Empire Ascension: The Rise of the Fated One-Chapter 186: Fall of Kashmir Part-3

Glaives were a polearm weapon which had heavy blades at the end. The specialty of this weapon was to break formations and carve its own path. The psychological damage is immense, as it not only damages the shields but also the morale of the soldiers wielding it.

Tenzin knew the specialty of this weapon, as he himself had once wiped out elite enemies clad with metallic shields. But the stakes were different here. He was now commanding the Kashmiri soldiers, who were regular units with wooden shield frames. On the other hand, the quality of the Ladakhi soldiers was similarly not so great. They were regulars too, with good skills in handling, but not experts able to overpower a group.

The key weakness of this weapon was its heaviness and the time taken to maneuver for another strike, which could be lethal if exploited by a quick attack from enemies. He made the Kashmiris stand in a tight formation and hoped to somehow use this gamble.

The air was thick with tension as the Ladakhi soldiers, wielding glaives, charged at the Kashmiri ranks with fierce momentum. The first impact hit like a battering ram, nearly breaking through, and many Kashmiri soldiers were pushed back. Yet, they held their ground, thrusting spears that impaled the bold attackers, momentarily slowing their advance.

But the Ladakhi soldiers moral, perhaps were forged of different steel. They crashed into the shields with relentless force, ignoring the spears’ deadly tips, driven by a singular purpose: to break the line. If one fell, another quickly took their place, pressing on with unyielding determination.

Shields splintered, and breakthroughs began to emerge, leading to brutal, mutual casualties. Yet, with the sheer numbers on both sides, the gaps were quickly filled. Inch by inch, both armies clashed in a grinding struggle of destruction, where every step forward was paid for in blood, neither side willing to yield as the battle progressed.

Soon, a horn sounded, and the Ladakhis began to retreat a few steps. Tenzin frowned as the sea of soldiers parted, revealing Commander Norbu at the end of the formation.

Wielding a glaive none like other, its blade shaped like a crescent moon with a dragon design at the tail, Norbu charged forward clad in padded armor.

Tenzin bellowed from behind, urging the frontliners in a panic, "Brace for impact! Don’t falter!"

But it took only one strike. Norbu’s blade descended in a deadly arc, and the shields buckled under the force. Soldiers standing behind were overwhelmed by the sheer power of the Ladakhi commander.

With ruthless efficiency, Norbu shattered the shield wall as if it were made of straw. He maneuvered his glaive expertly, thrashing the shields left and right, opening a path for his soldiers.

Unwilling to stop, he carved a path through the ranks, cutting down soldiers with ease. He paused only when a dagger flew toward his head, deflecting it effortlessly. But that was merely a feint; a spear came sweeping in for a wide strike.

Norbu was forced to block it with his glaive, only to find Tenzin himself standing in his way, with spear at his hand.

"Why are you here, Norbu?" Tenzin called out in low whisper.

"By the king’s order," Norbu replied, pushing out the glaive the break contact. "This is not my choice."

With that, Norbu swung his glaive in powerful left and right arcs, each slice aimed at Tenzin. But Tenzin, nimble and quick, dodged each strike with expert agility, finding a momentary gap to thrust the tip of his spear toward Norbu’s head. The commander narrowly evaded the blow, but Tenzin had anticipated the move; he followed up with a spinning tornado kick to Norbu’s chest, staggering him back.

"Stop this while you can!" Tenzin shouted, his voice ringing clear amidst the chaos.

Norbu, regaining his composure, lunged forward with fierce determination. "This will continue, even if you take my head!"

He brought his glaive down in a powerful descending strike. Tenzin stepped back, choosing not to block but instead to thrust his spear, seeking to exploit an opening. Norbu deftly deflected the blow with a sweeping motion of his glaive, the impact rattling Tenzin’s bones.

Tenzin quickly rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the follow-up strike aimed at his head.The ground was rough beneath him, but he used the momentum to spring back to his feet, ready to strike again.

Seizing the opportunity, he thrust his spear again, spiraling it inside. Norbu deflected it once more, but Tenzin used the momentum to turn the spear’s tip downward, thrusting it into Norbu’s leg.

"Now it’s over," Tenzin declared, his spear aimed at Norbu’s neck. But he was suddenly forced to duck as a whizzing arrow flew past him.

The clash of forces resumed, with Norbu momentarily pushed back, his glaive still firmly in hand. Despite the blood seeping from his leg, his expression remained resolute. "Instead of trying to stop me, you should get inside. Your princess is in danger," he warned.

Tenzin’s heart sank at those words. He hurriedly ran toward the fort with his spear in hand, leaving the command in the hands of the field commanders.

As he rushed inside the fort, he was shocked to see soldiers clashing on the battlements. Some sections of the fort were also caught in fire. He passed through the hallways and saw the corpses of soldiers lying in every corner. He followed the trail of corpses and heard the faint clash of steel. His heart pounded as he made his way to the grand hall.

There, he saw 6 Kashmiri elites, battered and bruised, facing 20 masked Ladakhi soldiers with all their might, protecting Princess Zara at the center. These men were his special unit, loyal only to him.

The space was too confined for long weapons; both sides wielded swords, and the brutal clash of blades echoed through the hall. Suddenly, Tenzin spotted a masked Ladakhi soldier slipping through a gap in the melee, his sword aimed at the princess.

Tenzin hurled his spear with all his might. The weapon struck the attacker, knocking him backward and into several other soldiers behind him, breaking the defensive ring around the princess. The sudden disruption momentarily halted the battle, drawing all eyes to Tenzin.

With the enemies momentarily stunned, Tenzin seized the opportunity. He unsheathed his talwar and charged forward, cutting through the remaining Ladakhi soldiers that tried to block his path and cleared the way. As he reached Zara, he stood poised to defend her.

"One scratch on her, and none of you will leave here alive." he thundered in rage.

He scanned the area with the corner of his eye, noticing the bodies of his fallen men, including Dorje. These six were the last of his unit.

The Ladakhi soldiers prepared to strike, but their leader stepped forward and removed his mask. It was Commander Tashi. He bowed respectfully and said, "Your Highness, it’s me, Tashi. We are under strict orders. Please don’t make this harder than it has to be."

The Ladakhi soldiers hesitated, stepping back in confusion as they realized they were facing royalty.

Princess Zara gasped, her face pale with disbelief. "Your Highness?" Her voice cracked as she turned to Tenzin, her eyes welling with tears. "Tenzin, are these...your people? You...you betrayed me?"

Tenzin stood speechless, his heart heavy with guilt. He had always feared this moment, but never imagined it would unfold like this.

Ignoring her accusation, Tenzin focused on Tashi. "So much bloodshed.. Why? This was supposed to be peaceful."

Tashi sighed, revealing a royal parchment. "The king has ordered us to recover the kingdom’s seal from the princess. We need her seal on this parchment for the merger, and then she is free to go. Please cooperate."

Tenzin’s momentarily faltered, but before he could respond, an arrow whizzed past and struck Zara in the stomach.

"No!" Tenzin cried, rushing to her side as she crumpled to the floor. He knelt, broken, as blood seeped from her wound.

A middle-aged figure clad in padded armor strode forward, bow in hand. It was Sangye Namgyal, Tenzin’s uncle and the First Prince. His voice dripped with scorn as he surveyed the scene. "Cooperate? I spent all this time lining up the perfect shot, and now this little mutt gets credit for the merger?"

Sangye sneered, turning to his men. "Search the bitch for the seal... it’s on her somewhere." Then, with a twisted smile, he glanced at Tenzin. "And you, nephew... order your dogs to stand down, unless you want to be branded a traitor. This battle is over."

One of Tenzin’s loyal soldiers hesitated and asked, "Your Highness, orders?"

Tenzin gently laid Zara down, who was still breathing heavily. With a chilling tone, he ordered, "Protect her." He gripped the spear in one hand and switched his talwar to the other.

Sangye chuckled mockingly. "I knew it. He’s lost it." He nocked an arrow and fired it at Tenzin.

But Tenzin deflected it with ease, his eyes locked on Sangye. The Ladakhi soldiers hesitated, inching backward with uncertainty.

Sangye, growing more furious, took another arrow. "Kill him, you dogs! He’s turned.."

Before he could finish, Tenzin hurled his spear. It impaled Sangye’s exposed torso, slamming him against the wall. His eyes widened in disbelief, as he couldn’t even make the second shot. "You dare..." he died, while blood spilling from mouth.

Commander Tashi pointed his blade. "Prince Tsewang, you are under arrest for attacking royalty. This is your last warning. Surrender now!"

But Tenzin was lost in his fury, his eyes burning with rage. He charged forward, flipping mid air into a downward strike on the approaching Ladakhi soldiers. His blade sliced through them with precise, deadly arcs. The room exploded into chaos.

A soldier’s blade came at his chest, but Tenzin twisted aside, dodging the attack and stabbing another soldier nearby. As he switched swords from victims, he used the angle to create a sweeping arc, cutting down more enemies. One soldier tried to flank him from behind, but Tenzin hurled his sword, impaling him mid-charge.

With quick movements, he dodged more strikes, snatching a torch from the wall. Using the torch’s flames to drive the soldiers back, he created space to strike again, slashing through limbs and torsos as he advanced.

Commander Tashi tried to rush him, but Tenzin swung the torch, searing Tashi’s face with flames. The commander staggered back, blinking in pain. In that brief moment, Tenzin closed in and stabbed his throat. Tashi collapsed, lifeless.

The remaining Ladakhi soldiers fell easily under Tenzin’s relentless assault: blades flashing, limbs severing, and heads rolling were the only scene that unfolded. The room filled with the stench of blood and burning wood as flames began to lick the walls.

Tenzin’s loyal guards stood in stunned silence, their spines chilled by the carnage they had just witnessed. Their eyes met Tenzin’s blood-soaked figure, and they shivered in fear at what he had become.

Then, a faint voice broke the silence. "Tenzin..."

It was Zara. Her voice, fragile and weak, pulled him back from the edge of his rage. He rushed to her side, gently lifting her onto his lap. "Yes, Zara, I’m here. Look, I’ve killed them. Everything will be alright," he whispered, trying to reassure her, his voice trembling with hope.

Tears welled in Zara’s eyes as she touched Tenzin’s cheek with her blood-streaked hand. "My love... it seems Allah is calling me... for the sins I’ve done."

Tenzin’s heart raced in panic. "No, no! Don’t say that... don’t leave me now. I can’t live without you. I love you, Zara, please stay with me."

Zara’s lips quivered as she showed him the ring on her finger, her tears mingling with her labored breaths. "Dear... take seal.. wedding gift and. .. protect..kash.." she whispered anyhow . Then, with a final breath, her hand turned limp on his grasp.

Tenzin stared in disbelief, his world shattered just before his eyes. "Zara!" he cried out clutching her lifeless body.

Moments later, more Ladakhi soldiers arrived, their eyes widening in shock at the scene before them: the room ablaze, bodies strewn across the floor, and their prince kneeling beside the dead princess all soaked in blood.

Commander Norbu limped forward with grave expression. He pointed his blood-soaked glaive at Tenzin and his guards. "It’s over..." He paused, taking in the horrific carnage surrounding him.

Tenzin, broken and consumed by loss, held out the blood-soaked ring , "Take this.." and threw it " We surrender. Kashmir has fallen."