Ixander moved up north of the Questerdom of Oestre, bordering the Questerdom of Halerdan. His army on the north is poised to take whatever is in the way. He inflated balloons, but this is not for attacking to rain down bombs, but to see the situation below, on the position of the enemy.
"Sir, the new limbers have arrived. They have been done according to your proposition sir" informed a soldier.
Those limbers will be a surprise to the enemy. "With this, men, we can quickly maneuver against our enemy, who are having difficulties in maneuvering their artillery to position against us" said Ixander.
On the south, officers were ordered by General Vladistav to deliver news to their trenches.
"Men, these men will be transferred and mobilized to the Grenavian front and the trenches will be occupied by different men" said the officer.
Some soldiers did not comment on it, no one opposed as each and every one of them have went to the other side of the trench to see Livinians and celebrate Khova's Glory with them as well.
"But sir… we--…"
"It's much better, Girim, we don't want to kill our brethren, the Livinians" said the officer after Girim spoke up.
The officer gave out a sigh. Snow was melting on some parts, and the breeze is warming up in small changes of temperature. "Our troops here will be transferred to the Grenavian front, and at least be thankful. We will be leaving our positions in some matter of weeks" said the officer.
On the north, Ixander has lined his men up to move on the northern frontier lining the Grandrivener border. "Men, it is time we take action to oppose our occupiers. Right now, hope and fate is within our midst. Do not be scared, for we are doing the right thing for our land that is to take away what has been taken from us. Indeed some of the men opposing us have been friendly with us and are human as well. After them however, we cannot say. For after all, it is not them that demands this bloodbath, rather it is their leaders. Do not be discouraged that you are retaking the lands once yours. You are doing it for your family and for the safety of our country! Glory to Livinia and its Virtue!"
After Ixander's Speech, the men cheered and have realized their goal.
Ixander marched against the enemy with a force of twenty-two thousand men. Some of them were just fresh recruits who saw recruitment near the end of the truce between Alban and Livinia. Ixander's army then marched to the first settlement they encountered. There, some Albanese soldiers are stationed. Ixander is leading the army up front.
"Sir, Livinian troops on sight…" said a watcher, who saw the army through his spyglass from a watchtower.
The Officer went on to become quiet, and he nodded, signaling for them to prepare. They prepared their men to be in attention. When Ixander arrived near the gates of the first settlement, he was met by The Officer in front. Ixander took his hat off, and dismounted his horse. Ixander then proceeded to speak, saying "Good day Officer, we are here to retake the settlement that is rightfully Livinian."
"We know it is rightfully Livinian. I've prepared my soldiers to retreat at the city of Halerdan. I have also relayed the message to other settlements that you are soon arriving. It is up to their conscience whether to retreat or not" said the officer.
"I am glad you cooperated, Officer. May I know your name then?" asked Ixander.
"My name is not important in this war sir. It may be strange, but we know that we are tyrants. I asked my men not to be indoctrinated by the Albanese Confederates" said the officer.
"But sir, you may be casted out and your family for treason" said Ixander.
"I hid my family sir. And I will not say where" said the officer.
The officer looked at his watch and said "It is high time, sir… we must depart."
Ixander nodded. However, Ixander stopped the officer by holding him at the shoulder. Ixander then reached out for his hand and gave him what seemed to be a pin for a uniform. He then closed his hand, saying "A remembrance of the humanity of Albanese troops in this settlement."
The Officer did not say anything, and the rest of his troops retreated. While Ixander continues to march throughout the entire north, with our without a fight, that same Officer finally arrived at Halerdan, where Baron-General Vladistav was.
"Sir, some troops from the north have arrived. They said they retreated from the settlement because an overwhelming amount of enemy has arrived led by Ixander" said a soldier, reporting to Vladistav.
"Bring me the officer, now!" said Vladistav.
And so, the Officer went straight into the office of the Baron-General, not ashamed of what he did in the face of a superior enemy.
"You, why did you retreat when you could have fought them outright? I am giving you a chance to explain to me" said Vladistav.
Vladistav has finally calmed after realizing that nothing good can come if he is enraged by what just happened. "Sir, I have just done an intelligent move. It is better that the rest of us are here under your command that us over there, where some of us may be caught prisoner or even worse, dead" said the Officer.
"You make sense, officer. You said that Ixander allowed you to retreat in peace?" asked Vladistav.
"Livinians are also humans, sir" said the Officer.
Vladistav only nodded, and said "Well, you command your troops in an orderly manner. You still have an enemy to defeat when time comes that it is necessary to fight."
"I am honored and humbled by your open mind, sir" said the Officer, and then he saluted.
The Officer then left the office of the Baron-General. The Baron-General then looked at the window from his office. Never did he see once his soldiers smile in glee while they are chatting, Vladistav, after all, feels what they do: he misses his home, his family, and everything Albanese. Now they are just thrown in this land to occupy it, and it is a stranger to them, which seemingly is another world.
Ixander, meanwhile is in an engagement with Albanese on the last settlement. It turned out that of the three settlements, two were emptied and one was heavily guarded. It turned out as well that the soldiers who emptied the second and third settlement went to the fourth settlement to bolster its defenses and to defy the Livinians.
Ixander positioned his artillery, which is horse-driven and quick to react. Ixander only committed three thousand men for the enemy has only two thousand five hundred men.
In this seemingly small battle, Ixander maneuvered first by firing his artillery, which is numbered twenty guns, whilst the enemy have only seven, and are badly positioned. Ixander utilized this in order to quickly subjugate the enemy before the sunset. Ixander ordered his men to lightly defend the center as his men attack the left flank in an oblique position.
However, Ixander sent a flag of truce to the enemy, with a proposal that they be given an opportunity to retreat.
"The Grandquester wants to give you an opportunity to retreat wholly, without bloodshed, to your commander."
"Eat shit" screamed a soldier.
Ixander received the Albanese spite, and saw their cannons roared through his armies. "Folijon! I will leave in in command of this army. I will give you five thousand men, take the settlement from the Albanese" ordered Ixander. "Understood sir!" said Folijon.
Ixander had left four thousand men in each of the three settlements. Now, Ixander only commands some five thousand men after committing half of his command of ten thousand in his immediate vicinity to Folijon to deal with the defenses of the fourth settlement.
Ixander then sent messages to the commanding officers of the three settlement that they all meet near in the designated point in the plains overlooking the city of Halerdan.
The entire contingent of Ixander's army arrived early in the morning, exactly for the day to break. The armies moved through the dawn and marched towards the city of Halerdan.
From there, Ixander saw the mighty walls of Halerdan, and he knows that behind that wall, Vilmios and Baron-General Vladistav are expecting him. Ixander, as of now has only seventeen thousand men. The banners of Livinia are fluttering and highly flying whilst the banners of Great Alban shines and flutters at the top of the battlements of the walls of Halerdan.
Ixander then reviewed his troops for the final time. The artillery are positioned, totaling sixty batteries, with an excellent caliber. After reviewing his troops, Ixander spoke to them, saying "Men, before us is the fortress of Halerdan. It is the seat of the Questerdom of Livinia and will soon be a symbol of our hope! So, men, I ask you to swear once gain your fealty to the nation. Will you fight for Livinia, the King and its Virtue?"
"We will!" responded the men, while saluting.
Inside the walls, the men are being prepared as they are expecting Ixander's army. Baron-General Vladistav is still asleep in his chamber when his steward woke him up.
"Sir, sir! The Livinians are outside!" said the steward while waking up Vladistav.
Vladistav did not respond, but quickly went off the bed, saying "Get me my damned uniform!"
Vilmios, who was not able to sleep properly due to expecting Ixander, looked through his spyglass and saw the armies, with their banners flying with the wind. Vilmios breathed in heavily, getting ready for his fortress to get pounded by the cannons of Ixander.
Ixander then gave out an order.
"Load the cannons, open the caissons and get the ammunition pounding their position!" said Ixander.
"Very good, sir!" said the artillerymen. All of the sixty cannons around then started loading the cannons with round shot, and they altogether fired at the walls.
The walls were quite hard to penetrate, but the cannons are giving out serious damage.
Inside the walls, Vladistav met with Vilmios and other officers. "Well, Ixander is going to blow the walls up! We must do a sortie immed-- …" Vilmios was suggesting something but Vladistav cut him, saying "We will wait for the reinforcements. Officer, how many do we have inside the walls and the entire surrounding that has been gathered here?"
"Fourteen thousand sir" said the officer. "The enemy, how much do they have?" asked Vladistav.
"Around sixteen thousand" said the officer.
Vladistav breathed heavily and said "Well, we are going to wait for the five thousand men I have requested from Axan."
Vladistav looked very unhappy at the decision taken by the Baron-General.
Meanwhile, on Ixander's line, Ixander ordered another command "Sir, ready our ladders…"
The officers looked at each other, saying "Sir, we—we did not bring any ladders."
Ixander looked back at them, confused. Ixander then looked again at the pounding of the walls. "I- I may have forgotten to tell… Anyway no big problem. Officer, order the men to fire on the south side of the wall" commanded Ixander.
"Very good, sir" said the officer.
"How many rounds do we have on the caissons?" asked Ixander. "Twenty a cannon remaining, sir" said another artilleryman.
"Courier, bring me message of the ensuing battle in the fourth settlement" ordered Ixander. The courier immediately left, heading directly west.
Ixander looked as his pocket watch to see the time, it is nearly nine in the morning. "Unless we breach the south, we cannot…" Ixander was about to say something of the inactivity of his infantry and cavalry, however, he was interrupted by an officer.
"Sir, Sir! Seven thousand men sortied to attack our left flank!"
Ixander looked through his spyglass, saying "Damn…"
He looked closely at the one in command, and it was no other than Vilmios, alongside some retinue of his best officers.
"This…is going to be a hell of a battle…"
Ixander then said to an officer "Sir, command some of my center troops and the entire left flank. Let's see what you learned from me."
Vladistav received the news of Vilmios' sortie then flipped the table in anger, saying "That damned stupid…! AGH! He sortied out his men from position?!"
Vladistav then marched out, then one of the officer asked "Sir, where are you going?"
"Might as well join in! We'd lose some chance if that man sortied by himself!" said Vladistav.
He can be heared saying "IDIOT! DAMNED IDIOT!" as he marches through the hallway.