42 Aureus Astrea 9 (1/2)

As Aureus waited on the command platform for the scouts to return with the intelligence, he planned contingencies upon how the enemy would counter.

While the beasts were possessed of an intelligence that were never seen before, in terms of employing complex battle tactics and strategy, they were still far inferior to a cunning racial opponent.

The issue was their sheer weight in numbers which could compensate for their lack of strategy as a form of strength.

Aureus thought that if he were not handicapped by the fact that he was outnumbered nearly four to one, he would have launched the decisive blow against the beast hordes days ago.

As matters now stood, as long as he took the field- he would either land a crippling blow on the enemy hordes or he would decapitate the enemy leadership.

The fact that the demon beasts did not know they were already in such a precarious position pleased Aureus.

Were he the enemy commander, he would not have hesitated in cutting his losses and calling a retreat. Staying on even for the purposes of probing was an inefficient move.

If he had not learnt enough about the enemy after a week of probing attacks of such nature and intensity, he would not learn what is relevant until it was too late anyway.

While Aureus was pleased with the current state of affairs, he was under no illusions that such a state would continue on in the future. Never underestimate one's enemies and Aureus was always confident in his judgment of never overestimating one's enemy.

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Lendar was born a peasant and managed to get into the Aureus army by sheer dint of effort. He was proud to be a legionary of the Aureus army not simply because he was a soldier of a Prince's army but because he truly believes that Aureus was a gifted leader who would never waste his soldiers lives.

As the gates rumbled open, a dense company of horsemen came thundering out.

Lendar was confused, there was no mention in the battle briefing prior that there would be significant reinforcements during this battle.

He wondered whether the battle was progressing badly to the point that Prince Aureus had to send heavy reinforcements.

From his experienced eye, he could not see any signs of the battle progressing negatively.

As the company fully cleared the gates, a standard bearing the motif of a Suanni upon an indigo sea shot towards the heavens.

Lendar felt as if a surge of energy just entered his body for he now knew that Prince Aureus himself was leading this company.

If Prince Aureus is taking to the field, it must mean that he is here to achieve the killing blow.

Lendar fought with renewed vigor as he hacked and hewed at the enemy demon beasts with his blade.

The coming of Aureus's company was akin to that of a storm. It approached from afar and after gathering momentum, it crashed onto the thickest concentration of enemy beasts.

In the first contact, the enemy beasts died in droves. The elite troops of Aureus rarely took a second swing with their glaives as they reaped a bloody path across the battlefield.

As first, Lendar thought that Aureus was here to thin the enemy horde down to the point that they can no longer effectively wage war.

However as time passed, Lendar saw that instead of spreading out to clear out pockets of resistance, Aureus appeared to be aiming for something specific behind the enemy lines.

As Lendar put two and two together, he realized that Aureus was moving to decapitate the enemy leadership.