[M] Siege of Joetel

[Tolvo]

The rat demons continued to run ahead of the lines. Bullets and cannon shots hit them felling them but they did quite a bit of damage before they expired. They even sent back many of the Deathborne monsters. Some stayed behind to slow Destrin's troops' advance. The Dominion and Deathborne were divided now and at the front lines the Dominion deployed organs guns, multi-barreled cannons meant for slaughtering on mass in a burst. But they took a long time to reload. Alongside Destrin came charging King Joeseph with a scar on his neck riding atop Jessie. With him came the battlemae mounted on his griffin. His forces opened fire on the air but with the vampiress fleeing so too did her flyers. This battle had turned yet again and now the enemies were continuing to fall back.

[Eddren]

"Tsk," Destrin muttered, "Now we've got a whole 'nother set o' problems." The biggest problem was the Organ Guns were a double-threat. He didn't think they could aim very high, not with the way they were built, but they could still hit the Aqueduct Snakes, and that limited their movement in the sky. Furthermore, while the Southern Kingdoms could advance behind the shieldguard, it'd be hard on them. What they really needed was something fast, and--Destrin grinned. "Lowlands Mercenaries! Report ta tha Man-Cannons! Yer stormin' tha Organ Guns! Get ready fer' launch on my mark!"

He turned back toward the battlefield, then paused for a moment, before nodding to the King. "Oi, My Lord. If ya'd be so kind as ta hold tha charge fer a moment, we've got ta' get rid o' those Organ Guns afore we make a charge." Finally, he thrust out a hand toward the shieldguard, "Oi! Shieldguard! Angled arrowhead formation, interlocking shields! Brace yerselves as need be! All foot soldiers, interspaced positions behind shieldguard! Be ready ta' provide support if it looks like they're strugglin'! We're weatherin' this bullet-storm until tha big guns can take 'em out!" With orders given out, Destrin finally rose a hand and half-turned toward the Man-Cannons. "Fire personnel fer tha Organ Guns! Ah want continual reinforcements!"

[Tolvo]

With some of the Deathborne still in the way the cannons opened fire. They attempted to fire over the undead but the organ guns caused quite a bit of friendly fire. As the cannons began to blast away at Destrin's forces Dominion cavalry began to take position around the artillery. it looked like they were trying to cover a retreat. Launching at them, the lowlanders landed among the enemy cannons and began to fight and hold their positions. They were outnumbered heavily but were doing all they can. Destrin's front lines took a beating in a single burst but after the carnage was unleashed they charged while the enemies were tied up. Some of the monstrous undead were getting left behind along with zombie thralls. Strangely as the necromancers fell back the creatures simply stopped moving, stopped responding. Still soldiers started striking them down when they were in reach all the same. Destrin's warriors were getting very tired. They were nearly spent but the enemy continued to retreat.

[Eddren]

Destrin nodded. They'd probably be exhausted before all was said and done, but that was another matter altogether. "Someone send word ta tha airborne Aqueduct Snakes--Ah want flybys on those Necromancers! Capture a few of 'em if ya can, but if ya can't, kill 'em by any means necessary!" He turned toward the Aqueduct Snakes on the ground, "Our boys aren't doin' so great. They've weathered every bloody wave this battle's tossed at 'em. Ah've kept ya from tha big stuff fer this reason! Make sure they keep retreatin'! If shite seems ta be goin' south, pull back!"

Finally, he turned to the rest of his men, waiting until the Organ Guns were down. "Infantry, rearward motion sixty paces! Shieldguard, loose double-line formation!" He looked over to the Mage-Muskets and Aquebussiers, "Oi! Take up position behind tha front Shieldguard! Keep pepperin' 'em an' give tha Aqueduct Snakes cover!" Finally, he returned his gaze to the Shieldguard, "Shieldguard! Ah want alternating defense coverage! Alternate between first an' second line every five minutes! Militia and levies! Fall back an' rest!" He watched this final part of the battle intently. It was important to make sure they kept retreating whilst leaving their army capable of fighting.

[Tolvo]

And retreat they did. It was a somewhat slow process given the mass of their army, it wasn't surprising. Moving that many people was a difficult task. Alongside the Aqueduct Snakes on the ground King Joeseph rode harrying the enemies as they fell back. Guns opened fire upon them forcing a retreat. Destrin's own flyers suffered from similar problems but did manage to capture two necromancers before being forced back by missiles. It had been an exhausting battle, Destrin's forces were just starting to break down from the strain but it looked like the enemy wouldn't be returning for a while. King Joeseph stopped just beside Destrin and climbed off of Jessie. "I'll be honest, I thought we were fucked for a while there."

[Eddren]

Destrin nodded. "Truth be told, we woulda been, if they'da used their brains a bit more." He shook his head, "We were lucky they had somethin' on tha field that'd let us stop 'em from raisin' back up." He surveyed the carnage, "Not my best battle, ah'll admit. Casualties were a lot higher'n ah like. Ah've never 'ad men retreat on me afore, but ah figure that'd 'ave been different if we'da fought any longer. But we held the city. An' now ah know what their armies are capable of. An' that means a whole new strategy." He bowed to the King, "If ah might be excused so ah can figure out how ta keep those Deathborne from blowin' up our ace in tha hole next battle?"

[Tolvo]

The King rubbed his neck in thought. "Yes you are excused, and you're getting a new title if I have anything to say about it." Around them were so many bodies, so many had been lost. Yet so many more could have been if not for their actions today. The defenders got to picking up the pieces while peasants came out to assist. It would take time, manual labor, and a lot of resources to fix the walls. But for now, Joetel still stood. Perhaps in partial ruins, but it stood all the same as a bulwark against the East.

**

[Eddren]

Destrin rose an eyebrow. A new title? He didn't think he was able to get much higher in nobility without marrying someone important. Well. Or becoming a King himself. But that wasn't bloody likely. Still, he had work to do, and not much more to think on in that manner. With a final bow to the King, he turned and departed toward where he'd left the sphere, looking around. The Archmage had said he'd take a look at the Sphere after the battle. Destrin was certain the man had done just that. The man likely didn't trust the Demon Sorcerers, more like than not, and that meant he'd want to make sure they weren't misusing it.

Destrin had questions for him. He had questions for Cassandra, too. "Oi!" He called to one of the soldiers, "Go ask one o' tha Sorcerers ta get Cassandra over ta the Sphere!" He hoped briefly that it'd occur to the King to give his horse a good rest, given all it'd been through, but he couldn't be too sure.