As news of the calamity happening on the right flank trickled through to the soldiers at the front, moral skyrocketed for the troops of Aidonia and at the same time moral sunk to its lowest for the opposing troops, rumors of a battlefield butcher had spread through the ranks like wild-fire.
The unsettled enemy soldiers couldn't help but be terrified upon hearing accounts of the carnage left on the river banks, they were all on edge hoping the stories were exaggerated.
Thud! A pale-faced man in his thirties dressed in tight black leather armor was dumped before Commander Genk as captains and scouts reported the situation of the right flank.
Even though he had the utmost confidence in Hartley, hearing the reports from multiple people left commander Genk stunned, he looked over at the youth standing nonchalantly, the youth returned his gaze and with a smile.
The commander didn't bother asking any questions. No use in looking a gift horse in the mouth he thought to himself.
Turning back his attention to the prisoner tied and bleeding on the ground he smiled at the whimpering man, "I have some questions for you, if you lie even one time then...."
Commander Genk worked his way forward towards the handful of grey stone buildings, entering one of the buildings he saw a family of five hunkered together in wide-eyed fear, he tried his best to reassure the family that they would not be harmed, that seem to make them even more nervous, all he could do was sigh.
In the simple room were six of his captains and a scout peaking out a window into the distance. This building had the perfect vantage point to survey the surroundings.
The interrogation of the captured captain had netted them vital information on the placements of the ambush set ahead, even he had not expected the terrified man to break so easily.
Confirmation of the information had been done by the people in the room and various scouts. UP ahead were a crossbow squad and heavy infantry plus a squad of lance wielding cavalry, the bane of foot soldiers. It would have been a disaster had they been taken by surprise, he was confident they would have won the battle in the end but the losses would have been colossus.
With the threat of a potential ambush hanging over every road leading towards the capital, commander Genk made a decision to nip the threat in the bud, the last thing he needed was to fight a protracted hit and run gorilla war.
His next best option was to launch a counter ambush and have a decisive victory to shatter the capabilities of the rebel army en route to the capital. Hartley quietly shadowed the commander as he made his preparations, he knew very little about military tactics and was happy to learn through experience.
After gathering all his captains It was late in the evening and Commander Genk sat at a table with a crude map, "I want you to take your men up this road and assault this position." he said as he pointed out positions on the map.
Captain Bojin had a sour face, he and his troops were being sent as the vanguards of the counter ambush. This was sure to lead to heavy casualties for his squad.
"Sir I thought I saw movement to the rear that's why we didn't cross the bridge with the rest of the troops, we were guarding from a possible attack and protecting the soldiers back."
Commander Genk waved his hand as if that was no issue,"forget about that," then he returned to looking at the map, "use a shield formation because the enemy is suspected to be equipped with a squad of crossbow men set up on the ridge."
Captain Bojin stood there looking like he had something to say but didn't know how to say it.
"Dismissed, be ready in twenty minutes," said Commander Genk before turning his attention to the other captains who were having their own discussions.
Captain Bojin stood there scowling without moving. Finally some of commander Genk's true feelings towards Captain Bojin leaked out, with a bulging vein standing erect in the middle of his forehead, eyes wide and spittle flying everywhere he barked, "You have your orders, do you dare refuse your duty as a soldier of Aidonia?"
The commander stood up abruptly knocking over a stool and towered above captain Bojin eyes wild and itching to break the captain in two with his bare hands for insubordination, how could he forget the casualties taken because this twerp was playing at politics in the middle of a battle. The room went quiet and captain Bojin retreated quickly and unwillingly began making preparations....
Soon clashes between the two opposing forces rang out in the last throes of the evening sunshine as the two armies violently met beside the ridge.
Commander Genk stepped into the road his robe whipping about in the wind, this time he was leading his men from the front. The commotion of swords clanging reverberated through the air in the chaotic battle. The screams of the dying was overridden by the volatile clashes of men and weapons, blood and severed body parts of both sides began to scatter around the battlefield making the ground muddy with blood.
Stained red, the commander's gigantic two handed sword gleamed and glinted crimson as it crashed through horses like thunder, cutting them in half and throwing their riders into the sky and back down landing with a crunch.
Muscles bulging and skin stone-like, his steps thumped and shook the ground, crushing the skulls of the downed riders like glass underfoot as he charged forward into the oncoming mounted lancers with his elites pounding behind to catch up.
The enemy had concentrated their infantry out of sight behind the ridge with squad of crossbow men at its crest in wait for the troops of Aidonia who would be marching up the bottle neck of the tiny road.
The enemy cavalry were stationed in the trees off to the left, once the army was bottled up on the tiny road and taking bolts from the crossbow squad, they would crash into the panicked army at speed ensuring maximum damage.
Captain Bojin and his men had rushed the enemy's position on the ridge in a shield formation taking significant casualties from crossbow bolts while they climbed to the high ground and neutralized the threat, this allowed commander Genk to rush the enemy infantry in a head on clash with half of his troops.
The other half under the command of Anguo Chen were making their way around the battle in the confines of the forest to attack from the back in a pincer attack.
Hartley's role was to enter the forest where the enemy cavalry were hidden and wreak havoc, after his performance on the river bank no one doubted his ability to single handedly butcher large amounts of the enemy troops. before the enemy even knew what was happening Hartley had eliminated nearly half of the two hundred strong mounted unit.
Hearing the curdling screams of their comrades and thinking they were being attacked by squad of infantry men in the forest where their horse's maneuverability was at its worse, what was left of the enemy cavalry streaked out of the forest and down the road in desperation, trying their best to make an impact on the outcome of the battle but they were hampered by the width of the road and could only attack six abreast, with one swing of his sword, commander Genk could easily nullify any charge sending pieces of men and horses flying in every direction in a horrifying display of power.
The massive sword cleaved through flesh, bones and armor like paper, raining blood upon friend and foe and pushing back the enemy in panic.
Just when the enemy's will to fight was broken and they began thinking of escape, they found that Anguo Chen had outflanked them with the other half of the troops and they were being attacked from the back at the same time.
The enemy was hammered like scrap metal sitting on a blacksmith's anvil before even the first hour of the battle was complete....
After cleaning up the gory aftermath of the battlefield and setting ablaze more than 800 dead enemy troops. They buried 200 of their own before setting off for the Capital camping over night out in the open before continuing their journey in next day.....
King Zixen gawked like a child as he saw more than a thousand men lined up at the wall of the capital with blood stained armor glinting in the morning sunshine, the men wore silver and red armor with the insignia of Aidonia on their breast plate which the king recognized right away. The guards on the walls reported that a man as big as an ox had a golden token with an eagle carved into it. The king didn't hesitate any further and gave the order to open the gate.
The king came to meet the army with a dozen bodyguards in tow, with a bright toothy smile the white haired king who had wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and somewhat sagging skin greeted commander Genk.
"It seems you had an adventure on your way here,"
Commander Genk gave the King a formal bow, "yeah the people we've met on the way seems a bit aggressive." he said with a smile.
The king guffawed, "come come, lets head back to the castle and get the men sorted, you must be tired.
"Thank you, your majesty."
The king waved his hand "no need to be formal with me, I should be thanking you."
Hartley took this all in from behind commander Genk, he thought the king seemed genuine and jovial, a far cry from the cut throat and calculated politicians of Aidonia.
Everyone then set off to the castle behind the king and his entourage.