The journey to Claim Thel began with a steady pace, the landscape shifting from the city of Alerial to the untouched wilderness that lay beyond. Aurelius rode alongside Valen, the Headmaster, and Instructor Donovan, the familiarity of their presence providing a comforting stability. The air was crisp, filled with the earthy scent of the forest that lined the path, and the birdsong provided a stark contrast to the sounds of battle that had filled the days prior. Although the distance between Claim Thel and Alerial wasn’t too big, the journey to Claim Thel would take several hours.
Although conversation flowed easily for the first few hours, there was an underlying tension in their words, each of them aware of the gravity of their upcoming battle. On the one hand, they discussed tactics, reviewed the intelligence they had, and talked about how the possessed fought. On the other hand, they tried to keep the mood light and keep spirits high by sharing stories from their lives before they all met together.
Both the Headmaster and Instructor Donovan had fascinating backstories that Aurelius could, in many ways, relate to. They had both been shunned by society in some way, the Headmaster due to his peculiar affinity for Dark magic and Instructor Donovan for his lack of affinity. Despite this, both of them had overcome their perceived limitations and made a name for themselves.
Despite the light-hearted mood and the effort not to think too hard about the battle ahead, Aurelius' mind couldn’t help but drift to the information High Mage Sylara had shared. The possessed were consolidating their forces in Silverhaven. The implications of this were dire. If they were indeed preparing for a counter-offensive, it meant their journey to Claim Thel would not only be a mission to reclaim the city but also a race against time to prevent a larger catastrophe.
After several hours of riding, they came to a small clearing, a perfect spot to rest and regroup. The group dismounted, allowing their horses to graze and rest.
"Let's take a short break," Aurelius suggested, stretching his limbs.
Valen nodded, pulling out a small flask from his pack and taking a sip of water. "Any idea how much further we have to go?"
"Not too far," the Headmaster replied, consulting a map. "We should reach Claim Thel by dusk if we maintain our current pace."
As they sat in the clearing, Aurelius took the opportunity to review the maps and information he had gathered. The layout of Silverhaven was etched into his mind, but he wanted to ensure he had every detail memorized. Valen and Instructor Donovan exchanged a few more stories, their laughter a welcome sound amidst the tension.
The Headmaster, always observant, noticed Aurelius’s focused expression. “You seem troubled, Aurelius,” he said, his tone gentle but probing.
Aurelius looked up, meeting the Headmaster’s steady gaze. “Just trying to prepare. The possessed seem unpredictable. I can’t fail and I need to be ready for anything”
The Headmaster nodded, his expression thoughtful. “Preparation is key, but so is adaptability. You’ve proven you can handle yourself in battle. Trust in that. Also, you’re not the only one heading to fight the possessed. Trust and rely on those around you,” the Headmaster finished his eyes pointedly looking around the small group assembled in the clearing
Aurelius mockingly rolled his eyes slightly, but let out a small smile. “Now you sound like Instructor Donovan. But thanks, Headmaster. I’ll keep that in mind.”
As they finished their rest and prepared to continue their journey, the sun began its descent, casting long shadows through the trees. They mounted their horses, the animals refreshed and ready to continue.
The remainder of the journey passed in relative silence, each of them lost in their thoughts. As the sun dipped below the horizon, they finally saw the outlines of Claim Thel in the distance. The city was a stark contrast to Alerial. While it hadn’t faced the same recent devastation, it had an air of tension and readiness, the signs of a place preparing for war.
While Alerial had clearly been a large and bustling trade city, Claim Thel more had the texture of a cozy village, with wood walls, instead of stone, surrounding the city. The city was nowhere near as large as Alerial, but there was a quiet peacefulness as Aurelisu looked down from the hilltop he was riding his horse upon.
As they approached, a sense of urgency propelled them forward. The gates of Claim Thel opened to admit them, and they were met by a contingent of soldiers and mages, part of the Fourth Army, who had been awaiting their arrival.
Aurelius dismounted and was immediately approached by General Alaric, the commander of the fourth army. General Alaric was a seasoned veteran, his armor battered but well-maintained, and his eyes carrying the weight of many battles fought.
"Welcome to Claim Thel," General Alaric greeted them, his voice steady and authoritative. "We've been preparing for your arrival. The troops are ready. "
"Thank you, General Alaric," Aurelius replied, shaking his hand. "We have much to discuss and little time to do so. Can we gather your officers and strategists?"
"Of course," General Alaric said, leading them toward the command tent situated near the center of the city.
Once inside the command tent, the atmosphere turned serious. Maps of Silverhaven and surrounding areas covered the tables, and several officers were already gathered, deep in discussion. General Alaric gestured for Aurelius and his companions to take seats around the large, map-covered table.
"Before we begin," General Alaric began, addressing Aurelius and his companions, "I want to commend you for your efforts in Alerial and the capital. What you accomplished there has bolstered our morale and shown us that victory against the possessed is possible."
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"Thank you, General Alaric," Aurelius replied, his expression grave yet determined. "But our work is far from over. "
General Alaric nodded solemnly, his gaze shifting to the maps spread out before them. "Indeed. Our scouts have provided us with detailed intelligence on Silverhaven's current situation. The possessed forces appear to be fortifying their position."
Aurelius studied the maps intently, tracing his finger along the routes and key locations. “Interesting,” Aurelius mumbled under his breath. When he had fought the possessed he had always been the defender. Now that he was the attacker it was interesting to see the roles reversed. From what he clearly remembered from his previous battles, the possessed were mindless attackers. It was interesting that now, when the roles were reversed, the possessed seemed to have some strategy and aimed to set up defensive parameters. He was sure he wasn’t the only one who noticed this particularity and decided to voice his thoughts.
"General Alaric, it's intriguing to see the possessed taking a defensive stance. In our previous engagements,” Aurelius said, nodding towards his companions, “they seemed more inclined to single-minded aggressive assaults. This change suggests a shift in their tactics or leadership," Aurelius remarked, his brow furrowing slightly as he studied the maps.
General Alaric nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed, Aurelius. It's a significant deviation from their usual behavior. It could indicate they've adapted to our strategies or received new orders from their commanders. Regardless, it poses a challenge for us."
Aurelius continued to nod, speaking up once again thoughtfully. “From our previous battles, I was under the impression that the possessed didn’t have the capability for such forethought, especially without a general nearby as far as we know. It makes me wonder why they shifted their tactics and, more importantly, how exactly they work. What exactly are they? Are they single-minded killing machines or are they actually..” Aurelius trailed off, trying to find the word “..intelligent?”
This time, it was the Headmaster who spoke up. “I’ve also been wondering the same thing. From what I can tell and have concluded, an individual possessed soldier doesn’t have the capability to act on its own intentions. In that sense, no, they are not intelligent. However, if controlled by an intelligent being, they can give them orders that might seem more complex, such as these defensive parameters. I liken them to puppets, simply controlled without free will. In many ways, it reminds me of necromancy,” the Headmaster trailed leadingly, his eyes widening as if he was starting to connect the dots together.
However, General Alaric spoke up with a slight shake of his head. “The capital originally thought that as well but have recently confirmed that this is not necromancy. The High Elven empire has fought against quite a few powerful necromancers during our history, whether they be Chosen or powerful individuals who simply have a talent for magic. As a result, we have developed a protocol for this sort of thing.”
“Firstly,” General Alaric started, “the capital performed some tests on the possessed Dark Elves who had died during the attack on the capital. Normally, there would be remnants of necromantic magic on the body — telltale signs that necromancy was involved. However, from the multiple bodies the capital tested on, none of them emitted signs of necromantic magic. Furthermore, the High Elves are particularly good at fighting necromancy due to our natural affinities for light and life magic, which are natural weaknesses for necromantic magic. However, that wasn’t the case at all and it seems the magic used for the possessed is something greater — from what we can tell, it has no natural weakness, it's as if the very souls of the beings are being corrupted.”
“This leads me to my final point,” General Alaric continued, “the magic that creates the possessed, and this Maledrakor figure, seem to be far stronger than any simple necromancy. The fact that Maledrakor caused the eradication and extinction of multiple races in the span of a couple months makes it clear that he is far stronger than any necromancer in recorded history. Matter of fact, he seems far stronger than any being in recorded history, Chosen or not. Usually, a necromancer is on the weaker side and uses his minions to do most of the work. With Maledrakor, it seems as if it is the opposite, with him being the true powerhouse that we have to worry about.
Aurelius could feel cold sweat on his back as General Alaric described Maledrakor. Yes, he had known Maledrakor was powerful, perhaps he had known that greater than anyone else given his information from Augustus, but General Alaric had really put it in perspective for him. As Aurelius looked around the command tent, he could see that he wasn’t the only one unnerved by the news.
The gravity of General Alaric's words hung heavy in the air of the command tent. Aurelius exchanged glances with Valen, the Headmaster, and Instructor Donovan, each of them silently processing the information.
Aurelius cleared his throat, breaking the silence that had settled over the group. "Maledrakor is a problem for the future. As far as we know, he is off our continent. Our near-term goal should be to recapture Silverhaven and prepare for any more possessed armies. If Maledrakor is indeed orchestrating the possessed with such precision and power, our approach to Silverhaven must be cautious and well-planned.
“We cannot afford to underestimate our enemy," Aurelius continued, his voice firm. "Their ability to adapt and strategize means we must proceed with caution. General Alaric, what are your recommendations for our approach?"
General Alaric nodded, a slow smile making his way on his face while acknowledging Aurelius's concern. “I’ve been waiting for this. Our army arrived here in Claim Thel a day ago. In the meantime, while we waited for you all to arrive, we started to build siege catapults. The thought process here is that if the possessed are going to hole up within the city, we should let them. We then use our superior range to weaken their forces until it’s safe for us.”
“If we give our army an additional day to prepare, meaning we head out to Silverhaven two days from now, we should have finished constructing 6 catapults, which should be more than enough to siege the city. The only downside is that we are going to be besieging our own city of Silverhaven, which will certainly severely damage our infrastructure. However, from the scout reports, the infrastructure is already heavily damaged from when the possessed first captured the city,” General Alaric finished.
Aurelius listened intently to General Alaric's strategy, weighing the pros and cons in his mind. Siege catapults could indeed provide a tactical advantage, allowing them to weaken the possessed forces from a distance without risking direct confrontation until they were ready. The idea of a cautious approach resonated with him, especially given the newfound defensive tactics of the possessed.
After a moment of contemplation, Aurelius nodded in agreement. "General Alaric, I believe your strategy makes sense given the current circumstances. We must minimize casualties and maximize our strategic advantage. The catapults will allow us to maintain pressure on the possessed while we gather more intelligence and finalize our plans for the assault."
He turned to Valen, the Headmaster, and Instructor Donovan, seeking their opinions. Valen nodded thoughtfully. "It sounds like a solid plan. We can use the extra time to ensure our forces are well-prepared and coordinated."
The Headmaster crossed his arms, his expression serious. "I agree. We need to proceed with caution. The possessed have shown they're capable of surprising us."
Instructor Donovan simply nodded in agreement.
Aurelius looked back at General Alaric. "Let's proceed with your plan then. We'll use the next day to prepare our forces and the siege equipment.” Aurelius also mentally knew that this would give him more time to play with his Arcane Artificer class, so it really was a win-win.