Chapter 10: Depths of Devotion
Sonja's forces were silent as the trudged through the dying trees of the Western Plaguelands; these pillars of nature, once so vibrant and powerful, had long since given way to the taint of this cursed land. Long ago when this land could still be called Lordaeron these oaks and pines were famous throughout Azeroth as some of the most dependable wood for ship building. Like the great Alliance Fleets that had sunk in the past wars, so too had these trees faded from glory. Though their days of grandeur were gone, these plants still had a pivotal role to play.
Sonja motioned for her troops to scatter through the woods, one or two hiding behind each wide trunk in order to mask their presence. Not even twenty yards from Sonja marched a Scourge battalion, its silent soldiers tramping across the cracked cobblestones of lost Lordaeron. Sonja could hear the clacking of bones and weapon hafts on the decaying granite as she attempted to slow her breathing. Prudence was what her force needed.
The soldiers that had followed Sonja numbered few and contained few of the strongest members of the former Scarlet Band. Sonja herself was powerful, her skills as a priest almost unrivaled in the organization. There were several others who had made names for themselves as well, such as Matthias Clearwater, a paladin who fought in a most uncanny manner by using a two-handed flail. Another famed warrior went by the name of Eleanor Cargill, a middle-aged woman whose beauty had not faded with the years, yet she remained ever quiet, having taken a vow of silence after the death of her best friend during the Siege of Andorhal.
It took an hour for the entire undead column to pass the Scarlet Crusaders' position, and another half hour for the Scourge forces to move far enough away to allow Sonja's troops to move onward. The priest-captain signaled to her soldiers with a sharp whistle, and they rushed rapidly from the woodlands across the road the undead had just traversed, their target the mountains in the distance.
Sonja glanced over her shoulder towards the force of Undead, noting they were moving towards Hearthglen. Light help them…
"This soon? Light damn it all," Warren cursed as he stared over the horizon. He wheeled around and did a rapid teleport, known as a Blink, a distance of several dozen yards, appearing beside Aurora.
"Yes?" Aurora was impatient, annoyed that Warren had halted their march even if it was to check for adversaries; the Inquisitor was confident that her forces could handle an undead force anything short of an army of several thousand.
"It appears that a Scourge force is about half a league from here," Warren stated, gasping slightly as he recovered from the strain of his rapid series of blinks. "I estimate there are at least two thousand of them, while the scouts guess they will reach us…"
"I do not need to hear 'estimates' and 'guesses,'" Aurora growled. "This is all unimportant; we must press onward. Such a paltry army should prove no match for us."
"My Lady, you did not let him finish," Captain Elric cut in, appearing beside his commanding officer. "That battalion is led by a Death Knight. With such an able commander and such a powerful warrior at their fore, such a force is not to be taken lightly."
"You make an excellent point, Elric," Aurora applauded him, ignoring Warren's contribution. "We should adopt some prudence against the enemy, but again such a conflict is unavoidable and thus it would be a waste of time to delay the inevitable. Therefore, I say we set up casters and archers around the hills and place our shock troops in the center. It is a fairly well-tested and old strategy: the ranged troops will funnel the enemy to the center where our melee forces will cut them to ribbons. Elric, rally your marksmen; Warren, gather the mages and move them into position as well."
"As your order, Inquisitor," Elric said, saluting and rushing off.
Warren's reply was slower as he attempted to bottle his rage for being ordered around so directly. "Indeed."
"Good, I shall rally our close combat forces. Be ready for combat within twenty minutes." Aurora stated, moving hastily towards the bulk of the Scarlet Band.
"Aye?" Lieutenant Terrence 'The Iron Arm' Dickinson mumbled, not bothering to look up from the whetstone he ran along his halberd blade. He cold gray eyes were set on the weapon, his scarred face ignorant of the world save for his trusted weapon.
"S…sir, Inquisitor Aurora has ordered our squad to join the rest of the troops at the front; it seems a Scourge force is approaching our position," the young Susan Isana, a cousin of Captain Elric's stammered as she addressed her commanding officer. The girl shuddered uncontrollably; she was sure of the response of her superior.
Terrence stopped his activity briefly and turned one eye towards Susan. "Go and tell that bitch I will come when I am finished with my work here. Women do not control my actions, and never will."
"Perhaps you would like to retract that statement, lest you find yourself lacking a skull," a voice echoed behind the Lieutenant. He turned to see a girl in her late teens, her blond hair flowing past her shoulders and a hammer resting on her right shoulder.
"And you are…?" Terrence's voice trailed off; he did not feel this mere girl deserved a response. Hell, he missed the old days of the military, before the Alliance's foolish idea to draft women. Females just brought bad luck, and with Aurora in command Terrence was sure it was only a matter of time before they all were slaves of the Lich King.
"My name is Delilah Corwin, and I am a confidant of Inquisitor Aurora's, recently promoted to the rank of Marshal by the Inquisitor herself; my job is to make sure the troops follow our commanders order to the letter." the young woman replied. "I had heard tales of your sexism blinding your judgment and sense of duty, and I would suggest you follow our commander's orders."
"Feh, I will come when I am good and ready," Terrence replied, resuming his sharpening. He felt a hand on his shoulder and brushed it off. "When are the undead set to arrive anyway? If I arrive a few minutes late it will make little difference. Besides, with a rusty blade I won't be much good to anyone."
"Tsk…so pigheaded," Delilah muttered. "Well," she raised her voice, "I will ask you one last time: report to your post or face the consequences."
"What consequences?" Terrence did not even look at her, though he heard Susan gasping and turned to see the haft of Delilah's hammer ram itself into the base of his skull.
Delilah smiled and turned to Susan. "Come, help me drag him to the front. I'm sure when he wakes up he will see things differently. If not, the Inquisitor will sort him out."
Susan nodded hastily, not wanting to upset this confident and seemingly powerful person.
What am I doing? Delilah considered as she grabbed hold of Terrence's shoulders and lifted his body off the ground. Is this really a necessary method that Aurora is so interested in utilizing? No, I cannot allow my resolve to falter: we must use any means necessary to slaughter the undead, even if it means subduing an ally, even if it means killing an ally…
"For the Scarlet Crusade!" Maxwell Mason yelled as he slammed the haft of his halberd through the skull of a ghoul, causing the creature to stumble before the human jammed his weapon's point through its chest. The creature gurgled horribly before falling backwards, toppling onto yet another ghoul who fell to the earth, trapped under the body of its fallen comrade. Maxwell chuckled as he rammed his right boot through the trapped ghoul's face, crushing its cranium and adding another casualty to the growing list of the Scarlet Band's foes.
Maxwell, pleased with his small victory, wheeled around to survey the battlefield and find his next target. Not twenty feet away stood Delilah, her hammer rising and falling as she smashed through the body of a crypt fiend, the spider-like adversary crumbling bit by bit as the maul scored holes across its bloated form.
'Corwin has been promoted to Marshal,' Maxwell recalled Warren's words from the night before. 'This means that Aurora places some value in her. My spies have never seen any friendship between them, quite the opposite in fact; it seems to me that Delilah resents Aurora for Baelin's death. Therefore, it is obvious that Aurora sees Delilah as a strong ally, or at least one with a lot of potential given the former's views on only keeping the strong around. Ergo, it is imperative that you tighten your surveillance of Corwin: the very second you see an opening, cut her down. We cannot afford to allow Aurora to gain too many close followers or sycophants.'
Is now the time? Maxwell considered, watching as Delilah kicked aside a skeleton that was unlucky enough to whirl beside another paladin whose sword whipped wildly around, beheading the creature.
The oblivious Maxwell grunted as the wind was knocked from his lungs and he was sent sprawling onto the ground, kicking up dust which led him to a fit of coughing. He blinked rapidly, clearing the particulate from his eyes. He turned to his left and saw a ghoul, its mouth gaping and dripping with saliva and it rushed towards its downed quarry. Maxwell attempted to push himself to his feet, attempting to use his halberd to prop himself up, but his legs felt weak and his ribs burned.
Maxwell finally managed to rise to his feet and hold his polearm at the ready just in time to see the ghoul collapse, a throwing knife embedded in the base of its skull. Maxwell saw a middle-aged female scout several yards away who winked before rushing off to find more foes to fell with her deadly daggers.
Maxwell hastily scanned the field, hoping to find Delilah. He saw she had moved only a few feet from her original position and was currently engaging a necromancer with help from two other paladins; the Scarlet Crusaders had the upper hand, and it seemed that the corrupt mage would soon meet his end.
This would be a perfect chance, if only those two with her were not around, Maxwell thought. Best to leave it for now, but I'll keep an eye on her. The second she's alone, I'll charge in and finish the job. It's a shame to have to destroy something so beautiful, but orders are orders…
The battle raged for hours upon hours, and minute by minute more corpses were added to the piles on both sides. The initial charge of the undead had been blunted by the New Scarlet Band's shock troops, while their mages and scouts had picked off stragglers from a distance. At first, the humans suffered few casualties, but as the day wore on more and more of them began to fall. Reserves were brought forth to replace the tired troops, but even they tired as the waves of undead seemed endless, and soon fatigue became the Scarlet Crusade's ultimate foe: though the undead were poor fighters, they never tired nor did they feel pain. As afternoon arrived, the humans began to falter, and it seemed the undead would win the day.
Despite their losses, the Scarlet Crusaders fought to the death. Not a single one retreated, ready to sell their lives for their cause rather than appear a coward. As day turned to night, it seemed that the battle had once again become a stalemate as the Scarlet Band found new reserves of energy and struck anew against their undead adversaries.
Then, he arrived.
Inquisitor Aurora led a charge into the center of the undead lines, crushing hundreds of foes with her honor guard alone while others rushed to her side, Delilah among then. The undead began to rout, their necromancers fearful of losing more troops and displeasing their masters. It seemed victory was at hand, until suddenly the undead troops froze and turned back towards the beleaguered Scarlet Crusaders.
"You dare retreat in the face of such pitiful adversaries?" A voice boomed across the battlefield, echoing off the hills of Lordaeron. "Must I show you dogs how pitiful the human race really is?" The undead lines parted and a single figure walked down the line of skeletal troops who stood erect before he reached them, raising their weapons in salute as he passed by.
The figure was clad in ancient ebon armor, his hand hefting a massive two-handed axe. He appeared human in stature and gait, but behind his visor glowed two putrid yellow orbs, a sign that this man had sold his soul to the Lich King. He was a Death Knight, one of the lieutenants who served directly under Arthas, one who spoke directly with the ruler of the Frozen Throne in Northrend.
"And you are?" Aurora asked, her outward confidence attempting to mask a hint of fear at the arrival of such a powerful individual; Aurora had heard stories of single Death Knights breaking apart entire armies, though she had never fought one. She had heard that even the famed Scarlet Champion Herod had struggled to take down the Death Knight known as Kirul of the Gray Mist.
"An embodiment of death itself, human," the Death Knight rasped. "I have forsaken my weak human name, and am now known as Tyrick, but you have perhaps heard of my nickname, the Shadow Cleaver."
"Feh, names and titles do not frighten me, and I have never heard of you," Aurora shot back, a golden aura building around her. "Come men, let's rip apart this bastard and send the rest of this army to the dust!"
"You honestly think you stand a chance against me, woman?" Tyrick let out a deep laugh that sounded like gravel scrapping across marble. "Your army is tired and numbers now less than twelve hundred by my estimates. You cannot hope to kill my army, nor can you hope to stop me."
"If we cut down the Death Knight their army will fall to ribbons," Aurora whispered to the soldiers around her. "Fight with all your strength and bring him down as quickly as possible; I will handle the brunt of his onslaught."
"Scheming, are we?" The Death Knight called to Aurora. "Would you instead prefer to fight me in single combat? It is in your best interest; in the off chance you kill me my army will surely crumble, but when I kill you your troops will still have the insane fervor to continue their futile attack."
"Why should I accept a duel? We could all just attack you and your army and reach the same result," Aurora yelled back. "Do not think me an overconfident fool who would underestimate the power of one of the Lich King's chosen."
The Death Knight made no reply other than slinging his axe across his back with a thick segment of iron chain. The undead commander then extended both his hands, palms facing towards the ground, as he began a chant in a language no member of the Scarlet Band could understand. Tendrils of mauve magic trickled from the Death Knight's fingertips, snaking towards the ground and rushing through the soil. As the chant continued, bodies of the slain, both Scourge and former Scarlet Crusaders, rose as undead warriors beside a new cadre of zombies from this land's earth. The Scarlet Crusaders growled or gasped in horror as they saw their former comrades joining this new battalion.
After less than a minute, Tyrick ceased his necromantic activity and returned his arms to his sides where the hung loosely. "I have just summoned six score new soldiers, and have barely even broken a sweat. If you hope to fight against me in full battle, be my guest; I can bring forth far more troops which will choke your force with corpses. What is your choice?"
Aurora gritted her teeth. "Corwin, round up the troops and retreat to the forest behind us where Elric and Warren are stationed. If things start going badly for me, you will all need to kill the Death Knight before he can raise his army," Aurora muttered, careful to move her lips as little as possible.
Delilah merely nodded and beckoned for the soldiers to follow her, moving hastily towards the forest as she was bid. Fear gnawed at her heart; would Aurora really be able to stand a chance against such a foe? Or…perhaps she knew she would die, and merely hoped to weaken the Death Knight enough so that her subordinates could kill him without much trouble…
"Good, I will withdraw my troops as well," Tyrick stated, sending his undead forces into retreat with a wave of his left hand while drawing his battle-axe with his right.
Aurora hefted Uther's Arm towards her foe, her aura growing with each second until the golden light surrounding her made the darkened clearing bright as day. "Before dawn comes, I swear your body will be dust on this field. You cannot be forgiven for resurrecting our soldiers as undead pawns."
Tyrick chuckled; his gambit had worked. The foolish woman really had been deeply offended by his little show. Ultimately, he hoped her anger would cloud her judgment and make his victory easier. Regardless, however, he held the upper hand; they both knew it. Perhaps this duel would be a chance for him to test a few of his rustier skills.
The Death Knight held out his axe, pointing it towards Aurora, parodying her stance with his own, a sinister charcoal hued aura manifesting itself around his body, making the moon's light avoid his figure, turning him almost invisible in the evening shadow. "Come then, Scarlet Leader, let this duel commence!"
"Ugh, tastes like shit," Gareth whined as he chewed the rotting bread from his haversack. "Illana, can I get some of yours?"
"Well, I…" The half-elf began, reaching towards her bag of vittles.
"Be grateful for what you have," Adrian retorted, stepping between the two. "A lady should always be entitled to better food. Besides, you can afford to live off your body fat for a bit."
"Oh, such a gentleman," Gareth answered sarcastically. "Let's see if you are so noble once your own rations turn into balls of fungus."
"I rather like a good mushroom," Illana cut in, unsure if the two comrades were joking or actually tending to animosity. "Anyway, I am not too hungry and I cannot eat much, so you two are welcome to have some of mine."
Adrian shook his head. "No thanks, as I said it is rude to take food from a lady and also I just ate. Plus, we are all running low on rations, so we had best be careful with what little we have. Who knows when we will get to re-supply?"
"True," Gareth said, "apparently we will reach the path through the mountains sometime tomorrow, and after that we are off to the Eastern Plaguelands. Apparently, that region is even more corrupted with the plague than here, so our chances of finding food outside the walls of Tyr's Hand are not too high."
Gareth yawned and stood up, walking off from Illana and Adrian. "Anyhow, I need some sleep. I have last shift at watch meaning I need to wake up in five hours or so. Goodnight!"
"Goodnight!" The two called back in unison, watching as their friend made his way towards the edge of camp with several other soldiers.
"He's a good man," Illana said, breaking the brief silence following Gareth's departure.
"Yeah, he and I have been friends for a long time," Adrian replied. "I taught him to improve his aim, and he taught me the best types of feathers for fletching."
Another period of silence followed as the two stared off into the night sky, studying the glimmering stars and the lonely moon.
"Do you think the rest are alive?" Illana asked, her voice neutral. "That undead force we saw earlier was definitely moving towards Hearthglen.
Adrian paused, choosing his words carefully as he replied. "I will not lie and say they are alive, but at the same time I have faith in them."
"But…what of Aurora and Warren's dissent? Perhaps the two sides weakened one another before confronting the undead!" Illana's voice became fearful as she moved towards Adrian, tears beginning to form around the edges of her eyes.
"I'm sure they resolved it all; when the undead come, people always put aside their differences," Adrian answered. "With Aurora, Elric, Warren, and the tons of other powerful fighters there is no way a force of even that size could survive. Delilah is there too and she is…" Adrian trailed off without finishing, turning away from Illana.
"I know you loved her," Illana said, he voice slightly sullen. "She was…is…quite beautiful."
"Yes, and she had a determination and kindness I saw in few others, though she rarely was civil to me," Adrian sighed. "But…no, I cannot think about her any longer." Adrian turned back towards Illana. "Because...you…"
"Yes?" Illana's heart beat quickly, somewhat confused and yet interested in what might occur.
"N…nevermind," Adrian stuttered, walking off. "I am going to make some arrows before my shift on watch. I will see you tomorrow."
As Adrian walked off, he cursed himself in his mind. She knows of my feelings for Delilah, so how can I announce feelings for her as well without seeming a scoundrel? Damn it all…Delilah is gone and Illana is surely out of reach…
Illana watched Adrian walk off into the night, unsure of how to feel about this man. What are you seeking, Adrian Loksey?
"Caves?" Harold Rasenberg, Sonja's recently appointed second in command, stated, his face holding an expression of extreme befuddlement.
"Indeed," Sonja replied calmly. "Going over the mountains would take too long and would be far too dangerous and difficult without climbing equipment. There is one mountain pass I knew of long ago, but it has since become a Scourge garrison, and with good reason, as it is the second most obvious way to enter and leave the Eastern Plaguelands, the most obvious is, as you can guess, the route the rest of the Scarlet Band is on, which will take them along the old Lordaeron roads to enter the Eastern Plaguelands from the south."
"So you mean to suggest that our best route is beneath the mountains?" Harold's mind remained puzzled.
"Precisely. There is a cave that runs under the mountains and should allow us to emerge several leagues from Tyr's Hand. It was used to great effect during the First War against the Horde, allowing Lordaeron's troops to move across the continent at greater speeds. Initially, the caves were full of Dark Trolls and other beasts, but they were cleared out during the First War and were cleared once again after the Second War came to a close. When I was young I used to play in those caves with friends, and so I know their layout well.
"Alas," Sonja sighed, "it has been at least four years since the last attempt to clear those caves, and as such I fear we will not be able to use this pathway unscathed. It will be safer than a direct route, to be sure, and I doubt the Scourge know of its existence; even if they have troops stationed there, the caves are very narrow and will prevent their greater numbers from giving them an advantage. Regardless, we must walk with prudence and escape the caves as quickly as possible. Have I made myself clear?"
"Yes, Captain," Harold stated. "I will begin rousing the troops."
Silence covered the Scarlet Band and Scourge battalion as their two leaders, Inquisitor Aurora and the Death Knight Tyrick circled one another. The stood half a dozen feet apart, each scanning the other's body and movements carefully, calculating the perfect moment to attack. Now and then, one of them would feint, but neither committed to a full attack as they watched the other take guard stances.
This impasse continued for an hour and then, finally, Tyrick struck. Moving with an unholy speed, the Death Knight charged towards Aurora, his massive battle-axe held against his right side, the weapon parallel to the ground. Aurora hastened to raise her hammer to guard as her foe's massive weapon slammed into her.
Aurora reeled from the impact, her boots digging into the soil as she was forced back from the blow. The Inquisitor regained her composure just in time to whirl out of the way of Tyrick's next strike, his weapon creating a small gust of air that touched Aurora's face as she barely avoided the blow.
Aurora saw an opening as she moved past the Death Knight's left side and swung her own weapon rapidly, the hammer glowing with a golden light as it rammed into the side of Tyrick's helmet. A cheer erupted from the Scarlet Crusaders, their joy overflowing as they saw their commander hit home.
"You bitch!" Tyrick roared, recovering quickly, clutching his axe in his left hand while he turned and grabbed Aurora's head with his right before moving his hand downward and slamming her face into the soil. Dust shot into the air and blood flowed from the Inquisitor's broken nose as the force of the impact seemed to shake the earth.
The shouts of victory from the Scarlet Band quickly turned to gasps of fear. They could only watch in horror as Tyrick held Aurora down with one hand and raised his axe with the other, readying his weapon for the killing blow.
"FIRE!" Elric's voice boomed through the trees as dozens of arrows and bolts of magic flew from the ranged troops at his disposal, the missiles sailing towards the Death Knight and striking him in various parts of his body. The force of the impact of Aurora's hammerstroke, coupled with the profusion of missiles striking his head caused Tyrick's helmet to crack, revealing a hideously rotted face of a former human who now possessed nothing save wrinkled skin and dusty hair.
Tyrick rose and turned towards the forest as the barrage continued, shaking his head. "I see there is no honor among you all. Regardless, it has become obvious to me that this woman is the sole person here who can even hope to hold a candle against me. Oh how I wished killing you all would be more fun, but alas I suppose the time has come to unleash my army."
"Or perhaps you would opt for another challenger!" A voice echoed from the trees, causing the Scarlet Crusaders to gasp as they saw the owner of the voice. The lone figure stepped forward, hammer in her hand, her gaze directed squarely at Tyrick. "My name is Delilah Corwin, Marshal under the command of your former opponent Aurora Cronos. I will avenge my commander's defeat."
"You honestly think you can challenge me? Silly girl," Tyrick replied, his tone flowing with dark humor, "I would finish you off in but a mere moment. As much as it would interest me to crush the hopes and dreams of your pathetic organization once again, I would rather not waste my time and instead butcher you all."
"What if she fought alongside another?" Captain Elric Isana, the famed sniper, stepped forward to stand beside Delilah, adjusting his glasses as he loaded his crossbow.
"Heh, I doubt even the two of you would prove much sport, but alas my first duel was tragically short and I was unable to practice as much as I would have liked. Come then, though when you two fall I will unleash my forces; two minor victories are enough escalation for the massive battlefield victory to come."
"Delilah, you do not have to do this," Elric whispered to her. "I respect your desire to protect Inquisitor Aurora, but your sacrifice is unnecessary."
"No, we shall fight together," Delilah replied. "If you notice, that Death Knight failed to finish Aurora, and now he's been distracted by our challenge. I have an idea that will give us victory; all I need you to do is continue your barrage and keep him moving. Can you do that?"
"Last I checked, I was the higher ranked officer," Elric answered jokingly before turning stern. "Sadly, I am at a loss as how to proceed against a Death Knight. Fine, we can follow your plan."
Delilah and Elric charged, the paladin moving left while the sniper raced to the right, firing a crossbow bolt before switching to his longbow and beginning a series of quick shots. Elric's accuracy was reduced while moving, but he still managed a fairly high degree of precision, burying an arrow in the joint between the armor on the Death Knight's left shoulder. The undead commander roared angrily and charged towards the marksman, slinging his axe across his back and drawing out a long section of chain as he did so. Tyrick whirled the chain as he charged directly at Elric, surprising the human with his speed.
Elric hopped backwards as he continued to fire arrow after arrow, his right hand scrambling to and from his quiver as he unleashed each shot. Tyrick had now begun to whirl his chain around his head, changing the arc of the swing as arrows neared him to knock most from the air before they came within a foot of his body.
Damn his chain, I can't get a single shot through! Elric mentally cursed as he fired another arrow. His fingers and arm burned from the snapping of the bowstring, and his legs tired from his constant motion, but the Scarlet Captain battled against the pain as he attempted to put more shots towards the every-nearing foe. As if signaling the direness of his situation, Elric, upon reaching back to grab another arrow, found his quiver empty.
Damn it all, Elric's mind raced faster as he saw the Death Knight three yards off, his body now swirling with a black aura that had surely aided in weakening the earlier shots that had hit on target.
"I won't just sit back and die!" Elric roared, discarding his normally calm demeanor and screaming at the top of his lungs, reaching into his tunic to grab a dozen throwing knives which he hurled at Tyrick. The Death Knight seemed nonplussed and whirled his chain to knock the projectiles to the ground as he came within several feet of Elric.
The Death Knight was close enough now for Elric to see his face, to study the scars and wounds that coated his foe's visage. The Death Knight had become dour, his focus completely on Elric. As his chain wheeled towards the Scarlet marksman, Elric smirked and kicked his foot, scraping it across the dusty ground.
Tyrick stopped, coughed, and grunted in pain. He looked at the source of the damage, noting a glowing gold dagger jammed into his stomach, piercing both his unholy aura and his heavy plate armor.
"Bastard…human…what is this?" The Death Knight gasped.
"It is the thirteenth dagger in my special set," Elric replied. "It is enchanted with a large amount of holy magic and a spell that can stop foes in their tracks. When I threw the other twelve at you, I purposefully dropped this one onto the ground so that you would ignore it. Then, when you came within range, I kicked it into your stomach. It won't kill you by itself, but," Elric's smirk grew as he drew a pre-loaded crossbow off his back, "it will give me the perfect opportunity to slaughter you at point-blank." Elric leveled the weapon at his foe's face and prepared to pull the trigger.
"If only it were that simple," the Death Knight grunted, closing his eyes and uttering several words. Instantly, the dagger fell from his wound and disintegrated to nothingness, allowing Tyrick to move his head to the side, just in time to dodge the bolt from Elric's crossbow as it whizzed by his face, slightly breaking the skin on his cheek but causing no real damage. The human could not tell what happened until he felt Tyrick's chain encircle his body and drag him to the ground.
"You Scarlet Crusaders are honestly some of the most overconfident scoundrels I have ever fought," Tyrick stated, pulling on the chain to tighten his stranglehold on Elric. The sniper wheezed and gasped as his airways were constricted, but no matter how he struggled he could not break free from the chains. "I will admit that dagger was quite painful and, had your crossbow struck me head-on that would have been my end. Alas, you failed to consider that I know spells of darkest magic that can sew flesh enough to force weapons from them, even if the rest of my body cannot move."
Elric attempted to say something as Tyrick finished his statement, but the lack of air prevented him from doing so. Instead, Elric's smirk returned anew. "Why are you so pleased human? Or perhaps you have realized the futility of your struggle? Do not worry, I have seen your skills and will ensure the Lich King gives you proper treatment."
"My, the overconfidence of the Scourge really is startling," a voice stated from behind Tyrick. The Death Knight wheeled just in time to catch two hammers in his body: the first slammed into his chest, shattering his ribs even beneath his aura and armor, while the second crushed his skull, sending bits of rotted flesh cascading over his pitted armor and causing his body to crumble to the ground before it turned to dust, the assault from weapons enchanted with holy magic too much for his body to take.
"Good riddance, you piece of shit," Aurora Cronos spat, kicking one of Tyrick's bracers across the field before walking over to untie Elric from the chain.
It took several seconds for Elric to regain his breath, but after he did so he asked the obvious question. "Inquisitor Aurora? How did you…?"
Aurora merely pointed behind her where Delilah Corwin stood, a proud smile on her face, her hammer slung triumphantly over her shoulders.
"Looks like the plan worked," Delilah said, walking over to Elric and offering him a hand to help him to his feet. "That pompous bastard totally forgot about me and concentrated fully on you, buying me enough time to use healing magic on Aurora. Then, it was easy for the two of us to take down that bastard, especially after you weakened him and allowed us to catch him off guard."
"Smart," Elric replied, scouring the ground for still-usable projectiles.
"Yes," Aurora stated, turning towards Delilah. "I suppose I owe you something for giving me the chance to murder that Death Knight. Anyway, we cannot waste time: the undead appear to be routing without their leader. Let's grind as many of those monsters under our heels as we can!"
"Yes, Inquisitor!" Delilah said, saluting and rushing towards the masses of Scourge forces beside the other troops who had emerged from the forest.
Perhaps I will enjoy working with you, Marshal Corwin, Aurora pondered. As much as I hate to admit it, you may have saved my life and definitely ensured the success of this battle.
"Well, here we are," Sonja attempted to remain cheery and she stood before the dank opening in the side of the mountain, its sides slicked with lichen and moss while the skeletons of two trolls outside failed to make things any less grim. "If we continue at a steady rate, I expect us to clear these caves within four days. Now, I will not lie: these caves were once the home of trolls and other beasts. We risk a conflict with these creatures, though they should prove far less of a threat and far easier than undead to kill as these monsters are mortal. Also, these caves do support a culture of edible fungi, so we should be able to restock some of our food supplies; I doubt the plague has touched this place, but still check anything you collect carefully before consumption. Now, are there any questions?"
"None whatsoever," Harold said good-naturedly, attempting to lighten the mood. Little changed; the faces of the soldiers remained fearful and dour. Gone was the religious fervor found at the founding of the Scarlet Crusade, long vanished was the hope of victory after forming the Scarlet Band. All that remained for this meager cadre, a force numbering barely three hundred souls, was a hatred of the Undead. Most expected to die, many to die very soon, but each held in his or her heart a desire to not fall easily; the Scourge would feel their wrath even if each soldier was ripped to shreds. Few expected they would reach Tyr's Hand, but none of them would give up on the effort.
"Well then, let us begin our descent," Sonja stated. "Keep your weapons drawn at all times. I want the mages, scouts, and priests in the center, while the warriors and paladins defend the front and rear. Though I am a priest, I will personally lead from the front as I am the only one who knows these passages well." The soldiers set about organizing themselves into the groups Sonja had asked for, the best melee fighters standing at the very front or very rear of the formation to ensure a tough outer layer of the force.
Sonja's faction entered the caves as the noonday sun reached its zenith. Each Scarlet Crusader offered a brief prayer as he or she entered the cavern, hoping that this was not the last bit of light they would ever see.
Sonja conjured a ball of glowing energy around her hand, providing ample light for the expedition. Several other priests in various parts of the formation followed suit, their spells piercing the darkness of the cave.
It is good for us to see, but sadly this will alert foes deeper into the caves that we are coming, Sonja considered as she attempted to recall the cave layout in her mind, directing her soldiers through the winding paths of the catacombs. Luckily, most of the creatures here accustomed to the dark may be bothered by our lights and shy away rather than attack us. Perhaps I am worried for nothing.
Suddenly, Sonja heard the sound of movement and raised her hand, palm perpendicular to the smooth cave floor, as a sign for her forces to halt. Instantly, the clanking of armor and tramp of feet stopped as Sonja listened.
Damn, perhaps our movement made too much noise and we roused something, Sonja thought as he heard the sounds of scurrying and scraping. These catacombs direct sound; our movements may have been echoed for miles. If we angered some sort of the great beast…Just as quickly as it had come, the sound stopped. Sonja looked around warily, then shrugged and motioned for her troops to move onwards though put a finger to her lips to indicate the need for more silent movement. Was it just my imagination then?
Suddenly, Sonja heard a grunt of pain to her left side and looked in horror as one of her paladins collapsed, the flesh of his face mostly gone and a hideous purple protoplasm weaving around his skull. The priest erected a magical shield just in time to block another blast of this hideous magic as she squinted into the darkness in hopes of seeing their attackers.
Behind her, the lines were in chaos. Many of the troops began to panic and attempt to flee, some of them pushing through allies. Other troops stood their ground and looked wildly for the source of the confusion; few troops save those at the front had any idea exactly what was going on, and even they were unsure of who their assailant or assailants were.
Sonja's forces had not been marching long, and thus with a rapid run many of them reached the cave entrance within a quarter of an hour, oblivious to the shouts of their comrades behind them. To their horror, the entrance was blocked, a giant boulder in the way.
"Was there an avalanche?" One stuttered.
"What the hell is going on? Maybe we took a wrong turn?" Cried another.
"Or perhaps you are all sealed in," a sinister voice said, the syllables ricocheting off the cavern walls as a figure who had been crouching at the base of the stone rose and coated the Scarlet Crusaders with a wave of dark magic, slaughtering half a score instantly while the others rushed off in fear, only to be cut down one by one by this figure's magic.
Meanwhile, Sonja focused all her energy on her barrier, but with each second is retracted slightly, covering less and less of an area and allowing more and more soldiers to become casualties of the magical blasts which whipped through the darkness. Priests, and even some paladins, attempted to erect other barriers or heal the wounded, but ultimately their efforts proved meaningless as the rate of attacks intensified.
Melee fighters charged into the darkness, swinging weapons wildly at the apparition-like attackers striking from the shadows. Most fell before getting far, but several struck home, felling targets and reducing the magical onslaught slightly.
Harold was among the soldiers who charged forward and, as he felled a second foe, called back to his commander. "Sonja! It's the undead! They are here!"
"Damn, the Scourge? Here? Impossible!" Sonja cried back.
"Feh, how dare you compare us to them!" A voice called back from the darkness and immediately the magical barrage stopped. The Scarlet Crusaders also stopped their attacks and those further out retreated back to their lines, many in need of healing.
"Who…the hell are you?" Sonja called into the darkness, her fear erasing any knowledge she held.
"We are the Forsaken," a voice called back, and suddenly a series of torches erupted with flame, their light illuminating the figures of several score Forsaken clad in dark robes. The voice had come from a figure standing at the front of the assembly, her robes by far the most ornate including bronze bone charms that hung from the hem. "We have trapped you here and mean to massacre what few of you Scarlets are left!"
Adrian, Illana, and Gareth who stood in the middle of the group, could not see what was occurring but could hear the majority of it. "Even if you kill us, the oth…" Adrian began to cry out before Illana clapped a hand over his mouth.
"Adrian, stay quiet! Do not betray the others! If we die here, at least these Forsaken will stop pursuing our comrades," Illana whispered, her tone harsh and commanding to hide her fear.
"Sorry, it's just…these Forsaken look familiar…" Adrian muttered.
"I still do not understand why Forsaken are in this cave," Sonja said. "Can you not grow enough mushrooms in your usurped capitol?"
"While the flora here in lovely, our goal is and always has been you all," the lead figure spoke again. "I am surprised none of your ranks seem to remember me, but I suppose I encountered only a small number of your force; it's a shame, you will take knowledge of us all to your graves. My name is Dextra, the leader of this organization, and we are Glade, a subsidiary of the Royal Apothecary Society. The time of our vengeance has come!"
Character Profile: Gareth Stinbourg
Age: 18
Rank: Mid-ranked Scarlet Scout
Affiliation: Member of Sonja's Faction, former member of the Scarlet Band's Crimson Company, former member of the Scarlet Monastery's 11th Scouting Battalion
Abilities: Gareth is an archer with above average skills in marksmanship. He usually uses a longbow, though on occasion he uses throwing axes. His close combat skills are fairly weak, and he only has rudimentary skill with a dirk.
Appearance: Gareth is five feet six inches tall and has a slightly plump build, though he is by no means fat. His hair is dark brown and his eyes are blue. He wears a red tunic and pants, as well as the Scarlet Crusade tabard. Occasionally, Gareth wears a dark green tunic to blend in with his surroundings, though he often merely covers himself with leaves, twigs, and other natural objects to cover the red in his outfit and disguise his appearance.
HES: And so another chapter comes to a close! Both groups of Scarlet Crusaders have met a rough time: though Aurora and Warren's factions have managed to defeat a force of Scourge (helped greatly by their defeat of the Death Knight Tyrick) they have a long way to go to Tyr's Hand! Meanwhile, Glade has reappeared and seems to have caught Sonja's Faction in a trap! Will they successfully escape or are they doomed to die?
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I hope to update at least one more time before the end of January if I am able. As always, I ask that you please review; reader feedback is always valued and appreciated!