Greenskins destroyed a village in Montfort? Hmm, curious that...

They got a thing about being tough and having a Lord that actually cares...how strange...

Also, Happy New Years, hope y'all enjoyed yourselves. I know I did, I'm still trying to fix my sleeping kek.


As the Greenskins rushed eagerly at the two travellers, a pair of dark eyes gazed at the conflict from within a nearby ruin.

Watching. Waiting.


An Orc raised a massive warhammer with a roar, only to have its face torn to bloody shreds by thorns.

Arahan immediately dropped her bow and swung her spear around her, slamming the end of the spear into a goblin's head, pulverising the small creature's head. She kicked a goblin that lunged at her with a pair of knives, sending it flying away with a shattered rib cage. Twirling her spear, Arahan leapt forward and impaled an orc through it's jaw. Pushing herself off the ground, the orcs neck rotated a full 180 degrees while Arahan withdrew her weapon and flew into the air.

Twisting around in the air, she threw her spear into another orc, straight through the beast's chest and trapping it to the ground. Landing like a cat, Arahan lunged forward, pulling her knife and slicing a pair of goblins across their throats, leaving them to choke on their blood. She couldn't help but chuckle at their slow deaths

She swung her body to the side as a blade came flying towards her, it's blade narrowly missing her arm. Flipping back, Arahan picked up a discarded goblin spear and threw it at the offending orc. It knocked it away with it's palm, but the momentary distraction was enough for the elf to pick up her bow and send an arrow through the orc's chest.

With a sadistic smile, Arahan drew another arrow. The tip of the arrow started to glow as a group of goblins started to run at her. Releasing her bow, the arrow launched forward and split into multiple glowing projectiles. They annihilated the group with ease, causing explosions when the arrows impacted on them, fetching Arahan a few more kills on stray goblins.

Something came flying at her and she tilted her body to the right, catching it with her free hand. The orc she had trapped on her spear rushed at her with an enraged roar. Arahan gave the brute a disappointed look before throwing her spear at it again. It didn't even have time to react as it went through it's leg and forcing it to tumble to the ground. It tried crawling to her, but an arrow quickly stopped it in it's tracks. Arahan drew another arrow as a pair of orcs came running at her.

Across the battlefield, strong Bretonnian steel relieved an orc of it's head.

Brandan swung his swords around him, smiting a pair of overly eager goblins and forcing more to back away. A spear jabbed at him, but broke on Brandan's armour, the knight pulled the stick towards him before it could be pulled back. The goblin attached to it screeched as it was pulled from it's feet but was silenced by Brandan's sword cutting the pathetic creature in half.

Sliding the shorter sword into his belt and holding his sword in a two handed grip, Brandan charged at the biggest pile of goblins. With a shout, he cleaved his way through them, taking limbs and heads with wild bloody swings. The small greenskins panicked and many started to run, only to be cut down by an approaching orc.

Brandan kicked one of the goblins, breaking it's neck under the impact. Brandan looked around him and barely managed to deflect the blade being swung at him. A meaty green fist flew at him and knocked him to the ground a few metres away, but the knight got up with a groan and raised his sword. The orc charged at him with a wild swing of his blade. The knight deflected the blade to the side and swung his sword into the orc's vulnerable neck. It released it's weapon and reached for it's neck before rushing forwards to grab the knight. Brandan jumped back and with a bloody overhead swing, brought his blade down into onto it' head. The orcs head was cut in two, cleaving through it's thick skull.

He looked up to see another orc running at him. The young knight pulled at his sword, but to his surprise it was stuck in the dead orc. He pulled at the stuck weapon again, looking up at the approaching orc that seem to realise his problem with a savage grin.

With a loud growl, Brandan drew the smaller sword. The incoming orc had a pair of wicked blades and swung them wildly at him. Finesse and skill was not the beast's specialty as it swung it's blades wildly in front of it, Brandan kept leaning back as he slowly walked back. He soon found himself tripping over a corpse, a blade missing his eyes by mere centimetres. However, the orc didn't realise his newfound position in time, and by the time it looked down, the knight's sword was impaled through the beast's eye. It roared in pain and walked backwards, dropping a blade to hold it's missing eye.

Brandan quickly took advantage of it's missing eye and quickly pushed himself up. He rushed towards disabled orc and thrusted his blade through the orc's hand, straight into it's head. Quickly, he withdrew the blade which slid out with ease. A goblin ran at him with a looted sword, but the knight knocked aside and ran the goblin through and quickly walked back to his own stuck sword.

With a strong pull, he managed to pull his sword out of the dead orc's skull with a mess of skin, skull and blood. Swinging his sword in an attempt to get some of the mess off his sword, Brandan quickly walked forward towards another group of goblins with a grimace.

More and more goblins and orcs rushed into the centre as Arahan and Brandan continued their bloody work. Soon the two of them were back to back. Arahan firing off arrow after arrow, each glowing blue and decimating everything and anything they touched. Brandan's swords cut through bone and flesh of all that came close, piles of goblin limbs and bodies steadily growing around them along with the occasional orc.

However, the two were not without injury themselves.

Brandan's armour was keeping him alive, but was damaged in many places and cuts and bruises covered his body. A badly timed swing had let a orc to pummel his face and blood had soaked through his brown hair. A surprising goblin archer also had managed to shoot him in the leg and left him slowed down.

On the other hand, Arahan was somewhat better through virtue of her skill at dodging, but the same archer from before had managed to shoot her in the shoulder, which slowed her shooting down. Her jerkin was nowhere near as protective as Brandan's armour however and there were a number of cuts across her body, and a large cut across her forehead was dripping blood into her eye.

Reaching for another arrow, Arahan's eyes widened as her hand found nothing. She sighed as she swung her bow across her back and drew her spear with an evil smirk. She impaled a charging orc and pushed him back into a pair of goblins, squishing them. Behind her, Brandan drew his sword from a dying orc in a shower of gore and cut down a goblin to his right. An orc charged her and she was forced to block it's blade with her spear, the impact jarring her arms under the brute force.

Before either could react, a sword was driven into the orc, causing it to back away and give Arahan room to thrust her spear through the orc. She turned to smile her thanks at the knight when she quickly drew her knife and threw it at a goblin that was about to stab the knight in the back. It slid home into the goblin's head and fell back. The two shared a nod before went back to killing.

Soon the Greenskins started to thin, only a mob of goblins and a pair of orcs were left in the square. The goblins trembled in fear while the orcs looked very cautious for a change in the warlike species. Arahan wiped some blood from her eye with her torn sleeve and levelled her spear at the Greenskins.

"So...who's next?" she said taking a deep breath with a dark smile. Brandan disembowelled an orc that was missing it's legs at his feet, then took a deep breath. His swords dipped into the ground.

"Let's...get this...over with..." said the young knight, righteous rage still present in his tired speaking. The goblins screamed and ran away, scrambling through the ruins and disappearing out of sight. the orc pair looked at each other before slowly backing away themselves. Before they could get far, Arahan's spear flew through the air and instantly killed the orc it impaled.

The other roared in outrage and ran at them, Arahan ran forward and picked up a discarded Bretonnian sword. The orc swung it's weapon wildly in rage, Arahan slid on her knees under it and cut a leg out from under it. It collapsed to the ground and reached out for Arahan. The elf sliced off the limb, breaking the blade in half.

Looking at the broken sword, she shrugged and stabbed the orc repeatedly in the head with it.

"Why. Can't. You. Filthy. Creatures. Fuck. Off. And. Die. ALREADY!?" Arahan accentuated with each stab. The Greenskin was already dead but the elf continued to stab into it's head with mindless anger and happiness. She idlily noted Brandan stumble up behind her, but she continued to mutilate the corpse in vindictive glee.

Their corpses were littered across the ground as she ran into the clearing. Arahan stopped and slowly lowered her bow, falling to her knees.

"Lady...Arahan?" Brandan said with tired confusion behind her. Arahan sighed in satisfaction and got up with a smile.

"Don't mind me, my good knight, I am just relieving some overdue grievances." she said with an amused chuckle. Brandan frowned, but said nothing else.

A moment of silence passed between the two of them as the stood there. Eventually, Brandan sank to the ground with fatigue. Arahan's head also began to spin and she too sat down. They sat there in silence until Naestra came running from an alleyway.

"ARAHAN!?" She shouted, looking around with concern. The elf in question raised her hand at Naestra, who ran over to them. The kind elf was covered in Greenskin blood with her sword in hand, her quiver empty and her bow slung across her back. She had a cut across her arm and another across her hip, but otherwise looked unharmed.

"Greetings sister, where have you been?" She said shortly. Naestra said nothing but checked over her for injuries. Arahan sighed, "Don't worry about it, it'll be gone soon anyway. I'm fine." Naestra gave her a vexed look.

"Killing Greenskins so that YOU didn't get yourself killed being overwhelmed by all of them." said Naestra angrily. Once satisfied that her sister wasn't at risk, she leaned over at Brandan and began examining his injuries. He flinched in pain as she checked his leg wound, but otherwise sat still for her.

Once she finished, she stood up and looked at the two with a relived but disappointed look.

"Thank the gods you two are ok. Why did you two IDIOTS just go running in without a second thought or the slightest caution?! Do you know how many Greenskins I killed to stop them from overwhelming you?! Naestra berated angrily. Brandan closed his eyes and sighed while Arahan shrugged.

"Does it really matter why sister? We are fine and the beasts are dead." Arahan said nonchalantly. Naestra scowled at her.

"If you think that will convince me, you forget who you speak to sister." she said with narrowing eyes. Arahan scoffed in amusement before groaning in pain as Naestra tapped her on the head with her pommel. "You went in to reckless slaughter Greenskins, you do not fool me."

Arahan scowled and rubbed her head. Naestra turned at Brandan and her expression lightened somewhat.

"And what say you, Sir Brandan? What drove you to charge into this place?" she asked.

Brandan took a deep breath. "I was here a mere week ago. Marc and I were resting her after killing nearby Greenskins for the village. There was a young Knight Errant stationed here by order of Lord Folcard. In the short time we were here, he asked us for advice in what it truly means to be a knight. I took a liking to him, he was only a few years younger than myself, yet he was so bright-eyed and hopeful. A true Bretonnian knight in the making. He treated the peasants here fairly, he was virtuous and respectful, all from the nature of his heart rather than experience. Perhaps, had he the chance, he would have taken the Questing Vow and became a legendary Grail Knight."

Brandan looked down with sadness.

"But it seems that those most deserving of honour and glory suffer the worst of fates." he finished. Naestra nodded solemnly. With a pained groan, the Questing Knight stood up and walked towards the hall, Naestra and Arahan in tow.

Entering the building, he walked up to where the fallen knight's body laid. He placed the knight's sword in it's sheath and placed the lance in the knight's hand. He turned around and faced the twins.

"Could you assist me in finding the fallen so that we can bring them here? To keep the scavengers from further desecration. We aught to destroy the Greenskin corpses while we can." Brandan asked sadly. The sisters nodded their heads as the three of them went about their grim work.


Thankfully, the village was rather small, and most of the dead were gathered in the town square and hall rather than spread out around the village. However, there was quite a number of Greenskins around the village that had been killed by Naestra that needed to be taken to the centre to be burned. It took them two hours and the sun was starting to go down by the time they were mostly done.

Naestra was searching one of the few intact buildings left. It was a simple affair, for Bretonnian peasants at least. A large bed in one corner, another bed in the other corner. Neither was smashed, however it seemed that they were the only things left in acceptable condition.

In addition to the beds was a smashed overturned table and a ruined cupboard and pantry. Food was strew across the floor, though it looked like the family must have been trying to grab as much as possible before running. Checking under the larger bed, there was nothing underneath it. Naestra walked to the other bed and saw nothing underneath it either. However, something caught her eye before she got back up.

If not for her keen eyes and years of experience in both trapping and hiding, she probably wouldn't have noticed the floor was raised slightly towards the side of the bed against the wall. Sliding her hand over it, she could clearly feel the rise in the floor, as well as a slight gap in the floor. Standing up, she pulled the bed away from the wall and drew her knife.

Naestra slid her knife's blade into the gap she felt and began wriggling it left and right. The raised floor came loose and Naestra grabbed it and lifted it out of the way. It was rather large and took both hands to move. She found it lead to a rather large hole, about two metres deep and a one and half metres in length and width.

Inside was a terrified human girl.

The girl screamed and threw something at her. Naestra leaned back slightly as the poorly thrown knife flew past her. Humans aged so quickly compared to the likes of the Asrai, but Naestra guessed this girl was about to reach adulthood.

"Calm, I do not wish you harm." Naestra said kindly, the girl pausing in confusion but still looking terrified.

"W-W-W-W-W-WHO ARE YOU!? WHERE ARE THE M-M-M-MONSTERS?!" the girl screamed loudly, causing Naestra to flinch slightly.

"My name is Naestra. My sister and I, along with our companion, slew the Greenskins. Surely you heard the fighting yes? That was us." Naestra calmly explained while the girl started crying but nodded. "It's ok, you are safe now, can you come with me so we can take you someplace safe?"

The girl slowly and carefully stood up, tears streaming down her face. Naestra offered the girl a hand and helped pull her out of the hole. The girl was dressed in a simple blouse and skirt and had clean blonde hair and behind her tears, bright emerald eyes could be seen. She clearly wasn't a noble, but she also didn't seem like the regular Bretonnian peasant, not to mention she didn't have their accent.

Before she could tell anything else, the girl pulled herself into Naestra's arm, holding her extremely tightly as the girl cried in her arms. Naestra gently wrapped her arms around the poor girl. "There, now, it's ok, you are safe now." Naestra whispered. She stood there and waited for the girl to calm. It certainly took a few minutes, however Naestra cared not.

Eventually, the girl slowly let go of Naestra, who kept an arm around the girls shoulders.

"I'm going to take you to my companions now, ok?" Naestra asked. The girl nodded and the two of them slowly walked out of the house into the ruinous sight that was once the village. Naestra could feel the girl trembling at the sight of it all as she guided the girl to the hall.

They reach it within a few minutes, and outside waiting was Brandan and Arahan, who were seated on the steps of the hall quietly talking. The Greenskins they had massacred had been placed in a pile and were burning brightly. While the sight was grisly and the smell horrible, Naestra could see a vindictive look on the girl's face.

Brandan noticed them walking towards him and Arahan. His eyes widened and he stood up quickly before his leg buckled in pain. Arahan offered the knight an arm and the two stumbled up to Naestra.

"By the Lady, how did you survive Milady?" Brandan questioned the girl in amazement. The girl looked at the gore-stained Knight in a mix of awe and fear.

"I...hid. Sir Knight." The girl said quietly, barely heard over the flames nearby. The knight shook his head in surprise.

"Then you must have hid well from the beasts. Milady, please, I beg of you, tell us what happened where if you can?" Brandan begged the girl, who gave him a confused look.

Naestra raised her hand in response.

"Not yet, Brandan, we should take some time to rest and recuperate first and foremost. We can discuss this later." she said. Brandan contemplated her point before shrugging.

"If you believe it wise, then so be it." he said. Arahan looked at the girl curiously, but said nothing. "Though I must ask, what is your name?" Brandan said to the girl.

The girl looked down and muttered quietly, "Emery."


Morning arrived with the smell of ash and death around them.

They had brought their horses inside the village, but had slept outside the hall itself in a nearby building that was still intact. Arahan and the girl, Emery, had taken the two beds inside, while Naestra and Brandan slept on the floor. Emery had suggested Brandan take the bed due to his injuries, but the knight refused the offer, citing that it would be impolite of him to rob a bed from a women for personal comfort.

The Sisters of Twilight had awoken first and begun making something to eat out of the now ownerless food. The two humans woke up soon after, the smell of delicious food inviting them. As the four ate, Emery spoke up about what had happened.

"I was travelling through Montfort with my adoptive father and we stopped here for a few days. We were staying with some distant relatives here and he left a few hours before the attack to go somewhere. He didn't say where, but the monsters came. The knight here said he had sent word and asked all able men to get arms and armour to hold the walls." Emery paused. "Something...happened. I don't know, but the walls suddenly just...exploded. The men retreated from the walls and I ran here. My adoptive relatives showed me the shelter and told me to stay in there until either they or Father came to get me." Emery fell silent. Naestra shared a look with Arahan while Brandan tilted his head curiously.

"The walls exploded you say? Some kind of foul Greenskin sorcery perhaps?" He wondered out loud.

"Or perhaps, something worse..." Naestra said ambiguously. Brandan gave her a curious look.

"You believe it is something else? Who, or what, would want to work with the vile Greenskins?" Brandan said with a raised eyebrow.

Arahan spoke next, "We were recently in a place called Naggaroth. There were Greenskins there, naturally, but there were also the vile Ratmen known as Skaven. They have strange devices that could do something just like the girl said."

Brandan's eyes narrowed while Emery gave her a strange look.

"Skaven? I've heard rumours from the southern dukedoms of ratmen that come from Estalia, many in number but individually weak and poorly armed compared to the knights and even Men-at-arms of Bretonnia." Brandan mentioned thoughtfully. Emery gave him the same, confused look.

"Skaven? But, they are just a myth, they don't exist...?" the girl explained, cheeks red in embarrassment by everyone's attention.

Arahan gave a dark chuckle that cause Emery to shiver. "Oh you poor, foolish girl. The Skaven exist. And they are much like Greenskins in that they are everywhere."

Naestra gave her an annoyed look before giving a reassuring one to Emery.

"While what my sister says is true, I must ask, where are you from for them to be mere myths? You don't look or act like the conventional Bretonnia peasant girl." Naestra curiously asked. Emery blinked before rubbing her arm.

"Oh, well, I was born in the Empire. I was abandoned in a village in Reikland, but my adoptive father travelled around the Empire. I've been in every state of the Empire as well as Sylvania and Solland, and even spent a few years in Kislev." Emery explained. Arahan nodded her head in approval.

"A travelled individual, that is interesting. Though I must confess, I am curious, why travel to Bretonnia?" asked Arahan.

"Well, Father said it was to be a change of environment for us, it was a few years ago since we returned to the Empire from Kislev, and that he wished to do something that would be easier to arrange in Bretonnia than the Empire." Emery said.

Brandan shrugged as did Naestra. They continued to eat in silence. Arahan gathered their eating utensils while Naestra went outside to prepare their horses. Brandan began the arduous process of rebandaging his wounds when Emery sat next to him with some of his medical supplies in her hands.

"Can I help you with that?" She asked him curiously. Brandan blinked in confusion before nodding. He watched as the girl expertly bandaged his wounds, occasionally stopping to mumble something. Within a few minutes, his was freshly bandaged and ready to go.

"My thanks milady, I must ask, where did you learn to do so?" Brandan said with interest.

Emery blushed slightly, "Oh, I learnt it at a Sigmarite church in Stirland when I was young. The priest there was a kindly old man who taught me first aid to help around the church when the Undead attacked. It's been something useful to know." She looked down sadly. "If only the prayers I learned could do more to help those around me."

The Questing Knight gave her a curious look. "I've heard about your 'Cult of Sigmar', though I worship The Lady of the Lake, perhaps you could speak to me of your god? I've always found other cultures most interesting."

The two conversed about their gods while the sisters went about organising their supplies.

Naestra walked up behind Arahan and tapped her on the shoulder. Her sister turned and gave her a raised eyebrow in response.

"I've been thinking sister, and if what I think is true, this might be more dangerous than we suspect." Naestra confessed. Arahan put down what she was pack with a sigh.

"You think it's the Skaven that let the Greenskins destroy this town." Arahan said plainly. Naestra nodded. "Then we are in agreement. I think so too. It's too convenient for the Greenskins, though it begs the question, why?"

The sisters shared a look before Naestra spoke up.

"We wait and watch. We continue with our mission unless we need to solve this problem ourselves." Naestra said with finality. Arahan shrugged in acceptance.

The two finished packing as Emery and Brandan finished their conversation. Emery was given the mules to ride and the four of them made their way out of the ruins. Emery's face was downcast as they left through the true exit towards Castle Montfort.

They spent the day travelling mostly in silence, however they quickly arrived mountainside road that would take them to Montfort Castle. As they travelled, Brandan took out his own map and addressed the group.

"At this rate, we will be at Castle Montfort around midday tomorrow, though we will probably see it sooner. The Castle is very awe-inspiring, with multiple layers of walls. It has renowned craftsmen and is infamous for how different the Castle is with half being within Axe Bite Pass and the other half outside it." Brandan said to his companions.

Emery spoke up as well, "Outer Montfort is well known being a pleasant place and an excellent place to stay when travelling through, whereas Inner Montfort is where all the trading and merchants come from both Bretonnia and the Empire. I came through it myself with Father, we visited the largest Temple to Sigmar in Bretonnia too, it was quite a structure." The twin elves nodded at them as they continued down the road.

Soon, the party came to a rest that evening to make camp, Naestra took Emery aside while Arahan prepared food from their supplies.

"So, Miss Naestra, why did you want to talk to me?" Emery asked with curiosity.

Naestra said nothing, but pulled back her hood, revealing her ears. Emery blinked for a moment before gasping in surprise.

"Your...an elf?" she said in amazement. Naestra nodded with a smile.

"That is correct, do you have issue with travelling with elves of Athel Loran?" Naestra asked simply. Emery hummed thoughtfully before shaking her head.

"No, not really. I've never interacted with elves, though I've heard stories in Wissenland about Athel Loran." Emery said happily. Naestra laughed and smiled at the Imperial girl.

"Well, much like we told Brandan, we do have our secrets. But I am willing to discuss somethings." Naestra said amusedly.

Arahan finished cooking at that point and whistled over at the two of them. Noticing her sister's lack of a hood, she gave a pleased smile at Naestra and Emery as she took off her own hood.

Emery asked the elves some polite questions as they made dinner, while Brandan occasionally asked his own. The camp was in better spirits than they had started that morning. Perhaps this was going to get better sooner than get worse?


They came around the mountain path to where Brandan said the Castle would come into sight.

Before them was Castle Montfort, in all it's glory.

And before the Castle was a massive host of Greenskins laying siege to the Castle. Throughout the Waaagh, a blue and red banner with a skull and bones motif could be seen.


Well, ain't that something?

So, hope you enjoy this chapter, and I'll be curious to hear people's thoughts on Emery. Kinda random idea I had that I might run with if reception is good.

If you enjoyed, leave a review, always enjoy hearing what you have to say even if it's just a "Was good".