That focus on war meant he had many experienced commanders, and brave, disciplined soldiers. But so then did the other alliance. An evenly matched war of such men could drag on a long time, and ruin the country in the process. If they could win this battle, Talaos thought it likely the unity of the other alliance would continue to fracture. That would open new opportunities he'd need to exploit by means outside of battle.
The unity of his coalition was itself fragile, as were all such things in Hunyos. He might now be the leader of this army, but the army itself had no unity beyond him, and several of his commanders represented cities that were, at this moment, fighting on the other side. He intended to follow through on his sweeping statements about fighting for a Hunyos free of the Prophet, and that shared purpose might keep them together for long enough.
From there, what?
Would the Living Prophet invade to support his allies? He wasn't known to have much of a fleet, but that could have changed. What about old Dirion? If the Prophet was powerful up there now, what might come of it?
In the end, there were still too many unknowns. Now though, it was time.
He'd appreciated General Sanctari's gift for short, decisive speeches, and hoped to emulate that approach himself. He stood up and raised his right hand for their attention. In the disciplined tradition of Hunyos, they promptly quieted.
"Commanders," he said, voice deep and clear, "Tomorrow we begin a war like no other in the history of Hunyos. Here, wars have been for land, property, gold, or honor, gained by one and lost by another. Now we face something that would take them, and much more, from all of us together. For our cities, our kin, our freedom in this wide world, our oaths and our honor, we will fight against those who have none. For each our own, we will fight.
"We've made our plans," he continued, "and in the hour before dawn, we will begin."
He extended his right hand in welcome and expectation.
"Commanders, are you ready?"
To a man, generals, warlords, tribunes, chieftains, and captains rose. As one, they saluted. Talaos returned their salute, and regarded them with pride and brotherhood.
4. Decision
They readied for battle under a blue sky. Before them, on the plains to the west, waited the enemy. Behind them, to the east, lay Avrosa and the sea. Here, under cover of the artillery, were arrayed twenty-one thousand men. Talaos stood watchfully, ready to give the command.
Overnight, he'd sent out thousands of militia and civilian volunteers to fill in the outer trenches and traps, while leaving the inner in place, and to collect the sharpened stakes. They’d gone in dark clothes and without torches. The enemy must still have had some idea something was amiss, but by their inaction, they’d demonstrated they hadn't understood on what scale.
The traditional arrangement for armies fighting on open plains was to have heavy infantry in the center, screened by a front line of irregular skirmishers, heavy cavalry as a strike or enveloping force to one side or the other, then light cavalry and more irregulars on the flanks. The enemy was arranged in exactly that manner, with their fifteen hundred heavy cavalry to the north, on Talaos's right.
Upon discussion with his commanders, Talaos had opted to try something different.
Leaving aside militia, the enemy outnumbered them by four thousand. Talaos had fewer heavy cavalry, but after the battle of the pass, Adriko's nighttime raid, and the unequal distribution of successful defectors, he had far more light cavalry than the enemy.
On his far right to the north, beyond the end of the enemy formation, he had Tescani. The warlord’s disciplined and armored troops were ready fend off encirclement or to take the hammer blow of the enemy heavy cavalry. Tescani's troops carried pikes for this battle, and were trained to use them. Beyond them, extending north and east to the coast, were embedded thousands of sharpened stakes culled from the trenches. It wouldn't stop a patient approach, but would disrupt formations and make cavalry maneuvers difficult.
Next to Tescani were Drevan and the Megasi infantry, eager to regain their honor, even if it meant taking the brunt of an enemy attack. Left of the Megasi troops were somewhat less than half of the combined allied light cavalry. Their job, however, was not to fight on that flank at all, but to do something he hoped the enemy would not expect. Behind them were Ordias's troops from the League of Padra, reinforced by half of the allied heavy cavalry. Left of the cavalry on that side was his main center force of heavy infantry.
Chosen for their discipline and reliability, Lurios and the Aledri spearmen held the right flank of the main force. After that came Ilirios with defectors from Mileno and the League of Five. Megaras and the Avrosan troops stood at the very center. To their left were Maxano and the defectors from Kyras, then Mordvan and the Teroians. On the left flank of the main body stood Gavro, with the tough troops of Imperi. Behind the main force waited a reserve made up of troops from Aro's League of Mesion Hill, and the other half of the allied heavy cavalry. Talaos had given General Aro himself overall tactical command of the army.
In front of the main body was a screen of irregulars, far lighter than that of the enemy army. Left of the main body, at a pivot point, towered the giant Hadrastus and with him a picked group of the biggest and most heavily armed and equipped soldiers from among all the units of the army.
On the far left of his army gathered an unusual force, separated by a gap from the rest. It comprised Adriko with more than half of the light cavalry, Talaos himself with his Madmen and his Wolves, and hidden in remaining sections of trench line, swarms of Kurvan's hillmen irregulars. Small groups of the stealthiest hillmen, experienced hunters and trackers, had crept out in the last hours before dawn and taken up hidden positions further out, among the fields and farmsteads. There they waited for the right time to show themselves.
He had Avrosan militia on the walls, manning artillery under the direction of Theron and his engineers, and more ready behind the walls as a secondary reserve if things went badly. Most of his Hounds were now either in the Avrosan army or militia, but some still stood ready in secret, to lead the resistance if the city should somehow fall.
As the two armies faced each other across the level plain, Talaos surveyed the enemy.
When still expecting a siege, they had partly completed their own trench lines. They now had their heavy infantry set up defensively behind the central parts of those trenches. Behind the main body of troops, archers and siege artillery stood ready to fire over the ranks. Talaos thought that together with the trenches, it made for a powerful defensive position, from the front.
The enemy's large body of skirmishers, including mercenary and hillmen irregulars, were arrayed in front of the trenches and were no doubt intended precisely to draw his own main force piecemeal against that defensive front.
Then there were the Avrosan exiles and the remaining emissaries of the Prophet. The fighting men had, it appeared, been integrated into the enemy army, but the civilians had gathered before a new House of the Prophet, a tent at the center back of the enemy army, between the main body and the distant baggage train. Talaos had little idea what they could do in the absence of the Hand, but he'd seen their communal power enough times to know better than underestimate it.
He had hoped the Avrosan exiles would leave for friendlier places, but was not surprised they'd chosen to stay, no doubt in hopes of shortly reclaiming the city.
Maxano and the other former enemy commanders had said there were supply columns and small units of reinforcements on the way, but no additional large bodies of troops coming by land. The location of the enemy fleet, however, was a significant question. From the beginning of the war, the enemy’s navy, though smaller overall, had benefitted from better unity, as it centered on Idrona, the greatest maritime power in Hunyos.
To guard against an unwelcome arrival, the ten ships of the Avrosan navy, bolstered by six commandeered merchant ships, patrolled the waters outside the harbor. They were heavily armed with fire ballistae, but had been st
ripped of marines to reinforce the army.
Talaos considered the various possibilities, but knew it was his task to keep the enemy guessing at what he might do, not the other way around.
He wore a new breastplate, one in darkened steel with the clouds and thunderbolts of Avrosa embossed in silver. His decorated cloak as dictator, gave an easy way to spot him in the crowd. Honor had full quivers of javelins in place of saddlebags.
Talaos considered the clear blue sky overhead. It would have to do.
His army was ready. He chose the time. He gave the word to prepare.
Messengers sped on fleet horses to Aro and the other key commanders.
Adriko was nearby. He glanced over at him. The other gave a mirthful look in reply.
"Not a bad little get together," said Adriko, "though our guests don't seem to understand they've overstayed their welcome."
"Hopefully, we can help them remember."
"Steel does wonders to jog the memory, or at least the head," answered Adriko.
"And they'll have plenty of it, shortly," added Talaos with a harsh smile.
With that, he turned to the Madmen behind him. They were all mounted and ready, though Vulkas seemed less than thrilled to be on horseback again. On the other hand they'd found him what was probably the biggest warhorse in the city, so at least he ought to keep up with the rest this time. Of the others, Epos was notable for having a heavily armored horse in the style of Tescani's elite cavalry.
Firio balanced in his old spot at Larogwan's back, though some bemused engineers had rigged him a kind of standing saddle to replace his precarious perch on saddlebags. He wore and carried a vast array of daggers and darts on his short, thin frame.
Two of those daggers had been carefully considered gifts from Talaos: the twin lightning daggers of the Easterner assassin. They'd been made by a magus in service to the Prophet, but in the manner other enchanted weapons, they had permanently imparted power of their own. If there was any lingering power of the Prophet over them, he couldn't feel it, but it would show soon enough in battle.
As would a great many things today.
"Ready, men?" Talaos asked with a grin.
"As I'll ever be," replied Vulkas. Even so, he had a look of grim eagerness on his face.
"I sure am!" grinned Firio, almost dancing with energy as he stood on his perch.
Larogwan laughed, "Aye, and who am I to keep Firio out of the fight?"
Kyrax snorted. Epos and Halmir nodded.
Imvan, on a horse with no less than four quivers of arrows, gripped his bow.
Talaos, who'd been marking the time in his mind, paused.
He raised his right hand.
"Now, men!" he shouted, and motioned forward.
As they started slowly forward, the enemy's light cavalry spread out into a thinner line for envelopment, with irregulars forming up behind. However, Talaos had something else in motion. Since he had first given word, the light cavalry on the right flank of his own army had been filtering away, a rank at a time, and galloping to the left behind the infantry ranks.
The enemy must now be realizing what was happening, he thought, but they'd waited too long to react. His light cavalry from the right flank filed into their appointed places with Adriko on the left. Their old place on the right was taken by Ordias's troops.
When everyone was together, Adriko's force sped up to a trot. The catlike mercenary officer now had more than three times the cavalry of the other side. With his soldiers, he began to ride out beyond the end of the opposing line. Behind them, Kurvan's hillmen came pouring out of their hiding places in the trenches, howling ferocious war cries.
Talaos, the Madmen, and the Wolves now maneuvered to their own appointed place, to the right of Adriko, toward the junction point between the enemy's flank and their main body of heavy foot. Toward, but not directly at.
As they rode, Halmir made a smile at the clear sky. He then raised his spear and spoke, "This sunshine does not matter. For today, you are the storm, Talaos. As are we all."
Facing them, far away, the enemy light cavalry and irregulars on the flank watched the change in the situation. Being soldiers of Hunyos, they took on grim expressions, at the ready.
On the far left, Adriko's massive cavalry force sped into a gallop. They readied javelins and bows. Adriko brought his weight of numbers and speed to bear at the thin, vulnerable far end of the enemy line. Behind him, and behind Talaos, hordes of hillmen howled as they charged. Talaos could hear Kurvan himself, on foot with his men, roaring an off-key song about dead enemies, lively women, and barrels of honey mead.
Close by to his right, the chosen men with Hadrastus advanced slowly. The outnumbered main body and the right wing of Talaos's army stood their ground as ordered, outside the deathtrap of the enemy's trench, shield wall, skirmishers, archers, and artillery.
Talaos focused his mind on the task ahead. He had seen that his power was at its greatest during storms, and had noticed the strange synchronicity between his desire for a storm, and the presence of one. But at the pass, and elsewhere, he'd seen he could do much even without a cloud nearby. And today, there was not a one in the sky.
Halmir had been very right; today he would be the storm.
The enemy cavalry wheeled to face Adriko's larger force. Talaos had much to do, but first he would interfere with their plans. He held the reins in his left hand and drew a javelin with his right. He focused his will and intent. He summoned his power. He poured it into the weapon. Ahead was the inner edge of the enemy's light cavalry. They were still far off, beyond the range of even long bows. There was an officer there. He drew back his arm, and cast.
With a crack like thunder, the javelin shot across the plain. It struck the officer in the center of his chest and flew out his back in a spray of blood and electricity, then went on into the stomach of a rider behind. Both men fell off their horses, dead. The cavalry nearby reacted by separating from the main body to face Talaos.
Behind the opposing cavalry, enemy irregular infantry gathered; mercenaries, skirmishers, and hillmen. They were far outnumbered by Kurvan's forces. Further off to the left, Adriko swept his force in good order around the end of the enemy line.
Galloping ahead with the Madmen and Wolves, Talaos looked for another enemy officer. He saw one, several ranks back among the cavalry. It was the plain-clad general who'd said 'Praise be' when the Hand of the Prophet had arrived. Talaos drew a javelin. Again he focused and poured power into the weapon. He drew and cast.
The javelin arced across the plain. It neared the enemy general, and was answered by a flash of green light. However, the javelin pierced the protection of the Prophet and struck the general in the ribs with a gout of blue-white lightning. The man lived for a moment, clutching at the javelin, then slumped in the saddle with smoke pouring from his mouth and nose.
Two hundred cavalry in front of him, bereft of senior officers, still organized as best they could. They charged his way with lances lowered and javelins drawn. Behind them ran mobs of irregulars on foot. Further left, the main enemy cavalry force, a thousand strong, bravely formed a line to face Adriko's four thousand.
Far out on the plain, enemy irregulars moved in squads and loose companies to consolidate and prevent Adriko from flanking their army. Some of these came under attack as they passed isolated farm buildings, ambushed by Kurvan's hidden troops. Meanwhile Kurvan's main force of more than eighteen hundred hillmen swarmed forward.
To the right, the force of men under Hadrastus advanced toward the enemy. Heavily-armored shock troops wielding great axes, mauls, and war mattocks; they went forward slowly and in good order, well out of artillery range and waiting for the right time. Further right, the main body continued its standoff with the enemy.
Farther yet, to the north and east beyond the plains, Talaos noticed something else. Out on the sea came warships, a hundred of them or more. He strained to make out colored pennants, but the distance was too great. Then he saw a great flagship of t
hree masts. On the largest of its sails was painted the blue-green trident and twin dolphins of Idrona. It could only mean the allied fleet had been defeated or scattered.
Talaos knew the timing of the arrival of that fleet was anything but accidental. The officers and men who’d defected to his side had been unsure of the exact whereabouts of their fleet. It was now clear someone had known, and Talaos wondered what the means of communication and coordination might have been.
The ways of the Prophet came to mind, and that boded ill.
Ahead, he was closing on the enemy. He had to act now. He shouted to one of his Wolves nearby, a fast, skilled rider of distinctly wolfish manner named Adrus.
"Adrus! Send a message to Tescani that I am coming to help! Ride hard, now!"
Adrus nodded, with purpose in his eyes, and made the dangerous maneuvers to thread his way out of their charging formation. Once clear, he wheeled and sped back across the open plain.
The enemy was closer now, almost within bow shot. Talaos looked for another target. He saw what was likely a captain shouting orders. He once more poured power into his javelin, drew, and cast. The javelin flew like a thunderbolt across the distance and straight into the open face of the man's helm. The foe’s head exploded backward in a spray of crackling energy, and he toppled. A group of horsemen drew their bows, and arrows fell among Talaos and the Madmen. To his right, Halmir roared and pulled an arrow from his chain shirt.
Imvan drew back his own bow, fired, and put an arrow through the throat of one of the enemy archers. Talaos drew another javelin, focused power on it, and cast. Another enemy rider fell dead. The cavalry charging their way outnumbered them two to one, but were in growing disorder. Imvan dropped another horseman, and a Wolf did the same.
"Men! Javelins!" shouted Talaos.
Together he, the madmen and the Wolves drew javelins. Only Imvan and a few skilled archers continued to fire their bows. Together they cast. The front line of enemy horsemen toppled. Then came the counter cast, poorly coordinated from the leaderless enemy ranks. Even so, a few Wolves roared, and some died.
The Storm's Own Son (Book 3) Page 5