[center][b]Ressurection.[/b][/center]

It hurt to open his eyes, the light was very bright even as he realized it was just two measly candles lighting the room. The orbs of light was shooting spears of light into his vision.
He shut his eyes and took a deep breath, a decision he immediately regretted since it hurt like crazy.
The wince he uttered alerted the people in the room, which was one of the fist's barber surgeons and Katrina.

-"CLAUS, YES!!!" Came the overly joyous shout from Katrina whom ran up to the steelhead pushing the surgeon out of the way assaulting Claus with a hug.
-"OW!!!" Claus yelled out with a penetrating voice which was heard several rooms over. He grunted and sat up, forcing Katrina off him as she suddenly got a massively sheepish look on her face.
He was going to shout at her when Roogel came through the door, got a look of happiness on his face followed by his deep and hearty laugh as he too rushed forth with arms outstretched.
Claus actually panicked, this was the moment he dies. Hugged to death by Roogel, that damnable oaf.
Roogel however stopped right at the side of the bed and offered his hand, just after pretending to go through with the bear hug.

-"Hahahaa! I've never seen that sort of fear in your eyes in battle! Am i that scary?" Roogel boomed out as he and his captain shared a well practised handshake.
-"The prospect of combat is a relief compared to your affection Roogel." Claus said to his friend with one of his telltale smirks on his lips. This time, it was much of the left side of his face which was yellow with bruising.

Clearly annoyed the surgeon spoke.
-"Seeing you don't need my expertise to allow yourself to move the perhaps mortally wounded patient, i'll just say that your wounds are miraculously mostly bruises sir. You were lucky that the elephants head didn't land a bit different. Or its skull would have crushed your torso. Now it was only the trunk and parts of the mouth which had laid upon your body. The armour helped keep the weight off your body but you would not have survived much longer had our young blacksmith not pulled you out."
Now both Roogel and Katrina looked a bit sheepish, Claus gave the surgeon a nod before speaking.
-"Thank you for your skills. I probably need more medical personnel like you in the future. And you two.... status report!" The order was barked in his usual tone, his bandaged torso hurt a little but he felt that nothing was broken.

-"You have been out for most of a day, the Manshrew forces moved out the same day you went down sir. We have reports they will join with concord forces in battle at any time now." Roogel answered.
-"Right, seems like we will be late for the party. Surgeon, can i move?" Claus said while sitting up, it hurt but it didn't hurt too much in the bad ways.
The barber surgeon just gave a look like he gave up before the Remonnets to the throne before history, like he was taught that look by the dwarves.
-"Yes, as you have proven you can move. Miraculously nothing was broken, your wounds are mostly bruising from jumping off a castle gate and then being trampled by the largest elephant in Formaroth followed by being flung into a stone wall. There was some damage from not being able to breathe properly for almost a day as well, but that will fix itself." Now Claus felt a bit sheepish as well, but the surgeon was right. Claus had miraculously not died while pulling that insane stunt off, hearing it stated like that also reminded him of what a stupid idea it was.
The surgeon then saluted and left with a shake of the head and a deep sigh.
Katrina opted in at that point.

-"I looked over your armour, it needed a bit of bending but most of the pieces are mostly right.... mostly...... SIR!" As she spoke she sounded happy, when she was done she noticed Claus staring at her with that skeptical look and added a mostly. A short moment later she realized her fault and shouted sir at which he was satisfied and stopped staring.
-"Good, since i want out of this place sooner than later. Lady Tuania will be all too happy to see us disappear and i will be happy to oblige." Claus stated while beginning to stand up. He had been undressed to only his breeches and began to locate his clothes.

-"We are moving out? What about the fortress?" Roogel questioned, followed by his captains answer.
-"The manshrew army will need all their men to face the army of the concord. Which means even if he wanted to, Andrew could not leave a part of his force to keep the siege going since splitting his forces would weaken it too much. So his plan is to face the concords army and then return to siege Clarm."
He paused while taking on his boots, then went on.
-"So i think while he is out fighting, we can strike him from the side. And then retreat back into Clarm quicker than his army can follow us. Provided he even has an army after the battle that is."
Roogel rubbed his beard and asked.
-"Risky, won't his light cavalry harass us as we retreat back to Clarm?"

-"Good point, but the thing is that we will move through the forests. We are far better suited for that terrain than cavalry. We can probably make good our escape with ease." Claus put in as he moved up to his now scraped armour. It wasn't just the visor that looked a bit sad at the moment.
-"Fair enough, your intuition usually works out boss." Roogel put in seemingly satisfied. He began to help Claus into his armour. Getting a few winces here and there.


[center][b]Moving out.[/b][/center]

The order was given, the Steel fist was moving out from Clarm. Marching with a brutal purpose in mind and it was noticeable. The fist was going to strike at Andrew's forces for putting them through this siege. And alliance heads would roll in vengeance for their comrades.
Claus simply stole a great sword from Clarm's armoury, hoping they wouldn't notice. Seeing he had made sure the stronghold held in the face of the entire army of the alliance, he figured they owed him at least a bit.

It wasn't with any remorse the Telmarian's watched the Steel fist leave Clarm. Cathryn was hoping to never see the brutes ever again and the troops never got along too well with the mercenaries.


The march was a quick one, and Claus was alerted that he was closing in on the battle from his scouts.
They arrived at a crucial point of the battle, as the concord forces were enveloping the Manshrew forces. This formed a plan in Claus's head.
The steel fist set up in the forest line in the distance, they were sure they hadn't been detected.
-"Do we engage immediately?" Roogel asked getting ready for a fight.
-"No, i have a better plan. Redeploy to the north." Claus ordered, sending out runners to try and keep themselves hidden.
-"The north?" Roogel asked. Followed by Claus's grinning answer.
-"Their forces are beaten, look at them. So we are going for..." Claus kept the ending of his sentence up for guessing, but Roogel quickly got it.
-"Their supply train!" Now Roogel was also grinning. He added.
-"Strike them where it hits the hardest, suits them right."


[center][b]Terror.[/b][/center]

Andrew was hurriedly keeping pace, while simultaneously trying to make sure his forces were getting away from the concords army gorging on the poor souls which were trapped in the imperial ploy.
If he stopped to think, he was sure he'd be overcome with sadness. So he never stopped, helped one man, gave orders to others. But as time went on they were closing an area of road close to a treeline, the northern road. They were getting away.
Relief was setting in for a few, for most the edge of the panic was smoothed off, they could see a few of their supply wagons which was already beginning to move.


Then the all too familiar war horn sounded, a three voiced call.
The unmistakeable call of the master of the Steel fist. As it felt like time was slowing down Andrew looked to the tree-line as black banners were the precursors of the line of gleaming plate armoured halberdiers. With a great sword in hand the form of Claus himself stood out pointing his commands. Which would echo in the memories of hundreds of people. Nightmares from the time when they almost got away.

-"Seize the supply train, capture as many as possible! They stand no chance!!!!" The voice of Claus echoed across the area, a volley of crossbows went off. Exhausted, many were knocked out as blunt wooden tipped bolts slammed into the fleeing soldiers and people of the supply train.
With a chilling single shout in perfect unison, the arrayed wall of halberds charged in a perfect line. The drill and skill of the fists corps-men was an unnatural sight to many.

They slammed into fleeing people, hammering people down with the shafts of their weapons, hooking their legs and arms and thus felling many. Crossbowmen ran up to those that were felled to tie them down as the halberdiers didn't even stop after felling their quarries.
Panic was now widespread within the fleeing alliance forces, Andrew saw how some of his troops were running directly west to try and get away from the terrifying mercenaries instead of keeping up north.
This would ultimately trap them, thinking quick Andrew began to shout orders to make sure as many of his people followed him personally north.

Claus then saw him, Andrew.
With sword in hand, desperately trying to rally his forces to make a break for the northern road. Typically the honorable sod Claus thought. His liking of Andrew slightly tarnished after the siege.
He was the perfect price, and Claus would seize it personally.
-"Andrew! We meet again!" Claus boomed out, took a spear lying on the ground and threw it in front of Andrew so it stuck just a metre or so i front of him, waggling menacingly in the ground.