Year 2: The First Conflicts - Chapter 8

Along the eastern borders of their territory, the Yun Shogunate had constructed many strongholds to keep their neighbours in the east from daring to venture into their territory.

Ever since the rise of the Demon Empire, those fortresses now served as the first line of defence against any and all attacks from the Demon Emperor’s forces. Now, where once there had been only a few hundred guards in each, there were thousands of defenders in each mighty fortress.

Fort Gargarath was one of those strongholds.

With three walls, two keeps and thirty watch towers, it was the perfect defensive base for the Free People’s Alliance, and it was the perfect test subject for the Demon Emperor’s forces.

***

The first they knew of the attack was the sound.

The sound of scampering.

Fast, growing closer and closer, scurrying.

The sentries on watch wondered what the noise was before they finally saw it; the grey horde of undead, armed with iron weapons with no armour or banners.

Alarms rang out from the watch towers as hundreds of men-at-arms leapt into action, grabbing their gear and dashing onto the walls. Mages, archers and artillery fired upon the encroaching horde, destroying many corpses, but the undead kept on charging their positions.

Ladders were pushed against the walls and the skeletons started to climb.

Their progress was slow, made slower by the defenders throwing rocks, arrows and magical blasts down upon them. Those that made it to the battlements were swiftly destroyed by macemen and swordsmen.

However, the undead had numbers and dozens of ladders, allowing many to make it onto the wall. Even then, the causalities the defenders sustained were minimal with few fatalities.

***

“Is this it?”

“It appears so, my lord.”

“…The might of the Demon Empire, or a distraction to draw our gaze?”

“Perhaps both.”

“Perhaps isn’t enough of an answer. Dispatch riders and contact the mages at the other forts; see if they’ve spotted anything.”

“My lord, urgent message from the eastern watchtowers! Thousands of undead are going around the fortress and heading straight for the nearest village.”

“What?! Captain, dispatch the rear-guard, immediately!”

***

Half a mile away, on top of a steep cliff face, Mímir, Hermes and Jorōgumo watched the raid on Fort Gargarath.

“Hmm, quite the effective fighting force, aren’t they?”

“If nothing else, they’re more competent than the guards of Castle Kelsey.”

Hermes chuckled. “I seem to remember hearing stories of how you and Fenrir almost lost your lives for underestimating your opponents.”

“That is a much different situation to this, Court Wizard.”

“Quite right.” Hermes slowly stood up and brushed his cloak down. “However, it’s best to remember that the Free People’s Alliance are not the same as the Holy Legion. The Holy Legion were unprepared for the onslaught of demons and undead that the Dark Lord brought upon them. They are.

“The refugees will have no doubt told tales of the Machai, the Hysminai, the Awoken and the Dread Knights. The Neikea might elude them for now but, in time, they’ll learn what they can do too. The element of surprise is a wonderful thing, when you have it. But only when you have it.”

On that, we can agree, Hermes.

Shortly after the summoned heroes arrived in Aangapea, the Demon Emperor called his council together to reveal that he would only launch small attacks every month on the Free People’s Alliance, with the intention of probing their defences for weaknesses and testing their military strength.

Fort Gargarath, along with many other fortresses, guarded the borders of the alliance and the Demon Emperor’s armies would need to battle their way through them to invade the western half of Aangapea.

This raid, with what the Court Wizard called ‘a spare horde of skeletons’, was nothing more than an experiment, designed to probe the fortress’s readiness and ability to repel even the most basic of soldiers the Demon Empire had to offer. As two-thirds assaulted the fort, the last third would sneak around the outside and try to plunder the nearest village.

It was impossible for them to go unnoticed, but that was the point.

Everyone in the east knew that the attack would surely fail, but that was beside the point.

However, this wasn’t the sole purpose of tonight’s attack.

Jorōgumo’s brood, as well as a few squads of Mímir’s Ravens, were also sneaking across the border to expand the ever-growing intelligence network of the Demon Empire.

While the two generals watched on and analysed the battlefield, Jorōgumo was only present to confirm that her brood had successfully infiltrated the north-west and deep into the Yun Shogunate.

Now, show us your hand, foolish mortals.

***

The ten thousand skeletons did not try to conceal their presence as they ran through the tree line.

If anything, they made as much noise as possible, to make sure there was no way the Free People’s Alliance would miss their attack.

All in aide of allowing the spies to sneak in and to thoroughly test the Alliance’s response and time to act.

Within two minutes of the horde being reported, hundreds of calvary had been dispatched, supported by thousands of foot soldiers. Together, they create an impenetrable barrier around the skeletons, before allowing the mounted soldiers and archers in the rear to unleash wave after wave of devastating attacks.

The undead tried to break through the foot soldier’s formations, but they were completely repelled and destroyed.

Within five minutes, the ten thousand undead had been reduced to a field of bones and the raid concluded.

***

“Lord Protecter Hithas!”

“Report.”

“My lord, the undead have been completely annihilated both outside and at the walls of Fort Gargarath. We lost fourteen men and have another hundred or so wounded inside the fortress. Outside, the casualties are a little higher with nearly eight dead and two hundred wounded.”

“I see. Good work. Any reports of demons or the like?”

“None at all.”

“…Understood. Yule.”

“My lord?”

“Contact the mages at the other forts and see if they suffered a similar attack, or if they noticed anything out of the ordinary tonight. I want full details on their reports on my desk by dawn tomorrow.”

***

This one has witnessed many things.

This one has made it safely across.

This one has spied mages talking to no one.

This one has crossed and is heading for the capital.

This one was the last to cross.

This one has observed another mage talking to no one, but, if combined, their conversations become one.

“They’re all over the border. They have also witnessed-”

“Telepathy,” Hermes mumbled. “To think they would hold such useful magic in the palm of their hand. Although, it appears only a handful of the mages on the walls know how to use it for extended periods of time.”

“The Holy Empire, nor the Kingdom or Federation, had such knowledge.”

“Perhaps it’s a well-guarded secret of the west, Mímir. Or perhaps the desperation they felt forced them to invent such wonderful magic? Or-?”

“They called it Themis’s parting gift.”

“…I see.” Hermes folded his arms and hummed softly. “Then, perhaps it is something we cannot learn.”

“It is of no matter to us, as Jorōgumo performs the same role much more effectively. Likewise, our teleportation portals allow us generals the ability to teleport anywhere we’ve visited before. It isn’t necessary for us to learn such magic.”

“Perhaps not, Spy Master, but perhaps there’s some merit to it.” Hermes chuckled gently. “We gained so much from so little.”