The first group of this host must be cannon fodder, intended to occupy the attention of the defenders while archers and the catapults support them. The dokkalfr, ice giants, and trolls would try to cover the ditches and destroy obstacles before the town. Same with the ogres. After the fascines and destruction of the obstacles, they would likely try to whittle down the number of defenders and exhaust those who survive. They would then regroup with the siege towers and more troops and then launch an overwhelming attack. Not the way I’d do it but the commander must be confident with the number of troops at his beck and call. But surprises in the Gap will be the order of the day. No doubt the enemy has some in store. The three siege towers seem inadequate and I doubt the commander is a fool.
He kept his eyes on the contingent, scanning it for things he may have missed. Suddenly, he could hear the shouts of attackers as Jorund and Habrok kept new attackers of the low cliff at bay.
Shit! I thought those bastards had enough for a while. You take a sneak peek and look what happens.
Their second day the campsite started well enough. Habrok found a small stream not far from the cliffside, got a deer, and laid down some traps along the forest trail starting from the forest entrance to the cliff. He was also able to eliminate two dokkalfr scouts trying to enter the forest. Habrok stashed the bodies in a small gulch but didn't have time and capacity to strip them of weapons and armor. They must have thought them to be just hunters to be foolhardy enough to move in the daytime. Or really stupid dokkalfr.
Jorund, for his part, started putting up a few wooden barricades behind the top of the low cliff which was about twelve to fifteen feet in height. He built them in a way that they could be released and crush those below the cliff in an emergency. Cutting the trees was not much of a problem with Tyler’s ability to create blades. Even his lifting ability helped, though at first, it strained his mind. Pointed stakes at the bottom of the cliff and in the area before it were also placed.
He had made sure that the area before the cliff was cleared of trees thirty feet out. He didn’t want enemies to have the expediency of just cutting nearby trees to fall and use as makeshift ladders. Some of the smaller trees and branches were made into sharpened large stakes. After sharpening both ends, Tyler positioned them on the ground for Jorund with his LIFT! ability. Habrok could add more traps between the posts, he thought.
It was exhausting work. He had to use the healing spell Eira gave him to rejuvenate their stamina several times. But he knew he couldn’t overuse the ability. He had no idea of the long-term effect on muscle regeneration would be. A torn muscle even if healed needs time to fully recover.
When the top of the cliff and area before it had the modicum of defensive arrangements, he asked Jorund to add more brambles to the deadly field and set his own traps. As with Habrok, he knew full-scale pit traps cannot be made due to time constraints. Wounding and debilitating traps would do. Though the stakes themselves should claim a few lives. That much he expected.
After finishing with the field for the day, the two went to the stream Habrok mentioned. It gushed from a break in the mountain wall and flowed right through the forest. While Jorund collected water, Tyler cut down trees on the opposite bank, creating a fire break of twenty feet. With the AWAY! spell, he cleared the fire break area. But the fire break area only continued for fifty feet downstream. He didn’t have the time to expand it further.
By late afternoon, Jorund and Tyler started to work on the campsite. He raised large boulders towards the ledge with his lifting ability, positioning them as best as he could. Jorund was sharpening more stakes from the felled trees in the clearing. The warrior explained that he wanted the clearing to have long sharpened stakes standing upright, with a few slightly slanted ones, to discourage drakes and other creatures from landing. If they are able to land, the stakes will limit their movement.
Tyler did notice that Jorund also began stacking some makeshift spears beside the lodge. The companions ate as they worked. Even Habrok already brought with him his food for the day, intending not to return until after dusk.
When the three gathered for the night, with another healing spell courtesy of Tyler, he emphasized that any scouting or raiding group attacking them should, as much as possible, be totally eliminated. This will give them more time as the commander of the enemy will consider successful the raiding or scouting done by his troops, and will not concern himself with them until a considerable time has passed without any report. For the night, he told them to be extra careful as he expected unfriendly visitors.
As the rule now is to eat when hungry, with no fixed meal times, he left the two to discuss more preparations. He went inside the cabin to check on the available water and food. The food situation was good, enough to last them a week if they don’t overindulge. About the water, he counted sixteen full waterskins. All the unfilled ones had been used. He decided to prepare at least two boulders to serve as water tanks for other uses. By cutting off the top and making a hollow within with his blade ability, such storage could be made. Thankfully, on the latrine requirement, Jorund fixed the existing one, rebuilding the damaged sidewalls and dumping fresh soil down the opening.
He entered the cabin and sat down amid the low lighting of the square lamp. He started experimenting with making orbs with very thin shells which could crack at a sudden jar or impact. It took him a few tries. Too thin a shell and it falls apart with a touch. Too thick and the shell would need several throws into the ground to break open. He needed a thickness which would need the right pressure to crack. A design like an egg.
Finally, he was able to duplicate the thickness required and created an orb the size of a small ball. That would make it handy enough but he assumed it would last at least a day and a half before dissolving back into the magical energy it came from. He decided to stick with light orbs. Fireball grenades would be dangerous for others to handle. He wasn’t sure about how the inner fire energy will dissipate. It may quietly dissolve or go back with a bang. The light orb was much safer. As he had no practice yet with the lightning ability given by Odin, he also decided to forget bottling it in a grenade-like form. Same safety considerations as with the fireball spell. Satisfied, he made nine light orb-shaped grenades.
Turning his attention to the campsite, he shaped thin rectangular forms and asked the two to distribute them along the edges of the clearing and in the staked ground itself. Some he emplaced in the area of the trail entrance and around the cabin. He asked Habrok to mind and remember the placements, intending to replace those that dissolve when the time comes. The light grenades he gave three each to the two, with three for himself, asking Jorund to devise a carrying pouch for them. After instructing them with its use, he turned in. As expected, it had been a tiring day.
His sleep was rudely interrupted by Habrok’s shout of alarm.
“FORAD!”
Tyler hurriedly got out of the cabin. Habrok was retreating towards him from his outlook position on the rocks facing down on the trail. Jorund was also awake and now beside him, armored and armed.
“Everybody stay in the light,” said Tyler as he conjured up another lamp, brightly lit this time, “What happened, Habrok?”
“Saw mist figures moving through the trees. Good thing it’s a moonlit night. Otherwise, I would have missed them.”
“Jorund, where do think will they be coming from?”
“Through the trail, my lord. Even if they are mist, I doubt if they can get through rocks and soil. Mist can be prevented from coming into a room by glass.”
“Spread out but stay within the light. Remember, they can extend their reach.”
Tyler lit one of the thin rectangular forms placed near the trail. With only dim lighting and at the same time he dimmed the illumination of his lamp.
“Get your orbs out and wait. But keep them hidden.” Looking around, Tyler resolved to have buffer barricades before the trail opening. It could provide much-needed cover in future confrontations.
The trio waited, fear and anticipation marking their poses. Tyler felt the same apprehensions but as he had fought them before and won, he knew their vulnerability. He gripped his staff tight.
After a while, a misty figure came up the trail. It stopped momentarily when confronted by the dimly light lamp before it. It moved to the side and shortly, four more joined it. For a moment, the five monsters kept their silence and stayed where they are.
Either they’ve learned to wait and plan or the light gave them pause. Tyler was observing them as they also took stock of the trio before them. This also means there’s dokkalfr following. With a night-mage.
Finally, the five figures slithered towards them, keeping some distance from the dim light. As they came an area fully covered by the shapes Tyler planted before, he shouted to the two to cover their eyes. He also closed his eyes.
LIGHT!
He cast the light spell with all the will he could muster, limiting the ignition to the area where the creatures converged. Even with his eyes shut, the initial light of the combined lamps was blinding enough to flash through his closed eyelids. When he opened his eyes, the five monsters were gone. Their demise was soundless. He shut the lights down and upon checking, saw the rectangular forms were still there.
Got you, bitches! That night-mage must now be pissed. Tyler told the two to expect dokkalfr and a night-mage.
“Come on, let’s meet them on top of the cliff! We only have a few minutes before they get here!”
After the three reached the top of the cliff, they huddled behind one of the log barricades.
“When the time comes, I will light lamps above those trees. Habrok, shoot and move. Stay to the left of Jorund. If you see the mage, make him your priority. Jorund, stay here and deal with whoever climbs up. Give me notice when you see them among the trees. I will be too busy to watch for them. Move!”
Tyler moved to the next barricade. Peering out, he could see the top of the trees outlined against the moon. Gathering his will, he formed shapes up on the treetops, trying to get the shapes to conform to the branches to avoid falling off. Placing the light shapes took more time than he expected as after only finishing a few, he heard Jorund’s warning whisper.
They’re here! Now let’s see how many have they sent.
As Tyler peered cautiously, he could discern shapes moving from tree to tree. An involuntary sigh of relief escaped him, the numbers of the foe appeared to be less than what he expected. After a few seconds, he saw three shapes fall down in rapid succession. Habrok had drawn first blood.
After that, arrows started hitting the barricades and bouncing off the rocks. The night sight of the dark elves was already serving them well. Some of the arrows were getting too close for comfort. Then a fireball was cast. He could see the flight of the fiery spell coming from the trees and hitting Jorund’s barricade. But the casting of the spell also silhouetted the mage who immediately sprouted an arrow in his neck.
DONE! Good work Habrok, exulted Tyler. He then ignited the tree lamps to the brightest illumination he could manage. He quickly peeked from the side of the barricade. There were about twenty left, several figures lay crumpled among the trees, fallen prey of Habrok’s runic bow. A few were already in the cleared area before the cliff, picking their way among the sharpened stakes. But the sudden illumination played havoc with their sight and many were trying to cover their eyes.
With a BLADE! spell, five targeted projectiles cut down the three moving among the stakes while Habrok’s archery skills cut down two more. While the lamps were brightening the field, it was like shooting stationary targets. Amid another BLADE! spell which downed four, the ranger’s bow took out another.
Then Jorund joined the fray. The man was thankfully unharmed though Tyler guessed he must have been stunned a bit when the spell hit. To avoid the deadly spell, Jorund must have taken a position a few feet behind the barricade. It was the first time Tyler saw the warrior in action. The man must have enhanced movement on top of his other protective runes.
With unbelievable speed, he rushed the blinded dokkalfr, first killing one with a thrown knife. Then he was among a group of five, his battleaxe swinging expertly, cutting limbs and heads indiscriminately. It was clear that Jorund went first for incapacitation instead of lethality. Nice move, thought Tyler. He could come back and eliminate whoever he didn’t kill immediately on his first pass.
Out of the corner of his eye, Tyler spied Habrok already among the trees, in a fast pace, bow drawn, and moving to the back of the dokkalfr band. As Habrok stopped, he let fly arrows again. He was an exceptional shot. Every arrow hit their mark though in a few instances, two arrows hit a target in quick succession. Making sure, Tyler observed.
But he couldn’t cast a spell since Jorund was like a whirlwind darting in and among the trees. The warrior’s movements left Tyler unable to target anyone. After a while, Jorund stopped and walked back, pausing at times to finish off a crawling and bloody dokkalfr warrior. Habrok disappeared from his sight. Probably to check the back of the woods. After Jorund was done, Tyler let down a rope and went to the man.
“That was a good fight, my lord,” commented Jorund when he saw Tyler coming. The man’s armor was coated with blood. Red, he observed, dokkalfr also had red blood.
What was that quotation by a known writer? All of God’s children got hemoglobin?
“They’re all done?”
“Yes, my lord. Though Habrok is still doing his rounds to make sure nobody escaped or is following this group.”
“Are you hurt? You’ve got so much blood on you that I don’t know which is yours and which is theirs.”
“Only small cuts from the debris resulting from that fireball, my lord.”
Tyler went to the warrior and cast a quick healing spell. Jorund markedly straightened up.
“Thank you, my lord. Your skills impress me.”
“Thank me when this is all over. We better start gathering their armor and weapons. We may be able to use them. Are you good with a bow?
“Passable, my lord. I can hit a deer at a hundred paces.”
“Good, get one and as many quivers as you can. I forgot to get you one back in Scarburg. With two bowmen, we can do double casualties at a distance. Come, I want to see the body of the night-mage.”
The night-mage was dressed in a black hooded robe, tied at the waist with a leather belt engraved with symbols. Tyler wondered how Habrok was able to kill him. The mage must be protected against arrows. Is it because he just cast a spell and was concentrating on the flight of the fireball? He searched the body and found three small runic plates. He gave them to Jorund. He'll have somebody look at them back in town. The night-mage was tall and slim for a dokkalfr but true to form, he had dusky skin, almost grayish. His eyes and mouth were open, though Tyler noticed the face was heavily tattooed with runic symbols up to his bald pate.
“Not your typical dokkalfr?”
“Yes, my lord. Tall for one. Must be a noble.”
Noble dokkalfr are taller than the norm? Interesting.
“You want to start stripping them? How about their bodies?”
“I can start already, my lord, but bodies will just be buried in a shallow grave here, just before the trees. If scavengers start on them, the better. Their body parts chewed on and scattered around will put a little fear on anybody who follows. This site is far and low enough. The smell won’t reach our campsite but will disturb dokkalfr noses. I expect more to come.”
“Riiiggghhhtttt. I'll be at the campsite. Please also ask Habrok to reset his traps tomorrow. Also yours. I believe they were effective. Some of these dokkalfr have wounds on their feet and legs.”
“That they do, my lord. That they do,” said Jorund with a tight smile. Tyler was shocked. The man knows how to smile! But the circumstances for it were a bit chilling.
The Accidental Archmage: Book One - Ragnarok Rising (MOBI EDITION) Page 28