The Realm War:Chronicles of Illirian Book 1

Chapter 7:Siege of Arvas

8 months passed... The remaining Xoer aerial bases were captured, along with many Xoer cities. A few times, the Xoer tried to retaliate, pushing the Kveaita, Rokotai and Lidaeri armies back, and managed to destroy a few of their cities, but each time, they were forced back, a ring slowly closing around them. The war was finally coming to an end.

...

The Lidaeri, Kveaita and Rokotai armies were gathered before the gates of Arvas, the last city between them and the Xoer capital of Angver. The siege has already lasted for over four months, and they were still unable to pierce its defenses.

Leor, Skalyr, Aerza, Kilor, Kelja, Teolara, Valaeon, Eruma, Jorna, Hiarna, Atrea, Paellor and Jaruun were gathered in the command tent. "The Arvas garrison is strong and well equipped, and the city is well fortified. A head on assault will eventually break them down, but it will be far too costly, and then there will not be enough for the attack on Angver. We shall have to find a way past the walls" said Jaruun. 

"We could fly a few of us over at night, and open the gates from inside. The army will flood in, and, taken by surprise, they won't be able to mount a suitable defense" said Hiarna. "That would be a viable strategy. The problem is, they will have watchers active around the clock, and will be able to spot our ships. Even if we turn them invisible with magic, they will still be able to detect them on scanners" Leor spoke. 

"What if we don't use ships? We could use our magic to fly over the walls ourselves, and then there would be little to no trouble for us, if we manage to get the gates open quickly enough" said Aerza. "We will run in into a similar problem. They will be able to detect us through their own magic, and we will lose the advantage of surprise. We could, of course, just distract them long enough for a team to get into the city and hide until night, then open the gates, and the rest go in for another assault. This will be difficult to execute, and the team could be discovered at any moment during the day. However, at the moment, it is our only option short of an extended siege which could result in more losses than we can make up for in a reasonable amount of time" said Kilor.

"I see no better alternative" said Paellor. "We might as well get this over with now." "Who will be on the team, then?" asked Atrea. "Kilor, since you suggested this rather crazy plan. Teolara, Valaeon, Hiarna, Paellor, Atrea and Jaruun. The rest of us will have to distract them. A full scale assault during late evening. Once their defenses are engaged, you will fly in on a ship, and make sure you are invisible. In a battle, their sensors will be distracted, but you will still have to be careful. Once you get inside, find a location not too far from the gates, but also well hidden, unlikely to be targeted in a search" said Jorna. 

...

Late evening came, and the Lidaeri, Kveaita and Rokotai armies attacked. Alarms started beeping, and the Xoer forces scrambled to repel the allied assault. Chaos. Sunbeams were launched from both sides, dozens of soldiers fell from each of the four armies. Skalyr contacted Teolara. "They are distracted. Go now!" he said into his comlink, as he burned a squad of Xoer soldiers, and destroyed a small tank with a blast of lightning. 

"Insae luvitium illiaras." Teolara, Valaeon, Kilor, Hiarna, Paellor, Atrea and Jaruun took off, and headed for the city. Unnoticed, they flew over the defenders, and lowered themselves to the ground, crouching as they landed. Still invisible, they hurried to find a shelter until night, when they would come out for the second attack. 

Leor, Skalyr and Aerza attacked a few squads of Xoer soldiers. Within a minute, most were dead, leaving just 9, all of whom were Rumaenors, though not particularly powerful. "Illar" said Aerza, blasting a few with ice shards. "Eoren!" they said in unison, melting the ice with fire. "Aoros" said Skalyr, bringing up an earth wall, blocking the fire. "Teotaires" Leor said, sapping their life force, and three of the soldiers collapsed, never to rise again. Aerza blasted two with black energy balls, and Skalyr took down two more with lightning. Aerza and Leor seized the other two in air grips and crushed them, while deflecting their lightning and dark energy attacks.