Behind the King's Cavalry, rows of mages chanted into existence devastating spells. Pillars of fire fell from the skies, the ground trembled and fissured, lightning bolts obliterated the ground and tidal waves of water crashed into the flanks.

Even though the Arsalan forces were vastly outnumbered on the right flank they still managed to win the initial engagement.

On the left flank, the story was different.

The sound of gatling gun fire pierced the air. Tracers created a las.h.i.+ng, fiery tongue as it struck into rows of great s.h.i.+elds. Wood and metal could not stop the bullets.

[CIWS Ammo: 93% remaining.]

Tracers flew off into the sky as some of the bullets ricocheted off the s.h.i.+elds but most of them pa.s.sed through, punching holes in the surface and the soldiers cowering behind them.

"Forward!" someone in the rear ranks yelled, and despite the awesome firepower against them they moved like one body.

[Cannons loaded with HE. Primer set to airburst.]

A synchronized crack announced the delivery of the lethal package as 36 cannons fired in unison. The sh.e.l.ls arced through the air and as they started coming down they did not create a whistling sound. The report of the supersonic sh.e.l.ls would remain unheard to those who stood in the area Somnus decided to erase from the maps.

Then, like on the right flanks, flashes illuminated the battlefield. But they were not flashes of magic. There were no lightning bolts or torrents of water. There was fire and the effect the sh.e.l.ls had as they exploded a dozen meters over the troops, spraying the area with deadly shrapnel.

Then another symphony of annihilation curled its icy fingers around the hearts of the men facing Somnus. The ranks broke and they scattered. But there was no escape. A series of explosions shook the ground once more, and a counter melody of paniced screaming reached Somnus' audio receptors.

Somnus focused on the enemy cavalry that has been gaining ground while the warmachine rained death on the infantry.

[OPCOM: Cavalry objective: Avoid Somnus. Strike friendly mages in back lines. Suggestion: Annihilate.]

A pulsing sound emitted through the rock-strewn hill as the laser batteries charged.

[Laser Battery: Dispersion algorithm implement. Prism loaded.]

The pulsing became so frequent that it started to sound like machinegun fire, except it didn't have such a vulgar, mechanical report. It was far higher pitched and elegant.

A dull thud overpowered the screaming, and a myriad tiny laser beams shot from the laser batteries, illuminating the cavalry with a shotgun approach. It was not a continuous beam, but rather a series of pulses of light like one might find in a laser show.

Man, horse and lance fell to the deadly light, carved to smoldering pieces. Those who survived could not control their horses. Horses were intelligent animals after all, even with their eyes covered they could smell the scent of burning bodies. They fled.

But Somnus did not understand half-measures such as letting a defeated enemy live. There was no merit to it.

[Missile Batteries: Launching cl.u.s.ter munitions.]

A series of hatches opened on the top of the death machine and missiles spewed forth, clouding the area with their exhaust trail.

[Swarm size: 56x. Guide by laser enabled.]

Two ranks of missiles headed over the areas of both the infantry and the cavalry. Several seconds later, they dipped down and exploded far above the two enemy groups. Briefly, Somnus could see confusion in their eyes. Then they glimpsed the bomblets and their faces crumpled with desperation.

After the explosions reduced the side of the hill to nothing more than an inconvenient landing strip filled with craters, there was no screaming. Only the absolute silence of death.

[OPCOM: Mission complete. Kill count: 10,000.]

[Weather radar: Anomaly detected.]

The sky brightened. Clouds converged together and twisted into each other. Rays of holy light fell upon the hill. An ent.i.ty descended from the center of the swirling clouds.

[Structural a.n.a.lysis: Height: 98m. Wingspan: 280m. Archive match: Dragon. Probability match: Atmohim, 92%.]