24,603 (TRotE)
The Battle of Steam and Ice and fire and also Water or, BSIFW for short, was an epic battle that took Place at the Fortress of Unliquidatude when a simple duel between Fire Elemenstor Frannie Firetongue and Ice Elemenstor Pryce Lorlei draws in several Moistener spectators, erupting into a three-way war between Fire, Ice, and Water that lasts three weeks until the Hotbloods and Water Elemenstors put aside their differences and double-team the Ice Elemenstors.
Before the battle Firetounge, the head of her graduating class, was challenged to a duel by Pryce Lorlei, an ambitious Ice Elemenstor. It was ot long after graduation that Pryce issued the challenge to Frannie whom he publicly accused of cheating on the final exam at the Citadel (when in fact he had cheated).
Meeting at the appointed time at the Fortress of Unliquidatude in Ezermethalon, the two began their battle, at first the duel was of the normal sort several hotbloods and betterthanwatermenstors were around to watch the action. Indeed even normal soldiers began to watch the battle cheering with there appointed sides.
It was towards the end of the third hour of the duel that Moistener spectators along with various troopers under there command began to watch the battle unbiased as the fight waged on. Around the 5th hour when Frannie began getting the upper hand. A drunken brawl broke out among the soldiers of Ice and Fire, the water troops over hearing something about their mothers, charged in to the fray as well. So chaotic battle was being had in all points of the Fortress, Furniliars were used against one another is shocking displays of savagery and epic slaughter, shocked the ice elemenstors demanded a small truce be made thus the battle ended temporaily.
At once the various forces went to there respective camps and divided up. This took several days and in the time the betterthanwatermenstors received a surge of troops, as the first week of the battle had been fought in the fort it was agreed during a meeting the remainder of the battle would take place in and around the fort. Soon However the fighting began a new after the betterthanwatermenstors launched duel salvos at the fire elemenstors. Fighting back the Ice the hotbloods launched the now famous Duel Fire Spin Formation, setting their own troops on fire and having them run in circles into the enemy ranks.
This effective attack was stopped almost instantly when Firetounge's toaster Furniliar, Butters the Toaster of Small Stature but Great Courage, tried to buy time by launching a sneak attack on an on going fight between the ice and water forces. This attack known as Butters' Last Charge, is one of the most famous examples of bravery and stupidity known through out ELoTH.
On the second week, Ms Firetongue encountered the defacto leader of the Moisteners, Wallace Arden, and a mutual attraction was sparked. Together, they were able to convince their peers that Ice was the mutual enemy of both Fire and Water, and that only steam - the true opposite of Ice and the result of mixing Fire and Water, could win the day. The two made a deal and together lead the combined forces into the final battle.
The initial plan of the direct attack to lull the Ice men in to a false sense of security worked after which Arden and Firetounge along with several other Water and Fire Elemenstors all attacked at once causing a thick cloud of steam obscuring the vision of the defending Ice Elemenstors. Following several more days Of sneaking about the constant cloud of steam, victory was attained after Pryce Lorlei was killed after proclaiming he could never be defeated by such sad tactics. An attempt was made to melt the Fortress of Unliquidatude which unfortunately failed owing to the shear power of the Secret Tome of Unliquid and Resc Vored. A tribute to all those who fell was etched into the fortress instead. The statue that was carved showed Moistener hero, and Arden's friend, Sor the Spitter holding Butters high In his hand looking to the sky
After the battle Firetounge and Arden would Go on to found the Coalition Of Steam, in honor of brave and bold Butters, going so far as to build headquarters in the shape Of a giant Toaster. Arden and Firetounge would later be married on the 5th anniversary of the battle at the statues feet.