Ancient Imperial Calendar Year 1831
The Eastern armies under the command of Tajong Ashterah continued their advance through the southern deserts.
Since they had destroyed all of the Arfas armies, they believed no force remained that could stand against them.
Or so they thought.
The new Arfas Dynasty Lord, III Jamshid, had sent half of the gold in the treasury to the Dynasties in the Eastern Region of the Southern Lands, commanding each of them:
"With this gold I have sent you, raise armies and destroy the Ashterahs. Defeat them using their own strategies. I am sure you all know how four million Arfas soldiers were annihilated. The Desert is Our Home; we know every inch of this place by heart. They treated these lands as if they were their own and destroyed our armies with our own strategies. Now, as the Arfas Dynasty Lord, I command you: gather your armies and destroy all our enemies."
— Arfas Dynasty Lord III Jamshid
This command from the Arfas Dynasty Lord, along with billions in gold, brought great hope to the Southern Dynasties anticipating their own destruction.
In a short time, millions of men and women were enlisted, and a fully equipped army of three million soldiers was established.
The cousin of the Dynasty Lord, Ayaan Arfas, was appointed to the post of Supreme Commander of the army.
Towards the end of the year 1831, the two armies faced each other near the Karanbil Oasis.
Tajong couldn't hide his surprise at seeing this army he hadn't expected to encounter.
"This is impossible! How did they gather such a large army in such a short time?"
The Ashterah Commanders were as astonished as Tajong, but one among them thought the situation was advantageous for them.
"Dynasty Heir, I don't think there's anything for us to worry about. They may have the numerical advantage, but they are all composed of inexperienced people who have never seen battle before."
Tajong smiled as if he had experienced an epiphany. The words from his commander erased his surprise, and he became certain they would achieve an overwhelming victory.
"You're right, Commander Raizen. Even if we fight head-on, we will surely win with negligible losses."
Tajong drew his sword and gave the order.
"ATTACK!"
Upon the command from their Supreme Commander, the Ashterah armies attacked without a moment's hesitation.
In response to the enemy army's attack, Arfas Supreme Commander Ayaan Arfas drew his sword and commanded his army.
"ATTACK!"
The Southern soldiers charged at the Eastern soldiers like a horse at full gallop.
When the two armies clashed, Commander Raizen's thoughts proved correct.
The newly enlisted Arfas soldiers, who had never seen battle, were being crushed like insects.
Even the weakest soldier in the Ashterah army could cut down a Southerner after a few sword clashes.
While this caused excitement among the Ashterah soldiers, it led to fear and panic among the Arfas soldiers—all except one.
Supreme Commander Ayaan was fighting fearlessly on the front lines.
Seeing him, the Southern Warriors and Mages found the courage they needed to fight in their Supreme Commander.
The Southerners, who were being crushed, gathered their courage and compensated for their inexperience with the bravery and inspiration drawn from their Supreme Commander.
When Tajong noticed this change in the Southern soldiers, he made a quick decision.
"COMMANDER RAIZEN! KILL THE ARFAS SUPREME COMMANDER!"
"AS YOU COMMAND, DYNASTY HEIR!"
Raizen enhanced his senses with mana and located Ayaan within seconds.
"There he is!"
He spurred his horse at full gallop towards Ayaan.
I can defeat him! If I defeat him, I could become a Lord! I could establish my own Dynasty! Die, Southerner!
Raizen leaped from his horse and knocked Ayaan to the ground with a kick.
As he swiftly mounted him and was about to take his life with his sword, a Southern Cavalryman thrust his spear into Raizen, saving Ayaan's life.
Sent flying several meters by the force of the spear, Raizen's face was washed with sand.
He quickly stood up, washed his face with water magic, shaped a shield with his Aura, and created a barrier against possible incoming attacks.
This move saved his life. At that very moment, Ayaan and Southern soldiers surrounded Raizen from all sides, launching every kind of attack to kill him.
Raizen's Aura Shields were shattering, his Aura nearing depletion.
He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly. When his last shield broke, he began swinging his sword rapidly, cutting down Southern Warriors left and right.
But finally, weakened, spears had pierced holes in his body.
"DIE!"
When Ayaan cut off Raizen's head, the Southern Warriors breathed a sigh of relief.
At that exact moment, the Golden Lions under Tajong's command moved to kill Ayaan.
They surrounded them in an instant. Instinctively, the Southern soldiers formed a shield wall around their Supreme Commander, but it was futile.
A single blow from the Golden Lions was enough to shatter their shields. When the last soldier fell, Ayaan was left alone.
Tajong dismounted to kill Ayaan.
"Let's see how strong you are. Since you killed Raizen, I won't underestimate you."
"Who are you?" asked Ayaan.
Tajong replied.
"My name is Tajong Ashterah, Dynasty Heir and Supreme Commander of this army."
Seeing the enemy Supreme Commander before him, Ayaan shouted with his last remaining strength.
"THE SUPREME COMMANDER IS HERE! ATTACK NOW!"
At that moment, warriors emerged from the sand, their bodies wrapped in bandages resembling mummies, wearing thin, very light armor and strange yet terrifying masks.
With aesthetic and acrobatic movements, they leaped onto the horses upon which the Golden Lions sat, taking their lives in a single move.
Tajong, bewildered by what was happening, looked left and right.
"What's going on?!"
Ayaan began to laugh.
"Did you like my surprise, Ashterah Dynasty Heir?"
Tajong made a quick decision and swung his sword to kill Ayaan. Just then, a Warrior emerging from the sand deflected Tajong's sword with a dagger.
"WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?!"
Ayaan stood up.
"These are our elite unit, just like your Golden Lions. They can move as easily within the sand as scorpions and snakes—our strongest soldiers: the Sand Worms. They don't have cool, intimidating names like yours, but that's the point. They intimidate not with their names, but with their daggers. Die, please, Ashterah Dynasty Heir."
The Sand Worms swiftly attacked to kill Tajong.
Tajong expended all his Aura to strengthen his armor; none of the incoming attacks could penetrate it.
With his sword and Spells, Tajong killed thousands of Sand Worms in a short time. But when his power was spent, a Sand Worm cut Tajong's throat.
As Tajong fell face down and breathed his last, Ayaan performed sand magic, lifting Tajong's body into the air with the sand.
"THE SAND WORMS HAVE TAKEN THE LIFE OF TAJONG ASHTERAH!"
The Ashterah soldiers' courage was broken. The Arfas soldiers, joined by the Sand Worms among them, began fighting the Ashterah soldiers more strongly.
Finally, the Ashterah units began to retreat. Victory belonged to the Arfas Dynasty.
In that day's battle, two million Southern soldiers died, while the Ashterah army lost one million soldiers.
"It's natural for an army of novices to suffer more losses. But considering we defeated a professional army with battle experience, this number is quite reasonable," said Ayaan proudly.
The Ashterah army fled, leaving even the body of their Dynasty Heir, Tajong, behind.
The news of this battle would soon reach Tajong's father, Dynasty Lord Marco Ashterah.