The ride to Magda was hard and fast dust kicking up from hundreds of hooves as Queen Shala's army thundered north. The night air bit cold but her heart burned fierce. She led from the front black horse pounding the ground armor glinting under stars. Behind her Hira's soldiers rode strong—archers with rune-tipped bows warriors with swords and shields the massive dragon chambers rolling heavy on wheeled frames guarded by teams of men. No one spoke much just the rhythm of the march and the distant echo of battle cries in their minds.
Two hours later they crested the last ridge overlooking Magda's outskirts. Smoke rose thick from the fields snow turning black with ash and blood. The scene was grim. Magda's warriors huge and tough were on the edge of breaking. Hours of fighting had worn them down— exhaustion making their limbs heavy arrows running low. Jingis riders circled like wolves slashing in with curved blades and horse bows. Bodies littered the ground purely of Magda men fallen with deep gashes throats slit eyes staring empty. Blood soaked the snow red puddles forming where the warm liquid melted the white.
The general stood at the front line axe in hand roaring orders. His arm still bandaged from the morning arrow but he swung like nothing hurt. His men faltered though shields cracking under Jingis charges. "Hold damn you!" he bellowed but exhaustion showed in their eyes. The general was powerful in his slashes and no one was exempt from his axe as he swung it rhythmically following a certain order that made it impossible to circle him. However not everyone could keep up like him and slowly they faltered behind him.
Then from the south a battle cry ripped the air—loud raw like thunder rolling over mountains. Queen Shala raised her sword high her voice cutting clear. " Hira! Charge!"
Magda warriors turned heads snapping south. Hope sparked in their chests like dry tinder catching flame. "Hira comes!" one shouted axe lifting higher. Energy surged through them exhaustion forgotten for a moment. They pushed back hard axes cleaving Jingis horses legs swords thrusting into bellies. Blood sprayed hot and sticky men screaming as guts spilled onto frozen ground.
High above Kia watched furious. This wasn't the plan. He dove low invisible raising a hand. A massive tree by the path—old oak thick as three men—creaked and fell blocking the Hira advance. Roots ripped from earth branches cracking loud.
But Shala didn't flinch. "Dragon chambers forward!" she commanded.
The rolling fortresses lumbered up men inside pumping bellows fueling the fire. Tubes hissed flames roaring out in a blast that hit the tree dead on. Wood scorched black charring to charcoal in seconds. The barrier crumbled to ash smoke curling up harmless. Hira pushed through unbroken.
The battle turned wild then. Hira joined the fray dragon chambers put to work for the first time in real war. Flames shot high into the sky like living beasts orange and red twisting against the dark. Jingis men screamed as fire washed over them skin blistering armor melting. Horses reared mad with pain riders tumbling to be trampled. The air filled with the stink of burned flesh and hair men rolling in snow to put out flames but too late. Charred bodies twitched black and smoking.
Jingis lines broke scared by the inferno. "Demons from hell!" one rider yelled pulling back. They retreated fast horses wheeling away.
But Hira didn't let up. Shala signaled archers forward. A volley launched—thousands of arrows fast and thick rising like a dark cloud. They almost blocked the sun peeking at dawn tips whistling down like deadly rain. Jingis men fell in waves shafts piercing eyes throats chests. Blood gushed from wounds bodies jerking as life drained. A few Magda infiltrators—brave souls who'd snuck into Jingis ranks for sabotage—got caught too arrows thudding into their backs. They died quick surprised looks frozen.
From his vantage on a hill Jingis General Medhi Jism watched it all. He was a tall man broad-shouldered with a beard like black wire eyes sharp as hawk's. His armor gleamed gold-trimmed horse beneath him stamping impatient. He saw the Hira army swell numbers growing as more joined the push. But his gaze locked on the queen leading them. She rode like a man—posture straight commands barking bold and sure. Yet beautiful too her hair whipping free under helmet face flushed with battle fire eyes fierce like storm clouds. Armor hugged her form strong but graceful a warrior queen from old tales. Medhi felt a pull admiration mixing with something deeper. She was bold unafraid charging where kings hid. A rare sight a woman commanding like that inspiring even his enemies.
"Pull back!" Medhi roared voice carrying over the chaos. "Regroup north!"
His men obeyed wheeling away fast leaving dead and wounded behind. The field was a mess—bodies piled blood turning snow to slush groans from the dying filling the air.
Shala didn't stop. "Chase them off! Drive them from our lands!"
The general joined her quick their horses side by side leading the combined forces. Magda and Hira rode together axes and swords raised. The chase was on through snowy fields and rocky paths Jingis fleeing like shadows before dawn.
As they rode close the queen and general shared a glance—magical almost. Amid the blood and shouts something sparked. Her eyes met his dark and intense a silent thanks passing. He nodded respect clear his rugged face softening just a touch. For a heartbeat the world narrowed to them—warriors bound by fate allies in the storm. Her beauty hit him again bold and shining like a blade in sunlight. His strength drew her tall frame moving with power axe still dripping red.
But Kia wouldn't let it happen. High up he seethed raising his hand again. A massive 9-foot bear—huge beast summoned from deep woods—burst from the trees roaring loud. Claws like knives fur matted with snow it charged straight at Shala's horse jaws open for the kill.
The horse reared scared Shala gripping reins tight. But the general moved like lightning. In one fluid stroke his axe swung high agility unreal for his size.
The bear roared angrily at first but slowly the anger turned into fear when the axe started to rip through its neck as fast as a modern day chainsaw. This required a lot of strength and the general took that chance to show the queen how he held back the Jingis while in the front lines for that long despite their swelling numbers .
The blade bit deep through fur and bone decapitating the bear clean. Head rolled blood fountaining from the neck body crumpling heavy to the ground. It wasn't easy—one stroke on a beast that big took strength beyond normal men muscles ripping with effort.
Shala steadied her horse eyes wide. "General… thank you. That was incredible."
He sheathed his axe breathing hard but grinning a bit. "Couldn't let it touch you Your Majesty. We fight together now."They accidentally locked eyes once again and fell for each other once again. Every time they looked into each others eyes, they felt as if they fell in love for the first time. The commotion all around them went silent for a while . It was just the two of them in that moment at that place . The horses however galloped faster and the incessant shaking shook them back to their senses.
They pushed on Jingis vanishing north. The field fell quiet victory hanging heavy with the cost. Blood everywhere bodies twisted in death but peace held—for now.