the archers undefended Sire?" Hevsid gestured unease.
"No, I mean to use them as bait."
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