Charge and Fight
16…17…18…19…The blade of his weapon was soaking in blood. The metallic gray was now indistinguishable, and it appeared its color was, indeed, a morbid pale red. The scene was shocking. Hobgoblin bodies were scattered around, and were beginning to pile. “They’re falling back! I can’t believe it!”
I can. This is only the first attack wave. The larger portion of the army has stayed behind; I don’t want to think about what will happen when they decide to make their actual attack. If a couple hundred of us die is just a bonus, but their couple thousand casualties were shrewdly calculated—soulless, but effective, they were meant to weaken the fortifications and tire our men. The last hobgoblin disappeared behind the battered wall. The northern block had sent for reinforcements, the damage on the fortifications there had been as been in this part and enemy forces were regrouping, it seemed. Not very many stayed to guard the southern breach on the wall. “We won! Take that orange scum!” The soldiers were alert, but relaxed.
We haven’t won anything. “Keep in mind this was only the first part, the second wave will soon come and it will be three times as bad.” He was all too aware of the enemy’s strategy by now. “I would argue, but your conclusion appears to be correct.” A hand tapped his shoulder. He turned and saw a fellow soldier pointing at the top of the stockpile of rocks that the destroyed wall had left. Hobgoblins were amassing and preparing to charge. Is this the second attack?
No, too fast. They must have regrouped like they did in the northern entrance. “Send for reinforcements. If I’m right, these are only the leftovers of the first wave.” He rounded up the soldiers that were there quickly. “I have a plan.”
Hundreds of hobgoblins raced down to attack the Azurites. They were greatly outnumbered, but reinforcements would arrive soon according to popular hope. Ryoma looked them fiercely, and began running towards them without hesitation. The hobgoblins more than halved their pace the sight before them. A single warrior was charging against them, the rest were immobile. He wielded his halberd in a circular pattern, creating momentum. Circle right, circle left, circle right, circle left. The sharp whistling of the weapon drilled into the invaders ears and further slowed their march. Ryoma advanced even more decisively, for he knew that if his opponent was truly cruel, he wouldn’t have sent more than one or two officers to lead. He smiled. He was about to breach into a mass of hundreds of hobgoblins; perplexed, hesitant hobgoblins with no leader, true, but the move appeared suicidal nonetheless. Among the undistinguishable mass, a voice shouted “CHARGE!” and the invaders regained their pace—though it was already too late. Ryoma clashed alone with them and pierced into the orange mass of soldiers.
I will charge alone, as you, my fellow Azurites, stay in the back. The hobgoblins will be startled and uneasy, and will reduce their pace as begin swinging my halberd. I will make it whistle as hard as I can, and they will reduce their march even more. They did.
They will restart their charge, hopefully after I have gotten close enough. I will clash head on with them, breaking their lines, taking advantage of the momentum and killing a few. He did.
I will fight towards a corner, and they will refocus on me and follow.They did.
They will circle me and will try to take me, but they won’t be able to get to me. They couldn’t.
There will be too many trying to get to the same point at the same time, and my halberd’s reach will take care of any that come through. At this point I’ll probably be wounded. He was.
I will be able to hold them off just long enough for you to make your move. You will circle them, shields ahead, and will charge. You will attack at the same time in a continuous line, and they won’t be able to react in time. They weren’t. Ryoma was on his knees against a corner, fighting with all his might any hobgoblin that would step out of the orange mass. He could barely keep focus. He’d been stabbed on the torso more than once, and had his right arm and leg were bleeding. 87…88…89….Finally the orange mass began to turn in chaos. His fellow Azurites were advancing steadily, shields first, sweeping what remained of the cornered enemy. Many of them appeared to just have realized they weren’t fighting a single man. As they tried to fight back, the bodies of their dead comrades created a barrier between them and the Azurites and prevented them from doing any real damage to the soldiers.
Just like that, the leftovers of the first wave were done-for, and the Azurites could claim their first true victory of the day. Only a few isolated troops and the piles of orange flesh remained. All that was left now was to wait for the second attack wave, and the culmination of the War. Ryoma sat, anxious, and began to treat his wounds.
One hundred, not a bad number. I guess I beat you to that one Kenji. I never thought that any of us would ever keep to that bet. He looked at the sky and smiled.
It was the very day after I got my halberd, remember Kenji? I nearly died when I found out my dad had traded half the harvest. “You’ll be the best warrior there ever was, and don’t you forget it.” You told me that I would have to beat you first, remember? “Well, if you’re so tough, why don’t we bet on it? The first one that manages to kill a hundred warriors in a day will be declared the best of us.” “Killing, huh? Don’t you want to have a simple duel instead?” “I couldn’t fight you Kenji, I like you too much. I’d rather have the bet.” “Well, then, I promise you I won’t lose, kid.” “Ha! I promise I’ll win; and I’m not a kid!” He began to cry, a quiet rumble could be heard in the distance, growing louder and louder.
How silly, I really never thought we would do it, but I guess destiny has a cruel way of making us keep out promises. 
Re: That Guy with a Halberd
