Chapitre 12: Massacre
Yeat 1695(February)
In February of 1695, after their bitter victory over the barbarian army, the Aurion forces, once numbering over 300,000 strong, were now a mere shadow of themselves with just 27,000 soldiers remaining.
Despite their heavy losses, they pushed deeper into the northern lands, driven by a desire for complete conquest and a deep-seated need for revenge against the barbarians who had cost them so dearly.
The remaining knights and mages of the aurion army were all angry on the barbarians as because of them their friends died in this war, they were angry even though they were the first one who came to attack the northern lands.
As they ventured further, they encountered numerous small tribes. These tribes were easily overcome, as most of their warriors had already been dispatched to the front lines of the war, leaving behind the old, the young, and those not fit for battle.
The encounters were swift and brutal. The anger and grief harbored by the Aurion knights and mages for their fallen comrades fueled their ruthlessness. Villages were decimated, and the few barbarians who survived the onslaught were bound in chains, destined for a life of servitude far from their homeland.
Year 1695(May)
By May, after four long months of relentless march and conflict, the Aurion army had laid claim to vast swathes of the northern lands.
The barbarian tribes, scattered across the northern lands and being leaderless, stood little chance against the organized armies of the Aurion forces.
The conquest seemed all but complete, with each victory further emboldening the invaders.
Finally, the Aurion forces arrived at the western edge of the northern lands, where they were met with a sight unlike any they had encountered before in this harsh, frozen expanse.
Before them lay a sprawling city, its architecture unique and imposing, situated on the riverbank.
This city was a bustling hub of barbarian life, home to tens of thousands of inhabitants. It was the final obstacle standing between the Aurion army and their goal of total conquest.
The sight of the city filled the hearts of the Aurion soldiers with a mix of awe and determination. For many, the long months of conflict had taken a toll, leaving scars both physical and emotional.
Yet, the prospect of completing their mission, of avenging their fallen brethren, rekindled a flame of anger and revenge within them.
As they prepared for what would be their final assault, the air was thick with anticipation and the weight of the moment.
The soldiers knew that the battle for the city would not be easy, that more blood would be shed and more lives lost.
Yet, they were resolute, driven by a sense of duty and the fervent belief that their cause was for the Supreme Deity, and if it was for the Supreme Deity, everything was right.
The conquest of the city would mark the end of their crusade, the culmination of months of hardship and sacrifice. And so, with heavy hearts but unwavering spirits, they readied themselves to face the last challenge that lay before them.
First day of the attack
In the early hours of a chilly morning, the Aurion army stood ready at the outskirts of the city, their eyes set on the city.
The city, vibrant and full of life, was unaware of the impending storm about to break upon its walls.
As the sun rose, casting a golden light over the snowy landscape, the Aurion forces, driven by a mix of determination and the heavy burden of their fallen comrades, initiated their attack.
The sound of war horns pierced the tranquil morning air, signaling the start of the assault.
"For the supreme deity!" Yelled the commander of the army.
"For the supreme deity!" All of the troops started to yell.
The Aurion soldiers, shouting their battle cries of "For the supreme deity!" charged towards the city gates with a fervor born of months of continuous battle and hardship.
The city's defenders, taken aback by the sudden onslaught but quick to recover, rushed to man the walls and defend their home with everything they had.
The battle was fierce and unforgiving. Aurion mages unleashed torrents of magical fire and lightning, aiming to breach the city's defenses and sow chaos among its defenders.
The barbarians responded with volleys of arrows and spears, each side determined to hold their ground. The air was filled with the clash of steel, the cries of the wounded, and the roar of battle spells.
Amidst the chaos, the barbarians revealed their secret weapon - warriors imbued with the powerful aura, their weapons glowing with a menacing light.
These warriors cut through the Aurion ranks with terrifying efficiency, their aura shields deflecting spells and arrows alike. The sight of these aura warriors bolstered the city's defenders, who fought back with renewed vigor.
However, the Aurion forces were not to be underestimated. Their numbers might have been reduced, but they were still the most elite group knights and mages trained to serve the supreme deity by the church .
The knights, protected by their heavy armor, formed the vanguard, pushing forward with shields raised against a hail of arrows, their swords and axes cutting down anyone who stood in their way.
The mages, though fewer in number, focused their efforts on countering the aura warriors, finding ways to breach their defenses and strike them down.
The battle raged on for hours, the outcome uncertain as both sides fought with desperate courage. The city streets became a battleground, with every alleyway and square contested fiercely.
The cost was high on both sides, with the ground stained by the blood of the fallen.
Second day of the attack
On the second day of the assault, dawn broke over a scene of devastation. The city, once a beacon of life amidst the harsh northern landscape, braced itself for the inevitable.
During the night, Aurion sappers and mages had worked tirelessly, undermining the city's defenses and preparing for the final push.
As the first light of day touched the battered walls, a massive explosion shattered the silence, creating a breach wide enough for the Aurion forces to pour through.
The breach in the city walls acted as a floodgate for the pent-up fury of the Aurion army. Soldiers, their faces set in grim determination, surged forward, driven by memories of fallen comrades and the promise of victory.
Shouts of "For the supreme deity!" echoed through the air as they stormed into the city, their discipline giving them a semblance of order amidst the chaos.
The defenders, caught off guard by the sudden breach, scrambled to mount a defense, but the momentum was against them.
The narrow streets and alleys of the city became death traps, as Aurion knights and foot soldiers engaged in brutal hand-to-hand combat with the barbarian warriors.
The air was thick with the sounds of battle—the clash of steel, the cries of the wounded, and the thunder of magic.
Aurion mages, now inside the city walls, unleashed their spells with devastating effect. Firestorms and lightning arcs rained down upon the defenders, causing mayhem and destruction.
The barbarians fought back with desperate courage, their aura warriors leading countercharges in an attempt to push the invaders back.
But for every aura warrior that fell, it seemed two Aurion soldiers took their place, their numbers and resolve overwhelming.
As the day wore on, the outcome became increasingly clear. The Aurion forces, methodical and relentless, advanced through the city, securing key positions and cutting off any hope of retreat for the defenders.
The barbarian resistance, though fierce, began to crumble under the weight of the assault.
When the city's central square was finally captured, it marked the end of organized resistance. What followed was a massacre, as the frustrated and enraged Aurion troops, no longer held back by the constraints of battle, unleashed their fury upon the city's inhabitants.
Houses were burned down, and any found with arms, regardless of age or gender, were cut down without mercy. The streets ran red with blood, and the air was filled with the smoke of burning buildings and the screams of the dying.
By nightfall, the city was eerily silent, a ghost of its former self. The surviving inhabitants cowered in hiding, fearing for their lives, while the Aurion army, victorious but hollow, took stock of their conquest.
As the dawn broke over the conquered city, the flag of the Aurion Kingdom unfurled, fluttering in the cold morning breeze atop the city's highest building.
The once vibrant city, now a somber tableau of destruction and despair, lay silent under the heavy cloak of defeat. Streets that had echoed with the sounds of daily life were now silent, save for the occasional mournful cry or the distant orders of Aurion officers organizing their troops.
The barbarians, who had called this place home, were almost entirely wiped out in the night's massacre. Those who survived were either too wounded to pose any threat or were hiding, paralyzed by fear, amid the ruins of their lives.
The victorious Aurion soldiers, despite their exhaustion and the heavy toll the battle had taken on their ranks, moved through the city with a sense of grim satisfaction. They had achieved what they set out to do,
Now, the only thing left to do was to return to their homeland with the news of their victory, and from now on, an era had started, which would later be known as the "Era of Wars."
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