Siege of Khembyl

''The Siege of Khembyl was the largest battle during AOD where the forces of THO had planned this attack for months and now where ready to recapture the ancient city. The battle ended in victory for THO when Mary Dawn, the Dawn-bringer and champion of Helio slew Sagitor with the Sword of Dawn, a blade forged by Bragd, dwarven god of smithing. The victory gave THO vital territories to start a counterattack against the Zodiac Beasts and marked the start of the war against the Zodiac Beasts and their forces. ''

Background
AOD was the chaotic time following the death of Kaz’dur during the Final God War in AOL, his death by the power of Tari'el unleashed his final plan. twelve Zodiac Beasts, creatures from Nox Nihil were transported to Terrum to destroy the world and thus ending the deities under Tari’el. Ancient records show that seven of the twelve beasts landed on Terrum, causing destruction and terror among the people of Terrum. Due to the war the gods were to wounded to help the races of Terrum.

After the loss of Khembyl by Sagitor and his commanders, he killed the royal family and the city guard, the cult of Sagitor then enslaved the population of the city and sacrificed over seventy percent of them to Vitrar, the Everserpent to empower themselves and Sagitor himself. Willhelm, who was traveling in the lands that now are Fehrelia got the news of the captured city by Castor Ashby, the leader of the Eagle Company. They started recruiting and training soldiers and planning a siege of the city. A war meeting between Willhelm Marlow, Elaine Nyve, Adnir Fornheart, Isha Tempus, Mary Dawn and Celebros Wintertell. At the end of March in 0e 50 THO had over 58.000 soldiers, the largest army ever assembled on Terrum. Willhelm gave the marching order towards Khembyl. They arrived on the 5th of April 0e 50 and they planned the siege, Willow Marlow, who had only a few days earlier celebrated his 19th birthday was chosen the Lord of Strategy by the THO leaders.

Early in the morning, when the sun shed its first ray of light Willhelm called the order to attack. Willhelm yelled a war cry so loud that even Sagitor, resting inside the throne room of the castle could hear the roar.

The Battle
On the western flank Fornheart led the dwarven warriors of Teras-Mountains that were in exile after Virgil took the mountains for herself. They were only 5.000 strong that were capable of fighting, but they had the willpower of 10.000. Behind them Willow Marlow and Celebros Wintertell stayed behind with 3.000 soldiers, protecting their carriages and wares but also strategizing. On the eastern flank Daos Chamberly led 10.000 soldiers directly into the enemy lines, As he was the user of Te'kai, a deadly blade style using ice magic. Behind him Elaine Nyve, Rowan Janys and Balthemor Vile had a strength of 10.000 soldiers, on the right of the three Eirel Blight led 3.000 soldiers to sweep into their western flank and cause chaos, behind her Isha Tempus led 5.000 soldiers as backup. In the middle Alnasl Brisk, Mary Dawn and Willhelm Marlow led a force of 25.000 in the middle to directly attack Sagitor and kill him.

The forces of Sagitor had overwhelming power in numbers, over 80.000 soldiers, and the cult of Scorpiel with their necromantic powers. On the western flank Mizar, the Fire King led an army of 20.000 soldiers with Timiel leading the necromantic sorcerers. On the eastern flank Alioth, the darkened one led an army of 12.000 soldiers, more than double the size of Fornheart's army. In the middle Sagitor himself led an army of 34.000 soldiers, Bek'thal and Tak'thal were commanders of the army under Sagitor himself. Sagitor had placed 10.000 soldiers behind inside the city walls to protect the city and to keep the throne room secure.

Eastern Flank
THO's western flank started the attack with Isha Tempus and Eirel Blight in the lead against Mizar, the fire king and his army. The ensuing battle was the most fatal on the entire battlefield, at first the battle was going in Mizar's favour, but whit the arrival of Isha Tempus backup the favour changed in THO's favour. Suddenly a burst of flames erupted from the ground, a vortex of fire erupted and caught some of Eirel Blight's army. When the vortex disappeared Isha Tempus saw Eirel Blight's body on the ground, she was caught in the vortex and killed by the flames. Isha Tempus flew into a frenzying rage, Her speed so fast that not even her own soldiers noticed her disappear. Her blade had a white light along the blade, and when it hit Mizar's body, it erupted in a divine light so bright that the entire battlefield stopped. When the light disappeared Mizar was gone, the Nihilis that supported him were gone and Isha stood there alone, she stood still looking up and tears ran down her cheeks. Moments later she fell down to the ground, unconscious. Her soldiers ran up to her and carried her body back to Willow and Celebros.

Western Flank
The western flank, only comprising of dwarven soldiers from the Teras-Mountains. They were up against over 10.000 soldiers with Alioth in the command, but they had a willpower and the goal of the reclaiming of Teras-Mountains from Virgil, Angel of Eternal Nightmares. The battle commenced, the dwarven soldiers fought bravely and it's said that for every dwarven soldier three Nox Nihil soldiers were killed. When the battle was at its peak, Adnir Fornheart came one-to-one with Alioth, the darkened one. They fought furiously and it seemed there was going to be no victor of the duel, but when Isha Tempus light shone throughout the battlefield, Adnir took his hammer and swung it and hit Alioth so hard that he cleaved him in half, killing him instantly. The dwarven warriors shared for their commander but the battle wasn't done, they still had to defeat Sagitor and liberate the city.

The Final Attack
The battle that first had been seen as a loss to THO now looked more favourably for THO. Morrow and Mirmulnir landed on the western flank and Muirdris on the eastern flank. The battle plan had begun, Willhelm Marlow's army successfully destroyed the western part of Sagitor's army, leading to a encasement that could succeed in defeating him. Übelfin and Malow Morrow clashed on the western flank, in dragon form they blasted magical attacks at each other and used their claws and teeth to defeat the other. Übelfin killed Mirmulnir when he tried to attack Übelfin, he successfully deflected the attack and blasted a fire ball at Mirmulnir, killing him nearly instantly. With the loss of his kin member Morrow flew into a rage and with Weißir's blessing he created a metallic vortex that chaught Übelfin and he was killed by the vortex, his body creating a small crater from the impact. With the defeat of his commanders and Übelfin slained, Sagitor knew that he would be defeated. He started attacking the commanders of THO, killing Balthemor Vile, Daos Chamberly and Alnasl Brisk in a flurry of attacks. Sagitor then dropped his bow and started chanting a spell, moments later, a shadow started to form in the sky, no one knew what it was until it was too late. Sagitor had used the spell "Wormwood" a level X spell with a condition so rare it can only be used once every 659 year, called a Moonlight Convergence. A meteor was descending from the sky quickly, everyone was in danger. Rowan Janys yelled at everyone to run to him, when all soldiers and commanders were in a 250 m radius he chanted a spell, then everyone started glimmering in a white and golden light. Moments later everyone were in the woods, south of the strategy camp safely from the meteor as it crashed down on the field and fire busted from the crater. Sagitor was dead, but Elaine noticed that Rowan wasn't moving. She tried to shake him awake but he laid still, with a gentle smile on his face. Isha told the commanders that he had used a level X spell "Vemotus" to transport everyone away from the meteor.

Aftermath
With the defeat of Sagitor and the liberation of Khembyl THO gained a strategic point of defence against the remaining Zodiac Beasts. The commanders still alive held a funeral for the commanders and soldiers that died in the battle, Alune Spellweaver inherited Rowan Janys spell book from where the school of Shadows later was born from. Alune Spellweaver and Evander Cedar created after the battle the council of three, an organisation were the three most powerful mages discuss matters relating to magic and sorcery. Willow Marlow was appointed Lord of Strategy by his father and the other commanders, meaning he became one of the lead commanders of THO.