Accursed Wars of Immortalis

Chapter 9: The Journey North

"Was only seven years old that day. Lay hiding under a broken cart when I saw him slay his twentieth foe. He was covered in blood and his armour was damaged in all places, yet he still stood. Told myself, that very day, that I must become a warrior like him. A warrior like Bloody Warrick, although, perhaps without laughing while slicing the throat of fallen foes."

"He sounds rather savage. Unbelievable... Twenty to himself?" exclaimed Flann.

"Without help. He was an exceptional leader, too."

"If only we had that man here," said Walgen.

"He died in 642, as the luxurite army was routed from Valandian territory. They say he was covered in blood of one hundred foes. An arrow killed him, they say, right in his eye, the luckiest shot as he wore one of the earliest sets of plate armour," explained Ragnhild. "They say his son was a farmer in one of the central villages of Luxurum, and he had the village named in Warrick's honour. No one remembers which, though."

Flann hesitated before asking: "Do you have children, Ragnhild?"

"Never had a child. Would like to, after this war, if anyone dares sleep with Raging Ragnhild."

"Well, they can expect you to be quite..." said Walgen, smiling, "lively."

He laughed. Ragnhild's face turned to a slight red. She shoved him, gently by her standard. Walgen tumbled. They all laughed.

A few hours later, the front of the formation shouted something. Kemp gave the signal to prepare for battle. They were perhaps halfway to the Hellpit, and demons had come to intercept them. Ragnhild fetched the armour she had bought for Flann. 

Flann was sent closer to the front, along with Walgen and Ragnhild. They were a few rows of soldiers from the front. The front of the formation tightened their ranks and drew their weapons.  The first row was entirely composed of shield-bearing swordsmen, mostly Luxurite soldiers, and they formed a shield wall. The second row comprised of pole-arm users, some with spears or other weapons, but most with halberds. The third row was a mixture of priest, priestesses and pike-wielders. Other rows were arranged similarly and would replace those who fell in the front rank, while a group of priests and priestesses at the back healed the fallen.

Maledicti crashed against the shields, trying to reach over or around them to claw at the face of the swordsmen. Halberds smashed them from above. Polearms were blown aside by harsh winds as the stormborn lined up behind the Maledicti cast their magic. The front exchanged blows with the demons. Flann felt the wind and smelled the blood it carried. Wounded were dragged from the front, and they were replaced by others. Flann began healing those who were placed near her. Most bore only gashes from claws or wind, but others had been burnt by fire-breath. Screams of humans and demons alike filled the air, accompanied by the sounds of storms and steel.

Humans were clawed and maimed, while Maledicti were crushed by the pole-arms and skewered by swords and pikes. Stormborn were struck at their core and dissipated into a soft breeze. The floor drank blood and was adorned with bits of ashbone as the humans pushed back the demons.