Bob the Bards Grand Adventure
Chapter 6
The free people's army started well against the weakened and confused enemy rats, cutting down those wounded by poison, bolt, arrow or trap and ganging up on the heathy ones to cut them down. The rats were stalled by the line of stakes with some forced onto them by those following behind. Multiple spears were thrust out targeting the rats vulnerable body parts while other spears and long poles were used to shove them back and stop them getting nearer. The people's army leaders and champions led their retinues of knights and squires as they patrolled the battle front targeting more difficult war bands that managed to get into the battle line.
The scouting birds reported that the last of the enemy has reached the battle field including a large group of weasels and the enemy's remaining forces were now preparing to join in the attack. They also reported something was approaching through the forest with many crows flying above it. The people's army had taken the battle plan to heart, weakening the enemy, crippling them, and then striking to finish them off. At the same time the wounded defenders were pulled back to be treated or take a bite of Bobs healing good berries before being sent back into the fighting.
The plan worked well with the evil army groups at first being defeated piece meal until the remaining enemy surged forward to engage along the whole front. Bob had now partnered up with the leader of the people's air wings Sir Knight Wing the Brave (a robin) to serve as his transport. He gently carried Bob in his claws from place to place where Bob could enchant the rats with the bone flutes magical music. This allowed the defenders to quickly cut down the defenseless dancing rats.
On occasion Bob would have to be dropped down to seek out the weasel boss or slay other creatures threatening the battle line. This did not prove to be too challenging as Bob would begin playing a simple tune upon the bone flute with one hand to stop nearby rats as he wielded the Sword of Justice in his other hand to effortlessly slice through the unaffected foes. Periodically Bob released the sword to let it move about dancing and dicing the nearby enemies while it sang along with Bob's tune. Bob would then draw his spare short sword to continue his own attacks as he became an unstoppable fighter. The Tabard of Honour seemed to come alive as it lashed out to strike nearby foes, tangle others up and throw them down or encircle their necks and then break it with a sickening crack.
Another scouting bird came reporting that some of the enemies mounted weasels had found a clear corridor through the battle field and that the others mounted weasels were now moving to the right. Sir Knight Wing raced to the corridor where Bob cast a spell over a very large area that ensnared two companies of the enemies elite mounted weasels in an entangling plant growth, pinning them in place and obstructing the safe corridor. The scouting bird was dispatched to one of the archer units and soon the mounted weasels had become easy targets for the defenders missile fire that soon started raining down on them. The weasel riders that managed to not be personally entangled moved forwards by leaping from the back of one lizard mount to another but their action was for naught as they reached the front most mounts and found themselves still within the entangling field. They cursed at the people's archers even as they died.
Sir Knight Wing then flew Bob towards the next trouble spot on the battle line when they saw Sir Jeepea and his steed Sir Thumpsum along with the people's cavalry unit that was kept in reserve rushing towards the right side. Bob directed Sir Night Wing to go over and meet up with them to enquire as to their hurry.
Sir Jeepea called out that the bird scouts report that the enemy commander's banner has been spotted with the main mounted force. The foes seem to be moving to sweep wide around the trapped battle field using the smoke to hide their movement. They likely plan to exit the smoke in an attempt to catching us by surprise and either roll up our right flank or hit our rear. I have brought the free peoples mounted forces to meet them and test their metal.
Sir Knight Wing carried Bob over to the right flank where the attack was expected. Sir Knight Wing Landed before the foes as Bob waited until the enemy leader and his weasel goons appeared. They did not have to wait long before the enemy appeared from out of the smoke. Bob then cast his last magic spell upon the plants around the weasels causing spikes to form which cut into many of the riders and their mounts.
One unhindered weasel realised that Bob must be the spell caster and alerted the others. Crossbows were raised and fired with several striking Sir Knight Wing in his wing as he attempted to shield them. Bob proved to be practically impossible to hit as the magic tabard lashed out to deflect the bolts aside. Bob moved in front of the injured Sir Knight Wing to protect him then equipped his crossbow to fire upon the unhindered weasels. Soon all the unhindered weasels were fixated upon Bob as they charged upon him and the crippled Sir Knight Wing while Bob continued to fire back as they drew nearer.
The Weasels fixation upon Bob allowed Sir Jeepea, his steed Sir Thumpsum and the people's cavalry unit to charge into the side of the unhindered weasel cavalry. They started to carve a hole through the enemy cavalry as they moved to strike at its heart where the enemy standard bearers were gathered.
Bob fired off one last bolt before equipping the sword of justice and magic flute. He then moved forward to join the people's cavalry in battle. Bob started singing a battle song he learned from the dwarves as he cut down the foes and was soon accompanied by the singing sword of justice.
Upon hearing it the magic of the song strengthened the people in their fight while the singing sword had taken to the air and struck any enemy near Bob. Bob noticed large rats mixed in amongst the weasels so he started playing the magic flute again. The effects of the rat bone flute started to enthrall the rats in hearing range thus impeding the enemy formation. The singing swords magic sustained the effect of Bob's battle song such that it continued through the battle.
The people's cavalry continued to cut their way into the heart of the enemy army. A cheer went up from the people as Sir Thumpsum impaled and slew the enemy commander while Sir Jeepea had struck down the commander's standard bearer.
With renewed heart the free peoples cavalry and Bob pushed onwards cutting down the foes remaining elite riders. They thought the day was surely won but such was not to be for a winged messenger came with dire news. A great beast had arrived upon the left side of the battle field. Looking over they saw a terrible and mighty wolverine towering above the masses. There was no fiercer or more foul tempered a beast that stalked the lands, with powerful sharp teeth able to bite a mouse in half with ease. Its paws were as big as a mouse, bearing deadly claws ready to tear them apart with a simple swipe. None had been seen in years, or none had lived to tell of it. Only Sir Bruce the badger who held command of the center of the battle line had any chance to stop the wolverine but even then he would still come off second best. That did not deter the noble badger as he was now seen charging towards the wolverine in an attempt to save the people in the left side of the battle line.
Bob called to the wounded Sir Knight Wing to have the air wings try to distract the wolverine, maybe lure it back through the enemy lines. Sir Knight Wing was too heavily injured to carry Bob and no other large bird was nearby to carry him. Bob then called out to Sir Jeepea that he must let them finish off the enemy cavalry while he must race over to help stop the great beast.
Sir Jeepea replied that Sir Bob must go on ahead as he must first extract himself from the melee before following Bob.
Bob recognized the truth of the situation then thought to himself, I must trust the tabard to fly me there. Putting away the flute to equip both of his swords Bob rose up into the air and made his best (if somewhat wobbly flight) speed towards the wolverine. He witnessed the indiscriminate carnage of the enraged beast as members of both the people's army and their rat foes were crushed under its paws, clawed apart with each swipe of its claws or torn asunder in its jaws. Arrows and bolts were not even pin pricks to it, spears and swords could not penetrate its hide as it tore into the battle front.
Then Bob watched as Sir Bruce came upon the wolverine, charging into its side and attacking with all his might. The wolverine was quick to respond, turning upon the threat as the two began a fierce battle. Sir Bruce's initial surprise attack had let his jaws bite down upon the wolverine's side but he could not deliver a telling injury through the thick hide and fur. His claws could not find purchase to deliver any telling wounds as the two started to tumble about in a combative fur ball that rolled over and flattened any creature in their way. As they tumbled about both sides armies fled in panic and self-preservation
The wolverine somehow turned itself about to latch onto Sir Bruce's rump with its jaws, biting down before beginning to rake Sir Bruce with its more powerful claws. The wolverines jaw tried to savage Sir Bruce's rump but could do little telling damage there. Then it worked its jaws down from the rump onto Sir Bruce's rear leg and began effectively savaging the more vulnerable limb to cripple its foe. Sir Bruce howled in pain but this allowed the wolverine to use its claws to inflict wounds upon Sir Bruce's head. They tumbled about some more before coming to a stop within the enemy's army. Finally the wolverine pinned the now crippled Sir Bruce beneath him and continued his mauling, indifferent to the small birds that now sought to distract it.
Now Bob followed the birds into the titanic brawl as he studied the beast. I am as small as its paw, Bob thought. The fur and hide were proof against a badgers bite so I must go for its weakest spot, the eyes. It should either distract it from the vulnerable Sir Bruce or further enrage it, in which case it will be in the midst of the foes army and I can lead it through their forces, or it shall drive it away in pain.
As the two great beasts brawled in the midst of the enemy Bob made his approach from behind on the distracted wolverine. Bob hung onto his short sword in one hand and had the magic sword in the other. His attempt to land upon the wolverines head was less of a landing as it was a painful (for Bob) smack into the side of its face. Bob had let loose the dancing sword as he was about to "attempt to land" and he attempted to grab a hand hold. The magic sword decided to lope off the wolverines nearby ear while Bob realized he had successfully driven his bronze short sword into its now painful and blinded eye. Not waiting for the wolverine's response, Bob flew up and away as the enraged wolverine released the crippled Sir Bruce to lashed out at the foes army that surrounded it.
The fear of the wolverine rampaging in the back of their army drove many enemy units forward into the traps and barriers. They came under fire of the people's army arrows, bolts and sling shot bullets as they closed the range, weakening them further. Then they faced the relatively fresh defenders awaiting their arrival behind the final barrier of sharpened stakes. The rats were held at bay which let someone else adjacent along the defenders battle line to easily strike them unaware from the side. Several defenders acted as one to dispatch the enemy as they tried to force their way through the barrier in an attempt to escape the wolverine. On the right side of the battle line the tired but victorious heavy cavalry of the people's army hoisted the enemy commander's head aloft and displayed the captured banners of their slaughtered opponents.
After a while the wounded and half blinded wolverine ran back into the forest with the Bobs short sword still imbedded deep in its eye. It left a devastated rat army in its wake as it vowed to itself to take revenge upon the strange smelling creature that had hurt it.
With the wolverines departure the light cavalry of the people's army now swung around the enemy's rear to trap and slay those foes beginning to retreat.
Stop them now; slay them all to prevent their return in the future! Such was the bellowed commands from Bob as he stood guard over the crippled Sir Bruce as he lay surrounded by the increasingly desperate foes. Bob was once again playing a simple tune on the rat bone flute with one hand as he wielded the magic sword with the other, slaughtering any nearby mesmerized dancing rats or courageous weasel.
Soon the rat army was in a panic and turned upon their weasel bosses who were trying to restore order as well as turning upon each other.
The small birds were once again sent to search for the few foes wise enough to flee earlier. They were to call out and summon the mounted pursuers and hunting birds to dispatch them.
Slowly the rat army fell apart and shrank in size as they were slain and destroyed group by group as the day progressed until in the early evening the last foe was finally dispatched and the victory celebration began.