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Copyright © 2006 – 2008
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- May God have mercy upon my enemies,
- because I won’t.
-George S. Patton, Jr.
Liberation
An hour before sunrise, Kadin was gently shaken awake by his aide, who moved on to the other senior officers in the citadel once he was assured his commander was, in fact, up and moving. Kadin quickly splashed some cold water on his face and rinsed his hands before moving towards the command post over the north gate, from where he would direct the defense of the city this day.
As he was striding down the great hall towards the main entrance, Alaric stepped out of the shadows and wrapped the person he loved more than any other in a gentle hug that conveyed to Kadin all the things Alaric couldn’t put into words: a silent acknowledgement of the love they shared, and that the father wanted to son to come home safely. No words were exchanged before Alaric briefly tightened his hug, squeezing his son one more time before they headed off to their respective duty assignments. Alaric abruptly broke the hug and spun on his heel as he strode off to take command of the city’s infantry force.
Kadin watched the broad back of his father as it disappeared into the early morning gloom before shaking himself and resuming his steady stride towards the gate. As he drew close to the assembly area, his keen sense of smell was overwhelmed with the scent of horse, even as he began to hear the sounds of hooves on cobbles, the jingle of harness, and the clanking of plate armor. Striding to the head of the force, he stepped to the side of the two leaders and reached up a hand to Captain Evan and Lieutenant Hawes, who was second in command to the recuperating Baron Kovak. Exchanging a warrior’s handclasp with each, Kadin quietly offered, “Good luck, captain, may Vindayin smile upon us this day.”
Evan returned a nervous smile before replying, “Indeed, general. May the gods lend us their strength today. Good luck to us all, my friend.”
With that, Kadin strode to the stairs to his command post above the north gate of the city, taking the steps two at a time in an effort to burn off some of his nervous energy. Reaching his command post, he nodded to the young army officer who had assumed command of the day watch before clapping the recently promoted Sergeant Major Tomas McIlvain on the shoulder. McIlvain had become Kadin’s right hand: a source of hard earned battle wisdom, and information on the morale of the enlisted troopers in the city.
“Good morning, sergeant major, are things ready to give our unwanted guests a nasty morning surprise?” Kadin inquired.
The sergeant major’s face split into a wide grin as he replied, “Aye, sir, that we are. You and the lads did a right good job of demoralizing them last night. I can’t wait to see their reactions when the sun comes up.”
Kadin shot the man a big grin in response just as one of the citadel pages came running into the room. The young lad stiffened to attention before his commander before reporting, “General, Marshal Hellstrom and Marshal Caradog report that their forces are ready and in position. They report they await your signal to begin moving into their assault positions.”
Kadin nodded, acknowledging the page’s report before stepping to the observation slits and scanning the battlefield, his sharp Alvar eyes picking out details that most wouldn’t see even with a telescope. Seeing that the sun was breaking over the eastern horizon and that the forces of the dark were beginning to stir, he decided there was no time like the present to spring their little surprise.
Turning to the waiting page, Kadin ordered, “Page, run to the bailey and find Captain Alaric. Tell him to launch the green rocket, please.”
The youth sketched a quick bow towards Kadin before running off to carry out his orders as fast as his young legs could carry him. Kadin stepped out of the command post, where he could overlook the bailey, before telling Sergeant McIlvain, “Tom, please have the men run up the banners.”
Moments later, a series of banners were hoisted onto the flagpoles above the gatehouse. The first, with pride of place, was the banner of the Baron of Caemlann, the shimmering white silk proudly displaying a shield rendered in gules, a pale argent, proudly overlaid with the majestic Ironwood Pine, displayed proper.
The second banner, given the position of honor next to the colors of the host city, was the banner of its commanding officer, the azure blue silk catching the wind and belling outward, proudly displaying the quartered arms of the royal house of the Greenwood, cadenced with the label of the heir to the throne in or, and above the shield, the symbol of the crown prince of the Greenwood, a golden crown of interwoven linden leaves: now Kadin’s arms in his newly acknowledged role.
The first quarter was gules blazoned with the emblem of the house of Aradan, the three royal scallop shells in argent, divided by a fess in argent. The second quarter, in azure, was surmounted by the symbol of the Greenwood, the linden tree shown proper. The third quarter, in azure, held a representation of the compass, in sable, its beam pointing to the great northern star, also in argent. Finally, the fourth quarter, in gules, held the royal lion of Kronar, rampant, in or, in honor of the old kingdom.
To the other side of the colors of Caemlann, the third banner displayed announced the interest of the kingdom in the coming conflict: for the shimmering azure silk was proudly blazoned with a shield, in gules, overlaid with the royal lion of Kronar, in or, shown rampant, cadenced with a martlet in argent: the arms of the fourth son of the king of Kronar, Captain Evan ab Eloron.
Just as the milling and leaderless orcs and goblins noticed the banners fluttering and snapping in the wind, there was a loud whoosh shattering the quiet of the morning. The whoosh took a rocket to a position high over the city, where it loudly exploded, the angry sound drawing every eye towards the cascade of green sparks slowly falling back towards the earth.
As had been prearranged, that signal unleashed a series of actions. The deafening silence following the rocket blast was broken again, this time by the sound of clattering chain, followed immediately with a dull boom as the drawbridge fell into is foundations on the far side of the moat. The cavalry commander, Captain Eloron, rose in his stirrups, and swung his right arm forward, silently ordering the cavalry force forward, the huge war horses clattering across the drawbridge in ac orderly column of four, their armored riders curbing the horses, keeping them from the charge they so badly desired, the formation moving forward at a slow parade ground trot, drawing every eye to them as they moved forward.
Barely had the knights of the cavalry force cleared the drawbridge when the wood of the drawbridge began to resound with the sound of the measured tread of the infantry, the thousands of armored pikemen, archers, and swordsmen following the cavalry onto the field, neatly flowing into phalanx formations on either side of the neatly arrayed cavalry force, the archers behind the protection of the pikemen, who were, in turn, protected by the swordsmen behind them.
When the mesmerizing sight of the last infantry had moved into position, the formation raised their pikes and lances to the vertical, a forest of sharpened steel glinting in the morning sun, the brightly colored pennons fluttering and snapping in the morning breeze. When his force was in place, and the house guard had taken up positions to defend the drawbridge and its gate, Kadin again signaled for a rocket to be launched. As before, the rocket whooshed into the clear morning air, every eye following its path into the azure sky. This time, the rocket, when it exploded, rained down a shower of red sparks.
While the eyes of the enemy force were still on the fading sparks of the signal rocket, the plain surrounding Caemlann suddenly came alive with the sound of trumpets signaling thousands of warhorses into motion, whinnying and snorting their irritation and defiance at the enemy forces, as their harness jingled and clinked. This was accompanied by shouted orders from all sides of the valley and the steady beat of kettle drums, measuring the pace followed by tens of thousands of infantry moving into positions surrounding the forces of the dark.
The orcs and goblins began to comprehend their situation when they found, to all intents and purposes, that they were surrounded and outnumbered at least five to one. The massive kingdom force steadied into their assault positions, the sunlight glinting from polished armor, and a forest of lances and pikes. The brightly colored standards proudly arrayed across the field showing the massive support from Kelandra under the banner of Marshal Hellstrom, with tens of thousands more from Wildon, under the banner of Marshal Caradog. In addition to the troops of Kronar, thousands more gathered under the banners of neighboring kingdoms: dwarven troops under the banner of Galus, the crown prince of the Iron Hills, elvin and Alvar archers from the Greenwood under Captain Aslief’s banner, as well as royal Melnese infantry, and light cavalry from the kingdom of Corellon. All told, a force in excess of one hundred thousand troops had been raised to remove the threat to Caemlann, and restore peace through the kingdom.
A low groan ran through the forces of the dark as they realized that the forces of the light had no intention of simply running them off into the forest this time; that they had finally had enough and intended to destroy the entire force that had been besieging the great city of Caemlann for months. The few surviving leaders amongst the dark forces broke the calm, attempting to shout their forces into some form of order to meet the threat that had appeared.
Kadin, seeing the dark creatures beginning to move and organize, realized that the time had come and signaled to his siege engines, which had been carefully moved into the foulburgh to bring them into range. The contents of the catapults and trebuchets were quickly set alight and launched into the midst of the milling mass of dark creatures. This action not only disrupted the few attempts to organize the orcs and goblins, but signaled the surrounding kingdom and allied forces to begin moving forward. As the burning casks hit their targets and exploded, the entire force lowered their lances and pikes towards their enemy and advanced, the lowering of the weapons breaking like a wave as the forces began to move forward deliberately towards the opposing force.
As the infantry began moving forward, the cavalry forces began to accelerate forward, gradually building speed into an implacable charge, the four armored forces charging into the disorganized mass of orcs and goblins. The horses trampled anything in their path, the lances of the armored knights seeking out the largest and most dangerous orcs before they were discarded in favor of their broadswords, which were drawn with an audible steely hiss. After the carnage of the initial cavalry charge, the four forces reorganized themselves, as planned, into a single line formation and began a second charge into the enemy after the archer force had first taken the opportunity to whittle away at the forces arrayed before them.
The cavalry force accelerated east towards the milling orcs and goblins, and a fresh set of lances lowered towards the hastily thrown together defensive lines of the enemy. As before, the massive chargers crashed through the thin defense, lances plunging into and through the biggest threats, opening gaps in the line that the force poured through, the slashing of the warhorses’ steel shod hooves doing nearly as much damage as the flashing swords of the cavalry’s armored knights.
The cavalry slashed its way deeply into the disorganized mass of dark creatures before wheeling north and south, pouring back though openings in their own lines to enable them to rearm, and reform for yet another charge. The infantry closed ranks as the last of the horses charged through, and continued their implacable advance towards the dazed and leaderless orcs, at last making contact with their hated enemies, able at last to vent their anger at the attacks and carnage the dark creatures had caused throughout the eleven kingdoms. The line of fighting orcs and goblins, while barely holding together, was being steadily pushed towards the east and the anvil of forces waiting for the evil creatures to close with them. To the east, the forces under Marshal Hellstrom had been given strict instructions that they were to hold their positions, acting as the anvil to the hammering forces from the west, thereby maintaining the encirclement of the enemy, so that they could not escape to fight another day.
Reprovisioned at last, the cavalry reformed their formation for a third charge. Once in position, the infantry line disengaged from the orcs and goblins, forming into defensive squares with shields and pikes facing outward while the cavalry streamed through the openings, closing ranks into phalanx formations they had created. As the groups of cavalry reformed their skirmish line, the infantry closed the gaps behind the cavalry, again sealing the evil creatures into the ever-tightening formation.
At the center of the cavalry line, a lone knight, who Kadin was sure had to be Evan, rose in his stirrups and shouted, “Cavalry forces, at the charge, advance!”
Again, the cavalry accelerated towards the lines of orcs and goblins. This time, however, the remaining creatures had taken enough and broke, the routed forces streaming towards the northeast and the waiting forces of Marshal Hellstrom. As the evil creatures approached, the pikemen advanced to the front of the line, and set their weapons, the pikemen protected by a shield wall. As the gap closed, the archers at the rear of the formation pulled their arrows back to full draw, aimed high to arch the fire above their own forces, and began firing into the approaching enemy force as rapidly as possible.
Watching from his observation point, Kadin saw the arrow fire arch upward, the fire so rapid and so steady, it appeared as if a curtain of death was being drawn across the forces of darkness. When the arrow fire began to land amongst the enemy, the entire formation staggered, as hundreds dropped in their tracks from the sheer volume of fire; their falling bodies tripping up the progress of hundreds more, even as the arrow fire continued to walk through the enemy formation.
The volume of fire, and the approaching cavalry, with the supporting infantry right behind, began to squeeze the forces of the dark, and the orcs and goblins compressed into a solid phalanx almost by accident. As the cavalry drew back and assembled for another charge, the hair on the back of Kadin’s neck suddenly stood up, as he detected the buildup of a massive charge of magical force. Scanning the distant lines, Kadin spotted his nemesis, Farwalker Redbush, his form glowing with an evil lime green nimbus of power that grew by the second. Understanding that Redbush intended to breach Marshal Hellstrom’s lines with magical force, Kadin shielded himself and tapped into a seldom used skill, and jumped into the fray directly with a line of sight jump. As Kadin appeared, surrounded with a crimson nimbus of power, he drew his katana as he was rushed by Farwalker’s bodyguards, a pair of heavily armored orcs.
Seeing his chance to act closing, Kadin drew a dagger from his belt and threw it towards Farwalker with all his strength. Even as the dagger left on its way towards the dark druid, Kadin sensed that the force Redbush had assembled was being unleashed. As he was engaged by two massive orcs, Kadin didn’t witness the direct impact of the force the evil Hazar had unleashed. As the spell energy made contact with the troops standing between Redbush and his surviving forces, a massive blast killed everything in its path, opening up an escape corridor for the remnants of the siege army, which wasted no time in taking full advantage of the new escape route, the pitiful remnants of a once proud army running for their lives towards the safety of the woods, completely ignoring the young Alvar prince who was heavily engaged with the second of Farwalker’s bodyguards, having rapidly dispatched the first with a high slash that had removed the head from the hideous beast.
So engaged was Kadin that he also failed to notice the effect of his dagger throw. Farwalker had used every bit of power in conjuring the blast to sunder Marshal Hellstrom’s lines, and had no opportunity to shield himself after releasing his attack. He sneered at the forces arrayed about him, and turned towards the sounds of swordplay, a move that doubtless saved his life, as Kadin’s dagger took him in the shoulder, sinking into the body of the dark druid all the way to the hilt, and staggering Farwalker as he spotted Kadin, the bane of his existence, fighting his way towards him through his only surviving bodyguard.
Knowing his powers to be severely depleted, Farwalker glared at Kadin, his eyes alight with malice as, with a grimace of pain, he removed and dropped the offending dagger. Kadin quickly staggered his remaining opponent with a fast moving shield of air before burying his katana in its heart, quickly whispered a familiar incantation and readied himself to throw a pair of spinning ice blades at the evil Hazar, but before the blades had half closed the distance, the Hazar druid winked out of existence, the spinning blades cutting their way through several panicked orcs who happened to run directly into the path of the deadly weapons.
Knowing he needed to get himself out of the path of a rout army, Kadin quickly recovered his katana and his dagger and willed himself back to the citadel, where a very surprised Sergeant Major McIlvain spun in place, sword raised to strike, as he took in the sweaty form of his young commander, whose weapons were dripping with gore from the orcs he had killed.
“God’s almighty, sir. You nearly scared me out of ten years of my life, which I can’t spare!” the sergeant major exclaimed. “Where did you disappear to, sir?”
Kadin took a moment and drew a calming breath before responding. “I saw Farwalker Redbush preparing to attack our forces from behind and went to try to stop him. I killed his bodyguard and winged him, but it wasn’t enough to stop him. Any idea how many of his forces escaped the trap, sergeant?”
As the sergeant major was about to respond, Alaric approached the command table and answered the question for him. “Kadin, it looks like about four thousand managed to escape the encirclement, thanks to Redbush and his magical intervention.” Alaric asked the sergeant major to track down something cold to drink before approaching his foster son and asking in a quiet voice, “What were you thinking, son? You could have been killed!”
Kadin approached his Dad, and hugged the person he loved most in the entire world. As the young Alvar prince straightened from his hug and stepped back to look his Dad in the eyes, he replied, “Dad, I hoped I could distract him long enough to save a few lives. I wasn’t able to, but I had to try. Still, I did manage to nick him. I threw my dagger at him and it buried itself in his right shoulder.”
Alaric stared at his son in amazement for a moment before the import of Kadin’s words sunk in. “Kadin, you mean to tell me you have something with his blood on it?”
Kadin nodded his head in the affirmative, and handed his dagger across to Alaric. As the older man took the blade, he saw that it was the same one Kadin had used in his blood bonding ceremony a year earlier. Alaric quickly cast a stasis field around the dagger, protecting the blade, and the blood on it, preventing it from drying or decaying.
What Kadin did not know, as he was only beginning to study master level spell craft, was that there were a number of magical applications for the blood of an enemy, and Alaric was shocked to his core that a master echelon druid would simply leave such an important artifact where an enemy could get his hands on it. Farwalker Redbush must have been injured far more than Kadin had assumed to make such a mistake.
Alaric placed the blade in a pouch at his waist and congratulated Kadin for thinking as quickly as he had in retrieving the dagger under battlefield conditions. “Still, son, I do wish you were a bit less impulsive. You are in command here. What if something had happened that needed your authority to make a decision in the heat of battle?”
Kadin conceded the point with a simple nod of his head, but replied, “I understand your point, Dad, but there was no one else who could act at that point in time. If I had been able to kill Farwalker, our job would have become much easier.”
Alaric took a deep breath and realized he was reacting as a father, not as a captain and baron. Realizing that Kadin had acted in the same fashion he would have, had their roles been reversed, he shook his head before slowly smiling at his son. “I’m sorry, son, you did the right thing, I just have a hard time letting go of being your Dad.”
With that comment, Alaric draped his arm across Kadin’s shoulders and led him from the command post and out onto the battlements, where a discrete Sergeant Major McIlvain was waiting with three pewter ale jacks whose contents were foaming over the rim. The mugs were quickly distributed and the trio observed the remaining activities out on the field of battle, which was being quickly cleared to make room for the victorious armies, the bodies of the fallen enemy already being buried in a mass grave far from the field of battle.
The ale was quickly consumed, and Kadin and Alaric were soon out amongst the men, healing wounds, sharing a quiet word of thanks and congratulations, or a simple pat on the back for a job well done. At long last, the field of battle had been cleared, and tents began to sprout all across the recent scene of so much bloodshed. Before long, barrels of ale were rolled out on wagons to the various campsites, and those not on duty were able to drink to their victory around their respective campfires, and hoist a pint or two in honor of those comrades who had paid for the victory with their lives.
It was a somber group who gathered that evening in the great hall of the Baron of Caemlann to toast their victory and to consider next steps. The evening took an unexpected turn when the baron himself joined the celebration. He was pale and had lost a great deal of weight, but his voice was strong and his hands steady as he joined in the conversation, gradually moving from group to group and passing along his personal thanks for the efforts of all involved in saving his city from the forces of Farwalker Redbush.
Marshal Hellstrom stepped to the head of the table and gently tapped a spoon on the side of his wine goblet to get everyone’s attention. Conversations gradually subsided as the assembled leaders turned their attention to the senior officer in the army of the kingdom of Kronar. Marshal Hellstrom set his spoon on the table before addressing the group.
“My friends, we have managed a great victory today against the forces of the dark, with the help of a great many of our friends. We would not have won the day with the minimal casualties we did, had it not been for our friends from Melna, Corellon, the Greenwood, and the Iron Hills.” The marshal raised his glass towards the allied commanders before saying, “To our good friends and allies.”
The assembled group raised their glasses in salute to their allies, before repeating, “To good friends.”
Marshal Hellstrom turned to Baron Kovak, who picked up the marshal’s line of thought saying, “We would have lost this city were it not for a number of people who stepped out of the shadows and assumed positions of great authority, where they acquitted themselves in fine fashion. Captain Evan ab Eloron assumed command of my cavalry force, and has done such a fine job that I doubt they’ll have me back.”
This comment drew an appreciative chuckle from the assembled leaders, knowing that the Baron was a fine commander and leader, much loved by his cavalry force.
Baron Kovak continued, “It is also true that Baron Alaric stepped forward and took a senior leadership position out of love for the kingdom, and my city, despite his own wishes to live a simple, quiet life in the woods. Alaric, my friend, I’ll never be able to repay the loyalty and support you’ve shown.”
The baron reached for a sip of water before continuing, “Still, both of these men have some measure of military training, and have led men in the past. My greatest surprise has been the way Alaric’s son, Kadin, stepped into the role of commander of the city in my absence. During my convalescence, Kadin did himself, the city of Caemlann, the kingdom of Kronar, and his native home in the Greenwood proud. He led this city, gentlemen, taking advice from his counselors and advisors, and making his own decisions, even when those decisions brought him into some disagreement with his own father. I’m reminded of something my father once told me. He said, ‘any fool can go though life and not make any enemies. A leader, on the other hand, will make enemies his entire life, because it is the nature of a leader to act, and act decisively.’ Kadin, my friend, thank you for making the tough decisions, for leading from the front, and for doing what you thought best in time of crisis.”
Baron Kovak reached for his wine goblet before continuing, “My friends, we face a number of challenges in the future. We know that our enemies are hiding a significant force somewhere to the northeast. These forces must be contained, confronted, and destroyed. The evil the orc and the goblin nations represent will ever dog our steps, unless and until we take action to destroy that threat forever. We will win through eventually, as long as those of stout heart are willing to stand forth and be counted in the things that matter most. In this case, a young man of another nation was willing to stand with the light and be counted amongst those of stout heart here in Kronar. My friends, I’d like to propose a toast to that young man. Please raise your glass with me in drinking to that young man: General Kadin ab Alaric. To your very good health, Kadin, and continued success!”
The group soundly, and loudly, echoed the baron’s toast, and loudly cheered the young man who had led the city in its most dire need. While all the cheering was still in progress, a slightly embarrassed Kadin stepped forward to stand between the Marshal of Kronar and the Baron of Caemlann, both of whom laid companionable hands on his shoulders, the only sign of his discomfort being his slightly rosy cheeks.
Kadin motioned for quiet after requesting that glasses of water be distributed to the assembled officers and senior NCO’s. Once everyone had a fresh glass of water, Kadin said, “It has long been tradition that the final toast of the evening celebrating a great victory be drunk with water, and I feel greatly honored that Baron Kovak asked me to be the one to propose this toast.”
Kadin snapped to rigid attention before raising his water glass in toast, “To absent friends.”