[center] ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ [/center] M A R C H I N G O R D E R S ; R O A D T O N U B I N A - 1 5 T H D A Y , 8 T H H O U R The Duchess had to hold her reigns in a iron grip to keep her horse from kicking up and away as she rode, entourage of knights in tow. She watched as men chopped down the pikes, other pikes lost its anchoring as druids loosed the ground. Like felling a small forest of the dead. She thought to hold her own nerves under control. She stopped at the last pike. There hung Arlan Chesin. A captain in rank, a father of three, a old friend of her father's. Suddenly his head snapped dow to stare at her. The knight around her immediately put themselves between her and the undying. “Whore…” The voice was gurgling and broken. And it was not the warm baritone of Arlan she had come to known in years past. This was the voice of something inhuman, trying to fit itself inside the limited realm of the living. “Whore of the Red Bird. You will not make it to the the wall…” It cackled almost. And that that cackle began to spread along all the as of yet destroyed corpses. A laughter, inhuman and cruel. “You will be put upon the gate, spikes trough feet and leg and arm and hands.” It spat. Her face remained entirely unreadable. “We shall strip your flesh from you while you are still alive. We shall have you watch as we kill your army man by man.” It continued. “You seem awfully sure. For a corpse.” She said. Her voice a icy calm. “You seem to think us doomed. You seem to think yourself something more then merely a rotting abomination. So allow me to send a message to whoever your master is, creature.” She drew her sword in one smooth motion. She drew it across her hand lightly, not even flinching a she cut a little into her hand. The blood made the creature's nostrils flair. “This is the color of my blood. Red like a Cardinal. For as long as my heart beat, It will pump trough my vein. This is the blood of the Stormsparrows, and we weather any storm. No matter if it is the elements or just the undead.” With one lightning quick slash, the pike was suddenly chopped off, the body falling down just before her. IT tried to get up but she got off her horse and pushed its face down with one heavy stomp to the head.. “Tell your Master, that the Duchess will be wearing His skin before this over.” And then she rammed the blade into the neck, severing the head. She shook her head. “Tend to the body. Make sure it properly buried. He deserves much better, but I cannot afford to dally. [center] ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ [/center] M A R C H I N G O R D E R S ; R O A D T O N U B I N A - 1 5 T H D A Y , 9 T H H O U R It didn’t take to long to remove the pikes. WIth the combined efforts of knights, archers and various magic users, it could be achieved with minimum strain to resources. But where ever you stepped, sharp metal and old bone crushed underneath your foot. This field of the dead spread unease in the lesser fortunate of the rank and file to be sure. Even this early, some of the commoners had already deserted. Trying to sneak away. Those that were caught were dealt with in a quick manner by whatever lord had drafted them. Even so, there wasn’t all dread in the ranks. There was another feeling. A simmering anger, a disgust for these vile creature who mocked them. A grim determination to make them all pay. [center] ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ [/center] M A R C H I N G O R D E R S ; C A M P - 1 7 T H D A Y , 2 0 T H H O U R The Duchess ordered crews to help pave the way for the army, broadening the road and making the army less vulnerable in the process. However, not having time to waste, this plan was proving to slow. Especially since they lost men to seemingly random attacks. By the third day. They were deep into the woodlands. It was a tired Theowald who sat down by the fire his order brethren had made. He had just patrolled the outer perimeter of the camp together with some sell swords and militiamen. They had found would be deserters, gutted like pigs just at the edge of the firelight. It seemed the undead did the Nobles job for them. But in a way, he could not blame the deserters. They were young and inexperienced. Many were militias, farmer boys who taken the pike and the helmet for a good penny. He saw the daughter of a baker who clung tiredly to her spear. A jittery look in her eyes. When night fell, the voices began. Inhuman, coarse whispers and mocking calls from deep within the forest. Sometimes scouts went out in force, sometimes they came back unharmed. Other times they came back only to realize they were missing one or two. “Pass me the cheese” Theo said to to Alexus and the tall dark man passed him a large piece of the diary. Theo gulped it down without a word. “You alright?” “Hm? Oh yeah. Just.. thinking.” “A dangerous habit some say.” Alexus mumbled as he slowly chewed some salty, dry meat. He made a face, clearly not as used as Theo when it came to marching food. “If you let your mind wander, yes. Despair and fear prey on those of poor dicipline and weak minds.” The paladin mumbled. The looked out into the darkness of the forest one more time before retiring to his tent and few hours of poor and fitful sleep [center] ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ [/center] M A R C H I N G O R D E R S ; R O A D T O N U B I N A - 1 9 T H D A Y , D U S K Aside from these attacks on the lumber crews, the massive army traveled unmolested and surprisingly without problem for the next day and a half. Now deep in the forest, the undying influence started to show on their surroundings. Trees were twisted and leaves were losing their color the deeper in they went. The forest itself was sparse as birch then to be. Sunlight streaming through the canopy and had it not been such circumstances, these roads would be pleasant. But the stench of death permeated this forest. Along the way, they came across intricate bone sculptures hanging from the trees. Soon people began seeing things out in the forest,, grey and shapeless phantoms that came and went. Never close, but always just in sight. On the evening that day however. Things changed. Things began to dance in the vision, just out of reach like before. But then more and more shapes began to appear far off among the trees. More and more did the shapes grow in number and also in size as they approached. Soon the call everyone dreaded rang out. Then came the whistling of arrow undying and skeleton archers behind the shambling mobs let loose. One such arrow thudded right into the skull of a Belian Cleric who just second before had turned to look towards the oncoming enemy. “WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!” Shields and swords were drawn from their resting post, walls of pikes formed along both side of the road. Men and woman shouting orders as they ran back and forth, the chopped down trees providing an extra barrier for their foe and the expanded road letting them spread out more and form better battle lines. There were so many of them. Shambling, shuffling corpses. Some so decayed they coalmost not walk. They dragged their weapons after them. But everyone knew the damage they could cause. These things did not feel pain. They would hammer away tirelessly at the shield wall while other more threatening being would be given the chance to act. Among them where the Ghouls. Running at them were creatures on all four, with the speed of a wild dog or wolf. Ghouls while Still undead and still rather simple, they were nonetheless a much larger problem. They were agile, with claws that rend flesh with ease. The bounded across the forest floor at speeds that made the archers less useful. Soon the first of ghouls came upon them, jumping over shields and pikes towards the back line. But the Duchess had known and all the veterans were aware. Behind the first line, were more of those of sword and shield. This second wall met the undead with blades of sharpest steel. The real threat blended very well with the average undead, being that they were also in the state of decay. But their eyes shone with unholy blue light. The Undying came with death in mind. They moved with more purpose, holding cleaver like blades and axes. Their armors were adorned with remnants of dwarves, elves and human alike. These were the terrors of the dark forces that Aith Anur had unleashed. A wave of undead, shepherded by unholy, undying creature that knew no pain, and no emotion but bloodlust. They fell upon the shield walls of militiamen and veterans both. A glacier of undead flesh, even as arrows thudded into skulls and bodies, putting many down before they even reached the living defenders. At 30 000 strong, it was the greatest army ever assembled. And somehow, it felt as if the enemy had matched them and somehow hid their strength up until this moment. Heavy axes fell upon shields and jagged spears were shoved careless between gaps in the shield wall. Theowald saw them approach and he swallowed dryly. Looking to Alexus, he saw that his friend had his shield out. Malthea two had her axe and shield at the ready. Her face a mask of grim and morbid determination. “They were lying half buried. Must be at least a third of our strength in numbers. The entire forest, filled with half buried bodies. The enemy knew to prepare for us.” The mighty knight spoke bitterly as he saw the ground bulge and then fall away as another undying rose from the sea of leaves. Some ghouls climbed the trees, leaping out from the branches to get at their archers and large undead bears suddenly broke from the enemy ranks and came running full speed into the shield wall. “BELIAS SHIELD!” His chapter master bellowed. “This is but the first crucible! We shall prevail! BELIA WILLS IT!” He walked behind the wall of steel that was his knights. Their shields emblazoned with their orders mark, and then the litany began. “My foundation is the mountain, for no element can break it.” A faint green glow seemed to envelop the knights as they chanted. “My Will is of iron, given by the mountain. My pledge is to my queen, who sleep beneath the mountain.” Theo felt the power of his Goddess caress his very soul, a protective embrace as his will was converted into power. “Her crown i safe guard, in life and in death. Her throne I protect, with sword and with shield. With will of iron I am rewarded. With bones of steel I am rewarded. With flesh like the rock I am rewarded. She brings me to the Peak, and she unleash me. Like a avalanche. BELIAS SHIELD! CRUSH THEM UNDERFOOT!” They roared as they met the undead horde dead on. Flailing, undead fury smashed against a hundred Belias shields and were flung back by the power of the paladins. Together, they seemed to hold that flank on their lonesome. Theo grabbed his massive sword with both hands far apart on the hilt, swinging wide and fast every time a ghoul leaped over the wall to get at the backline. His sword cut through the bone and flesh of one such creature as it landed to his side. But not all of the army was as disciplined. Not every flank was as solid a defence. “THEO!” Alexus yelled over the noise of metal on metal and screaming dying men and undead. “Alexus pointed down the road towards where the line had broken. The lord who had been responsible for that part of the line lay dead, a dead ghoul on top of him. He had not dismounted and his horse had fallen only to crush his leg as the ghoul attacked him. It seemed he had at least taken the undead beast with him. But his death had left men without a commander and caused the confusion of a ambush to become a full blown panic among the younger, less experienced fighters. “Right!” Theo growled as he began running down towards the weakening and wavering flank. Several others joined him. Knights, rangers and others who could be spared. The undead had managed to punch a hole in their defenses now and wedged themselves into the ranks of confused and leaderless militiamen. Some knights were holding steady, but losing ground fast. There was a massive slaughter taking place. Broken spears literally lifted impaled bodies of the ground as undead strength lifted them. Axes and swords split unfortunate men in twain. “For Beliaaaa!” Theowald crashed into the horde, sword swinging. To either side he had Alexus and Mathea, their shields blazing with Belias divine strength. The two of them together created a buffer for theo to hack into the enemy as militiamen and reinforcement smashed into the enemy as well. All around him, men and women died fighting. But nobody died without taking two or three of the enemy with them. He dodged a spear that was thrust at him by a thing without a jaw, and lopped the head of from its body. Another came at him from the side, sword raised high. He parried it and struck the pomel into undead corpses skull, making it stagger back from the force. “My sword was by Belias given to me!” He chanted as he split the creature in two with one mighty swing. Sweeping up grabbed it and speared a ghoul. “So that I can fulfill my duty!” He tore the sword free, sending his enemy tumbling back into the undead ranks. Beside him, Alexus smashed his shield into an attaker, sending him flying. “I am the Shield that turns away the evil!” Slowly, the flank was closing. But not soon enough by look of all the bodies now lying at their feet. Theowald kept on hacking away, sweat covering his face. [color=fff200][center] ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ [/center][/color] The Duchess guard. The Duchess swore as her personal mages unleashed a torrent of icy spikes into the enemy ranks. One of the three women lay dead by her feet. A javeline having impaled her. She for her part was doing her best to direct her commanders and relaying orders. She saw the weakening flank and immediately set to reinforce it, watching as a group of Belias Shield and Nephlites took to the task with grim determination. A undying warrior came running at her, having somehow made it past the defences. His eyes two pin small fires in dark hollow sockets. He ran at her, axe raised. She blocked it with her shield at an angle, jamming the shield into the attacker's face before running her slender but sturdy blade into one of those damned eyes. [color=fff200][center] ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ [/center] [/color] [b]Summary: AMBUSH![/b] The enemy had buried forces and other wise hid themselves from our scouts. Now they come at us from both sides. They number in the thousands and their flanking make our numbers mean far less then we would have liked. None the less, most of the army is holding steady but for a few breaches. One of these breachers is where you lot find yourself now, either by design, happenstance or choice. Its further down the line from the front where the Duchess is currently relaying orders. Survive best you can. By the end of the next cycle, I will roll a die to see how well we all did!