Bounty

In an underground cave close to Hanning Forests, Eleven figures were assembled in a circle, each of them wore a different design of cloak but had black on them, except Lord I-am, his outfit was all black.

"My most powerful and trusted elements, the hour has come," He spread his hands wide apart.

"Let the walls of Fort Hanning fall today." Five of the eleven vanished out of the cave.

They appeared again outside of the cave on top tree branches.

They watched over Lord I-am's Army of Fear as they marched to Fort Hanning.

*****

At Fort Hanning, the remaining soldiers were getting ready for the battle that awaits them. Among them were Dune and Gaze. They were in the dressing room.

"It's going to be a long day," Gaze tightened his greaves.

Dune also tightened his, he was wearing a panoply while Gaze wore a light armour, no elbow protectors, "Longer than any we've seen before," Dune finished with his greaves and stood upright,

"There's fear in these men, they might not fully show it, but it's visible. Even I, am a bit scared" Gaze stared at him, "That was supposed to be my line," he and Dune laughed out loudly. Dune pushed Gaze's shoulder.

Captain Banjo entered the room and shouted at everyone inside, "Quit horsing around and get those metallic bodies of yours down the front," Soldiers grabbed their swords, heaters and war doors, archers held their bow and arrows. "Move, Move, Move Move" Banjo said repeatedly.

******

The mages were on the walls. They were waiting for Obebo and Nosagie. Berry was with Akoni having a last chat before they go into battle.

"Hey,"

"Hey,"

"Uhm… good luck,"

"Do you want to say something?" Berry asked Akoni.

"No!… just, I really like youuuuurrrr dress." he almost spilled the beans.

"Oh this, thanks." She smiled in appreciation.

"Be careful out there," Akoni told her holding her shoulder.

"Don't worry about me, I'll do the protecting," she winked at him and left.

Akoni shook his head in love.

"Do you not think it's time to go down or you're just going to keep daydreaming," Nosagie said as calmly as ever. Akoni turned and saw the wizard. He wasn't pleased to see him. "I'll be going now."

*********

The men assembled outside, inside and on the walls of the fort. Commander Fisher was leading the men outside the walls. His captain was injured in the last battle and unavailable. Banjo was in charge of all inside and on the walls.

The mages were on their stand. The high mages whispered among themselves. Nosagie became present, "Bellvot, a word please," Nosagie said politely. "Yes, Where's Obebo?"

"About that, he's not in charge today."

"What? Why?" Bellvot hit his staff on the ground.

"Even I don't know," Nosagie rubbed his beards, "but you can do it for him, you are capable enough." Nosagie tapped Bellvot's left shoulder. Bellvot stood still confused on what to do. Nosagie also went back into the fort.

Evening was fast approaching. It was getting cold outside. The fear brought more cold on them. They could feel the vibrations of the army getting closer under their feet.

"They are here!!!" A watchman shouted from a tower. "Dip!" Banjo shouted. The archers dipped their arrows in oil, bows nocked. The horde was now visible. They approached slowly and orderly. The five who led them stood on the tallest trees, five trees.

"The marvellous walls of Fort Hanning. It is said that they've never been breached." Kristall told the other four.

"There's a first time for everything," Brennen was convinced on their conquest.

He turned to the man on his right who was also balanced on top of the tree despite his physique and weight. He was from Greyden and lived in one of the many lawless provinces of The Great East before he joined Lord I - am.

"Stark," Brennen called. Stark nodded and brought out a horn from his cloak. He blew the horn and the horde started charging like savages.

Banjo beckoned on the archers to fire, "Light 'em up." Berry appeared behind them and snapped her fingers and it lit their oiled arrows. They fired into a small gutter in front of the horde. They had earlier poured oil and hid explosives in it. The firewall formed, burned the first lines of salmouths.

"These are their normal tricks, they'll get past them." Brennen informed the others. "They better do, I'm getting tired standing here and doing nothing." Evbare sighed.

The salmouths started falling over the flames causing it to reduce drastically. "That was fast," Fisher whispered to himself. "Ready," he said again, this time loud enough for his men to hear him. Dune breathed freely, expecting the unexpected. Their formation was different this time. Panoply Knights and Surcoat Knight were mixed. While the calvary was in front of them. Dune wasn't among the calvary this time.

"Charge," Fisher and his calvary charged with drawing swords towards the horde. The horses in all their might and glory rammed the monsters like a truck hitting a bike. The other knights followed behind. It was a killed or be killed kind of battle. The enemy's numbers overwhelmed them almost immediately. They attacked the knights from side leaving a gap in the middle.

Akoni charged like everyone else and turned out unlucky. He came face to face with a big one. His countenance dropped when it looked at him. It dived at him and he slid under raising his sword up, cutting its centre. His greaves grazed upon the slippery mud. It got back in position to attack.

Akoni was mildly surprised that the strike didn't kill it. It got angry having a cut. It charged faster and jammed Akoni with it's head. Akoni block the beast's attack with his heater. His sword fell centimetres away from him. The enamel of his shield got loose after the impact, "This is not good," he grunted in pain. Mouths wide open and teeth sharp as a chain saw, charging with murderous intent, in a second, he thought death was here. A fireball burst the monster's head and the headless body fell with a small thud. He saw Berry blow her fingers. "Nice shot," Akoni complemented. "I told you I'll do the protecting. We have to get inside the walls." She helped him up quickly as possible. He removed his gauntlets and found cards in them. "I almost forgot I had these," he showed Berry the magic cards. They retreated with everyone else. As they ran Akoni activated a fire card, he was about to throw it when Berry held his hands. "Let me do that," She collected the card from him, she fit the card in between her index and middle fingers. She threw the card and the fire card burned a few salmouth behind them, the manner she threw the card was effective. He activated a few more and threw them as they ran back.

The gates were about closing, Dune and a few men rushed to enter the fort on time. He and the others stretched thin and passed. The cape of the last man got caught in the gate. He cut it off and paused to catch his breath. The others who didn't make it on time got eaten and killed.

In the next three hours, it was already nightfall, the walls of fort hanning were flooded with Salmouths. They tried getting in but it was to no avail. The archers tried slowing them down with arrows. The earth mages made rock and stone do their will. Fire and wind mages did combo attacks. Fire graced the salmouths.

Rinorcs hit the gate with their octagon shaped axes but couldn't put a crack on it. The current gates were made of the strongest wood logs in all of Elederia. Courtesy of the last variant 25 years ago.

"We were cornered too quickly, I didn't even order a retreat," Fisher said angrily at Bellvot and other high mages. "All this happened because you didn't play your part," He grabbed Bellvot's robe forcefully. A little fight was about to start between them but they were held back by others. "Where's Obebo?" Fisher asked. "Obebo isn't leading today, I think he's inside the fort." Okunhon informed. "Let's hope we are able to keep them off the wall." Fisher said as he left the mages. His subordinates followed.

"I think it's time to take out those archers, Evbare," Brennen said looking forward. "Ah, Brennen, took you long enough," she sighed and flipped into the woods beneath them. "Let the smoke guide your path," Brennen covered her with smoke and transported her to the walls.

"What is that?" An archer asked his fellow. "Smoke?" The fellow asked. Evbare landed and killed them instantly. Their screams were short and quick. The others fired at her, she dodged them effortlessly. She maneuvered and got hold of an Archer's bow and made him fire another. And snapped his neck with ease. She tossed small folded balls at the Archer's on her right. The balls brought out green smoke and made the men pale and dry as they inhaled the smoke. They dropped dead with their skins having green veins. She tossed another set of balls to the men on her left and they produced a similar effect.

Two mages attacked her, one with a fiery blade, the other has cards. She tingled her claws when she saw them. She jumped over the cards that were meant to impale her and pierced the shoulders of the mage in her elevated position. She kicked the other before landing behind the pierced mage. Green veins started growing on the pierced mage shoulders, she poured a potion of healing on her poisoned shoulders. Evbare saw she was off guard and could easily finish her off but left her to attack other archers.

Gaze fired an arrow at her and she caught it with luck or with help. It was close to her eyes. She smiled and bit her lips at one side.

An high mage channeled a strong wind towards Evbare with her staff but she countered it, " circulus portas," the circular gates spell opened in a bigger circle and collected the wind.

More high mages attacked her, she stood her ground for a while before retreating back into the midst of the horde.