“Steady!” The mounted couriers dashed between the lines shouting: “Front row, kneeled-position!” The soldiers let the blunt end of their spears rest on the ground, arrowhead facing forward, and went down to one knee, bracing themselves for the impact. The officers shouted loudly next to their ears: “For House ZiChuan! Fight with courage, honor and glory!”
Wind peeled away the shroud of secrecy, revealing the truth behind the snowy curtains. Suddenly, a voice overcome with terror shrieked in the middle of the lines: “Heavens! They are Demons!” Instantly, panic broke out everywhere. Soldiers yelled with complete disregard to army discipline: “Demons! Demons are coming!”
“Stop! I order you to stand fast!”
The heavens collapsed, drowning out his voice in a thunderous roar. “Samuhali! (For the Emperor!)” Demon soldiers roared: “Ougala! (Kill!)” All doubts were erased in an instant, because those were the war cries of the Demon Empire’s Royal Army! Earth shattered and heavens fell. The sight of the green skinned creatures of the Demon Empire had always terrorized humans to their core. They would never forget how, three hundred years ago, it was those monsters who destroyed the once powerful Empire of Light. Less than two-hundred-thousand Demons had swept through the world of Western River, killing the last Emperor and Field Marshal of the Empire of light, annihilating five-hundred-thousands of Empire’s finest on the battlefield of Blue River. The legends described the demons as man-eating, fire-spewing monsters. They were said to be the greatest, cruellest evil of this world!
The Demon riders charged into the scattering mass, slaughtering anyone in their path. Blended with countless death throes, thousands of Demonic cheers reached high above the clouds. Fang Jin ceased his pointless shouting. There was nothing left for him to do. Knowing his fate was sealed, he watched in silence as his entire army scattered in front of him, running across the battlefield like scared rabbits. Seeing waves upon waves of soldiers fleeing past him, a horde of demons laughing wildly on their heels, his army being massacred and House ZiChuan’s banner being trampled, he was deeply ashamed. Over a hundred thousand men were defeated without a fight! It was a shameful display a hundred times worse than the battle of Red Lake!”
But far worse, the defenders on the western coast mistakenly assumed it was the bulk of the Demon Army as they began cutting away at the bridge… and soul-tearing screams ensued on the eastern side of the river…