Carlson's plan appeared sound to Chungus Khan. A ramp would indeed allow them to ignore the wall and directly engage the enemy. After that, it should be child's play. As one of the scouts had said there were likely a little over a hundred warriors defending the wall.
This more or less matched the numbers of his own men. However, with all the high mages in Chungus Khan's unit, he would surely triumph in a battle of quality. Not to mention that they would be attacking with a mounted charge that might be able to overwhelm the enemy directly.
Satisfied with his advisor's strategy Chungus Khan gave his orders. Carlson meanwhile became increasingly stressed out. He had done his job and made the best plan he was able to so why was he still here? Was lord Khan really crazy enough to think he should join the charge?
As the orders were passed around and everyone prepared the silence around lord Khan became more and more unbearable to Carlson. He knew that speaking up now would not be a good idea but the alternative was a charge to his very plausible death. Eventually, his will to live won over his fear of pissing off the menacing bunny-kin beside him and he spoke up.
"Lord Khan, I believe I've done what was expected of me so I think it would be best for me to retreat and monitor the situation. If you'll excuse me."
"You will stay right here where you are! You made the plan for this charge and you will be a part of it."
Despair and realization surfaced in Carlson's mind. He had been assuming that lord Khan truly valued him for his advice but those orders just now clearly exposed the truth. He was an object of convenience and if he got into a situation where his life would be threatened no one would make an effort to save his life. They would save him if it was convenient but that didn't make Carlson feel better. He needed a plan to get out of this alive and fast.
Chungus Khan looked at the despairing face of his advisor and smiled coldly. Making an insect realize its place in the food chain always felt so good. Despair held a special flavor for him that was of an addictive quality.
Soon the charge was ready. A group of sand mages on large bearded dragons led the charge while preparing to cast a spell in unison. Their combined magic power rushed into the ground and a ramp of sand was raised from the ground.
Seamlessly, the charging horde set foot on the ramp and in another 50 meters they would be on top of the wall. However, at that moment the sand mages' grip on the ramp began to buckle. They felt a group of mages behind the wall send out their magic power in an effort to collapse the ramp.
At first, they weren't worried. They were high mages and their opponents were only mages. In a battle over a spell, they had confidence they could hold the ramp.
Their arrogance was immediately given a heavy blow when the sides of the ramp started to lose their form and began to sink away. The mages inside had switched from attacking the entire ramp to destabilizing only the sides.
The high mages were stronger but since they were forcing the sand into this form they had to keep their power spread out to keep the ramp from crumbling. Their opponents shamelessly took advantage of that.
The effects of this strategy already began to show. The mounts that were at the sides of the charge lost their footing and found themselves sliding down the ramp's sides.
The original one hundred that had been advancing were reduced to about seventy. And the ones still on the ramp slowed down in fear of also sliding to the side. Seeing that they still had twenty meters to cover before they reached the top of the wall where their opponents were already casting spells at them Chungus Khan roared at the mages holding the ramp.
"What good are you?!! Stabilize this god damn ramp or I swear I'll have your heads!"
Scared shitless by this threat the high mages redoubled their efforts and to their surprise, the opposing magic power withdrew. The ramp now regaining its integrity the mounts sped up and soon saw eye to eye with the defenders.
Only for the defenders to launch a volley of spells at them and hurriedly clear that section of the wall. As the defenders cleared the wall Chungus Khan could see what lay behind them.
On the other side of the wall, a ramp similar to theirs had been raised and a group of fifty mages on mounts was counter charging them. And that wasn't even the worst part of the surprise yet. The mounts weren't the usual ones Chungus Khan and his buns knew.
The opposing charge consisted of a plethora of skeletal mounts that exuded a scary feeling. Both sides were about to meet at the top of the wall and crash into each other.
The buns' mounts were living beings and panicked at the prospect of this crash. Despite the instructions of their riders they bulked and evaded to the sides effectively jumping off the ramp.
Chungus Khan was the only one with fast enough thinking to jump of his mount before it turned. He sailed through the air and brought his club that was now wreathed in fire down on the nearest rider. He put all his strength into this blow hoping to stop the opposing charge and potentially even collapse the other ramp.
However, Kesh, seeing his opponent swing down on him remained entirely calm. His newly acquired magic converged in his fist as he met the club with a straight forward punch.
The flames around the club were immediately absorbed by Kesh's tattoos and his fist had become an unstoppable force that blew Chungus Khan away and into the air.
While flying through the air, Chungus Khan took in the situation. All the desert hares had been ensnared by unknown vines and were peppered by the defenders' spells.
The only options to get past the wall now were the gates, the ramp or to take the disadvantage of jumping or flying over.
The ramp was already a lost cause as he saw the skeletal mounts jump off the wall and engage anyone close to it. That bunny-kin who had forced him to retreat was too strong.
This mission was already a failure but he couldn't just return. The gods were watching and would surely denounce him a coward if he fled now.
Unwilling to lose everything he had worked so hard for Chungus Khan steeled his resolve and decided to gather some of his buns and attack one of the gates further away from the skeletal mounts.