It had become mid day and Zernico was patrolling the walls with Leon and the rest of his squad. The great walls which made up the strength of Steelhawk's southmost border fortifications were named St. Ran's wall. They were named after Saint Ran of Berheglosvar, which was the capital city of Steelhawk, who was famous for being the priest to crown the first Imperial Kaiser and founder of the Empire of Steelhawk, Otto the First. St. Ran's stretched on for hundreds of miles, to the Middle Sea all the way to the impassable Wyvern Mountains.
The sun was high and to Zernico's left were more fortifications, lower walls with palisades and watch towers. There were layers to these defenses. Beyond them was a vast, dry grass plain which was covered in large craters, skeletons, and scattered armor and weapons. The charred remains of knocked over siege towers were close by and tattered banners and flags from regiments long decimated flew stuck on the ground. The dich surrounding the wall was filled with the rotting remains of both southern and imperial soldiers. Vultures wandered and soared over the apocalyptic site.
Beyond the no man's land in front of the wall was a foggy field of long yellow grass and tall bushy trees doted with low hills. From the walls one could vaguely see banners and palisades in the distance. Along the walls, which were so wide that 15 men could walk side by side with comfortable space between them, were rows of large, dwarven cannons and crude, human made volley guns with crates of ammunition and gunpowder stacked next to them with artillery crews ready to load at a moment's notice. Guards holding matchlocks and crossbows stared out eagle eyed at the lower fortifications and desolate plains. The imperial flag flew proudly over the mighty defenses.
The Empire of Steelhawk and the many city states of the dwarves were good allies and have a history of fighting along side each other in bloody conflicts. They have been on good terms even before Otto the First united the scattered tribes of the central highlands and formed the empire. It is through this alliance that Steelhawk is able to purchase cannons and high quality matchlock muskets. The art of gunsmithing is a close kept secret of the dwarves which humans can only crudely imitate.
The squad slowly patrolled leisurely bantering amongst each other in good humor. Zernico stayed at the back, hand on his sheathed longsword while in his cavalry uniform as he had no infantry uniform. Many professional soldiers of Steelhawk's military were trained both as infantry and cavalry so they could change roles in the heat of battle, Zernico was one of these. It was the pride of Steelhawk's military to have well trained soldiers.
Tucked under his left arm was the thin book which he was given by Volvgar. He withdrew it to examine it closer. The volume was bound in black leather and it's title written in a silver colored ink "Military Tactics And Strategy And Their Applications Throughout Steelhawk's History or On Steelhawkian War Strategy by Karl Redstein."
"Well that's a mouthful," thought Zernico.
Zernico opened the book to read up per Volvgar's instructions. He was an avid reader and was well educated despite his peasant background. He enjoyed reading about folk tales and mythology. He was a quick reader and began reading the book. The book was dense in information and covered in graphs, battle maps, and an ever shifting map of Avengard.
He quickly finished the first chapter which covered basic military tactics through the lenses of the Steelhawkian Unification Wars of 1229 to 1303 and the earlier tribal conflicts of the 1000's. This era was ideal to study basic military strategy as the idea of weaponizing magic on a large scale had not become widespread at that time. The only military which was able to fully weaponize magic at that time were the Elves due to their natural magic talent. Combat magic used by humans was scarcely more powerful than a bow and arrow or a matchlock musket and was not in wide use due to a lack of education. Thus mastery of the fundamentals of warfare were what decided battles with the complexities of magic not present.
"Are you reading that book Captain Volvgar gave you?" said Leon.
"Yes sir," said Zernico.
"Now there is a studious lad! Never learnt to read myself, I was always caught up in mastering my swordplay rather than my mind."
"I'd bet you have quite the sharp even if you can't read."
"Quit the flattery Zernico and get to reading!" shouted Officer Leon in a joking tone.
The day was quite dull for the patrol squad. The Southern League's assaults had been slowed and the conflict had devolved into a trench war. The southerners would not dare attack in the day, facing the impregnable defenses of St. Ran's head on. Thus these patrols were more of a formality rather than serving any real purpose. Zernico quickly finished the short but informative first chapter of the book and took a look around him. To Zernico's right the main camp of the imperials lay with soldiers training with their halberds and pikes or marching in formation.
He had truly never seen such disciplined soldiers. His whole time as a soldier and officer had been spent with conscripts, rookies, and immigrants. Brave men yet without the training to be on the frontlines of major conflicts, more suited to peacekeeping in conquered territories or fighting bandits and rebels. At the worst of times they were used as diversionary attacks, rear guards, or cannon fodder, taking on cavalry and devastating magic attacks to screen the advance of the main attacking force. Too often such forces were thrown into hopeless, desperate battles.
Zernico himself took part in one of these desperate battles once. It was during one of the interventions in the wars between the Werzacholwa Confederacy and the Kadusish Sultanate in the continent Uljirakgard which lay past the Middle Sea. He and a motley crew of the wounded and several unfortunate bands of mercenaries had to act as rear guard to a retreating force after sacking the captured town of Til Chomefari. They were caught off guard by a large force of Kadusish jihadists interrupting their sacking and he had to watch as the main army retreated on boats through the Strait of Werzav-Mawiha while they were left behind.
They dug hasty trenches and built walls of crates and debris in the town and fought for a whole day before the main army came back with reinforcements. By the time they came they had been pushed out of the town and on to the beach where priests of Terra tended to the wounded all while condemning their involvement in such mindless violence.
While Zernico was admiring the soldiers training he overheard a conversation between two mages the patrol squad passed. The mages were dressed in dark blue robes and a wide brimmed, tall, pointed hat. They spoke quickly and with an urgent tone.
"You got the news from up north today?"
"No, what is it?"
"They say the northern armies have reached the capital of the Grand Duchy of Wyvernia."
"Really!"
"Yep, they besieged the place about a month ago but the news just got here."
"If we get them we can attack the southerners from the north and the east where we are right?"
"If we can get over the Wyvern Mountains then yes."
"Holy Terra how many wars are we fighting!" thought Zernico, who until a second ago had never even heard about the Grand Duchy of Wyvernia.
The squad kept patrolling until about sun down when the squad was rotated out and sent back into the camp. The squad sat around a campfire and talked amongst each other. After a while they were called into a mess hall for lunch. The mess hall was crowded and full of rowdy soldiers, ready to feast. Once the squad sat down they were served by captured southern soldiers who were used as slaves. They wore only a rough, dirty tunic and all wore shackles on their legs.
The southerners were brown skinned with a few of them black, and all had large scars and were missing eyes, ears, and fingers. They looked malnourished and had dark bags under their eyes. They shuffled into the room holding platters upon which were bowls of stew and mugs of beer. The slaves were surrounded by guards who had swords drawn. The slaves quickly served the for the soldiers to eat, all grinning in excitement to chow down while the slaves looked with only a blank, hopeless stare. Once all the food had been served the slaves quietly shuffled out of the mess hall all under the watchful eyes of the guards.
The soldiers had been served a beef stew with beer which the happily ate. Zernico enjoyed the meal thoroughly. While eating he heard two familiar voices behind him.
"Well if it isn't Mr. Important Messenger! Look at him with his nice cavalry uniform."
"Yup."
Behind Zernico was Abram and Jerico, both now in their imperial uniforms and all healed up.
"The priest healed us up a whole two days early! Guess some of the higher priority patients croaked and we got healed up," said Abram.
"To bad now we got to deal with them southerners now eh," said Jerico.
"Do they attack regularly?" questioned Zernico
"They sure do. Usually its only a few squadrons attacking the outer defenses all stealthy but when the big attacks come holy shit it's terrifying. Its like a wave of humans! And they come scrambling up the walls and flooding over the outer defenses. That's when you got to fight for your life! And oh do I pity you Zernico! You got to charge straight into them southerners on horseback straight through the no mans land and send them back to their trenches when its all done," said Abram.
The thought of charging straight into a wave of humans did not sound appealing to Zernico at all. He could only imagine what would happen if he was caught off guard out in the no mans land. Such is the cavalryman's lot in life he thought. Glory at the expense of survival.
"Anyways me and Jerico over here are gonna join up with you in Leon's squadron," said Abram.
"That's right!" shouted Officer Leon.
Abram and Jerico sat next to Zernico and they all chatted over their meals.
Meanwhile in a church at Stonenburg...
"Hey Fangrim they have wine in the churches right?"
"Yes sir, the communion wine."
"Where is it?"
"It's in the alter Commander Yegar. Haven't you ever been to church?"
"Nope."
"That explains a lot."
"You're the one who abandoned your wife and son!"
"Oh come on! It was for a good cause!"
"Paying off your debt from gambling and prostitutes?"
"Well uhhhhhh... Anyways my wife was deathly sick, and there's no way the brats still alive. What was his name again? Ro.. Re... Rane... Forget it, anyways we're fighting for a good cause ain't we? And getting a shit ton of money to."
"That's what King Sharshang says. I'm just here for the action KAKAKAKAKAKAKA!"
The two looked over the blood stained pile of rubble that was once called Stonenburg.
After the battle at Stonenfields the rest of the 23rd division retreated into the town of Stonenburg where they were quickly pursued. The last remaining officers led the surviving 1000 soldiers by hastily fortifying the town and preparing for a last stand. Blessed by the priests of the monastery they prepared to fight and avenge their fallen comrades.
However not even the blessings of Terra could save them from Yegar's unrelenting bloodlust and the Blitz Brigade attacked the town. The hasty fortifications were blown to pieces by Yegar's mages and the defenders shot to pieces by crossbows and the bandit's newly acquired muskets. Surprisingly the defenders held out for a whole day but once the fortifications were gone it was all over. Once the fortifications were thoroughly destroyed Fangrim's shock troopers over ran the defenses through the dust and gun smoke. Yegar's cavalry surrounded the town, cutting down any fleeing soldiers and civilians.
In less than an hour after the breech the town had been destroyed, all soldiers and almost every civilian had been killed, and the monastery was sacked. The bodies of the dead were desecrated, heads taken and stuck to banners, skins fashioned into capes, and bodies stuck on pikes or stacked into pillars 3 men tall. Death was the best fate as a few unlucky women and children were taken as pleasure slaves for the officers.
Now Fangrim and Yegar stood over the gory site as the town and monastery continued to be looted. Yegar had made a cape out of a man's skin and stood in his black armor. Fangrim had made a necklace of ears.
"Fangrim, did Officer Krieger ever message us back on the communication orb?" questioned Commander Yegar.
"No sir," replied Vice-Commander Fangrim.
"Dam it! We can still track the orb right?"
"Yes sir."
"Then lets go track those men! We can assume their path by finding where the orb was left. We spread out our forces and find them."
"Sir forgive my insolence but this seems a bit unnecessary and a waste of resources. Shouldn't we focus on raiding towns?"
"Sharshang is sending out more squads of bandits, its fine if we take a little detour."
"But we hold the most important position in this operation. We are the spearhead of the movement which will push Steelhawk out of the peninsula!"
"Yeah, yeah it will only take about three days."
Fangrim sighed, he knew how easy it was for his commander to get distracted from his main mission and hyperfocus on some useless little thing. "Sure, lets go track down those men."
"Excellent! Those men must be strong! They defeated Krieger and his raiders. I simply must capture them. We should also probably hit Pinerock on the way. KAKAKAKAKAKAKAKAKA!"
Fangrim sighed in despair.