The Fall Of The West (COMPLETED)

Prologue: The Horsemen

Like animals, mankind migrates from place to place. Unlike animals, human migration brings with it a lot of problems.

Why do people migrate? There are a lot of reasons. One very prevalent reason is the search for fertile lands. Some parts of the world are just uninhabitable, such as the cold wastes of Siberia or the dry, arid Sahara desert. These fertile lands are commonly located near water bodies, such as rivers or oceans. Water bodies provide water (no shit, bro), fertility for farming, and subsequently a form of civilization.

Another reason might be escape from oppressors or enemies. When the Huns invaded Eastern Europe and West Asia, many of the pre-existing tribes were either forced to submit to them, or flee westwards in hordes, as far away from the Huns as possible. Many of them eventually came into contact with the Roman Empire, and brought with them a plethora of problems.

Also, some migrators simply see no reason to settle down. An example is the Tuareg tribes of North Africa, who still exist even today. Another, more relevant example, is the Huns.

The Eastern European tribes were simply no match for the Huns. The former could not match their speed and lethality provided to the latter by their steeds, and many were defeated and subjugated, like the Greuthungi, later known as the Ostrogoths, and the Gepids. However, a few chose the migration option, leaving the steppes for protection in the Roman Empire. The most prominent of these tribes were the Tervingi, later known as the Visigoths, the Vandals, and the Alans.

Note: Not every member of each identity was on a certain side. Some Alans fought for the Huns, and some Ostrogoths followed the Visigoths into Roman territory.

The following is purely fictional.

"They're here again! Get your horses!"

Attaces didn't need to be told twice. He was already on Tamura, his horse, and making for the village gates already. The flat land in front of the village provided him a clear view of the approaching enemies.

A black horde of horsemen thundered across the plains. He knew them as the Huns, a people who had come out of nowhere and started attacking the Alani kingdom. Attaces remembered the rumors of their horsemanship being far superior to even them, having defeated every army that had been sent against them.

Now was the time to see whether those rumors were true.

Attaces was joined by a few more horsemen. Their numbers didn't match that of the Huns, but they were close. They might win this.

The Hunnic horse archers drew their bows and fired at them. A rider right next to Attaces was struck by two arrows and he went down silently. A few whizzed past him, a little too close for comfort. Attaces drew his own bow and took aim at a horse archer, and fired. His target dodged the arrow skillfully, and fired back, missing him also.

Now that they were closing in, Attaces unslung his lance from his back and grasped it firmly in his hands and leaned back in his saddle, bracing for the impact of the charge. A few more riders fell around him, but more were coming.

Suddenly, the Huns divided their force into two, and they quickly surrounded the Alani riders. The Huns kept their distance and kept firing at the horsemen, who unsuccessfully tried to break out of the encirclement. Attaces charged straight at a nearby horseman, who had apparently been too distracted to watch his back, and pierced right through his chest. Attaces lowered the lance momentarily to let the man slide off the shaft, and then raised it again for another charge.

The infantry reinforcements from the village were intercepted by a few Hunnic horsemen who also fired at them with their bows. Attaces took a quick look and realized that most of the cavalry were gone. This was bad. The infantry would not hold up against horse archers. They were too slow and too unarmored.