Kira and Jared

✍🏻War

In Kabaek,
The soldiers heard about the explosion on the night-road. Edrin knew this was Jared's handiwork which was the signal he had been waiting for. He had some soldiers arrest everyone at the capital inn and keep them locked away under tight security. It would be a different game entirely if their brothers tried to go get them, Edrin was sure they wouldn't be that stupid.
All the women and children had gone into hiding following a secret warning given by Edrin that only true Verthonians would understand. This made it easier for them to fight without worrying about them getting hurt.
The whole country was ready for this enemy that had crawled out from the ground. Day after day, they waited for the enemy to finally face them, all the gates and borders were blocked, there is no other way out, and they would have to face them eventually.
Archers were hiding behind in the woods, and the three-acre field has been implanted with traps here and there. Edrin along with over five thousand men had been waiting for six days for the enemy soldiers to finally have the guts to face them. He was determined. His people were counting on him, most especially, his Kira who was waiting for his return. He wasn't going to fail her, and if he dies, he had confided in Jared and begged him to take care of her. It hurt him just thinking about it but it is much better than leaving her to suffer.

On the seventh day, they positioned themselves again, waiting. Horses neighed, weapons clanked, shields were held up, and foot soldiers shifted their weights from one foot to the other. Edrin was at the forefront, on horseback, praying for victory in his heart.
Out of the morning fog, figures slowly appeared from afar, Edrin and his men had to squint to get a clearer view of the emerging figures.
Just as the fog cleared off, there, across the broad battlefield were they; over ten thousand enemy soldiers in all their glory. They were on horseback and wore black clothes and armor, in their hands were three-headed swords like Edrin had never seen. Only soldiers who fought in the great war recognized the deadly weapons, some panicked because it brought back unpleasant memories.

"Who are you and why are you on our soil?!! Asked Edrin to their leader whose left eye was covered with an eye patch. He was abnormally muscular and thicker than the others, with a bald head, unkempt beards, and hideous scars on his stony face.

The man grinned demonically, revealing his two missing front teeth. He began to speak, but his speech came out as a lisp. "We are here to take what is ours!!!"

His response stunned Edrin. "And what is that?!!"

The man laughed aloud, "This Land and everything on it! The houses, the food, and most especially the women!!". He laughed even louder and his men joined him.

Edrin and his men were disgusted by their homelessness. You are deluded! Neither this land nor anything on it belongs to you. Go back at once!!!".

The man cracked up again like a mad man. "Ask your cowardly father, Grayson. That is if you survive!"

"How dare you call my father a coward?!".

"We will see how the winning mosquito wins against the eagle". He then ordered his men. "Kill those bloody Verthonians!!".
On his word, a good number of the men charged at them and started running in their direction at a barbaric speed.
Edrin ordered his men to stay put and await his orders; this sparked confusion in the minds of the invaders but before they could stop to ponder, their feet each got caught in nooses that tightened around their ankles and projected them off the ground and into a rocky hill twenty meters away. No mortal man could survive such a fling. Some others were hurled onto tree branches. The remaining ones became frightened and ran back to their lisping leader but unfortunately for them, they were unable to make it back to him. The Verthonian archers shot burning arrows at the explosive powders on the ground... Fire!!!
They burned like those in hell, their lisping leader was thunderstruck. He had underestimated the Verthonian army and never expected such technology or cleverness.