by Eden Redd
Guards moved town’s people through to the main keeps as knights and soldiers walked to the southern walls. Families moved with wide eyes and clutching their meager possessions, guards at street corners directing citizens to the protective tunnels underneath the main keeps.
Jayson looked up to see the main defensive wall. Knights and soldiers lined it from one end to the other. The King Lord stood at the battlements in full plate mail armor. To his right stood the queen in a long golden dress and tiara on her head. Even from behind, Jayson could tell her head was tilted forward.
“Why is the queen here? Shouldn’t she be back at the main keep?” Lance asked when he noticed Jayson staring at her.
“Move it guys! We are trying to get to the front before the battle starts!” A loud knight said as he pushed past the trio of knights.
A war horn sounded off in the distance. A current of electricity filled the crowd. Knights began pushing their way, eyes eager to see the mighty troll army everyone had been talking about. Jayson, Sonja and Lance were caught up in a flood of players and had to run or get trampled. Sonja grabbed Jayson’s arm while Lance gabbed his other arm. Holding tightly, they moved with the current. Minutes later, the three knights were at the battlements, peering over the side as knights crowded around. The three knights stared out with unfiltered astonishment, taking it all in with wide eyes.
The southern road stretched out to their right, disappearing into the distance. Dozens of miles away, large primal forests covered the land with only a swath of the South Journey Road dividing them in half. From the massive road, figures moved in formation, keeping to a steady rhythm. Several giant reptiles lead the way, large trolls riding them. Jayson squinted and tried to count. The road was large but with the blue skinned trolls, he figured he only saw about two hundred moving. Movement distracted the knight and when he glanced at the forest edge, he stopped counting. Trolls spilled from the dark forests. Walking, they quickly fell into formation once clear of the forest edge. The numbers multiplied again and again. The clear land from the forest was filling up with armored trolls, moving as a cohesive army.
“Holy shit! That’s a lot of fucking trolls!” A player shouted with glee.
“I don’t see any siege weapons. How are they even going to get in here?” another knight asked loudly.
“This is fucking Helm’s Deep all over again!” Another knight laughed.
The same questions popped into his mind. The massive armies moving toward them were only trolls. Some of them were riding those giant lizards but everyone else was on foot. Were they holding back their heavy weapons for a reason? Maybe this was all a show of intimidation? Jayson thought back to the trolls he had encountered. They never had to intimidate, they were already intimidating.
A troll in black leather took the lead on his giant lizard steed. The giant lizard moved easily, matching the speed of a normal horse as it scurried forward. Jayson, as with every knight looking down, studied the troll as he moved closer. He had a sword at his right hip and a whip on his left. Dark eyes looked up with cocky amusement.
“War Time Warning! War Time Warning!” blinked in the corner of Jayson’s vision.
The player tried to gauge the leader as his steed slowed down. When the giant lizard stopped, the entire army behind him stopped. Every troll stood at attention, dark eyes gazing at the large kingdom wall before them, knights gathered along the top edge.
King Lord Belmont gazed down at the massive army, not impressed, “You came a long way just to pay a visit to my kingdoms.”
The troll in black picked up a leg and dismounted. His leather boots landed in the dirt and it billowed up to his knees. Stepping forward, he kept his gaze steady as he grinned upward. Sonja could only see a blue skinned Nazi-like monster. Lance kept his eyes grim as he looked out to the massive army at their doorstep. Jayson kept his fingers on his belt, ready to call upon his concubines.
“Do you have a name or should I simply call you ‘Defeated’?” The King Lord bellowed.
The troll’s gaze was steady and his smirk did not waiver, “You must be confused again. I believe ‘Victor’ would be appropriate.”
King Lord Belmont returned the smirk, “Attacking my kingdoms will only lead to war. I have no qualms slicing off troll heads and mounting them for my amusement. I am quite good at it and you have over stepped the truce. Leave now and we all can forget this little display. Scurry back to your lands and live in peace until you’re an old troll with a large family.”
“My family is here with me!” The troll lifted an arm and pointed a hand to the army at his back. “Growing old is for the weak and soft. They hunger for conquest and blood. Human blood will do for now but dragon blood is so much tastier.”
King Lord Belmont’s brow formed a hard V, “You know my power. You cannot win this fight.”
The troll bowed his head, “I know your power, King Lord Belmont, and I respect it. You have fought many great battles and the tales of you are truly astonishing. Be that as it may, your mind is slipping and my people hunger for the old days. As a people, they chose this course of action and as their master, I must hear them for they are important to me.
The troll lifted his head, eyes meeting the king lord’s once again, “You asked for my name. I am Master Ulkur, slayer of dragons…..and mad kings.”
“You and your spies will feel my blade once again. I will bathe in the troll blood, cleansing my spirit once again. You mongrels will be slaughtered down to the last one. There will be no prisoners this day!” Belmont shouted, nearly frothing at the mouth.
Knights and guards turned their eyes nervously to the King Lord. Queen Belmont lowered her head another inch, eyes watering. Belmont turned, armored gauntlet reaching up and taking a fistful of blonde hair. The queen let out a shriek as her king held her head high, neck exposed.
“Your spies have been killed! The last one will be disposed of to show I will delight in your slaughter!”
Ulkur looked to the queen and then to the King Lord, “She is Fae and no spy of mine.”
Knights turned their attention to the king and queen. Some even moved forward a few steps before soldiers held swords up, shaking their heads as a warning to not move any closer. Jayson’s hand was to his sword, as was Lance and Sonja. Eyes wide, they stared in disbelief.
“Please my king! I only wished to love you and heal our people! I serve no trolls. I am your one and only!” The queen begged.
Belmont turned his dark eyes to the queen, his left hand drawing his wide blade. “One and only? You betrayed me with your spies. You let knights fill your belly with a bastard child. How long before you poison my drink? How long before you slipped a dagger into my back? No, my beautiful queen, your treachery ends here. After I kill the trolls, I’m coming for every last Fae until Lukken is free of your filth. Now the underworld awaits. May you choke on your lies for all eternity!”
Jayson cried out as King Lord Belmont drew back his blade. The slice was perfect. The blade gleamed as it passed through the queen’s neck. Her eyes continued to spill tears as the blade finished it pass. Her mouth worked for a second longer before it went slack. Belmont let the body fall as he continued to hold the head, the queen’s eyes rolling upward. With a heave, he tossed it high.
Master Ulkur watched as the queen’s head fell feet from him, her face in the dirt and golden hair gently falling around her. With a kick, the King lord sent the queen’s body over the edge, striking the ground before shattering into a greenish light. The head stayed where it was.
Jayson shook his head from side to side, his body tensing and betraying him. Sadness touched some knights while others shouted their dissatisfaction. Lance drew his rapier while Sonja’s hand went to her lips, tears in her eyes.
Belmont looked down with malice at the troll army, “I loved her and she met her fate. You will fare a darker fate, Ulkur, master of none.”
“The madness has taken hold deep in your spirit. My people now have a holy duty to cleanse the la
nd of such madness. Thank you, King Lord Belmont, for showing us the true path,” Master Ulkur lifted up a hand and snapped his fingers.
The front line of trolls stepped forward. A single line of large dark blue bodies walked up, separating from the main army. They closed the short distance and stood right behind the troll master.
“I did not have any Fae spies in your kingdom. Why would I when I had knights doing the spying,” Master Ulkur chuckled.
Jayson and fellow knights gazed down at the line of trolls. Bodies shifting, blue skin melted away and was replaced by armor and swords. Faces changed and took on human appearances. The moments seemed to stretch on forever but only a few seconds passed as the line of trolls turned into a row of human knights. The knights on the battlements watch in horror as they stared at their people standing with the troll army. Jayson, Lance and Sonja gazed at the knights and noticed a large bald knight and a smaller one in a black cloak, with purple hair.
“Betrayers!” a knight shouted.
“Troll fuckers!” another knight screamed.
Dread poured into the knights along the top of the wall. Uncertainty, rage and a touch of panic spread through the ranks. Soldiers and guards kept their hands on swords as the crowd showed the first signs of chaos.
“Keep it together! They’re doing this on purpose to divide us!” Jayson shouted to the knights around him.
Some knights turned their eyes to him; others spit racial slurs at the trolls below. The cloud of chaos began to grow.
Jayson eyed Sonja and Lance, “We stay together! This is only going to get worse. Watch each other’s backs!”
The knight turned to the trolls and human knights below. Eyes darting, he managed to see a gleam from trolls in the main army. Focusing, knowledge poured over his senses as it registered why they didn’t have siege weapons, they didn’t need them.
“Fuck! The trolls have concubines! They have a whole fucking hidden army right before our eyes!” Jayson shouted as loudly as he could.
Dark hands touched stones. The very air vibrated as knights looked on. King Lord Belmont pointed and without a word, dropped his hand. Archers on the wall lit arrows and pointed them at the troll army. Bow strings pulled back, fingers released. Flaming arrows filled the sky. Master Ulkur touched a glowing gem on his belt. The world slowed down as arrows reached their zenith and fell toward the exposed army. A massive form faded into view. Black wings stretched as a serpentine head glared upward with glowing red eyes. Armored scales shifted as muscles worked. The massive wings beat forward once, sending a thunder clap through the air. The wind blast sent arrows in all directions but their intended targets. Jayson took hold of Lance and Sonja, pulling them down along the wall as extinguished arrows flew back at them, striking soldiers, archers and unlucky knights. The chaotic storm reached the tipping point just as a large shaft of sunlight penetrated the thick gloomy skies.
Jayson stood up, mind clear as the sun touched him. For only a split second, he understood what needed to be done. Calmly he looked down as a cloud of winged women appeared, their arms made of feathers and fierce clawed legs below the knee. The harpies screeched as they rushed forward, capitalizing on the confusion. The massive black dragon hovered over its master as harpies rained upward and dived down toward the battlements, claws flashing in the sun.
Jayson touched all the gems on his belt, minus the pink one. Figures flashed and formed. Around him, other knights followed, calling their army of concubines to the battle. Jayson’s concubines looked to their lord, no fear in their eyes as they knew immediately what was going to be asked of them.
Lance and Sonja began doing the same, calling their concubines as Jayson shouted orders.
“Petal! Soak up the sun and use your Sun cannon on the crowd. Kara and Nara, start blasting the trolls and knights in the army below. Gorganna, protect Petal at all costs. Lina and Fay, I want protection buffs and healing. Limit yourselves to me, Sonja, Lance and your fellow concubines,” Jayson commanded.
The player turned to the kitra at his side, “Dalya, stay by my side. We fight together!”
“Yes, my lord!” Dalya smiled.
“War Time Initiated!” blinked in corner of Jayson’s vision
The green skinned dryad moved to the edge of the battlement wall. Harpies were speeding down onto the walkway. Some knights called their concubines but cried out as claws dug into their shoulders and threw them off to the streets below. Other knights called out their female dryads, moving them to the edge to soak up the sun.
Petal closed her eyes as she basked in the sunlight. The leaves along her forearms began to open, pointing her arms at the troll army below, the leaves opened further, cells drinking in precious light. A harpy focused on the dryad, shifting her wings and barreling down on the exposed concubine. A green woman with serpent hair stared at the harpy. There was a flash of light and the harpy went limp. The monster woman fell like a stone from the sky, hitting the ground and shattering into light.
Power pulsed along Petal’s arms. When her leaves were fully open, her arms looked like a strange flower with hands in the middle. Energy surging, the dryad’s eyes opened with yellow light spilling out. Power welled up into her open hands. With a mental command, the power surged and exploded outward. A thick stream of yellow energy struck out, slamming into the troll formation, sending large muscled bodies in all directions, many falling and shattering into a greenish light.
Harpies rained down as swords were drawn. Lance was first to slash outward with a seven-point stab. His rapier struck four times into one harpy and three times into another, both shattering into pieces of light. Sonja whipped her ghost blade, spectral swords impaling incoming harpies.
Knights on the battlements formed up tight. Concubines began launching to meet the incoming harpy threat. Several more dryads fired into the standing troll army. Bodies were thrown like rag dolls but the army did not advance. They never moved an inch.
“Time to take what is rightfully ours,” Ulkur said and looked up to the black dragon above him.
The black dragon nodded as wings beat. Opening his maw, liquid fire fell from the corners of his serpentine mouth. A heated glow rose up from the ancient dragon’s throat and the day grew brighter. Head pulling back, the stream of orange, red and yellow energy blasted forth. A moment later it hit the kingdom wall, melting it on contact.
Knights fought to keep their balance as a huge hole appeared underneath them. Helplessly, knights looked over to see their prime defense was now useless. The enemy knights cheered as the gaping hole dripped molten stone along the edges. A home on the other side caught fire from the power of the blast.
Ulkur let out a calming exhale as he looked on, “Take the kingdoms, all of them.”
Enemy knights charged, weapons in the air and war lust in their eyes. The troll army began their controlled march. The sky took on black plumes of smoke as the fire began to spread to next door homes. The gap in the cloudy sky started to close.
King Lord Belmont stood at full attention, glowing sword in his hand and eyes on the black dragon. Lifting his blade, he pointed at the dragon, eyes reflecting the wyrm’s beating wings. An aura appeared around the blade and a light blasted out. The dragon shifted in the air, using a wing as a shield. The energy hit it, shredding the wing and stabbing deep into the armored chest. The dragon roared as it limped from the sky, crashing into the ground next to its master. Ulkur didn’t look to his dragon but kept his eyes on the King Lord.
“You used your swords ability already? You disappoint me King Lord. I would have thought you would save it for our final battle,” Ulkur shouted.
“This is our final battle,” King Lord Belmont stated as he jumped.
The king landed on the ground, knees barely bending. Stray knights and several trolls immediately converged on him. Belmont never flinched as he flicked his wrist and whipped around his blade. Ulkur grinned as the trolls and enemy knights stopped their advance, heads falling off and bodies slumping before shatter
ing away.
Ulkur drew his sword with one hand and unfurled his whip with the other. “Let the bards tell of this battle for centuries to come!”
The master troll charged as the king held his blade at the ready. Swords clashed and the very ground shook from their contact. Trolls called upon their concubines into battle. Several dryads appeared, aiming their hands with leaves opening.
Lance moved like a dancer along the battlements, sword striking down harpy after harpy. Sonja grunted as several harpies flashed claws, ready to tear her flesh. Leaf moved to his lady’s side, brown bark like tendrils whipping out and smashing bodies. Jayson and Dalya were back to back, fighting off harpies as they closed in. Below them, the enemy poured into the streets, shouting manically. Many knights pulled from the battlements, fighting their way down to street level but the enemy was already in. Guards were slaughtered as enemy knights took them to the sword. Trolls poured in next, smashing anything near them with brutal strength.
Jayson’s swords, fire and ice, cut down harpy after harpy in rapid succession while Dalya flipped up, driving her clawed foot into harpy jaws. The knight grunted as a harpy foot claw slashed at him. Hit points drained a few points but the knight knew this was just the beginning.
Petal gathered up energy from the sun before it was completely blocked from the clouds. A group of harpies descended on her. Gorganna hissed as she paralyzed one after the other but there were too many. Claws dug into green skin as Petal attempted to defend herself. A vine sprouted from her palm, stabbing a harpy in the heart. As it shattered, several more took its place. A flurry of claws slashed as the dryad cried out. Gorganna threw herself into the harpies, kicking and stunning them. Jayson turned his head in the heat of battle to see feathered wings beating and claws slashing. Petal grunted as she stabbed at another harpy before claws dug into her green flesh. With a heave, the ball of harpies pulled away, ripping Petal to pieces and her parts shattering. Gorganna screamed as she fought like a beast unhinged. The harpies turned their attack on her. Jayson darted through the chaos but when he reached Gorganna’s side, she was falling to the stone floor, body cut to shreds and exploding into light. The knight roared as he leaped into the air and used his Spin attack technique. Fire and ice blades cut through them, sending wings, heads and legs in all directions.