"So, it has begun!"
Amidst the howling winds and raging roars, the Chaos army began to charge toward the city walls. The chaotic, yet torrential steps echoed like a downpour, putting immense pressure on the soldiers atop the walls. The battle horns blared in a deafening crescendo, as thousands of hoarse voices stirred waves of desire and anticipation. Torrential fireballs rose into the sky with the satisfied belch of the Chaos Hell Cannons and hurtled toward the walls at incredible speed.
At the same time, Mortejin's army launched attacks on the East and South gates of Wolvenburg.
Soon, the Chaos army converged into a massive, seamless tide, surging toward the city's outskirts. Every barbarian warrior and Chaos fighter was ready, prepared to offer their boundless glory and strength to the dark gods today.
The enemy's numbers were so overwhelming that the human soldiers inside the city were paralyzed with fear. Even the usually brave and battle-hardened Viscount William von Zhukov had become somewhat dazed, instinctively turning his gaze toward the battle priests of the Church of Justice and the Druids of the Nature Church (beast-type mages) who were praying atop the walls.
The outcome was disappointing. The battle priest, looking at the scene before him, was pale, his head bowed in prayer. The Druid, on the other hand, seemed to realize the terrifying power of the Chaos army. He could feel the weakness of the magical winds within his body and the overwhelming strength of the enemy.
Aralos' heart pounded, and even the wood elf hero was unnerved, his heart racing. His Greenleaf Longbow was already nocked with an arrow. As he stood, a fleeting image of Lilith flashed through his mind.
If this is my end, will I ever see Lilith again?
At that moment, the deep voice of Butcher King rang out, reverberating like a heavy bass across the walls: "Fire! Fire now! What are you waiting for?"
Aggrim Ironfist seemed to have flames burning from his body as he roared at the hesitant Gray Cloak squad and the Ostrean gunners. Each word was laced with the fury of Grimnir: "In the name of Grimnir and Gronni! Fire!!!"
The soldiers on the walls snapped out of their daze. Viscount William shouted, "Fire!"
"Fire!"
The first round of cannons thundered to life on the walls. Thirty or so cannonballs whistled out, crashing into the dense ranks of the Chaos army below. Muskets and mortar fire also wreaked havoc, the explosions booming in the midst of the chaotic tide.
Aralos soon realized that his will was being affected by the winds of Chaos. The wood elf hero cast a grateful glance toward Butcher King. He took a deep breath and ordered the Gray Cloak squad and the human crossbowmen and archers on the walls: "Aim for the enemy's helmets, shoulders, and groin. Don't shoot at their chest armor or legs!"
A torrent of arrows rained down in a green cascade. The Gray Cloaks loosed volley after volley at the front-line Chaos warriors. The green sparks of starfire flickered through the black tide of enemies. One after another, two or three dozen Chaos warriors fell, either struck in the face or shoulder, but more Chaos warriors raised shields, blocking the arrows, and their defenses made the Gray Cloaks' attacks less effective.
The human crossbowmen and archers fared even worse, but each man continued to reload, aim, and fire. For the first time, the mortals fought as one, united in the struggle for survival.
However, this faint resistance could not halt the violent onslaught of Chaos. Several Chaos giants, pushing massive siege towers, drew closer to the walls of Ussas. Dozens of siege ladders were rapidly set against the walls, while Chaos warriors formed tight shield walls. The Chaos Hell Cannons struck the walls, obliterating entire segments of the defenders, leaving a massive crater in the city's defenses. Over thirty human soldiers and three Gray Cloaks were obliterated in the explosion, leaving nothing but bubbling remnants.
"For Kunos!" Aralos drew three arrows from his back, launching them in a wide arc. The arrows, imbued with blue fire, embedded themselves deeply into the eyes of a Chaos giant!
"Ughhh..." The Chaos giant screamed in pain, clutching its eyes. It staggered backward, crushing dozens of barbarian and Chaos warriors beneath it!
The wood elf hero's shot stunned the defenders on the walls. Their morale surged. Aralos grinned, loosing arrow after arrow, each one finding its mark, piercing through the skulls of the enemy!
"That's just one!" Butcher King yelled, envious and furious. "When will the Chaos scum get up here? I'm itching for it!"
"People of the Empire! Ostrean soldiers, hold your ground!" Viscount William stood atop the Yubus Gate, grabbing a fire musket from his servant and firing it down at the enemy. "Hold fast!"
Huge iron cauldrons were heated and placed on the walls. Ostrean soldiers poured boiling oil down on the barbarian forces, burning them into charred messes. Yet, more reinforcements kept arriving. The sound of heavy wheels turning echoed, and everyone's faces darkened with concern.
"Sieg ladders!"
"Gray Cloaks! Crossbowmen and archers, fall back! Sword-and-shield soldiers and polearm men, advance!"
Orders flew from Aralos as the wood elf hero swiftly slung his bow over his back. He drew his Greenleaf spear, unsheathed his scimitar, and prepared for close combat. The Gray Cloaks quickly retreated, while the human polearm and sword-and-shield soldiers shouted their battle cries for the Empire and for Wolvenburg, rushing forward with valor.
"Good! Come!" Butcher King was excited, signaling for the dwarven butchers to set him down.
The Chaos dwarven engineers cackled, cursing the mortals inside the city as they activated their demonic engines. Dozens of siege ladders tipped over to attach themselves to Ussas' walls, each topped with a Chaos chosen warrior. Behind them, more barbarian and Chaos warriors followed, using the demon engines to propel the siege ladders forward.
"Close combat! Close combat!"
"Hold fast! Ostrean men! Justice is with us!"
"Ahhhh!" Butcher King saw a Chaos chosen warrior land on the wall. This heavily armored chosen warrior was instantly surrounded by several polearm soldiers. Not a single polearm could pierce his Chaos armor. Instead, the chosen warrior swung his massive axe, cutting through the soldiers, severing them in half with a spray of blood.
Butcher King grinned, his axe slicing through the air. He leaped high into the air and cleaved the chosen warrior's helmet in half, killing it instantly. The giant figure was sent plummeting from the wall, knocking several barbarians down with it.
"First blood, pointy ears!" Butcher King yelled gleefully to Aralos.
The wood elf hero faced another Chaos chosen warrior. After losing two sword-and-shield soldiers, he finally reached the chosen warrior. He dodged the giant axe sweeping through the air, causing a lock of golden hair to be severed. With a swift motion, Aralos slashed at the chosen warrior's knee, making him stumble. Then, with a quick twist of his body, Aralos used his waist strength to thrust his scimitar through the chosen warrior's chest: "I'm the thirty-sixth, you dwarf!"
"Damn it!" Butcher King grunted in response, not having time to engage in conversation. The enemy was pouring onto the walls, and the battle was growing desperate.
"Charge!" The brave and resilient Ostreans pushed the siege ladders off the walls. The thunder of fire guns and cannons continued as the sounds of explosions and flashes mixed with the stench of burning oil and boiling pitch raining down on the attackers. Despite the losses, the Chaos army pressed forward.
But for every siege ladder pushed off, three more took its place. For every Chaos warrior that fell, five more surged forward with renewed intensity. Soon, the walls of Ussas were overwhelmed by the fighting, and every second saw more Imperial soldiers and Chaos warriors falling.
Mortejin nodded quietly, the flames of vengeance igniting in his chest once more. His body filled with primal bloodlust. He soon spotted a red banner with a white bull hanging over the Yubus Gate. That was the emblem of the Ostrean territory, the banner that had once been carried by Oleg, the one who destroyed his hometown.
"Destroy it!" Mortejin ordered simply.
The Chaos chosen sorcerer, Hal, the Eternal Eye, nodded. He raised his twisted staff and began chanting incantations. A storm of darkness and fog enveloped him. Two minutes later, a meteor, burning with chaotic rainbow flames, fell from the sky.
The Empire's soldiers looked up in terror as the meteor descended. Most had no time to escape. The massive explosion destroyed the city gate, obliterating an entire section of the wall, burying dozens of defenders beneath the rubble.
The entire city was shaken by the terrifying sound of the bombardment.
Aralos, drenched in blood and gore, was surrounded by his personal guards. He could feel the blood of the Chaos warriors seeping into his armor, an unspeakable defilement. But there was no time to ponder this. The number of Chaos warriors climbing the walls was increasing, and the human forces were dwindling. He was forced to fight through the sea of Chaos warriors, dodging and weaving
his way to the rear.
"Help me!" A voice cried out.
A female knight screamed as she was caught by two Chaos warriors. Before anyone could react, Aralos appeared from the shadows. His spear pierced the chest of the first Chaos warrior and his blade cleaved the second in half.
"You're late!" she exclaimed, grinning. "But I knew you'd come, Aralos."
Her voice filled with a mix of pain and determination.
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