Battlegrounds

[Blitz]

Grant drew his finger along the heavy oak gavel, twisting it on the desk idly as he listened with half an ear to the two farmers arguing over their opposing land claims. He suppressed a yawn, his dark eyes watching both men bicker about the land on one side of a local stream with fertile ground, and which began to cultivate it first. Grant had heard it all before, in fact he had heard it far too often in the past months. Solace was growing, and quickly. With the steady influx of immigrants from Abrissel and the other overpopulated urban centers of the Holy Empire, Solace was practically bursting at its small seams.

It wasn’t too surprising. The Legions of the damned continued to try to press their control further into the Imperial landscape, while the fear of the Alliance near Temperance continued to dwell on the hearts and minds of the human habitants of Nevendaar. Comparatively, the quiet borders with the sleeping Horde seemed far less hazardous than so much of the rest of the world.

Not that Grant truly minded. Rather he was simply surprised how quickly the small town was transforming into a bustling hamlet. New farms were budding all around the small city. Which brought about the rise of civil disagreements. Tired of the steady trickle of disagreeable people pounding on his door, Grant had extended the main hall to include a courthouse to handle the growing pains of the frontier town.

More exciting was the ruined temple that was unearthed when the foundation to expand the city’s temple exposed the ancient building. Grant had sent for a gray wizard in Abrissel to examine it. Declaring it an architectural remnant of the giant race known as the titans, who had almost vanished from the lands, the forgotten temple was one of a few marvels that were left from a distant age. No sooner had word of the find returned to the capital then pilgrimages of the mighty race began to appear in scatterings. One of which, a young titan named Yrg’assa, agreed to stay in the budding city as a member of its garrison. For himself, Grant was more interested in the tower he had built and the adjacent library for his own study. Quickly, he recognized that his own growth as a mage was proceeding very quickly, mastering several new spells in the past months.

Grant smacked the gavel at the two men who had begun to berate each other’s family catching both men’s attention. “Let me see if I understand this correctly. To begin with, neither of you filed for ownership of the land initially. Probably because neither of you wanted to pay the five gold pieces for a legitimate claim. Then when you run into each other, plowing the same land, you both want me to believe your stories that you were there first.”

“But, your majesty—“

“I am the governor of Solace, not royalty,” Grant snapped, “and I don’t want to hear more excuses. Since neither of you have official right to the land, neither of you can claim to have ownership. It is still land owned by the Holy Empire. As such I fine you both twenty-five gold pieces for illegal land barony, and two nights in a cell for you to think about what it means to live in a community. After which, I will allow both of you to offer this court an official claim for the half of the land where you can be neighbors and earn a legitimate living.” Grant slammed the gavel down as Joel appeared, ushering the objecting two men to the dungeon. Grant shook his head, calling out to the general mass, “Who’s next?”

A young teary woman stepped forward about her injured goat, weeping about how the local miller had kicked it when he caught the animal chewing through his grain bags. However before the miller could say his peace, the courtroom doors burst open to reveal a panting Edwin.

“Grant! Elves!” was all the man had to mutter and the summoner’s blood ran cold.

He stood, the trivial concerns of the town vanished from his mind, “Where? How many?”

Edwin shook his head, “A farmer caught sight of a small group of elves moving through the Black Woods a mile from the city. He said he only saw two and a centaur, but with elves...”

Grant didn’t need the man to finish the sentence. Elves had a miraculous ability to meld in and out of the forests. “Close the city gates, and get the garrison to their posts. I want all villagers to get what ever tools or weapons they have and ready themselves in case the elves attack in earnest.”

Edwin nodded turning on his heels as Grant quickly dismissed the rest of the litigants. His mind flashed back to Temperance. The shrieks of pain, the near constant rain of arrows. He knew all too well, that if it was a full fledged elven attack, the city walls, the meager defense that the town could give would only be washed aside by the ferocity of the wild. All of the work, all of the effort into the city would be for naught.

No sooner had Grant emerged from the city hall, dressed in his battle robes then Erin was striding beside him, “The gates are closed and barred, and Joel has a small garrison watchin’ the main road for any approaching forces. I tho’t that the eastern wall facing the edge of the Black Woods was the biggest threat, so Yrg’assa and Edwin have the rest of the garrison watchin’ for an attack on tha’ side.”

“What about the rest of the wall?”

“There is a militia that is walkin’ the south and western section of the town, but we just donna’ have the numbers to mount a decent defense if it comes to tha’.”

Grant nodded, “I know. Good work. And I think you’re right. If they are going to attack the city, they’ll stage it from the east. Send for Joel. I want an archer on that side as well.”

“But, Grant—“

Grant glared at her, halting her objection, “I don’t want to hear it. I know your feelings on the matter, but this is the defense of the city. And suspicion is not worth getting anyone killed over. Joel has the best chance of catching sight of any elves in the forest. He’s too good with a bow to have him guarding the gates. Yrg’assa can relieve him, and send Andrew as well.”

“Yer apprentice?”

“He’s going to have to grow up fast if he wants to be a real mage.”

She hesitated a moment, teetering on a rant, but wisely thought better of it. She nodded and ran to the gates to inform Joel of the shift. Grant watched her for a moment. Her fiery hair billowing behind her. He shook his head, focusing his thoughts then jogged to the eastern wall.

The vigil on the walls lasted through the night with no sight of the elves. Grant summoned a living armor to pound through the forests, in a meager attempt to flush out anyone waiting to attack without any sign. As the first fingers of dawn reached across the sky, pining for the western horizon, Grant offered a light sigh of relief. He turned to Edwin muttering quietly, “I’d like to say they’re gone, but.. I don’t know. Something just seems wrong. Like the forest is holding its breath.”

Edwin shrugged, “Can’t say I noticed, but I can’t imagine that an army would wait for daybreak to attack. There’s just not enough of us to worry about risking troops. They would have attacked at night if we were a target.”

Grant nodded, “Still, I’d rather be sure. Move half of the garrison guarding the gates here. We’re going to go out and see if there is anything still out there.”

Edwin considered, “What if it is a smaller party and they’re just trying to wait us out?”

Grant shook his head, “Then they would have show us they were out there still, hoping to keep us inside, or draw us out in turn… I don’t know Edwin, what do you think we should do?”

“You’re right in that there isn’t an army out there. Probably not even an expeditionary force, nothing over twenty soldiers at least. Otherwise they’d have tried something by now. If they had the numbers or the power, we’d have already come under attack.”

Grant nodded, “Let’s go. We can’t just stay bottled up here for an invisible threat. We’ll take this group around to search the forest while some runners head north to Nuridan Citadel and ask for aid. At least then someone will know there are elves about.”

Edwin nodded and spun, barking orders to the rest of the party standing over the walls. In fifteen minutes the guards were shifted and Grant was leading his party into the outskirts of the Black Woods.

They moved slowly under the trees, the heavy limbs of the black oaks poised like a great beast, waiting to pounce. Grant was only glad that none of the trees exhibited the golden hues of forest claimed by Gallean. Rather the emerald forest whispered silently against the wind, present and oppressive, but stolid as stone. Grant glanced to either side as they marched through the woods, the two fighters and the living armor taking the lead.

It was a painstaking process. Grant was instantly aware that if the elves were waiting for them, it wouldn’t take much for them to flank the small group, but he needed to know for certain if there was still danger lurking in the woods. The trees shifted, drifted in the wind. Aching to twist like their leaves above the unsteady footsteps of the group.

“Shhhhh…” Joel cooed, freezing in his steps.

Grant froze, his hand back to ward Maria who was standing stoically behind him, her eyes drifting through the underbrush. Grant too sought to pierce the green haze with his eyes, trained to glean knowledge, wisdom from scrolls. Not find invisible figures amongst the twin and twine of nature.

Slowly, like he was caught in the light breeze that played through the oaks, Joel shifted forward his eyes never resting on one figure in the mottled wood for long. Grant glanced at him, wanting to ask what was going on but deciding better of it. Trees creaked, leaves rattled quietly against the wind, the sunlight splattered the ground in pock marks.

Grant heard it before he saw any movement. A slight twang. Joel twisted instinctively and Grant caught sight of a orange feathered arrow streaking through the air towards the young archer. Joel was quick, but couldn’t get out of the way of the missile that pounded into his shoulder with a thunk.

Suddenly everything was a blur of motion. Edwin, Erin, and the lumbering armor rushed forward as two more arrows streaked out to lodge in the neck joint of the summoned armor. Grant grunted a spell as the forest boomed, exploding leaves from branches in a whir of falling greenery. As the leaves filtered to the ground, new shapes emerged into view. With the sudden collapse of air, two fair elven forms collapsed to the ground, leaving a large centaur and a young elven woman glaring angrily back at them. Beside them two more archers bolted sideways into the woods, looking for new cover.

The centaur bellowed in anger, rushing towards the rush of Imperial troops. Brandishing a massive warhammer, the centaur collided with the living armor. The hammer head plowed into the armor’s chest before it could bring its sword to bare. It teetered a moment, then shattered. Its magical energy spent.

Grant could hear Maria chanting a healing spell to mend Joel’s injured arm as the elven woman did the same for herself and the massive war beast that protected her. The centaur wheeled, kicking its hooves back into Erin’s breastplate. The armor held against the impact, but Erin was lifted off her feet and tossed fifteen yards away.

Grant and Andrew stepped backwards, blocking direct attack against Maria. Both eyes watching for the elven arrows that they knew would come.

One bolt sizzled through the air, embedding itself in Andrew’s thigh. The young man yelped in pain and Grant spun firing a bolt of electricity in the general direction of the attack.

He glanced back to see Edwin slashing furiously at the centaur, narrowly avoiding the massive weapon. His eyes latched on the healer who was desperately trying to keep up with the growing number of gashes on her only visible ally. He launched a bolt of lightning that collided with her outstretched fingers, crumpling her to the ground.

Grant turned and watched Edwin dance the centaurs enraged assaults, the beast slamming blow after blow into the earth, inches away from the monk. Grant started to summon the energy to launch another attack when the centaur winced in pain. It staggered once, then fell on its side, Erin’s spear buried in its ribs.

Glancing down, Grant breathed a sigh of relief, watching Maria tend to Andrew’s thigh. “Check to see if that archer is down past that grove of trees,” he called to Edwin, pointing at the singed brush where he had fired the bolt of lightning. Edwin nodded, and he and Erin charged into the stand of trees.

Grant watched for a moment before a crack froze his blood in his veins. Turning slowly he stared down the shaft of an arrow pointed at his neck. The emerald eyes behind the camouflaged bow brimmed with anger, rage at the deaths of the elven party. Grant didn’t move, didn’t breath, didn’t blink. Waiting. Waiting for what he knew would come.

It didn’t.

He heard the thwang of a bow string, then a look of confusion spread across the elf’s eyes, one of Joel’s arrows peeking from the hunter’s chest. The elf’s fingers went lax as death enveloped him. The arrow streaked high, out into the forest.

“Are you alright?” Joel grunted walking stiffly to the dead body.

Grant nodded, “Thanks, Joel.”

The archer didn’t return Grant’s welcome smile stooping over the elf. More movement pulled the mage’s attention and he watched Erin push a semiconscious scout from the thick bush. “This’en should be the last. An’ he’s got somethin’ to say. Isn’t that ri’t?” she prodded the elf with her dagger.

The elf grunted then muttered, “We’re here to fulfill a contract on your head.”

“I told you that you were in danger. You didna’ believe me.”

“I still don’t, Erin,” Grant scowled. “Joel was able to kill the last archer when he had me dead to rights,” he said matter-of-factly. “So this one will have to answer our questions. Who hired you?”

The elf shook his head, “I don’t know. It was an open contract that we heard about near Temperance. One thousand gold for you, alive. Brought to Bouldren’s Keep.”

“No word of the payer?”

He shook his head again, glaring at Grant through the pain.

“Fine, take him to the dungeon, tend to his wounds and bury the dead so their spirits can return to the grove.”

Erin pushed the man forward, looking thoroughly disgruntled and confused that her evidence was still so muddled. Maria and Joel helped Andrew limp back to the city gates while Edwin stepped up next to his old friend.

“What do you think?”

Grant shook his head. “It has to be something to do with my father. It’s the only reason why someone would want me alive. Either enemy or Imperial politics, but I can’t figure it.”

“What about the elf?”

“See if you can get anything else out of him.”

Edwin blinked, “How?”

Grant shrugged, “How in the Highfather’s name should I know. Get into his confidence, scare his tongue loose, whatever. I just want to know if he has any other information that might point out a culprit.”

“And the information about Bouldren’s Keep?”

Grant squinted into the trees, “If memory serves, it used to be an outpost just inside the contested lands with the Horde. When the undead pushed into the Empire a few years ago, it was abandoned to boost the defense over the city of Crethill. I haven’t heard anything about it since.”

Edwin shook his head, “Well, at least that should quiet Erin’s concerns about Joel.”

“Maybe. She is a stubborn one. But I’m sure it will just open another can of worms,” he muttered as the two began to follow the other’s progress.

[Blitz]

The atmosphere in the room was oppressive. Grant had to force himself to maintain his calm.

"I really don't see why you are making such a fuss," Sir Reginald muttered stroking his long waxy mustache. "You ended the threat and surely this was just a half baked scheme to ransom you to your father. There is no need for the Holy Imperial Guard to station troops all the way down here."

"If there is an elf presence in the south of the Empire, isn't that grounds for concern?" Grant snapped back.

"A few rogue elves..." the paladin waived his hand, "this is nothing to be concerned about."

"As I remember, that was the same thing that was said before Temperance fell!"

"How dare you!" the Imperial lord flared suddenly. "I have been as patient as I am capable. Do not impugn my judgment, nor mutter your weak minded accusations. I had allies that died at Temperance, I am fully aware of the threat the elves pose."

"And I don't?" Grant snapped back, "I was at Temperance too. I have seen what the rain of elven arrows can do, falling like droplets in a thunderstorm. I still hear the screams of women and children in my nightmares. Do not assume you can brush aside my concerns because you are too weak-minded to send any of your troops to help guard this city."

Sir Reginald stood, straightening like a lightning rod, glaring down his squat nose at Grant. "I will not garrison any of my knights in your city, and that is final."

Grant rose, "Very well. I'll not keep you. I'm sure you have many social functions that require you knights' attention. We wouldn't want the rest of the nobles to miss your blunt wit."

The paladin huffed, spinning on his heels. Pulling his cloak over his decorated armor before stomping out of the hall of the new finished great hall. Grant watched the man's cloak swirl around his ankles before it disappeared in the brilliance of the sunlight outside the large oaken doors. Gritting his teeth he glanced to his right where Edwin stood next to a plump, pear of a man.

"Thanks for your words of advise to the good nobleman," Grant grunted at the newest addition to his staff, an aging court officer and judge named Eustace.

The pudgy man shook his head, "Governor--"

"Grant, my name is Grant, not governor."

Eustace nodded, "My apologies. Grant, you have to understand. Sir Reginald would never have given you any of his knights. Not even if Illumielle stood at your gates. He isn't the paladin he once was. His chivalry has suffered to the luxury of his station. That brings with it a fear of loss. His pride is the only thing that guides him, and you stain it with your words."

"So what should we do? The city is growing too fast. Soon it will be a rich little treat for small army to pluck, and I don't know that we can stand against that."

"Abrissel might give you some troops, but they are stretched thin. I'm not sure what you can do in the short term. I can only suggest that you focus on the defenses of the city, increase this fine little castle into a large citadel with walls and parapets to match. Then, build a shrine to the Highfather and request his blessings. Perhaps if you honor our god, he will honor you. There is nothing else for it.

"The only other thing you can do is grow more powerful yourselves. It is more risky, as you risk your lives. But the greatest knights of the Empire did not become great by sitting behind a fortress wall. They fought battle, earned their strength and are feared across Nevendaar."

Grant shook his head, glancing up at the still barren walls of his castle. Castle Benedict as it had already been named. He wasn't the kind of man that enjoyed risking his life, risking his friends' lives. It seemed foolish. For god and glory. For the Highfather. For the Empire. They had all seemed to be the battle cries of fools and blind men. But perhaps there was wisdom in the diplomat's words. Pulling his head away from the muddled mess that mired around it, he glanced at Edwin, "Any luck with the elf?"

Edwin's jaw clenched. The man looked haggard, like he hadn't been sleeping, or not well at least. His face was sharper, more angled. "I don't think he knows anything. He has admitted plenty, getting word of the bounty on your head in Kiotha. His party taking the contract. But that's it. He's young, and frightened. Afraid he's going to die."

Grant shook his head disappointed, "I'm sorry Edwin, sorry to have put you through this for little more than rumors."

Edwin nodded in appreciation, "It's okay. We all have to play our roles. Fate guides us as the gods see fit. That's the most ironic thing. This elf was at Temperance. He admitted it to me. Said he was sorry about killing so many people in Gallean's name, yet every time he faced the flog and every night he whimpered himself to sleep, he prayed to that berserk god, begging for his aid."

Grant glanced into Edwin's eyes. The umber brown showed a conflict of emotion, the monk against the fighter. He could see the anger over Temperance still play with the man's thoughts, but there was pity too. "He's no more use to us. Let him go, if he skirts to the south of Imperial lands, he might just make it back home."

"Are you sure, my lord?" Eustace cocked an eyebrow.

Grant glanced back at the man, "Killing one scout is not going to do the Empire any good. But the good will of a nation to one scout might go a little further to rebuilding what was once a close allegiance."

"I doubt it."

"Me too," Grant smiled weakly, "but I don't want his execution hanging on anyone's conscience. Better that he disappears back into the woods."

"But what if he comes back with more troops for the bounty on your head?" Edwin asked.

Grant shrugged, "Then we had better just get strong enough to take whatever he brings."

That afternoon, after Sir Reginald's entourage had passed out of sight, and the elf had been moved from the dungeon to the temple to receive aid from the acolytes, Grant led a group of troops out into the countryside in an attempt to rid the lands nearest Solace of anything dangerous. Wolves, bandits, whatever they could come across. The headed southeast skirting the thin groves of saplings that fingered from the edges of the Black Wood. The sun beat down merrily as the group moved slowly, absently.

"So, how long are we to be wanderin' about like this?" Erin asked, her spear casually resting on her shoulder.

"I figured we would stay out until a little before nightfall and then turn back. If we can keep the grounds around the city safe, then we will be better off in the long run."

Fortunately, it didn't take much more than another hour before they stumbled on to some trouble. About two miles for Solace, the group her shrieks and dashed to find an aging man and his daughter valiantly defending their wagon with a broken wheel from what looked like five bandits. It wasn't until they got closer that the stench of decay tugged through the air and they realized the attackers were dead. Or rather undead.

"The Horde? What are they doing this far north?" Joel asked, pulling an arrow from his quiver.

Grant shook his head, "It's hard to say was rouses Mortis' flock. But what ever it is, we'll stop it." Grant grunted a spell and the ground in front of the man and girl lit with a summoning. Slowly the massive figure of a living armor emerged from the light, slamming its sword down on the head of the first zombie. The rotting skull crunched with sickening satisfaction while the body stumbled for a moment before it collapsed.

Erin and Edwin charged a second creature before it could turn to see its attackers. Erin's sear lanced through its chest, pinning it to the ground. However with inhuman strength the creature spun around, tearing a massive hole in it's stomach, hammering a fist into the side of Edwin's face. Edwin staggered, then shifted to catch his balance bringing his longsword to bear against the rotting warrior.

Joel, Grant, and Maria stood side-by-side firing arrows and magic into the fray to aid their allies. Strangely as soon as the missiles slammed into two of the undead, they turned and began to charge the two mages and the archer. Grant blinked in surprise, hammering the lead zombie with a thunderclap that collapsed its chest. Joel shot two arrows into the second zombie. One in its neck, another found its mark in the gapping eye socket. The rotting figure continued its charge until its legs were cut out from under it by Erin's spear.

Grant looked past the crumbling undead as it sunk back into its eternal sleep, unable to cause more damage. Edwin had a bleeding gash above his temple that Maria was fixing with her magic. But the zombie he and Erin had been fighting lay in hacked pieces at his feet. Likewise the final zombie was being repetitively stabbed by the living armor's sword as it lay motionless on the ground.

It took several minutes for Grant to calm the summoned armor down, and it only occurred after he realized that one of the zombie's arms had gotten inside the armor. Grant had to pull off one boot and drop the decayed forearm onto the ground before the massive armor calmed down. Free from distractions he turned to the man and his daughter.

"Are you two all right?"

"Yes thank you," the man wheezed, "I thought those monsters had us. Thank you for your timely rescue. My wagon broke its wheel, and before I had time to repair it those creatures appeared."

Grant smiled, "My pleasure. Its going to be dark soon, can I help you to our town where you can stay for the night."

"Thank you that sounds wonderful," the man brightened as he watched as the living armor hoisted the wagon up and begin to tread towards in the direction of Solace, "We had hoped to reach Nuridan by nightfall, but any town would be a thankful sight."

"Oh," Grant said, perhaps a little coldly, "You are looking for Sir Reginald's protection?"

"No," the man said oblivious of Grant's distain, "I am a merchant looking to set up a potion-making shop. I thought Nuridan might be profitable."

During the walk back to Solace, Grant discovered that the merchant's name was Rolph and his daughter Praia. When they discovered that Grant was Solace's governor, the two expressed surprise that he was out protecting Solace from wayward bandits himself. After about an hour of talking, the city walls loomed ahead and Rolph had cheerfully volunteered to make Solace his home, and open his shop there.