Chapter 6: The Witch King
General Tarn stood near the edge of the drop off the Nordsoen gulf, a line of guards on either side of him that stood at attention. Rain fell lightly from the sky and a foggy hue covered the sea. Through the mist in the distance he could make out the shape of a massive warship, it's dark sails bore a standard that resembled the head of a black viper with a frill of horns, carrying it steadily towards the cliff: 'The Vengeance'. The hull of the ship was completely overlaid with metal armor plates, armed with: twenty tyranite cannons, four smaller cannons on the surface deck and an ax like blade on the front of the ship for smashing through enemy vessels. The massive dreadnought served as a monument to their military might, advanced technology and was his liege's personal warship.
The ship came about to bring its hull along the shore, the side opened up into an iron ramp and slammed into the earth. Chains connected to it, supported and pulled it back when necessary. Descending down from the ramp were two individuals clad in steel who were escorted by naga warriors wearing red and black armor and each carried a fang tipped longsword on their back: The Witch Knights: the most elite blades of the Naga Ai, touched by the dark gift of sorcery and skilled swordsmen with little to no equals.
The first was the tall, imposing figure of The Witch King: Amicus. His black gleaming helm, surrounded by the frill of steel horns, atop jagged, vicious looking but expertly fashioned armor covered his whole physical form with a small, barely visible red gem in the middle of the chest plate which was shaped in the image of viper's gaping maw. As he made his way toward Tarn he seemed to glide across the earth like a reaper with his black cape brushing just above the earth.
Alongside him walked a smaller, slender individual, clad unique black armor that fit a feminine frame. Distinguished by sweeping lines of red leading from shoulder to the breast plate and ending at the hips. Venereth: The Witch King's most loyal and skilled Witch Knight as well as spy master, she was young and still had much to learn about warfare but she was a ruthless combatant and a force to be reckoned with. Her sword remained sheathed on her back while she carried her helm at her side, revealing pale skin with scale patterns along her neckline, blue reptilian eyes, pointed ears and long black hair bound in a war braid.
As his master approached, Tarn knelt before him, "My lord."
Stopping momentarily and gesturing with his hand he spoke, "General Tarn. Rise." His dark and disciplined tone echoed through his masked helm. The Witch King continued onward while Tarn followed behind him with Venereth on his other side.
The female knight turned towards him. "General Tarn." she offered.
He nodded indifferently to her. "Venereth."
They walked the rest of the way in silence, walking past soldiers and workers throughout the main encampment who all knelt in the presence of their king. Eventually they reached the large tent at the center of their war camp.
Amicus walked forward to the steps just before an iron throne, behind it hung a map of the continent Althgarr that included the northern kingdom Arendelle, The Southern Isles, Corona, Zaria and Chatho. These human kingdoms may not know of the Naga Ai's existence but nevertheless, they were all enemies of their regime...and they would be eradicated. He stood on the crystalline pad, looking directly at the map with his back to his subordinates, General Tarn and Venereth standing side by side while the two witch knights stood a few paces behind them. "General, tell me more about the second elemental you fought in the palace gardens."
Tarn stepped forward. "I had originally sent twelve to assassinate the elemental. Captain Dane and sergeant Meren led them, when I learned they had failed their objective and had been captured I led a party of fifty to finish the task myself and return our fellow naga but we were unsuccessful-"
"What do you mean you. 'They were captured?'" Venereth interjected fiercely.
Tarn growled at her. "I wouldn't worry so much about your brother Venereth...It is not in these human's nature to kill the meek outright."
She set her helm on the ground and folded her arms. "And yet you never thought to free them...? You allowed our warriors to be captured by the enemy, with the possibility of the humans learning more of our plans? It's enough to make me question your competence as a military commander-"
Amicus held up a hand. "Enough! General...continue..."
Tarn gave no noticeable reaction to her words and continued on, "When I first engaged the second, he did not seem a threat... my men would keep the queen occupied while I would remove the infidel. She interfered but I was certain I had broken him and moved to take the queen... her head would be in my hand now but then... this happened." He said pointing to his left jaw, where the armor was missing and the skin was burnt and black.
Venereth stepped around to his side, glaring directly at him with eyes that would bore holes through the souls of lesser creatures. "The Naga Ai have faced fiercer enemies than this before General. Scars and burns are surely nothing new to you...why are these any different?"
Tarn turned to her, taking a few steps to look down on her. "Because no weapon made by any creature has ever pierced my armor and... I haven't been given the chance to watch the one who gave them to me drown in his own blood..." He said this with almost sickening calmness as he clenched his fist to emphasize his meaning.
Venereth narrowed her eyes, the two stared each other down briefly before she turned to Amicus. "My liege, allow me to remove this... obstacle. I will kill the elementals and free our kin, they are no different than any other enemies I have slain in the past and I will reconcile... for Tarn's failure."
The Witch King remained silent for a moment before replying and turning back to them. "No... We do not yet know the full extent of the queen's power and if this pyromancer was powerful enough to best Tarn and sixty-two of our best...I will not risk another failed assassination. A storm is emerging on the horizon and where you see failure Venereth... I see a new course of action for our campaign." He looked to Tarn. "General, how many of our troops remain at present?"
"Just under two thousand my lord."
"Very good." he turned back to the map and pointed to different locations as he gave his order. "Assemble our warriors to subdue and occupy the holds throughout Arendelle, starting with Riverview to the west, then move south and east to take Hammerhel and Hadenville and finally we will launch a combined assault on Ashla's Pike to the north as it will be the most difficult to conquer. From there we will take root here in Arendelle." He gestured to the two witch knights. "I will be sending Decicus and Grima to assist you, utilize them as you see fit."
General Tarn nodded. "As you command my lord."
He then looked to Venereth. "The time to free your kin will come. For now, you will be my eyes in Arendelle, keep to the shadows and find out more about these elementals. We will put continuous pressure on the northern kingdom with every tool at our disposal...until our enemies deliver themselves unto our blades..."
"-And we will finish them once and for all." General Tarn concluded, his voice seething with anticipation.
"Your strategies have never failed my lord...it shall be as you say." Venereth replied with a slight solemn tone, her thoughts still dwelling on her brother.
The two followers bowed to him before leaving the tent. Amicus paid no heed to Venereth's sadness at the time as he turned to the map and clasped his armored fingers together behind his back. His only focus was: plotting the fall of the northern kingdoms, the death of the snow queen and the rise of their dominance over all life in the world. No force on earth could hope to stop them from fulfilling their purposeā¦
