NOVEL NEXT 83
“Besides, the battle in the north is not over yet.” Ulric took the discussion back from the unsavory discussion. Taal and Rhya however are already pilfering Kostner’s supplies to make some food.
“Should I send my wolf to hunt its corrupted part?” Ulric asks as he joins his brother and sister-in-law. Finding some decent wine amongst Kostner’s supplies and what’s better than a good drink just after waking up.
“Oh that? You don’t need to worry about that.” Taal reassures Ulric while Kostner can only sigh. The witch hunter can only write a note to acquire more supplies and perhaps expand his hideout.
“That wine is a gift and you don’t get to drink it before I get the first glass.” Kostner shoves his notes to his pocket and tries to control his guests.
—
“This is not what you report Bertrand! I thought you were better.” A man with elaborate blue-lacquered plate armor and golden skull cap, a well trimmed gray-blond beard adorn his handsome face, shouts in anger as he commands his men on Salzemund’s wall. He is Theoderic Gausser, the Grand Baron of Nordland.
“Burn only those that climb the wall!” He shouts again as swings his Runefang, cleaving a climbing treant’s hand clean. Bertrand does the same but with brute force rather than with a magical sword.
Then a group of fire wizards, stationed evenly across the wall, conjure fire and burn the Nurgle corrupted treants trying to climb the wall before the Grand Baron commands them to stop. When a Middenlander arrived with his gaggle of wizards and witch hunters, he thought it was some kind of a nice joke. Though he begrudgingly allows them into Salzemund only because he has heard Bertrand's name which was quite praised by the Huntmarshal. They bring reports of beastmen incursion to Eonir’s part of Laurelorn. While indeed it is a good chance to earn some favor from the elves, he decides to wait it out as he already has plenty of other plans he had been preparing. Only for the battle to come to his own capital. The corrupted treants and dryads are able to surprise Salzemund’s defender due to how close the Laurelorn forest extends to the wall.
The only reason the forest was allowed to extend so close to the wall is due to the Nordland treaty with the Eonir. That they will treat the forest with respect and no burnings. The forest can still be logged as long as it is properly managed and the woods have been used for building ships ever since. In return the Eonir will ensure that no attack will come from the west of Salzemund. The treaty has been held for centuries. At least some of the very first version of it. Though petty skirmishes between the Eonir and upstart peasants have occurred on disputed borders, there have never been an attack on Salzemund from the west, be it from the Eonirs or others. That is until now.
“This is not right! Where are your men!?” Bertrand shouts back as he notices that the walls are very lightly defended. Even if the guards on the west wall are few, those from the other side of the wall should have arrived and helped already. Instead the walls are manned almost half by wizards and witch hunters under Bertrand’s command. Though Gausser’s eye twitch at such disrespect
“Nordland just weather a daemonic incursion captain. Mind your tone.” Gausser warns, his tone icy cold. That daemonic incursion almost put a wrench to his plans and disappeared just so quickly that he can’t use it to his advantage.
Another screams. More soldiers impaled on twisting and sickly branches of the dryads that climb the treants to the wall. Treants struggle to climb the wall but its branched hands can still reach the wall and crush any soldiers unlucky enough to be at the wrong place. Then suddenly thunderclouds swirl into a vortex in the sky before it spews a bright blue comet that falls directly in the middle of the corrupted forces. Crushing much of the treants and dryads and burning more.
“HAHAHAHA! I ALWAYS WANT TO TRY THAT SPELL!”
Followed by a youthful laugh of the Celestial wizard apprentice that is deafeningly loud from one of the towers on the wall.
“DID I SAY THAT OUT LOUD!?” The apprentice sounds again
“SHUT UP!” Then come another much older voice that finally silence the ruckus at the tower
“Control your wizards!” Gausser commands Bertrand. While the Eonir have failed to fulfill their end of the treaty, he intends to maintain it. After demanding compensation of course.
Then a loud horn sounds. From the south came knights in amber coloured plate armor, all riding demigryphs and the banner of the Great Stag held high. Followed by a horde of wild beasts. The knight’s halberds shatter the legs of the treants as they charges while riderless demigryphs and dire bears rampages on the dryads and the treant that falls. Then griffons and great eagles swoops in, snatching dryads on top of the wall and throwing them down. The battle continues for another half an hour or so before all the corrupted tree spirits are destroyed.
Salzemund’s west gate opens as Gausser along with his bodyguards comes out and greet the knights. Bertrand and his men meanwhile are still helping on the walls. Carrying those that can be healed to the druids though of course many refused to be tended by wizards
“Which knight order are those?” One of the fire wizards asks as he burns the remains of a dryad on the wall. Closing his nose as the smell is unbearable.
“Taal’s Fury. What brings them this far north from Talabecland?” A witch hunter answered.
“Whatever it is, all of you will be briefed later.” Bertand shut off the discussion as he observe the back and forth between the Grand Baron and the Knight Captain
“Faris, come with me. I might need your insight.”
“Sure. I can speak with the Celestial wizards later.” Said the Witch Hunter captain as he and Bertand climb down the wall
