The scene in front of the castle was astonishing. Two units of Knights stood at the head of the parade. First in line were a colorful group of red and yellow clad horsemen, each with a shield emblazoned with an emblem of a large and fiery sun. Each had a lance strapped to the back of his horse, along with hand weapons, tied with leather strapping to their saddles. Next were a group of blue clad knights, their armor and helmets decorated with what appeared to be the pelts and head trophies of large wild cats. James could see that there were lion pelts, panther skins as well as the heads of cheetahs and leopards, all part of their military uniforms. These Knights also sported large lances as their main weaponry.
Behind the Knights, five large horse drawn wagons, each piled high with bags, wooden crates and barrels, were being prepared for travel. Gone were the three pack horses that had accompanied the trio since they set off from Oakleaf’s gardens. Sir Gilderwood’s packs and crates were stacked into one of the horse drawn wagons. Three horse-drawn artillery pieces were next in line, each gun having four large wooden wheels, encircled with a steel ring. Three huge horses without riders occupied the space next to last. Lord Von Marbach and his steed were also grouped with these three mounts. Bringing up the rear were another group of Knights, different from the rest. None of these wore helmets, and the main decorative theme of the unit was based on wolves. Pelts and trophy heads were again the most prominent adornment, but for a main weapon, each Knight bore a large metal hammer, reminiscent of the weapon Celeste favored, although larger in size.
Lord Von Marbach called the troops to attention, as Celeste, James and Sir Gilderwood approached. The military men saluted and the civilian members of the group all bowed and gestured, clearly, deferential to the great Wizard and his companions. Handlers assisted all three on to the backs of their mounts and loaded their belongings on to the rear most horse cart. An attendant, preparing James' horse, reached into an ornate leather satchel and produced a fine leather short sword encased in an elaborately decorated scabbard. Lord Von Richthofen wished you to bear this, Sir James, “ explained the attendant. James took the sword uncomfortably. The attendant assisted James as he mounted his horse. Almost ready to depart, a trumpet blast rang out from the tallest castle tower and Lord Von Richthofen strode onto the front steps of the castle.
“Sir Oakleaf Gilderwood! Wurtland bids you farewell!” he boomed out to the crowd. “The very existence of the Empire depends on your efforts. Our thoughts and prayers will be with you until your safe return to our humble province. Although we find ourselves occupying a moment in our history which is clouded with the most profound uncertainties, there is one aspect of which I am sure.” Von Richthofen paused for a moment, apparently fully aware of the theatrical effect it had on the hushed crowd. He continued in the most serious of tones, “The Empire’s fate is in the most competent of hands! I am certain of this! Godspeed!”
With that he called to attention the staff and occupants of Wurtland Castle, all of whom had emerged to witness the departure of the group. With animated enthusiasm, Lord Richthofen led them all in a rousing set of three cheers, “Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!” echoed across the countryside. As the echoes faded, the horses began moving forward, beginning with the powerful Knights of the Rising Sun. Cheers rang out as one by one the units began their journey to Badendorf.
As the cheers faded into the background and James surveyed his now overpowering bodyguards he was at least comforted by the fact that any threats to their safety would face a terrible opposition. No longer single characters in a dramatic tale of fear, and yet, James still wondered what was in store on the road ahead.
On the evening of the second day, the party noticed smoke rising from in front of them. The group had just successfully crossed the Grey River at the Marion Bridge. Thick black smoke billowed from behind the next hill along the road and Von Marbach feared the worst.
“A great evil awaits us, I fear”, observed Von Marbach, and he turned towards James. “Our party was to overnight at the Wurttenburg barracks, but something has gone wrong.”
Small groups of civilians began to be seen, fleeing southwards away from the burning city. Several appeared scorched and blackened by some sort of evil weaponry. A few pulled wooden carts full of possessions. Children, exhausted and crying, struggled to keep up with their parents. Most had scarcely more than the clothes on their backs. Terror illuminated the faces of each and every citizen. Celeste tried to call out to many as they passed the convoy of cavalry, but none would answer her queries as to what had happened. Indeed, not a soul appeared to notice the Knights, nor even the great Wizard himself. Distracted by fear, the citizens appeared determined to put as much distance as possible between themselves and whatever had taken place at Wurttenburg. Too distracted, apparently, to place any hope in the reinforcements interrupting their retreat.
“How can such a disaster have befallen the Empire, this close to the great city of Stalsburg? The forces of Chaos dare attack directly at our strongest defenses! These are ill times indeed!”, commented Von Marbach, the scarred veteran of so many campaigns. And then he shouted to his troops following on the road behind him, “Prepare to meet the enemy! As we crest the hill form up to the left and right of me! We shall advance down the hillside towards Wurttenburg and meet the foul forces who drive our citizens from our city! Sir Gilderwood, James and Celeste if you please. Join me in my position in our battleline!
This they did, and as they crossed the summit of the hill a panoramic view a city aflame filled their visual field. The sun burned deep red and hung low in the sky, shrouded in the smoke of a dozen fires burning within the walls of the city. An unfamiliar moon hung in the northern sky, already visible and rising. Scattered remnants of military units, mostly clad in gray and white uniforms, stood before tortuously distorted looking groups of creatures and human-like beings. Clearly, the Chaotic forces were advancing, with the Empire units, holding on for dear life in at least four locations. The two closest units fought immense, armor clad Knights, mounted on gigantic horses with steam belching from their nostrils. Strange runes were carved into the armor they wore and glowed a pale green light. The hapless infantry trying to defend themselves from the horrors, had formed a makeshift square of men, each with his halberds or spears facing outwards, forming a bristling barrier, which the Chaotic Knights were attempting to breach and trample.
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Von Marbach responded by immediately ordering charges, directing the Mountain Lion Knights to charge the closest and largest group of Chaotic Knights, and bade the Wolf Knights to charge the second group of warped horsemen. As these two units charged down the hillside, amidst a thunderous din, Von Marbach ordered the Knights of the Rising Sun to form up around James, Celeste, Gilderwood and himself. This maneuver, they quickly accomplished.
While the Knights milled about, organizing themselves into a battle line, Oakleaf began to sing loudly, chanting as he stared directly into the heart of the red setting sun. Blue light blazed from his staff across the distance towards the Wolf Knights, and a transformation became obvious, even at the distance of 50 meters or so. The bare skin visible on these warriors, including their unprotected heads, suddenly took on a gray, wrinkled, tree bark like appearance. Despite this development the Wolf Knights continued headlong towards the Chaotic Knights.
Both units charged into the flanks of the engaged Chaotic cavalry. The impact was immediate and spectacular. Several Knights in both units were forced to turn and focus their attention away from the beleaguered infantry. The weapon strikes dealt out by these warped champions were so fast, the flash of the slashing swords appeared to James as glowing, crackling blurs of deadly motion. Most of the attacks struck home, but the plated steel armor turned the majority of these blows, producing dramatic metal on metal crashing sounds, not unlike the noise of colliding cymbals. A few of the harshest strikes defeated the armor of the Mountain Lion Knights . The results were devastating, and three of the Lion Knights were killed and swarmed over in the terrible meles. Counter blows from the Empire Knights followed and were no less deadly, felling two Chaotic Knights from each battle, and a third Chaos knight from the Wolf Knights battle fell when skewered by a fortunate strike from a Wurttenland spearman.
Now thoroughly engaged, the battle continued at a terrible pace. Again Knights of the Order of Mountain Lions fell, and their unit wavered under the weight of superior numbers. Two Wolf Knights also fell, tumbling to the ground and trampled under by the raging battle, despite the wood-like qualities which had affected their appearance. Celeste squealed with dismay at each human casualty. Gilderleaf chanted again, and again blue fire leapt towards the Wolf Knights, even as their skin texture returned to normal. Incredibly the two dead and crushed Wolf Knights returned to their feet again, apparently responding to the energies channeled by Sir Gilderwood.
At this point Celeste began to speak, but in a different way than James had ever before observed. “Knights! Theodor demands your maximum efforts on this day to rid the scourge of Chaos from our lands! These tainted beings are pure evil and are no longer human! They are the vermin and pestilence of our time! They must die, and you must slay them! You are the instruments of Theodor’s will. You are his eyes, ears, legs and weapons! Kill the Evil Ones and be rewarded by him!” Oakleaf and von Marbach seemed to have heard Celeste’s speech on previous occasions, and remained unmoved by the words. But the Knights! To a man their eyes were transfixed on the lady, and a rabidity appeared in their eyes. as one man they reached a fever pitch of hatred, calling out to von Marbach. “Order the charge sir!..... The charge Sir!..... We are ready!..... It is time!”
“Knights! Prepare to charge!” yelled Marbach over the surrounding cacophony. For the first time James realized that he was going to be an actual participant in this battle. Incredulous, James grabbed for his short sword with his right hand, drawing it from its sheath. In his left, he clutched the reins of his mount.
“For Theodor!” screamed the Wurttenland General, and as one the red and gold clad knights cheered together.
“Huuurrrrraaaah!!!! they yelled as they began the charge down the slope. Although James remained silent and did nothing to encourage his mount, the experienced horse matched those that surrounded him stride for stride, rapidly gaining velocity as the unit descended towards the Mountain Lion Knights engagement. James, surrounded on three sides by Marbach, Celeste and behind him a second rank of Knights really had nowhere to turn anyway. Incredibly, she began to glow with a hot yellow fire, surrounding her and her mount.
The thunder of hooves overwhelmed his ears, and as the speed of the charge increased the cavalry actually drew nearer to one another, causing the horses on either side of James to come into physical contact with James’s mount. Still faster, the chargers continued to squeeze together until, incredibly, James mount began to lift, suspended in the air between its two galloping neighbors! Before James could even comprehend his predicament the unbelievable charge came to an end with a colossal impact in the side of the unit of Chaotic cavalry. Ensorcelled weapons swung, and lances struck. James could do nothing but hang on for dear life, closing his eyes to avoid witnessing the carnage. Gathering up all of his courage he opened his eyes to observe a massive and ornately clad Chaos Knight reach his electrically pulsing sword towards the heavens, clearly intending on dealing out a death blow to James.
In the next instant he grimaced with disdain, as if to make it clear that leveling a blow towards such a puny opponent was beneath the station of such a powerful warrior. Instead the Chaos champion turned and struck towards Von Marbach who barely avoided the blow, before countering with his own gleaming blade. Sparks flew as metal struck metal. James shut his eyes again and feebly held his sword forward in an inept attempt to parry any further strikes against him. Celeste’s flaming hammer swung this way and that impacting heavily and leaving black scorch marks with every blow.
Suddenly the clashing of metal ended, replaced with innumerable screams and moans. James reopened his eyes to witness a scene of devastation surrounding him. Dead and crushed infantrymen and Knights from both sides lay on all sides of James' horse. Blood dripped from his mounts cheek. Five of the Rising Sun Knights had galloped further down the slope to chase down and finish off a pair of fleeing Chaos Knights, broken by the impact of the second charge. Celeste’s flaming exterior flickered out.
For the first time James’s gaze journeyed further across the battlefield and he realized with astonishment that his engagement was only a small part of a much larger battle that stretched across the entire valley floor. Thousands of combatants were spread out over a considerable distance, but thankfully, it appeared the Empire forces had won the day in this battle, albeit at a terrible cost. Small groups of broken Chaotic troops were making their way eastward, with few Empire soldiers having the energy to pursue them. Smoke rose as the sun set. The battle was ending.