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Anubien
Topic Started: Apr 27 2008, 09:24 PM (655 Views)
Lathaon
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Fallen Archmage
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
"We must try," Kaalnor said firmly. "In any case, there is no choice. I know we don't have the ships to evacuate us all."

The dark elf lords had all remained safe behind their men until now, but now one of them used his magic, moving to the front and then suddenly he was over the wall, landing lightly on the stone, cloak floating down with him. Lord Miraelon plunged his blade through one of the defenders, splattering the armour, and the green flame icon he wore, with blood. With his free hand, he shoved the high elf off the edge of the wall, flexing his fingers within the gauntlet. Turning sideways to the high elf general, he came forward in challenge, sword held loosely and carelessly as a gesture of both taunting and showing his confidence. His men fought off the defenders behind him.

Meanwhile, the eagle riders pursued the wyvern, peppering it and its riders with arrows.
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chadden
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[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Breathing heavily, Hurdin gripped a coil of stray rope that was hanging from the edge of the ship that the remaining wyvern had attacked. The blow he had suffered had weakened him, but he could not give up. He pulled himself up the rope until he was on the deck. The wyvern was throwing elves overboard or tearing them apart.

Slowly, Hurdin got to his feet. He took a deep breath and then spoke a single spell word, his hands extended towards the creature. Bolts of lightning flew from his fingertips and struck the raging creature.
"Stand against me if you must, for of course you will. Conflict is just another part of this flawed reality. You need to cling to your concepts and purposes, your feeble honour and glory. None of it serves any purpose in the end. And the end draws close." - Krodalis Thaendil.

"It really is amazing; she killed Kelan Wealer, not that I am complaining, but then the order welcomed her as their new leader. It makes one wonder if I were to ram a blade down her throat, would the monks then follow my commands?" - Mordain Thaendil.

One of the Last Guardians. Suck it.
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Lathaon
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Fallen Archmage
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Picking up a spear from the corpse-littered stone of the wall, Kaalnor prepared to defend himself. Miraelon continued to advance, and Kaalnor drew back the spear in anticipation. The dark elf used his magic once again, and the spear went through air alone, Miraelon landing softly behind Kaalnor and slashing back at the high elf leader. Kaalnor foresaw it though, and dodged the attack, turning to face the dark elf lord once again.

The wyvern slowed to a halt, then collapsed, twitching as the lightning surged through it.

The eagles caught up with the wyvern quickly and the first swooped down at the riders, although the wyvern wheeled at the last moment and the eagle missed. The second caught two of the riders in its talons, and let them drop to their deaths. The final rider was shot before he fell off his mount.
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chadden
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[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
With great mental strain, Hurdin chanted another spell with his hands still held towards the beast. Slowly, the monster was lifted into the air and dropped off the side of the ship. It fell into the waters below.

From the ship, Hurdin watched as Anubien went up in flames and the other ships made their escape.

--Hurdin and Lathor Refugee Fleet leaves Anubien--
--Enters Sea of Strength--
"Stand against me if you must, for of course you will. Conflict is just another part of this flawed reality. You need to cling to your concepts and purposes, your feeble honour and glory. None of it serves any purpose in the end. And the end draws close." - Krodalis Thaendil.

"It really is amazing; she killed Kelan Wealer, not that I am complaining, but then the order welcomed her as their new leader. It makes one wonder if I were to ram a blade down her throat, would the monks then follow my commands?" - Mordain Thaendil.

One of the Last Guardians. Suck it.
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Lathaon
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Fallen Archmage
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
The dark elf lord grinned silently and pressed the attack, knocking the spear aside with his sword and making another slash, but Kaalnor leapt back out of reach. The men around him continued to fight the other dark elves, but that gave them no opportunity to aid their general. It was hard to tell how the battle was going, and fight with a dark elf lord at the same time.

Some of the fires raged on badly now. The worst was the library, but the damage there was already done and it was unlikely to spread from there. Others were smaller and many of these were put out quickly. The eagles made short work of the wyvern, though one was poisoned in the process.

((Is it just me now?))
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chadden
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[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
((Yeah, I'm gone.))
"Stand against me if you must, for of course you will. Conflict is just another part of this flawed reality. You need to cling to your concepts and purposes, your feeble honour and glory. None of it serves any purpose in the end. And the end draws close." - Krodalis Thaendil.

"It really is amazing; she killed Kelan Wealer, not that I am complaining, but then the order welcomed her as their new leader. It makes one wonder if I were to ram a blade down her throat, would the monks then follow my commands?" - Mordain Thaendil.

One of the Last Guardians. Suck it.
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Lathaon
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Fallen Archmage
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Again, Miraelon attacked, but this time Kaalnor lunged forward as he parried, colliding at force with the dark elf in a tackle which threw him off the wall. The high elf doubted that would be the last of Miraelon, but it would buy him some time to command the troops.

The dark elves finally unleashed their magic. All was chaos as spells fired up at the walls and fallen high elves rose as zombies. Rallied by Kaalnor and scattered captains of Lathor, the defenders pushed back harder than ever, determined to hold the wall. More bodies were thrown down onto the armies below as they piled up. Blood and gore was everywhere, covering walls, weapons and soldiers alike. The Lathorian mages responded as best they could. Many more had joined with the army as it reached Anubien, though Rathor still had the upper hand.

The attack was slowing now, deteriorating. So many corpses were lying at the edges of the wall, the dark elves could no longer climb up so easily. As they stumbled over the bodies, the high elves slaughtered them.

Deciding enough was enough, the attackers concentrated their efforts on the gatehouse, sending ram after ram to be burnt by the mages or resisted by the elves bracing the gate, and more bodies were thrown down in their way.

The dark elves withdrew. They would attack again of course, but for now, the defenders had won...


...Though not without a cost.
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Lathaon
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It took a while for Kaalnor and his handful of lesser-ranked officers to reorganise the troops. The corpses, some dark elves, some high elves who had fallen, been raised, then slain by their former friends, were burnt on a huge pyres in front of the walls. The artillery of both sides continued to fire, but little damage was done at such distance.

The walls were coated with blood. Weapons were taken and stockpiled but no effort was made to remove the blood. Everyone knew that more blood would be spilt.

The ships were all gone now, the refugees probably in Cirulienalysai by now.

The high elves raised black banners across the wall as they watched the dead burn.

Across the battlefield, there were fewer of the green flame symbols displayed. In losing to General Kaalnor, Lord Miraelon had lost much support. The dark elf army had become significantly less organised and united once Lord Cyrredlues left, and this had only become worse now that their advance had been halted and the high elves had achieved something of a victory. The psychological effect was greater than the physical damage that the dark elf army had taken.
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Lathaon
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[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
"What are they waiting for?"

Those words were passed between high elven soldiers frequently now. The dark elf troops had assembled just outside bowshot and the exchange of siege weapon fire continued. They had made camp.

There was a nagging feeling of doubt spreading within Anubien, extending even to the General. The dark elves were up to something, and he had no idea what.

"Send another scout party out," Kaalnor ordered. "If they're circling around us, I want to know!"
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Lathaon
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There was a knock on the door. The sun had not yet risen, but Kaalnor was awake. A messenger entered the room. "General, the scouts found small dark elf parties in the woods to the north, but it seems they are simply doing the same as our scouts. But we got a message from Edaurn."

"Go on," Kaalnor said.

"A fleet arrived from Ordail, led by Captain Thalian. He was fighting the dark elf fleet at sea but it is apparently too rough to sail right now. He is sending some of his men here as reinforcements. They'll be here by nightfall."

"Excellent," the general replied. "Tell the scouts to clear the way for Thalian's men. I don't want them caught in an ambush."

The messenger saluted, but no sooner had he left the room, there was a muffled cry and a quiet thump. Moments later, a hooded figure burst into the room with a sharp, blood-soaked blade in hand. The assassin leapt for his target without hesitation, swinging the sword as he did so.

Kaalnor was unprepared, but not caught off guard. He ducked the slash and grabbed the dark elf's wrist. He wrestled the sword out of his attacker's hand, but then reeled back as he felt a blow in the stomach. A hidden blade on the assassin's fist cut into him. The high elf was stunned, but as the assassin pulled free, he plunged the sword into the dark elf's heart.

In that same night, assassins killed off most of the officers and mages in Anubien.
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Lathaon
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Signalled by the light and smoke of buildings going up in flames, the dark elf army advanced once more. The drums sounded again, and this time there was no leadership in the Lathorian army. Panic spread through their forces and all they could do was gather under the banners of the most inspirational and charismatic among them, and fearfully hold their ground. In these dark times, there were few such heroes left alive.

There were three pieces of good news to cling on to. Reinforcements were coming, there were still a good number of eagles and their riders in reserve, and General Kaalnor had survived. He was being tended to by healers, having been found wounded and poisoned in his quarters. A lot of the men now fighting or aiding the combat in some other way were little more than civilian volunteers, but as such they looked out for each other more as opposed to awaiting orders from their superiors before taking action. A crude hierarchy of command formed quickly and unexpectedly amongst them, but there were no experts to direct the battle. The gates were closed; there was nowhere to run without abandoning the city, and everyone had to face up to their likely death.

The dark elves wasted no time scaling the walls. The defenders were spread all too thinly now, and the dark elves had the numbers to mount a widespread attack across this side of the city. With the primary defences at Adioun already lost, there was no inner wall to retreat to. There would be no room for guerilla warfare either. The attackers, if allowed in, would burn the city to the ground.

It seemed as though this was the beginning of the end.
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Lathaon
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[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Anubien was a torch against the night sky. Everything inside which could burn, was burning or had already become ashes. It had been a great city, the regional capital, but now most of its people were dead. The survivors had fled east to Edaurn.

It was fortunate that reinforcements had been on their way because the dark elves launched several ambushes which might have wiped out the fleeing high elves if not for the cavalry chasing them off with arrows and spears and trampling those who did not run.
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