"Tell the brothers on the front lines to hold firm. Let me observe for the perfect moment... and then, we shall commit the reserves."
Gilgamesh sat atop his massive, iron-clad warhorse, peering through a brass monocular to observe the carnage. Below the hillside, on the vast Alluvium plains, his Auric Reclamation was locked in a brutal struggle against the Imperial Court's regular legions.
"Father, I believe it is time to commit the veterans of the Immortal Battalion," Siduri whispered, her own optics fixed on the fray. From her perspective, after hours of grinding combat, the front-line soldiers were flagging, their shields splintering under the Imperial onslaught.
"Indeed. As the ancients said—'At the first drum, courage rises; at the second, it wanes; and at the third, it is exhausted,'" Enkidu-Sa added, his voice steady despite the roar of battle. "Both the enemy and our own morale are beginning to flag. Now is the perfect time to play our elite card!"
"..."
"You are right. The time has come! Immortal Battalion, with me!"
After a brief silence, Gilgamesh let out a thunderous command. Heavy cavalry clad in gleaming gold and pitch-black iron began to emerge from the ranks. These were the cataphracts of the Reclamation—the elite of the elite.
"Knights of the Sun, with me! Let us shatter the Imperial line and carve a path for our brothers!" Gilgamesh raised his long, energized lance and shouted, his voice carrying over the din.
"TO WAR!" the knights roared, their lances lowering in perfect unison.
"Now, charge!" Gilgamesh issued the final, undeniable command. He spurred his horse down the slope, and the hundred-plus golden knights followed in a thundering wave of steel.
Under Gilgamesh's leadership, the organizational strength of the Auric Reclamation now equaled—and often surpassed—the Imperial regulars. They could go toe-to-toe with the Court's elites.
Unlike the ragtag bands that the Empire could easily disperse, the Reclamation had secured a stable source of manpower and advanced smithing during their time in the Southwest.
By Gilgamesh's decree, human and Faunus craftsmen had been organized to produce superior gear. When they reappeared on the Alluvium, they were met with overwhelming support. Countless refugees flocked to the "Golden King."
For the Palace, the nightmare had begun. They were no longer fighting a militia, but a mature state with the capability to hold territory. As they moved through the heartland, Gilgamesh captured city after city. Upon taking a stronghold, he would drag corrupt tycoons and bureaucrats to the block, distributing their ill-gotten wealth to the starving populace.
As for the few upright officials who had maintained their integrity, Gilgamesh incorporated them into his administration under Enkidu-Sa. Those who remained steadfast in their loyalty to the old Emperor were not coerced; Gilgamesh simply provided them with travel expenses and allowed them to return to their homes. He was a hot knife through butter—irresistible and unstoppable.
"KILL!"
With Gilgamesh's battle cry, he and his knights crashed into the Imperial flank.
"It's the King! The King has come!" The rebel soldiers cheered as they spotted the golden armor of their leader. Conversely, the sight was devastating for the Imperial troops. It signaled that the "God of Slaughter" had descended. As Gilgamesh launched wave after wave of charges, Imperial morale shattered. A retreat turned into a catastrophic stampede.
The setting sun was as red as blood, and the corpses of both sides were piled like mountains. Being the victors, the Reclamation could afford the patience to bury their own fallen. The Imperial dead were gathered into a mass pyre to prevent plague.
"Lord, what do you plan to do next? We have reclaimed the heartland," Enkidu-Sa asked, walking toward his master, who stood watching the mountain of burning corpses.
"What do I plan? I intend to open a new era where everyone can fill their bellies through their own toil," Gilgamesh sighed. "Therefore, I must become the new sovereign. It is the only way to rebuild order from this ash."
"Then I shall do my duty without fail, My Lord," Enkidu-Sa replied with a deep bow.
"King, we are not far from your old home," a veteran of the Battalion approached and asked gravely. "Should we go... and see?"
"Yes. I haven't been back since we first raised our banners. It is time to see what remains." Gilgamesh nodded slightly. "Come, let us return."