Duke Kas looked at the hill engulfed in flames. No one could survive there.
"Their deaths were not in vain. Send our archers forward. Let them finish off the rangers and begin firing on the city infantry."
Several volleys and the cries of the wounded and dying ceased. The city's magicians tried to interfere with killing their comrades, but the duke's archers were securely covered. A few "fireballs" flew, but they splashed harmlessly against magical shields, causing no damage. And now the infantry was under fire. The enemy managed to deliver ten full volleys before receiving orders to withdraw, leaving dozens of dead bodies on the ground.
Baron Gunther stared at the field with a murky gaze. When His Majesty, King Henry, offered him command of the army to invade the north of Elur through the mountain passes, he was proud. Nearly a year of preparation. Many details were considered. Everything was specifically done to pass through this cursed pass and strike a deadly blow to the enemy from behind. Unfortunately, goblins were completely overlooked.
The orod's did not settle along the mountains and were unaware of the merciless raids of goblin hordes and their tactics. To them, these were small and pitiful creatures, fun to hunt in the forests (of course, after capturing them in advance and releasing them like game). It turned out that in their native mountains, these creatures were not so insignificant. Yes, the army did what was considered impossible and crossed the passes.
But there, in the passes, too many remained. More than two thousand soldiers, almost all the horses, valuable artifacts. Yes! Even expensive siege artifacts were discarded right in the mountains. There was simply no one to haul them. Exhausted soldiers pushed carts by day, repelling goblin attacks at night. He was proud of his army.
These people were made of steel and, despite monstrous conditions, marched forward. And then the rains came. Two weeks of rain turned the thin layer of soil into a slippery ice rink. The army got stuck.
And now, having overcome all the difficulties, they reached the highway. It seemed that a little more and the exhausted army would achieve its goal. But a new obstacle stood in their way. The Elur's army blocked the road and the bridge across the Cursed River. What happened to the vanguard of the army and the detachment sent to reinforce it? Did they really manage to lose and not take the little town that stood in their way!? Oh All-Bright, how is this possible?
Seeing his soldiers die, the baron was indifferent. That's why he didn't immediately order a retreat, why he treated the deaths of the rangers with disdain. He had an ace up his sleeve and intended to use it. Archmage of Fire, Godius, standing next to him and sent to the army by His Majesty, could decide the outcome of this battle in their favor. The baron only doubted whether it would help them capture Kas. And without that, all the sacrifices and losses suffered in the pass were meaningless.
"I need the unit covering the bridge to cease to exist," he addressed the archmage, "then turned to his deputy, "As soon as the Elur's unit behind the bridge disappears in the fire, make sure the infantry attacks and secures the opposite bank."
"Fire vortex!" In a second, more than a thousand people are incinerated. Their protective amulets cannot shield them from such a powerful spell. Flashes of flame engulf the infantry standing in front of the bridge and partially affect the archers and mercenaries.
The city infantry rushes to the bridge and hurries to cross to the other side. The officers of the archers try to restore order and even manage to give the enemy a few volleys, but soon they are reached. Angry soldiers begin to hack at those who moments ago were finishing off and killing their comrades, those with whom they had crossed these cursed mountains.
The city infantry forms a crowd in front of the narrow bridge, while on the right bank, a hand-to-hand battle ensues with the "Black Axes" who rushed to aid the dying archers and passed straight through the burning heads that were alive just a minute ago. The fierce battle expands with each passing second, engulfing more and more fighters.
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