"Rip their skulls out. We need more.."
"Commander, message from the three captains"
Ghiel turned away from a group of skeletons who dismissed themselves, carrying out the orders meted.
"Report"
The skeleton nodded.
"Rolaf reports two caravans stopped and wiped. In total they had slayed thirty, they don't carry much else than pointless supplies and weapons.
"Seig reports that they came across an adventurer duo, managed to kill off the first in a volley, but it took too time to kill the other. The man gave Seig trouble."
"Dever reports heavy losses after encountering a lone warrior. They eventually subdued and killed the warrior, but lost over half the troop. He is requesting reinforcements"
Ghiel listened carefully, his response was quick and rapt.
"Have Rolaf bring the weapons back, they can use the carts for their own means. Keep the blockage effective."
"Seig must bring those corpses, do not remove the heads from them. They are to be a part of our troops soon enough."
"Send Dever half the reserves, should easily reinforce them and then some. Bring the lone warrior's body, carefully.."
The skeleton nodded and moved away. Out to deliver messages.
Ghiel wanted to strengthen his troop, not all battles needed him. Nor should he babysit his own troop. Instead commanding from the backlines.
All of the dead were processed through him.
Cannon fodder, animals, civilians, the likes would have their heads removed. Stronger dead would be carefully transported to Ghiel, a gift to his lord gathered nearby in the tents.
So far throughout the past day they had cut off travel. At least a dozen different battles occured, but they had slowed until none more came.
Good news.
As it stands they had a hundred extra weapons, exchanging those with no more than their bare hands with something shard. Whilst having extra armor from light to heavy that was given to those on the front line.
Only twice did Ghiel get involved, and twice he returned with light injuries. Having fought slightly stronger foes so his troop didnt suffer huge blows.
He cared little for their bodies became his after death dealt its hand. Fifteen bodies laid in the tent. Some stronger than others.
The count was glorious. Strong troop means battles ahead would be easier to handle.
Yet Ghiel's mood was dashed when a scout came baring bad news.
"Commander! A thousand strong troop marches on us! At the forefront, its leaders! Sire, they are strong!"
Hmm?!
"How long?"
"Three hours till they reach us!"
"Bah!-"
Ghiel rose, taking up his blade to sheath it.
"Call to arms! Rally on me within the hour! We shall meet them in the name of the Lich King!"
The dead rumbled moving to obey, the troops were called back as Ghiel clenched his fist. He felt them, a Thu'um in the dirt, a rumble in the atmosphere. They were coming, but so was he.
###
After being cut off from several directions, the commander felt this direction was the less damaging route. They needed to clear out the supposed dead ravanging the area. Their not sure to the extent of the dead is around. But its clear there is a powerful necromancer at play. As to why they called the church.
But they needed to show force if they were to be even considered useful to the church. Therein now they marched a thousand strong down the path. Disregarding side paths for oblivious reasons. At the forefront three men on horseback kept an eye on the landscape of rolling hills, cliff faces and forest. Yet the dead silence made them uneasy.
The forest is never this quiet.
Something is wrong, they just couldn't pin the feeling. It's unlikely the dead are by any means intelligent. Aside from a few specials..
Whiiiisssss*
Eh?
Thud!
He looked over to his right, his right hand man leaning forward with wide eyes. An arrow having pierced through n' through his skull!
Wha..?
He felt the whistle repeat in a broken call!
He looked up the moonlight broken under the fast streaking dots..
"Shields!"
He hardly heard his second man, before they fell.
Volleys of unending arrows, at least five dozen per second!
He felt someone yanked him off his horse, who fell under heavy fire right after. "Sheild our commander! Return fire!"
Shields locked around them, thuds peppering the wall. Whilst the company of archers though broken, rallied swiftly under threat of death. They drew their arrows, letting loose a swish of a hundred bolts!
Ghiel hissed as the enemy army returned fire, where as he had sixty. They still had many more. He had hoped the quanity would win this day against both the troop and their company of crossbow men.
How wrong he turned out to be.
The return fire, though blind did more damage then their initial strike did.
Skeletons fell around him as their tethers were forcefully cut. Ghiel waved the archers back. "Move back into the woods by a quarter mile."
He withdrew his sword, as his troop moved in under the cover of the canopy. Locking their shields and spears.
"Advance on me!-"
Ghiel leaned forward his troop marchcing forward, just about to break the tree line before Ghiel bolted!
"Watch out! Spears to the front we got- Aarghh guhhh ahhhh!"
A few called out to a dark figure blitzing out of the tree line, some ordered spears to the front, but could not complete the sentencing.
The figure halted with a crack! An object as long a s aspear skewered a handful of soldiers making them scream in agony, other slumped without a word.
Then another crack drew attention, the dark figure leapt a few meters up, flames beginning to roar around him!
Thu'um!
"Ahhh ahhhh gahhh!"
"Help ehell fir…Ahhhh!"
"Ahh!"
Ghiel came down fire bursting out in a shockwave, the ground trembled underfoot, those too close reduced ro red paste, those within the impact zone were flung from the shockwave whilst any one else nearby screamed in agony as their souls were burned oit of their bodies.
Their eyes roared into flame, pouring from their mouths and even writhing through their veins painfully.
Ghiel took thunderous steps, flinging his hand across those moving to engage him! Bodies were thrown! Smashed, ripped apart!
"Hhahhahhahahaha, Skells es ka Skell Thra!"
"Hhahhahhahahaha, Skulls For The Skull Throne!"
Ghiel roared in echoed laughter, his distorted layered voice running cold the livings blood.
Yet whereas Ghiel killed dozens of them, hundreds more stood!
"Swords to the front, get rope!"
A stranger took the lead, a brother in arms.
"Do not falter! Behind lay Farevie! Behind us, family! Do not let this evil crush your spirit! On me!"
Parts of the army rallies under this man's banner, locking shoulder to shoulder. Ghiel stared with a grinning skull. Taking up his sword.
"Commendable.."
Yet not enough.
The clinging of armor ebbed into the rallied forces ears, they saw a thousand flames akin to stars move up and down, a slow march towards them. When Ghiel whipped his blade to his side, is when the marching army of skeletons draped in armor locked shields and spears moving in a silent ire. Glaring a rage unseen in the mortal realm.
Ghiel raised his blade to point at the living.
"Yer Velor si stenrg, eo senid eiw et"
"Your valor is strong, now stand with it!"
Ghiel hissed as he drew his blade higher and repositioned his body. Now standing with the blade pointing towards the army like a straight arrow. The blade on level with his head.
He leaned forward and charged, roaring in a blood curdling thu'um!
The troops behind him unlocked shields and charged! Whilst the man that rallied his brothers steeled his resolve and roared!
"For Farevie and its people! CHARGE!"
Both armies roared, stomping in a gait to stir thunderstorms, roaring as blades and spears came to bear. Two armies growing closer in a coming clash of epic proportions. Yet this night, only slaughter would reign supreme.
CLINK SHINK!
"Guh! Ahhhh!"
The last of steel echoed across the fields in a thunder! Spears pierced men, swords cut down skeletons, men flew under a Death knights rage! Skeletons stomped under foot, the rage of war battled all night.
Until blood and bone saturated the lands!
So was the tale of Ghiel's battle!