The Last Aayu: Book 1 - Ashes

Chapter 21: Crushed

The following days are a whirlwind of intense activity and mounting tension. The Utalan forces, under the combined leadership of Talor Valtanis Bothrik and Lord Utahis Aayu, work tirelessly to prepare for the coming onslaught.

Scouts fan out across the landscape, bringing back constant updates on the Avarian advance. Every piece of terrain is scrutinized for potential tactical advantages. Engineering teams work around the clock to reinforce riverbanks, creating natural barriers to slow the enemy's progress. Traps are meticulously laid along likely approach routes, while key roads are strategically blocked to funnel the Avarians into prepared killing zones.

Utahis, alongside Bothrik, oversees these preparations, his mind constantly racing with strategies and contingencies. He splits his time between the war room, poring over maps and reports, and the field, personally inspecting the defenses and boosting morale among the troops.

As the Avarian force draws nearer, the Utalans initiate a series of carefully planned skirmishes. Archer units, positioned in hidden vantage points, rain arrows upon Avarian scouting parties. Cavalry strikes, led by the likes of Zensiu under General Khozan's command, harass the enemy's flanks and supply lines.

These initial engagements show promise. The Utalan forces, utilizing their superior knowledge of the terrain and Utahis' hit-and-run tactics, manage to significantly delay the Avarian advance. Days that the enemy had planned to cover in their march are lost to them, bought with Utalan sweat and blood.

Kaiden's insights prove invaluable, allowing the Utalan commanders to anticipate Avarian movements and counteract their supernatural endurance with clever traps and ambushes. Zalish's strategic mind complements Utahis' tactical prowess, the two friends working in tandem to maximize the effectiveness of each engagement.

However, despite these successes, the strain on the Utalan forces is immense. The relentless nature of the Avarian advance, their seemingly inexhaustible troops, and the faint but ever-present blue shimmer in the eastern sky serve as constant reminders of the supernatural threat they face.

Utahis finds himself pushed to his limits, both physically and mentally. The weight of command, the lives depending on his decisions, and the knowledge of what failure would mean for his people drive him to work tirelessly. He snatches brief moments of rest when he can, often waking from fitful sleep with new ideas or concerns.

As the days pass and the main Avarian force draws ever closer, a tense anticipation builds among the Utalan ranks. The skirmishes and delaying actions have been successful, but they know that the real test is yet to come. The decisive battle looms on the horizon, promising to be a clash that will determine the fate of the Utalan people.

Utahis, standing atop a hill overlooking their prepared defenses, takes a moment to breathe deeply. He's done all he can to prepare, to give his people the best chance of survival. Now, as the first signs of the massive Avarian army appear on the distant horizon, he steels himself for the greatest challenge of his life.

As Utahis stands in the command tent, surrounded by maps and reports, a messenger bursts in, breathless with urgent news. The young lord's heart races as he listens to the report: the Kaan's army, twenty thousand strong, is less than two days' march away.

This information sends a surge of hope through Utahis. The Kaan's forces represent the strongest single army the Utalans can field without resorting to untrained levies or unreliable mercenaries. Their arrival could tip the scales in this monumental struggle.

Utahis quickly summons Bothrik, Zalish, and his other top commanders to share this crucial update. As they gather around the strategy table, the atmosphere is charged with a mix of excitement and tension.