The Calpathions had arrived.
And in seconds three had died.
Five arrows whistled through the air as the Calpathions stepped from the forests, three of Kalis's squadron jerked and collapsed, all with fatal wounds.
"Get down!" The roar issued from the throat of Kalis Deiran.
Most managed to heed the warning, ducking back into the shelter of the trees, several others died before they had time to blink. Kalis managed a sigh of relief before chancing a look over at the field.
It was a melee.
Beasts of all species swarmed the area, fighting and dying, archers stood at the top, eyeing the trees for more Calpathions to pick off.
Eroket's amber eyes took in the scene. "Our employers...they said there would be minimal resistance!"
Jald's team had maneuvered onto the outskirts of the battle, the ferret swordsbeast fought like a demon, slicing down beasts left and right, regardless of their uniform or side, his own troops remained behind him. Kalis's eyes widened at the sight of the ferocious attack, "That idiot! What is he doing?!"
Kalis stared at the brash actions for only a moment before whirling on his other troops.
Kalis nodded to Eroket. "Our destination is around the other side! We'll back you up, get going!"
The ermine nodded, signaling his squad and vanishing deeper into the trees. Kalis drew his sword, issuing more orders. "Deran, stay here and pick off their archers, Talrid, Kallan, you give Eroket backup...I'll keep Jald from killing himself! Everyone MOVE!!!"
This was their leader...the infamous Kalis Deiran they all respected. No nonsense, no uncertainty...this was the Kalis that had led them to victory in the past, and they meant to follow him.
Kalis nodded and his troops started their run downhill to back Jald's forces up. ***
Jald Nightson's emerald eyes glowed with battle lust, his blade whirling across the ranks of the fighters, attacking or not, cutting them down without discrimination.
"Sir!" One of his men cried, "We're overwhelmed! We need to retreat and regroup!"
"NO!!!" Jald roared in rage, "We've never abandoned a mission before! Push forward! We can take them!!!"
Jald scattered his enemies in front of him, The Manticore's skills coming to bear for the first time in over a year as he put his own lust before the lives of his troops.
A sling stone caught Jald in the side of a skull, hurling him to the ground with a surprised grunt. Through his groggy vision he could see three rats with weapons raised over him.
One rat suddenly collapsed, a dagger in its chest. The second turns to look as a blade slashed its throat. The third managed to raise its blade in defense before the blade of Kalis Deiran knocked the blade aside and ran it through.
"What...happened...? We could have taken this...position..."
Kalis grabbed Jald's paw roughly and pulled him up. "It was second hand recon and you charged right in! You should have waited for us...now shut up and get on your feet..."
Jald retrieved his sword, his troops standing back out of the diminishing battle. "Where's Eroket's squadron?" He growled, reclaiming his senses.
"He used your idiotic attack as a diversion," Was the cold answer. "He's going after our target."
***
Blood was spilled, the screams of the wounded and dying filled the air, the clash of steel upon steel...
It was music to the ears of General Visla.
The weasel hung back, surrounded by fourteen swordsbeasts and six archers, his fangs bared in a savage grin in the midday sun. "They've arrived, Taren...our spy did his work well."
The red fox nodded slightly, eyeing the place in the forest where Eroket's squadron had vanished. Visla smirked. "Stay calm...you'll get your chance to kill him."
"Not just kill." Taren snarled. "Fight and defeat him!" The red fox had changed after his defeat and Sariss's death, focused on defeating the ermine who had proved more then his equal in combat.
Visla smirked. "Go then...ambush them at the site..."
Taren nodded, throwing a salute to his general, the forest at his back offering ample cover from the eyes of the Calpathions. "And you, sir?"
Visla laughed. "I shall be dealing with my brother!"
Taren nodded and hurried off into the trees, the guard of swordsbeasts following him.
***
"This should be the place..." Eroket muttered as he stepped into the clearing, golden amber eyes narrowed. "Where are the soldiers we're supposed to be rescuing?"
Kallan was closest to the ermine, long blade sheathed at his side as he surveyed the area. "There's nobeast here, Eroket..."
"Correction; nobeast but us."
The ermine looked to the source of the voice, seeing the crimson fox standing by the trees, surrounded by fourteen beasts, each with a drawn blade in his paws.
"Taren de-Droka..."
The fox acknowledged with a small nod, Eroket's forces number six more then his own, but Taren didn't want this to become a melee fight...he wanted a duel.
"I got your note..." Taren replied coolly. "I finished the 'X' mark."
The mark in the cliff...it meant an arena, a place for a fight to be settled. "One place is as good as any fox..."
Taren's eyes flicked beside Eroket at the ermine stepped forward unafraid, knowing Taren wouldn't allow him to be cut down by foul means, that he would require a duel to satisfy his wounded honor.
Taren's bulging eyes were the first sign something was amiss...the second was the scratch of a blade sliding from its scabbard as Eroket whirled around, raising his sword in an instinctive block.
He knew the long blade his sword intercepted, knew the beast wielding it even better as Taren replied coldly. "Who do you think set you up here?"
"...Kallan?" The whisper came from the shocked ermine as Kallan darted back, out of blade range, to the Death Watch side, his eyes narrowed.
"I had wished it wouldn't have been this way...I AM sorry, Eroket..."
"It was you...that's how the Death Watchers knew our plans...knew our movements!"
Kallan acknowledged with a nod, ignoring Taren's murderous glare as he replied. "I'm sorry, Eroket...my oath to Visla has been retained through the years...and the money offered was too good to pass up..."
Hatred coursed through Eroket and his soldiers, at the treacherous ferret captain. "Was it you who told him where our village was?!"
"You have your own kin to thank for that..." Kallan's enigmatic remark was lost on the ermine...all Eroket desired was to place his paws around Kallan's throat, Taren snarled, interrupting the ermine's thoughts.
"You are obviously not at your best, Eroket...it would prove nothing to defeat you now...I suggest you get back to the battlefield...Kalis Deiran will be in trouble about now...I bid you farewell until our next battle...my teacher."
"I'm not your teacher..." Eroket hissed angrily as the Death Watchers- Kallan included-began to move back into cover of the trees.
"But you are my teacher!" Taren cried, paw reaching to open his tunic, revealing a scar on his chest. "I study the lesson you gave me daily! I will think of you always...and I shall hate you forever! Until we next meet, Farewell!"
Taren was gone...and Eroket lacked the conviction to follow him...only Kalis mattered, the ermine whirled upon his troops-now joined by Talrid and his squad. "Get back to the battlefield! This whole thing was a set up!"
He was gone, racing for the edge of the forest as fast as he could go. ***
Kalis and Jald had been separated from their groups, fighting alone at the bottom of two sloping hills, the vicious fighting had died down, leaving the two minimal enemies.
"KALIS!!!!" The roar came from a beast Kalis knew all too well, the weasel's gaze traveled in its direction, seeing General Visla, his mad brother, dressed in his gray armor, broadsword drawn and flanked by two archers, each with a nocked arrow to their bows, on either side of him.
"Visla..." The name was almost a curse as Kalis growled quietly to Jald, "This is your fault, Jald...we should have been out of here already. You're facing charges of insubordination...if we survive."
Kalis didn't see the hate laden glance Jald shot at his back as Visla laughed. "'If you survive?' Ha! Not likely!" He signaled his archers.
Arrows hissed down as the two scrambled for the top of the hill, four arrows slamming to where the two had been seconds before, Jald reached the top of the hill, only a slide down to complete safety...the squadrons were at the base of the forest.
Kalis was not so lucky. Older and more injured then Jald, unable to climb with the same speed, the the weasel reached out a paw to his subordinate. "Jald! Help me up!"
As the Death Watchers knocked their arrows once more, a savage grin appeared on Jald's face, a grin that stole any bit of hope from Kalis Deiran as a booted footpaw crashed into him, hurling him back and tumbling down the hill.
"Sorry, Kalis!" Jald yelled, "I'm through taking your orders, but don't worry! I'll take good care of the troops!"
Kalis had lost his sword in the fall, eyes widening in shock as he struggled to his feet, calling out to the ferret as he vanished over the hill, "JALD!!!"
An arrow tore through his leg, severing flesh, muscle and bone, hurling him to his knees with a cry of shock and pain.
***
Eroket made it to the edge of the forest to see Jald slip over the hill...he saw the kneeling figure at the base of the hill, recognized him as Kalis Deiran, facing the four archers as well as General Visla.
Eroket couldn't hear Visla's final victorious cry. "Finally I wipe you from history forever!"
He saw the broad sword rise into the air and slice down. Four arrows flew straight and true...and he saw Kalis Deiran's body jerk as four arrows found their home in his chest and stomach.
"KALIS, NO!!!!" The cry erupted from Eroket's throat as he felt his legs surge forward, to run to Kalis, he felt a beast tackle him to the ground and tried to turn to strike him away, uncaring of who it was.
"Eroket!" It was Talrid, the golden ferret's eyes wet, his voice choked and ragged. "There's nothing you can do for him...he's gone, ok? He's gone..."
General Visla laughed again and turned, with his archers, walking into the forest...presumably to meet up with the rest of the Death Watch...there was no reason to remain anymore...The greatest part of General Visla's revenge was complete...Kalis Deiran had fallen...and it had been Jald Nightson had abandoned him.
It was long moments before Talrid released Eroket...the group making their way to where Kalis had fallen.
"Kalis..." Eroket whispered, falling to his knees beside the body. Kalis's eyes were staring, his face twisted into a grimace of defiance, "I should have held your back...I'm sorry..."
But Kalis Deiran could no longer hear him.
***
"Hurry up!" Jald roared to the squadrons at the edge of the forest, his own, Kalis's and Deran's. "Kalis's last order was to retreat!"
"Where are the others?" Deran whispered, shocked by news of Kalis's death. He didn't want so many others to have died as well...and to have the Calpathions under Jald Nightson's leadership.
"They died trying to save Kalis! Let's move!" Jald yelled, turning to the forest.
"Wait! Look over there!" The cry came from within the ranks.
A group of forty beasts appeared...at their head was Eroket...in his arms was the corpse of Kalis Deiran, wrapped in his cloak, the arrows having been removed from the cooling flesh.
"Help me get Kalis out of here..." He whispered as he and his soldiers stepped into the midst of the others, placing Kalis's corpse upon the ground. His amber eyes hardened. "Then...we're going to find Visla!"
He felt a paw on his shoulder, heard Jald's whisper. "This is your change to do right by Kalis, kid...I should be in command here."
He whirled, smacking the paw from his shoulder, facing the ferret with the hard amber eyes. "That is not your call to make, Jald! I say you aren't fit to lead...you left Kalis to die alone!"
Jald took a step back, feeling many eyes on him, Talrid and Deran- the only other commanders-stepped behind Eroket, Talrid's voice said what his actions intended. "I will follow Eroket and no other!"
"Is this what you want?" Jald hissed, placing a paw on the hilt of his sword, "A child leading you?!"
The Calpathions moved...they moved to stand behind Eroket, who stood behind Kalis Deiran's body...many knew about Kallan as a traitor, but many others did not...it would be even more difficult to find out with Kalis gone...
"You should go." Eroket replied softly, his eyes never leaving Jald's. This was not a suggestion; this was exile.
"You'll kill them all, Eroket..." Was Jald's whisper, his final appeal.
"Go." Eroket replied. He knelt and took Kalis's body in his strong arms, turned away from Jald. The Calpathions parted to allow him through...with not a glance to Jald they turned and followed the ermine. They followed their General.
Jald stared for a moment before he turned and walked in a different direction to the forest...he was no longer a Calpathion, no longer protected...and he was without power...he had betrayed Kalis for nothing.
He'd find a way to survive though...in the end, he was still Jald Nightson.
Jald Nightson disappeared the day Kalis Deiran died...the same day a new General became leader of the Calpathions and swore his oath of vengeance against Visla of the Death Watch.
Eroket Nightblade was that leader.
He was Kalis's Legacy.
And in seconds three had died.
Five arrows whistled through the air as the Calpathions stepped from the forests, three of Kalis's squadron jerked and collapsed, all with fatal wounds.
"Get down!" The roar issued from the throat of Kalis Deiran.
Most managed to heed the warning, ducking back into the shelter of the trees, several others died before they had time to blink. Kalis managed a sigh of relief before chancing a look over at the field.
It was a melee.
Beasts of all species swarmed the area, fighting and dying, archers stood at the top, eyeing the trees for more Calpathions to pick off.
Eroket's amber eyes took in the scene. "Our employers...they said there would be minimal resistance!"
Jald's team had maneuvered onto the outskirts of the battle, the ferret swordsbeast fought like a demon, slicing down beasts left and right, regardless of their uniform or side, his own troops remained behind him. Kalis's eyes widened at the sight of the ferocious attack, "That idiot! What is he doing?!"
Kalis stared at the brash actions for only a moment before whirling on his other troops.
Kalis nodded to Eroket. "Our destination is around the other side! We'll back you up, get going!"
The ermine nodded, signaling his squad and vanishing deeper into the trees. Kalis drew his sword, issuing more orders. "Deran, stay here and pick off their archers, Talrid, Kallan, you give Eroket backup...I'll keep Jald from killing himself! Everyone MOVE!!!"
This was their leader...the infamous Kalis Deiran they all respected. No nonsense, no uncertainty...this was the Kalis that had led them to victory in the past, and they meant to follow him.
Kalis nodded and his troops started their run downhill to back Jald's forces up. ***
Jald Nightson's emerald eyes glowed with battle lust, his blade whirling across the ranks of the fighters, attacking or not, cutting them down without discrimination.
"Sir!" One of his men cried, "We're overwhelmed! We need to retreat and regroup!"
"NO!!!" Jald roared in rage, "We've never abandoned a mission before! Push forward! We can take them!!!"
Jald scattered his enemies in front of him, The Manticore's skills coming to bear for the first time in over a year as he put his own lust before the lives of his troops.
A sling stone caught Jald in the side of a skull, hurling him to the ground with a surprised grunt. Through his groggy vision he could see three rats with weapons raised over him.
One rat suddenly collapsed, a dagger in its chest. The second turns to look as a blade slashed its throat. The third managed to raise its blade in defense before the blade of Kalis Deiran knocked the blade aside and ran it through.
"What...happened...? We could have taken this...position..."
Kalis grabbed Jald's paw roughly and pulled him up. "It was second hand recon and you charged right in! You should have waited for us...now shut up and get on your feet..."
Jald retrieved his sword, his troops standing back out of the diminishing battle. "Where's Eroket's squadron?" He growled, reclaiming his senses.
"He used your idiotic attack as a diversion," Was the cold answer. "He's going after our target."
***
Blood was spilled, the screams of the wounded and dying filled the air, the clash of steel upon steel...
It was music to the ears of General Visla.
The weasel hung back, surrounded by fourteen swordsbeasts and six archers, his fangs bared in a savage grin in the midday sun. "They've arrived, Taren...our spy did his work well."
The red fox nodded slightly, eyeing the place in the forest where Eroket's squadron had vanished. Visla smirked. "Stay calm...you'll get your chance to kill him."
"Not just kill." Taren snarled. "Fight and defeat him!" The red fox had changed after his defeat and Sariss's death, focused on defeating the ermine who had proved more then his equal in combat.
Visla smirked. "Go then...ambush them at the site..."
Taren nodded, throwing a salute to his general, the forest at his back offering ample cover from the eyes of the Calpathions. "And you, sir?"
Visla laughed. "I shall be dealing with my brother!"
Taren nodded and hurried off into the trees, the guard of swordsbeasts following him.
***
"This should be the place..." Eroket muttered as he stepped into the clearing, golden amber eyes narrowed. "Where are the soldiers we're supposed to be rescuing?"
Kallan was closest to the ermine, long blade sheathed at his side as he surveyed the area. "There's nobeast here, Eroket..."
"Correction; nobeast but us."
The ermine looked to the source of the voice, seeing the crimson fox standing by the trees, surrounded by fourteen beasts, each with a drawn blade in his paws.
"Taren de-Droka..."
The fox acknowledged with a small nod, Eroket's forces number six more then his own, but Taren didn't want this to become a melee fight...he wanted a duel.
"I got your note..." Taren replied coolly. "I finished the 'X' mark."
The mark in the cliff...it meant an arena, a place for a fight to be settled. "One place is as good as any fox..."
Taren's eyes flicked beside Eroket at the ermine stepped forward unafraid, knowing Taren wouldn't allow him to be cut down by foul means, that he would require a duel to satisfy his wounded honor.
Taren's bulging eyes were the first sign something was amiss...the second was the scratch of a blade sliding from its scabbard as Eroket whirled around, raising his sword in an instinctive block.
He knew the long blade his sword intercepted, knew the beast wielding it even better as Taren replied coldly. "Who do you think set you up here?"
"...Kallan?" The whisper came from the shocked ermine as Kallan darted back, out of blade range, to the Death Watch side, his eyes narrowed.
"I had wished it wouldn't have been this way...I AM sorry, Eroket..."
"It was you...that's how the Death Watchers knew our plans...knew our movements!"
Kallan acknowledged with a nod, ignoring Taren's murderous glare as he replied. "I'm sorry, Eroket...my oath to Visla has been retained through the years...and the money offered was too good to pass up..."
Hatred coursed through Eroket and his soldiers, at the treacherous ferret captain. "Was it you who told him where our village was?!"
"You have your own kin to thank for that..." Kallan's enigmatic remark was lost on the ermine...all Eroket desired was to place his paws around Kallan's throat, Taren snarled, interrupting the ermine's thoughts.
"You are obviously not at your best, Eroket...it would prove nothing to defeat you now...I suggest you get back to the battlefield...Kalis Deiran will be in trouble about now...I bid you farewell until our next battle...my teacher."
"I'm not your teacher..." Eroket hissed angrily as the Death Watchers- Kallan included-began to move back into cover of the trees.
"But you are my teacher!" Taren cried, paw reaching to open his tunic, revealing a scar on his chest. "I study the lesson you gave me daily! I will think of you always...and I shall hate you forever! Until we next meet, Farewell!"
Taren was gone...and Eroket lacked the conviction to follow him...only Kalis mattered, the ermine whirled upon his troops-now joined by Talrid and his squad. "Get back to the battlefield! This whole thing was a set up!"
He was gone, racing for the edge of the forest as fast as he could go. ***
Kalis and Jald had been separated from their groups, fighting alone at the bottom of two sloping hills, the vicious fighting had died down, leaving the two minimal enemies.
"KALIS!!!!" The roar came from a beast Kalis knew all too well, the weasel's gaze traveled in its direction, seeing General Visla, his mad brother, dressed in his gray armor, broadsword drawn and flanked by two archers, each with a nocked arrow to their bows, on either side of him.
"Visla..." The name was almost a curse as Kalis growled quietly to Jald, "This is your fault, Jald...we should have been out of here already. You're facing charges of insubordination...if we survive."
Kalis didn't see the hate laden glance Jald shot at his back as Visla laughed. "'If you survive?' Ha! Not likely!" He signaled his archers.
Arrows hissed down as the two scrambled for the top of the hill, four arrows slamming to where the two had been seconds before, Jald reached the top of the hill, only a slide down to complete safety...the squadrons were at the base of the forest.
Kalis was not so lucky. Older and more injured then Jald, unable to climb with the same speed, the the weasel reached out a paw to his subordinate. "Jald! Help me up!"
As the Death Watchers knocked their arrows once more, a savage grin appeared on Jald's face, a grin that stole any bit of hope from Kalis Deiran as a booted footpaw crashed into him, hurling him back and tumbling down the hill.
"Sorry, Kalis!" Jald yelled, "I'm through taking your orders, but don't worry! I'll take good care of the troops!"
Kalis had lost his sword in the fall, eyes widening in shock as he struggled to his feet, calling out to the ferret as he vanished over the hill, "JALD!!!"
An arrow tore through his leg, severing flesh, muscle and bone, hurling him to his knees with a cry of shock and pain.
***
Eroket made it to the edge of the forest to see Jald slip over the hill...he saw the kneeling figure at the base of the hill, recognized him as Kalis Deiran, facing the four archers as well as General Visla.
Eroket couldn't hear Visla's final victorious cry. "Finally I wipe you from history forever!"
He saw the broad sword rise into the air and slice down. Four arrows flew straight and true...and he saw Kalis Deiran's body jerk as four arrows found their home in his chest and stomach.
"KALIS, NO!!!!" The cry erupted from Eroket's throat as he felt his legs surge forward, to run to Kalis, he felt a beast tackle him to the ground and tried to turn to strike him away, uncaring of who it was.
"Eroket!" It was Talrid, the golden ferret's eyes wet, his voice choked and ragged. "There's nothing you can do for him...he's gone, ok? He's gone..."
General Visla laughed again and turned, with his archers, walking into the forest...presumably to meet up with the rest of the Death Watch...there was no reason to remain anymore...The greatest part of General Visla's revenge was complete...Kalis Deiran had fallen...and it had been Jald Nightson had abandoned him.
It was long moments before Talrid released Eroket...the group making their way to where Kalis had fallen.
"Kalis..." Eroket whispered, falling to his knees beside the body. Kalis's eyes were staring, his face twisted into a grimace of defiance, "I should have held your back...I'm sorry..."
But Kalis Deiran could no longer hear him.
***
"Hurry up!" Jald roared to the squadrons at the edge of the forest, his own, Kalis's and Deran's. "Kalis's last order was to retreat!"
"Where are the others?" Deran whispered, shocked by news of Kalis's death. He didn't want so many others to have died as well...and to have the Calpathions under Jald Nightson's leadership.
"They died trying to save Kalis! Let's move!" Jald yelled, turning to the forest.
"Wait! Look over there!" The cry came from within the ranks.
A group of forty beasts appeared...at their head was Eroket...in his arms was the corpse of Kalis Deiran, wrapped in his cloak, the arrows having been removed from the cooling flesh.
"Help me get Kalis out of here..." He whispered as he and his soldiers stepped into the midst of the others, placing Kalis's corpse upon the ground. His amber eyes hardened. "Then...we're going to find Visla!"
He felt a paw on his shoulder, heard Jald's whisper. "This is your change to do right by Kalis, kid...I should be in command here."
He whirled, smacking the paw from his shoulder, facing the ferret with the hard amber eyes. "That is not your call to make, Jald! I say you aren't fit to lead...you left Kalis to die alone!"
Jald took a step back, feeling many eyes on him, Talrid and Deran- the only other commanders-stepped behind Eroket, Talrid's voice said what his actions intended. "I will follow Eroket and no other!"
"Is this what you want?" Jald hissed, placing a paw on the hilt of his sword, "A child leading you?!"
The Calpathions moved...they moved to stand behind Eroket, who stood behind Kalis Deiran's body...many knew about Kallan as a traitor, but many others did not...it would be even more difficult to find out with Kalis gone...
"You should go." Eroket replied softly, his eyes never leaving Jald's. This was not a suggestion; this was exile.
"You'll kill them all, Eroket..." Was Jald's whisper, his final appeal.
"Go." Eroket replied. He knelt and took Kalis's body in his strong arms, turned away from Jald. The Calpathions parted to allow him through...with not a glance to Jald they turned and followed the ermine. They followed their General.
Jald stared for a moment before he turned and walked in a different direction to the forest...he was no longer a Calpathion, no longer protected...and he was without power...he had betrayed Kalis for nothing.
He'd find a way to survive though...in the end, he was still Jald Nightson.
Jald Nightson disappeared the day Kalis Deiran died...the same day a new General became leader of the Calpathions and swore his oath of vengeance against Visla of the Death Watch.
Eroket Nightblade was that leader.
He was Kalis's Legacy.