The Battle of Aelos

Military: Battle

The forces of Aethosa were now trapped in Aelos, and had rapidly consumed their stores of food while under siege for the last year.   Every day, a direct assault upon the walls by their attackers became more and more likely, and the city began to slowly resign itself to destruction.   It is then when the banners of the Herald of Flame could be seen on the horizon, and the greatest battle of the Age would begin.   This battle would end with the death of the Herald of Flame.

Aethosa had been unable to to receive current information regarding the Herald, as they had been under siege for some time. They were unaware that the return of their champion would not be the salvation they so desperately hoped for.   The Battle of Aelos is one of the stories that has been recorded in enough tomes, artwork, and song that the general progression of events is known to anyone who studies history.   It is said that the morning of the battle, the banners of the Herald appeared on the horizon, visible from the high towers of Aelos. The bright sun illuminated the returning forces, and the city erupted in cheers and horns as their saviors returned to drive off the forces of Kalaevaan and Daelus.   Yet, something was amiss. As the armies of The Herald of Flame approached, backed by the burning sun as the forces reached the battlefield by mid-day, they seemed... different. No longer were the armies carrying the banners of Aethosa, instead bearing banners of turned red and brown from the blood of their enemies and painted with the crude icon of the Herald. The soldiers of the army no longer bore the shining metal of Aethosa, but charred and twisted armor of melted steel and blackened leather. The bloodshot eyes of the troops are said to have glowed red, filled with a lust for violence and a desire for destruction.   Bloodcurdling roars erupted from the forces of the Herald as they came over the hills, and the forces of the Luvanion Pact turned to face the advancing army.   In the fields outside the walls of Aelos, one of the bloodiest battles in known history began.   ------   Before the armies even met, the land erupted in fire and magic, spellcasters on both sides bombarding the each other with all the power of the arcane and the divine at their disposal. Swaths of forces incinerated in an instant as powerful spells ravaged both armies.   The forces of the Herald charged forward, seemingly paying no heed to their comrades being obliterated before even reaching the enemy. The infantry of the armies crashed into each other as arrows rained across the battlefield. With the Herald's forces illuminated by a sun that seemed to burn with an intensity matched only by the Herald themself, the forces of the Luvanion Pact found themselves at a disadvantage.   Quickly, the battlefield erupted into carnage, soaking the grass with the blood of fallen soldiers and the screams of death filling the air.   The fighting raged for hours before Aethosa made their move. Seeing that the Luvanion Pact was beginning to lose the battle, the forces of Aethosa rode out from Aelos, with the intent to flank the Luvanion Pact and assist the Herald in wiping out their enemies.   It is then when they discovered a terrible truth: The Herald was not there to rescue Aelos. The Herald was there to take Aelos.   As the forces of Aethosa sallied out to meet the Luvanion Pact, they charged into the back line of their besiegers. When they did, the Herald revealed their true intent. Commanding power unknown to the Aethosans, the Herald cast a spell that obliterated the gates of Aelos, blocking the entrance with rubble and cutting off any hope of escape for the Aethosan forces.   A horn was sounded, and with it, a secondary force of the Herald emerged from hiding. These troops joined the fray encircling the battle, effectively trapping all three armies together. By the time Aethosa realized what was happening, their forces were already being slaughtered by their perceived allies.   Any semblance of order of was lost. The Herald seemed only interested in causing as much bloodshed as possible. Blades swung wildly, with little ability to distinguish between friend and foe as the four armies clashed outside the walls of Aelys.   The Herald joined the fray personally, carving a bloody path through both their own troops and the enemy. Through the clashing of blades and the sprays of viscera, the Hand of Daelus and the Herald of Flame met in battle. The sun, which should have long set in the sky, remained blazing above the battlefield.   ------   The fighting of these two figures was furious. Tales of the battle describe the soldiers distancing themselves from the duel, as anyone who got too close was slain immediately and effortlessly.   While the forces of each army tore each other apart, the Hand and the Herald crossed blades time and time again, the air around them erupting in gouts of flame and arcs of lightning. And then, for a second, time itself seemed to stop as the Hand of Daelus fulfilled their oath, decapitating the Herald of Flame and sending their body to the dirt.   For a moment, the fighting seemed to stop, as the soldiers of all forces looked in awe as the warlord of Aethosa fell to the ground. However, this was only for but a moment.   The forces of the Herald of Flame paused, seemingly unable to process what just transpired, before suddenly crying out in agony. The soldiers flew into a frenzy, flailing their weapons wildly as if afflicted by some madness. They attacked not only their enemies, but each other, and some are said to have even fallen on their own swords.   They seethed like rabid dogs, and when the first of these soldiers fell, their body began to smoulder, then ignite, erupting in flame and the maniacal laughter as they breathed their last breath. All across the battlefield, the leaderless forces of the Herald of Flame began to explode as they were felled, charging into the body of the other armies with no regard for their own life.   Were it not for Kalaevaans intervention in this moment, it is likely that even in death the Herald would've got what they wanted: The slaughter of everyone assembled. However, the mages of Kalaevaan reacted quickly, and through joint casting of magic were able to create arcane barriers around some of the forces of the Luvanion Pact to shield them from the explosions. Outside the barriers, a scene out of horror unfurled, as the remaining forces of Aethosa were torn apart by the maddened soldiers of the Herald, until none remained but their own and they slaughtered each other in turn. The armies were consumed in blood, fire, and death, until finally, the barriers were lowered, and only the forces of Kalaevaan and Daelus remained. The sun finally dimmed, giving way to the dark quiet of the night.