章 26: Confrontation
The sun has set from the east. The morning dawn sky of the steppe is illuminated by the fresh sun. However, the freezing cold wind blowing from north Siberia is still strong.
Dorj and his group of 500 prisoners are riding their horses, galloping away from Temuujin's settlement at a rapid pace. Being imprisoned for three months, they are enthusiastic about being free again.
However, Dorj is looking back from time to time to check whether anyone is chasing and is preparing for a confrontation. Soon enough, Temuujin's troops will chase after them to either slaughter them or catch them away. If Dorj is caught again, what awaits him is only death.
'They should be coming soon. We delayed their chase by releasing Temuujin's army horses at the stable. They should be able to catch a few horses and couldn't send many troops. But a confrontation is inevitable. Before they come, I must choose the battlefield to have a geographical advantage.' thought Dorj in his mind.
In battles, having an advantage over the terrain is important. Dorj has seen many movies of medieval wars before, and the most important factor for the battle is having terrain advantage. Even if your enemies are more numerous than your troops, if you have the right position, you still have the chance to win.
Not far away in the northwest Dorj see a sloping hill. Dorj's eyes brightened upon seeing the hill and he instructed.
"Jegei! We will clash with Temuujin's troops soon, let's await our enemies on top of the hill, let us detour the hill and get on the top," shouted Dorj to Jegei as he pulled the bridle of his horse to the hill.
'Thud! Thud! Thud!' the horses marched towards the hill.
Dorj's plan is to make the enemy think they have bypassed the hill already and they are still a few more miles to catch them. But in reality, they would be forced to battle with Dorj in a disadvantaged position. Having a higher altitude position, Dorj's group would have a higher chance to win the battle. Considering the fact that Temuujin's troops horses would be exhausted for marching at full speed, they would have restrained mobility.
Temuujin's forces led by Tsagadai khankhuu are dispatched half an hour later after the commotion. Due to losing their horses, they only were able to catch 600 horses and sent their elite troops.
Tsagadai khankhuu is galloping at full speed on his mount, chasing by the directions of the hoofprints on the snow is left.
'If only I made sure that nobody would help Dorj to escape from the black ger, his execution should have been imminent.' thought Tsagadai khankhuu and clenched the bridle of his horse hard. He vowed that before finishing any matter, he wouldn't rest assured again.
"Hiyah!" lashed Tsagadai khankhuu on his horse's back to fasten his pace.
"They must not gone far away, if we rush, we will be able to catch the escapees!" roared Tsagadai khankhuu! It was seconded by the warcry of his troops.
"Uukhai!" the warcy resounded in the steppe.
'Thud! Thud!..." the horses rapid pace vibrated the ground.
Atop the hill where Dorj and his group is awaiting, Dorj is giving instructions.
"All! We will ambush our enemies here, we have 10 bows. So When Temuujin's troops pass by the hill 10 archers will shoot arrows to the leading general. It doesn't matter if you kill him or not. But an army with wounder general would be disorganized. The rest shall confront the enemy which charges to the top. By positioning in the higher altitude of this hill, we have a chance to win" instructed Dorj.
The escapees atop the mountain gazed at Dorj with various emotions. They have finally regained their freedom, yet they are going to have a battle right after they have escaped.
The troops nodded and made the preparations to ambush the enemy. This is a battle they must win in order to survive. Jegei and 9 other skilled archers are given bow and arrows, while the remaining troops clenched their pickaxe, shovel, and around 50 swords that were collected previously.
Dorj's troops let their horses lean on the ground, and they camouflaged themselves under the snow. If you think lying under the snow is freezing cold, you may be wrong. Actually being buried in snow is warmer than being exposed to wind, the principle is the same as igloos.
"Thud! Thud! Thud..."
A faint vibration of enemy troops' march can be heard from the soil.
"Jegei, do you have an estimate of how many troops are incoming?" asked Dorj with caution.
If Dorj's calculations are wrong and somehow Temuujin has dispatched thousands of troops, they would be doomed to die here. The hill which Dorj has chosen would be the 500 escapee's resting place to die.
Jegei contemplated for a while as he replied. "My lord, by the sound of the vibration, they must not be many times more numerous than us. This is a rough estimation, I may be wrong so pardon me."
Dorj replied with a satisfied expression as he replied. "Jegei, remember shoot Tsagadai khankhuu if he is present!"
Jegei has a determined eye as he glanced toward his wife and son who are in the middle of the troops, defended by the prisoners. "My lord, rest assured. I recognize Tsagadai khankhuu very well."
The vibration of the ground is intense while the warcry of Tsagadai khankhuu's troops echoes through the hill.
"Uukhai!" "Uukhai!" "Uukhai!"
Dorj peeked towards the incoming enemy, and he found no more troops than his. Therefore, he signaled the archers to be ready.
Atop the hill, Dorj has seen the enemy troops marching at their maximum speed. In front of the march, Tsagadai khankhuu is marching, followed by six company leaders.
When Tsagadai khankhuu and the six company leader passes by at the side of the hill, they found the hoofprints of Dorj's group to be encircling the hill.
Tsagadai khankhuu has a ominous feeling which this may be am ambush as he pulled the bridle of his horse and halted the march. However the troops behind him didn't catch Tsagadai khankhuu's command in time as they marched by their inertia.
As soon as Tsagadai and his company captains are within the range of the arrows, Dorj signaled his 10 archers to shoot.
Jegei and the other 9 skilled archers stood up and aimed their arrows towards Tsagadai khankhuu.
'Shuuu!'
'Shuu!'
'Shuu!' a screech of arrow slicing the air resounded.
"Urgh!" "Ah!" "Hmpt!!"
five of Tsagadai's company leaders are shot down. While Jegei couldn't hit down Tsagadai khankhuu but only his horse is shot down.
"It's an ambush! March to the hill!" commanded the remaining company captain as he pulled Tsagadai khankhuu up.
"My lord! Are you alright? The enemy has shoot arrows from the top of the hill! By the look, there seems to be only dozen of archers!" asked the remaining company captain with a worried tone.
Tsagadai khankhuu caught one of the dead company captain's horse and pushed the corpse to the ground. After he has mounted the horse, he commanded. "I am fine, March to the hill. The enemy is unarmed. Kill the prisoners, but catch Dorj alive!"
The troops started to march upwards to the hill.
"Uukhai!" the warcry resounded. Jegei and the troops started to shoot down the marching troops' horses, to delay their pace.
'Shuu!' 'Shuu!' 'Shuu!'
The horses which are hit started to make a commotion and run back to the hill, the mounted troops are thrown down by the horse and stamped to death.
However, there are 600 troops of the enemy, as the archers can kill only around 60 troops while the troops are marching upwards.
When the enemy has reached half of the hill, Dorj signaled the archers to stop shooting and shouted.
"Everyone! Attack!"
The troops who buried themselves with their horses stood up and mounted on top of their horses.
"Attack!!!" the escapees cried as loud as they can as they marched downwards.
The 500 escapees which has rested horses marched at their full speed.
"Thud!" "Thud!" "Thud!" the ground shook.
The two forces marched at full speed, raising their weapons in the air.
Dorj troops are forming a triangle where the head is Dorj and the troops who have swords are in the front, followed by the troops who have pickaxes, and at the rear, there are the troops with shovels.
"Crash!"
Two parties collided with each other, but for Dorj's group, since they have higher inertia, the horses are faster as Dorj and the foremost 50 troops slashed their enemies.
Dorj and the 50 troops who have swords impaled their enemies, making them fall to the ground. The troops which have pickaxes hit their enemies on their heads bashing their skulls. On the other hand, the troops who have shovels pushed their enemies off their mounts, making them stamped by the hooves of horses.
Dorj, who has little to no experience of a battle successfullleader's eyes killed three of his enemies but parried with an enemy squad leader. if
"Clang!" "Clang!" "Clang!" the sound of parries resounded through the hill.
When Dorj had an opening, the enemy squad leader slashed, which was dodged by Dorj by a margin of a second. However, on his cheek, a line of wounds appeared, making blood drop below.
The enemy squad leader slashed several times again being blocked by Dorj. Just as when Dorj was about to lose, the enemy squad leader's eyes widened.
A sword blade has pierced his heart. When the squad leader drops down lifelessly, it was found that Zorigt has pierced the enemy squad leader from his back.
"Are you alright my lord?" asked Zorigt as he parried with another enemy.
"I am fine. Thank you!" replied Dorj.
Just when Dorj finished his sentence, from the bottom of the mountain, Tsagadai khankhuu is marching upwards in the direction of Dorj, aiming to battle him.
Tsagadai khankhuu locked his eyes on Dorj as he was killing the escapees on his path.
Dorj turned his head atop the hill as he made eye contact with Jegei. From the distance, Jegei has seen Tsagadai khankhuu coming and met the eye of his master.
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