Surface- Crecents Plains Region

Free City Alliance- A few miles south of the City of Athesas

The Seventh and Eighth Legions were deployed and prepared as the large army marched towards their position. Ten thousand mercenaries from the Slavers Union and three thousand men from Cliphis according to their scouts. The three thousand men from Yadpool were staying behind and according to scouts looking at the city, had already surrendered to Athesas.

Now they had to defeat the remainder of the army, "You are staying out of the fighting correct?" Nadal prodded as he looked at Jacob.

"Yes, I will be a good little boy and stay out of the main fighting and just act as magical support," Jacob replied as the opposing army started to deploy to attack them. To the west, the Seventh Legion was anchored to a pair of hills where a half dozen catapolts had been deployed. Ballista units had been deployed the breadth of the main battle line to give them some additional firepower and their cavalry forces were mustered behind and ready to deploy to any breaches in their line.

"The Ninth Legion should be in position within the hour, we just need to hold that long.' Nadal reminded Jacob. The Ninth Legion was marching around both main armies' positions to attack the Slavers Union from behind. 'Will you grant clemency to the troops from Cliphis?"

Jacob turned his eyes from the oncoming army and looked at the Drow, "They can surrender up until the fight starts, once the attack commences, they are our enemies and will be treated as such." Jacob replied before going back to stare at the oncoming ranks of the enemy army.

Underdark- Plunging Depths Region

Empire of Night- City of Oblivion

Ailis stalked her target, over the last week she had followed Peter Shortdigger to many meetings with various suppliers and other contacts. Ailis had already contacted the local Governor and once she had eliminated her target all his contacts would be arrested or kicked out of the Empire for their crimes. It would be a blow to the local economy, but their activities were causing more damage overall. In the end, two Enchanters, three Alchemists, and four Smiths would be getting the boot or charged with crimes.

Peter was Ailis's problem though and the local Governor was more than happy to allow the Assassins Guild to deal out justice this time. So Ailis was stuck outside an Inn called the Cured Ham waiting for the greedy halfling to go to sleep so she could kill him. However, he was having some fun with a whore, considering it was his last night living, Ailis allowed him the indulgence. Then the whore screamed and changed Ailis's plans quickly.

Ailis activated Shadow Jump and appeared behind an irate Peter Shortdigger. A dagger to the throat cut off whatever he was about to scream at the woman as Ailis went to working stabbing his lungs, heart, and kidneys and causing the fat merchant to collapse and leaving his health bar strobing in the critical zone. Ailis glanced at the whore who was quivering in fear in the corner of the room. Ailis quickly moved forward and grasped Peter's head and wrenched his head back before slicing his throat before grabbing his signet ring and cutting his tongue out before cleaning her daggers.

Ailis quickly moved and grabbed the merchant's coin purse and tossed it to the whore with a Minor Health Potion, "You didn't see who killed him, did you?" Ailis asked her and the whore shook her head quickly. Ailis smirked as she moved to the window and left the Inn quickly, time to report in she thought as she made her way towards the closest Teleport Pad.

Surface- Winding Woods Region

Nation of Loren'thia- Dungeon of the Twisted Clan

Demonic Frogs, Sprites, and Warriors were freaky Hayley figured out quickly after only a hundred feet into the local Dungeon. "I cannot wait to be done with this, then we can get out of the Training Area and out into the wide world!!" Bridgett stated as they finished looting the latest group of mobs they had killed.

"I thought you had a crush on the Arch-Druid and didn't want to leave?" Doug asked as he finished looting a corpse causing the Mage to sputter and the others to laugh at his frank question.

"Well, while you guys are discussing each other's love lives, I am going to scout ahead. Hayley, try to keep them out of trouble." Jax quipped as he activated Stealth and moved off.

"So, Hayley, who are you crushing on?" Bridgett asked causing the other girl to smirk at her.

"She is crushing on some guy she knows in the real world called Kevin. Apparently, he plays Fate for a job." Doug replied causing Hayley to throw a small rock at him.

"I told you that in confidence!! Asshole." Hayley considering sending an arrow at him but figured that was a little over the top immediately. Doug was a good guy, just blunt and honest.

"Ok, but its Bridgett, so I didn't think you would mind," Doug replied while shrugging his shoulders and moving ahead.

"Discretion Doug and it's up to me to voice my secrets. Like the secret about you and." Before Hayley could continue Doug whirled his eyes bulging as he made a cutting motion across his throat making the two women laugh in amusement.

"I am sorry ladies, it will never happen again. Please don't bring THAT up, it was a drunken one time mistake and will never happen again." Doug stated before moving deeper into the Dungeon the two giggling women trailing his steps.

Surface- Crecents Plains Region

Free City Alliance- A few miles south of the City of Athesas

Jacob watched as fire, lightning, and other magics were exchanged as the Slavers Union and the troops from Cliphis continued to press the Seventh and Eighth Legions, but for now, they held. Any time, they came close to breaching the line, either a cavalry unit or the Dawn Guard would reinforce the line and allow the burdened troops time to reform. It was brutal and tiring work, but they were slowly whittling the hostile army down. Three times they had assaulted them, and three times the slavers had been thrown back. "My Emperor, the Ninth Legion is in position. What are your orders?" Nadal asked as they watched the Slavers Union and their allies reform to attack again.

"We hold, once they commit to the attack, signal the Ninth Legion to launch their attack. We will crush them and scatter their forces. Make sure the cavalry commanders know once the attack is broken they will be in charge of running down any runners. No quarter, they started this fight, let's finish it Captain-General." Jacob stated as his fingers drummed on his sword hilt. Nadal saluted and turned, his lizard swiftly taking him away.

Jacob watched as the remains of the opposing army reform and the majority of the army started marching towards their entrenched position. If Jacob had to guess, about two thousand of the enemy stayed behind, meaning they would be facing about eight thousand hostile troops. Not overwhelming, but the numbers would press his forces and cause casualties. The catapults immediately started launching their missiles towards the oncoming army. Screams filled the air as bodies were crushed as explosions filled the night. This prompted them to pick up the pace, but their mages could do little to protect them.

Soon they were in the range of the Ballista and longer-ranged spells, Jacobs Mages took full advantage of their lack of protection and started launching spells at their packed ranks. The few dozen casualties soon became a few hundred in a short amount of time, but they still staggered on as the crossbowmen entered the fray. Sheets of crossbow bolts slammed into the oncoming formations of Mercenaries killing and wounding hundreds more before they finally slammed into the packed ranks of the Legions.

Swords, axes, and maces lashed out as the Legionnaires started killing, this was a job like a forester and trees. Every felled mercenary might save a fellow Legionnaires life, so they killed quickly and with no mercy. Every man and women watching the flanks of their brethren so no one soldier was overwhelmed. The mercenaries of the Slavers Union, although a cut above any CIty Guard, still fell short of the Legionnaires of the Empire of Night. Still, they were smart enough to keep their Mage types to the rear of their formations, but it also left them vulnerable to the Immortal Rogues that would strike from Stealth and kill one or two before fading back into the night. Any time a knot of mercenaries started making any headway, Legionnaire Mages and Immortals hammered them relentlessly until they either died or fell back.

Horns sounded and drums beat sounding the rotation of fresh troops to the front and tired and or bloody troops to fall back to the rear of the Legion formations. Healers went to work immediately and anyone with anything beyond superficial wounds were pulled off the line for a more robust healing. The mercenaries tried to take advantage of the shift in formations, but rapid magical attacks and the crossbowmen kept them at bay long enough for the new line to set itself.

Suddenly up and down the line, Flares went up lighting up the battlefield even more. These spells were not for the benefit for the Legions though, every man on the line had Dark SIght, Night Vision, or the equivalent granting them the boon to see in the dark. These Flares signaled the Ninth Legion to start their attack and brought a smile to Jacob's face before he went back to studying the ebb and flow of the battle.

General Ajax Hardbottom watched as the signal was given and lit up the night even more than the battle magic already had been. The Dwarf smiled in anticipation as signaled the Ninth Legion to move forward, they would hit the enemies' reserve forces before striking the main body from behind. It might give them time to set themselves for a counter-attack, but destroying their reserves was more important at this point in the battle.

For the next ten minutes, the Ninth covered the last couple hundred yards between them and the enemy reserves before finally they were in range. Suddenly the night lit up again as magic and bolts slammed into the enemy ranks. Dozens if not hundreds died in seconds as the Ninth Legion slammed into the enemies' rear and began to destroy their reserve and leadership. Screams of the dying filled the air as the Ninth roared out and charged the packed enemy ranks. Jacob smiled as he watched the Ninth maul the Slavers Union reserves. Careful maneuvering, time and a lot of marching had gotten the Ninth in the perfect position to strike at them. It had been a gamble, if their scout had discovered the lone Legion, they might have destroyed it before Jacob could reinforce them. However, the gamble had paid off and their enemies were paying in blood for not having a screening force out or scouts.

Battle Alert...

Enemy Leadership has fallen, Morale has improved. (+5% Damage) for the duration of the battle.

Battle Alert...

A cheer went up from the Legions as a moan of despair filled the air. "Scorched Earth!!" The command was called out up and down the line. Area of Effect spells soon followed as the Legion Mages and Immortals went to work unleashing their most powerful spells on the ranks of the enemy troops. Firestorms, Meteors, Lightning Storms, Tornadoes, Golems, up and down the line exploded among the ranks of the mercenaries as the enemy mages desperately fought to save the troops around them. However, Immortal Rogues had been steadily killing them throughout the battle and where a few hundred had stood, a few dozen remained.

Suddenly the enemy army broke, dozens started fleeing causing Jacob to snarl in frustration. If they got away, most of them would turn bandit in days and plague the region for weeks or months before being hunted down. Before Jacob could yell out a command, horns sounded on either side of him and the cavalry took off to chase them down.

Jacob thought about joining him, but a warning growl from Star forstalled any hope in doing that. "Yeah, yeah I gave my word to stay put. I guy can think though." Jacob told her. Jacob turned his eyes back to the battle and watched as the Ninth finish off the enemies' reserve force and reform to attack their main body. The battle had not turned into a route yet, but it was well on its way to that.