CCC4 - The Descent

Sounds from men and elf alike, mingled with the grunts of their horses below as they carried their riders out of the mountain pass and quickly they disappeared under the canopy of the tall trees. Quickly the all too familiar colour of white was swapped out with a healthier palette of green as the thundering clatter of hooves crunched through twigs and fallen leaves, and battered down on the soft gravel below.

The Snow Elves knew all too well the terrain surrounding the garrison for it stood as an outpost during the war. A stepping stone off the mountain that stood as a stronghold. One of over a dozen that were established on the borders of Tobias realm and all built for the same purpose, a deterrent to any subsequent Atholian attack. Though it was many a year and another invasion to the scale of that on the Elvish Glades never happened again. Still the Snow Elves had never forgotten.

Damani gestured to Hadrian that he was going to veer off left and the Prince nodded in agreement. Swiftly the Maester disappeared up an adjacent path that led back up and round to a vantage point above the garrison. Geraldin, also an archer, followed Snow Elves whilst Andris more akin to battle rode with the men of Kona.

Some overgrowth of vines and small branches were easily cut down as the Elves stormed up the thinning path to reach their destination. A perch on a steep cliff side that overlooked the old fort and beyond. From there they could see both the northern and western gates and it was there that Damani saw the remnants of an enemy horde below. Bodies, whole and severed, legs and other limbs littered the war torn affray. The light humming of insects traversed the many bloodied corpses. Human or beast, at first glance, Damani could not tell, though the flies and other insect's feasting within surely did not care.

A blow of a horn from within the camp signified that those within the walls were now aware of the incoming reinforcements as guards quickly rushed to roll up the western gate.

Hadrian and his warrior’s flooded in, riding past many fallen corpses of the fiends that lay scattered outside. "What's going on? The Prince exclaimed, tugging at his horse’s reins as it turned to meet an oncoming guard as his cape billowed behind as he came to a stop. "Where’s my brother and where is the Princess?” He barked.

“I am here,” Astrin announced.

“And Karadin?” Hadrian asked.

“He’s resting. We had quite the battle but I think we have driven them off.”

“You mean there were more of them.”

“Numbers you would not believe uncle unless you seen it with your own eyes.”

“Many casualties?”

“A few good warriors were lost.

"Astrin led a party north three hours ago to look for Karadin. We were to hold the fort until someone came, the guard replied. Now you’re here, we will track her down."

"I’ll go myself; you didn’t think to look for her when she did not return?"

“She was adamant that we did not abandon this place.”

“What brought my brother  up north?”

“Fiends sire. We were attacked shortly after you left but were only able to hold them off for so long.”

“I see that but why didn’t he order them killed from the safety of the garrison?”

The guards looked at each other, each waiting for the other to answer the Prince.

“Well?” Hadrian urged.

“We ran out of arrows sir, so Karadin thought it best to try and lead them away from the garrison.”

“You used all of your arrows?”

"Another wave incoming!" shouted a sentry from a watchtower situated in the north eastern point of the fort. "From the north, maybe fifty more," he added.

Hadrian drew his sword and ordered the northern entrance open. As the large wooden gates parted he sighted the countless bodies of dead goblins and trolls hat lay slain. It answered his question. They had indeed fought off the fiends from the safety of the watch tower, a battle that must have raged for at least several hours going by the count of dead outside. The Princes gaze returned to the task at hand as several dozen more of the monsters approached from the hill to the north. A volley of Elven arrows came down on the first few goblins that neared the entrance, killing many and wounding others.

"You said she went north?"

"Yes my Prince."

"Then these ones don't matter. We cut through! The Elves will take care of them.”

"Release," Damani commanded from the hilltop to the northwest as another barrage of arrows pierced the starry sky, arrowhead’s glistening like falling stars as they rained down on those that remained as Hadrian and his men began to push through.

"Where’s the Maester?" Damani heard someone shout as a messenger rode towards them.

"Can’t you see we are busy, grab your bow damn it," Damani barked.

"The caravan was ambushed at the rear.”

“How could this happen?” The Maester cursed.

“All focus was on the garrison. We left the rear exposed.”

“Are there any casualties?” Andris asked, concerned for his wife and child.

“None, your boy stood alone in protecting them against the fiends. However in the chaos, Darius... he,”

“He what?”

“He fled into the caves and we've been unable to find him.”

“Andris, you take over here.”

Andris nodded as Damani rushed to his horse, grabbing its reigns, the horse reared and the bolted back down the track.

The warriors of Kona began to ride north out of the garrison. Hadrian noticed Damani on the hilltop to his left withdrawing from the battlefield. He could not contemplate his reasoning for his friends actions yet he could not dwell on it. With blade drawn, he cut down a goblin that neared his mount and the men of Kona surged through the horde as horses clashed through smaller fiends and free of the second wave that had gathered.