A great gathering of troops was arrayed along the Northern walls of Ilac City. The second, fourth and tenth legions of Ilac alongside the Saurans of Mon Zixa and the Waster army under Dust-in-Wind. 8,500 troops refreshed, replenished and ready for battle. They were outnumbered by the Scourge but they had the city walls and a burning desire to survive this day. The sun crested the Eastern horizon and the light streamed across the plains. It reflected off of the armour of ten thousand Scourge, moving in the distance to the North. Someone in the Fourth Legion began a speech that led to cheering. The speech continued and the cheering was soon taken up by the others. Within a few minutes the Northern wall of Ilac rocked with the voices of thousands of troops, cheering themselves out of their fear and taunting the enemy to come and attack. But still the attack did not come. The sun travelled across the sky and the army was no closer.
As the sun reached its peak a lone rider was spotted galloping furiously down the road towards the city. He was met by a small group who went forth from the city gates. A panicked and hasty reaction left the troops uncertain and nervous. The group split, most of them going straight towards the top of the city where the military council waited. Some of them came towards the walls. A murmur started where they imparted their information and then it spread rapidly, like wildfire amongst the troops. The Scourge had not taken the South road towards Ilac City. Instead they had continued West. There was confusion until a terrible realisation began to sink in. To the West was the smaller town of Metsreeh, where the majority of living Ilaci resided. The Scourge were going to hit Mestreeh, the greatest hope for a future that Ilac had. Panic began to set in. What would the military council do? Would they fight the Scourge in the open and lose their defensive advantage? But could they afford to contemplate the loss of any potential future for Ilac to live again. Either way, this was a terrifying change of course to this day.