Age of Heroes

BATTLE

'SHOOT' Harald officers yelled.

And by that orders hundreds of javelins thrown and arrows released to Arial approaching army, slicing the air with force.

Harald armies first hurled their javelins and shoot their bows, a thousand arrows heading towards them, falling from the sky like rain, piercing anyone who is late at putting up their guard.

West uses his shield to block the oncoming arrow while ordering his men, while Kyle dodges it using his horsemanship.

Arial is still on his horse riding it like the wind, his large glaive slicing the arrows and the javelin.

This unbelievable scene rendered the javelins and arrows almost useless in front of him. 

Behind him the commanders are ordering their men to take position while Arial bravely rode to the front line alone. 

'My lord, wait for us!' 

Some of the lords yelled out to Arial as they could see Arial is riding faster to meet and clash with Harald armies. 

Even though they have agreed in this kind of attack, worries are still apparent in the eyes of Arial vassal lords.

How could they not?

Arial is their lord and the main power of the Invasion. If he falls in battle, morale would plummet and they have no reason to stay in Vangua any longer.

Their heart beats very fast every time an arrow swished by the Duke, every time javelins almost strike him.

They could have a heart attack seeing the display of reckless bravery of Arial.

This is the best tactic for him. Since Arial has massive battle power and strength combined with his long glaive, it is better for him to act like an overbearing avenger.

With his power and skills no one doubts the Duke prowess and survivability. 

Not even his guards could catch up to Arial now as he keeps slicing anything that is thrown at him. 

The moment of impact between these two armies is in about 30 seconds now as Arial army is trying to endure the barrage of javelins and arrows.

People fall down in death like flies, blood coloured the green grass red, stench of death fill the area, fear and dread, hatred and rage fill the battlefield. 

Bloodcurdling screams, wails and cries become the music for the battlefields.

Then from behind Arial there is an order being shouted and this time the skies are filled with rains of arrows, sharp and numerous arrows as it rained down at Harald armies.

Arial missile corps counterattacks begins.

Kyle from behind after positioning his missile corps quickly order them to take position and release their arrows to both secure the safety of Arial cavalry and Arial safety while at the same time killing the enemy's archers. 

After all archers isn't the Vangua specialty of arms.

The strength of the Arrandians lay in the arms in which the Vanguan is lacking, in horsemen and archers. 

Arial has one of the strongest cavalry in the continent and one of the deadliest units of archers and bowmen the world has ever seen. 

His army is well discipline and have high endurance when enduring attack. For the cavalry their offensive power is great while Arial missile corps is very precise in their attacks.

When the rains of steel arrows rained down upon the front line of Harald people fall like weak trees after a storm. 

Hundreds upon hundreds of people scream. 

Some die in pain, dozens of arrows lodged in their bodies, while some is fortunate and managed to hide behind a shield wall, as hundreds of arrows stuck on the wooden shield.

This is a pitched battle and Arial is leading it. 

Seeing their own leader very much flinging himself into the jaws of death how could not the common soldier feel touched, seeing that the Duke words are true. 

They will either win the land together, or fail and die together.

Arial is still in front rushing to battle. Arial is not stupid either. Thinking of these he finally reached the point of clashing. 

Hundreds of soldiers are running towards him all ready to axe him to death. Arial smirk.

'I WILL TAK-' Arial swing his glaive and the bodies turned into slices of meat as blood spluttered like fountain, gushing from the decapitated lower half of the soldier that have tried to attack him.

The one behind the bald headed soldiers also suffer the same fate while some of them is too stunned to move and become the glaive next victim. 

With its weight and Arial strength people are truly like branches of an old tree, one swing is all it took to reduce grown men into a bloody mass of gore.

His steed on the other hand, trampled on the corpses mutilated bodies, each step the horse as take is stained with people blood, leaving a blood trail showing where the killing begins and showing no signs of ending.

Harald army take their weapons of close combat and charge at Arial. Most of them use war axes, but Arial spotted some using a long sword.

'COME IF YOU DO NOT VALUE YOUR LIVES' Arial yelled, as his grip on the glaive tightens and he swings the glaive like a tornado, as blood spluttered around like a dancing of blood and limbs.

Behind him his army is advancing faster and faster marching in tortoise formation while the cavalry lead by West is advancing rapidly and then a huge clanging can be heard and screams filled the battlefield.

West has reached at the right flank as they clashed with Lord Girth corps and engage in battle.

Arial on the other hand is advancing slowly as hundreds of soldiers threw themselves at Arial trying to stop his advance only to be sliced into pieces of meat.

But...how could normal soldiers stopped him? He who is called Central Celestial, feared and respected in the martial art world?

How could they dare think that they could even put a scratch at his body, he is who is called the Dragon?

How could anyone contend with Arial might and overbearing presence that seem to choke the normal soldier with feelings of dread when Arial rides towards them?

Arial is activating his Imposing Presence and some people could see that when Arial is advancing some people unconsciously moved back and some even let him pass, their feet's could not move, their knees buckled under such pressure of overwhelming presence.

Arial on the other hand is smirking, traces of blood can be seen on his face, a testament of the festivity of gore he is engaged right now.

Blood colour his face red, his black dragon scale armour become darker combining with the black colour of the dragon scale and the red blood of his enemies.

Arial turned around as he saw that Lord Sothern and Kyle are advancing. 

Lord Sothern orders the foot soldiers to speed up their march while Kyle is ordering the archers to load up their arrows. 

Every once in a while a horn is blown and West and Lord Sothern who is now reaching the right flanks will hold up their shields as they protect themselves from the barrage of arrows that rained down upon him.

Arial on the other hand took his glaive and swing it like a windmill, creating a vortex of wind on top of his head, deflecting every arrows that came from above.

Arial knows that Harald army did not have enough supplies of arms since the North belongs to Arial right now and with Montberry and Alsencon lords swearing fealty to his force, it had made Harald army needful to supply the place of the picked men of Harald with irregular levies, armed almost anyhow. 

Of their weapons of various kinds, the bow was the rarest. Sooner or later even their arrows will run out.

Their way of fighting and their method is fundamentally different from each other, but these two ways of fighting is brought each one to perfection by the leaders on each side. 

But they had not yet been tried and tested against one another. 

At Venicia Harald had defeated an enemy with cavalry even though it is not his specialty but because his overwhelming number and that he caught the Anjouian by surprise, he had won 

But the same tactics won't work with Arial not to mention Arial cavalry is stronger and more disciplined with formations that is ever-changing. 

Not to mention Arial experience in cavalry both in Human Continent and during his war on the plains of the Orcs had made him an expert in cavalry formations and tactics.

Harald would then surely fall back to the tried and tested methods of fighting that his lords are used to.

Pitched battles, is rare in continental warfare. That warfare mainly consisted in the attack and defence of strong places, and in skirmishes fought under their walls. 

But Arial knew how to make use of troops of different kinds and to adapt them to any emergency. 

Harald too is a man of many resources; by adapting his men to the enemy's way of fighting.