the Grand Duchy of Gardenia has fallen to the Imperial Army, after the fort of Reńaiss had fallen in a quick succession against the Imperial Army. The Imperial Army immediately went ahead to march in Vyonne the ducal capital of Gardenia had been infiltrated and captured by the Imperial Army within less than an hour.

The Grand Duke along with his loyal men flee the Palace just in time through the secret tunnels in the Palace. The Imperial Army hoisted the Imperial Insignia after the sun had just risen a day before Autumn.

-- Ducal Palace, Vyonne --

The Imperial Army temporarily took a halt to their advance. General Clause and some other high-ranking military officers gathered in the Ducal Palace. They for a while indulged in the Grand Duke's Palace and looted the Grand Duke's property.

His men looted and plundered the city after it fell, the Imperial Army forcibly took women and took them. All the abled-men we're forcibly used as laborers for the war effort.

The behemoth bombard used earlier in the battle was gallantly displayed in the city plaza, with men guarding it to prevent any act of sabotage.

Meanwhile in the Palace, Clause received a telegram from the Emperor.

"It is an honor to see you, you're highness" Clause humbly greet the Emperor.

"Raise your head, may i know what is the current military situation in subjugating Gardenia?"

"the fortress of Reńaiss and the grand ducal capital of Vyon is captured by the Imperial Army. But we failed to capture the Grand Duke." Clause replied,

"Very well, how was the behemoth? did it contributed to your success?"

"Yes your highness, the behemoth astoundingly torn apart the city's defenses in an instant and the city immediately surrendered."

"There we're no garrisoned troops?" the Emperor asked,

"There we're men atop the walls, but we had found traces of a huge army evacuating immediately in the barracks in the city in which there's a sign of people leaving in an instant simultaneously." Clause replied,

"Very well Clause, you done well enough. I am looking forward to see the capture of Sienna before winter begins. Expect handsome rewards waiting here." the Emperor replied,

The Emperor called off and the conversation ended, Clause can't wait to capture Sienna and began calling the other officers and begin a new offensive through Inner Summerwyn.

"Ok everyone, we will now begin our planning to a new military offensive on the Kingdom of Summerywn. This time our military forces for the first time will start to have difficulty in terrain. As this is the first time again to venture inside Inner Summerwyn. For centuries Summerwyn had become the continent's foremost power and bullies our glorious Empire. But things have changed! it is the time to bravely pa.s.s through the Sommen Pa.s.s in the south and capture the Siennese crown!" Clause remarked on the room,

"Long Live the Empire!" Clause cheered in the room,

The military officers gathered in the Grand Duke's living room, the living room is filled with luxurious couch and high-grade wood tables decorated with gold.

Clause placed the continental map on the table and all gathered in the table whilst sitting in the couch.

"Ok so according to the plan the superiors and i made earlier, the Sommen Pa.s.s which is south of the mountain ranges of Gardenia is our gateway to inner summerwyn. We will march onto Summerwyn Pa.s.s and march again for several kilometers into a nearby fort, Fort Rose. We will besiege the fort using normal bombards and wyverns and capture the fort in quick succession. If the fort quicks earlier than usual, we will capture fort Rose and make it our base of operations here in Inner Summerwyn. We will place the behemoth there since transporting it is difficult and we won't use it besieging the fort because we will take the pain of fixing the fort's walls"

"And after replenis.h.i.+ng for a while in fort Rose, we will finally march with a hundred thousand into Sienna, and a week later a number of 50,000 troops along with the Behemoth will be sent to Sienna to capture the city real quick"

"Thus, Sienna might fall before winter begins. Any questions so far?" Clause asked in the room,

everyone understood the plan clearly and no one asked any questions afterwards. Clause proceeded to dismiss the meeting and went to rest in the Grand Duke's bedroom.

He replaced the blankets and pillows in the bed for his comfort and decided to close his eyes so that he can get enough energy for the Autumn campaign.

-- Early Autumn of 1544 --

in the Grand Ducal Palace where the former local ducal flag and Summerwyn royal flag used to fly over the flagpoles of the city, are now replaced with the Imperial Insignia all throughout the city.

the sun had risen and the leaves had began to change its color and fall from its branches, Clause had woken up from his bed and immediately went to the living room of the Palace.

There, is the other military officers waiting. They are now preparing for their 15 day march onto the Sommen Pa.s.s, they are following the plan made by Clause with the Imperial General Staff.

the Imperial autumn offensive had begun. A one hundred fifty thousand Imperial Troops had prepared themselves in the city, along with them are carrying several bombards and the behemoth.

Transporting the behemoth is a logistical nightmare, but it is their best bet to capture Sienna in a quick manner.

it's been 5 days since the city had fell to Imperial Occupation, the Imperial Army had enough rest and supplies to continue the Autumn Campaign.

The early successes on the Grand Duchy of Gardenia had saved the Imperial Army a lot of manpower and supplies due to their superior firepower.

At last, a hundred fifty thousand troops are standing upright in front of the southern gates, the gates opened and the Imperial Army marched and left the city to an Imperial Garrison of 50,000 troops.

But the thing is, Clause and the Imperial officials thought they could monopolize the huge swaths of food stockpiles and agricultural fields in the region. However, as soon as the Royal Army evacuated 5 days ago, the Royal Army razed the fields as they retreat through the northern pa.s.s in the mountain ranges of Gardenia. Dozens of the king's subjects joined the Royal Army in the evacuation through the north and the royal administrators in rural south of Lyon and near the Sommen Pa.s.s had scorched the farms and countryside and took all food supplies into Sienna.

Various rural towns we're burned to the ground, other's we're spared. But, to escape the onslaught of the Imperial Army everyone fled and left their homes and properties to be burned as to avoid the Imperial Army using them.

Plan Vyon was a success in destroying Gardenia's food production and rendering them useless to the Imperial Army.

Thus, the Imperial Army was forced to take what was left in Vyonne and the supplies they initially had and proceed to advance on the Sommen Pa.s.s. The Imperial Army was enraged on the Royal Army's actions and decided to commit revenge on them when they besiege Sienna.

-- 1st week of Marching, Early Autumn --

It has been seven days now since the Imperial Army had left the city of Vyonne. The Imperial Army is still far away from the Sommen Pa.s.s. But along the way the encountered towns and villages purposely burned on the ground with the crops burned and houses and property being intentionally burned on the ground. There we're some who immediately ran to a water well, despite not listening to his' superior's warning to not drink the water. Many young soldiers went to the well and immediately drank it due to thirst, as soon as they drank the water. They felt it tasted different but they ignored it. The superior's punished them due to their undisciplined behavior and punished them for numerous push-ups.

But, after the men we're done doing the push-up. The young soldier's who drank the water from the nearby well got seriously-ill and their health began to deteriorate.

The Imperial Army stayed and settled a camp in that town that day to take a rest from the trip, the Imperial Army had enough supplies but the young men we're seriously exhausted from the march that they just went straightforward to the well.

a total of 27 soldiers got seriously bedridden in the camp, and after an hour of treating them the soldiers affected died.

The Imperial Army did a research on the village and found out that the water from the well was poisoned. Thus, one of the first casualties the Imperial Army had was from poisoning.

Clause and the other superiors can't believe what the Royal Army just did, the Kingdom desperately burned almost all property outside of Vyon in the region just to halt Imperial advance.

"We must immediately set out for tomorrow and march as fast as we can to the Sommen Pa.s.s" Clause ordered to his men,

The night after the incident, they immediately set out in the morning and marched towards the Sommen Pa.s.s.

Days pa.s.sed as they camped on many towns which we're scorched by the Summerwyn, they could finally see the Sommen Pa.s.s. A huge opening with a road in the mountain ranges of of Gardenia. The towering mountains we're so tall that they could probably touch the sky. The mountain ranges of Gardenia can be compared to the alpine mountains in Earth.

-- Autumn of 1544 --

It is middle of the season, trees begun had their leaves color' began to change. The Imperial Army marched through the Sommen Pa.s.s whilst singing the Imperial anthem.

"Glory to the Empire! to the Holy Emperor! to the Holy Empress!", Imperial soldiers shout as they march to the pa.s.s gallantly,

Their steps destroys any form of wildlife in the road, they trample even the small plants and animals who are blocking their way.

"Halt!!!" shouted one officer in the front,

Everyone immediately halted their advance upon hearing

One cavalry from the front came to Clause, whispering to him the news in the situation in the front.

Clause was shocked from the news and immediately fave a new order to the Imperial Army,

"Everyone! the Royal Army had appeared! They have formed a defensive line just in front of us! if we reach the end of the pa.s.s. We will meet the Royal Army at the end of the pa.s.s and attack them, show the Empire's might! let them taste the cold steel of the Holy Empire!" Clause ordered to the Imperial Army

The Imperial Army continued to march through the pa.s.s until they reached the end of the pa.s.s moments later,

A huge staggering army of the Royal Army had appeared in front of them, it's as if though the Kingdom of Summerwyn wanted to halt and finally stop the Imperial advance in the Sommen Pa.s.s.

The Kingdom of Summerwyn, numbering about 175,000 troops of the Royal Army under the command of the King's personal greatest commander, Sir Fondee of Sienna.

Sir Fondee is an aristocratic general born in the inner district of Sienna. Born into a n.o.ble house that is known for its martial and military prowess throughout generations, he eventually trained from a young age until he became a well-known general at the age of 21.

Sir Fondee is currently 23, indeed a very young general. But right now the fate of thousands rests onto his shoulders.

"Sir Fondee, the Imperial Army had arrived with a hundred and fifty thousand troops" the messenger told Sir Fondee.

"Very well, when they show up. Commence the plan immediately." Fondee replied,

Several minutes later, huge sounds of heavy footsteps can be heard going through their direction. The Royal Army then prepared for the appearance of the Imperial Army.

And at last, the Imperial Army showed up. Thousands of Imperial Cavalry armed with advanced muskets and lance charged towards the Royal Army at a staggering speed. While the Summerwyn mages fired fireb.a.l.l.s towards the oncoming hordes of horses.

The Decisive Battle of Sommen Pa.s.s begins,