Larg was able to dodge, but his companion cavalry couldn't. Their bodies skewered and horses dismembered. The initial speed they possessed now gone as the small projectiles devastated a considerable part of the merchant cavalry.
With weak morale, the cavalry which belonged to Larg's friend now began to rout. They joined this war of succession because of promised wealth, they thought what they'll face was mere militia of Lotra and what remains of the castle defenders.
Not what they are currently facing at the moment. They are the men of the wealthy merchants and families in Zalbaag. They would rather die in their bed at old age than die in this forsaken land. Those promised wealth be damned!
Faced with fate worse than death. The merchant cavalry routed.
Perhaps Larg expected this, that's why he turned a blind eye to them. Ignoring their rout, Larg shouted at the top of his lungs. "HOUSE DUPONT! CHARGE!"
The mounted loyalist of house Dupont who were shadowing the merchant cavalry from a distance now jumped into action. Fresh was the memory of their kin's demise under their foes blades. Their fury still raged as they lowered their lances and took to Larg's side.
Taking advantage of the fact that the Ballistas were still reloading, they rushed their horses as Larg charges with them.
*Bang* *Bang* Men were smashed away as the undefended bowmen took the brunt of Larg and his heavily armored cavalry men's charge.
Barnabeth's bowmen screamed and scrammed as they feared being in the path of the charging cavalry. The bowmen formation which caused terror among the infantry of Larg were now under the mercy of their foes' blades and lances.
With a wave of his great sword, Larg, dismembered members of Barnabeth's bowmen contingency. Wreaking havoc wherever his steed goes, his sword slashing the men as he took time waving it from left to right.
The men beside him with their lances lowered pierced the already broken bowmen contingency. As their lances splintered, they took their swords and axe, waving it to their sides. Venting as much of their anger that they can.
Trying to satiate their lust for revenge, these bow men were not enough. Still, they rampage until their coat of armors and steeds were all covered with the blood of their enemies.
As they rampaged across the field of hapless bowmen, they soon caught sight of their goal.
The contraption that caused terror among the infantry now within their sight. Just behind these men that they were butchering were the ballistas.
Larg shouted "TO THE BALLISTAS!"
Him and his maternal relative's loyalist trampled the melee weak bowmen. Their goal is within reach…
Then a horn sounded as the fleeing bowmen contingency divided and Barnabeth's personal guards sallied forth to deal with Larg and his maternal family's loyalist.
______________________________________________________
"Charge!" Barnabeth's infantry took the chance to collapse on Larg's fragmented infantry.
Spears pointed forward as Larg's fragmented soldiers tried their best to regroup.
The noise the charging men made alerted Larg's broken infantry.
"Shields! Shields! The ballistas stopped firing! Raise your shields!" A commanding figure in Larg's army shouted at the fragmented men. "Raise your shields if you want to survive!"
Larg's men were shocked. Their companions now laying on the ground, unmoving. Their corpses broken, as it told the horrifying fate that happened to each of them.
Shaking and trembling, now as their morale is at their lowest, Barnabeth's vanguard charge at them.
"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" A young soldier shouted, his knees and hands trembling as he picked up his shield. Nearly stumbling, he ran towards the commanding figure.
Joining the few who were able to regroup and gather their bearings. With interlocked shields, the men shouted and begged for the rest of the shocked men to join them.
Some were able to dragged their bodies to join them while some crawled as they cannot make their legs work, as it trembled nonstop. As for the rest, they were behind in a daze.
*Banng* *Puchi*
Spears stab the dazed men, as their defenseless self were at the mercy of Barnabeth's vanguard.
Just as the charging spearmen of Barnabeth's vanguard were about to continue their massacre.
Shields were bashed upon them. The Larg's interlocked men smashed their shields against Barnabeth's vanguard.
Trying their best to protect their shocked brothers. As swords and spears met in the field, the semblance of formation from before now gone as their commanders busied themselves to save their own lives.
Just as the melee raged on. A yell broke the balance of power.
"Charge!" Men of different attire now joined the melee clash.
Their axes and arming swords savagely hacks Larg's Vanguard Infantry.
Another wave of cries and wails sounded in the field.
Barnabeth's hired mercenary men-at-arms company finally sprung into action.
"Forward!" As the mercenary join the melee, the left and right-wing reserve troops under Larg also neared the battlefield.
*Swoosh* *Swoosh*
As Larg's arrow rains on the mercenary men-at-arms, the left wing reserve infantry of Larg made contact with Barnabeth's vanguard infantry.
Facing the fresh troops of Larg, the men in the vanguard were forced to take a step back. It's now their turn to be at the mercy of Larg's men.
Fury filled men slammed towards the already preoccupied Vanguard troops. Smashing their weapons in rage as the young of their villages fell victim to Barnabeth's merciless vanguard troops.
Now extreme emotions raged in the grounds.
Just as the clash between the Larg's left wing reserve infantry and vanguard infantry and Barnabeth's Vanguard infantry were going on.
Larg's right-wing infantry then collapsed on the mercenary men-at-arms, taking heavy casualties from the Bodkin tipped arrows.
________
The mercenary cavalry of the company of Mas trampled past the spear wall, after reaching a distance away from the spear wall. They began to account the number of their own that had fallen.
Twenty to Thirty Horned goats are now being dragged across the ground. The chain connecting them made it so that the dead horned goats will be dragged by the still living ones. Disconnecting the dead goats from the rest, the half lings turned their mounts towards the right-wing reserve infantry once more.
They prepare to put an end to Barnabeth's right-wing reserve infantry's bitter struggle.
The right-wing reserve infantry had lost their morale. The initial charge of the mercenary had broken their already weak morale and fighting capability. They have not received any reinforcements, nor any orders to retreat. As Barnabeth callously abandoned them to their fate, and now they'll face off against the Horned goat mercenary cavalry once more.
"We surreder!" "Run!" "Ahhhhh!" "Help!" "Stay with me Patrick!" The men at their knees as the men of Lortar begged and pleaded for the mercenary cavalry to stop their onslaught, but to no avail. No one listened to their cries, as both their leaders were engaged in killing one another.
Lances pointed at them once more, as the tiny legs of the Horrned Goat accelerated.
"NOOOOO!" With a final scream, the men of Barnabeth's right wing reserved infantry finally collapsed. Whatever's is left… now will live with the burden to tell the tale… to the parents of the young and the family of the old… it's a burden they must carry as they survive this war.
________________________
Deep in Barnabeth's line
As the horn sounded, Barnabeth's bowmen disengaged Larg and his cohorts.
Once again forming a semblance of their former formation.
The 1st bowmen contingency were ordered to fire their arrows at the ongoing infantry melee, while the 2nd bowmen contingency focuses on the mercenary cavalry and the remaining merchant cavalry ordered to perform a hammer and anvil tactic.
Realizing that if they did not deal with the personnel guards of Barnabeth, it'll make it difficult for them to break out after they dealt with the Ballistas. So Larg with a wave of his lance, pointed at his men to meet with the incoming foes.
But just Larg and his company made their way towards Barnabeth's personnel guards, their horses began to lose balance and stumble.
As their horses stumbled Larg realized it too late.
The bowmen from before who left the field were standing on small potholes. Thousands of holes are seen all along the ground where they formed their formation. A trap…
As the mounted loyalist of house Dupont also lost control of their horses and began falling down, a horn sounded once more.
The left wing reserve infantry of Barnabeth, which had been immobile until now, began to turn their attention towards Larg and his mounted men.
With spears and swords drawn, they began to make their way towards him and his mounted men.
'CURSES!' Larg realized his folly. Barnabeth used the ballistas as bait. Now he and he is men are surrounded by Barnabeth's personal guard to the front and the reserved infantry in the rear.
"Tsk…" Barnabeth tutted as he watched the Mercenary Cavalry annihilate his right wing reserve infantry.
The encirclement was almost complete if not for the mercenary halfling cavalry.
'Ah well, things don't always go as planned.' Shaking his head, Barnabeth turned his head to the 1st and 2nd bowmen contingency. Waving a red flag, as a horn sounded beside him.
The bowmen contingencies halted their attack on their target. Taking out the sharp wooden stakes they strapped on their back. Then inserted it into the hole filled ground.
Just as the men were inserting stakes into the ground, the mercenary cavalry and the remaining merchant company, done with their decimation of Barnabeth's right wing reserve infantry, turned their attention towards the rest of the battlefield.
Seeing their employers situation, the mercenary captain led his men to launch an attack on the left wing reserve infantry of Barnabeth.
As Larg and his Companions fought with Barnabeth's personal guard and left wing reserve infantry, he saw the action of the surrounding bowmen and his mercenary cavalry.
"NOOOOOO!" Blowing the hawk shaped horn, Larg frantically waves his sword to signal to the mercenary of the small holes on the ground.
Barnabeth's cruel smile appeared. "Ah… Larg.. choices, choices, in your current situation, what choice will you make? Hehehe"
Larg with the few loyalists of house Dupont now trapped deep in Barnabeth's lines.