"The demon cavalry charged down the hill with spears raised and swords held high, their armor glistening with a rainbow glow from their enchantment as they looked down at their foreign enemies with vigor and savagery. Meeting their heavy charges were crazed foot soldiers and Yari Ashigaru with their spears held high, hoping to skewer the horsemen and their horses together. Like two mountains of heavy bloodlust, they collided, and they collided hard. Foot soldiers were trampled as the horsemen plowed through their ranks, but that did not stop or deter the samurai warriors who charged madly at them. Even though some of the warriors brought down some of the demon cavalry from their horses, it made little difference as the cavalry's destructive force caused huge casualties to their soldiers.
Tomoe saw this and gritted her teeth. She ordered her men to retreat into the woods from the direction they originally arrived, hoping to negate the cavalry's advantage on the clear, flat plane. Tomoe hoped to move their battle into an obstacle-infested woods. Seeing the foreign warriors retreat into the woods, the demon warriors were ecstatic and chased them in their retreat. However, just as Tomoe had predicted, the cavalry did not follow.
Tomoe was relieved but at the same time frustrated by the damage the enemy cavalry had caused. This was surely a different world, as the hoaxes of wizardry were really real in this world. Yarimen, even peasant spear wielders, could cause significant damage to any cavalry, but here in this world, their mystic arts created a significant advantage. The only mystic art they had first experienced in this world was from their lord, who cloaked them in purple light, giving them the strength of a thousand men. Seeing other arts gave them a startle.
The woods turned denser as both armies clashed in compact spaces between the trees. One could not see more than ten paces into the trees as every gap was filled with vicious warriors battling each other. Tomoe dashed between the thickets like a fish in water as she danced with her foes, taking lives with ease. Tomoe felt pressed for time; the loss of troops had cost her dearly. Not wanting to upset her new lord, she dashed to and fro between fellow soldiers who were pitching in to lessen the losses.
Tomoe wasn't the top commander, and she knew she was in dire straits. Saldim Valtir, seeing the foreign forces, gave him a startle by their sudden appearance when fighting the fox kin, but now, they were hanging on their last legs.
"Commander, the enemy forces have brought the battle into the forest, but worry not, my lord. The cavalry gave them a huge blow, and it's only a matter of time," a demon messenger detailed the battle report, kneeling before Valtir.
"No need. Set the forest ablaze, cut off their escape. We need to show our foes that mustering a ragtag army to fight the demon advance will be futile to all who oppose us." Sitting on top of his demonic horse, his eyes were stern but relieved. Setting the pieces on the chessboard, Valtir waited for them to walk into checkmate.
Just as the messenger was about to leave to deliver the commander's order, he was halted.
"Leave a commander alive."
Danja and Toga were fighting fiercely. Their mood was good at the beginning of the battle, as they thought they could defeat their foes with pure wits and might. However, that wasn't the only thing that decided a battle in this world. Seeing how one of the mystic warriors charged at them, Danja and Toga both felt that if they met head-on, their death was certain. Both of them had prized heads dangling and hanging on their hips, but they were disgruntled that they might not be able to cash them in for their rewards.
Surrounded by many demon warriors, Danja and Toga were panting, swinging their weapons around them to deter the demon soldiers from getting close.
"Why are they so hell-bent on getting us?" Danja groaned. He could see the undisguised hate in the enemy men who surrounded them, as if wanting to skin him alive and burn him.
"I think I have an idea," Toga said. He did not know whether to laugh or cry as a thought hit his head. Back in Japan, it was common to hang prized heads around their waist or even cut off a man's upper lip to prove their kill when they could not carry more. However, here was different; the way they took their rewards on the battlefield in this world was seen as absolute savagery by the natives. The westerners who came to Japan once told them their thoughts on the matter. If a man saw a person carrying their friend's decapitated head around their waist with a smug look, they would be pissed.
They were both on their last legs. Toga had a large gash on his side, grunting as he tried to parry blows on his knees. Danja, still carrying his Nodachi, swung it with ease before, but now it took a toll. With each swing, the speed of his sword became slower and slower. A demon soldier sidestepped his swing and kicked his side, knocking Danja to his knees. Seeing a slash coming down on him, Danja took a wide swing to parry but was deflected. Danja was too tired to recover from the deflection, leaving his guard open. Danja kneeled there, looking at the warrior in the eye, accepting his death. Just as the swing came down, Danja swore he saw the light to end his life but saw the blade swerve off his head, which intended to slit him in half but was embedded into the ground to his left. Confused, Danja looked at his foe and saw him stagger, clutching his neck where a burning arrow had lodged into him. Grunting, the soldier fell to the ground.
The demon soldiers were confused; they looked around frantically as another one of their comrades fell to the floor in agony, clutching an arrow that was embedded into him. Daniel looked up and saw flaming arrows that blotted out the sun. The arrows were not picky; when they fell like reapers, they killed both demons and samurais. Other Japanese warriors held on, taking at least one or two foes with them before they dropped down to the ground with satisfied smiles. A horn rang out, awakening the demon soldiers from their stupor, and they frantically retreated out of the forest. The demon warriors around Toga and Danja looked at them with unwillingness, with frustration, they grabbed their wounded and hurried out of the burning forest. Toga staggered over to Danja, held him up, and wandered away looking for the highest-ranking officers.
Tomoe looked at the retreating soldiers and watched as the smoke from the flames blotted out the sky. Flames created a maze made of walls of heat, confusing her soldiers on which path to take out of this flaming prison. Just as the stress became too much to bear, she saw, far off in the distance, flags of horsemen being raised as horses neared."