The next day, under a blazing sun, the enemy army marched forward with daunting confidence. Their coalition, an overwhelming force of 260,000 fighters—130,000 demons and 130,000 orcs—appeared unstoppable against the Kingdom of Ednia's army of 120,000 soldiers, bolstered by a recent addition of 30,000 reinforcements. Despite being outnumbered, Ednia had held its ground for a month, relying on its mages to offset the disparity in numbers.
But something had changed. For weeks, the human army, once known for its desperate defenses, had been acting unusually. As the coalition advanced deeper into Ednia's territory, nearing the rocky plains, they encountered no resistance.
Giyard, the demon commander, surveyed the eerily quiet surroundings with suspicion.
— "Where are they?" he murmured, his sharp eyes scanning the barren hills and jagged rocks.
The landscape seemed deserted. If they pressed forward, they would soon reach a dense forest that led directly to the kingdom's capital. Yet the lack of opposition unsettled Giyard.
— "Have they abandoned the fight?" he wondered aloud.
Kurt, the massive orc chieftain, laughed thunderously.
— "These humans are cowards! They think hiding behind their city walls will save them. But we'll crush them like bugs in a sack!"
Buoyed by their apparent dominance, the coalition troops continued their march. But as they crossed the midpoint of the hills, a sudden cry shattered the stillness:
— "Lightning Weather!"
A barrage of lightning bolts rained down on the orc ranks, sowing chaos and confusion. Startled soldiers scrambled to flee, while others froze in place, paralyzed by the electric surge.
— "Attack them!" bellowed Kurt, raising his massive blade high.
The orcs charged toward the mages who had emerged on the hilltops, their rage propelling them up the steep terrain. Giyard, however, lingered behind, his unease growing.
— "Wait..." he murmured, his crimson eyes darting across the battlefield.
Then, realization dawned on him. He raised his hand, preparing to shout a warning, but it was too late.
"Water Rain!"
Ednia's mages conjured a torrential downpour, transforming the dry soil into treacherous quicksand. The charging orcs, taken by surprise, were soon trapped. Their frantic cries echoed as even the mightiest warriors, including Kurt, struggled helplessly against the muddy prison. Fear now replaced their earlier bravado.
From the ridges above, two human generals, Lord Robert and Maximilian, watched the chaos with satisfaction. They exchanged a silent nod before Maximilian commanded:
— "Finish them!"
Archers, strategically positioned on the cliffs, unleashed a relentless rain of arrows upon the immobilized enemy. Meanwhile, catapults and ballistae launched fiery projectiles, their flames intensified by magical enchantments. The trapped orcs were slaughtered, their numbers dwindling rapidly.
The confidence that had fueled the coalition's advance dissolved into sheer panic. Desperation spread like wildfire through their ranks, shattering their morale. Giyard, observing the disaster unfold from a distance, clenched his fists in frustration, furious at his inability to foresee the ambush.
Ednia's trap had worked flawlessly. Their ingenuity and tactical mastery had rendered the coalition's numerical superiority irrelevant.
— "Victory is ours," whispered Lord Robert, his gaze fixed on the battlefield, now littered with the smoldering remains of orc warriors and flickering flames.
The triumphant cry of Ednia's soldiers echoed across the hills:
"For Ednia! For freedom!"