Written by Risca
McCask {Border Legion Leader
Mak'don {Gnome Chieftan
Hef'tang {Gnome Commander
Radeg {Dwarf King
Gonbuyr {Dwarf Governor
Pwent {Head Battlerager
King Gilfannon {Of Tyrsis
Chamberlain Arion {Of Tyrsis
Wil {Druid
Wyld Wynds {Head of the Druid Healers
Belwar {Dwarven Elder, Risca's Father
Hendel {Dwarf, Risca's Brother
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pwent stared out over the plains of the Borderlands. The Dark Army stretched out for miles, ready for an upcoming attack. They only waited the word from the Black Knight to engage the seige. For as far as Pwent could see, thousands upon thousands gathered on that plain below, awaiting their chance to please their master, and to take this fortress, killing everything alive in it.
The battlerager looked down the line of the battlements, and the soldiers linning it. Men stood ready, waiting for the dark army to advance on Tyrsis. He found Wil, the druid from Paranor up there as well. This battle would be the deciding factor in the Borderland War. If Tyrsis were to fall, that would leave open everything west and south. This was the heart of defense of the four lands.
Shaking his head, Pwent said to himself, "I be hatin these stankin seiges. They be levin me no room to fight. Be mighty useless up on these walls o' theirs."
* * *
Before they went up to the battlements, McCask, Mak'don, Radeg, Wynds and Belwar went straight through he city to the King's palace. They ran straight down the main way, and crossed the bridge in which Par and Coll had to find to get to the Sword of Shanara hundreds of years earlier. No guards stopped them, and none gave them any strange looks, everyone knew that they were under seige, and this held the utmost importance.
Almost at a run, the party reached the King's private chamber door. They didn't knock and await for him to bid them enter, instead, they walked right on in, the urgency of it all was too great to be delayed by petty formalities.
Apparently, Arion, the King's Chamberlain liked the petty formalities no matter the situation, for he was hopping around, screaming to his King about them "not following the correct rites of formal greeting".
Rolling his eyes, Gilfannon told Arion, "If you don't calm down, and shut up, I will throw you in a vice! And then feed you to the wild dogs that feed in the gutter!"
A small wimper came from Arion, put in his place, once again, but Gilfannon. Lately, there has been alot of that going on. He had to be a strong king now, like his father was before him. Not always known for his diplomatic skills, Gilfannon had once been a fighter, a long story revolved around his older brother, who was murdered, who should have now held the throne.
"My Lord," McCask started. "We have brought our forces in, and the dark army will no doubt try to make Tyrsis crumble. We have the aid of the dwarves and gnomes in this one."
Introducing the party in front of him, McCask began. "This here is King Radeg of the dwarves, and beside him is High Chieftan Mak'don of the gnomes. Next to them is Wynds, a Druid of Paranor, and Belwar, one of the leaders of the dwarven army." All four stepped forward, and gave a slight bow as their name was called.
Gilfannon looked to Mak'don and Radeg. "I know I'm not the most learned man in the lands, but if this army made the dwarves and gnomes ally, putting aside such animosity, then we truly must watch ourselves, and how we fight here. Now, what can we do here?"
* * *
Hendel stared over the men, and one in particular: Hef'tang. The gnome ordered men around, no doubt with experience. Hendel wondered how many dwarves the gnome commander had killed in his lifetime. How many families had this beast ruined? Gonbuyr saw Hendel's blank stare, and walked over to him, putting himself in the line of sight.
"Hendel, you must put aside this hate if we're ever to win this war," Gonbuyr said, trying to capture Hendel's full attention.
"You don't see what's going on here, Gonbuyr. The gnomes are trying to deceive us. They will plan an attack when we return to our homes. From what I've heard, Capaal and Culhaven lay in ruins, a perfect target. They have a better chance to massacre us when we have no defenses..." Hendel said, before he got cut off.
"Listen up Hendel, the gnomes have nothing anymore. Like us. It would be pointless for them to attack us. And to add to this, the gnomes have helped us from the start. Dying next to us, and in place of us. And I know Hef'tang would not appretiate your slanderous accusations, he and Solarth had become good friends, and Hef'tang had to watch, helpless when Solarth died in battle..." Gonbuyr was cut off as quickly as he cut Hendel off.
"...Like a true dwarven warrior..."
"Be quiet Hendel!" Gonbuyr was getting mad.
Hendel didn't appreciate getting yelled at. Standing tall, his five foot frame taller than Gonbuyr's by a few inches. Right in the governor's face, Hendel's face got red, he was ready to explode. No one ever yelled at Hendel. His fists clenched tight, and his jaw clenched.
* * *
McCask, with the help of Mak'don and Belwar, explained everything he knew about this army. They explained that the army's weakness was primarily fire, and that there were four types of soldiers: the footmen, the riders, the ghwerigs and the flyers. They told Gilfannon everything known about each creature. Wynds then talked about the two dark commanders for the army. She went on about the White Soceress and the Black Knight.
"So, this Black Knight seems to be in charge of the army, and the White Sorceress is there to give him magical support," Gilfannon placed his hand on his chin in thought. "Let's get out there," he said, before standing up and leaving, grabbing a huge broad sword leaning against the wall.
* * *
Down on the plains of the Borderlands, the dark army lay in wait. They waited for the perfect time to strike, and to try to overpower the fortress. The Black Knight and the White Sorceress took the front again, sizing up the defenses of Tyrsis. They placed their army back a few hundred yards, out of the range of the catapults and balistae they men no doubt had mounted attop the fortress.
"Another Druid has joined their fight. Will you be able to handle that?" the knight said to the sorceress. "The master will be displeased with us if we do not win this fortress, a very valuable asset to us."
"I will, the druids are weaker than I. The new one doesn't have the control like the other, but he controls new magic, a lot different than the one who we encountered before. The girl seems to control a healing ability from what I've seen. And this one revolves around the elements, but no worry, I still am more powerful than anything they can do."
"Then the master will truly be pleased, we will do well for him, and he will reward us greatly. We will attack come sundown, the darkness will cover most of our movements," the Black Knight said, making sure his gear was in place. The sorceress moved off, and focused her magic, there would be more to use in this fight than any so far.
* * *
Hendel threw a hard punch, heading straight for Gonbuyr's face, but something stopped him. His fist stopped only inches from the governor's head. Hendel turned to find Wil holding his arm back.
"Seems like you haven't changed a bit Hendel, still as gruff as usual," Wil laughed, easing the tension in the air.
"Well Wil, long time no see, haha!" Hendel laughed a deep laugh. Wil and Hendel were once apprentices back in Paranor together. Not best of friends, they were acquainted as collegues in their separate arts.
Gonbuyr let out a deep breath, he had seen what Hendel did to that gnome when he first came to camp. He was releived that his nose was still in good standing order. And the governor well knew that there could be no inner conflict with the Allied races if they were to live and defeat the threat at hand.
* * *
Gilfannon already had the order out for the streets to be cleared for the attack. Civilians scrambled around, gathering their belongings to take into hiding with them. The only people who now roamed the streets were soldiers and officers of all ranks. Arion stayed back in the palace to keep to safety, he wasn't a fighting man, he was a politician.
The three Kings, accompanied by McCask, Wynds and Belwar made their way up to the front gates. The huge gates were already barricaded by huge wooden planks. It would take a tremendous force to break down the gates, and impossible to tear down the walls like what had happened at Culhaven, beyond that fact that they were rigged to collapse.
The took the stairs up to the battlements, and gathered everyone. They saw Pwent, looking at the army out there, and took him to where Wil, Hendel, Gonbuyr and Hef'tang were. The sun started it's journey to hide behind the mountains to the west. The gathered 11 listened intenly to what Gilfannon told them.
"OK, their best bet would be to start a strike when it gets dark. So, here's what I propose..."
* * *
Back in the palace, Arion had other plans. The druids were here again. They were trying to subdue the King and with it, let that army take over Tyrsis. From reports Arion heard, the druids were there form the start, then they sent around messengers to try to "get help", but the Chamberlain knew what they were up to.
He caustiously, as not to be spotted, walked through the palace. Ducking through the darkened corridors, he made his way to the basement. The darkness was his friend here, no one would know his face in the shadows. His purpose down here was simple, he would go to his secret room, and come up with a plan to get rid of the druids.
Finding his door, in the bowels of the palace, he opened the old heavy door. It opened with ease, not a sound. This used to be an old utility shed for weapons and wartime surpluses, but he found this room and cleaned it up, making it into a study of sorts for himself. His real quarters were in the city, a nice little house on palace grounds, but he was here more often, researching and studying and planning.
Arion walked into his little room, and lit some candles to get the dark room brighter. He went over to his desk, which was full of scientific supplies and manuals. Beakers and test tube like flasks were all set up in displays of scientific knowledge. Liquids of all colors filled each flask and some say on burners, bubbling off.
The dank and musty small of his room was only dominated by the smell of chemicals and salts he had stored on shelves and his table. The cobwebs hung low on the corners of the room, adding to the dreary atmosphere cast in the room. Shadows danced on the walls from the glow of the candles.
Arion leaned over the table, grabbing a pinch of this and a pinch of that, sprinkling it over the boiling chemicals. He was making potions, specifically,...poisons,...for the druids.
* * *
The sun fell below the horizon on the west, leaving the Borderlands cloaked in blackness. The Black Knight felt that this was the time to move. He stood next to the White Sorceress, and they looked at each other, seeming to have a mental word between eachother. The Black Knight nodded and moved in front of his troops. Raising his hand, he motioned his soldiers to attack Tyrsis. A loud roar came up from their ranks, the footmen's thirst for blood and the ghwerigs' calls sounded in the night. The flyers also took off. Heading for the castle, they'd be a huge asset for their victory.
* * *
Pitch blackness covered the plains. Nothing could be seen out there any more. Gilfannon knew this, and was prepared for it. barking orders, the battlements lit up the sky. Archers, hundreds of them lined the wall. Each one had a flame tipped arrow, notched and ready for the word to fire.
"Hold," Gilfannon said first,..."hold"..."Fire!" he yelled.
The archers aimed high, their sole purpose wasn't an attack, rather, it was to provide a little light. Their arrows shot high up into the air, supplying the men with enough light to see the hoarde of creatures rushing the walls. Flyers could be seen in the night sky, men started to panic, but were calmed by their leaders.
"Fire the catapults and balistae!" the King of Tyrsis yelled.
Fire balls were sent soaring into the air next, destroying everything in their paths. Smashing on the ground below, taking out handfuls of footmen below.
"Everyone, Fire at will!" he commanded.
Arrows of fire and catapults hurling large balls of fire shot off into the enemy ranks. The archers weren't as liberal with their shots as were the catapults and ballistae, because they awaited the rush of the flyers.
And come it did. Dozens over dozens of flyers flew to Tyrsis. Their vision had to be better than the men, undoubtedly. They flew on, dodging what they could of the flaming missiles. Flyer after flyer went down, bringing a huge cheer from the battlements. This time, the Allies were prepared for this assault, and their skills would prove effective,...possibly.
But, some of the flyers did make it past the barrage of the archers and catapults. They went straight for the archers, clawing at them, and tearing into flesh with their teeth. A handful of archers went down quick under the sky raid, but the archers kept firing. The flyers pressed on relentlesly, trying to take out as many archers as they could. They almost suceeded until the archers regrouped further back and slaughtered the flyers, concentrating their fire solely on them.
The remaining flyers fell back into the darkened sky, returning to their place in the rear of the army. The wave of footmen and ghwerigs rushed the walls, an audible crunch could be heard as the footmen slammed against the walls with their force. As they climbed the walls, the men atop the battlements poured boiling pitch down it, making it slippery, not to mention burning the soldiers below. They tried climbing, but the pitch slowed tham, and many fell halfway through the climb, trampled under the feet of their comrades. Those who did make it to the top however, were quickly cut down b the awaiting men up top and thrown back over the edge.
The slower ghwerigs took their time, letting the footmen take the brunt of the defenses. Their hulking frames ramedd against the gates. The hinges buckled under the weight of their force, but the barricade still held. Ghwerig after ghwerig threw themself onto the gates. None however, could break it down.
The attack was losing its momentum, noothing the dark army did would work. Every tactic they had used on Capaal, Culhaven and all of the gnome nation didn't work here. They had to adapt. But first, they had to pull back their ranks.
Retreating into the night, the dark army was silent. The eerie silence of the retreat sent shivers up the spines of everyone who defended Tyrsis. The only thing to break that deadly silence was the yell of victory from atop the walls of Tyrsis. Men, Dwarves and Gnomes alike all yelled out their own cries of victory, telling the retreating army that they would not go easily into the night, that they'd fight back, and protect everything they'd have.
* * *
The Black Knight seemed frustrated. He had terribly underestimated their defenses. Confident as he was, he was anything but foolish. He must call back the attack. Thinking about the next time, the Black Knight couldn't truly belive that they had lost this one, they had plowed throught the Eastland easily, and now, this one fortress was still standing. Looking back at the White Sorceress agian, they decided between themselves to try something else.
"The master will not be pleased with such failure," the sorceress told the knight in a mocking way.
"We have not failed yet. But remember, you will be punished along with me if the master truly is displeased. We will try again, and win. From what we have seen, all of their strength lies in the front. If we get around to the sides, we could take it over. It will work," was all the Black Knight said before heading into the darkness.
Small fires rested on the plains from the arrows and catapults which provided a small bit of light, but they were quickly dying out.
* * *
Arion sat back as the chemicals boiled off. He would prepare something special for the two druids. From what his spies told him, he gained some good information on the two druids who were in Tyrsis. The one, Wynds, was a Healer, seated on the High Council. The other was Wil, a Keeper apprentice. He knew that the apprentice would be an easy target for a few reasons. For one, he was just an apprentice, his magic wouldn't be as controlled as a druid. And for that, Arions knew what kind of poison to use. It wouldn't matter how sloppy it was, because, apprentices weren't trained in anything much beyond their specific arts. Wynds, on the other hand, would be a lot more difficult. For one, she was a healer, and could probably neutralize anything he could make. Another reason for the difficulty was the fact that she just wasn't a druid, she was on the High Council as the Head Healer.
Sitting in his chair, he took down a book from a makeshift shelf at his side. He flipped through pages, looking for a good poison for Wynds. Wil's was aready done, sitting confortably on the desk.
* * *
"We should hit em now," Pwent said in front of the gathered eleven, who were all in one of the terrises. "I say we send out me and me battleragers, and hit em in the dark 'fore they even know what hit em."
"But, what do you think you and your 20 men can do to thousands?" Gilfannon asked, making a point.
Before Pwent could retort, McCask stood. "It's a good idea. But we'd need more men though. A sneak attack in the dark. But the only thing is that we just can't open the doors and walk on out."
"Good, then we'll send out two parties, one through the pasages under the palace, and one though the street tunnels," the King turned to McCask. "You, Pwent, and Wil take the battleragers through the palace, and out of the side tunnel, I want you guys to be lookout and backup for the larger force. I want that new Free Corp kid, Hendel and Hef'tang to lead another force through the sewers. This will be the main force, a few hundred of the legion will do fine. Go do it."
"Aye, let's get this done quickly, I be needing a good meal after this," the armor clad dwarf said as the five in the room left.
Hendel growled low enough that no one heard him. Not until Belwar put his hand on his shoulder did Hendel know that his father had heard, and understood. Hendel didn't like gnomes and here he was, paired up with Hef'tang on a strike. He had no choice, but to accept it, which made him angry.
* * *
The Black Knight sent out his troops on the right flank of the fortress, hoping that he would gain that side, and enter there. A few hundred footmen, a handful of ghwerigs and some gory mounts for support. They tread silently across the open plains, using the cover of darkness to mask their movements.
* * *
McCask, Pwent and Wil took the 20 Battleragers through the palace, making their way through the basement. They passed hundreds of doors, but one particular one caught their eye. Once an abandoned surplus shed, it looked like the room was cleaned. The door looked used, and the hinges looked greased. A small puff of smoke came out from underneath the door, and that was their cue.
McCask walked up and started banging on the door. He would get to the bottom of this, only guardsmen were alowed down here, and he was willing to bet that it was one of them in there, doing something shady.
But, when the door opened, Arion rushed out, stabbing a battlerager with a poisoned dagger, the one meant for Wil. When he saw the druid, his jaw dropped instanly. McCask wanted Arion alive, and he tackled the politician before any of the battleragers could take action.
"Guards!" he yelled, bringing attention to them.
At the call, three guardsmen found them. McCask gave them orders to lock Arion up in a cell by himself. The King would be told later. The battlerager lay dead on the ground, discolor marked his face, a very potent poison. One guard took Arion, and two carried the dwarf, making sure not to injure themselves by his armor.
Solemly, they made their way to their positions, finding a secret door in another room, taking it outside.
* * *
It was all silent up on the battlements. The three kings leaned over the wall and talked about their people and talked about how they would change when the war was over. Radeg and Mak'don talked of alliance, they had become friends in the time they had joined sides. A very unusual alliance turned out for the better.
Wynds, Belwar and Gonbuyr stood aside, talking of their own hopes and aspirations after the war. Alot of talk arose about a victory, and the rebuilding of the east. Belwar and Gonbuyr both knew what they wanted to do aftr the war, but Wynds, wasn't sure. She felt a need to move on, to get away for a while, leaving her home of Paranor to find something else.
* * *
Outside, both Tyrsis forces emerged from their hiding places. The one lead by the Free Corp kid was gathered by the side wall, waiting for the one lead by McCask. They waited, with 400 of the legion waiting.
Wil, Pwent and McCask lead the 19 battleragers in a wide arch, surveying the area, just by chance, or by luck, they found something. Peeking out of a small grove of trees, they heard the soft thunder of footsteps. They spotted them out a way, footmen, ghwerigs and gory mounts. Returning to the main force, the battleragers thought of the fight. A Sneak attack on a strike force, an excellent opportunity.
The force loved the idea, this was a good chance to keep the dark army dwindling in numbers. They moved silently to intercept the dark army's troop.
They found the small party, maybe a few hundred strong heading towards the right flank of Tyrsis, maybe looking for a new route inside. The numbers were about even here, and the command for attack was signaled to the men dwarves.
The battleragers were first, and they had a spearhead formation, ready to take on the whole batalion. The legion men spread out behind them in their tight formations so that none would live past a first pass. They crept slowly, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. As the gory mount's exposed flank passed, Pwent gave the signal to his men to charge.
Tearing through ranks of footmen, the battleragers pressed on into the middle of the group. Their best fighitng was in the most desperate of positions, their rage andd ferocity came out best when put in this type of situation, and they welcomed it gladly.
McCask and the Free Corp kid led out their men with the help of Wil, Hef'tang and Hendel. They received the brute force of the gory mounts. Pikemen took down the horses, and killed the riders as quickly and efficiently as possible, but the dark creatures knew how to fight, and fought back with fury. Never before had either side seen such even odds.
Equal numbers and possibly equal strength. But, the ghwerigs were sill about, too slow to act fast enough to be effective now. Footman after footmen fell to the Tyrsis force, and legionaire after legionaire fell to footmen, ghwerigs and mounts alike.
Hef'tang and Hendel wound up surrounded by footmen. Fighting back to back, they fought with passion. The dwarf weilded his mace, braining creatures as they came near, and the gnome weilded a long sword, gutting and cutting through demons like it was his job. Hendel wasn't too fond of the gnome, but he had to admit that he was a skilled warrior. A few of these footmen rushed in at once, pressing the 2 for ground. They were pushed back, further and further, until they had almost no room to fight...
* * *
The Black Knight felt that sending the little force wasn't such a great idea and decided to let them try what they were, but another attack on the front gates would be a good idea. Tyrsis would not be expecting such an attack again, and then the small force on the other end would help spread out the defenses.
Telling his troops to move out, he dismounted and took the lead with the White Sorceress, they would prove to be a deciding factor in this fight. Never before had anyone seen these two in actual combat. The unknown would help them take Tyrsis.
* * *
The dark army's small force was slaughtered, only a ghwerig and a handful of footmen and gory mounts made it out of there alive. The Tyrsis men and the dwarves were elated, they had proven the stronger. McCask went around, gathering everyone he could off of the battlefield. Sadly, the Free Corp kid was dead. A ghwerig had broken his neck, which was dead next to him, surrounded by some legion.
He then found Wil, surrounded by enemy dead., a bloody sword in hand. The druid couldn't waste his magic, so he was forced to use weapons. Bruised and scratched up everywhere, Wil was still ok, a little fatigued, but ok.
Pwent was around as well, his armor covered in blood, and chunks of enemy's bodies all over him. His battleragers came out unscathed. All nineteen of them stood together, laughing and bragging about how many they killed and the sorts.
McCask then found the spot where Hendel and Hef'tang had made their stand, but there was no one standing there. Turning over bodies, and trying to identify who was who. He then came upon a tangled mass. On top was a body with an enemy sword in the back. Turning the body over on its side, he could clearly see that it was Hef'tang. The body underneath him was Hendel's...
* * *
Up on the battlements, the Tyrsis force layed back, breathing deeper and easier because they had pushed the dark army back once. Victory was theirs this night. They never expected the next attack. The only thing they knew is that the front wall shook under a great weight. Ghwerigs pounded on the gates without any warning. Footmen again assaulted the walls, climbing to the top.
The Tyrsis army was caught on surprise, the dark army had come out of the night as silently as they had left only a few hours earlier. This time howeve r, they had the aid of the Black Knight and the White Sorceress.
Attacking the fortress with a renewed sense of fury, the dark army almost broke down the gates, but again, the barricade held, barely. This time however, the ghwerigs moved back, and let the two dark commanders pass. The White Sorceress lifted her arms, and with that, she forced the doors open, busting the barricade down like little twigs. The Black Knight was the first to enter...
* * *
McCask was ready to leave when he heard a groaning. He examined closer and found that Hendel was still alive. He helped the dwarf up, noticing the nasty cut on his head.
"He saved me McCask. The gnome, Hef'tang, saved my life. He took a sword in the back for me...," Hendel bowed his head, and payed respect for a fallen,...friend. With those words, the dwarf lifted the gnome onto his shoulder, and carried him into the night with the rest of the survivors of the Tysis force.
Out of 419 fighters, only about 80 total remained. The death of the Free Corp kid and Heft'tang were not counted, both of their bodies were taken back to the castle as they snuck back in the way they had come.
* * *
The archers shot their fire tipped arrow into the mass of creatures at the gates. Nothing they did would prevent them from entering the fortess under the guidance and leadership of their leaders. Now, most of the forces from Tyrsis were gathering in the streets to stop the rush, and force them back out. Most of the Legion tried to get at the Black Knight, but the black armored warrior cut down men left and right with little to no effort at all. His own men fell at his side, but he wasn't going to fall. His serrated rune sword moved in huge, quick arcs, cutting down everything in his path.
The White Sorceress was on another approach, she went to seek out the Kings which have gathered. She found them, all three, weapons drawn and ready for battle. Gilfannon took the middle fore position while Radeg took his left flank, and Mak'don took the right one. A typical arrow shaped formation, a very defenseive one, which could spring quick and efficient offenses.
Tired of silly sword play, the sorceress raised her hands to the air, and summoned fourth a huge burst of energy. Pointing her hands at the trio, she sent a streak of lightning straight for them, intending to incinerate them...
* * *
The returning Tyrsis strike force entered the fortress, hearing the new sounds of battle. McCask moved them faster, eventhough they were all tired. They had to help, and quickly, men were needed, and none could be wasted, even if it were only 90 men. Laying the two bodies they carried, Hef'tang and the Free Corp kid, in a well suited place, they ran from the palace to the front gates where they took part in battle almost immediatly.
Pwent's men did their thing, flinging themselves onto enemies, ripping them to pieces. The leader of the group scewered demons on his pike helmet. He and his men were covered in blood, their battle prowess heightened by their techniques.
Wil, on the other hand, bought his time wisely, not wishing to lose all of his energy. He took alot of defensive parries, using minimal amounts of magic. Hendel, the once-apprentice of the druids, stood nearby, bashing in skulls and beaking footmen with his mace to give Wil time and protection. The dwarf knew that weapons wasn't Wil's strong point, and gladly helped out.
Swinging his broadsword in trained, and deadly blows, McCask was the sight. His hair flowed out as he dodged and slashed and his armor stained with blood from his enemies, his dead enemies. Supported by his men, they rallied, pushing back the dark army. But, the dark army had alot more going for them. There was certainly more demons then men, dwarves and gnomes combined, and on top of that, their two commanders fought along side them.
* * *
The Black Knight was almost alone now. The legions took notice of all the men laying at his feet, and hesitated in their attacks. The only opponents he now had were two dwarves. One held an ax, and the other held a standard dwarven broadsword. They came in, both at the same time, one to the left, the other to the right. The Black Knight didn't know their names, and he didn't care, but if he were to check on it, he'd find that he faced Belwar, a smith and Commander from Culhaven, and Gonbuyr, the Governor of Capaal.
Relentless in their assaults, the dwarves watched their movement. They dove in, trying to take shots on the knight, but the knight parried, blocked and dodged each one of them. Their only hits were of luck, but they didn't phase the dark commander one bit. The smaller beings were no match for this hulking demon.
* * *
The White Sorceress laughed as she let the lightning streak towards the three kings. But she never saw the fourth person out of the corner of her eye.
A bright orange cord snaked out quickly, and deflected the lighting bolt. Arcing over the night, the hordes of the dark army could be seen out on the plains, rushing in on the fortress. The White Sorceress turned to find Wynds. Letting the laugh die down, her face grew twisted into anger. She had the kings where she wanted them, and all of it was ruined by a petty druid.
The three kings pressed onwards to the sorceress. Wynds had gave them a chance to beat her once and for all. They closed in, with Wynds holding her magic in check. The White Sorceress had no choice but to fall back within the ranks of her army again. Disappearing into the mass of her own men, the White Sorceress laughed at their failed attempt to kill
her.
* * *
The Black knight kept up the game for as long as he felt necessary. He made it appear to the dwarves that they had held the upper hand, when in fact, it was the knight who controlled the fight.
Getting very tired of the pityful fighting, the knight decided to end this, and now. With a tricky sweep, changing his strategy, he planted his rune sword deep into Gonbuyr's arm, and pulling back, ripping out muscle and tendons. The dwarf's sword automatically fell as the knight when a troop of gory mounts broke through the ranks. They fought hard against eachother, but in the end, McCask caught an ax to his head from behind. The human's men faultered, fearing death for their leader had fallen in their fight. But they had the fight that their leader had, and pressed on. They forced the mounts back, killing them, while taking their own casulties.
* * *
The battle ended hours later. The Tyrsis defenses had fallen when the dark army broke through the gates, but the Border Legion, Free Corp, Dwarven army and Gnome army have proven to be a strong alliance, fighting for everything. Pushed back out of the gates, the dark army took camp far away from the fortress, suffering great losses. Celebration marked the fortrees of Tyrsis that night.
The sun rose a little bit later, revealing to the four lands the battle that was fought. Dead men, dwarves, gnomes and dark creatures littered the fortress, and the surrounding plains, which were now soaked in blood.
* * *
King Gilfannon held council with the leaders of the armies. Radeg, Mak'don, Wynds, Wil, Pwent, Hendel and Belwar all took audience. The deaths of McCask, Hef'tang and Gonbuyr were noted, and a moment of silence befell the room, all had died with honor ang glory in battle, and each would receive a heroic passing.
All of them contributed plans for a quick rebuilding, as to prepare for another attack. No one had heard anything of the other half of the dark army, and surly, when they have heard of the victory at Tyrsis they'd be sent to back up the other half. They'd have to be ready for another
seige sometime.
From the battlements, the dark army could be seen as a black spot on the horizon. They massed there, waiting for another time to attack, and Tyrsis would be ready, once again to fend off this threat to the four lands.
* * *
The dark army was forced to retreat to the sounds of jubiliation. Tyrsis was victorious in their defense, and the dark army had failed horribly in their attempt to seige the fortress. They moved off, pitching a camp a few miles outside in order to regroup.
The Black Knight was a little sore from the blast from Wil, but he was fine otherwise. The White Sorceress wasn't too pleased, she had been outsmarted, and she underestimated her opponents. Basically that was the dark army's fault, they took their previous victories for granted, thinking themselves purely invincible.
"You have failed me, Knight," a voice said, as two red eyes peered out of a new forming black mist.
"I beg forgiveness Master. Tyrsis was stronger than we expected, and they lay in wait for us when we attacked. They have the aid of two druids, and we were taken offguard." The Black Knight said, trying to choose his words carefully.
By this time, the White Sorceress moved in close to suport her comrade.
"It's true Master, we were taken by surprise and they rallied against our numbers with trickery."
"But is it not true that the one known as Wynds overpowered you? And the same for the one known as Wil, for you Knight?" Dark Overlord said, amused at their weaknesses. "No more excuses, you will wait where you are until I give you my orders, you will not move on your own anymore, I now give you the orders, and you will obey."
"Yes Master," both commanders respended.
And as fast as the eyes came, they were gone.
* * *
Back in a cell in Tyrsis, Arion sat patiently for his time to make the escape. He could at any time, but he was thinking wisely. He wanted the druids dead, and no doubt, they'd stay for a long time. And then he'd make his move, escape, and kill the druids...