the Twelve-faced Moon: A Loona fanfiction

Chapter XX

Jungeun III

"Mom...?" Jungeun rub her odd eye,hoping that it will helps her consciousness to return faster. Her head feel like hell.

Her mother stood beside her makeshift bed,made from all kinds of leather and other soft linen. She dressed in a red tunic with owl embroidery on her shoulder,sword at her right hip.

Jungeun,still half-asleep,trying to willed herself to a sitting position,but her mother's hand stop her at her shoulder.

"Rest,child." The elder owl, Jungah shush her youngling.

Jungeun felt a little dizzy and laid back on her bed. Trying her hardest to recall what happened yesterday..or a week ago? She couldn't tell,but only one thing she entirely sure:

The campaign north to liberate the three provinces has finally underway,and Jungeun as one of her father's General of the vanguard,she was in the thick of it all.

As soon as the Goryoan army crossed the Amur river,near the city called Baishan.

The earth starts to growl,hooves of tens of thousand Nuzheni horses come raining down on them. Those deafening sounds drowned the sound of hundred thousand of Goryoan soldiers crossing the river,caught by these surprise. Banners made of yak skin in various color and shape loom like a deathly cloud.

With each Nuzheni riders screaming and howling armed with either sword,curved rough blade,throwing spear or bow,each one hunger for blood. Each and everyone of them riding a warhorse and clad themselves in leather or bronze armor,at the head of that army ride a brute riding the biggest destrier Jungeun had ever seen.

Jungeun,at the center of the vanguard of the opposing army,unsheathed Eclipse. The venerated sword steel ring ever so loudly. The Crimson Owl hastily barking orders to her heavy infantry men of Northern Jeolla to form a line with their wooden square shield. One shield alone cannot fully covered a man,as someone needs to kneel a bit to use it,she command other more taller men to cover the man in front to protect their upper body and head from harm and a third line of men come equipped with spear,jutting forward facing the sky to stab incoming opponent.

The men that she commands that day,fortunately,are a disciplined bunch,mostly. Battle hardened. Some served in Jungeun's rank during the United Order Rebellion two years ago,some even once part of Geom the Conqueror's forces that run amok and forged two splinter Kingdoms into one. The newer recruits,well..do what new recruited soldier do best,shiver in fear,staining their breeches.

If not for Jungeun's steely resolve,they must've been fled and scatter in all direction. With Ogeum the warrior-monk,Jungeun's most faithful lieutenant Ilsung and the blind spearman Jaeguk,she rallied the soldiers. "If you would've died here,Good! Better you die here,rather than your family and loved one at home and i promise you,i will avenge each and everyone of you. If you survive here,Good! You prove yourself worthy to be called men of Northern Jeolla!"

Soon,they steadied their shield and standing close to each other,shoulder to shoulder.early casualties was minimal due to the army's discipline,as the Nuzheni horsemen let loose a torrent of arrows towards her army,several hundreds met their target with sickening thud heard whenever these arrows pierce down a man. but her men stood undeterred upon the sight of a couple hundreds,thousands, fallen comrade to their side,so does Jungeun. Especially Jungeun,she cannot falter,not now,not ever,not in front of them.

Other group of armies are led by Tozaki in her far left. Consists mostly of Sun Islander swordsman,clad in armor with masked iron helmet resembling demons of various shape. Knowing him,Jungeun knew Tozaki will never cower from an upcoming cavalry charge behind a shield like sensible men and woman would do under these circumstance. 'Use me as a decoy. whenever necessary.',Tozaki said during the last war council before they march.