From the top of the hill the army gathered in the valleys bottom seemed even more immense than from down there. The dust from the horses and the thousands of foot climbed up to them even here some two hundred yards above it. In tight columns five men abreast, hundred deep a squad of pikemen, their colours marking them as serving the house of Radamaerl, passed just below the two riders standing besides their mounts. Some of the men glanced up at the two paladins that stood quiet; more than a few opened their eyes in fright by the sight of the small dragon that lay curled up beside of the eldest of the two. Mercury dragons were not of the most impressive of the good dragons, but for someone that almost believed dragons to be a myth it was most impressive.
“They would not stand long should they run into a real grownup dragon”, it was the first words from the Wanderer that did not consist of just yes’ and no’s that day. Out of his habit he spoke again. “The emperor would do well to regroup in the throng in the valley. If they use the rest of the day to build walls and dig trenches they could hold that position for a long time. The king of Rudir would maybe object wanting to charge but the rest of the rulers will agree with the Emperor I’m sure. He should be a reasonable man. At least if he takes after his father. “ With those last words he mounted Glimmer, the dragon, waving the younger back he glided down over the gathered army towards the column consisting of the rulers of the alliance among the Southlands and their generals.
Arathin settled back beside his warhorse again. Staring against the horizon he thought about the situation that had brought him here. Sent by Lady Morfeus to find good dragons. He remembered the meeting with the huge gold dragon up in the Nivlheim Mountains. His lair was among the few that Glimmer had been able to find.
The ancient gold had stood there in his majestic form glimmering. “There are very few among us here. There used to be more…” he had stared out into the air thoughtful. There aren’t many females any more don’t know where they went or what happened. One day when we woke from our sleep most of them where gone. “ He listened to the chatter of the female mercury that broke into the conversation. It seemed to talk so fast that if there where any words there nobody should be able to understand it. It had to be in the tongue of good dragons for Arathin could not understand what it was saying. The gold seemed able to though, for it somethimes murmured back in the same language but not as fast. “What your friend says may point as to what may have happened to a few. Though I do not believe that all is trapped by the ilithids as she was. Someone has to be behind it. Probably the Unmentionable.” “This makes sense Great one, we must warn the other dragons and plead their help as well.” The Wanderer had settled with that. They had not been able to lure the dragon away from his lair. The eggs lying there was too valuable to be left unprotected. The large gold had nonetheless been able to point to the location of another dragon…
“Hail Daevig, friend, it has been long!” The Wanderer seemed in a light mood for once talking to the enormous silver. The last mentioned had soon taken the form of an elderly male elf making the conversation easier. “It is good to see you again too Lutriandil, it has in deed been long. But I sense you do not have the time to stand here for conversation. Tell me what brings you here”. The old dragon had then sat down in a chair he materialised before him and crossed his elven legs comfortably. After the story the dragon remained silent a long time before he offered them something to eat, some fruits appearing before them from thin air. It tasted as real fruit, Arathin noticed sinking his teethes into an apple. They talked long with the old silver. He was not so hesitant about going to war though he also had the responsibility for some eggs. He claimed that he knew about another young silver that he didn’t trust to send against the forces of Muerti but that should be able to take care of the nesting. “I’d better check on what Firstfather is up to,” Daevig offered. Arathin shivered slightly by the thought of the great red. It did not bring back good memories.
The trace of a young brass had brought them to where they met the armies of the Southlands heading north to meet an invading army coming out from the Utgard Forests. The enemy had already overrun the border countries when ten of the nations, the most influential being Monaserat met to discuss the situation coming up with the solution of a combined army. Not many of the rulers had been willing to send much of their army abroad even then. Only very small forces had been sent from most. The nations of Rudir and Monaserat sending the majority of their armies were the exemption. Not surprisingly the king of the second mightiest country, Mandos, had bided his time sending none at all, while coming with wage promises. Meeting the army the Wanderer had decided to follow them a while and wait with the search for dragons.
The young elf was stirred from his thoughts seeing that the rulers must have followed the advice of Lutriandil. Strange…he never had thought about the Wanderer in any other name than the “Wanderer”. He could not tell why the name came to him now. Soon he saw Glimmer rising from the camp heading in his direction it was hard to se if the Wanderer sat astride him because the armour probably shone as brightly as the dragon. It hurt to look now that the sun shone directly on them.
“Would thou ride with me to scout paladin?” the old elf said as the dragon landed. Not waiting for an answer he started fastening the special saddle that had been made for him by the armorers of the marching army. Continuing with his unusual talkativity he said. “Down south past the straits of Monser they use saddles as this to mount large wyverns. They are actually quite the sight when they ride to combat in the hundreds. Would not have an army as that against me here if I could choose. Down there they of course have come up with the means for the foot to cope with such treats.” With that said he became silent again before motioning Ariathin to mount behind him. Looking down he saw that it was fastened an extra pair of stirrups and a handle to hold on to. Lutri…the Wanderer must have thought about the possibility of a second rider when instructing the cobblers.
“What is that” Arathin said, his hair blowing obscuring his sight. The dragon tilted, gliding down to take a look. “That” the elf sitting in front of him said, “ is where you will earn your first golden knot”. Looking closer at the black spot that came closer quickly Arathin tried to figure out what he could have meant. As they neared he drew his breath sharply between his teeth making a loud hizz. “Dragon!” he murmured. “Young black Adult I would say.” The others voice seemed quite unaffected. “Hand me my lance, Paladin”. The younger quickly obeyed untying the lance that was fasted behind the saddle. “You will have to use thy shield when we close up. Hold it before me on my left side that should cover us both. “
The two dragons were now fully aware of the other. Deciding the mercury was a lot weaker and hampered by riders the black settled for a fight. Gaining height it flew circling around its prey. “You have tried to ride airborne before?” When Arathin answered with an “no” Lutriandil just said that after this he had. Soon the black dived. Glimmer meeting the charge with a swoop carrying them just below the first splash of acid.
The momentum was hard. Had the same rider carried both lance and shield he would probably fallen to the ground. It was hard enough as it where holding onto with just one hand. Looking up he saw the lance had hit under the back leg of the black. There it had broken, the tip still standing in, the other part already falling down after the Wanderer had dropped the useless weapon hafting his axe. Agitated by the lance, though only slightly wounded, the black dropped down towards the ground before swooping upwards again for a new meeting with the still unhurt mercury.
They were not as lucky on the next meeting. A splash of acid could have hit the two riders directly had not Glimmer made a manoeuvre that in stead made the entire gush from the black hit her directly in the chest. The black roared triumphantly before noticing that the wounds began to fade and soon was healed when the rider that sat in front laid his hands on her. He did not have the time to look at it further as he had to continue his flight as to be able to turn and face them again. If they were able to do that more times than one this maybe was not a fight he should continue. As it turned something bright hit him directly in his eyes.
Glimmer had stalled; facing the sun she concentrated the light from her wings to hit the black. It should not be able to see for the next few moments. Hurrying to use the extra time she dived down. Now flying directly over it she opened her mouth using her fiery breath for the first time. It raked the black over its entire back but was not nearly enough to kill it. “May I have the honour?» As the older nodded in answer Arathin hafted his axe and jumped down on the back of the black. “It will regain its eyesight any moment. Good luck, Paladin!” Glimmer and the wanderer made some distance between them just so far as they would be able to intervene should something require it. That would be only if the code of honour allowed, if the fight was deemed unjust or to help the victor of the combatants should that be the Paladin.
“Goddess, Vita, give me strength!” Arathin held onto the back of the dragon with both hands as it rolled in the air. When that did not succeed to shake him it folded its wings plummeting towards the ground as a falling stone just missing the ground spreading its wings out. The shock of the stop sent the young elf flying from the back forwards. He got a hold on the fast of one of the wings just before toppling of its back. There he held onto with his left hand as he loosened his axe. Grunting with the effort he struck the wing. Once, twice and the dragon roared falling to the ground ten feet farther down.
The air whooshed out of his longs as Arathin hit the ground. His head was ringing after his helmet hit a rock in the fall. He rolled onto his feet just as he had to throw himself down again to awoid getting hit by the jaws of the monster. He spun around sinking the axe into the dragons chin cutting the muscles of the jaw. “Surrender and I will show mercy!” He yelled atop of his lounges. The code had to be followed, as this was an intelligent opponent. The only answer the dragon gave was unleashing a spurt of acid that he almost managed to avoid, but that left his arm in no condition of fighting. He winced as he felt the skin blister and corrode.
Avoiding being crushed by another attack, this time by the dragons body trying to pin him down, he again cut deeply into the dragon hitting the neck this time. The dragon growled, weaker this time as his jaw hung half open. It fainted another rush with the body and when the elf replied with a avoiding manoeuvre it turned lashing out with the tail. The large tail hit Arathin in the stomach bending him double as he flew through the air. The magical plate mail had hindered direct damage but he again found himself on the ground out of air. This time he where unable to avoid being hit by another splash of acid. The skin under the joints of the field plate burned as the acid poured through. Likewise acid dripped in through the visor by chance not hitting his eyes but his face burned unbearably.
Before the pain settled in for full he gripped his axe rolling past the claw the dragon had intended to be the undoing of him lashing out. Arathin hit the dragon in the kneecap of the forelimb it rested its weight on after trying to pining him with it. Weakened and not as fast in its reflexes as it once were, the black fell forward just for a moment, giving Arathin time to strike again this time at the base of the neck. The blade of the axe buried deep into the spine of the monster. There it was ripped from his gripped when the dragon rose again shivering before suddenly once again dropping to the ground.
“Here, let me help you to your feet warrior”. Arathin didn’t recognise the voice; neither did he remember seeing the black ornamented gauntlet before. Looking up at the greying man he mustered his strength rising to his feet. “ I sincerely thank you for your offer sir, but if you’ll pardon me I’d rather not stand in any sort of dept to you.” The man in the black armour nodded as that was expected. His shoulders bearing five golden knots on the black cape shrugged. Behind him some hundred mounted men waited patiently, all carrying the black armour crested with small marks on the breastplates. He noticed a few more officers among them all carrying the black cape. From the dust that rose behind them there had to be at least a thousand more a mile or so further back.
The dust rose as large wings basked wen Glimmer landed. The black paladins hafted their lances readying for a charge but the leader stopped them with a motion of his hand. “It would not be very honourable general” he said, “to charge these two of the six, when one of them is gravely wounded. Even if one of them is the Wanderer.” By those words the black paladin that had the most golden knots after the leader froze regarding the two good paladins with new eyes. “ Yes Grand Master Nerthos Hotem! You’re right. Calm down men!” The last to the other black paladins that seemed to be as much affected by the fuzz as stone statues. Something revealed that they were ready to follow the orders of their leader momentarily though.
“Your axe flaggbearer Arathin Mierta.” The Wanderer reached out his hand and willed the axe loose from the body of the dragon to his hands giving it to the younger elf. Arathin nodded grimly eyeing the Paladinus Muerti. “We ride flaggbearer!” The Wanderer nodded courtly to the enemy grand master before swinging himself into the saddle. The other followed his example careful not to reveal the pain he was in. His left arm aced and felt as being held into a fire. The rest of his body not to mention his face felt nearly as bad. He gasped in relief when he was able to take of his gauntlets laying both hands against his skin. Not entirely healed but considerably better than previously he took on his gauntlets anew.
“The Emperor must know of this he can’t last long against more than thousand of that without fortifying making the enemy attack on by foot. “ Scanning the horizon Lutriandil continued. “Those are not the only surprises either, see that line in the horizon. That is dragons about fifty of them mostly blues and blacks. And if I am not mistaken that far cloud over there is not a cloud, it’s “manes” a kind of lesser demons. Come we have only one night to make the right defenses and instruct the army leaders of how to fight those efficiently. Let us hope that there are not other demons than manes because stronger demons will have to be slain by magical weapons.” They were not as lucky.
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The Valley was easily defended under normal circumstances. So narrow in its end that no more than five men, less on horseback, could pass at a time. Once a river had carved out the valley, this could be seen quite easily as the walls of the valley opened gradually to be wider on top. The forces of the Southlands had worked the entire night digging in building a large earthen wall across the valley. The sides were covered with spikes to meet the first rush. Behind it was a platform for the foot to stand. Throwing rocks and javelins the enemy that was forced to come a few at the time would hopefully be stalled. The rocky sides offered plenty cover for archers to rain artows down on the enemy before it came as far as that luckily.
A mile further back a second wall was to be built. The cavalrymen were working on that while the foot took a hard-earned rest in the few hours before morning. Horsemen would not be required before they eventually was driven back from the second wall where the vale floor opened for a while. All this could not prepare tem for the dragons though. Nor the flying demons though they offered less of a problem according to the Wanderer. They should be as easily killed as a man and normally did not carry armour or weapons. The only advice he was able to give about the dragons was to shield themselves as good as possibly from their breath. They did not have the proper equipment, nor the time to make it here, as Arathin understood matters.
Up in the hillside a battle wizard shouted, having discovered something. Right after that an army seemed to materialise right in front of the defences. Ladders ready to escalate. A short turmoil followed before they were finally beaten back. “Them wizards better do something so we can see the enemy earlier. Takes wizards to fight wizardry, and that had to be a mighty spell concealing so many at once till they got close.” A middle-aged sergeant murmured close to Arathin where he stood a little up into the valleys side. “Fire!” the man said. A rain of arows followed his command. The volley of arrows hit the scaling enemy easily and soon they were retreating followed by a rain of arrows.
Further up incantations from the battle wizards could be heard as they prepared countermeasures should more invisible foes try the same thing again. The enemy bodies suddenly started twisting and so began to rise. Enemy necromancer must be at work as well as their own wizards. Arathin dashed down the wall to help get rid of the abominations. He noticed his fellow paladin were there as well. They took a stand about twenty yards from each other waiting. When the walking corpses came as far as the wall starting to climb the two looked at one another, nodded, then stretched their hands out in an imposing manner. “Turn from us abominations, go back to your graves!” At the uttering of the words the nearest to the wall slumped down, again becoming normal dead bodies. The rest fled just to be destroyed by a firewall risen by some of the wizards. “Bloody impressing lads!” Arathin heard from the sergeant further up. He absentmindedly noticed most of the bodies consisted of hobgoblins and a few orchs.
“Those down there probably were punished for something.” When Arathin looked at the Wanderer questionably he continued. “Its the way of the dark forces not wasting time executing someone when they can give them their punishment and at the same time make a little mischief. Now they have statuated an example for other troublemakers, they are rid of the scum of their army and we’re a little worse for wear.” He pointed down to some of their own soldiers being carried away.
“So you say now is when the real battle is going to start?” The other nodded.
Not long after that large shadows dropped over the provisory fortress. First a few, then many of the soldiers began to shift nervously and then as the source of the shadows came nearer revealing twenty large black dragons flying in formation just out of bows range. Dragonawe made many of the soldiers drop their weapons trying to hide were they stood. Others held onto their weapons so hard that Arathin saw blood drip from their hands. “It is also the way of the dark to incite fear into their enemy. It brings them pleasure. If they had wanted, the wall would have been cleaned except maybe us two in the first swoop using breathweapons. “Then this battle is already lost?” The older nodded affirming. “We can still do some damage amongst them before we retreat though. Come I have prepared a surprise for at least some of those up there”. He pointed meaningfully towards the sky.
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“Flaggbearer, this is Aron Marthos. He is a servant of the Goddess. The other is his brother Mertin” The first man introduced to him by the Wanderer appeared to be about forty years of age, something in his eyes nonetheless revealed that he was far older. He was of a muscular build, at least as far as it was possible to distinguish trough the armour he was wearing. The armour had a blue sheen in steel formed as dragonskin. His shoulders were adorned with long spikes like dragonshorns and his gauntlets seemed to be made mostly from skin from a blue dragon. From the knuckles of the skin protruded small spikes in the likeness of those on the shoulders. The interlocking plates formed a plate mail that with the helmet made him look like a tiny humanlike dragon. On his back were a cape of the skin made from what seemed at first to be black dragon skin but closer examination revealed it to be from a shadowdragon. Arathin guessed that if the man draped his cloak around himself he would be able to almost disappear in shadows or darkness.
His brother about the same age, was clad in a cape made of the skin of a green dragon. Apparantly a young one as the skull of the beast was still attached to the skin covering his head. He wore similar gauntlets, armoured boots that gleamed night black with the same scaleshapes on the interior. Many small bags and rare implements clearly revealed him to be some kind of wizard. The two men nodded silently to him as they were introduced.
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Glimmer flew through the air, the two paladins on her back readying their weapons. They had left Aron Marthos after giving him a ride to a narrow pass a bit further back in the river valley. Now they were heading back towards their own encampment. That was however not their destination, they flew over the first wall in the direction of the enemy. On the ground they could vaguely see the soldiers on the wall waving to them as they passed. Soon they saw the enemy camp. It stretched far into the horizon, comprised mostly of orchs, hobgoblins, ogres and similar creatures. Small tents dotted the ground here and there and in the central mass of the army they could see the camp of the evil paladins. Row upon row of neatly lined tents with open ground in the middle. A small rider in black armour could be glimpsed making its way through the camp probably heading for the command tent that could be distinguished clearly from its shape on the edge of the open ground in the middle.
“A minor chosen! That may be our target, Taking her would certainly draw the dragons’ attention.” At the command of the Wanderer Glimmer dived down against the small rider on the ground. Rapidly they could see more details. The armour was black and glimmering with ornamentations in silver. A black cape spread out behind it. In one hand he carried a large two-handed singlebladed axe that shone faintly of magic of some sort. The rider must have seen them closing by for it raised his hand shouting something in what Arathin to his astonishment identified as a female voice.
In the next instance a fireball shot out from her hands hitting Glimmer and the riders as well. Glimmer being imune to fire did naturally not take any damage, but the riders on her back were not that lucky. The air suddenly became hot around them and searing their eyes and making the armour intolerably hot. The Wanderer must have activated the aura of his armour for the next magical attack. Two missiles shot out from her fingertips dissolved as it hit the golden sheen from the older elfs armour. Trying to snatch her as they came to the end of the dive she managed to throw herself down from her horse avoiding the Glimmers claws. Before the dragon regained height she swung her axe cutting a deep furrow in underbelly of the young mercury. “Up! That warrior is not of neglectable strength.” Glimmer climbed franticly to avoid more cuts. Arathin look down noticing that the black paladin had removed her helmet revealing a stunningly beautiful face but with a hard cruel shine on it that would make most men that looked on her twice shrink away.
He noticed the flicker of great wings atop of his head and shouted a warning just in time to allow glimmer to dive out of range of the first stream of acid. The next moment a lighningbolt exploded just short of hitting making his hair stand on his head. The dragons had approached silently probably with the help from some spell and must have been less than hundred feet away when he first noticed them. The Wanderer snattered something that must have been the tongue of good dragons for Glimmer suddenly stalled, then making a loop that brought her over the evil dragons. Two large black and a small blue followed while two other blues did not manage to correct their flight and flew past.
“We will fly only slightly in front of them. Glimmer’s wound will make them believe that she is unable to outdistance them so that they may think they can tire her.” He stroked the dragon’s neck comforting. “Aron should have prepared his trap by now.” A quick blink in the horizon made him stop. Then he took of his helmet and pressed the fingertips of both hands against his forehead as if concentrating. He remained silent for a while. “It is as I thought. That faint glimmer in the horizon was Daevig. He confirmed my fears. Firsthfather is in the vicinity maybe in the camp in the shape of a human, maybe biding his time somewhere else. I convinced Daevig to seek out Aron and Mertin. Those three have co-operated before.” Not far away Arathin heard the steady beats of the heavy wings made by the chasing dragons. When he turned around he noticed that the two large blues and the black remained just out of range of their breathweapons. A bit further back the other three dragons also followed a while before they apparently decided the three others could have the kill.
As they neared their own lines the dragons behind them strained harder to reach them but the mercury easily kept the distance all the while acting as she used her last reserves of strength. Arathin was not sure but he thought he heard that the small dragon actually chuckled. Considering the matter the young elf found that this must be something that fit the playful nature of the mercury dragon perfectly. On the ground someone must have anticipated another attack from dragons because a large balistae pointed up in the air. As they passed it fired against one of the blacks but the dragon deftly avoided the large missile, letting it pass harmlessly by. About a mile further ahead they could see the pass.
Glimmer started flying slightly slower faltering in her wingbeats as if exhausted. Now there was no doubt that she snickered. The walls and floor of the valley now were so close that it soon would be safe to jump. “You to the right, Flaggbearer.” Right after that they saw the signal, a sword reflecting the sunlight not something a chasing dragon would notice or at least care about. The sword must have been hidden again for the flash lasted just a moment and then disappeared.
Up on top of the valleys steep sides a little hawk watched with some interest as the hunted and the prey were to shift roles. “Time”, it said when Glimmer stalled forcing the heavier dragons to fly past. Then the hawk jumped from its rock out into the narrow pass suddenly becoming a falling badger. The badger curled its body forming a tight ball its speed increasing. Just before it came on level with the dragons that now were a little farther down with their backs towards him the badger became an enormous silver dragon stopping the fall with its wings that reached almost from one side of the narrow valley to the other. Gaining speed Daevig drew close to the dragons on their blind side. When he came close enough he opened his jaws releasing a enormous cone of cold breath that instantly covered the enemy dragons wings freezing them in their motions so they were forced to land.
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Darknight was confused. First it was the puny mercurydragon with its riders and then suddenly the mercury was not injured any more doing a manoeuvre that, had he not seen it he would have deemed impossible. Then a great silver appeared out of nothing forcing him to land. Someone was to pay. But what was that? A human clad in a bluish armour came from the rocks. In his hands he hafted a sword that glowed brightly and emitted a summing sound. Trying to be like a dragon was of course admirable though futile. He decided to finish the man for his own good. It was then that the warrior started the strange circular motions with his sword. A spell, yes a spell was good, he would burn the man with a fireball…what was it that he had intended to do? Suddenly he did not remember. By the time he remembered the little man had come so close walking steadily across the short distance that a fireball would hurt the dragon also. Darknight gathered his breath ready to make the man a screaming pile of flesh when the man struck him in the gullet making his breath rush out between his teeth with a hollow wheeze. The puny thing would die for that.
As Arathin battled his own foe the small blue he noticed Aron striking the dragon hard. It had to be about his second hit with his enchanted blade. The sword of the strange man glided all the way to the haft into the flesh of the dragon. Right then a lightning bolt struck from the clear sky as he heard an incantation and the large black toppled. A lightningbolt hit him also and struck him to the ground. He dimly wondered why he had let himself be distracted before he was lifted into the air. Hanging after his legs in the mouth of the blue. It gnashed and tried to bite his leg of. The armour hindered that but a fang sank deep into his leg breaking his leg at the knee. He cut with his axe against the only part of the body he could reach, the snout and hit so good that the dragon loosened his grip and dropped him. In a daze of pain he began to prepare a spell to make his leg good again. If only he was not disrupted…As the blues head neared again its head suddenly was engulfed in a bright cone of light blinding the young blue making its skin pop and melt.
Glimmer climbed up from where she had breathed at the blue. What would be fun to do next? Oh yea, throwing rocks. That way she didn’t have to test her strength in close battle either. Her master seemed to manage just fine as far as she could see. With glee she began to do some serious target practise finding the largest boulders she could lift dropping them on the two remaining evil dragons.
A large boulder hit right beside Arathin as he start to get on his feet, his leg still hurting but the fracture magically healed. He glanced up quickly an noticed the blue still was not able to see. Not fair fight to fight an blind opponent he decided to seek cover from the steadily increasing rain of large boulders crashing down, at least until the dragon regained its sight. A large boulder hit the blue in the back breaking a wing and another in the head finished Arathin’s wondering of what to do if the dragon did not regain its sight. He noticed the third dragon lay beside his slightly larger black kin covered with frost and with several wounds on many places. Daevig and the Wandrerer had not stood idle.