Battle of Rose Field

The Battle of Rose Field was a minor battle during the Zelan Campaign, mainly made up of Zelan resistance fighters trying to stop the Nirvans from conquering their area. The name came from the Rose Field nearby where many of the Zelans were later buried.

## Background

In **485PR**, Gallio Aebutus and Mettius Ordius gathered their 4 legions and began their advance to invade Zela.

The duo were constantly hit with Zelan resistance as the small nation had formed their small army and fought tooth and nail for every advance that the Nirvans made. This was most evident at the Battle of Hunan Pass, where they inflicted heavy losses on their enemy before withdrawing.

Before the end of Asunak, the two forces met again at the Battle of Bhirn River, this time a decisive victory for the Nirvans who were able to break through the line. While the two Zelan commanders, Emdrum Behrmann and Tymur Brecht returned to the city to reorganise the army, the Nirvans pushed into the region and began conquering the surrounding area.

Their goal was to take the land quickly, sending 3 of their 4 legions out to scan and capture enemy cities, one being led by Decimus Auxilius.

When he heard that the Zelans had broken, Adrim Heisig gathered some of his old soldiers to make their own stand against the Nirvans.

## Battle

When Decimus came into view of the Adrim Heisig and his troops he slowed his march and began forming up his troops. Expecting another slow push under hail of arrows, he was surprised when Adrim and his veteran soldiers charged the enemy.

Decimus quickly took control, using some of his slingers to slow down the enemy so he could rush together a line, actually having some of his triarii at the front by accident. When the missiles hit the Zelans, they didn’t care, instead pushing ahead and ignoring whatever wounds they accumulated.

Once the lines hit it was pure chaos. The Nirvans had barely managed to organise their forces and only the triarii were the ones holding off the enemy, the rest being pushed back into their second line, who was still getting ready. The Zelans, enraged, continued to hit their invaders with everything they had, becoming enraged. One account even states that Adrim had already taken 3 separate wounds at this point though continued to swing his axe none the wiser.

Seeing that his line was about to fall, Decimus committed his entire forces to the fight, believing it was now or never. The triarii not already in battle were incredibly happy to fight, sitting out from all combat so far. When they entered the battle it was like the Zelans when they first hit, tearing through the enemy and ignoring anything slowing them down.

After three hours of bloodshed, the Nirvans stood victorious, most of the triarii being the ones amongst the victors. The last of the Zelan fighters was actually Adrim, who had accumulated even more wounds by this stage and was somehow standing. As a show of respect, the triarii fought him face on, spearing him through two more times before the commander finally fell.

## Aftermath

Much to the surprise of the Nirvans, the Zelan people were not to be messed with. Though victorious, Decmius knew that more could come if he didn’t do something to appease the resistance. So, in a show of respect, he buried the Zelan fighters in a nearby rose field, hence the name, with full military honours.

Later when Decimus returned to this spot, he built a shrine showcasing the fierce nature of Adrim who tried fighting an army by himself.