It concludes in just half a day

Briolforn strolls forth on his steed, trotting in front of his army of seventy thousand troops - Dark Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Goblins and Humans alike.

And instantly, there is a change in demeanour.

"Look! It's the Lord of Death!"

"The Lord of Death!"

The cheering that emerged from Briolforn's army, the Ebonfist, was like a screeching army of banshees with the power of a volcano, and countless soldiers ally and enemy alike covered their ears by instinct.

"Look at those little birds chirping atop their roosts!" Said Briolforn, "To call something like that a warcry is laughable! Tell me! What does a warcry sound like?"

Another shrieking roar echoed across the heavens and earth.

"What does the warcry of a proud army of Hasounga sound like!?"

Yet another shrieking roar followed, and the garrison of Emti were now quaking in their boots.

"Onward, brave warriors of the Ebonfist!" Said Briolforn, "This day, we avenge our defeat at their hands, and claim this city in the name of Hasounga! For our Kaiser and Kaiserin!"

"Yeah!"

In a medieval siege, usually the attackers would have to spend time slowly attacking the walls from multiple fronts with ladders to scale the walls, and usually the attacking side would make use of siege artillery like catapults to weaken the walls or take out enemy strongpoints.

There were also times, however, when the defenders would daringly sortie outside the safety of their castle walls to take the fight to the enemy. The best defense is sometimes a good offense, so the saying goes.

And in this case, the siege began with the latter, a full regiment's worth of heavy cavalry charging towards the Ebonfists.

"Eliminate those Cataphracts," Said Briolforn.

The elite knights of the Ebonfists, the Ulendai - Black Hounds - charged silently towards the Yanikaran Cataphracts with glaive and shield, and in the clash that followed, the Black Hounds were overwhelmingly superior and slew all their foes, and discouraged by this show of strength, the Emti garrison closed their gates.

"Well then, let's get this show started," Said Briolforn.

An hour passed since the siege started, arrows and spells pelting the walls of Emti as troops scaled the ladders to no avail, the defenders stubbornly holding and peppering their enemies with no concern for their ammo stock.

"One hour and no progress at all, and Briolforn wants to continue this siege assault without first using siege artillery?" Said Claudia, "Don't tell me that behind his confident exterior, he's nothing more than an idio-"

"Claudia."

"Wah!" Claudia recoiled in shock, seeing Briolforn appear behind him, "Don't scare me like that!"

"Hmph, I don't get scared from something like that," Said Briolforn, "I'm just here to tell you that we'll soon be able to breach the gates."

"But how? The defenders have the clear advantage!" Said Claudia.

"Not without the exceptional archers we have at our disposal," Said Briolforn, "And besides, you should know the legendary skill of Ganadonian archers."

In tales of decades past, when there was war between Danubia and Ganadonia of old, veterans would speak of the talent and skill of Ganadonian Dark Elven archers with respect, awe and fear, and veterans would warn younglings of the danger of underestimating these monsters.

And serving in the Ebonfists were the legendary Adanië - the Silverhearts - famed among Ganadonian archers as the crème de la crème de la crème with their legendary Mithril bows shining like silver, their armour crafted of the toughest drake leather and Ebonsteel chainmail, their cloaks as black as midnight.

"Watch and see, Claudia, how strong the pride of Ganadonia truly is," Said Briolforn.

And from an entire league away, the Adanië picked their targets and loosed their arrows, striking them with impossible precision as the feathered shafts found holes and weaknesses in enemy armour. Commanding officers fell dead, archers lost their lives, and the passage of the Ebonfists was eased for a significant number to storm and control the gatehouses.

Before three hours had elapsed, the Ebonfists strolled into the city as the gates were opened, and the battle was won.

"I can't believe it," Said Claudia, mouth agape, "They took the city in less than three hours!"

"Indeed, the strength of the Ebonfists is apparent for all to see," Said Hoteac, "However... I can't help but feel that something's off."

"Hoteac?" Asked Claudia.

"Nevermind, let's go bunker down at the city first," Said Hoteac, "We can inspect the city in the meantime."