Chapter Sixty-Three
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Author's Note: before you read this chapter. Please take note that I've buffed up the powers of the Children of the Forest here. I've always been miffed that the only magic that the Children possessed during the show is that they can throw "magic grenades". I mean seriously? They've fought the White Walkers during the Original Long Night with the last hero with that? So I gave them extra powers here. Please do try and enjoy an entire Chapter of Action and Battle.
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The Giant Weirwood North of the Wall, Home of the Three Eyed Raven
The massive tree stands tall like a giant pillar of life, its orange and fiery colored leaves a defiance to the white wintery landscape all around it. As if faces another day, it is nothing more than a blip on the life of the giant tree and also with its inhabitants. Deep inside and beneath its boughs what probably is the last remnant of the Children of the Forest that still actively fights interferes on the events of the outside world. They serve and protect thus the greatest far seer and master of the minds trapped on the Weirwood's roots whose reach and knowledge they value akin to something sacred.
Today however would be anything other than just another day for the residents of the Great Weirwood tree. In fact if one would be more specific, today would be their last day. The Great Seer that they serve after all in his hubris have poked a sleeping giant with an iron red hot poker and filled it with terrible resolve.
With a deafening CRACK that could be heard for miles, three thousand souls appeared almost a mile away from the Weirwood Tree. It is just lieu of the powerful magical wards created by the Children of the Forest. Anyone who attempts to cross their barrier after all may they be living or dead would get incinerated on the spot.
For the one leading this expedition to punish an overachieving Seer, she has no qualms whatsoever on engaging her pride at the price of the lives of her men. There's a reason why she has brought them here after all instead of bull-rushing this campaign of punishment against the Three-Eyed Raven alone. The golden rule in engaging against a foe whom you have little details to go with is: "Always bring back up,"
Delianah almost vomits as the powerful sickening feeling of apparition backfires on her. Fast instantaneous travel alone is a risk, two is a flight risk, a group of ten is dangerous. Now try moving three thousand. One has to focus his magical energy foucs to a fine thread to succeed that, even then there is always a risk of splinching. It takes a while to reorient her magic back to a stable form.
That is the reason why nearly past half of the Death Dealers of Rivendell and a complement of nearly a thousand Black Guard segments that the Green men fully trust are here with her. To stall the enemy before Delianah becomes combat effective again.
"You! You! You! Start building the defensive perimeter, the enemy would be on us any minute now! Soldier move those catapults forward they are out of range!" barks Amelia at THE Death Dealers who rushes at the front of the column starting to dig trenches while pre-prepared sharpened stakes and barricades that are magically reinforced at the tips are carried over also.
"My lady are you alright?" with everyone now moving, Amelia's visage transforms from the stern countenance it has to her more personal worried one as she helps Delianah move to a pre-prepared tent on a raised rise with Spartan furnitures. Placing her on the couch where she can see the entire place, Amelia cups her cheek with worry.
"I'm alright Amelia," Delianah sighs wiping the sweat from her brow. She has forgotten the big ass magic barrier wall that she has to punch through during the apparition. It has rattled her magical core more than she care to admit. "We have expected this. Make sure the men are ready. The enemy would be on us any minute now,"
For a moment Amelia looks ready to defy her order about leaving her but Delianah's glare cows her down. There is after all much more important things than their loyalty right now. "I will my lady, stay safe and don't be absent for long,"
"Leave some for me to kill also okay?" Delianah calls out making Amelia raise her sheathed sword at her before she disappears down to join with the others.
Now totally alone and sitting down overlooking the wintery landscape of the North, Delianah glares at the giant tree where the coward is hiding. She can already feel the magical reserve of the bastard moving as he prepared whatever devilry he is hiding to stop the justice coming for him.
A spark of magic lights on Delianah's palm making her frown. Her magic is still fluctuating. By the imbalance inside her core, she judges that it would be at least fifteen to twenty minutes before it stabilizes itself. Until then no magic unless she plans for her arm to explode in chunky pieces.
Even so, Delianah has zero plans to sit her ass while her men fight and die around her. Making sure that her shaking legs are able to take her weight, she stands and walks down to join Amelia and the rest of her men.
…..
Frontal Line of the Expeditionary Force
Around her she can hear the shouts and the barking of orders of sergeants and captains to the gathered force. Everyone at the front line is a volunteer for this. Currently they are all dressed in thin strips of linen while mud is wiped on them by their own fellows.
"Cover every part of yourself else you'll be burned by the fire. Every piece of cloth, every piece of skin. Help each other," explains one of the sergeants as Death Dealers wipe each other off. Even Amelia herself is wearing a simple chest cloth piece and short pants covered in mud also. She is never one to hide at the back.
The plan is simple as far as plan goes so far. The main objective of the army here is to hold off whatever the Three Eyed Ravens stooges might be able to throw at them. The first line is the trenches with stakes and barricades drench in oil and tar. The volunteers would be manning the first line of defense. The second line would be entrusted to the Black Guard. Rigid and powerful, their formation would be the sharpened spear against anything who makes it through the first line. Finally the third line would be composed of the skirmishers, an assortment of Silver Winged Knights and Death Dealers who would plug the holes of the second line. Twenty minutes, that's all they need to hold on to. Lady Delianah has already told them that this would not be an easy fight since they would be fighting against beings whose blood runs thick with magic and sorcery. If the Lady Delianah is worried, then Amelia is too. She has seen personally the capabilities of the Death Dealers and the Black Guard, to say that they would be outmatched she admits worry her a little.
"Man the catapults! Infantry form up! Archers ready! Be carefu-,"
CRACK!
The entirety of the Expeditionary force freezes at the sound. As for Amelia she wastes no time ordering the entirety of the first line to man their stations on the trenches as they watch in anxious trepidation at whatever they would face.
CRACK! CRACK! The very ground seems to shake as bulging burrows appear on the snowy ground growing larger and larger. She raises her hand making every archer draw their arrows in preparation. The bulging things grow larger and larger before exploding outwards with powerful roars and Amelia might have felt her blood grow cold if not for her deep seated resolve not to disappoint her friend and prophesied savior.
From out of the ground comes beings eight feet tall each. Once they might have been human, but it looks like someone messed with their anatomy making each of them bulging and big. Roots also seem to glue them together like an amalgamation of monstrosity. Two bodies are glued at one another, with one set pair of legs but with four arms, two torsos and two heads back to back. Their bodies are grey and rotting but infused with magic. They have no pupils or eyes, replaced with sceleras of bright green. They omit no words but savage roars as they charge like mad animals towards the Expedition's lines. Each arm has a weapon, a blunted sword, a large axe, a rusted shield, each as large as the arm that carries it.
"They're Makhai! Prepare yourselves! Archers Loose!" the clear voice of her friend and savior is heard followed by dozens upon dozens of bows letting go. Arrows fly and to the astonishment of everyone, majority misses as the Makhai move so fast that the estimate of the archers, skilled as they are, are quite a bit off. A few hit but they the giant monstrosities shrug them off like twigs. With bounding steps, they bull rush the first lines of the palisades.
The palisade spikes are enchanted by the Green Men to pierce even the toughest castle forged plate. The Makhai however tanks through most of them sending sharpened wood and splinter flying in all directions. They seem to be unstoppable as they crash through the different pitfalls and defenses, barely even slowing down as the archers at the back struggle to reload.
In mere moments, Amelia can see the first of the Makhai finally at their front heading straight to the trenches where the volunteers lie in wait. With strength and speed that defy expectations, they barrel over the last of the spiked defenses over raised earth of the trenches catching the defenders by surprise at the powerful charge. The elite of the Rivendell might have little match against any human soldier of Westerosand Essos for that matter, but the Makhai are different. They live up to their name and dedication however.
Brave men and women jump out of their hidey holes to face the Makhai. One look however is all that is needed to be seen that they are heavily outmatched. Faster, stronger and bigger, the Makhai swats the brave souls off. Two men tries to help their comrade thrown off by a Makhai breaching only for one to be thrown by a backhand towards one of the spikes. A Death Dealer tries to attack it with a two-handed axe but one of its arms block it with a short sword before two other arms holding a spear pins him on the ground. A second Makhai rushes through the breach the first made pummeling to dust their fallen comrade.
"Light the fires!" Amelia can find herself shouting to the men regaining her discipline and composure.
"Light the fires!"
"Light the fires!"
The shouts are repeated all over the line and nearly every member of the volunteers at the First line grabs the nearest torch they can find before throwing it at the tar and oil. In mere moments, the entire trench line is an inferno. The first batch of Makhai that has broken through is caught off guard by the sudden fire and the archers and crossbowmen have finally clear lines of sight as they release their ammunition. Even then it takes upon dozens of bolts to bring one down. Some even use bodies of volunteers as meat shields before they are overwhelmed taking many with them. The discipline of the Death Dealers and the Black Guard however are finally kicking in as they slowly get over the surprise of their foes.
"Hold!" a major cries out as he and his men bring down a Makhai full of arrows. Even then they lost two as the dying monster rip them to shreds on its death throes.
On the rest of the lines, same scenes can be seen. A half burnt Makhai is dragging half stumbling, half wobbling dead body towards the trenches where a roaring death Dealer throws at it a hand axe, splitting its remaining alive head in half in a shower of gore. It might have torn its killer apart also if not for five arrows to appear on its chest pushing it off and finally falling to the ground unmoving.
"Fire the artillery!" Amelia calls out remembering the pre-prepared war machines in standby.
"Loose!" the heavy chink of chains and straining wood can be heard as trebuchets and catapults finally start to join the battle. Dozens of fireballs stream at the air heading towards the rest of the bulges outside the first line's vicinity that are appearing again.
"Fire!" the siege engine captains roar out with many a sound of "reload!" as they unleash their burning payloads. Each of them siege engine weapons are not stone but rather enchanted pots designed for hitting infantry and cavalry. In short, they are designed to "thin off the herd" of any charging army.
Giant fireballs crash like the judgement of the gods over the next wave of Makhai. They are not numerous or en masse like any charging troop. While the damage to any charging fore with such barrage might be damaging and fatal, it does little damage to the charging Makhai burning dozens on each impact and crushing into smithereens those unlucky enough to be caught in the blasts. However the rest who simply suffer burns and third degree charge like bloodhounds towards the rest of the burning lines ignoring the flames as if they aren't there.
The volunteer forces however do not disappoint. Despite the inferno surrounding them and the extreme heat, they still manage to retain their common sense as they face head on the constructs of magic gunning for them. A Makhai recklessly charges over a breach on the sharpened stakes only to be impaled by a large wooden pole raised just in time of two Black Guard members. Despite trapped and dying, its arms thrash breaking a skull of one of its trappers and throwing off the other. Amelia takes advantage of the unmoving monster jumping over a raised mound of dirt, the Valyrian Sword Red Rain jabbing down directly on the top of the monster's head stopping its movements immediately.
Looking around, Amelia can immediately see the rest of the line faring badly against the monsters rampaging through their defenses. The fires whose main purpose are to delay the charging beings seems to cause more damage to the defenders rather than their attackers who are little fazed by the flames.
Despite the wet mud , many of the front line volunteers cannot wholly escape the flames roaring all over the trenches. Many have to be dragged kicking and screaming out of the trenches filled with fires. Of course the Makhai never one to miss an opportunity pounces on the escaping wounded. Many still on fire meet their deaths quite fast as the giant monsters tear through them. One escaping man screams as fire engulfs his entire body only to stumble as an axe plants itself on his back, courtesy of a Makhai bulling through the fire. Two more crying wounded are attacked by the giant monstrosity, taking advantage of the confusion and the fires. The men however prove their valor. Wounded, burnt and half-dead, they still try to rise from their decrepit states to fight off their soon-to-be-killers. Spears and swords are wielded against the four-armed menaces in vain. Stronger, larger and broader, men are thrown off like ragdolls by the Makhai. All around the front line, massive breaches are made as nearly the entirety of the defensive forces is dead, in retreat or wounded. Amelia herself holds a cadre of fifty survivors at the left flank holding as best as they can.
…..
Secondary Defensive Line
The Makhai, burnt and smoking now without hesitation push through the secondary lines filled with determined Black Guard soldiers. Their commander, Lynx formerly known as Roach Bite is a former Unsullied brought to these shores. Like the rest of his kind, they hold powerful loyalty to the woman who has granted them their freedom. Now against abominations rushing towards them, despite their fear, their resolve is as strong as the shields they bear.
"DOVAGHAERIS!" he can hear himself calling out as the entire Black Guard lines ready their shield to shield formations spears facing outward, a wall of spears and pikes that could stop even the most determined cavalry charge.
That does not deter the Makhai one bit.
Howling and roaring they tear against the shield wall of the Black Guard with reckless abandon. Many are severely wounded and killed but a lot also broke through, the well-ordered lines breaking like piñata. Not even the Black Guard strong formations can strive against simple brutality and strength of the beings of magic. Men fall and fly as the Makhai twirls and hits like mad dogs cutting through the shield wall lines like hot knife through butter. Immediately the Third line Skirmishers rush forward, Death Dealers and Black Guard skirmishers unto the gaps in an effort to plug the holes. Very few succeed.
Into the center line, one larger than the others of the Makhai barrel through without ado. Black Guard skirmishers rush forward with shields and short swords to stop the line from totally breaking. One of them makes a classical move of shield over sword stab only to be stopped by a sword clashing unto his shield making him stumble from the sheer force of the attack and die immediately as the second arm from behind go under his guard cutting through the chain links as if they aren't there. One of the skirmishers rush at the back of the exposed Makhai only to have his head severed as the extra arms wielding swords makes contact with his neck. Another tries his luck with a downward flying over the top spear strike only to be swatted like a fly directly to five other Black Guard members sending them falling. More skirmishers try to stop the large Makhai only to be one shotted as the overpowered giant monster twirls, its two torsos and four arms bringing down soldier after soldier one shotting majority of them before finally it breaches the entire line of the central Black Guard, its last two foes, a dual wielding Death Dealer and the other with a shield and a sword felled down when the Makhai grabs the one with the dual sword on the head and lifting him like a ragdoll before flattening the one with the shield using the body of the latter like a jackhammer.
"Next line, hold your ground!" Nyx shouts out ast the tertiary lines of defense draw themselves information as the skirmishers advance.
All around the area, entire lines of Black Guard formations are being breached and cleared in response as many of the Makhai break through the remnants of the first defensive line. Black Guard formations remain rigid however despite the holes on their lines, making sure not to break against any other onrushing Makhai at the forefront. At the back, light cavalry, supported by heavier Silver Winged members alongside Death Dealer skirmishers challenge and hunt down the Makhai that manage to push deep into Black Guard ranks. Archers and catapults with more accurate ballistae support heavily the struggling infantry. Each Makhai can tank a dozen arrows and still be ninety percent deadly, it does however does the deed of slowing them down enough for the skirmishers to finish them off.
"YAH!" Nyx roars out in defiance as his spear followed by two others pierce the jugular of a shrieking Makhai sending green blood everywhere. Its hands try to grapple its killers but the first torso has already died. With tremendous effort, the three brings the thing down, its secondary torso still squirming. One of the Silver Wings however pushes forward, her short sword swinging at the still moving head of the second half of the moving body, making it explode like a balloon.
Another Makhai however makes itself known, breaching through the lines of the Black Guard shields sending three men flying. It roars seeing its dead comrade before charging the killer of its brethren. Lynx is not going to let that happen. With his spear still stuck on the jugular of the dead Makhai. He draws his standard issued short sword and rushes at the aid of the Silver Winged member. The Makhai meets his rush with impunity. One of the rusted blades it wields slam into his shield like a judgement of the gods. He can feel the entirety of the bones on his left arm crack at the impact force. He is given no time however to ponder the status of his arm though as the next hit makes Lynx wonder why is he floating mid-air before crashing into the ground. The last thing that register to Lynx's mind is wondering why his below half is still standing and missing its upper body part. Then comes darkness.
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Alone
A heartbeat.
It is said that those of our kind suffer, separated from the glory of the Light.
A single drop can be heard clinking on the stillness of eternity.
But none of us are ever truly alone.
From a single drop, an echo is formed. The echo bounces on the walls reverberating more echoes on the once still waters.
For our warrior hearts are bound by honor…..
The waves are now bouncing over one another, the waters starting to come alive.
Tradition…
It is no longer still but awake and alive, a roaring dam just waiting to be opened.
Battle is waged for the good of the many.
The waves are now powerful, a shoreline of power and magic.
The few who from generation to generation, choose the mantle of…the Watchers.
With a powerful explosion the waves rise, a whirlpool of vortex that covers all and encompasses all.
With the opening of her eyes, Delianah grins as she feels it, her magic fully balanced and restored. It takes a little longer than she would like but here it is finally. She glares at the Makhai currently tearing through her forces. It is plain clear to anyone watching that the monsters summoned by the Children of the Forest are laying the smack down on the gathered Expeditionary Force brought by Delianah. Sure for humans they are holding strong but it is clear that they are being heavily outmatched. Now with her power fully restored, Delianah is ready to drop the nuke on his fuckers that dare refuse to die.
Jumping down from the back of Godric from above, Delianah lands like a meteor flattening a Makhai during her landing at the forefront of the First Line. Immediately the rest of the rushing Makhai is upon her. With a wave of her hand, an overpowered cutting curse rips through the wards and body of the nearest Makhai leaving deep gouges on it as she blows it aside. Wingardium Leviosa, such a simple spell, overpowered though? A downed spear shoots like a bullet tearing through the bark-like skin of two Makhai pinning them on the ground. A Makhai tries to creep up from her back. The Valyrian Spear, Aeglos appears without warning from the sky crashing right into the sneak behind her. Grabbing the weapon from the corpse, Delianah rips it out and charges forward, the runes of speed and strength over the scales of her outfit blazing in power. The spear catches a Makhai in the chin, the Valyrian weapon delivering instant death to the monster before Delianah pulls it out just in time to jut it straight at the chest of another pinning it mid-air as it shrieks in agony and defiance. Seeing her busy, another Makhai tries to charge her only to be met head on by a Bombarda making its entire body explode in bloody chunks. Clear now, Delianah hurls the dead body high up on the sky before twirling and batting it forward with such strength that it springs forward like a rubber band imploding upon impact of two others.
More Makhai charges in and she simply glares at the offenders, power coursing through her right arm. Sith lightning is a classic favorite back home. It is not advised to be used against fellow wizards since a simple shield charm can easily block it. Against lightly warded enemies however?
With a yell, Delinah's right hand stretches forward, lightning blazing forward. The Makhai in all their madness implanted to them by their creators are caught totally unawares by the pure form of magic heading straight for them. The first is dead before it even computes what is going on. The rest are a little slower with majority of them having to twitch for a few seconds more before finally lying still charred. Nearly twelve Makhai are lying unmoving. As Delianah continues her walk forward, two last Makhai charges her. With a flick of her fingers, one is catapulted when the ground beneath it juts a large piece of stone at its back propelling it forward to one of the sharpened stakes. An overpowered Expelliarmus spell strikes the second one with enough force to leave it a grease paste on the ground.
Finally Delianah stands alone overlooking the giant Weirwood Tree where she can espy a dozen of the Children of the Forest glaring at her hatefully. She smirks at their reactions. She has zero desire to play the classic arc of marching through the woods of the Weirwood, declaiming her piece to her enemy before killing him, no. Delianah would not give him the honor of wasting her time and attention. For an enemy such as this that she loathes. There is only one option:
Overwhelming Force.
Raising her hand, above the heavens, she wordlessly feels the molecules gathering at the enchanted gauntlets on her arms. Thunder booms overhead as the dark clouds appear followed by lightning now going down like streams, arcing down her gauntlets. She can feel her wards flicker as the Children of the Forest start throwing what seems to be light grenades that explodes upon impact on her wards. A feral smile appears on her face. Yes, let them panic upon seeing her power. Hit her once and Delianah would make sure that she would hit you back a hundred times harsher.
Feeling the power at her gauntlets reach full potential, she directs them forward at the Great Weirwood. With a shrieking sound, the lightning screeches forward before hitting what seems to be an invisible wall barrier that holds for a few seconds before cracking and exploding in smithereens. The lightning however is over also making Delianah frown a bit though she might admit that she's a tiny bit impressed. The flexible phoenix designed gauntlets at her arms are charmed heavily to absorb the latent energies of an entire thunderstorm. A bit of wind, temperature and water manipulation and voila, a thunderstorm raging above throwing excess energy of lightning that the pre-prepared energy absorbing gauntlets are more than happy to absorb. Once it reaches critical overload, all it needs then is a direction for it to be unleashed.
Long story short, such an energy output has enough stopping power of a small nuke that could obliterate Hogrwarts' ancient wards easy. To see the ward of the Great Weirwood Tree standing strong against such power she has to admit is impressive. Delianah has copied the attack of Voldemort when he destroyed Hogwarts' wards during her seventh year. She does not however has the raw potential power of Old Tom thus the modified version of the attack where she uses magical tools to achieve the same result.
Jeers and laughter can be heard from the gathered Children of the Forest down below. Delianah simply frowns as she can feel the broken ward repair itself again. This time however it does not form the bubble sized barrier it does before. Instead it traces the form of the Giant Weirwood as if a tracer would of a picture. Very well if they plan to turtle up, Delianah would oblige them.
Whistling loudly, she can her Godric's screech behind her followed by strong talons gripping her shoulder. In mere moments Delianah is airborne thirty feet in the air overlooking the Great Tree. She has to admit it is such a shame to destroy such an ancient relic of the Old world of Westeros. She might have even stolen the damned thing and planted it on Rivendell if not for the sleazy old parasite using it as a life force.
Either way there's little point in overthinking anymore, Delianah has already made up her mind about what she would do once her Voldemort imitation fails. From one of the saddlebags of Godric, Delianah levitates a final gift of destruction from her first life. In outward appearances it appears nothing more than a metal ball. However even as she levitates it and the carefulness of her actions serve as proof that the metal ball the size of her first is more than it looks per say.
With her other hand she levitate four other simple rocks, each the width of her palm. They are however etched with containment runes that when grouped together would act as powerful wards for only a brief moment. Powered by the excess energy from before, they would serve their purpose for her grand finale.
Rising high above the Giant Weirwood Tree, higher than anywhere that the Children of the Forest can throw their little grenade imitations of magic, she levitates down the four stones, not getting the slightest bit of attention from anyone as they each reach their pre-decided borders. Immediately the moment the last stone gets into position, the barrier automatically activates, a transparent shield that goes to the four corners of the tree.
For a second the Children of the Forest looks concerned by the sudden appearance of the barrier before laughing at him as there is no follow up attack. Delianah simply lets them go off on their fun for a few minutes before deciding that it is time.
She drops the metal ball levitating on her hand to the top of the tree where the barrier finally connects fully like a gift wrapped box. The metal ball just passes a shy before the barrier becomes finished and in that moment, it happens.
The entire inside of the barrier explodes in an eerie white light that blinds all for kilometers to come. For those that would be able to recover their sight, they would soon testify that the magical borders set up by the Lady of Rivendell looks half bloated with how much it is stretched at all sides as the white still fills the rectangle. There is no sound, no shockwaves or such, no. There is only the pure white light inside the barrier. The only thing they know is that the summoned Makhai monstrosities stopped moving dead the moment the light appeared.
As for Delianah, she just leads Godric back to her surviving men below. The battle is finally finished and the Three Eyed Raven forever dealt with. The threat North would be just those Necromancer zombies that she hopes would not appear anytime soon. The overconfident seer is forever gone.
No amount of magic can stop the purifying power of a nuke dropped on their heads after all.
….
Author's Note: Hope you like this Chapter, Please enjoy and do review since its longer than my usual ones. Tell me what do you think of this battle chapter scene?