Snippet #1559053

Shortly after the battle ended, the storm cleared and a squad of wyvern riders came in to ferry the legionnaires of the Black Guard back to the main army. The long procession of soldiers was already on the move, but the commanding officers had the presence of mind to set up cart that acted as mobile medical stations and resting areas. Talae, Kisikoni, Faera and Beelzes were taken in immediately for treatment as the others were tended to by lesser clerics and healers. Wrath, having suffered no real wounds for the duration of the fight shrugged off any medic who offered examination and led his personal darkguard golem through the throng of soldiers towards the carts on which the commanding officers and head mages were posted.

Most officers present recoiled--or at the very least cried out in shock--when General Liu-Wen slammed a chattering, charred skull onto the table of the captain-wagon. The eye-sockets of the undead harpy glowed with fel radiance and regarded several captains--females with particular intensity--with malign intelligence. "Hey there."

Wrath debriefed his officers and gave a full recount of the morning's events. Most nodded, others wondered how such a brazen assault had allowed for any survivors, much less have yielded results unheard of until now. The Legion was now in control of a semi-living thane of the dragon armies...just sentient enough to rip the information from her bony little skull. His first orders after the debrief was finished were along the lines of arcane interrogation of the 'prisoner', although in far less pleasant terms. They were going to learn everything.

---

Wrath's Camp Four Days Later, 2 hours before the Siege of Herrick

The makeshift camp was bustling with activity and the roar of captain's orders. The last fiery rays of sunlight were fading from the sky as the Legion of Ashes prepared for it's second large-scale battle. General Liu-Wen as well as several other high-ranking officials came to the unanimous agreement that, having a surplus of soldiers with excellent night-vision, attacking at night was the best course of action. Sid was assisting in the pre-battle organization and helping to outfit the newest batch of soldiers to link up with the army yesterday. On the opposite side of the dragon-occupied city of Herrick another Legion army was already wearing at the cultist town as it had been for nearly a month now. Having cut off Herrick's connections to the outside world as well as redirecting trade routes, the army had effectively isolated Herrick from any sort of aid.

In one of the medical tents, the halfling Pel Mekillot sat at the foot of the bed of one Kisikoni Ayalen. The deep human had been kept for an extended period due to the occasional pulse of unknown energy that set many a healer's teeth on edge. Another reason for this was the man's obvious mental instability after whatever ordeal had befelled him. He was deemed a potential danger until properly assessed and treated.Out of those allowed access to Kisikoni's room--which included only officers and healers--only Pel had volunteered to stay by his side. The armed guard at the door-flap was not her idea. The halfling, looking much less dolled-up than usual grew more alert when she saw Kisikoni's eyes flutter.

"You awake? Can't blame you...we're getting ready to break a siege." Pel nibbled her lip and looked at Kisikoni with wide eyes, "They...commander Wrynne said that if I accompany you during the course, you may participate in tonight's battle..." she did not mention that captain Genki said that should he decline, the deep human was to be vivisected, although her eyes spoke volumes. "Are you up for that?"

In the next tent over Beelzes and Qinn were screaming protests and profanities at not being permitted to participate in the siege due to the severity of their wounds. Beelzes was still burned from shoulder to hip as well as having a damaged left eye that was covered in a bloody patch, and Qinn's right wing was stinted and her left thigh bandaged with medicinal herbs for a heavily infected leg. Neither thought these were good reasons for a magic-using unit to sit out.

---

In the war-council tent, lit by flickering candles that cast an ominous forest of shadows of those figures attending, Nhil sat with his hands steepled and staring at the skull of the lich thane. It's unlife had ended a few hours ago courtesy of a bolt of soul-fire, but not after reveiling several choice details about Nihalistrix's battle plans. The most shocking of which was that she had allied herself with another dragon lord...Astara the White. The reason behind the land's relative void of patroling armies was due to the march on the Nightmarian lands within the jungles of Umbridge. The second, was the imminent relocation of Nihalistrix, the target of this march. Neither boded well for the mortal races. Standing at the grand-commander's shoulder, Wrath was the first to break the tension.

"Sir. I volunteer to lead my forces into Umbridge and-" the general was cut off by a silencing gesture from Nhil.

"The nightmarians can hold out for another month or two. Nihalistrix is our main concern at the moment, if she flees to join forces with Astara we would lose the best chance we have at destroying her." Nhil sighed deeply, screwing his eyes shut and thinking on the situation intensely. "Only six months to get to the heart of the bitch's territory without getting into a situation from which we are beset on all sides and kill the dragon on top of that. We will reconvene after tonight's battle. Dismissed."

---

Nhil's Camp

"Mercy...good to see you again." Shokunen sidled up to the bar alongside his old companion...well, mercenary that he flirted with in ages past, and ordered a single pre-battle drink. Dressed in heavey leathers and having shaved his horns to fine points, the prince looked once more like the god of battle legends portrayed him as. Taking a long swig of bitter ale, the lamia slammed his mug onto the bar and looked at Mercy with a cold intensity. "I take it you heard that Ecclavaria is under siege as well. After this, I am linking up with Fong's old unit as well as many of my own elites to aid the city. I want you to come with us...we don't have enough nightmarians that know the jungles like you do."

Without another word the crimson-mand lamia slid from his seat and slithered out into the cool darkness of night. He unslung his bow, heading towards the edge of Nhil Derenthi's camp where the cavalry and heavier units were being geared up to be deployed after the cavalry returned from their latest skirmish at the walls.