Ancient Imperial Calendar Year 1830
Upon entering the Northern Lands, the Ashterah forces began advancing without wasting time.
The Supreme Commander of the Ashterah army was Brian Ashterah.
His aide was the 17-year-old third son of Ashterah Dynasty Lord Marco, Njassar Rappa Ashterah.
Shortly after, the Ashterah forces encountered the Northern Army under the command of Noyan Turvig.
Rappa, with an excited and somewhat timid manner, said:
"This will be my first battle."
Brian understood his aide's excitement.
"It's normal to be excited. In the past, when your father and I were soldiers of the old Ashbrum Dynasty, we were just as excited as you, maybe even more."
Rappa asked curiously.
"What was the first battle you and my father fought in?"
Brian recalled his past and, with a touch of nostalgia, recounted his first battle.
"The old Ashbrum Dynasty Lord, XXI Carl, succumbed to his pride and foolishness and declared war on the Kislavein Dynasty. The two Ancient Dynasties were equal in power, but we still lost the war. Your father and I fought our first battle during those times."
Rappa, who had listened to the story with attention and pleasure, had enjoyed it.
"This is truly a good story. The fact that it's real makes it even more interesting."
While Brian and Rappa chatted and laughed, the time for battle had arrived.
Noyan had given the attack order to his units.
The wolves of the North charged fearlessly at the Eastern armies at full gallop.
"Rappa, listen to me well. This battle will determine the fate of you and the men and women who will descend from you, more than it will determine mine."
Rappa understood what these words meant.
"If you die in this battle, the only benefit will be eliminating a rival for your brothers. But if you survive, you will gain an advantage in the race for the throne. Unlike the Kislaveins, we value merit and do not grant privilege unless there are no other alternatives. If you want to ascend the Throne after your father and marry one of the Kislavein Dynasty Lord's daughters, prove yourself now."
Rappa prepared for battle with determination and confidence.
"Truthfully, I'm still very tense. But as you said, I must prove myself to ascend the Throne."
Brian drew his sword and took a deep breath.
"MY LIONS!"
The Ashterah armies shouted simultaneously.
"COMMAND US, MASTER!"
Brian strengthened his voice with mana so the entire army could hear.
"TODAY, MANY OF US WILL NOT RETURN HOME. BUT NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THOSE BEFORE US WILL EVEN DREAM OF THEIR HOMES AGAIN. SHOW THE BARBARIANS OF THE NORTH WHY THEY CALL US THE LIONS OF THE EAST! FOR ASHTERAH!"
The Ashterah soldiers shouted together.
"FOR ASHTERAH! FOR OUR DYNASTY! LONG LIVE ASHTERAH!"
The Turvig cavalry broke into the Ashterah defense like lightning.
Noyan Turvig targeted Brian Ashterah directly.
The two Supreme Commanders engaged in a fierce duel.
They spent their Aura and Mana like water.
While the Turvig units cut down the Ashterah armies, Brian didn't even have a chance to turn his head.
"Damn it! At this rate, they will break our lines. I can't waste time."
Brian intensified his attacks.
Noyan went on the defensive, retreating in small steps.
"I will win."
Encouraged by Noyan's retreat, Brian launched even more violent and powerful attacks.
While Rappa and the Ashterah soldiers grew bolder seeing Brian would win,
the Turvig soldiers had lost the advantage from their initial attack and began to be repelled, suffering heavy losses.
"We will win. I never thought we would win this easily."
At that moment, Rappa noticed something strange.
"This easily?"
Rappa became suspicious of the course of events. When he turned his head towards Brian, he couldn't believe what he saw.
Brian's lifeless body lay on the ground in a pool of blood, while Noyan Turvig wiped his bloody sword.
"Acting is really difficult, but it was worth it. You were a tough opponent, Brian Ashterah."
While Rappa stared at the lifeless body of Brian, whom he saw as his master, Turvig soldiers surrounded him and launched an attack.
Enraged, Rappa slaughtered everyone around him.
He screamed with rage and vengeance, cutting down thousands of Northerners.
When he came to his senses, he was tired and covered in blood.
"Who the hell are you?"
Rappa looked towards the voice. He went mad with rage and, despite his exhaustion, prepared to attack.
"You."
"Yes, I am Noyan Turvig. And you, who are you? You look about 17 or 18 years old. You alone killed thousands of my men and gave courage to the Ashterah soldiers who were starting to fear."
Rappa attacked, shouting angrily.
"WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY?!"
Noyan didn't take these attacks seriously at all, just moving left and right, observing Rappa.
"I guess that's the extent of your strength. Anyway, killing you will be enough. After that, the Eastern soldiers will start fleeing like cowardly chickens."
Noyan delivered a powerful kick to Rappa's stomach, knocking him to the ground.
"Ahhh!"
Noyan raised his sword to thrust it.
"Tell me your name so I know who I'm killing and record it in history."
Rappa coughed up blood, unable to speak, lost in thought.
"So this is how my death will be. Huh. The throne, marriage... they all remained as dreams. I'm sorry, Brian. I wanted to avenge you."
Noyan, in a cold voice.
"So you won't give your name. Any last words?"
Just as Noyan was about to deliver the finishing blow, without needing it, Ashterah soldiers attacked Noyan.
"PROTECT THE YOUNG LORD! AVENGE THE SUPREME COMMANDER!"
When Niyan killed one Ashterah soldier leaping at him, ten came; when he killed those ten, a hundred came; and when he killed those hundred, thousands charged at him.
"'Young Lord,' you say. Now I understand. But which one? Oh well, not that important anyway. He's seriously wounded and will die soon. The bad part is he gave courage to all the Easterners."
The Turvigs' losses were counted in the hundreds of thousands. The Ashterahs' losses were also considerable, but the winds of victory were blowing for the Ashterahs.
"RETREAT!"
At Noyan's order, the Turvig soldiers began to retreat.
"KILL THEM ALL! KILL AS MANY AS YOU CAN!"
While the Ashterah soldiers tried to kill as many Turvig soldiers as they could, the most famous healers were making an intense effort to save their Young Lord.
At the end of the battle, the Turvig Army lost half a million soldiers, while the Ashterah army lost four hundred thousand soldiers.
Brian Ashterah had died; Rappa was seriously wounded.
The victory belonged to the Ashterah Dynasty, but the cost was very heavy.