103 Tivoli (2/2)

”Commander there is major movement coming our way from the front and off to the right.” said Hartley in his ear.

”Hurry up and get everyone across,” Commander Genk barked his order, since they had already started crossing the bridge he didn't want his troops to be split on both sides of the river.

He then sent runners to front with orders for the men to prepare to defend. The men drew their weapons arranged themselves in a tight diamond formation, swarming the grey stone buildings for the best positions.

When everyone made it to the other side of the river Commander Genk noticed Baron Hongtian's men were nowhere to be seen.

”Where is captain Bojin?” commander Genk asked livid with rage. they were in charge of securing the right flank.

”He and his men have remained across the bridge sir” came the answer from one of the scouts.

”Guard the eastern flanks” commander Genk shouted to his men, almost at the same time clashes of metal and desperate screams from injured or dying men came flooding from the right.

Soon after, another scout came running ”commander the right flank has been besieged by armored infantry they won't hold for much longer.”

Commander Genk bristled with gritted teeth, ”take two squads and reinforced the right flank he barked at one of his captains.”

As the captain was about to answer Hartley chimed in ”let me take a look,” the commander gave Hartley a grave look, Hartley answered it with a smile, ”commander I will be ok, we can retreat if things turn bad.”

Commander Genk nodded.

On horse back Hartley led two squads over to the right, when they were a hundred meters away what greeted Hartley was the sight of limbs and blood splayed randomly on the flat rocky terrain running parallel to the river,the two opposing forces were locked in an intense battle of life and death, commander Genk's men were being pushed back gradually and about to be over run.

Wait here, Hartley instructed the two puzzled squad leaders, then rushed ahead.The right flank had been decimated, there were only a few hundred men there fighting for their lives in desperate attrition while retreated slowly.

The men were being swamped by numbers, some could see their fate and were trying to take an enemy with them, determined to make the enemy pay a cost in exchange for their lives.

”Retreat” came a voice from their backs as two black lights flew into the crowd of enemy infantry men. The black lights whistled and curved as if they had a mind of their own, each place the light passed, there was a spray of red then followed the wailing scream of a soldier.

The leaf-blade throwing knives were slicing through the enemy, forcing them to abandon their attack relieving the pressure on the retreating soldiers of Aidonia.

As the relieved men retreated thankful for their lives, Hartley dismounted and sped pass them into the ranks of the assaulting troops.

Hartleyapplied his gravity field, the force of 100x gravity that slammed down onto the earth shook the ground and everything seemed to quake.....Blarg! blood was ejected from the mouths of many soldiers dressed in metallic armor that were being crushed like cans.

The screams of a thousand men rang out in horror, a chorus of misery flew from their throats in unison like a church choir in perfect harmony.

The weakest had suffered from broken bones and internal injuries and were puking out blood and wallowing around on the floor unable to get up, some were staggering about in chaos trying to escape regardless of the direction even jumping into to river and sinking to the bottom in full suits of armor, while a few were still operating normally.

A blue flash darted into the troops of men and the miserable shrieks got worse. Hartley moved as quick as light executing those staggering around, then turned his attention to those still able to move normally, the helpless and broken were laid flat against the ground wailing and moaning with their dying breaths.

.Haiyuan was the commander from Sasko in charge of the King Brother's troops. The reports of the calamity happening on the right flank quickly reached his ears.

What? one man, echoes of astonishment rippled through his command tent.