As we rode I thought about King Raigus sending me to battle with his only son. We would have to fight together, and to learn to do it properly as our two kingdoms will be fighting many battles together over the coming years. I had to pause after I wrote that last sentence. I wonder if I have already conceited that a long war is inevitable, that there can be no other way and that as a King I will be forced to rule over a military empire instead of a Kingdom. I have to make sure that I find a way to stop this war or at the very least make it the shortest war in the history of Rybia!
With the Land Sea to our East we came at last to the area that borders the three kingdoms. Our advanced scouts approached us from the West just as the sun was setting. The mixed Elstat and Ranger force were preoccupied with constructing a small fort that was to serve as an outpost and probably a supply lines depot. After discussing the attack with Prince Heifel we decided to split up our forces and attack the fort at just after dawn. We would from the South and East. Our goal was to destroy the fort and route the army, but those that wanted to flee could do so as we were still hoping to resolve this diplomatically. The strategy we laid out was a sound one, but it also showed our naivete when it came to understanding our enemies.
Dawn broke today with a reddish hue, blood had been spilt yesterday but it was not our doing. War was already beginning to break out or so we all seemed to believe. I double backed around to the South with half our force. We decided to keep the griffin riders out of the battle, using them only as a diversion to keep their archers constantly looking skywards. This would have to dual affect of negating our disadvantage of not having enough archers to sustain us in ranged combat. As the sun was just beginning to rise I heard Prince Heifel's war horn and we proceeded with the attack.
The garrison was alerted as we were approaching by the stampede of hooves and the yelling of the guards on watch. Jounas's eyes blazed with rage as he chanted an incantation. Moments later a bird of pure flame launched from his hands, flying faster than arrows it grew as it got closer to the small fort. It landed at the top of the newly constructed gate where a group of rangers were positioning themselves with bows sending them to a death by fiery explosion. The southern end of the walls were not yet complete say I saw the trouble forming. There were a mixture of archers being directed to fire to the East and the South. I was able to divert my charge to avoid most of the arrows but was unable to alert Prince Heifel. His cavalry took some losses but continued to charge as his battle mage launched a bolt of lightning at the gate leaving it nothing more than a pile of splinters.
A thought occurred to me as we were almost to the fort. How did they move so much lumber in such a short time with no beasts of burden in sight? The answer was one I wished foresight had given me earlier. I saw a mage appear at the top of the only tower at the back of the fort just before it happened. As the Rangers and the forces from Elstat prepared for us to charge through the two sides of the walls this wizard chanted very briefly as if sending a message. With one final word he slammed the butt end of his staff into the floor of the tower. A deep rumbling shook our cavalry and caused the horses to pause in their advance. Massive paws tore through the ground midway between us and the fort. Five large burrowing beasts known as Burrow Beasts formed a defensive perimeter around the fort and blocked the path between Prince Heifel and myself and the fort. The beasts, resembling large groundhogs but with much large claws, were used in mines in the Kingdom of Elstat. Generally they were led by dwarves, but being so far in the open the Rangers were in control. The beast charged with the remaining garrison following closely behind them.
Dittroth let out a war cry and charged ahead rallying the troops with his bravery. He steadied his spear on one of the beasts, piercing its shoulder deeply. One of the other beasts showed great agility as it rumbled towards Dittroth just after he landed his spear and tore through his horse. The blow sent Dittroth flying forward towards the ground. As he came perilously close to the ground his experience in battles such as these showed as he rolled to absorb the fall and came to his feet, sword drawn. He quickly cut down a dwarf who had moments ago thought he had an easy kill. Seeing my friend and loyal servant suddenly surrounded by an enemy awoke something in me that I was worried wasn't actually there.
My courage drove me to charge, planting my spear into the neck of the beast Dittroth had wounded and sending it to the ground, dead within moments. My troops rallied around me and pushed forward to support Dittroth as we pushed to enter the fort. Our charge had been halted, but we now controlled the battlefield. Our griffin riders swooped down on their archers still perched on the walls. The wizard who had summoned the Burrow Beasts tried to launch spells at the griffins, but could not hit such an agile target. The battle raged all around me as arrows launched and men screamed orders. It was easy to get lost in the carnage, to forget your values and to only think of survival, yet I stayed strong and was able to direct my troops in a cohesive fashion.
As we pressed the attack we saw that their morale was breaking and their troops started to retreat, fleeing anyway they could. The beasts even found themselves too scared to continue fighting. I made the mistake of dropping my shield a little too much and an arrow grazed me deeply on my left arm. Hardly a mortal wound but one that should have been avoided and a reminder that on the battlefield there are no kings, only warriors bound by blood.
I saw the white flag appear from the top of their fort as their remaining forces continued to flee. They sounded their horn to retreat, and our combined force backed off to allow them to retreat. We wanted to send a message, one that showed both mercy and compassion and also absolute strength. As their troops filed out I spoke with their commanding officer, the mage from the top of the tower.
"We never wanted a battle and I don't know what drove you to try and set the Kingdom's of Nah and Granic against each other but we will be sending emissaries to Elstat in one week to discuss this and to give your leaders a chance to explain their actions. We still hope to avoid open war." My words produced only a confused look and a bow of respect. Faye tended to my wounds as Prince Heifel rode up to me confidently as his own healer tried to tend to a moving casualty.
"I see you had your cherry broke," Prince Heifel smiled as he looked as my minor wound. "Awwww its so cute, want me to kiss it?"
"Very funny, dropped my shield a little. This is a good reminder not to make that mistake again." I said as I looked over our troops. Our casualties were low, some injured and only a few killed, none from my personal bodyguards. "We need to burn the fort before we leave. Jounas?"
Jounas nodded and began chanting as a fireball formed just above his hand. As he continued to chant it grew in size until it was twice the size of a humans head. He tore the ball in two leaving one floating just above each of his hands. He tossed them at different places in the fort causing it to erupt in flames. With that we rode back to Granic to speak of our victory. As we rode a thought, an image really, stayed in my mind. The mage who ran the fort seemed confused by my words, as if he thought we were the aggressors. Someone is pulling many strings and we need to find out who before it is too late.
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