Why do we Fight? - Volume III - For Honor

Chapter 23: Battle of the Eclipse

- Eitrivatnen | A month later after the Cohort's victory in the Labyrinth of Sand... -

"Warriors, advance! Push them back!" Amber shouted as she led her Knights and soldiers out of the citadel and into the countryside, facing the faltering Horkos forces.

With the arrival of the Chimera Vikings from the north, the Lorderian Knights in Harrowgate defeated the besieging forces and pushed them away further and further. The Horkos forces was continuously beaten and pushed back by the powerful duo of Knights and Vikings. With their weapons augmented with Draconite, thanks to Ilma the blacksmith, the allied troops slashed their way through the ranks of Erzebet's army with ease.

With her forces soundly defeated, Erzebet assumed defensive positions at the southwestern countryside of Eitrivatnen. This caused the advance of the allies to ground into a halt as more and more Horkos forces reinforced their comrades. But the allies were successful in relieving Harrowgate. With the citadel firmly back in their hands and with more Chimera forces arriving soon, a chance to win the war is on the horizon. For now, that was enough.

Amber knew that the Order of Horkos is still too powerful for the Lorderian Knights to fight even with the timely but slow reinforcements of the Chimera Vikings. Pushing their luck too far would be catastrophic and so she held their forces back and assumed their own defensive positions. Furthermore, there is a sizeable Horkos army still fighting in Blackstone Hills which are being besieged by a joint Knight and Samurai force. If those forces are to be destroyed, they have to blockade every route leading to Eitrivatnen. The Lorderian Knights cannot spare anymore troops, so Amber had to direct the Chimera Vikings to do that task.

With Harrowgate saved once more, Amber had to face more problems and that includes their shortage of everything. From manpower, supplies, weapons, and money, the Lorderian Knights are in a weakened state. She has already requested for reinforcements from their allies in the west, but it would take time. The fact that the Order of Horkos are blockading most of their supply routes doesn't help the situation. Amber can only wait and hope that their allies elsewhere are having better progress than they do.

But their enemies do not wait. Day after day, Horkos forces assaulted Harrowgate in an attempt to seize it from the Lorderian Knights. Thanks to Amber's tactical genius, they were able to repel each and every attacks, but these victories also wore them down. They were in a stalemate; the Knights are holding, but they couldn't advance any further and Amber saw it.

Erzebet is keeping them at bay.

Chimera Vikings soon arrived to reinforce the Lorderian Knights and with greater support on their side, they were able to tip the balance in their favor, albeit only by slightly.

Down south in Westhold, Ademar Meneth along with Jarvis Stone and their Lorderian Knights composed of Iron Legion veterans have pushed through the Horkos forces in the region and routed their armies westward, leaving them in control of the majority of Westhold. However, a surge of reinforcements from the west have stalled their advance and they, too, were held at a stalemate.

Further in the south, things were looking up. With the Lightshield Cohort's victory in the Labyrinth of Sand, the joint Cohort and Bronzetail Legion army has destroyed the cut off Horkos army in Waterstop through a series of rapid assaults. They soon liberated the region alongside the militia who have risen up in rebellion. At this time, they are now marching through the Iron Slopes, taking a step further at liberating the Stallion Legion along with their invaluable cavalry.

In the Labyrinth of Sand, the Lightshield Cohort have secured the region and allowed for their Wu Lin allies to finally join forces with them. The situation in Ashfeld is improving for the Chimera Alliance and especially the Knights. However, (Argen) found it very strange that there were no major attempts at retaking the Labyrinth by the Order of Horkos. There were minor raids, but nothing significant. Even more concerning was the fact that despite the Lightshields sending scouts across the region, there was no sign of Fu Huo or her forces, as if they just up and left.