Twenty Knights waited in mounted rows just inside the gate. Behind them the mass of Irikashi stood with equal discipline, nearly unmoving. The collection of Warriors, some fifty or so, were a milling melee of shifting groups that made it difficult to get an accurate count. At least the Mages were organized, not that it was hard, given that there were less than a dozen of them. The rest were still hard at work trying to modify the magical defenses.

Dathan looked over the assembled forces. With the addition of the Irikashi Warriors this was a more powerful force than he had led against the giant encampments. There was only one target this time, though the count of opponents wasn’t as firm as he would have liked. Between the strange weather and the gathered elementals around the totems, the Beast Callers were having trouble with reconnaissance.

Shaking away those thoughts, Dathan motioned to the Gate Keeper to go ahead. Spellwork ignited along the metal banding the gates as they slowly receded into the walls. It was always a surprise at how fast those massive structures could move, no matter how many times he’d seen it.

Soon the gates were fully opened and the force moved out, Warmounts marching in step, Irikashi in sync, Warriors in a mass, and Mages making their own way.

It didn’t take nearly long enough to reach the edge of the elemental penetration of the outer defenses, within a quarter mile of the walls. There was no knowing the number of elementals of various forms and elements that had been jammed into defenses designed to destroy giants. From what the Mages had been saying, they’d never heard of using elementals in such numbers especially from a single source.

Dathan frowned as he led his force through the winding path that navigated the defenses. They couldn’t just back track the elementals because so many of those defenses remained active. Those that wouldn’t trip on a single elemental would certainly do so on a group this size.

Along the trip they witnessed more elemental incursions. A couple of times the creatures came close to the marching force and were easily dealt with, but that was the exception rather than the rule. For the most part the elementals ignored everything other than traveling single mindedly in a line straight through the defenses.

Once outside the edge of the defenses, Dathan had everyone form up again, mostly the Warriors, as the Knights and Irikashi had never broken rank. They then began a steady march up the valley, intercepting every elemental they met with brutal efficiency, with Dathan and Dreama in the center of the front, trading off the kills as they worked with their War Mounts to first stop and then finished off the elementals.

A single elemental of this size and collection of elements wasn’t a threat to a mounted Knight who was prepared for it. Even the frequency of the attacks was easily dealt with by rotating Knights into the center.

It wasn’t until they neared the end of the valley that they truly encountered resistance. Nearly a dozen elementals erupted from the ground and rushed the line. The Knights managed to blunt the attack though a couple elementals penetrated through to the Irikashi. They made it no further. Scythe limbs were every bit as effective as swords and Warriors wielded them with mechanical efficiency, hacking the elementals apart.

A few of the Knights had been dismounted by the charge, and only a couple Knights had injuries from the fight, nothing that would remove them from combat. While reorganizing the lines, Dathan was alerted to more elementals charging out of the edge of a snow flurry that engulfed the edge of the valley.

Dozens of various elementals rushed across the ground. Dathan quickly ordered the Knights to split the line and form up at the sides of the valley. That left the Irikashi to absorb the main charge, while the Warriors edged around them.

The Irikashi Warriors moved to stand shoulder to shoulder, hunkering down until their underbodies nearly touched the ground. Before the elementals could hit the line, the Knights charged across the valley with lances lowered, hitting the elementals in the side before riding past. Only a few of the elementals were actually stopped by that Knight charge, but it did serve to break up the elementals into a staggering force rather than a massed attack.

Those elementals slammed into the braced Irikashi, many bowling over the Warrior in front only to be stopped by the one behind. The front became a milling mass of elementals and silent Irikashi, who maintained their lines with cold efficiency, injured Warriors falling back to be replaced.

Members of the circling Warriors guild finally made it around and rushed into the fight, while the Knights had put away their lances and fell upon the elementals from behind.

By the time all the elementals were dealt with, there was one dead Irikashi, numerous injuries among all the Warriors, and three other Irikashi who had broken legs and would need to be carried to the city and seen by the healers. Among the members of the Warriors Guild there were fortunately no deaths though the amount of injuries was staggering.

The elementals had fought like berserkers, striking out in all directions with no thoughts to defense. The sheer number of them had created a swirling melee that had sucked many of the Warriors in, though the Irikashi had maintained their formation, helping to keep the elementals contained.

“Husband, these elementals do not act as they should.”

Dathan sighed and nodded. “Aye, love, that they don’t. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this wasn’t it. These things haven’t been behaving normally since the beginning.” He looked at the various piles of dirt, stone, and ice where the binding matrix of the elementals had broken down and left behind their base parts, except for the wind elementals, which dispersed altogether.

“We need to find out who and what is behind all these changes and how they’re managing it all.” Dathan reached up to stroke his goatee, a frown on his lips. “I don’t like how organized the elementals are. Historically that requires a collection of Mages, which giants don’t have, or an elemental lord, which has never been seen in the Wastes and even if there were, would never work with non-elemental races.”

“Were things simple they would not need us, now would they, dear?”

Dathan felt himself smile and reached out to take Dreama’s hand, drawing it to his lips. “True enough, love. Comes with the Lordly titles, I suppose?” Taking a deep steadying breath, he released her hand after a final squeeze. “What say we get the Mages to break up that snow flurry so we can see what we are dealing with. We have some giants to slay and a totem to destroy.”

“You say the sweetest things.”

***

“Sir, we’ve got incoming.”

Dathan looked up from his conversation with the Mage and Warrior leaders to see one of the Knights pointing to the south. Following the Knight’s direction, he could make out the rapidly approaching figure of one of the Treefolk. He hadn’t thought any of them knew about the expedition, having been out of the city.

It didn’t take the Treefolk long to arrive, which was fortunate as the Mages were nearly ready to break up the storm. Dathan raised a hand in greeting. Half a dozen Thorning dropped from the branches as Greyash lumbered to a stop.

“The People apologize for not being available at the start of your campaign. The discussion at the Grove was of great importance, and while we have learned much from the Kin, our deliberations are still not as swift as others.”

Dathan smiled and waved away the apology. “We are grateful to have you. It shouldn’t be long before the storm clears. I’d like you and yours to find and smash the totem, though leave enough intact for the Mages to look over and see if they can figure out what went on here.”

Greyash seemed to sway, his branches waving through the air. “It will be done. There is something else. The decision of the Grove. We will be growing a new generation of the Knight to aid us in this fight.”

Dathan felt his eyes go wide. Treefolk were not casual with the lives they created and usually only grew more Thornlings when the previous generation passed on or all took root. With a lifespan well over a century and a half, that meant they weren’t replaced often. To add a complete generation to the cycle was unheard of.

Bowing deeply, Dathan tried to understand the gravity of that decision. “I can’t begin to understand all that went before the Grove before you all decided on this, but I know that the new Kin will be welcome among us. Will they take a year to mature as usual?”

Greyash nodded, leaves rustling. “A little longer. These will be a new generation and cannot be rushed.”

Dathan nodded. “Of course. Hopefully they won’t be needed before then. I have a feeling we’re going to be in this one for the long haul.”

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Before he could continue, one of the Mages waved for Dathan’s attention. Bidding farewell to Greyash, he returned to the other leaders. “We ready to go?”

The Archmage nodded, reaching up to stroke his elaborate mustache. “Indeed. My Mages have isolated the magic used to create the storm. They say it isn’t tied to the totem. It’s being maintained by an elemental, which they don’t think is present.”

A whistle escaped Dathan. So there might be an elemental lord after all, but why would it work with the giants? Too many things didn’t make sense. They were gathering more questions than answers.

“Hopefully we can learn more from the totem.”

Heads nodded all around. Tanisan turned in a swirl of his cloak to meet up with his Mages and get them into order. They would lead the attack this time around with a fireball bombardment.

Dreama was watching him as Dathan returned to his War Mount. Quickly he explained what Greyash had told him, as well as the role they would be playing in the upcoming battle.

“It would seem that things are building up on both sides of this war. I fear what could become of the world if things do not resolve themselves quickly.”

Dathan sighed and nodded. “Somehow I don’t think our new opponent is going for a quick confrontation. They’re in it for the long haul. Given the lifespan of giants, that could be a long game indeed.

“Aye, husband, indeed it can. And now it is our turn to make a move in this game. Fight well, my love.”

“Fight well, love.”

Dathan let his gaze linger on Dreama for a few more moments before focusing. If possible, he planned on winning their contest this time around. He had some ideas rolling around his head that he would love to give a try. Not that losing wasn’t enjoyable too. His wife always had such lovely notions.

Turning his attention to the distant storm, Dathan waited. A few minutes later the sky seemed to convulse, clouds writhing and twisting. The air grew heavy and pressed down on his exposed skin.

Suddenly a feminine scream echoed across the Wastes. There was an inhuman quality that dug at the ears and seemed to sear straight to the brain.

Even as Dathan winced in pain, the storm broke with a quickness that left snow driving while the clouds rippled into nothingness. When the snow cleared, a quartet of giants stood revealed around a tall totem. These were no youths, standing nearly forty feet tall, with massive ice weapons clutched in their hands.

Piles of snow shook themselves free around the giants, resolving into a collection of animal shaped forms a good dozen feet tall. A large stone version of an ice wyrm tore itself free of the ground, easily sixty feet in length.

Fireballs crashed down among the snow creatures, steam and elemental screams rising into the air. Another wave of fireballs screamed in, only to be intercepted by the weapons of the giants. Whatever ice had been used in creating those weapons provided protection against the flames, protecting the elementals. Even the third wave of fire was deflected.

“Well, that was disappointing. Time for lances and blades.” Dathan nudged his bancroft into motion, heading the spear and the Knights formed on his flanks. They thundered across the ground, snow spraying up behind them, lances leveled at the giants and the largest of the elementals.

The impact was deafening. He left his land in a giant and drew his blades as his war mount shouldered aside a snow lion, kicking aside a snow fox, and snapping a snow wolf from the air in its jaws. Dathan slashed to both sides, guiding the bancroft in a circle to clear an area, then charged to help out knights of combat.

Seeing a pair of Warriors smashed through the air drew Dathan’s attention back to the giants who were still standing guard over the totem. All four had multiple lances embedded within them, along with numerous spears, yet they seemed not slowed in the least.

Swinging free of his war mount, Dathan hacked and slashed his way through the snow creatures, sidestepping a charging ice bull, then slipped behind one of the giants. Blades cut deep into the flesh at the back of the giant’s foot, nearly severing the tendon. He had to duck the swing of a club before moving in to finish the attack, the giant losing its footing and crashing to one knee.

Greyash was manhandling… gianthandling?... one of the other giants as his Thornlings swarmed over the giant, their spiky bodies easily adhering to flesh, leather, and hide. The extra arms of the Treefolk smashed repeatedly into the face of the giant, with Knights and Warriors swirling around their feet.

Dathan noticed groups of Irikashi crossing the battlefield, moving in sync as they chopped one snow creature after another. A crashing sound drew his attention to where the stone wyrm was rolling through the Warriors. He winced as several figures failed to get back up as the fighting moved.

Two groups of Irikashi, being led by Dreama, suddenly slammed into the wyrm, stopping it dead and pinning it in place long enough for her glowing blades to somehow slice completely through the elemental.

A whistling sound gave Dathan just enough time to turn and divert an ice blade to the side. The giant he’d crippled was ignoring every other attack to focus on him. Perfect. Maybe he could equal his wife’s feat.

Sheathing his blades, he ran up the foot of the giant then leaped up the leg, pulling himself up the leathers as fast as he could. He braced himself as he reached the thigh, taking an abbreviated hit to the back with a grunt. At least it was hard for the giant to swing at him while this close.

Dathan made his way to the giant’s back, scaling the now wildly twisting mountain of flesh. Finally he was able to get a gauntlet around stringy hair and brace on the shoulder. Drawing a blade with his free hand, he fended off a grasping hand before swinging to the face of teh giant and jamming his blade straight through its eye.

It took the giant a moment to realize it was dead, even as Dathan twisted the blade. He had to fend off another swipe of the hand before the thing started to topple. Pulling his blade free, he swung around and ran down the now sloping back, managing to leap into a bruising roll as the giant crashed down.

Pushing himself up with a groan, he found his war mount standing guard, though it seemed the fighted was nearing an end.

The giant Greyash had been fighting was down, with over a dozen Warriors hacking and stabbing the weakening thing. The last two giants were on their knees, feebly fighting off the darting attacks from Knights and Warriors. Roving groups of Irikashi were finishing off the last of the elementals. Pieces of the shattered totem were scattered across the snow.

Panting, Dathan cleaned his blade of the bits of eye and brain before sheathing it. Slowly he pulled himself onto his war mount, thankful for the help getting around. He wasn’t sure he would be very mobile tomorrow. Hopefully the hot spring would be done by the time they returned home.

Meeting up with the other leaders to organize the clean up, he winced at the casualty reports. Too many injured and dead. Thus far this was was shaping up to be the most costly conflict in centuries and it was only just starting to ramp up. At least they learned about the presence of an elemental lord and secured the wreckage of the totem to learn more.

Dathan had just finished organizing the relief parties to transport the dead and wounded, when he heard that lovely voice behind him.

“It would appear that I win again, husband.”

Turning, he smiled at Dreama. “I believe it’s a tie this time, my dear. We both killed a greater creature.”

Dreama shook her head, crimson curls swaying. “Your count is off, love. I have two greater kills.” She turned to point at one of the giants, which had her lance through its head.

“How?” Dathan cut himself off, shaking his head in amusement. Just when he thought he was catching up to her. Even after a decade of effort, she continued to stay out of reach on the battlefield. “Very well, love. State your terms.”

Leaning in, Dreama whispered in his ear. His smile grew wider with each word. He definitely felt like a winner, especially if the hot springs were completed.

Married life was amazing.