Chapter 6
Sunny Hills. She was going to die at a place called Sunny Hills.
Katarina raised her sword high and swung it downward hard. The spray and constant rain of black blood did not unnerve her anymore as adrenaline took over her mind and body. She let her hatred for the children of Balur fuel her. The exit from the camp cost her many of her lionesses and when she rode back to her battle lines, she found them in disarray. Save for one regiment at the van of what's left of her army, everyone ran.
"Bank left, bank left!" Ser Tamra shouted and the knights followed, including Lady Karland. A burning ballista's rolled past them with a dwarven corpse embedded onto it as it burns. She couldn't recognize who it was, the flames had eaten to much of the features to tell. She followed the ballista's slow and painful demise until it hit a brick wall. She heard her grandfather's Wraiths put up a admirable fight but she did not doubt they to would be overrun in time. She only hoped he would give Lord Oberon and the peasants enough time to escape to the forests before he would face his second death. However the battle in front of her was already lost.
Large wolves and their orcish riders swooped down on her infantry and devoured them. Her eyes fell to one of her pikemen who was dragged off from the van. The warg threw the pikeman in the air before it rolled into a pack of them.
The young girl, barely of age to enlist, was crying for mercy as the pack fell on her. Her cries of fear and pain stopped as a loud, sickening sound from bones shattering cracked through and each wolf ran off with a different limb. One of them licked its bloody maw and seemed to grin at her as it approached. That one was dead, Katarina decided. She drove her horse forward and shouted her battle cry, a mix of anguish and hate, as she cursed Weor and Ran and any other god that failed them.
The wolf ran to her, followed by two of its pack. One on each side. Luckily the Lionesses that remained protected her flanks.
More wolves joined the others and charged to the Knights.
"Kill them all!" The orc rider on one of them cackled." Kill them all!"
"Kill those fuckers!" Katarina shouted to hers." I WANT TO BATHE IN THEIR BLOOD! I WANT TO BATHE IN THEIR BLOOD FOR A WEEK!"
The two forces collided at hide met tooth, hoof met bone and sword met armour. Katarina knew her horse was dead when the orc held out it's crude spear and aimed for the horse instead of the rider. As the spear penetrated the horse' flesh, Katarina jumped off her mount and leaped on the Orc. The look of fear in his eyes almost made her pity him. Almost.
Her sword penetrated his ugly face as both were tackled off the mount. Katarina rolled for a while as momentum carried her and the orc across the field. As they came to a stop she pulled her sword out of the orc and eagerly awaited her next foe. A group of them ran to her, screaming obscenities and dark promises to her body. She screamed back at them-no she did not scream. She roared.
"I AM KATARINA OF HOUSE KARLAND! I AM THE DAUGHTER OF THE LION! I WILL RIP YOU ALL APART!" she announced to her would-be killers and charged at them.
Sunny Hills, she was going to die at a place called Sunny Hills.
Oberon deflected a strike with ease before he severed the greenskin's head from his torso.
He and a few other Paladins held the back line as the othes , all of them made it past the camp, guided the refugees to the forest nearby as they took the longest and safest route back to Karland Hold. The Wraiths remained in the camp to give the Paladins more time. Since only a few Orcs followed them the Former lord Harren did promise he would hold as many orcs as he could to cover their escape.
"And another one bites the dust, praise Ran…" Marcus placed his hand on his chest to offer Ran his thanks.
"We are not out of the woods yet." Oberon stated." We should keep moving." He had to take a few deep breaths to gather his bearings. " Getting to old for this…." he muttered under his own breath.
"Why aren't we on the battlefield?" one of the younger Paladins asked." We're fending off stragglers. Stragglers! We are Paladins, we should be on the battlefield!"
"Orcs always pick easy targets." Marcus spoke." If Lady Katarina did not draw enough attention and the late Lord Harren cannot hold back our pursuers we are the only shields capable of defending those whom we are sworn to protect."
"That and it's a day for others to win glory." Oberon smiled. His mind did go to Faith and he prayed for her safety." We cant always be in the spotlights. It would be dull after a while."
"Yes, the fawning maids and the parades and the jousts in our honour have become quite dull." Marcus joined in.
"Oh do not forget the endless feasts in our honour, the horror!" Oberon mocked.
"It is a terrible burden." Marcus shook his head.
"Alright enough…" the younger Paladin said." I get the poi-"
"Lord Oberon!" One of the Paladins pointed ahead. Oberon frowned as he saw one of his shades run to him. The shade shifted through the trees and boulders as if they were nothing. In the Age of darkness, Mara the goddess of shadow created the shades from the combined essence of Weor and Eir. Light and Shadow. Reflection and Balance. Good and Evil. Because of this they did not obey the same laws as other Mortals did on the mortal plane. Unlike other races the shades fought against and alongside Balur during the Age of Chaos which earned the distrust of other races. Oberon himself was always wary of the shades, especially when Balur was involved, but they were a necessary evil.
"Regent Lord…" The Shade knelt down in front of him." The battle hasss become a masssssacre…" it hissed." The Lionssss are being overrun by a green ocean of death."
"What?!" Marcus exclaimed." How, they had the superior position!"
"Dark magic wasss involved…" the shade continued." Warg riders appeared behind them. Balur's Children appeared the moment the Paladinssss were out of sssight from the dark forests you are traveling towards."
"But you scouted it before." Oberon said." We scouted it twice. There was nothing there. No orcs or dark portals"
The shade fell silent for a short moment before it spoke." The road isss unsssafe…"
"That means our route to Karland Hold is to dangerious now…" the younger Paladin concluded." What now?"
"The Village of Terthstein is nearby." Oberon said." That is the land of House Willberg I know but we have no other choice."
" What of the soldiers at Sunny Hills?" Marcus asked." What of Karland Hold?"
"We cannot help the poor souls at Sunny Hills…." Oberon sighed." But we can warn Karland Hold." He took the shade by the shoulder." Inform Lord Gerart of what happened my friend. Tell him to prepare his walls. Marcus, you lead the refugees to Terthstein. Make sure they arrive there safely. If the mayor makes a fuss tell them Stormfall will pay for any damages."
"What of you, Regent Lord….?" The Shade asked.
"I will ride to Castle Darrow and ask Lord Jean Wilberg for assistance." He motioned to the younger paladin to fetch his horse." This is not a normal infestation anymore. Balur may not have appeared but I can smell his black magic. He has targeted this border of the Wild Marches for his evil doings."
"Lady Karland always hated the Wilbergs so the feeling might be mutual." Marcus said." What if Lord Jean says no?"
"We either fight together or hang separately." Oberon took the reins offered by the returning young Paladin and mounted his horse." I have dedicated decades to restoring peace in the Empire and only succeeded where there was a common enemy. My old man once said 'It is better to ally with the devil you know than to fight the devil you don't.'." he turned his horse around one last time." You have your orders gentlemen, see them through. May Eir guide us."
"May Eir guide us…" the three men around him replied and ran off to their duties. As Oberon rode for Castle Darrow his prayers went to Faith especially. "Keep her alive, damn you…" he cursed.
"Forward!" Faith cried." Press on!"
The small regiment of Pikemen, dwarven warriors and even a single Wraith by the name of Jarl marched on as they slashed through the Orc hordes. Arnold had taken up a Ogre's club and used his strength and height to his advantage. Frederik's jabs were dead the moment Jennifer died. Alfin threw down his spear and ran after that, Faith did not know if he survived the orcs chasing him. Hadhod had taken up his position however and moved with them. The dwarf stumbled upon them as everyone rallied to the single flying battered Black Lion on a bloody yellow field.
The had two objectives. They held together so the Orcs would focus on them and leave the runners be. The second objective was to find Lady Karland and as many other survivors as possible.
Faith did not know HOW she managed to rally so many around her. But she pressed on, the Orcs had enough victories for one day.
"I see her!" The Wraith exclaimed with his dry voice." I see Lady Karland."
Faith saw her to. A single armoured warrior on a pile of dead orcs who kept slashing away. For a moment Faith thought Lady Katarina did not look worse for wear as the red headed goddess of war swung away. But she saw the strikes were becoming slower and most of the red from the Lady's face was not her hair but blood.
"Double time it!" Faith shouted."
The regiment ran forward toward the pile of dead orcs to save their Lady. The orcs did not expect the charge coming and paid dearly for it. Arnold's club smashed half a monster's face off as Hadhod's avenged his father by throwing a war axe which cleaved a warg rider's face in half. Katarina slipped off the hill and fell. Jarl rushed to her side and quickly picked her up in his bone like arms.
"Back!" Faith shouted." Fall back, Tortoise!"
The regiment closed on each other and sued their spears and shields to create a shield around the Wraith and Lady Karland in his arms. The army fell back as a rain of arrows flew on them.
"Protect the lady!" one of the Pikemen said as they raised their shield to protect her. A few of their men received a arrow for that loyalty. One of them was Arnold.
He cried out in pain as the arrow hit him in the leg, around the knee area. He fell to the ground and cried out in pain. Faith lost her control and wanted to rush to his aid.
"No!" he shouted and used his club to pull himself up." Go, I will cover you!"
"Arnold, we're not leaving you damnit!" Frederik cried for his friend." I still owe you one!"
"I'll catch up!" Arnold shouted and slammed his club at an orc's head as he tried to jump on the large boy." Just go!"
Faith's eyes locked with Arnold's. It was only a moment, but they understood each other. Arnold gave her a nod. He accepted death, he wanted his friends to life. Faith clenched her fist and pounded on her chest. Arnold returned the gesture before he turned around and walked to the direction of the oncoming orcs.
"Fall back…" Faith ordered." Fall back!"
"Faith, that's Arnold out there!" Frederik cried." We can't leave him, not like Jennifer!"
"It's his choice damnit, now move! Run! RUN!"
The regiment broke out of their formation and ran. She heard Arnold's battle cry and the overwhelming orc shrieks. A tear ran over her cheek.
The shrieks got louder as the Orcs gained on them. The regiment ran up the hill as fast as they could. Some slipped over the blood wet grass while others on bodies. Those who fell to far below were hacked to bits by the orcish monsters.
"Sunny hills!" Hadhod growled." Bloody hills is more like it, Balur's balls!"
"Keep running!" Faith said.
The former tactical advantage at the beginning of the battle turned against them. It took a lot of energy to reach the top and with orcish riders behind them they would not be able to put up much of a fight. But they had to run. Their charge was a one trick pony. No orc expected a group of soldiers to break through the chaos. Faith kept herself moving, she had to. She let her rage fuel her steps. Not today, she thought, not today! She nearly stepped on a orcish corpse but as she was about to step on it's left arm, it moved out of the way. It moved out of the way.
"Keep running!" a voice above the hill said." Keep running, no matter what!" Faith listened to the advice and ignored the corpses rising and fell upon the orcs that followed them. They ran past several men in a mix of metal and leather armour who wielded dark blades with green runes embedded on them who threw green fireballs and sliced through Balur's children as if they were butter.
The remnants of the regiment finally got up the hill and faced a small group of darkly robed men and more warriors with dark blades. The robed men wore tomes and skulls around their waists and shoulders as they used large staves that seemed to glow green.
Their eyes were all glowing green or blue or sometimes both, but it was their tabards that drew Faith's attention. Three Purple spiders on a black field.
Servants ran to the soldiers of Karland hold and gave them water flasks and food while a woman Faith guessed was a healer tended to Lady Karland.
One of the darkly robed man walked over to Faith and peered at her with his blue eyes. "Recruit Faith, I presume?"
TBC
