[h3]15-17th Day of Summer, Road to Nubina [/h3]
It was with a sigh of brief satisfaction that most of the men from the Wild Division – as some of the warriors of the Wild Men Tribe, the Druids and their allies have taken a liking to call themselves – shared when the last of the pike was felled by Duchess Stormsparrow. Thanks to the aid of the various spellcasters and mighty soldiers, the dreaded iron-spiked barrier was no more, and thus the army could resume to their march towards Nubina. Among the crowd of the most simple-minded recruits of the many divisions, some shouts of joy could be heard. Most of the veterans however knew that there was nothing to celebrate, as they didn’t even scratch the surface of what the Undying had prepared for the company of brave men and women. 

This much was showed by the man covered in wolf pelts and the masked elven woman standing side by side, contemplating the grim landscape with a most stern face. No words were spoken, but each knew fully the horrors that would be waiting for them in the woods, and this meek wall of iron, blood and undying flesh was but like a warning sign for the poor souls who would dare try and cross the forest. Indeed, looking at the foreboding forest, a strange sense of dread could be felt by all, perhaps even stronger than when all were facing the deathly barricade.

But after coming all this way, and having “confronted” the first of many atrocities that barred their way, there was also an unspoken determination to go through the forest and slaughter the living dead that plagued this land. The corpses that were hung on the pikes just moments ago was a reminder to everyone what would happen if the mission was a failure, what humanity would become if they would let this disease spread any further into their cities.


Although it was decided to go through the forest, the army faced one major issue. Its sheer size couldn’t possibly cross the woodlands without being spread thin, and full of opening. As such, it was decided by the higher authority that a path would need to be cut down to let the larger beasts and carriages through. Having heard of this decision, it was to no surprise that the dozens of druids loudly voiced their disapproval of such methods, Mynn being the first to do so. 

However, the druids were quickly dealt with, having been brushed off like mere peasants and warned that further opposition would brand them all as traitors to the army and would suffer death penalty as befit of traitors. It infuriated the Wild Elf and their entourage, but they couldn’t do much by themselves, and especially not while surrounded by several ten thousands of men. 

“Be it… Human… or Living Dead… you are all… the same.” Were the final words spoken by the elven Druid as she turned her back to her superiors and left with her entourage of savage folk.


[h3]20th Hour of the 17th Day of Summer, Camp[/h3]
Deep now into the forest, darkness had befallen on the woodlands. It was time for the army to rest, as the orders to stop for the day were given to all, and everyone started to make camp for the night. 

The Wild Division themselves were looking for a place to rest, but space was scarce for the children of the wild due for the army’s large size squeezed tight into a forest. Many were not welcomed to camp with the others because of the words that were spoken by the seemingly over-zealous Druids earlier. Bonded by trust and respect for each other, druids and barbarians and rangers of the wilderness stood together, venturing and camping altogether. Where one of them was not welcome, they just moved on to another spot, until they would find a place to camp where they were all welcomed. And thus, the Wild Men found their place at the back of the army, among many other quiet souls and outcasts. 

To ease their mind after taking the first steps into this accursed forest, men and women of the Wild Division gathered around a great campfire where they all sit and watched as the few women cooked a specialty of the nomadic tribes – roasted meat seasoned with delicate-tasting herbs. This was the last such meal they could afford of their still edible meat reserves, and tonight was probably the last and best moment to use it. A feast would be held at the back-end camp, where everyone would be free to join for a tasty meal and friendly talk. All of this was done so as to lighten many fearful souls, before heading further into the woods, and possibly to their doom.

[h3]At dusk, 19th Day of Summer, Forest Path to Nubina[/h3]
It had been a few days since the army entered the forest. The deeper they marched in the woodlands, the more corrupted the forest seemed to become. The greenery slowly faded into a sickly yellowish-green before becoming ash-grey. To the druids, this horrifying sight affected them most. Death had definitively taken hold of this place, and everyone knew this wasn’t natural at all.

Gazes shifting at all side, it soon became obvious that the numerous shadows dancing around the marching army grew in numbers and were more frequent. The wild men and woman of the savage tribe were on their guard, weapons in hand already as they had a foreboding feeling. Even the Wild Elf Druid had her eyes closed as to better focus on her surroundings, letting her mind wander to the voices of the spirits haunting the woods.

“Hidden… treacherous beasts. Spirits are… at unease. Something… is coming.” Mynn whispered, the grasp around her wooden staff tightening slowly. 

Just as the elven woman finished whispering, high-pitched yells were screamed as some poor souls were pierced by arrows show from undying and skeleton archers. Quick on their feet, the Wild Men quickly dismounted their horses and readied for a confrontation. Those bearing shields were standing at the front to create a wall against the projectiles, while some wielding-long-range weaponry stood behind and hacked the undying crashing against the shield wall. Standing behind were men and women with short-ranged weapons, standing on guard to protect the middle flank, while the archers and spellcasters were at the middle.

While there were indeed many of them and the element of surprise favoured the undying, they were fighting inside the forest. Be it sick or not, Mynn and the Druids accompanying her were protectors of nature, and in exchange for protection, nature would gift them with power, or so was what the Wild Elf was taught by her old mentors. Fighting inside the woodlands, the Druids were waging war where they were the most dangerous, where they could use all of Nature’s wrath at their disposal. 

While many fell from the unrelenting onslaught, Mynn and the others contributed to the effort in trying to maintain a breach in a line of defense just a distance away from where the Duchess was, by slaughtering the oncoming undead foes with the very force of nature. Roots taking hold of the undying from the soil before being torn apart by the savagery of the Wild Men, vines wrapping around limbs to tear them off in a gory splatter, and even the trees seemed to shortly come alive as their huge branchy limbs smashed and crushed a few at the same time. If one would be watching where the Wild Division were fighting, one could easily think the Forest itself unleashed its wrath upon the unliving assaulters.

However, using this much magic was taking a toll on everyone, Mynn included. Furthermore, being at one with what she controlled, the elven Druid could feel something invading her mind. It was subtle at first, but the more she used the surrounding landscape to tear apart the Undying, the more she took pleasure in it. By then, the usually calm-looking daughter of nature was screaming at the top of her lungs like a wild amazon, her mask hiding the vicious and sadistic grin she had for a while.

It was but only when Ulfric noticed something was amiss with his companion that he hurried to her side, who was starting to get way too close to the action than he liked.

“Lady Green! Don’t get carried away! Get back, you’re too closed to the front lines!” Ulfric shouted to Mynn.

But Ulfric’s words were too late as a rampaging ghoul had leapt high away from the shield formation, heading towards the duo. With quickened reflexes, the Wild Man raised his shield to block the leaping Ghoul, but the undead creature crashed with force on the shield-bearer to knock him down, and its clawed hand flailed toward Mynn’s face. By instinct, the Wild Elf had raised her staff in front of her. The staff twisted in the savage lady’s hands, turning into a wooden ball just a second before shooting out in direction of the ghoul. Unexpecting this kind of retaliation, the Ghoul couldn’t dodge the darting spear the staff had become, piercing the creature from the lower mouth to its brains. With a death throe, the Ghoul fell on its back with the wooden pike stuck in its head.

After this sudden assault, Mynn’s heart was racing like never before. Never had she come so close to having her life taken away. This dreaded feeling made her sick, and by reflex she was just about to take off her mask, but it wasn’t there anymore. Realizing she was directly touching her bare face with the tip of her fingers, the elven druid eyes turned to the ground to see the previously featureless white mask now marked with the claws of the Ghoul that nearly reaped her life. It was with shaking hands that she knelt and took hold of the symbol of the Order she had been part of.

With the shield wall formation starting to crumble, and a few of the Wild Men that had witnessed both two of their leaders being attacked by a Ghoul, the savage tribe started to fall back slowly and protect the Druids and long-ranged fighters with all their might. Ulfric, having shaken off his dazed state, got up and took Mynn by the arms to make her stand up.

“Don’t just stand there doing nothing! You’ll get killed like that!” the man shouted, trying to yell some sense into a shocked-looking elf. It was the first time he actually saw Mynn’s face, and seeing her make that kind of face made him feel weak. To see fear into a face that previously was thought to show nothing of the sort, be it either from the confidence the Wild Elf was radiating with her actions or because it was hidden behind a faceless mask, it made him feel dread as well.

“R-Right!” Mynn sheepishly answered, slowly shaking her head.

Scanning the man’s eyes, it felt just like he was trying to read her for the first time, and in turn she started to feel the fear that was starting to take hold of the man. If Fear was starting to creep in, then everyone here will die, compromising the entire army by leaving the rear flank open.

Nodding with a newfound resolution in mind, Mynn donned her mask, bearing the marks of the Ghoul’s claws made upon the white wooden surface. 

“BROTHERS! SISTERS! TO ME!” The elven lady shouted in a rallying call. 

Hearing the rallying call of the masked Druid, the remaining Wild Men and druids gathered around, protecting each other as they fought together for survival.

“Lend me… your power! We will not… fall…today!” Mynn commanded as her hands started to glow with the bright color of the summer leaves. 

Upon hearing this, the Druid gathered in a circle around the Wild Elf, while the Wild Men circled around the druids in order to protect them, slaughtering any unliving soul that dared approach the few remaining druids and their ceremonial leader. Wherever poor souls were fighting and holding on their own could be found, Mynn would look after them and provide support to those people.

At first, Mynn had come across an aged Elf trying to control his frightened mule in the mids of battle. Finding the situation pitiful, the younger Wild Elf raised a hand towards the donkey, an aura of greenery envelopping her fingers. Using her control over animals, Mynn entered the beast mind's and beckoned it to calm down, to give respite to the old man who was trying his best to keep it under control. With a glint of green in its eyes, the mule suddenly stopped its reckless abandon, still afraid but easier to guide.

Seeing her magic at work, and the aged Elf struggling to find a grip on his weapon, Ulfric commanded a few of his men to join him in helping the old man out. In the meantime, Mynn headed towards the robed wizard who had been lashing out at the undead with dark tendrils with her druidic retainers and a few other Wild Men. Reaching his side, the Wild Elf Druid extended a glowing hand, the color of a summer's sun. Calling forth the benevolence of nature, Mynn was tapping into the nurturing side of Nature to bolster the sorcerer's vitality and restore some of his stamina, at the costs of Mynn's own. 

The white mask was hiding the hint of exhaustion the Wild Elf bore on her face, but her heaving breaths betrayed the stron façade she was putting. It had been a while since Mynn used that much magic all at once, and as she watched the other Druids starting to lash out against the undead.