Faro found himself once again leading a charge through a gate of Carthax. Though this time with far less players than when he had done it before his forces depleted from the battles it took to get to where he was now in the fotress. But Faro did not let his loss of men deter him as he let out a roar at the head of his force before stoping and staring in his shock in what was behind the second wall.
Once again Faro found himself staring in shocked surprise though this time was for vastly different reasons to the last time he did so. As he stood stock still along with his men and took in the large court yard behind the second wall. It was not what any of them had been expecting as they all took in a breath of fresh air they found filling the courtyard instead of the putrid air that they had been breathing in the bloats moat before without realizing it.
The attack force was taking in the grassy fields that made up the inner courtyard behind the second wall that was surrounded the inner keep. Now that what remained of the attack force was behind the second wall they could make out the last line of defense for the fort which was inner keep. Though they were surprised to see no signs of necromantic magic at play. In fact it seemed like no changes had been made at all by the forces of Hargal to the inner courtyard yard and from what they could make out of the keep it didn't seem to have been changed at all either.
In fact they hadn't even replaced the weathered stones that had been damaged by the passage of time. There were several parts of the inner forts balcony's in clear need of replacement stone but hadn't gotten any. Though this brought a bout of confusion among those present in the attack force. As the forces holding the fort had made a third wall and added the strange dragonfly heads to the second wall. So why stop at changing the inner keep and adding defenses to the courtyard or giving the inner keep even basic repairs as if to avoid making changes at all to those sections of the fort?
Luckily for the attack force Faro decided that despite the good news that those parts of the fort once ruled by his people were unchanged that they needed to get a move on. " Alright lads it's a beautiful grassy field with clean air. It ain't nothing you ain't seen before. So stop galking and get moving those steps aren't going to clime them self!" Faro shouted out across the inner courtyard causing it to reverberate as he got his men moving across the courtyard and towards the inner keep.
They could see the inner keep from where they where unlike before where most of it was blocked off by Carthax's outer walls. It was a set of cliffs and tunnels built into a small mountain. The only way up the small mountain keep was a set of stairs with a gate at the beginning of the keep's steps. The attack force had began to make it's way across the grassy courtyard enjoying the breeze and the pleasant green grass beneath their feet. That ended when they heard the iron gate at inner keeps steps begin to rise and the sound of heavy foot steps making their way down the keeps stairs.
" Hold lads! It looks like the good commander of this fort is sending us another welcome party." Faro shouted out as the attack force of players halted and began to get into their fighting stances waiting for the new undead horror that would be marching out from the steps of the inner keep. They thought they were prepared for what would come expecting another undead horror instead of what actually came which was something far more dark and sinister then any undead horror could ever be.
Faro watched in horror as legions of bone clad warriors marched in formation downs the steps and began forming column after column in front of the gate that was at the begining of the steps. The players that were under Faro's command meanwhile where surving the stats of the new arrival as while as their numbers and not liking what they were seeing they outnumbered easily ten times over.
Hargals Honored legionnaire's - tier two- undead type- zombie- Trait: honorably armored-this undead has been given blessed gear of Hargal in the form of armor made of bone that reforms to always be ready to block blows and with sythes that have a necrotic edge that eat through anything.- description- these were once the elite guards of the lords and kings that's ruled the lands that once belonged to Detrei now these elite warriors have been revived as undead with powerful necromantic magic allowing them to keep the skills they gained trying to fight the legions of Hargal. Now they are among Hargal's most elite legions used by his commanders to destroy troublesome foes.
Faro was still standing their shocked as he looked at the elite warriors of his people several still wearing the emblems that signified which lord or king they had served in life. The players were growing nervous as the columns of Hargal's honored legions began their march to close in. They were sure it wasn't wise to wait for the legions considering they were outnumbered but they didn't have any better ideas. So the players waited for Faro to tell them what his play would ultimately be.
Though as Mark looked at Faro and saw his shocked face he realized that the orders they needed weren't likely to come. As Faro looked to be in shock trying to figure out why Mark took in the legionaries and he began to see the symbols on them marking their statues as former honer guard and began to put together why Faro was in shock especially as the stats screen for the approaching undead legions confirmed his suspensions.
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
It would seem to Mark that Faro was going into shock because as more than likely a few of the elite warriors that were now marching towards them were once legendary warriors who had made themselves martyrs to buy time for people to escape from Hargal's early victorious hordes. So yea seeing your childhood hero walking towards you as an undead legionarie under the command of your people's enemy would have anyone on the back foot.
Mark didn't blame Faro as he doughted than he or any one else could keep their cool in these circumstances. Imagining such a scenario like the famous hero the gold king being turned into undead and forced to attack his own fans would probably end with the fans being slaughtered as they stared dow eyed at the gold king as he killed them all.
Though sadily for Faro this wasn't the time for such sentimentality and Mark knew it. So he needed to get Faro back into the battle and leading them forward before the incoming legion surrounded and destroyed them. " Faro get your head out of your ass! You got descions to make, so get your eyes on the prize!" Mark roared out as he slammed the back of Faro's head putting a lot of force in the strike which caused Faro to stumble from the suprise strike.
Luckily for the attack force this suprise strike and sudden pep talk got Faro to focus back on the situation rather than what had happened to his people's heroes. Faro took in the advancing undead legions and how by the look of their formations they were planning to encircle and annihilate his force. Faro than took a glance quickly at his own forces seeing that they were badly outnumbered and several of his men had gained wounds along the way and were in no way capable of fighting all the undead legions facing them. So they needed to move and they needed to move now.
So taking in his situation Faro could see the only way forward was to break through. So he immediately began to issue his orders before they could be fully encircled. " Alright you beautiful bastards it looks like we're breaking through these pretty sacks of bones in front of us. So I'm gonna pick a lane and your all gonna follow behind me!" Faro screamed as he began to pick a point in one of the legionaries advancing columns and began leading his force in a charge through the undead.
It was a hard run as Faro's forces let out a war cry following behind Faro and Mark once again. As they charged through the undead legionaries with Faro and Mark cutting a path through with their weapons as the rest of the players followed behind. The forces that followed behind were desperately trying to keep up as it was not easy. As the hole opened up in the legions formation by the initial charge to push through was quickly turning into a death trap.
As the force cut down the legionaries to their front making a path the ones on their flank were bringing down they're sythes taking limbs off or killing in a single blow. The players special plant armor were not holding up well to the legionaries specially blessed sythes. So they had to count on speed to save them sadily they couldn't move that fast or maneuver while they were trying to push through the legions formation.
So eventually Faro and Mark found themselves on the other side of the legions formations. They still had to keep up their charge despite breaking through as they were trying to reach the gate. As half way through the legions the gate had started to lower and so now they found themselves on another mad dash to reach the other side of the gate before it closed on them. So Faro and Mark kept leading the way well having to hear the rest making a desperate attempt to follow after them trying desperately to hold of the legions sythes with their weapons well they kept moving forward.
At one point one of the players with a strange staff called down a hail of exploding corn distracting as well as damaging the legion enough for those still charging to make it to the gate and the last players dove under the gate just barely making it. Faro upon seeing that the last of his forces were with him and that whatever force brought the gate down could also bring it up gave another order. " Time to cut the chains!" Faro roared out as he and Mark both swung their weapons simultaneously to cut the chains that would be used to raise the gate causing them to fall with a clang.
He had cut of his path of retreat by cutting the chains but Faro had also prevented Hargal's honered legionaries from following. The only thing now was to proceed up the steps and hopefully find and kill the fort's commander. Faro took a look at his men who were catching their breath from the desperate charge to break through. He didn't like what he saw as his forces had been reduced once again but he would have to hope he had enough for what waited for them in the keep.
" Alright lads catch your breath and patch up what wounds you can. Once we have our feet back under us were heading up the steps and hunting that commander of theirs in the keep." Faro said taking a seat to the left of the group and sitting on the steps making sure he could watch both the gate and the way up the steps in case threats came from either direction.
" Well Robert it looks like that commander Faro is determined to get inside and find that enemy commander isn't he." Simon said with his usual static filled voice. " I do hope they both walk away somehow. They'll probably become rivals once the siege is over and riviraly is great for tv. The back and forth keeps the viewers invested." Simon said once again hoping that the world of Allyssa would play in way that would boost his rating numbers.
"Maybe they will Simon." Robert said as he kept his eyes focused on his work putting a few final touches on the expansions. As he figured that once the final battle was broadcasted in the world of the wonders and the mad through the players feed it would be the tipping point and cause the world of Allyssa to expand. So he needed these expansions to be ready though he was paying attention to the conversation as he did hope that less of his kids creation were killed.
" Well good to know your in my corner for that one but moving on what do you think of those elites Hargal's little devotes just sent out?" Simon asked curious about Roberts thoughts as before Hargal's undead used the living more as building blocks to build undead rather than make them undead outright. So seeing full blown undead elite guards who were using their former memories to be effective was a definite change in style for Hargal's followers.
" Honestly I'm not that worried about it. It's not the worst thing they've done honestly. A few times I had to interfere directly when a few tried to create plagues that would have gotten out of hand. As I've mentioned before." Robert said in a matter a fact tone as he put on the fitting touches for the expansions that would allow them to slot right into the world.
" Well that fair enough I suppose. Well that's the post fight analysis over I believe so let's see how Faro and his players handle the inner keep of Carthax. Shall we?" Simon said as his attention was once again turned to the hundreds of tv monitors that made up Robert's workshop walls. Robert merely nodded to Simon turning to keep a few screens in the corner of his eye well he kept at his work on the expansions.