Without another word, Irzen continued to follow after Captain Mandur and Captain Andaerean.

Sunrider, tenth of his line was in the middle of having his armor put on when he heard the bronze man raise his voice. Even for an elf, there was something not quite human in the way he replied to the swordsman.

"Winning a war does not come without sacrifice," The Swordsman said almost to himself as he caught up with Mandur and Andaerean, "There is a price that we are going to have to pay to win this one. I just hope Alyson and Lazheros are ready to pay it should the time come."

The Swordsman smiled towards The Elven Captain, "Andaerean, I bet that when you awoke this morning, you were not expecting to go to battle with a Drow at your side."

"No, not really but I've seen you in battle knowing you are quite capable of handling yourself either in the saddle and on the ground, Irzen. Despite what the enemy throws at us, we will prevail." Andaerean mounted his horse and turned to the rest as the horn of the cavalry sounded. "Ride now! Ride now til the Sun Rises!"

Irzen mounted Billy in a single leap and rode after Andaerean all the while hoping for the best and yet expecting all the worst.

*****

Now the elves could see the horde approach in the distance and the very size of it spanned the entire width of the southern valley itself. A blanket of death and destruction with only one goal to conquer, enslave and destroy.

Five rows of orc warriors, worg riders with pikemen in the front. Followed by a row of crude catapults dripping with fire and siege balistas set on raising up ladders against the city walls. Two rows of ogres and a phalanx of giants flanking the sides. And in the rear mounted on ancient enemy of dragon kind, a Behir the serpentine multilegged creature sat the Warlord, Gruumasht, flanked by his elite, battle hardened warriors. Along side him, was Barakas mounted on a Displacer Beast. The Drums of War and Death sounded in the valley echoing throughout and spreading despair.

***BOOM! BOOOM! BA-DA-BOOOM!***

****

The Crown Prince with his battle masters, pike men and wardens took a defensive position just outside the city walls. Captain Mandur signaled for the guardians to take the left flank next to the crown prince while the sappers and rune keepers ran along the trenches that were dug out in front of southern gate in a series of zig-zag patterns to confuse the orcs.

Prince Birch, donned in his trademark jet-black armor that won him renown on the battlefield as The Black Prince confidently strode to his brother's side. Birch bore no shield on his back. All he carried was two swords strapped to his back, two small axes strapped to his sides and two small daggers strapped to his boots.

The prince looked towards the crown prince and smiled, "Brother, mayhaps today is a good day for our enemies to die!"

"How about a ballad of Victory, Birch," Ash adjusted the buckler on his left arm and readied the short spear he favored on horseback. His metallic silver and white armor glistened signaling to his men, he was there with them bracing for the first wave that wouldn't come as intended when a series of explosions erupted from beneath the ground.

"When this war is over, brother," Prince Birch drew forth his swords, "I shall compose one ballad for each us regaling how we, the sons of King Sunrider the Tenth, fought and slew our enemies this day!"

**KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM!***

Sounds of shrieking and squealing orcs being blasted by land mines, trip wires connected to molotov cocktails set up by the tinker gnomes two last night, and sink holes created by the Juggernaut added just prior to the horde coming into the valley.

High up on the walls, the catapults started launching volleys of boulders laced with acid not fire melting any weapons, armor, and flesh of the invaders that came within two hundred yards of the army laying in wait at the base.

The giants that flanked either side of the horde countered with by throwing huge boulders, they fell short of the dwarven phalanx by one hundred feet and closing.

"I believe with all my heart that we shall emerge victorious this day, brother!" Prince Birch steeled himself for the conflict to come and gave Crown Prince Ash a warm smile, "But if we should fail, take comfort in these words:

"How can an elf die better,
Than facing fearful odds?
For the ashes of his fathers,
And the temples of his Gods?"

The military backing the crown prince and his generals cheered and began to chant their own battle cry. The first wave hit hard but Prince Ash and his men were seasoned, battle hardened warriors and gave no quarter cutting down orcs right and left.

When the first wave of Orcs hit, Prince Birch seemed as though he had flipped a switch. Gone was the clueless fop who spouted poetry at the drop of a hat. Now stood a serious and determined warrior who with two swords in his hand began to show both friend and foe alike why he was called 'The Black Prince' in battle. Prince Birch proceeded to slice and dice his way into the line of Orcs that faced him as though he was a farmer harvesting wheat with a scythe!

Elsewhere on the battle field, the heavy horses of Dinnendale charged into the sides of the horde cutting the off half of Gruumasht's forces from the rest. They even took down two giants on either side creating an opening for Captains, Andaerean with Irzen to charge in on the right flank while Mandur and his company rammed their way through on the left.

The JUGGERNAUT reached down into the earth and pulled out a handful of small boulders about the size of beach ball and launched them at the ogres coming up to counter Mandur and Andaerean's cavalry. One ogre dropped from having its head taking off, and another had its legs cut off at the knees. A third ogre managed to dodge out of the way as two more boulders whizzed by its head and torso. The boulders however were more than just rocks as they unfolded and stood on two feet, arms, and a head. "WE ARE GALED DUR! WE CRUSH YOU NOW!"

Irzen was in his prime as he flanked Andaerean and proceeded to slash and stab any Orcs that came within reach as he rode by, through and over them. Billy rammed his way through the opposition as the Swordsman charged forward keeping pace with the movement and speed of his allies.

***

Up on the wall, the catapults kept up their long ranged assault on the larger bulk of the horde. The exploding rounds forced the horde to separate making it easier for the cavalry to pick them off, the down side was that artillery that Gruumasht brought with him, was now in range to hit the city walls, and hit they did.

One of the archers yelled, "INCOMING! BRACE FOR IMPACT!!"

The elementalist had just reached the wall as the first block hit cracking the wall. Looking skyward, she dropped a smaller version of an elder air elemental onto the enemy catapults. One was completely demolished, another broken, and another coming up to fire again.