Stannir stood waiting for the others to return. "About time.." He stared as the two birds returned to the brothers' normal shapes. He pointed at Mouse. "Mission accomplished?" He smiled when he saw Mouse nod. "Excellent... Lets move and take out the drones... They're not human anymore, so don't worry about blood on your hands from them."
"Mouse what's the mark?" He watched as Mouse picked up a leaf from the ground and pushed it against the brother's chest. "That's the mark... You see a leaf like that you kill."
"How did..."
"Don't ask how Mouse did it... We brothers couldn't even keep up with him... Not only that, they didn't even see him, but it was as if he was yawning, and wanting to take them out himself."
"That's right brother... Mouse... We need to have some fun too you know?" Stannir sighed. "We need Mouse to target the queen when she arrives... Marking them is a good start... Let's move out... Remember our targets are the one with leaves on their chests."
"Don't worry about me firewarrior... I won't miss." He nodded at Star. "Fine with me. I expect nothing less... Snipers go with her. Medics stay here... Defense... Hold the city square and the rest of you lets go rescue those held hostage in the square." He turned to Mouse and the brothers. "Go have fun... Remember after we've done this, we have to start preparing defenses... " He looked at the brothers. "When there are no more drones, brothers I want you to start preparing the defense."
"What about me?" He looked at Harnio with a smile. "Make the dock a place that can't be docked by any ship."
"Consider it done..."
He formed his fiery sword and started walking into the city. He looked to the roofs, as his sniper unit and Star ran along shooting the targets quickly, and efficiently. "Good work... Proud of you my general..." He smiled as he turned to Salina. "Its nice that someone else can see you too."
"Why is that? Did you think you were going crazy?" He shook his head. "No... It means that there is a chance we can get you a physical body..."
"Really?" He nodded. "Being a spark isn't for you... You're a person, and not a tool. I love the person you are, and not what you can do."
"So even if I couldn't use this energy, you would still love me?" He nodded as he turned a drone into ash. "Warriors... Move it. Keep up with me!"
"Sir, yes, sir!" He looked behind him at the unit. "They've been working very hard."
"Just to fight by your side... You better not let them down." He shook his head. "Not a chance. I won't them down, and I definitely won't let you down either Salina."
"That's my general... There are more coming." He smiled. "Defense to the front... Shields up. Hold the line."
"Ahhhhhhhh... They're trying to stop the queen from arriving... We must keep this place safe... Attack to keep this land for the queen."
He smiled as the defense line moved and formed in front of him with their fire energy weapons cutting down the enemy.
"BANNNG!"
He looked up as a group of drones took to the sky. "Drummen really likes that move..."
"It's quick and an efficient use of his abilities... He's lazy, and knows how to take someone down with the lowest amount of effort." He nodded. "A good warrior."
"BAANNG!"
He turned as a bear ran through a group of drones, throwing them into the nearby houses. "That one is a straight up brute... Muscle and just more muscle."
"Yet, he is hard working and loyal..." He smiled at Salina. "What about our Mouse that's running around the square now?"
"He also is someone who is loyal... He keeps his secrets, so no one else will be caught like he was." He turned and threw a fireball at a group of drones coming at them from the rear. He felt his heart rate start to increase. He shook his head. "Not yet... When the queen comes." He took a long breath, letting it out and looked at Salina. "See. I have control."
"Good... Now go to the square... They're probably confused because of the drones dying around them."
"To the square... Move it!"
He jumped the line and started to run towards the square. Any drone he found he sliced and turned into ash. He stood at the square and ran up to them. "Don't panic you're safe... We're removing them from here."
"Thank you sir... Can you help my husband?" He looked down at the old man holding their stab wound breathing heavily. He saw all the blood that was on the ground and shook his head. "He has lost too much blood. He's almost at the end... I suggest, you spend as much time to make him comfortable." He looked at his unit. "Defense... Protect. This is our base of operations..."
"Please. Can you try... It was our own son that did this. Please... I have nothing without him." Stannir nodded. "We can try... Star! Message the medics to move into the square. Urgent attention!"
He watched as Star shot an arrow into the sky, and looked at the old man. "I will stop the bleeding, but it's going to hurt, and leave a scar... We have medics coming to see what they can do."
"I can handle any pain you throw at me warrior... Women like scars anyway." He smiled. "You're a tough one... Here I go." He got down on his knees and laid his hands on the open wound on the man's chest. He watched as his hand started to heat up, causing the man to wince in pain. "I've just started."
"Don't stop... AHHHHHHHH!"
He stood up and looked at his hand and the wound that had stopped bleeding. "I stopped the bleeding, now it's up to him to survive." He looked up as the medics arrived, and looked at his work on the old man. "Leave it to us sir... We'll do out best." Stannir nodded and walked through the line with his sword at his side.
"Thank you sir." He turned his head and looked at the old woman, before waving his hand at her. "You never saw us... It's the way it is... A big battle is coming. Its best if all of you started to pack and leave here for a while... When we leave it will be clear for you to return back to your lives."
"Kill them all... Keep our home safe." He nodded. "Don't worry about that... They've already overstayed their welcome.
"For the queeennnnnn. ATTACK!"
He got into position as another wave of drones with swords came into view. He watched as their numbers started to fall by arrows, fire energy bolts and Mouse. He ran forward with his unit cutting into the front, until there were no more drones in the city. He stood looking at his unit and the guards standing with him. "Good job all."
"Brothers lets turn this place into a fortress... Nothing is coming in that we don't want in... Mouse check we haven't missed any... Star make sure the brothers make you a nice nest you can use when we're defending this place, and Harnio... Help the people find a place where they can find safe..."
"The best place for them is to stay in the fortress... I will make one of the houses a place that they can't reach." Stannir nodded and looked at Harnio. "Make sure they don't leave, and that none die."
"I can do that... When the queen arrives, I want to be at the front with you all."
"Understood. Lets move... We don't know how much time we have."
He watched as the guard moved around the city, and walked to the port making his sword fade away. "Harnio did a great job... There's no way that they'll be able to dock here. There's nothing here."
"What about a storm as well?" Stannir nodded. "That's a great idea... When I see him again I'll let him know."
"Let me know what?" He turned and looked at Harnio standing behind him. "I thought you were watching the towns people."
"I have... The brothers did the house first... They're safe, I also put a wall of wind there so nothing can get through without a fight."
"That's good to hear... How about we make these waters a bit more choppy and stormy when the queen's vessel comes into view?"
"That I can do... I'll make it a beast of a storm, just as she treats people like beasts... A taste of her own medicine... I'll be hunting today." Stannir looked at him in confusion.
"No dying on me Harnio..."
"Don't worry about that... I have people to protect from those that made these beasts and their allies... They're the ones that I'm hunting."
"RRRRRUUUMMMMBLEE!"
He felt the ground shake under his feet as a wall of thick metal and stone grew in front of him. He shook his head. "The brother's work always amazes me." He turned and saw the brothers drinking from a wine skin smiling in his direction. "We're done... Also the priestess is happy with her nest... She likes it up there." He nodded. "Good, now we have sight of the land and sea... If they're going to be unable to land here, where are they going to land next?" He turned as Mouse landed in front of him signing. "A beach for smugglers?" He saw Mouse nod, and cursed. "You mean the beach we landed at?" He watched as Mouse nodded again."
"Don't worry about that beach... With my storm, they won't be able to reach it, without losing people."
"That's fine... We need to set a watch, and eyes always on the look out for what is coming... Brothers we need traps, a lot of traps from the dock till the walls."
"That's not a problem... My brother and I can do that with our eyes closed."
"What about the smuggler's beach?" He turned to Mouse. "Can you do what you said would happened if they attacked our keep in the trial?"
He saw Mouse sign at him. "Excellent. I leave the beach in your hands... No one gets here from the beach."
"What if they have one of those tunnel trolaiths?" He looked up as Star walked into the square. He nodded. "Yes... That is a possibility, but I don't think this queen likes the trolaiths, and prefers people... Arrogance, and power over her enemies... We're going to use that to our advantage."
"Fair enough, we still should plan just in case a giant hole appears in the square." Stannir nodded. "What do you suggest?"
"A flooding... The people are safe where they are, so if it comes to that we can flood the square, and if any trolaith comes through a tunnel we can take them out as, its hard to attack while swimming."
Stannir smiled. "I like your plan... Brothers make some tunnels under the ground, so if they decide to tunnel through they'll be flooded out before they can try a surprise attack."
"Can dooo... As long as we don't have to get wet... Swimming is not an activity for me... I prefer other activities, especially with female company."
Stannir waved his hand at him. "Just go do what needs to be done. He looked at Star. "We need eyes on the coast... We can't be surprised by their arrival, and if that cloud that passed us before was the queen, than we really need to be prepared."
"Are you worried that Harnio will faint again?" He shook his head. "It seems he's fine after that encounter... Those eyes of his..."
"Don't think too much about it... You go and take her along the walls with your unit... I'll let you all know when the queen arrives... There's no way that we'll be surprised when she arrives." He nodded and left the square. "Fire eaters... Now the battle to defend this place begins... Take your positions, and make sure no one enters this place that shouldn't"
"Sir. Yes, Sir!"
He watched them leave and turned walking towards the port. "Salina, now its a waiting game... I wonder if our queen is also impatient as well as arrogant."
"We won't know until she arrives..." He nodded squeezing her hand tightly. "You're right... I'm getting excited..." He stared out from the walls overlooking the port."
He turned and looked at Salina. "A big storm is coming... I can feel it in the wind, and my heart is racing."