Chapter 400: Chapter 400
The Ereian commander who holds their right flank was speechless on the movement of the opposing side. He had a suspicion that a good Ereian commander had joined their foes. His moves were being countered by the opposing side really well.
He was still yet to have a solution for the advancing orcs and another problem arose. He himself knew that their light cavalry was not a match for those wolf riding riders of the opposing side.
Left with no choice, he pulled back the light cavalry and ordered two units of spearmen to advance forward. He was going to make use of the spearmen to block the advance of the orcs.
On the other side of the battlefield, the debuting War Elephants under the care of the trolls were giving their opponents a hard time. The towering elephants were fitted with sufficient armor in their weak spots especially their belly, legs and their trunk. Those areas could easily be reached by their opponents with their foes.
On each of the giant beast were seven trolls. One was in-charge of driving the elephant while four with two on each side hurling javelins at their foes. The other two were tasked with supplying the throwers with more ammunition from the small warehouse that was on the back of the elephant.
A net of two layered ropes was draped over the back of the giant creature. The net of ropes allowed the trolls to dangle freely on the sides of their war beast as they strike their foes. This allowed them with more angles to throw their javelins.
The Ereian heavy cavalry continuously retreated as they had no answer for the missiles that was being thrown at them.
The commander in-charge of the Ereian right flank was rendered helpless of the situation that they were in. He doesn't have any answer to their foes attack. Every time that he moved hi spears forward to try and charge the elephants, the enemy spearmen and the riders atop their horned beast would move forward.
If he commits their spearmen into battle, the enemy spearmen would tangle with them and the cavalry of their foes would easily strike them from the rear or the flanks while the javelins would still continue flying towards his soldiers.
He had already sent out runners towards their overall commander to provide help. If the situation continues, their right flank would be force to leave the battlefield.
An hour into the battle, the Ereian right center began showing signs of crumbling. The recruits who still lacked experience in real bloody fights were beginning to waver. Corpses littered their surroundings and the groans of pain of the wounded around them dealt damage to their mentality. They were just normal citizens a month ago but here they are now, fighting for their life.
The Ereian left center had it better than their allies on the right center. Their ranks were comprised mostly of soldiers who were already baptized by bloody battles and some even served for year already.
The horde's front line in the center was in the same situation as the Ereian right center. Most of them were just new recruits to the army with only a few of them already experienced in such situations.
Both sides were showing signs of wavering.
Zaraki took notice of the wavering determination of the frontlines. He was disappointed with them but he could understand their situation.
"Give the command," he ordered with an emotionless voice. The battle horn gave out a certain rhythm telling the front line to pull back.
"Drakhars forward," he gave out his next command.
The Ereian center perceived that their foes were starting to withdraw from the clash. They felt that this was their chance as they fought with new vigor. The Ereian right center which was the first to show signs of wavering began to fight ferociously.
The supposed organized slow retreat of the horde's center forefront turned into a real route. Their front line quickly crumbled due to panic.
"Move with haste!" Zaraki was alarmed by the turn of events. This wasn't supposed to happen. He needed to quickly stabilize the situation less their side would be force to make a general withdrawal from the battle.
The Drakhars with their enormously long spears pointing up high in the sky hastened their steps.
The Ereian center who had regained their courage chased after their retreating foes.
"Establish a defensive line here," Zaraki decided on the spot after bashing a chasing enemy soldier in the face with a discarded shield. He had already unsheathed his blade and was prepare to cut down more of those who would head his way.
With Zaraki as the anchor, the Drakhars began forming up their line albeit slowly as they were forced to lower down their spears, pointing them at their charging foes which greatly slowed down their steps.
It took almost half an hour for Zaraki and the Drakhars to establish a new front line. The ridiculous long spears of the Drakhars were like a forest of spears and many of the chasing enemy army fell prey to them.
Fresh and eager to prove their name, the Drakhars slowly began pushing back the Ereian center. The weapons of the enemy spearmen fell short in comparison to the Drakhars who could easily stab them with their weapons before they could even have them in their range.
"Advance!" Zaraki roared and the long stretch wall of spears began to slowly inch forward. The fighting style of the Drakhars didn't need any complex commands. Just the order for "advance, halt and pull back' was enough.
With each synchronous stab of the Drakhars, the Ereian center would lose a number of soldiers. Each step forward that they took forced their foes to take a step back. No one was willing to stand face to face with a sharp spearhead.
Slowly and surely, the Drakhars regained the ground that their foes have gained. The courage that the Ereian center had before was no longer there. What engulf them now was fear and panic.