A cool wind blew threw out the outer reaches of the Northern Mountain City, carrying with it the various smells of the surrounding.
“Sniff. Sniff! Smell that?” A dwarf scout asked another.
..a pungent smell interwoven with another fragrant one. It were as if one were intentionally trying to conceal the horrid scent.
“Sound the horns! ATTACK! ATTACK! They are coming! It’s the worst one yet! Thousands!”
Dwarven soldiers immediately ran out of their barracks and began equipping armor and weapons that were littered everywhere. One by one they took positions by the arrowslits till everyone was in position. Only silence prevailed, if they tried hard enough, those with keen ears could hear hisses and a padded march. If sounds were an indication of anything, then this was the largest kobold attack yet. Since the past year or so, they had been showing signs of restlessness, it seemed like the monsters had finally revealed their true nature.
The dwarf soldiers looked nervous, their biggest enemy was not the enemy in front of them, but the enemy they could not see. In pitch darkness, they were at an absolute disadvantage. Dwarves are likeable to moles, always digging away in the ground. Blind but with a good sense of smell. The kobolds on the other hand are lizard like, keen vision even in the darkness, strong sense of smell and with virtually no other known weakness other than their lack of brains.
Nigel smiled, he had been preparing for war against the kobolds. With a decree from royalty, he received over two thousand soldiers to end the kobold village in Northern Mountain City and to spare no kobold. Though, the dwarven community treasured and respected those with money, Kendelbreu’s wealth made all act in strange ways. Thus, Nigel was endowed with soldiers of the city.
A single flaming arrow was launched towards the ceiling like a flare, for the purpose of illuminating the cave. The dwarves regretted ever doing so, the sheer number of monsters was overwhelming. Nigel’s smile and confidence disappeared. It was not just kobolds but a whole bunch of other monsters ranging from bats to the dreaded black scorpions. An attack on the fort was not unusual for the dwarves. What made this attack terrifying was its sheer magnitude which was unimaginable and completely beyond expectations. It was an abnormality for the monsters to cooperate in such a fashion.
Looking beyond the size of the attack, there was another abnormality...monsters would usually attack mindlessly. However, the monsters here were march in battalions. The stupid kobold’s were decked in armor and equipped with weapons. The aggressive black scorpions which would kill any creature onsight were being used as a ride by the kobolds. The bats too were flying at the same pace of the other monsters marching.
All this could only be explained by the assumption a larger more devilish force was at work. An enemy so powerful, that it could assume control over the legions of monsters of the forbidden caves without making its presence known. An enemy so powerful, that it could make even the black scorpion bow to its wishes.
As the flaming arrow which was stuck to the ceiling of the cave died out so did the dwarven morale. The dwarves were completely surrounded from all sides, in darkness amongst monsters. All awaiting their doom silently.
In a coordinated manner, the kobold’s regiment first moved forward.
“Hold steady!” Nigel shouted as he looked undaunted by the horde of kobold’s approaching.
“Steady!” repeated the captains. The dwarves had to wait for the enemy to approach closer before they could attack them. Unlike other taller races, dwarves had to content themselves with shorter bows suited for their body, thus reducing their effective range.
“Aim.” Shouted Nigel as he raised his hand.
“FIRE!” shouted the captains as he dropped his hand.
Raising their shields, the kobolds were pounded with a wave of arrows. One after another, their shields were battered with swift arrows concealed by the darkness. But no matter how many arrows, hit the shield, the shield’s did not break. The arrow’s only marginally slowed down the inevitable Kobold march.
Nigel fumed as he noticed the equipment refused to give away. Even if a single warrior fell the formation would break exposing weakness. However, Weed’s unnaturally high dexterity meant that equipment he manufactured for the Kobold’s by default came with high durability. Even the lowest of the low grade weapons he made were highly durable. The captains of each squad nervously looked at Nigel, hoping for a change of tactics....
“Keep at it!” Nigel motioned, his dwarven pride could not accept that Kobold’s were capable of acquiring weapons and shields of such high caliber. No dwarf would sell such excellent items to an enemy. It was completely forbidden to provide monsters with weapons, even if they were civilized Kobolds. Once a monster always a monster. Nigel swore under his breath as the relentlessly durable shields refused to give way.
“Put some back into it!” Nigel shouted to his squads who were now running low on their stock of arrows for their short bows.
“Reinforce with the wind! By Vayu’s grace! FIRE!” Nigel shouted as he remembered the elemental god. This was their last option, the enemy was within range and there was nothing more that could be done to hold them at bay till reinforcements arrived.
The arrows zipped away much faster than before, as if they were forcefully pushed by an unnatural force. The Kobolds were completely caught unawares, the shields lacked any type of elemental resistance. The once seemingly impossible to destroy shields were developing cracks. Some arrows hit the shields with such a great impact that the kobold holding it fell to the ground on impact. Some arrows cut through the shield and killing the user.
The dwarves cheered as the created gaps in the kobold’s formation. Quickly reloading their bows, the dwarves took aim again. However, the Kobold’s were quick to regroup and closely knit their formation together again, leaving behind their injured kin to their deaths. As if void of all emotion of comradeship, the continued moving towards the fort.
What seemed like a success, now seemed like a failure, the dwarves frowned. Air element provided the much needed power to their weak attacks however elemental powers consumed a great deal of stamina. They would be unable to launch wave after wave of arrows reinforced with air element. If it were a few waves, of kobolds, then maybe they would have still risked it....but against an entire horde rivalling several thousand in numbers? Running out of stamina would be the last thing they would want.
Nigel seemed to understand that as he drew out his long hammer. “GET READY FOR THEM!”
The kobolds were finally upon the fort.
“Kill! Kill them all!” Mnamanth’s voice rang against the din of clashing swords and roar of pain, anger and fury. Kendelbreu was seen a while ago to quickly enter the donjon before the gate slam closed and has not been seen since. The air was filled with the taste of blood.
Mnamanth coordinated the kobolds to put up climbing ladders while he himself was at the forefront of the action, underneath the roofed battering ram. Numerous arrows had stuck against it.
*Slam* *Draw* *Slam* *Slam*
The rhythmic pounding reverberated. The gate had been groaning for a while though the dwarves had braced it with everything they had. The ironbound gate was not meant to last against a battering ram but a deterrent and intimidation. All soldiers inside the fort now cursed Kendelbreu for his cost saving measures. If the gate fell, all of them would be dead. They began singing their mourning song. For they knew their time has drawn close.
“Arachnids!” screamed the invisible commander of the legions of monsters.
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The large scorpions obediently tore down the walls of the fort enabling the kobolds to pour in. The gate crashed down as if on cue. All Kobolds not occupied with climbing the siege ladders flowed through the torn walls. Nigel and his dwarves were awaiting them.
“FOR THOR!” screamed Nigel as he rushed forth.
“FOR THOR!” the soldiers screamed as they joined their commander while brandishing their hammers.
Swords and hammers clashed, shields clanged against each other and the warriors screamed in ecstasy. The dwarves and kobolds stood at the same level, they stared each other in the eye. With swords and shields interlocked they were in a temporary stalemate. In strength both races were on par. The differences lay in their stamina. Dwarves had a large stamina pool and would prefer to drag out a war than end it in a blitz. Kobold’s on the other hand, had much lesser stamina but with quicker regeneration. If the stalemate were to hold, the dwarves had the definite advantage however part of the kobold stamina could be converted into a temporary boost of speed and strength. The lizards hissed and battered their shields against the dwarves. With increased strength, the stalemate was broken and the dwarves were pushed back.
The dwarf mercenaries and soldiers finally had the chance to kill kobolds. But this was not how they pictured it. The original script had been not dying and winning a glorious battle, rewarding themselves with a good drink. Yet, here it seemed someone tweaked their destiny.
With less than 100 dwarves left and Nigel nowhere in sight, they were forced to fall back to the donjon. But even then, they donjon’s gate was constructed from cheap wood braced by cheaper iron. Some that in their cowardice broke their contract by surrendering. They were cut down with their pleas ignored. The last memory of the cowards was their own blood gushing forth.
“No! Please! Spare me! I will give you everything!” screamed Kendelbreu as he was dragged out hiding. Finally caught, the dwarf implored for his life. His privately hired mercenaries had died to the last dwarf. Begging for their life or going out with the last blaze of glory. All of them died. The Kobolds took much more casualty in their effort to take down the fort. But they seem unperturbed to their losses.
Mnamanth, his white priestly robe dirt bloodied red, ignored Kendelbreu’s pleas. He stepped forward with a large grin on his face and thrusted his sword into Kendelbreu’s heart. It took him a lot of effort since the dwarves has thick muscles. He left the sword lodged, cackling all the way with every inch the sword biting deeper. Kendelbreu who died in agony and horror, seeing with every slow inch the sword thrust into his body was regretting that he failed to lay eyes on his vast wealth for one last time. Thus, Kendelbreu du Cristo, the richest dwarf passed from this world.
“What have you done!” screamed a hooded figure at the sight of Kendelbreu dying.
All the other kobold’s immediately dropped their weapons and prostrated in front of the commander of the legion of monsters.
Mnamanth smiled, “I told yousss not intervene in my fight.”
“....”
“You sssent scorpion. You dishonor promise.” Mnamanth hysterically laughed as if he were crazy.
“...Stupid kobold. So where is the dragon’s scale?” the commander asked.
“Tisss not here.” Mnamanth replied as he ruffled through the dwarven belongings that lay scattered around. “Thensssss....maybe....he took it?” The kobold whispered to himself.
“WHO!” boomed the commanders voice.
The kobold’s trembled in fear. Even Mnamanth cowered in fear. “Hissss name is Weed. He blacksmith make ussss weapons.”
“And you couldn’t tell me this before?” The commander picked up a sword and thrust it through Mnamanth’s arm. None of the other kobold’s budged even an inch to save their new king. They continued to bow down to the commander.
“Where is he?” asked the commander as he twisted the sword which was dug into Mnamanth’s arm.
“Skyholm. Grandfather said he sent him on great shortcut to Skyholm.” Mnamanth whimpered as he wriggled in pain. “Weed elf want to be Theodore’s apprentice!”
“Theodore…blacksmith..elf...Rodriguez, eh?” muttered the hooded figure in anger as he let go the sword and stomped away.
“Wait what about us?” Mnamanth asked he tried pulling out the sword.
“Do whatever you want. I have no interest in your people or stories anymore.” replied the figure as he walked away.
“AAAAAAAAAAA” screamed a dwarf as he ran towards to the hooded figure with his hammer. It was Nigel who silently lay amongst the dead, biding his time for this moment. He had been waiting for the commander to reveal himself. By using lions roar, he had effectively confused his opponent, by attacking from the back the enemy had no chance to defend. Reinforcing his hammer with elemental power, Nigel was confident he could splatter a black scorpion with this one blow. Even a commander of the legion of the monsters would take significant damage.
The hooded figure raised his arm up in the air without turning toward’s Nigel and Nigel’s war cry came to an end. A long black thick needle extended from the ground and through Nigel’s throat.
“Imp..ossible....” Nigel coughed blood before his lifeless body fell to the ground.
The hooded figure continued to walk away without the slightest care, disappearing into the darkness and reappearing in the shadowy streets of Skyholm…
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
The stench of death overflowed the caves with air dead and stagnant. A cold mist crept through the blue hued caves. The fire crackled as the torches lit the misty caves. A small group of dwarves made their way through the forbidden caves. They held the torch higher pushing away the darkness, lighting their path and revealing to them the devastation that lay before them...
One headless dwarf piled on top of another, their bodies soaked crimson in their own blood. As their gaze shifted up, the once strong fort of Nigel lay to complete waste. Walls torn down, insides burnt. And there lay Nigel in the center of it, his corpse pierced through the heart, dangling in mid air held up by the flagpole. It grew colder and those at the site were left numb in shock.
It wasn’t a war, it was a one sided massacre. The surge of emotions could not be described in words; the dwarves were too deep in shock to grieve for their own brethren loss. As their senses returned to them, the dwarves fell to their knees and cried for their losses. Their mourns could be heard across the forbidden caves till the far reaches of the Northern Mountain City, it was the sign of war to come.
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Authors Note:
1. Thank you so much V4LKYR13 for helping out.
2. Hope you all like it. See you in 5.10.
3. Will be edited soon.
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Connect to Royal Road – Elementarem Vim next Chapter?YesNo
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