Excerpt from the memoires of Private Raz V’a van; 

                                                                                      “We were the legionaries of Malus, the World Breaker”

I witnessed the portion of the battlefield where Metternich was positioned and what happened next was typical of the chaotic nature of war, the Commander was seemingly isolated and the enemy cavalry charged en ma.s.se after firing a few skirmish shots at him.

A cavalry charge was a truly devastating sight to behold, those who had fire or air weapons pointed their swords and spears forwards, turning themselves into a either a blazing fireball or a miniature hurricane, the ones who had water made a small pond around their horse and used that to create a veritable tidal wave out of their respective charges, one  that was designed to break their foes and finally the earth side of them did the same as the water creating what can only be described as a miniature landslides, and a uphill one at that!

It was a terrifying sight, a flood, an avalanche, a hurricane, and a small volcano eruption all headed for our commander. But as they got to the crest of the hill all of a sudden explosions rattled them, I realized then that our small supply of mines that were too few to make a decent defensive perimeter had all been placed on that small hilltop, turning what was insignificant to the battle into the decisive factor!

 As the enemy cavalry unknowingly stepped towards their doom, fire, water and air exploded from the ground beneath them breaking their charge, the troops at the very front were dead, the middle ones where wounded and the rear guard of the charge was tripping over their forward comrades.

And when those poor souls in the enemy cavalry thought it was over the earth mines sprang to life, forming battle Golems and upon taking the shapes of various beast and monster from mythology and some from your nightmares they started attacking and decimating them.

But these were not green troops, war had barely arrived to this portion of the galaxy, so these where still professional soldiers, they regained their senses, regrouped and started to reorganize themselves and push back the Golems.

 As things seemed to be becoming bleak for the commander, a sudden trumpet bugle was heard and  I witnessed some of the rear units of the cavalry turning their heads to see what was going on, they had only a few moments to see the Imperial cavalry lead by Commodore de Morowetz doing a counter charge on their rear, which plowed through them like  hot knife through b.u.t.ter, those that were at the front of the formation tried one last desperate charge trough the Golems in the faint hopes of reaching Metternich, but their effort was for naught, for right behind the crest of the hill, was the 88th which greeted the enemy cavalry with blood and iron, our iron their blood.”

Private Raz V’a van; Imperial Engineers Corps

Adrian hacked and slashed his way through the enemy cavalry, cutting fire swords, water axes, air spears and earth maces and flails, after a few moments of the combinations of being trapped by the mines and being flanked by the Imperial forces, the Volunian cavalry broke and ran, only to be chased by the Imperial cavalry and for what was left of it to be cut to pieces.

7:03 Local time

“My lord, are you alright?!?” Adrian asked him as he looked at Metternich who was holding a wounded soldier upwards, with one of the soldier’s hands over his shoulder.

“Fine and dandy, but our friend here requires medical attention, also Adrian I want you to give the orders to get the reserves ready to advance as soon as Tarkan requests it, Butz I want word of Valyria’s situation, tell her not to overdo it, if she can just prevent the enemy on the hills from reinforcing the rear then that’s enough, she doesn’t have to take the heights.” The Commander of the fleet replied as he handed the wounded soldier to an ambulance squad.

“Yes sir!” Butz and Adrian replied as they went to carry their duties.

Metternich gave a quick look around him, as the faces of the soldiers who had up until now where filled a mixture of hope with apprehension, uncertainty and sometimes downright contempt and hatred for their new commander where filled with respect, awe and the beginning of loyalty and dedication.

So he gave them all a genuine smile before returning to his jeep, it never hurt to be liked by others.