Kingdom of Linoire, Western provinces, Goliad’s Forest.

On the grassy and vast plains of the western provinces, the remaining Loyalist of the Linoire Royalty consisting of the newly coronated king, Fredrick Linoire, his most trusted friend and aide, Marquis Jian Vret, and a couple of remaining loyalist nobles, their numbers totaled at about 15,000 soldiers, waited under the cover of a forest, Goliad's Forest, for a stand against another enemy, the Linoire Seperatist, Led by Fredrick's former brother and first prince, Julian Linoire.

A few kilometers away from them was the bulk of the separatist that was led by Fredrick’s traitorous brother, Julian Linoire, with multiple nobles aiding and joining him their numbers totaled at about  85,000-90,000 soldiers, and that was just the separatist, the nobility of Jon still hadn’t sent their forces as it was going to be an easy fight for the separatist, or so they thought.

At the Loyalist side, they were placed inside the tree line a few kilometers away from the Kre Fortress, the last stronghold of the loyalists, their main objective was to hold the separatist for as long as they can, while the separatist would start forming their ranks at the plains, meaning they were prone to magic barrage and archer fire.

“Maquis Vret, do you remember when we were playing knights with older brother?”

A newly crowned king, Fredrick, asked his closest friend and Aide.

“Of course, why would I forget that.”

The king laughed and looked at the young marquis.

“Because, today would finally be the day that we play again.”

“All soldier! Go on high alert! The traitors has appeared! Our mages detected Julian Linoire is commanding that army.”

A knight commander yelled to the resting soldiers, to which they responded with starting their formations, Fredrick’s tactic was to go on the defensive, but knowing Julius he would obviously try and charge to break their defensive formation immediately, since Julian had more numbers that Fredrick.

But he could also have second thought’s in fighting inside a forest, the forest has many advantages it can cover them from arrow fire and magic except for fire and earth magic. they can also do guerilla warfare inside the vast forest, larger armies would have trouble in navigating and coordinating inside the forest, but smaller armies can move quicker and do hit and run tactics.

“This is our best bet, we fight them here, if we can’t we will retreat to Kre Fortress.”

Currently Fredrick brought with him 10,000 soldiers with 5,000 defending Kre Fortress. With such a small army they would be more quicker and agile against larger and more massive armies under the cover of the forest.

“To your positions! The separatists are now marching towards the forest!”

As the order was given Fredrick’s army started to disperse and separate from the main army and hide under the cover of the massive forest.

***

Julian and his aides looked at the tree line where Fredrick and his army was hiding in, at their sides were their massive army of about 90,000 soldiers that followed Julian, he only wanted to make a more powerful monarchy and ending the war with the nobility of Jon.

“Split 30,000 soldiers in three different waves, I know Fredrick more than anybody, he would want to inflict casualties on the way to his last stronghold.”

 He looked at his aides who were also nobles that were loyal followers of him and looked backed at the tree line.

“Baron Vileam, command the first wave.”

“What?! prince, but why me?”

He remained unfazed on his aide’s reaction and looked back at him with a glare.

“They would try and target the nobles, so I want you to command the first wave.”

The Baron, not having anything else to debate about him soon left and arranged his first wave, but he soon thought of what the first prince said, and it meant that they would obviously target the commanders, he thought the prince used him as just mere cannon fodder, the baron was self-conscious as he was a noble aristocrat not a soldier that would blindly follow orders.

“That man…”

Meanwhile at the front of the army of the Separatists, Julian, continued to look at the tree line, analyzing it. that forest spans over 100 kilometers, so going around was only a waste of time and resources, he needed to go through the forest to catch Fredrick and his loyalist immediately, as they were the only remaining threat he had against the throne.

“Is the first wave ready?”

“Yes, Prince, they are now marching.”

“then, prepare themselves for archer fire, like I said Fredrick would use attrition against us, by the time we reach Kre Fortress our numbers would've already dwindled to an amount Fredrick wants it to be.”

The Prince then looked at the noble and gave an order.

“When you find Fredrick or Leona, Bring them alive to me.”

“Understood, Your highness.”

Julian then rode on horseback to another part of his army as the first wave had already been released.

***(Baron Vileam POV)

“Hurry up! To the tree line! Just like what the prince promised he will reward us handsomely.”

The Baron shouted at his advancing army, he was obviously at the very back to try and avoid combat. Using money to raise an army was a mindset most of Julian followers used.

As all of Julian’s Aides and Nobles were only part of his separatist monarchy was because they were only in for the amount of gold and silver, also land and power, in return for absolute loyalty.

As they reached a significant distance at the tree line, they were met with silence and paranoia, none of the soldiers and commanders knew when the enemy was going to attack, and being met with pure silence and not yelling and arrow fire, wasn’t expected.

“Wh-What are you waiting for! Do you think we will pay the cowards!”

The Baron used money to drive his forces, money was very important in this world, without it you were good as nothing or a slave. But using only money as the driving force and for morale was never a good idea, soldiers would blindly die at the heat of battle just for some gold duols that weren’t even sufficient for their families.

“Hurry up!”

Shouting and yelling, the Baron did. They marched in a large single column still untouched, the baron thought that the prince was only paranoid, by what the forest looked like, being a good place for defense and all, it seems that the second prince already retreated to Kre Fortress.

“I will count this as a-“

He was stopped mid-sentence as an arrow came through his head ultimately forcing his entire body to fall off his horse and onto the ground, it got the attention of the soldiers and the commanders near him and as they tried checking on the baron’s body, a voice was heard yelling inside the vast forest.

“Now! Attack!”

The dead baron’s soldier’s caught off guard, looked at their flanks and saw soldiers clad in heavy and light armor charging at them, a massacre then ensued at the large column.

The sounds of armor being hit, the sounds of swords clashing each other, and the screams and yelling of the soldiers were heard and echoed throughout the forest, many of the baron’s forces tried retreating but they already entered the far interior of the forest, where they were eventually encircled and massacred, leaving only a sea of blood and lifeless bodies.

***

Half an Hour had passed since the first wave and there hadn’t been any reports or stragglers seen retreating back, Julian, thought that they were able to enter the forest successfully, but there was also a part of him believing that that wasn’t the case.

Aren’t they taking too long? I don’t even see any of my soldiers retreating or returning to the main army?

Julian then looked at his aides and did an unexpected command.

“Combine the second and third waves and push through that forest, if you don’t return in 45 minutes, I’ll send the mages.”

His aides nodded at him and on horseback rode to prepare his orders.

Oh, Fredrick, what are you planning on doing now?