Rebellion Chapter 1: The Battle of Southfield

"Charge!" Aurlan cried out as he raised his mighty sword high into the air. The warrior led his army of a few hundred farmers and pheasants into the massive opposing army of thousands of heavily armed and armored troops. Captain Aurlan knocked aside the wall of spears that the front lines held. His men followed in his charge. Aurlan and his men slaughtered dozens upon dozens within the first few lines of the enemies. Soon, the enemies drew their close combat weapons to meet Aurlan and his fellow rebels. The axes and swords of the enemies did little to withstand the power and strength of the army's faith in their heroic leader, Aurlan.1

Soon, the enemies began to panic and scatter. The rebels continued to cut down every fleeing enemy until only several opposing men were seen running out into the horizon.2

"Regroup," Aurlan called out. Within a minute, all of his remaining forces had reassembled at the center of the battlefield. Aurlan watched as his men began to search and find wounded across the bloody plain. They saved the injured men of their army and massacred the helpless opponents.3

"Today belongs to us," Aurlan began telling his weak, tired men, "No more shall the tyrants in the northern rivers cause more suffering. This is a new day for our people and for our lands. We are free, and we are victorious!"4

Suddenly, an arrow struck a wounded man laying on the ground. All turned their eyes to see a hail of dark arrows being launched up from the east and at them.5

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"Shit," Aurlan said, "Arrows! Shields up!" Aurlan and his men all knelt down and held their shields overhead. Each of them could hear several arrows striking the other side of their bucklers. "Recover," Aurlan said once the arrow stopped, "Charge after them!"7

There was only a single group of archers on the eastern horizon. The roughly thirty of them began to run when they saw Aurlan and his forces charging them. The archers tried to fire back at their attackers, but it was little use. Soon, all of the archers had been killed.8

Aurlan looked back on his men and saw roughly 50 men left standing. There were another 20 injured on the ground.9

"Make camp next to the creek there out in the distance," Aurlan told one of his men, "We must rest here a few days."10

Aurlan looked once more upon the battlefield and his men. His few hundred, poor, starving, farmers had defeated thousands of heavily armed and armored, professionally trained soldiers. For more than a year, his forces had survived many battles and many raids in the Southern River Nations, but he knew for certain that they would not be able to survive another battle.11