Music: 1648 by Sabaton

By the end of the day, the Parliamentarians and the Caesar had decided on a plan of action. The mainlanders would arrive at the capital, so most of the effort would be focused on dealing with them. Three regiments, over five thousand soldiers, along with another seven thousand militia would be present to defend the capital. Meanwhile, the other three regiments on Damocrasis would march out to deal with Diocletian.

One day, word reached the capital that the invasion force would be arriving soon. The regiments assembled outside the walls, forming a battle line and awaiting the enemy force. Militia soldiers also joined the battle line, taking up positions along the flanks or forming a second line. Upon the walls, scorpion ballista and the smaller catapults had set up position, the overview of the battlefield giving them an advantage. Despite this position, many of the officers were wary of the plan. They wanted to hold the walls, greatly reducing the enemy's effectiveness. However, the Caesar had ordered them to keep them out of the city, and they had to follow orders.

Speaking of orders, Rainbow had been ordered up to the line. She fastened on the straps of her armor, muttering in frustration. This wasn't good; she knew from experience exactly what kind of cruelty mainlanders, and in particular the hired thugs and conscripted bandits that passed for soldiers on the mainland. If they got into the city, and, gods forbid, found her son... No. She shouldn't think like that. They wouldn't get into the city, and they would get nowhere near her son.

"Mommy," her son said, tugging at her hindlegs pteryges. "Ah'm scawed."

"I am too, Depressi. Listen to me. If things don't go well, I want you to get out of here. None of them can fly, and so you should be able to get out without being noticed. If that happens, I want you to run. Get out of here as fast as you can. Ok?"

"Ok."

"Whatever happens, just know I love you. Ok. I love you more than anything." She pulled him into a hug, letting a quick tear fall down her face. She then pulled away, darting out of the room before she could stop herself. She had a duty to do. Not for the Empire, not for Pryha, and sure as hell not for the Caesar. But for her son, her friends, and her new home.

She stood next to the Caesar and her on a small hill, just by the main road leading into the capital. Before her, the Pryhan army stood, thousands of soldiers ready to fight. The proper regiments formed a second line in the center, intending to add a wave of fresh, battle-hardened troops to the first line. Said first line, along with the flanks of the formation was made up of militia soldiers, armed mostly with older style swords and farming tools hastily repurposed for warfare.

Soon, sounds could be heard in the distance. At first, it was undercut by the barking of orders and the whipping wind. However, soon it grew to be the only sound one could hear; a constant, beating thrum like heavy drums. Finally, the source of the sound appeared, cresting the ridge just in front of the city.

It was the warlord's army, and it was massive. Soldiers in cheap armor and somewhat shoddy weapons made up most of the army. Despite this poorer quality than Pryhan soldiers, they could give the poorly equipped militia a run for their money. However, they weren't the primary concern; that honor rested in the minotaur mercenary pikes. They formed that armies' mainline, the long tips of their pikes sticking above the rest of the army like a forest of death. While not well armored, the sixteen-foot long pikes would be able to outrange the Pryhan short swords, mitigating this downside.

The Caesar growled, "Arrogant bastard. Thinking he can just waltz up here and attack US. Hmph, we'll put him in his place." Turning to one of her commanders, she said, "Sound advance, and see those degenerates crushed."

The commander hesitated, but still gave the signal to the Cornifers. The loud horns rang out across the field, and the front of the line stepped off. A slow, steady advance began, the ground playing the tune of twelve thousand marching men. The enemy army, seemingly not wanting to be outdone, sounded their own advance, the pikes lowered and soldiers pushing forward.

"You know what to do, Voluntatum." Rainbow shot one last look at the wall, steeling herself before she took off. She soared over the front lines, using the gathering clouds as cover. Soon, she was able to overlook both sides to an equal effort.

Behind the ridgeline sat the invader's baggage train, a mass of carts, carriages, and burden-laden boars. The hastily formed enemy line resembled that of the Pryhans own; a vague C shape with a solid center of elite troops. She figured she would do the standard method of her battlefield actions. Target the flanks or anywhere else the enemy had an advantage, then go for officers, standard-bearers, and other rally points.

Scanning the field, she saw that the right flank of the Pryhans was pushing up, attempting to encircle the pikes. Said pikes were pushing the center hard, causing them to lose ground. That was where she was needed, however, she couldn't just rocket in like she usually did; she'd be cut to shreds. Instead, she remembered the artillery upon the walls, which had been holding fire to avoid hitting their troops. They would have an incendiary shell.

She raced back to the wall, spying one of the onagers and its stack of ammunition. The war machines had no real targets, and as such held their fire. As such, it was easy for her to grab one of the pitch smothered shells, as well as a torch she gripped in her mouth. The artillery officer barely had time to notice her, let alone complain, before she darted off with the wicker ball.

When she returned, the tide had turned somewhat. The push on the right was being ferociously challenged, with a counter-push by the mainlanders. The centerline was also pushing up, the minotaur pikes being more than a match for the Pryhan Pedes. The longer pikes outranged the short swords of the Pryhans, and the minotaurs were able to skewer the Pedes before they were even in striking range. She needed to get involved, now.

She tilted her head to the side, using the torch in her mouth to ignite the pitch spilling out of the top of the ball. Tossing the torch, she dove low, playing a game of chicken with the wall of death. At the last second, she pulled up, allowing the heavy, fiery ball to slam into the pikes. The burning thatch broke on the heavy iron tips, scattering bits of shrapnel and flaming pitch down across the faces of the front mercenaries. As at least twenty of the mercenaries in the front two ranks faltered, dropping their weapons as they screamed in agony, she took the opening to dive right into the packed line.

The tightly packed bipeds didn't have enough room to properly counter her, giving her more or less free reign of the line. Blades flashed, thrust, slash, kick, repeat, as she unfilleted the whole line. A few of the minotaurs attempted to break off the line, drawing large, machete-like swords to attack her. However, they were slow when compared to her, allowing her to get past their guards, delivering lightning-quick trusts into the exposed vital parts. She was soon aware of other Pryhan soldiers taking advantage of the opening, swarming in like bees to honey.

A pryhan push, using the gap in the line as a focus point, began to drive them back. A loud horn sounded behind the line, and the pikes began to retreat, the rest of the mainlanders not far behind them. Sensing victory, the loud brass horns back at the Caesars position sounded, ordering the officers to advance. Said order was headed, the Pryhan lines pushing up in pursuit. Rainbow soared back into the air, returning to her birds-eye position as those enemies too slow were cut down as they fled.

Suddenly, another set of horns sounded from the enemy lines. The pikes gave an about-face, pikes lowering once again. At the same time, the forests on either side of the ridge roared to life as hundreds of previously hidden raiders sprung form the bushes. They fell on the enemy flanks like a tidal wave, smashing into the overextended Pryhan line. A short while later, the pikes advanced again, the long spears plowing through the few Pryhans that made it past the ambush.

Rainbows' eyes widened in alarm. She didn't see the trap, and the army had just stumbled into it. She darted back down to the line, attacking enemy raiders at random in the leaderless mob. They fell one by one in rapid, swift diving attacks, but even she could only kill one at a time. And with the push, most of the enemy army was out of range of the artillery. The army was beginning to be surrounded, and soon, only she was the only one in the front ranks properly able to escape the enemy counter-push. Those not caught in the encirclement had began to throw down their weapons and run back toward the city.

Blade and bolt flew down on the enemies by her, enemies falling as they struck home. By this point, she had cut down at least fifty enemies, and yet it made few differences. Enemy officers were either few and far between, or were in the block of pikes. The Pryhans were falling back on all fronts, at least those that could. All she was doing was delaying the inevitable.

Until, over another one of the ridges by the city, about half a mile to the right of the main battle, came three unmistakable sounds. The rolling thrum of war drums and signal horns, loud singing, and the footfalls of several thousand soldiers.