Commander Jod lounged in a high backed chair atop the keep at Fort Fellhammer. He looked at the freezing mages and soldiers still tied to posts in the courtyard. Blood still stained the ground where he'd executed several mages. A small smile spread across his lips as he remembered the execution of not only the mages, but Captain Rolf as well. A spike was now stuck through his head, and it adorned the gate to Fort Fellhammer. Jod took a swig of ale as he stared beyond the high walls of the courtyard into the wilderness beyond. He could just catch a glimpse of the cobbled road with ran south from Dawnstar to Fort Dunstad and eventually to Whiterun. The trees obscured most of his view, but he caught some interesting details, namely the Altmer woman standing just inside the tree line to the east where Snowpoint Beacon still burnt brightly. Jod stared at the unmoving woman for several seconds before noticing the thick wooden staff and mages robes which revealed what she was.
"Men, prepare for an attack!" screamed Jod, leaping up from his chair. The Pale soldiers scrambled for their weapons whilst the woman charged from the tree line. For a split second she was alone on the empty field of snow, but with a deafening roar an army of mages and soldiers launched themselves from the cover of the foliage. It wasn't a large army, only about a hundred and fifty soldiers as well as thirty mages, but the Pale soldiers were unprepared, and that was enough.
"Tear it down!" screamed Faralda as she sprinted across the snow. In response, the Destruction students in her charge ran even faster towards the wall. Arrows began flying at them before they'd reached it, but they did barely any damage as only the soldiers already on watch on the eastern wall had time to fire. The mages hit the eastern wall before more arrows could be fired and instantly made their way towards the recently repaired gate. They hugged close to the wall so as to make it difficult for archers to fire at the them. By this time, the soldiers had caught up with the mages. Their swords were drawn, ready to storm the fort.
Faralda stood in front the gate, a blue barrier raised from her left hand. Every now and then a ripple would pass across the barrier as arrows hit it, but they all bounced off without penetrating it. More and more of her mages stood in front of the gate, the same barriers raised. Once most of here students were by here side, Faralda dropped her barrier and cupped her hands. She stretched her arms towards the gate and licks of flame appeared between her palms. Within seconds, the fire had engulfed her hands and forearms, glowing white hot. With a shout, the inferno was released towards the gate with a mighty explosion which shook the very walls of the fort. The gate was now pieces of charred wood that were scattered about the courtyard. Several unfortunate soldiers had been caught in the blast, and all that remained were pieces of charred armour. Faralda fell to one knee as her students and soldier rushed past her into the courtyard. Soldiers already awaited them, but this was a force to be reckoned with. Whilst the foot soldiers tackled the majority of the Pale army, Faralda's students threw archers and soldier off the walls with fireballs and storms of ice. The fireballs took pieces of masonry with the, raining rock and rubble onto the Pale army.
Jod stood atop the keep looking down in horror as the gate was torn apart by magic. He ducked for cover as he saw spells fly towards the walls and screamed as he felt the impact of the explosions. He still hadn't recovered from the fireball that had damaged his face, and the injury hurt now more than ever. He shakily peered over the edge of the keep to see the walls a mess of rubble and bodies. The walls were still structurally sound save for the top two feet which were blown clear off. He swore as he saw the raging battle in the courtyard between his grey-clad soldiers and the light blue regalia of Winterhold. Though his army was larger, the enemies mages had turned their attention on the soldiers in the courtyard, reducing them to ashes or freezing them solid. This was quickly turning from a battle to a massacre.
Faralda cast a stream of flames from her fingertips, lighting the ground with pillars of fire. This incinerated the men rushing towards her with screams and the acrid smell of burnt flesh. Several of her students adopted this technique, and in minutes the courtyard was a mess of dead and wounded, the majority of which belonged to Jod's army. Several Winterhold soldiers dedicated themselves to freeing the imprisoned soldiers and mages. Those that could fight picked up weapons from the dead and bolstered Faralda's army. The imprisoned mages had the advantage of almost fully replenished Magicka, and their firebolts and ice spikes joined the more powerful spells of Faralda's students, mowing down soldiers.
"Retreat! Retreat!" screamed Jod from atop the keep, already running down the ramp which led to the walls. "Retreat to Fort Dunstand!" His soldiers looked about in confusion before abandoning the fight. Some managed to make a break for the gate and ran across the field. Others leapt off the walls, swiftly followed by Commander Jod. Many were winded by the landing and could only limp towards the tree line. The majority of soldiers, however, were backed into corners and had no option but to surrender. The Winterhold soldiers hastily bound them to the posts that they themselves had been tied to only minutes before
Faralda ran to the arch above the gate and cheered as Jod and only a few dozen of his men made it to the tree line.
"Open the gate!" shouted the guard as Drevis and Phinis' entourage approached Fort Kastav. Peric stood next to Drevis at the head of the column of mages and thieves. He was draped in his brown robes adorned with a sabre cat skin collar and hood rim. It had cost him more than he'd like to admit, but it had saved him shattering his teeth due to chattering on the long trek to Fort Kastav. He was nervous. He knew he'd have to see Onmund again, and his heart beat faster just thinking about it, but he was also excited to see his friend again. Slightly ahead of him, Phinis half jogged his way to the fort. The man had gone on about how guilty he felt for abandoning his students for the entire march, but now he felt like he had redemption. None of his students would die without him there to do what he could to defend them.
"Are you ready, Peric?" Drevis asked in a concerned voice. His students would not be on the front line, but all in Fort Kastav would be in danger during a siege.
"Yes, Drevis. I'm ready," Peric said. "Is it wrong that I'm kind of excited for this?"
Drevis laughed out loud at this, causing several students to stare in his direction. "Oh, to be young again. Every young man has visions of a glorious war where they become a hero. No, Peric, you're fine. Just don't get yourself killed."
"I'll be on the walls or the keep. I should be okay," Peric said.
"And I'll be right there with you all." Drevis stopped and turned to face his students, as well as the scattering of others from the other schools. "I think it's time you see exactly how powerful your mentor is. Let's show Elisif's men we're not to be messed with!" The column of mages and thieves cheered and roared as they walked through the gate to Fort Kastav. Even Phinis threw back a smile.
Chaos. Fort Kastav was in chaos. The screams of the wounded rang through the courtyard from the makeshift infirmary in the north-east corner. The thin canvas that draped from wall to wall to make a roof provided the patients no shelter from the cold. The walls stood strong, bar from the scorched and cracked areas where catapults had hit groups of archers. The uninjured archers, interspersed with mages from every school bar Conjuration and Restoration, lined the walls and the first two levels of the keep. They shuffled about nervously, whispering to each other and pointed over the walls to targets that Peric knew not what.
"Oh, thank The Nine you've arrived," Hoarik said as he ran over to the bewildered group of mages now standing in the centre of the courtyard. "Elisif is about to launch another attack, and we need you in positions right away."
"Elisif is here?" Drevis asked.
"No, but Brunwulf Free-Winter is, and he's doing a damn fine job at leading his army."
"Free-Winter? The Jarl of Windhelm?" Peric asked.
"The very same. I hope it hasn't demoralise our boys that their Jarl is here but ours is not," Hoarik said conspiratorially.
"They'll understand. He needs to handle things back in Winterhold," Drevis said.
"Well, wherever Jarl Korir needs to be, we're needed here, and there's an army outside waiting to cut our throats and burn our homes, and we can't have that, can we?" Hoarik said with a sly grin. "Drevis, I need you and your Illusionists on the keep. From there, you'll do your best to sow chaos into Jarl Brunwulf's army. I've been told by some of your students that were initially sent here that you have spells which can bolster someone's abilities, is that correct?"
"It is indeed. We can make them fight harder and for longer with the right spells," Drevis said proudly.
"Brilliant. In which case, I'll need you to keep an eye on our boys and give them any help you can."
"Of course," Drevis said.
"Thieves, I want you to hide yourself on the bluffs overlooking Brunwulf's army. There's a mountain path that'll lead you there just outside the back gate. Update me on any information I might need," Hoarik said.
"Yes, Hoarik," said a red haired woman in black leather, including a hood which covered most of her face.
"I want to be with my students," interjected Phinis.
"On the front line?" Hoarik said, his eyebrows raised.
"Yes. I can offer them support in both morale and magic. They need me out there."
"Okay," Hoarik said after a long pause. "And I shall go with you. My lieutenants can handle things in the fort, but I need to be with the men most at risk, as do you."
"Thank you," Phinis said with a bow of his head.
At that moment, a flaming rock hit the top of the wall, sending archers and their screams flying. This was followed by another catapult shot next to where the first one hit.
"Okay, positions everyone!" Hoarik shouted to the mage and thief reinforcements. "Brunwulf is attacking. Grab what you need and get to your places. Now." Hoarik drew his sword and him and Phinis ran to the gate which was thrown open by the guards.
"Illusionists, with me!" Drevis shouted and made his way to the ramp that led to the keep.
Peric stood on the highest level of the keep, shock on his face. In all his nightmares, never had he imagined war to be this...vast. Flaming catapult shots bombarded the walls from the half dozen catapults in Brunwulf's army. The Alterationists did their best to repel the projectiles with magical shields, but they could not cover the whole wall, and some of the barriers collapsed under the strain, showering the walls with magic, stone and fire.
It was in slow motion that Peric saw the Winterhold soldiers draw the swords and axes as the five-thousand strong army from Windhelm and Solitude charged their five-hundred strong lines. It was in the same blur that he watched Daedra appear from purple and black doors of Oblivion, controlled by the one-hundred-and-twenty Conjurationists. Fire and frost flickered before his eyes as burning feminine flame atronachs came to be, and towering frost atronachs pounded out onto the snow. Crackling storm atronachs span their bodies of electricity and stone in excitement for the bloodshed. He saw archers knock arrows and mages prepare spells all along the walls. He saw soldiers fire their own catapults in response to the enemies barrage. He saw this unfold in front of him and yet did nothing.
"Get your act together, boy!" shouted Drevis in his ear. Suddenly the spell was broken and everything came to a climax. The catapults found their mark and left two gaping holes in Brunwulf's army. The archers fired their volley, followed by the mages, cutting down the front few rows, but it barely made any difference, but the atronachs did. The soldiers faltered at seeing the horde of Daedra, but the atronachs did not stop their charge. The ice and storm atronachs slammed into Brunwulf's army, wreaking havoc. Soldiers screamed as their bodies convulsed with electricity, and many didn't make a sound as they were pummelled into the snow by the ice atronachs. The flame atronachs launched volleys of fire into the approaching lines, and any man who got too close to them was engulfed in flames.
"Peric!" Drevis shouted, punching him in the shoulder. "Join the fight."
Peric glanced back and saw the Illusionists with spells ready. He quickly summoned a frenzy spell, a glowing cloud of red smoke in his palms.
"Now!" Drevis shouted, and the Illusionists added their lot to the fight. Their job was to cause chaos, and it worked. Some men dropped their weapons and stood in a placid daze, staring at the battle in front of them; the results of calm spells. Others dropped their weapons and ran screaming as nightmares filled their minds. Others gripped them tight and plunged them into the man next to them before hacking and slashing at anything that moved. Peric winced as a calmed soldiers looked on with a smile as a frenzied soldier swung his sword vertically down on his head.
Onmund smiled as his frost atronach swatted away a soldier that was charging towards Onmund himself. Though the Daedra added to the Winterhold army as whole, they were first and foremost the Conjurationists personal body guards. The Battlemages also helped to protect the Conjurationists, forming an impenetrable line. They were just as likely to cut open a man with their sword as with a spell. Their swords were particularly deadly, as they were wreathed in flames; a product of skilful Enchanting.
The soldiers were faring worse than the mages. They had no spells or creatures to protect them, and the superior numbers of the enemy were crushing them. Men left and right were being cut down. Hoarik pulled his sword out of a Solitude soldier and looked around at his soldiers. He shouted in anger as he saw a third of his soldiers gone already. "No, no. This can't happen." The battle can't go ill this early on. The strategy was flawless. Hoarik turned and saw the atronachs clustered around the Conjurationists who had taken next to no losses. "No, they're meant to protect all of us," he said through gritted teeth. He glanced at his soldiers who, even now, were being cut down quickly. "Retreat! Back to the fort!" he shouted, sword in the air. His soldiers didn't need to be told twice. They managed to back pedal to the gates, cutting down any soldiers who came after them. The soldiers on the other side of the Conjurationists carried on the fight. They slowly edged their way towards the group of mages, seeking shelter with them. Hoarik desperately tried to get their attention, but he was running out of time. The horde of soldiers was getting denser by the second, and it was now or never. He and his soldiers were now by the rapidly opening gate, and he threw one look back at the soldiers, mages and atronachs before running through it.
"Close the gate," he said to the guards.
"But sir, there are people still-"
"Close it." The guards nodded and slowly pushed the gate shut.
"They've left us!" Onmund shouted over to Phinis who glanced over to the gate which closed before his eyes.
"We need to get back inside the fort," Phinis said, grabbing the lieutenant and pointed towards the gate. She nodded in return and began directing the fight towards the fort. By now, the group was slowly being surrounded, and that was a position they could not afford to be in. Some of the weaker Conjurationists had cast the atronachs back to Oblivion, not being able to sustain the spell any longer. The number of atronachs were slowly dwindling. The group managed to inch their way closer the gate. The atronachs were dropping one by one, and so were the soldiers. The mages who'd lost their atronachs took cover behind those that still stood, hoping that they too would be protected, but very soon very few Daedra remained. Onmund watched as his frost atronach's leg was shattered with a hammer blow, and it came crashing to the ground only to disappear back to Oblivion. He was frozen in fear as he saw a Windhelm soldier charge towards him, sword drawn. The soldier slashed at Onmund, ripping a deep gash across his chest. Onmund fell to the ground, screaming out in pain. The soldier raised his sword to plunge down into Onmund's chest, but he was blasted away by a flame atronach. The mage it belonged to helped Onmund onto his feet. Onmund grunted and hobbled along, blood gashing from chest.
"Come on, you can make it," said the blonde mage supporting him. He wasn't uninjured himself, but he managed to haul Onmund along.
Phinis could see they weren't going to make it. The gate was still two-hundred feet away, and they were almost out of soldiers and atronachs. Most of the Battlemages were still alive, but they were tiring quickly. The archers and mages on the walls were desperately doing what they could to help, but Brunwulf's army was too large, and the catapult barrage was too intense for them to make any real difference. Phinis would not lose his students like this. Too many of them already lay dead already, and he would not allow any more to die. He dropped his staff to the ground and raised both hands in the air. From them seeped a deep purple mist which convalesced into two towering doors to Oblivion. From them stepped the largest atronachs Onmund had every seen. He couldn't tell if he was dreaming them, as he was slowly losing consciousness due to blood loss, but he saw two twenty-five foot frost atronachs step out of the void and straight onto the soldiers. He saw spikes of ice protrude from their hunched backs and maced arms which they used to fling soldiers into the air with terrified screams. His vision started to go black. His head slumping forward.
"No, stay with me pal. We're almost there. We'll get you to the healers," said the man holding him, slapping his face. This woke Onmund up briefly, but he was slipping away fast.
The giant frost atronachs smashed their way through the enemy lines, and Phinis led the mages and soldier in a final dash to the gates which had now been thrown open for them. The soldiers from Windhelm and Solitude now parted for them for fear of coming too close to the atronachs. With a final sprint, and a quick hobble from Onmund and the blonde mage, the survivors made it inside Fort Kastav.
Onmund woke up to the sound of fighting. He sat up and grunted as his chest flared in pain.
"No, don't do that," said a voice next to him, and he felt a hand on his shoulder, pushing him back down. "Don't reopen that wound."
Onmund stared up into the smiling face of Peric. "I-I won't," he said with an embarrassed look.
"How are you feeling?"
"It hurts. Not as bad as it should, I suppose, but Restoration is a wonderful school," he said with a weak laugh which turned into another grunt as his chest flared.
"They managed to patch you up best they could, but you'll need to rest."
"How long have I been out for?" Onmund said worriedly.
"Only a day. Some of the others still haven't woken."
"Didn't they need me out there?"
"I don't think anyone's going outside those walls for a while," Peric said, looking up at the wall where archers and mages fired arrows and spells into the army below.
"What happened after I blacked out?" Onmund asked.
"Well we managed to get you all back inside the walls. Phinis' very impressive atronachs stayed outside to kill as many soldiers as possible, but they went down when the catapults began firing on them."
"That's a shame. I thought I'd dreamt those things," Onmund smiled.
"I think Brunwulf and his boys wish they were a dream, Those beasts took out a couple of hundred of them." Peric laughed at his own joke, and Onmund snorted out a laugh as well.
"Don't make me laugh! It hurts my chest."
Peric instantly stopped laughing, a look of concern on his face. "I'm sorry. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I don't want you fussing over me, though. I'll get myself some potions soon, and I'll be okay," Onmund said, offering a reassuring smile.
"Alright, I'm sorry... I'm also sorry for what happened back at the College. I shouldn't have been so cold to you-"
"Peric, do you know how many times you've done something wrong? You're always apologising for something."
"I know, and I'm sorry for that too-"
"And do you know how many times I forgive you? All of them. I should be the one saying sorry. I was the one that kissed you."
"That was kinda weird," Peric admitted. "But you're my friend, and that's definitely not gonna get between us. Can we put it behind us?"
"Of course. Thank you for not hating me," Onmund said with a smile.
"Thank you for not hating me too," Peric said, visibly more cheery than usual.
"Listen, there was a mage, Conjurationist like me. He helped me get back to Fort Kastav."
"And what about this cute blonde mage of yours?" Peric said, leaning on his elbows.
"How do you know what he looks like?"
"He's been here looking after you more than I have," Peric said with a wink.
"Well, he's not "cute," and he's not mine."
"He's a bit cute," Peric said.
"How would you know," said Onmund.
"Brelyna's commented on enough guys for me to know what cute looks like," said Peric.
"Well, he's still not mine."
"Who isn't?" said the mage in question, peeking in through through the tent flap. "Sorry, none of my business," he said bashfully, rubbing the back of his head. Onmund had to admit he was pretty attractive; blonde swept back hair, constantly red cheeks and shocking blue eyes. He smiled and dimples pricked his face on either side of flashing white teeth. Onmund noted he was a Nord like himself.
Peric stood up with a massive smile on his face. Onmund knew exactly what he was planning. He tried to stop him, but it was too late. "We were talking about you, actually. Onmund was asking where the cute boy who saved his life was."
"Peric! I never.. I'm sorry he..." Onmund stuttered, his red cheeks going redder.
"It's okay, Onmund, I'm not gonna tell him about the things you said you'd like to do to him." During this, Onmund looked the boy in the eyes and slowly shook his head. The boy snorted with laughter. Peric saw this, and his grin got bigger. "But I shall leave you two alone to discuss that more," he said and left the tent, but not before throwing the boy a wink. He and the boy were now alone in the tent.
"Sorry about him," Onmund said.
"He's quite a character."
"He's an arsehole, but he's my friend," said Onmund.
"I'm Brannard, by the way," he said, smiling at Onmund's comment.
"Onmund."
"I know. Peric told me a lot about you while you were asleep," Brannard said.
"That can't be a good thing."
"He's a good lad, but no, some of the things he said you probably wouldn't have wanted him to," Brannard admitted.
"So he talked about...?" Onmund said, eyebrows raised. He slowly sat himself up. Brannard reached over to help but held back.
"Yeah, he did, but don't worry that doesn't matter to me," he said hurriedly.
"It doesn't?" Onmund said.
"No. It's uh...it's happened to me," he said, once again rubbing the back of his neck.
"You were in Peric's position?"
"No. Yours, but it didn't end as well."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Onmund said, genuine concern on his face.
"It's okay. It happened a long time ago, before I even came to the College," he said, sitting on the chair beside Onmund.
"That wasn't too long ago was it? I think I've seen you around."
"I've definitely seen you."
Onmund stuttered for a moment. "What's it like out there?"
"Stable. The archers and mages are stopping the soldiers climbing the walls. Every time they try with ladders, they're burnt away with wall spells."
"Wall spells? First time I've heard of those," Onmund said.
"They're a high level Destruction spell. They create an impenetrable wall of fire that burns anything that steps through them. First time I've seen them in action, and they're definitely impressive."
"How many men did with lose with our failed attempt?" Onmund suddenly asked, recalling the events that put him in his state.
"Too many. About three-hundred. Hoarik and Phinis are still arguing in the captain's quarters."
"Hoarik needs to be made responsible for what he did. He killed so many on that field," Onmund said sternly.
"It's not so simple. Hoarik rightly states that he took the orders from Jarl Korir and blames the deaths on Phinis," Brannard said, leaning forward.
"What did Phinis do?" said Onmund.
"Well Hoarik says the atronachs were supposed to protect everyone, not just the Conjurationists. Phinis says that's simply not how the spells operate and blames Hoarik for closing the gate on the rest of us. It's a mess," Brannard said.
"We can't have this inner strife. It'll be that which kills us, not Brunwulf. Speaking of, what are we supposed to do now?"
"The Conjurationists have no further orders. We're simply asked to stay inside the fort until a use can be found for us."
"Oh, so not fodder then?" Onmund said angrily.
"That's not fair, and you know it," said Brannard.
"Well, I have to agree with Phinis," said Onmund, crossing his arms.
"And I agree with Hoarik."
There was silence as the two men stared at each other. This filled the room for only a few moments before Brannard looked down with a sigh.
"You're right, we can't have arguments. The point is, something went wrong, and it was Brunwulf's men who killed ours," Brannard said.
Onmund smiled. "It's rare to see a Nord back down."
"Well, I saved your life. No point wanting to kill you now," he said.
"I uh... thank you for that, by the way. If there's anything I can do-"
"Share a meal with me," Brannard said overly hastily. "If you wouldn't mind."
"It's the least I could do," Onmund said, looking up at Brannard. Peric was right, he really was cute.
"Great. Wait here, I'll pull something together."
"What, now?" Onmund said, but it was too late. Brannard had already ran out the tent.
Peric looked down at the hordes of red and blue soldiers. He was back at his position atop the keep watching the battle below. It was a source of pride for him that no matter how hard Brunwulf and his army tried, they could not get a single man over the walls. After a particularly hardy ladder let a man put a foot on the wall, a game had begun amongst the Illusionists. Peric had already won forty Septims by betting well on which ladders reached the wall and which ones crumbled before they got close.
"Ten Septims on the one on the right!" shouted Drevis, pointing excitedly.
"I'll take that," said Peric, holding out his hand. The ladder was hit by a spear of ice, knocking it off balance and straight into a newly conjured wall of flame.
"Ugh, you're gonna run me dry," Drevis said, tinkling coins into Peric's hand who tucked them away in the coin purse on his belt.
"Keep this up, and I'll be able to buy myself a new pair of boots and robes," Peric said.
"I'll win it back," Drevis muttered.
"That one. On the left. Twenty says it'll land on the wall," pointed a girl behind the pair.
"Sure, I'll take that," Drevis said. The ladder landed on the wall with a thud. "Damn." Drevis handed over the money. "I say that one!" he said, pointing over to a ladder in the centre, and it landed on the wall as well.
"Shame no one took it, Drevis," Peric said, patting his shoulder.
"Wait, hold on," Drevis said, his brows creasing. One by one, the ladders were all hitting the walls. "What's going on?" Soldiers were now climbing onto the walls, and the archers were drawing swords. "Why aren't there any wall spells?" And he was right. All that was left on the far side of the wall was melted snow and scorched earth.
"Come on, Drevis. We have to help," Peric said, readying a fear spell.
Drevis stood in silence, watching as ladder after ladder and soldier after soldier mounted the wall.
"Drevis!" shouted Peric.
"Yes! Okay. Half of you deal with the enemy. The rest of you bolster our own troops. We need those soldiers off the wall," Drevis said, throwing a fear spell at one of the ladders. The soldiers on it paused their climb before throwing themselves from the ladder with screams of terror. These were replaced by screams of pain as they hit the ground. Peric released his spell to a similar effect, as did some of the other students. The rest sent bolts of spiralling green energy at the Winterhold soldiers. Some of them shouted in fear as the spell hit them, thinking it to be the enemy or friendly fire, but as the spell took effect, they knew what to do.
"Peric, look!" Drevis said, pointing at the wall. Peric smiled as he saw what Drevis was talking about. The rally spells had certainly done their job. Winterhold soldiers were throwing men off the walls with their bare hands, whilst some swung heavy hammers and axes as if they were wooden toys. The enemy was being cut down all around and were being pushed back to the ladders. This gave the mages enough breathing space to burn down many of the ladders, especially the ones that had been abandoned by the terrified soldiers.
As the last soldier was thrown off the wall and the last ladder burnt, the Illusionists breathed a sigh of relief and let the rally spells dissipate. The mysteriously missing wall spells suddenly sparked back to life, coating the outside of the wall with fire.
"Do they have any ladders left?" Peric asked, craning his neck.
"I don't think so," said Drevis with more than a sigh of relief.
"What're we gonna bet on now?" Peric said. At that moment the catapult nearest to them made a direct hit on one of the enemy catapults, sending burning debris rocketing skyward. The games began again with renewed vigour.
Faralda stood before her prisoners, pacing back and forth. Irontooth stood unmoving, staring the Pale soldiers in the eyes.
"I have a tough choice here," she said, continuing her pacing. "I should rightfully kill you all or torture you for information."
"Your eminence, I beg of you please don't harm us," said a soldier near to her.
"Your eminence? Such manners," Faralda mocked. "But I see no other way."
"Faralda, stop this teasing. Kill them and be done with it," Irontooth said, staring straight ahead.
"You will not tell me what to do. I am a Master Wizard of the College of Winterhold. I am the authority on Destruction magic throughout Skyrim. I can melt the flesh off your bones as if it were nothing," she said as though she was the High Queen.
"Uh yes, ma'am," Irontooth faltered. "Sorry, ma'am."
"But tell me, Irontooth, what would a common thug like you do with these men?" she said with a flare of curiosity.
"With respect to your opinion of me, a common thug like me was given a second chance. I inhabited Fort Fellhammer before Jarl Korir took over, and he saw fit to conscript me into his army. Perhaps we could consider doing the same with these men," Irontooth said.
"What noble thoughts you have, Irontooth. Such an intriguing idea. What say you, enemies of Winterhold?"
"Your arcane excellence, to keep our lives, we would do anything," said the soldier who spoke before. This was met with murmurs of agreement from the other soldiers.
"Who is the highest ranking member amongst you?" asked Faralda. The soldiers all looked around at each other, but none spoke. "None of you have a rank?" she said, quite surprised. They all nodded or murmured confirmation. "A group of soldiers with no leader who are willing to fight for Winterhold. Irontooth, could we refuse several dozen new recruits?"
"I wouldn't say we could, no."
"Very well. If you are willing to spill the blood of your countrymen, then I shall spare your lives."
"We are," said the soldier. One by one, the others repeated those two words.
"We shall see," Faralda said quietly, clicking her fingers for the soldiers to be untied. "You shall accompany me to Fort Dunstad. There you will fight just as hard as any soldier of Winterhold against Commander Jod and his men; your ex-brothers-in-arms. If you can prove yourselves there, then you will become soldiers of Winterhold." Faralda turned to face the soldiers and mages that were grouped in the courtyard and on the walls. "Ready yourselves. Tomorrow we shall march on Fort Dunstad and repay these villains for what they've done to us!" She lifted her hand in the air, and a pillar of flame shot hundreds of feet into the sky. Moments later, the same was seen from Snowpoint Beacon. Along the mountain range that separated Winterhold from The Pale, four pillars could be seen. The garrisons from Fort Fellhammer, Snowpoint Beacon, Driftshade Refuge and Frostflow Lighthouse were ready for battle.