Gate of Dimensions

[Act 2] Chapter 4: Battle against Fate

Outside the encampment deep in the forests east of the borders (the borders in his own country), Mordred watched the battlefield from the trees. It was far away, but he could see it clearly through his telescope.

The army had everything; everything his charisma and gold can reach. There were light and heavy cavalry horses, were dragonettes upon their dragons soaring through the sky, the infantry was made up of every able-bodied man or slave he could get his hands on, bearing swords and armour of various materials, there were crossbowmen, catapults, ballistae, and others banded together even from the border provinces, seeing the threat of the Germans as a higher priority. Finally, there were beasts, such as orcs, ogres, and goblins, who were promised whatever they desired, whether steel or women if they fought for him. In short, it wasn't an Imperial Army anymore, it was a large, combined motley army of everything he could muster at any given time kept together with the fear of the "demons."

No matter how many he brought in from the entire Continent, it didn't matter, not to the Germans. He knew because he watched from the trees whenever he sent his armies wherever he saw a German column. Same tactic as always: rain archers upon them and then charge them with everything they had. None of which seemed to make any difference against the enemy from beyond the Gate.

The armies of steel engaged them from afar, raining death upon them. When they didn't feel like fighting on the battlefield, they'd get their own beasts, either giant metallic dogs or giant metallic men, to tear apart the men who got close.

Blood and organs fertilized the ground and the Germans just continued like nothing had just happened, only stopping to pick up those who fell to either a well-placed crossbow bolt or if someone had just managed to slip through their defence and hack them. But, the overwhelming firepower sent a shockwave that sent the entire army routing back across the plains, luckily not to the forest his army made camp in.

For months he watched the same thing happen. For months he never changed his tactic. The men in grey were just too strong. Something spoke up in him that never before: How can we fight an enemy we aren't even fighting? It was what he knew he would have been thinking since the beginning. His divinity is wearing off. How can he send another army and expect something different?

He simply stepped backwards, hoping they wouldn't notice him. It was lucky he chose to not wear his ornate robes or crown, he learnt the hard way that men in shiny armour were their main target.

"Enjoying yet another failed attack, Emperor Mordred?" said Cain, his High Priest, coming up next to him. "Did we finally win?"

Mordred jumped and almost hit his head on a branch. He never got used to the Exile's teleport ability, especially those disguised as wise old priests. "No, we just keep failing one after another," he mumbled, sinking into the ground. "If your Exiles are so powerful in the ways of magic, why aren't you down there to help them?!"

"Because we are the biggest card you have. Would you waste it on a single battle only to have your entire deck exposed to the opposite side? Would I waste it to see everything I worked for be exposed?"

Mordred leaned against the tree in silence. On top of his dragon, he had all the confidence in the world to throw every card he had against his own sister but against a superior force, he might as well burn the deck. He never did get another dragon, seeing as the Germans have a card against them too.

Cain continued, "And are you really expecting the dwarves would turn the tides in your favour?"

"After three months of nothing but slaughter, they'd better."

"What? Because asked me to retrieve you a weapon two months ago and now you think the dwarves could replicate the weapon in just a few months?"

"Can we leave this for the meeting? I'm trying to observe the army."