In the northern section of the Tove Woodlands, more Bretonnians had been stranded in this new world. Four of them were knights, while the rest, a band leaded by two, were archers.
One of the knights was cladded in red armour and a helmet which almost resembled a papal hat, held a mace on one hand and a shield on the other, and held a talisman of some sort.
Another knight was cladded in yellow armour, the helmet having the shape of a dragon. On his back he carried several damaged flags, trophies gained in previous battles most likely. He held a large mace on one hand, its shaft carved from a dragon thighbone, whilst the head was made from what seemed to be meteorite metal. On his other hand he held a shield, which seemed to be imbued in magic.
Another knight was cladded in blue and red armour, his helmet having a gryphon on the top. He held a long, elegant sword on his hand, whilst on his back he carried a lance, it's hilt resembling a snarling dragon.
The last knight was cladded in blue armour, his helmet adorned with an eagle. He carried a lance on his back as well.
Leading the bowmen were two men: one was slim and wore green clothes, alongside a green hat with a red feather on top. He had a sword on his hilt and a bow on his back. Some of his arrows were tipped with dragon teeth and flighted with crow feathers. His companion was far more corpulent, being dressed like a friar. He was equipped with a sword, a long bow, and a wine flagon on his back.
« It's good to find more Bretonnians in this alien lands. For a moment I feared that I would have not found a single living soul in these damned woods! » one of the knights spoke first. « Yes, even if we have to endure the presence of these peasants. » the eagle knight rudely added, referring to the bowmen. « Yeah, yeah, we don't appreciate your presence too, but you don't see us complaining! » the man in green shot back.
« You dare- » the knight snarled outraged at the response, before one of the knights stepped forward to avoid confrontations. « Francois le Noir, I understand your outrage, but we have no time to quarrel among ourselves. I do not sense the same type of magic found within Athel Loren, but this forest could be just as haunted. »
Francois sighed. « You're right, noble Calard of Garamont. This is no time for petty conflicts. But I shall not forget the affront this peasant has caused to me. » Calard then turned towards the bowman. « And you, Bertrand the Brigand. I have heard of your feats. How your Bergerac Bowmen have defended countless villages from all sorts of monstrosities, and those who walk away from the path of the Lady. Had circumstances been different, you would had turned out a magnificent knight of the realm. But alas, it is of your best interest to not provoke a champion of the Lady of the Lake. »
« Our best interest is finding out where in the Lady's name we ended up! For all we know, that magical explosion has sent us to some Demon Realm! » Bertrand responded. « Impossible. I do not feel the chaotic energy I had to endure in my quest in the Chaos wastes. This is something different entirely. » Calard responded.
« Perhaps we ended up in Lustria? » the dragon helmeted man pondered. « It would certainly be a grim prospective, Duke Bohemond of Bastonne. But alas, the flora does not match the tales of Tilean explorers. » Calard responded. « What's a flora? » the corpulent friar asked Bertrand. « Oh, just a fancy noblemen name for plants, my good old Gui. » Bertrand responded.
« We will not find our answers by standing around. If we are to find any sort of civilization, or preferably other Bretonnians stranded in this alien land, we must move out, preferably together. » the pope helmeted knight argued. « Indeed we must, Sir Amalric of Gaudaron. » Calard responded, before turning to Bertrand and his bowmen.
« Bertrand the Brigand. I know that between you and the nobles of Bretonnia there is much hatred, but I must ask for the help of your bowmen. This forest may hide many perils, and if we are to survive, we must stick together. » the knight explained. Bertrand simply shrugged. « Well, can't say I have anything better to do. Though forgive us for using such "cowardly" weapons. » the bowman sarcastically commented.
« Perhaps they are indeed needed. Who knows what sort of array of cowards this forest hides. Beastmen? Ratmen?...Elves? » Francois commented with a disgusted tone. « If there were elves, at least the fay people of Athel Loren, I doubt we would be talking unscathed. » Bohemond noted.
Xxxxxxx
The Bretonnians continued to walk through the woods, trying to find any sort of civilization. But so far, nothing. The forest itself seemed empty of any sort of life, other than plant ones. Other than the occasional rabbit, hardly anything seemed to be present.
« By the Lady, this damn forest is desolate! I've fought in Kislev, and the place looked like a booming metropolis in comparison. » Calard complained. « Be patient, Sir Calard. We have no idea where we are, and without knowledge of the surrounding topography, it's easy to get lost. » Amalric commented. « I know, but this is still frustrating. » was Calard response.
« I agree. I have fought countless times against the cowardly forest dwellers of Bastonne, but none of the forests in my dukedom match the size of this one. » Bohemond commented. « I don't think any forest in Bretonnia grows this large. Are we sure this isn't the fay people homeland, Athel Loren? » Gui asked. « No. As I said before, I do not feel the same magic of that cursed place. Besides, if this was Athel Loren, we would be seen as intruders. The elves would be quick to send a force to deal with us, but instead…nothing! » Calard responded.
« So what do you think caused this? » Bertrand asked. « Caused what? » Amalric asked. « That magic explosion! Magic like that doesn't just happen! » Bertrand responded. « Perhaps it was a witch? » Gui pondered. « A powerful one at that. Perhaps just as strong as the Fey Enchantress. » Calard responded. « Well at least we won't die of hunger. Spotted a couple of rabbits whilst we walked in this damned forest. Perhaps there's a colony out there, should be able to feed us for a while. » Bertrand noted.
« Well at least your knowledge in small game prey might turn out useful. » Francois commented with a smirk. « That being said, I think we have marched enough. Your bowmen at least must be exhausted after marching for so long, and we need them to be as sharp as possible. » Calard said. Bertrand remained silent, as he inspected the woodland for any place where to camp.
He then noticed a partial opening. « There. We should be able to camp in that small clearing. Me and Gui'll go and check for more rabbits. » Bertrand explained. « In the meantime, we'll gather wood and start a fire. Be careful out there; we don't know what sort of perils may lie in this forest. » Calard warned the two. « Have a little faith, nobleman. » Bertrand cockily responded, as they walked off.
Several of the bowmen started to collect nearby sticks and logs to start a fire. One of them noticed a low-hanging branch from a leafless tree. « This'll do nicely. » he said, as he pulled out an axe and begun to chop the brand down. Much to his surprise, however, once he hit said branch, it swung at the bowman, a roar of pain coming from the plant.
All the knights and bowmen, alongside Bertrand and Gui, turned to see what happened, as the tree came to life and attempted to crush their companion. « By the Lady! » the bowman shouted as he barely dodged the attack, hastily grabbing his sword to parry another attack, which sent him flying. « Treeman! » Calard shouted, as he mounted on his horse, charging at his foe. Soon he was joined by the other knights, lances pointing onwards as they braced for impact on the massive living plant.
The bowmen fired their arrows at the massive treeman, who simply didn't seem affected by their volley of fire. Not that it mattered, as the knights charged at the living plant. Calard and Francois lances hit the opponent, the surprising strength of the knights causing the treeman to collapse. None the less, the living tree was still kicking, but not for long.
Before it could back on its feet, Bohemond charged forward, his mace striking what resembled the face of the treeman, shattering it in one swift move. And with that, the tree was eliminated. But before the Bretonnians could cheer at their victory, more treemen awoke from their slumber, very keen in avenging their fallen brother.
« Hold fast, knights of Bretonnia! Send these abominable creatures back to the black pits they belong! » Calard rallied the knights, as he pulled the lance back and unsheathed his sword. « For the Lady! »
Amalric barely dodged the attack of one of the treemen, only to strike at him with one mighty swing of his mace, shattering the trunk and causing most of its body to fall down. Another treeman also attempted to strike him down, but this time, the knight swung his mace and shattered it's branch-arm. Before the treeman could cry out in pain, Amalric swung once more, this time at the "face" of the treeman, shattering it, forming a hole in it.
« With lance and blade we'll cast you down, foul creatures! » Bohemond shouted against the treemen. He charged at the treemen once more, his mace shattering the trunk of one of them, the living tree falling down. He then moved towards his next target. With a crash of steel on bark, Bohemond smashed into the tree monsters with immense fury. His mace smashed down several of the treemen, hacking limbs and heads from wooden bodies. His steed lashed out with iron-shod hooves to split bark and branches alike. Duke Bohemond rammed his mace into the belly of a massive treeman, the impetus of his swing punched the creature from its rooted feet, and it roared in pain. He then wheeled his horse once more, charging back into the combat, and shattered the head of another treeman.
Francois rode off past the treemen. One may consider this an act of cowardice, as it seemed like the duke intended to flee from the battle. This was not the case, as he soon turned back with no hint of hesitation, his lance pointed onward, charging at another treeman with such strength that he lifted it off the ground, before being cut down by the duke's sword.
But none fought as hard as Calard. With his lance placed on his back, he unleashed the fury of his sword, shining through the barely illuminated forest, cutting down the treemen like they were made of butter. Time and time again the creatures attempted to strike at the knight, who simply blocked their blows with his shield, only to counter with powerful blows from his sword.
But still, the treemen kept on coming, and their aim was getting better, being able to hit the knight on several occasions with their branches, their inhuman strength being the only thing preventing them to be killed. The bowmen attempted numerous times to shoot down the treemen, but all efforts were in vain, as none of the arrows did any real damage.
Even Bertrand and Gui joined the fight, but to no avail. Then, Bertrand had an idea. « All right! Start a fire, right now! » he ordered the bowmen, who quickly did as instructed. Whilst the knights held off the treemen attack, the bowmen managed to get the fire going. « Next, dip the arrows in Gui's flagon, put the arrows on the fire and shoot at the treemen! » Bertrand ordered.
Without thinking twice, the bowmen did as instructed. With the arrows now being engulfed in flames, the bowmen once again fired at the treemen. But whilst before the arrows did almost no damage to the living trees, this time the massive plants quickly caught on fire, collapsing or fleeing in terror after the volley of flaming arrows.
And with that, the battle was won. But before the Bretonnians could celebrate, Bertrand grabbed one of his black arrows and shoot at the general direction of Calard. Thankfully, the knight was not his target, as the arrow pierced through one of the treemen, killing it on the spot. The knights turned surprised by the bowmen intervention.
« Well, you probably aren't going to be a useless as I thought. » Francois commented. « You're welcome! » Bertrand responded irritated. « None the less, the battle is won. And in large part thanks to the Bowmen of Bergerac. » Calard thanked the bowmen. « We're sons of Bretonnia to, my lord! And for the Lady, there is no threat I'm not willing to face! » Gui exclaimed.
The knights then turned towards the dead treemen. « This isn't Athel Loren. I just know it. » Calard said at the sight. « But then why is this forest inhabited by treemen? »
« I've heard of a forest inside of the Empire populated by elves. I think it's called Lauren, and it's populated by the Eonir, some sort of Asrai cousins. Far tamer than their Athel Loren brothers. » Bohemond said. « It would certainly explain why there wasn't any response from any elf. » Amalric noted. « Still, I can't shake the feeling that this forest isn't an elven realm. » Calard commented.
So far, this forest offered the Bretonnians more questions than answers.
Xxxxxxx
A party of about fifty riders galloped across a grassy plain. All of them were equally brawny, but one stood out from all the rest.
There was no word more fitting for him than robust It was plain even through his breastplate that his whole body was covered in bulging muscles. He was in his thirties. Deep creases formed when he knit his tan brow. His black hair was neatly trimmed and his black eyes gleamed with the sharpness of a dagger.
The rider next to him spoke. « Captain, we've almost reached the first village on our patrol. »
« Yes, it seems that way, Vice-Captain. »
This was Gazef Stronoff, pride of the Re-Estize Kingdom and captain of its guard. The village had not yet appeared down his line of sight.
Suppressing his impatience, Gazef maintained a steady speed. Though they weren't driving their horses to exhaustion, it had been quite a march from the royal capital to here. A hint of fatigue had taken up root in his core. Certainly the same could be said for the horses. It wouldn't do to burden them any further.
« But I really hope it's nothing... » The vice-captain spoke again. His voice betrayed his anxiety, and Gazef felt the same.
The mission the king had given them was to "find the imperial knights spotted near the kingdom's border and subdue them."
Under normal circumstances, it would have been faster to send soldiers from the nearby city of E-Rantel, but the empire's knights were strong and well outfitted. The gap between them and the kingdom's recruits was clear. The only soldiers in the kingdom that had a chance against the knights were the ones directly under Gazef. But it was foolish to leave everything up to them like this. Even just mobilizing some troops to guard the villages until Gazef and his men arrived would probably have been enough to stave off the enemy. There were plenty of other options as well. Just currently, they weren't being—no, they couldn't be—taken.
Gazef knew why and it irritated him to no end. He did his best to relax his grip on the reins, but he couldn't extinguish the blaze of his inner emotions.
«Captain, it's ridiculous for us to get to the village and then begin the search. And since you brought all of us, couldn't we divide up the labor? Or better yet, we could hire some adventurers from E-Rantel and ask them to find the knights. Why are we doing it like this? »
«...Don't say that, Vice-Captain. Nothing good will come of everyone finding out there are imperial knights throwing their weight around inside the kingdom's borders. »
«Captain, there's no one to hear us now. I want you to tell me the truth. » A faint smile played across the vice-captain's face, but it was the exact opposite of a kindly grin. «Are the nobles interfering? » The vice-captain practically spat the words, and Gazef didn't reply. Because the answer was yes. «So the damned nobles plan to use the victims as pawns in their power struggle? And since this area is directly under the king's jurisdiction, I suppose they'll use any suffering as an excuse to make snide remarks. »
«Not all the nobles think that way. »
«I'm sure there are some who, like you say, think of the people. Like the Golden Princess. But how many? ...If the king could just take absolute power like the emperor next door, he could ignore the damned nobles and focus on the people. »
«If we force things, sides will be taken and the country will split. Causing an internal conflict with an expansionist empire next door would be even worse for the people. »
«I know, but... »
«Let's drop it for now... » Leaving it at that, Gazef pursed his lips and turned his penetrating gaze forward.
Black smoke rose from beyond a small hill up ahead—and not just one or two trails. There wasn't a man present who didn't know what that meant. Gazef clicked his tongue and kicked his spurs into his horse's flanks.
The scene that flooded their vision when they crested the hill was what they had expected. The village had been burned to ashes. The scattered house wreckage still standing was like grave markers.
Gazef gave orders in a steely voice. «Company, begin maneuvers. On the double! »
The village was burned to the ground. Only the collapsed remains of houses still bore any resemblance to their former shape. Walking through the wreckage, everything smelled like charred ashes mixed with the stench of blood.
Gazef's face was steady, no trace of emotion, but that itself showed most clearly what he must have been feeling. The same went for the vice-captain, walking beside him.
Of the more than one hundred villagers, only six had survived. The rest had been massacred—women and children alike, even infants.
«Vice-Captain, escort the survivors to E-Rantel. »
«Please don't do this! That would be the most... »
«You're right—it's a foolish plan. But we can't just leave them here like this. »
E-Rantel was directly under the king's jurisdiction and protecting these villages was his job. If they abandoned the survivors, it would be a terrible blow to the king. And it was easy to see that the nobles trying to corner him would make noise about it, too.
And more importantly...
«Please rethink this. We should retreat to E-Rantel for the time being and get ourselves in order. »
«That's impossible. »
«Captain! I'm sure you realize, but this must be a trap. The timing of the attack on the village lines up too well with our arrival in E-Rantel. They waited for us before committing this atrocity. I'd even venture to say that the fact that they didn't kill every last person means it can't be anything but a trap. » The survivors hadn't managed to escape the knights by running and hiding. The attackers just didn't kill them. Their aim was probably to force the military to divide their strength to protect them. «Captain, you can't mean that you're going to chase them down knowing full well it's a trap! »
«.. .That was my intention. »
«Are you serious? Captain. It's true that you're strong. I'm sure you could fight one hundred knights and come out victorious. But the empire has a caster. If that old man is with them, it's risky, even for you. You're not fully outfitted right now, so losing to the Four wouldn't be out of the question, either. So I'm begging you, please withdraw. No matter how many more villages fell, losing you would be a bigger loss for the kingdom! » In response to Gazef's silence, the vice-captain continued with pain in his voice. «If you can't withdraw, then let's all leave the survivors and go after them. »
«That...is probably the wisest choice, but it would mean abandoning lives that could be saved. Do you really think they could make it if we left them here on their own? »
The vice-captain had no response. He knew the chances were slim. If they didn't provide an escort and take them somewhere safe, they'd be gone within a few days. Still the vice-captain said—he had to say—«Captain. The most valuable life here is yours. We can't be worried what happens to the villagers. »
Gazef knew it was killing the vice-captain to say such things, and he was angry at himself for forcing the issue, but he still couldn't accept it. «I was born a commoner. You were, too, right? »
«Yes. I aspired to the Select because I looked up to you. »
«You lived in a village, right? »
«Yes, that's why—»
«Death is like a next-door neighbor when you live in a village. It's not so rare for a monster to attack and kill people, right? »
«Right... »
«Mere soldiers can't always handle a monster. If you don't have the money to hire a specialist in monster extermination—an adventurer—all you can do is lie low until it leaves. »
«Right... »
«So, didn't you ever hope? Hope that a noble would appear in your hour of need? That someone with power would come and save you? »
«It'd be a lie if I said I didn't, but no one ever came. At least, the nobles of the domain we belonged to never gave us any financial help. »
«So let's show them we're different. We're going to save the villagers. »
The vice-captain's voice caught as he remembered his past.
«Vice-Captain. Let's show 'em that there are people out there who will risk their lives despite the danger, that there are strong who will protect the weak! »
The men's eyes met and exchanged a multitude of emotions.
Finally, the vice-captain spoke, sounding tired but aiming to convey his passion. «...Then I'll take my men and go. I may be replaceable, but you're not. »
«Don't be absurd! There's a better chance we make it back alive if I go, too. We don't go to our deaths; we go to save the people. »
The vice-captain's mouth worked for a moment, then closed. «I'll choose who will escort the villagers to E-Rantel right away. »
Xxxxxxx
As the sky reddened, human shapes began to appear one after another on the grassy plain. There were forty-five of them. The way they appeared out of nowhere was not due to camouflage, but magic.
One glance was enough to tell they were not mercenaries, travelers, or adventurers. They all looked the same, clad in armoured clothing woven out of special metallic thread to prioritize mobility and defence. Due to magical fortification, however, these clothes had even greater defence and, in fact, were more effective than a full suit of armour. Their leather bags weren't very full and didn't seem like the kind of thing someone on a journey would carry—that is, as long as they weren't also magic. The specially made belts around their waists held multiple potions and the mantles draped across their backs radiated magical auras.
Gathering enough magical items for all those people would have been no easy feat, either of coin or in terms of time and effort. Being so well equipped was proof that they had nation-level support behind them. Despite that, there was nothing on any of their gear displaying their rank or affiliation. In other words, they were an unlawful group with reason to hide.
They looked toward the abandoned village. Gazing upon the ruins enveloped in the stench of burning and blood produced not a flicker of emotion in their eyes. They looked on coolly, as if it were a matter of course.
«We let him get away, huh? » A low voice spoke with a hint of disappointment.
«...There was nothing we could do. Have our decoy continue attacking villages. We must lead the beast to its cage. » The man's sharp gaze followed Gazef and the others as they headed away.
«Tell me where the decoy should strike next. »
Xxxxxxx
In the south of the Tove Woodlands, more Bretonnians were also stranded in this new world. There were five of them, all knights.
One of the knights was massive, cladded in black armour and with a towed on his helmet. He carried a triple headed mourning star on one hand and a shield on the other. Furious at the current circumstances, he struck one of the trees with such strength that part of the bark was shattered.
« Calm yourself, Ser Guillaume de Grenouille! We comprehend your ire, but we cannot let ourselves be overtaken by rage! » his companion tried to reason with him. He was cladded in red and white armour, his helmet decorated with a golden tower. On one hand he held a sword, and on the other a shield. « Who DARED to do such a thing to the brave knights of Bretonnia!? Was it an elf?! Of COURSE it was a damn elf! » Guillaume yelled in frustration.
« Whoever the culprit was, as my companion Henri said, feeding our hatred to the Blood God will do us no good. What we must do is trying to find a way to find civilization. » another knight, a woman, said sternly. She wore grey armour with several golden decorations. She held a two handed sword, while on her back she had a shield and a spear bearing a red and blue banner, with an arrow pointing upward.
« Aye, you should listen to Lady Repanse, lad. It's not wise to fall to anger in these dire times, you'll just make things worse. » an elderly knight commented. He was cladded with a red and blue armour, his helmet open showing his long moustaches and beard, while also being decorated with a tower as well, but this time with the same arrow as Repanse banner. He also held a two handed longsword.
Guillaume, realizing the futility of his anger, finally calmed down. « You're right. But where in the Lady's name we ever are in? »
« That is a good question. That magical explosion could just as well have sent us to Athel Loren. » another knight cursed. He wore white armour with an unicorn stem on his shoulder. His helmet had also a unicorn on top of it.
« I highly doubt that the fay people would be so tolerant of invaders, Ser Jerrod. Even if knights. » Repanse responded. « What if they just want to play with us? You can never trust an elf. » Guillaume scoffed. « Aye. But there's a difference between they honeyed words and….this! » the elderly knight commented. « Indeed. They have nothing to gain from such petty games. And it's very likely they're far too busy for playing games. » Henri added.
« As I said, my friend. We cannot afford to think about who could possibly do such a thing. Our first priority is to find civilization, preferably of the Bretonnian kind. » Repanse intervened. « Any idea where we should start looking? » Jerrod asked. « That I cannot be certain. There doesn't seem to be any sort of roads in the vicinity, and the trees obstacle our view. But for now, I think it's best if we rest, it's getting dark and searching for a settlement in the middle of the night would do us no good. » Repanse proposed.
All of the knights agreed with her: they knew any sort of exploration in the middle of the night would be suicide, especially in unknown territory. Lady only knows what sorts of abominations may hide in these forests.
Xxxxxxx
«-and then, as I entered the dragon's lair, he was quick to huff and puff smoke and fire at me. Too bad that he thought I was just some ordinary old man, Hehehe…. » the elderly knight narrated his adventures in front of the fire the five knights had just started a fire in a clearing of the forest. Whilst none had any sort of ration, this forest might host game that could be cooked and eaten.
In the meantime, they spent their time around the fire, the elderly knight talking about many of his adventures in his youth, but also of his current age. But whilst the other knights enjoyed the stories, Guillaume just looked at the endless woods. It's not that he didn't enjoy the old man tales (even though they were getting somewhat repetitive), but this forest didn't put him at ease.
It didn't seem to be Athel Loren, he should know. He had been there. But still, something in the air felt like he was, or at least in a similar environment. On top of that, he also felt like he was being watched by hungry eyes. He wasn't that far off, really.
Suddenly, the ground around the knights begun to shake and tremble, almost as something big was coming. And the knights were quick to notice. « What in the Lady's name- » Jerrod asked shocked. « A Beastmen warherd? » Guillaume asked worried, taking a stance. « Can't be. You would hear far more stomps. They would also be akin of horses galloping. » Henri explained.
« A dragon? » Repanse asked. « Can't be. Too quiet, not enough trees being trampled. » the elderly knight responded, as he took a drink from a flask of wine. The sound got closer and closer, until the Bretonnians could see eyes shining in the darkness. Before they could react, a long tail struck at them, the blow being barely blocked by Henri, shocked by the strength of the attack.
The attack blocked, the creature wiredrew the tail, and emerged from the shadows, clearly visible in the bonfire light. It resembled a giant Djungarian hamster with a long snake tail. Six sigils dotted its silvery fur.
« You were able to block my attack. Admirable, it is. » the creature complimented Henri. The Bretonnians just looked at the creature in disgust. « Foul Skaven beast. » Guillaume hissed at the creature, as he charged at the beast with his mourning star. « Guillaume! Wait! » Henri tried to stop his comrade, but by this point, he was already at melee distance. « Such harsh words, these are. » the hamster creature charged in as well, attempting to headbutt the knight.
Guillaume barely dodged, and hit the rodent on the back. However, the strong fur of the animal deflected the blow, causing Guillaume to stumble back, allowing the hamster to strike the knight, causing him to hit a nearby tree. « Guillaume! » Repanse yelled out, as she and the other knights charged as well. The she-knight struck at the hamster, who blocked the attack with its tail.
The hamster then attempted to struck Repanse with its claws, but she managed to dodge the attack, although barely. Before the hamster could strike again, however, Henri charged forward, his blade shining in the night, as he struck the hamster, bypassing the fur, though only managing to scratch the animal, thanks to the latter quick reflexes.
Jerrod was the second to strike, aiming at the head of the giant rodent. The latter, however, blocked his blade with its claws. But in doing so it exposed itself to the elderly knight blade, who charged forward, aiming at the head. This would had worked against any other normal rodent, this one had a powerful tail, enabling to attempt to hit the elderly knight, the surprising speed of the latter enabling him to barely dodge the attack.
« Well done. » the hamster complimented the knights. As it did, Guillaume charged once again, taking the rodent by surprise and hitting the animal in the face, making it stumble by surprise. « Face the might of a Bretonnian castellan! » he yelled at the hamster. « Remarkable, it is. » the rodent complimented Guillaume, as the latter charged in once more.
But as Guillaume charged in, a circle formed on the hamster back, a pentagram in the middle, surrounded by archaic words. « What in the Lady's name- » the castellan asked confused. Before he could react, a flash of light struck him, the Bretonnian yelling in pain, as he found himself unable to see. « Magician! The vermin is a magician! » Jerrod exclaimed.
As Guillaume collapsed on the ground in pain, the hamster attempted to attack the opponent, only for its attack to be blocked by Henri. « Hold the beast at bay! I have an idea! » Repanse exclaimed, as she ran towards her steed. The remaining knights charged in against the mighty rodent, sword clashing against tail and claws.
The elder knight however dodged on the left, causing the hamster to lose his grip, only to be struck on the back, this time the injury being far deeper. Still, the rodent was still able to fight, as he struck his opponent with his tail. While the elder knight managed to block the attack, he did so barely. Both Henri and Jerrod attempted to slash the giant creature, but all of their attacks were blocked by the rodent.
Finally, the hamster hit the ground near the two knights with its tail, causing the warriors to fall down. But as the rodent was about to finish off his opponents, he heard Repanse charging in, on top of her steed, lance pointed at the rodent. Once again, it attempted to use the same spell it used against Guillaume. But as it casted the spell, Repanse shined with divine light.
The creature was confused by Repanse change, but even more as its spell was redirected against it, the hamster turning blind, and the three knights slashing in union at the opponent, causing to fall flat on the ground, belly up. But before the knights could finish it off, the creature got on its feet, stumbling, but still ready to fight.
« Your magic is impressive, it is! » the hamster complimented Repanse. « This is no magic, foul monstrosity. The Lady herself has blessed me to face monsters like you! » Repanse yelled out. « Still, formidable, my other senses are. I can still fight, I can! » the hamster boasted. But as it preferred to fight once more, a horse cry was heard in the sky.
Before the rodent could react, a powerful lance struck the side of the hamster at full speed. It belonged to another knight, cladded in a blue and red armour, his helmet blackened almost as it was torched several times. He rode on top of a horse with wings.
The knight continued to charge with his steed, the hamster dragged by the knight, until it managed to free itself by jumping forward. « Impressive. Most impressive. » the hamster complimented the knight. « Fear me, vermin! For you face Jasperre le Beau, the Dragonslayer! » the knight declared. « An impressive title, it is. » the hamster once more complimented the knight.
« Your value, you have proven. Before we continue, a request I have. » the hamster asked the knights. The knights, bound to their honour codes, listened to the request. « A Skaven, you kept call me. To know what those "Skaven" are, I'm intrigued. » the knights were confused by the question. « Wait….you do not serve the Ratmen? » Repanse asked confused.
« Huh. In retrospective, it makes sense. But there is only one way to make sure. » Jerrod said. « The base of your tail. Show it to us. » he demanded. « Very well. » was the hamster response, as it let the knights inspect it. It connected naturally to the rest of the body, as a natural part of this creature. In the meantime the elderly knight checked on Guillaume. « Well you can't be a Skaven creation. No stitches, no warpstone. You are a biological creature. » Henri noted.
« Are they by any chance like me? If I don't make offspring's, I fail as a living creature… » the hamster explained. The knights grimaced at the question. « You? Such a powerful creature? With the lowly ratmen? Death is preferrable to mating with those cowardly creatures. » Repanse snarled. « I see, that I do. How unfortunate, that it is. » the hamster sighed.
« Well, it's clear you are no Skaven. But then…what are you? » Jasperre asked, as he descended from his steed. « The Wise King of the Forest, I am. » the creature introduced herself. « So you're a native of these land, powerful warrior. We are knights of the kingdom of Bretonnia, and we're strangers in a stranger land. May we know where this forest is? » Repanse asked.
« The location of this forest, I am not sure. Far from it, I never truly venture. But perhaps the Tove Woodlands, you have heard off? » the Wise King inquired. The knights looked at each other's in confusion. « Tove Woodlands? There is no such forest in Bretonnia, nor in the realm of the Empire I believe….» Jerrod noted. « And Kislev doesn't match the climate. Wise King, are winters harsh and long in this forest? » Henri asked.
« Fall, the snow does. But not as much as you probably expect, judging by your tone. » the Wise King responded. « Are there any settlements in this forest? Elves? Humans? » Repanse asked. « Elves? No. Humans? Yes. A settlement, there is. Carne village, is it called. » the Wise King explained. « Where is it located? » Repanse asked.
« To the south, it is. Escort you there, I cannot. My duties to defend my territory, I have. » the Wise King explained. « We apologize for the grave injuries. We truly believed you were a servant of the Horned Rat. » Jerrod apologized. « Attacked you, I did. Defend yourselves, you had to. » the Wise King responded. « What about your spell? Is there any way to cure it? » the elderly knight asked concerned.
« Fear not for your companion. For only a limited time, it works. Should be cured around….now. » the Wise King responded, as Guillaume regained his sight, and hastily got on his feet. « You miserable rodent! » he hissed, as he prepared to charge again. « Calm yourself, Guillaume! This creature is no servant of the Skaven. As a matter of fact, she pointed to us the direction of a possible human settlement. » Repanse explained.
« By the Lady… that is something you don't see every day. » the castellan commented. « Farewell, brave warriors. Attack you, I shall no longer. » the Wise King swore. « What about your injuries? We are no servants of Shallya, but we may be able to patch some of those wounds. » Repanse proposed. The Wise King just laughed.
«Worry not, brave warriors! Recover quickly, I shall. For now, farewell. » the hamster responded, before darting off back to the forest.
Xxxxxxx
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Please review so I can learn your opinion. I'm willing to accept suggestions, so stay tuned.
See you on the next chapter!