Jessica Jackson
Stories
5
Chapters
1,060
Words
656.8 K
Comments
0
Reading
2 d, 6 h
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Portesur had fallen swifter than any expected. The southerners' siege craft had broken the walls, allowing the mercenaries to storm the defences. Once inside, they had looted the city as part of their payment. Now, it served as the bridgehead for Alcázar's invasion on the mainland. Its provisions had been added to those of the army, and its port provided anchorage for the fleet. Despite the swift conquest, the victorious commander did not grow complacent. By now, the army had reached a size of several…
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For the next weeks, the Order army harassed the outlanders to prevent an orderly retreat, separating their forces east and south. Besides this, many also surrendered and were welcomed into Rostam's growing numbers. The power of the Godking, new or old, had been shattered. Defeat after defeat with losses, desertions, and defections had left Sikandar with only a remnant of the great armies that had invaded Adalmearc. Yet as the Order army approached Niðheim, it became clear the new Godking did not require…
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With Rund in Mearcian hands, the Order army could continue. Supply lines stretching back across the Langstan to Hæthiod were secure. Ahead, in the far distance, the peak of Niðheim could be seen against the horizon. While the name revealed how the Mearcians disdained this place, the outlanders revered it. It held the throne of the Godking and stood as the centre of his priesthood. Furthermore, the city inside the hollow mountain held thousands of craftsmen, and the same number of slaves worked the deep…
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The Langstan had no gates; the Mearcians never intended for any to cross it. The outlanders had built ramps to act as an earthen bridge, letting their troops march into Hæthiod. A week prior, they had used it to retreat, leaving only a handful of troops behind to dismantle it. By the time the Order patrols retook control of the southern Langstan, much of the earthworks were gone. Building new and rebuilding old crossings cost the army several days, camped just north of the wall until the ramps finally…
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After the skirmish at Lake Myr, a few days of wary peace followed. It lasted until the outlanders reached the Sureste and had to make the crossing. By now, the Mearcian archers marching from Middanhal had caught up to the army, and they harried the red-robed soldiers, seeking to provoke an assault. Sikandar did not take the bait; a failed attack on the disciplined Mearcian lines would leave his soldiers with no route for retreat, as they had their backs to the river. Instead, the outlanders bore the…
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On the fifth eve after the battle of Valmark, the king entered the Order camp. Travelling with only his kingthanes had allowed him to catch up to his army, still in pursuit of the outlanders; reinforcements and the supply train from Middanhal were some days behind. Every soldier turned his head, seeing the men with a golden dragon on their surcoats riding past, until the company reached the centre of camp, where Athelstan had his tent. The knight captain looked up with astonishment upon seeing Brand. "My…
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Few but servants and sentinels were awake when the first departures from the Citadel began. Three men left before any others, wearing hoods and furtive glances. They moved towards the northern gate, ready to leave the city by sunrise. Two hours passed after dawn before the stable hands prepared a carriage along with twenty more horses. Servants hauled luggage outside and loaded it up while kingthanes issued from the castle, talking idly as they found their steeds. Finally, four women appeared. Arndis,…
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The battle against the outlanders had left its mark on the commanders assembled for council. Theobald and Richard had perished; Athelstan remained with the army, leading it in the king's absence. Alois, the duke of Belvoir, and William, lord marshal, remained as the only revenants. Two new faces met the king instead as he arrived. Ewind, newly made marshal of Hæthiod, who had been guarding the walls at the last meeting. The other man was Fionn. Disbelief coloured Brand's face, and he advanced quickly to…
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South-west of Middanhal, beyond where the Mihtea reappeared from beneath the mountains to flow further in that direction, two men stood by a solitary tree. In the distant, flocks of cattle could be seen, but they were not herders of any kind. They sent looks in every direction, constantly scouting for anything other than cows. Their ordinary clothing and appearance suggested them to be from Hæthiod; even their boots were of ordinary brown colour rather than black. At length, two men appeared from the…
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With scarcely any soldiers left in the city, the southern walls were garrisoned as much by members of the clergy as any Order soldiers. A rider, entering Middanhal to bring news of the battle, found two Templars guarding the gate. Beyond, a devastating sight with hundreds upon hundreds of corpses met his eyes; most of them wore robes of various colours. As he rode up the Arnsweg to pass the bridge, the scenery repeated itself. Yet he did not forget his task. "Victory!" he shouted, riding slowly that the…
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