The Lord Commander picked one of the aggressive giants who threw his axe at him, but he dodged the axe, and it hit the statue of Gurliva's King. The statue slowly crumbled down; meanwhile, the giant hand had gone down after such a powerful throw, and the Lord Commander quickly took the opportunity to run towards him. The giant tried to catch him with his other hand but missed, and the Lord Commander climbed his hand to his back and then ruthlessly stabbed him with a sword until he lost balance and fell. The giant growled, his face tightened, and his eyes closed and opened simultaneously as both hands tried to remove the sword from his back. But the Lord Commander was not done with him. His face red and hand bloodied, he grabbed a spear and ran toward the giant. He skilfully dodged all the giant's attempts to catch him with his hands, and when he had passed, he slid through his legs, bursting the giant's leg with it. The giant staggers before falling on the king's crumbled statue and dies from a massive pierce by it. Also, the knights had managed to kill all the other giants after they had lost many lives at their hands. This gave the knights morale, and the lord commander and his knights too roared, but immediately thousands of foot soldiers had infiltrated the kingdom and stood facing them. Quickly, the Lord Commander charged his knights.
Knights reform"
Shields in front, pikes behind."
Arrows and swords after pikes."
Who you stand next to is your god."
So be still, and fear no darkness."
No one dies without sending a thousand to the abyss."
Fight to live!"
Fight to live!" The knights responded.
Shield fence"
They raised their shields high. The foot soldiers tried to penetrate through the shield walls.
Now"
They took down their shields a bit, and spears found their way through tiny spaces into the foot soldiers vulnerable body parts.
Shield"
Now"
Again their shields were taken down, and spears were thrust into the bodies of the foot soldiers, causing them to scream bitterly before the archers and knights with swords got to them to relieve them of their pains. The young lad atop his steed beyond the kingdom walls had his dark, wandering eyes fixed on the battle with a tightened face.
The Ciruks are all dead, Father. And these slave soldiers are no better than babies."
Son, we have our armies. My forces will outfight them, and they will fall in haste. What is the beauty in war if it's won in haste? What is a sword battle if your opponent does not get to swing his blade?"
Father, take a look at how they are being slain."
Now!"
Shield!"
Let it be so. Gurliva will fall today."
The Night Elves? The Ancients saw it. Isn't it?"
I see most things myself too. It won't be a war if we aren't fair in our dealings. This is the price we must pay to give what's happening now a name that it deserves."
Shield"
Now"
But they have killed all your Ciruks, Father!"
Son, wars aren't won by giants. Wars are won by personality. We have conquered all the Eastern lands."
Ten Eastern lands, Father. Ten kingdoms out of eleven"
This land won't be different. And once we seize it, I shall set things in motion for the final conquest."
Father?"
In this land lies the immortality I seek."
Shield"
Now"
Father, do you trust this man? Do you think he would be able to tame the sorcerers and necromancers?"
Yes, I do. He's very ambitious. He will do anything to claim back his inheritance from Ritlo Saxon."
Your sworn enemy"
He wants me to negotiate with Ritlo Saxon to give him back Hodfox, a region in the Southern Lands. He claimed he's the rightful king. He mentioned that his grandfather, the king at that time, and all his kinsmen were hanged by Ritlo Saxon for refusing to accept his religion.
He sold this land out for his own greed."
Would he get his pay?"
Father, but you promised him that you would attend to his demand."
Did I?" Arle Craig smiled.
Over there, son. That's the signal. He has done it. How good is he?" Arle Craig pointed at some smoke in the walls of the kingdom.
Bring up the catapults. We have at least given them a fight; it's time to let them know who they resist."
Release!" The catapults are released with heavy stones breaking the kingdom walls and buildings. The children screamed, women screamed, and husbands scattered as they fled to escape from the ruins.
Reset the catapults." The catapults released with another set of stones crashing against the kingdom. Walls cracked, buildings fell, and inhabitants and soldiers died as stones fell on them.
Attack!"
Arle Craig roared, leading his army of horsemen into the kingdom walls. The archer's commander has been fighting a vulture for too long. An archer managed to shoot the vulture, which pissed the vulture off, and it attacked the archer, bit off his head, and ate him. The vulture roared, then flew, picking and chewing off the heads of the archers as they ran away.
Shield!" The Lord Commander ordered, but Arle Craig and his horsemen broke through the shield wall with their warhorses. His armies outnumbered the knights three to one. The young lad leapt his warhorse on the Lord Commander. The lord commander fell and tried to stand up on his feet using his sword as support, but the young lad had already jumped down from his warhorse. He kicked the sword away and watched the Lord Commander crawl to get the sword and stand up with it.
Old man, yield to my father and his conquest so that your pitiable life will be spared."
Never, you son of a barbarian." He swung his sword at him in fury, but he dodged.
Last chance, old man. There will be a place for you in his army, likewise a befitting role for you in what is to come to the human realm."
The Lord Commander swung his sword at him thrice and missed. He fell heavily.
It's a pity you really want your bravery and experience in battle to go to waste. How many times do you want me to tell you that we could use you? A noble rank for you, old man."
To hell with you, bastard! Your father is nothing but a fucking bas...." The young lad did not allow him to finish. His face instantly became very hairy. His nails turned into claws, which he used to cut into the Lord Commander's throat. He gushed blood as he muttered, "Ard," then fell down dead in his pool of blood. The horn bellows.
I won't say this again. Surrender now. Lower your weapons and embrace your new liege lord's supremacy. The war has ended. Your kingdom is captured, and the only thing you all can do is to lower your weapons and pledge fealty to me or be put to the sword." Arle Craig said atop his steed after firing three arrows that pierced the archer's commander in his chest. He staggered, trying to utter words, but his mouth was gushing blood. His sword fell from his hand before he tumbled down from the wall.