FRACTRURED GODS CHAPTER II
The Rising Tides
This is how the dire slaughter began, and the beginning of noble deeds in the face of peril, nay, annihilation. All along the border, where verdant forest met blue wave, skirmishes began. None dared strike to far, as their armies where still mobilizing, like the sinews of a jotun before it smashes down it's club in rage. The foliage of the Echovald was perfect cover for assault and defence, even the parts that where still damaged, and the Jade Sea was traversable in many areas by water, and in others by land, one could raid and retreat in boat or upon foot. DAD deployed their mercenaries and privateers, paid for from their vast treasure horde, their party fund used for a party of smashing Kurzick battle formations instead of lighthearted play. They freely gave forth their gold, and bread, and equipment, and this generosity easily bought the loyalty of adventurous Canthans. Yet these first few drops where nothing like the storm which would soon befall elsewhere.
The Kurzick nobles sat in their splendid hall, with buttresses rising to the upper reaches of the forest, and candle light, and the smell of frankincense, myrrh, and sandalwood, and the taste of succulent boar, wine, and apples, all framed by the beauty of stained glass rays. As they debated, Lukas Vasburg came forth, his head bowed instead of raised high, and so addressed them 'forgive me for my rash words, let me repay you. The guild hall that these dogs…' he paused as he snorted in distaste 'maintain on our continent lies off of Shing Jea. I say we add a forth prong to the spear that we will soon run through the body of the Luxon state. Their allies are essential, their only hope to withstand the numbers of Kurzicks and Wardens which we have amassed. Give me three ships, and soldiers to fill them, and I will send DAD into disarray, and capture supplies and treasure which can be used to sway this war in our favor'. Erys Vasburg stood at his side and told of how he and Lukas, backed by decent troops, would do a surprise attack, and win part of DADs legendary wealth for their fatherland. At this moment, a raven flew in, and dropped a branch of yew upon Lukas's head, and the Redemptors rejoiced at this sign from Melandru favoring action. So these two pillars of Kurzick strength left from the port to the west of Mourning Veil Falls and where out of sight only a few minutes before the Luxon navy came to blockade it, although assault of the port was thought unthinkable, due to its small size, its towers on the heights, and narrow canyon behind it.
DADs members from Tyria had just arrived at their island hall, and there was much rejoicing, as Uncle had convinced Sogolon to come aid them at the behest of Kormir. What brave champions where assembled there, eating fresh fish from the seas, and broccoli beef, and lemon chicken, and ale, and sake, and almost everyone's favorite, coffees of divers types from the Sunbucks Coffee Guild, which had exploded across the realms.
Yet many champions from Tyria and Elona where still arriving, including Odins battalion of twenty legionaires, warriors who knew of Nornish shifting, and disciplined tactics fighting in formation, where they used short swords, spears and sturdy shields of finest steel, armored in the bejeweled armor of Vabbi. Claudius the paragon stood alongside them, their second officer, and a fine leader. Only the best warriors of DAD and once roving mercenaries where in the legion. Thorn led a squadron of rangers, about twelve, who where the best markspersons and survivalists in the world allegedly, supplemented by Vos the paragon, and these had already arrived, which would be much to the delight of DAD and grief to the Kurzicks.
So they prepared and rested for the coming battle. Far out at sea, Elia saw with his keen eyes a trio of ships. 'Look, merchants, I'm glad that trade hasn't been too disrupted'. Yet the ships circled around to that part of their island which was a port and village, and advanced directly, and then was the Kurzick standard raised, and catapults unveiled. So with a start the alarm bells where tolled, and the Skiritai rangers moved to the village gates, along with the other few champions who where present, Bella, Dorvan, Pol, Uncle, Mystery, Manager of the Dead, Sithis, Ironsycthe and Ikra, and the commoners who worked on the isle. The commoners went and barred their houses, and readied their bows to shoot from their windows.
Uncle unfurled the guild banner, the gold sword surmounting a field of black and white, and as he held it aloof, he spake 'the Kurzicks think that they could strike first and win, yet they shall find naught but ruin here. Three ships of probably very dangerous Kurzicks are coming. Yes three, and I bet that they have at least fifty soldiers of divers types each, probably sixty or seventy. With artillery. With ladders. With swords and fire! And if my eyes don't betray me it looks like Lukas is leading the first ship and the other two by Erys and some elementalist from their elite air spike outfit that guards Aspenwood. This means that their serious in taking this place, this aint gonna no skirmish! So don't go down without a fight! Our best hope is to make the cost in blood too much for them, or wait until reinforcements arrive and strike them in the rear.' Then Ikra spoke 'don't be rash! I shall heal as best I can, and aid your weapons, but against such numbers one of us falling is a huge loss, when they have probably over two hundred, and us only about twenty heroes and thirty scared commoners.' Thorn gave a big whoop, and said 'they obviously expected a cakewalk instead of a hailstorm of arrows!' And so everyone started shouting, and it gave courage to the peasants holed up in their homes, their bows at the ready, and carried across the water, causing the Kurzicks to wonder what awaited them, as there seemed more than they had expected, the rangers and others on the shore, even at a distant, where obviously armed with fine armor and equipment. So Lukas said to them 'well of course they look dashing! Those must be just silly commoners, equipped with a small measure of the treasure hoard which will soon be ours for the taking'!
Then the catapults opened fire upon the shore, nothing like Luxon canon, but enough to hurt. Ikra cast frantically, healing the battered flesh of her friends. Pol spoke 'wait it out, they cant have that much ammo'. Yet it continued, and so Ikra spoke 'we cant stand here, they must be using their ballast, so confident that they will have victory, I cant protect you all fast enough, and I refuse for us to take a single casualty before we cross blades with these vitamin D deficient fiends, or at least shoot at them, let us fall back and make the gate, not the beach, our line'. So the order was given and they fell back.
The ships approached, and they continued the bombardment, and from behind their cover the defenders espied the lowering of row boats, numerous as scale rampaging through the Istani surf, eighteen, each carrying twelve each, with more being readied, and so it became obvious that they had at least three hundreds soldiers. Then Bella's eyes shown forth in dire wrath, and a fiery aurora surrounded her so that it seemed as if she was almost a djinn. 'I shall not allow them to step onto our shores with such ease, Uncle and Dorvan, come with me as I charge forth to unleash the fires of Balthazar, and cover me with your shields and splendid armor'. So they charged across the beach, littered with flaming rocks, as they where battered by catapult shot. Then Bella gazed upon the lead rowboat, lead by some captain of high ancestry, ready to bring honor to his house, and Bella shrieked in rage and called forth a shower of meteors from the heavens coupled with the savannahs heat, and then another shower and a firestorm upon a second. The invaders within flailed helplessly as their boats where destroyed in one hit, and only the few who could swim escaped the rest. Yet the boats where within bowshot now, and their arrows where many, and the catapults where better aimed. Bella fell to the earth gasping, as Uncle shouted something about his knee, so Dorvan dragged both of them back. As he turned, Thorn and his Skiritai advanced into the storm to give cover, aided by the rest. They evaded fast speeding arrows as villagers will dodge balls on a fetsival day, as fetsivals are even cooler than festivals. They shot back only for a few moments, but in those moments, the vulnerable rowers where raked with all manner of splinter buffed and prepared shot, and a even a third ship was set aflame and punctured, and so capsized. So they covered the trios brave antics, and striked the Kurzicks with even more fear with only minor injuries in return, although the Kurzick losses where compared to their massive host slight.
Beyound the gate they rested once again, and watched as the Kurzicks formed columns and lines of troops amidst the shattered, glowing boulders, about half being warriors of some manner. It became obvious that their line wouldn't hold, no matter their courage. Uncle, his knee mended, ordered the Skiritai and other DADs to go to the cliffs above the gate. He, Dorvan, and Ironsycthe then stood shoulder to shoulder at the gate, with Sithis lurking behind a nice shrubbery back a little ways, using his assassin's expertise at not being seen. Ironsycthe then said 'I have spoken with our common folk as you charged the boats, and they say they are more than ready to fight. I offered them a chance to escape on what water craft as we possess, but most said they shall not take that option until the main hall is breached and beyond all hope, and some are even willing to fight to the death alongside us. A lot of them say that they're happy that we don't exploit them with unfair wages, but share our wealth equitably. For this loyalty, let us fight all the harder.'
Pol and Mystery then ran up excitedly in haste, their packs laden with fireworks crates from the DAD party stash. Mystery then said 'We have brought some artillery of our own! When things are most dire, and your scythes and sword are overwhelmed, and the arrow singing drowned out by Kurzick war crys, we shall unleash these, and I shall use my craft to make it appear like there are thrice more, and their explosions even brighter and scarier'. 'But let us not let them have a carefree advance towards the gate, discipline is a great force multiplier, and their numbers are vast already. Shoot a few into their dense ranks now and as they advance, so that they are in disarray and fear, and their medics already given work' said Pol, and they agreed upon their plan.
Lukas had landed, as had his two captains, Erys his cousin, and Mathilde, a great crafter and wielder of thunder, also of Vasburg blood. These three rode upon swamp wallows, plated in bronze, trained to bite, slash and cast, their bright silken banners whipping in the ocean breeze. As the rockets began landing, Lukas gave the order, and the formations advanced amidst the din of rocketry and the singing of the paean. The skiritai sent forth their volleys, so free and easy, landing upon the striving Kurzicks, bringing smart yelps and anguished screams alike. In this half ordered state they fell upon Uncle, Dorvan, and Iron. What clash of weapons! The sparks flew forth into the air, and helm was beaten, and armor sundered apart, and shields shattered, and slowly, under pressure from steel bite and spell splash, these three heroes backed up, but for every inch they gave, they took many a life in payment which would have been better spent otherwise, healing the hurts of the Echovald, composing melody, or laughing with friends and family. Against Uncle, it seemed like he was wielding hundreds of blades instead of one, and Dorvan and Iron wielded their scythes like as if they where farmers reaping grain from some fair autumn harvest, when the people enjoy the fruits of their summer labors. Sithis began springing forth at odd intervals, and whenever he did, some Kurzick noble of highest breeding fell down amidst the dust, their voice to sing in the realms of Grenth. The bodies of these four where soon drenched in sweat, their weapons dripping blood, and their armor dented all over like Deldrimor cheese. The spells of Bella kept the foe from pressing to hard at once, and Ikra refreshed, caring for all, Mystery stunned and impeded those who caught her eye as worthy, while the voices of Pol and Vos where raised in dual harmony, inspiring all to fight beyond their bodily strength, for spirit is stronger than mere muscle, as any athlete or soldier can most verily vouch.
When Ullr, ancestral spirit of winter unto the Norns, and his stern lover Skadi chant forth the rune hagalaz, hail falls upon the land, hard and battering everything in its path. Even so did the arrows of the Skiritai fall upon the Kurzick army, Thorn, Elias, Hyper, Jamie, and their beloved comrades did not relent. When the enemy archers tried to return fire, it twas almost laughably weak, and they shrugged off all manner of spell like it was desert dust and wind. Yet these champions upon the cliff poured almost every single imaginable arrow upon the foe. Under this cover, leaving a trail of corpses, the four fighters backed into the village, now being flanked to left and right, and soon rear. Manager of the Dead then flew the flare which signaled the villagers, and from apparently deserted houses arrows came forth, far weaker, yet enough to tip the balance in DADs favor and prevent total flanking. This was when Manager had been waiting for, when the enemy was heavily invested in continuing the assault, and wouldn't retreat easily, but come incessantly to their doom. An army he soon raised of undead monsters, and summoned wells everywhere, and caused terrifying explosions and novas of death. Kormir then sent an avatar who scattered dust upon Uncles sword, making it shine like a star amidst a moonless night. He shouted, inspired by the goddess 'this is where we shall fight and they shall die for as long as they want to try the cause, until they find reason, and relent, and cast down their weapons in submission to our valor, having learned that the bonds of friendship that bind us are far stronger than anything they could possibly throw upon us. They day is ours, as long as we persevere!'
And so it seemed like the battle was would be won, with the rangers having finally given up counting how many had fallen to their arrows. Yet it was not to be so. Lukas, Erys, and Mathilde decided to charge with their dire bodyguards, and give one last desperate effort to break the position, so it would change to one that favored their still great numbers, their reputations on the line. So it was that they waded through what looked like one of the sickly mansions of Grenth where the most evil of evil ones are subjected to all manner of blood chilling punishment. What Abbadon and his cronies are subjected to now for their insolence, no mortal, not even the harshest, could imagine without divine aid, after which they would loose all sanity until Dwayna erased their memory and soothed their nerves. It is said that tough General Morghan was curious, and so asked Kormir, and pressed her incessantly, and so it went with him until healed. Lukas now reacted in almost like manner at seeing the raging destruction that he had sent his people into for pride and a few acres of lovely jade.
The battle turned sharply to the Kurzicks favor. Erys interrupted left and right, giving some relief to the attackers, singing a mantra against arrows, making poor Ikra sweat even more with the hexs placed upon Uncle, shield of the Luxons, and smashing the divine graces of Dorvan and Iron. Mathilde blinded and shocked Sithis to the core, even smashing him to the ground as he lept in midair, his daggers shining like the fangs of a nightsaber tiger. The very hairs on the combatants arms and heads where raised when she called upon lightning's wrath. Yet Lukas was the most influential, charging Uncle, and the sword storm between them was heard all across the isle. Then Mathilde began shocking open the village doors, and the Kurzicks rushed in, eager for vengeance, some escaped by jumping and running, others didn't, and so Uncle gave the order for the villagers to withdraw in what little order they could muster to man the main fortress, to live a while longer, to rest, to provide cover in disaster. Now Mystery unleashed all of her wily stratagems against Erys, and even an Asuran would have found it hard to follow the magic that they threw at each other. Bella's fire was little avail against Mathilde's air, and with the slaughter lessened by Lukas's valor, the Kurzicks began to once again surround Uncle, Iron, and Dorvan. Where these swampwallows content to sit? No, they eagerly began, all three of them, while lesser skilled, to compete with Manager for the grisly spoils of battle.
Pol shouted 'now unleash the rockets, they are our only hope'. Then amidst the new explosions Sithis jumped from a spring board that he had hauled atop the cliff, and like a hawk swooping upon a small critter, landed upon Erys, sinking his daggers deep, and cutting away in such a burst of aggression that his bodyguards fled, and then finished off his mount. Relieved of such a competitor, Mystery turned her attention to Mathilde, and so was her glorious battle ended, confused, drained, and dazed, her destruction finally halted. Yet for all the damage done, the Kurzicks streamed in, even more desperate for victory, and Lukas and Uncle simply couldn't slay each other, even with the help of so many others. Thorn then said 'if we don't withdraw, they will soon send forth soldiers up here to attack us, and we wont be able to keep you from being overwhelmed. Retreat! Ikra is also almost overcome with such exhaustion that a lesser monk wouldn't be able to even walk'!
So they withdrew, and yet the Kurzicks didn't rush after wildly, but where restrained by Lukas, who knew that such actions would turn the routers into routed. He saw his friends slain, cast down in a desperate attempt to give their people victory. He still had about two hundred or so if his four hundred army. 'Let the injured and weary rest, they have deserved it' his eyes stinging with tears, trying not to sob at his misfortune 'we will unload the catapults and ladders, build several rams, and then capture this wretched place, and slay all of them as they have slain so many of us!' He would now face certain reprimand and humiliation, most likely exile for his failings. Yet he would at least have victory, no matter the cost now, even if it meant the death of every soldier of his, and even himself, no, especially himself now.
As dusk settled down, and the sea turned a myriad of beautiful colors as if to mock the misfortunes of both sides, the first catapult rocks where sent into air, smashing into the wall and courtyard, where before so many had celebrated happy occasions, as the tide indifferently lapped against the island's rocks.
