The clear and resonant sound of horns pierced through the late summer woodlands, where the forest, despite the lack of wind, was alive with violent swaying sounds.
"Thud~ Thud~ Thud~" Rhythmic footsteps emerged from deep within the forest.
Ryan led the knights out of the camp.
They were Elves, the Elves of legend!
A giant eagle flew across the summer sky, and below in the forest, hordes of Elven troops appeared before the knights.
The first to appear were the Woodland Guards, wearing long robes over leather armor. Most had stern faces and rough skin, adorned with numerous leaves, each with a quiver on their back and a short sword at their waist, clearly the main force of this army, numbering four to five hundred.
Then came the Eternal Guards, wielding long spears and large kite shields, clad in finer scale armor, each also carrying a recurve bow and quiver, these Elves numbered around two to three hundred.
Lastly, there were a few Woodland Guards mounted on Elven steeds, known as Woodland Cavalry, and some Elves cloaked in hoods and masks, known as Rangers, the finest archers.
These were the Wood Elves! What were they doing here? Ryan led the knights forward, his face showing surprise.
The Wood Elves, utterly isolated and secluded from the world, almost all lived in the vast forest of Athel Loren to the south of Bretonnia, though some also dwelled in other forests of the Old World.
This race was extremely xenophobic, rarely interacting with the outside world. Aside from the Kingdom of Bretonnia, which had established diplomatic relations with the Wood Elves, many humans even doubted their existence, believing the reclusive Wood Elves to be mere figments of stories, songs, and plays.
After the founding of the knightly kingdom by the first Knight King Arthur, there had been wars with the Wood Elves. All knights and serf armies that entered the forest never returned, and the Wood Elves grew tired of the endless conflict with the Bretonnians. Finally, after Arthur's death and his body disappeared into the depths of the Lake of Ladies, his eldest son, King Lewis, signed a treaty with the Wood Elves. The treaty acknowledged Athel Loren as an independent nation, with Bretonnia renouncing any claims to it. The Wood Elves promised non-aggression and mutual assistance with Bretonnia, and under certain conditions, would establish trade relations with a select few knightly nobles.
Thus, while the knights were wary and tense at the appearance of the Wood Elves, they bore no hostility, more puzzled than anything: "Pointy ears?"
"What are the pointy ears doing here?"
"This is the Lady's land! Get out!"
Many young questing knights shouted, disliking Elves and Dwarfs alike.
The older kingdom knights watched the Wood Elves with complex looks. They didn't like the Wood Elves either, but given the diplomatic relations between Bretonnia and the Wood Elves, they hoped to avoid conflict in these dire times.
Lady knight Surya, holding her maid-in-waiting, whispered, "Sylvia? What do you think the Wood Elves are here for?"
"It's hard to say whether the Wood Elves are friend or foe in this situation, it depends on..." Sylvia's gaze settled on Ryan, who calmly approached.
"Hmm, it depends on Sir Ryan's negotiation," the lady knight could only stand straight, waiting.
A Woodland Lord leapt down from the giant eagle, a female Wood Elf with fair skin and a beautiful yet defiant face, her visage marked with intricate tattoos, radiating magical energy and wildness.
Ryan put away his warhammer, signaling no ill intent, and greeted her in Elvish, "Greetings, friend from the forest of Athel Loren, I am the Grail Knight, Ryan Macado."
"You speak Elvish?!" The Woodland Lord looked genuinely surprised, her first response in Gothic.
"Yes, I speak Elvish. So please, friend from the forest, can you tell me the reason for your presence?" Ryan asked gravely, knowing they couldn't afford a conflict with the Wood Elves at this critical juncture.
"Grail Knight Ryan Macado, I am the Woodland Lord Dalina. Even within the forest, we've heard your name. We've come seeking you," Lord Dalina lowered her pride, speaking in a calm, indifferent tone. "Athel Loren does not trust humans, but the Grail Knights are an exception. We come for you."
"For me?" Ryan furrowed his brows.
"The forest weeps, the taint of Chaos permeates this land, your human armies have fallen, and in the darkness, only you and we remain." The Wood Elf spoke in Elvish, incomprehensible to the knights. "Thus, we've found you, Ryan Macado. We said we would meet in a few months, didn't we?"
"Have you visited my domain before?" Ryan recalled a merchant, Oliver, mentioning a group of Wood Elves visiting Baron Jean's domain. "Was that you?"
"Indeed," Lord Dalina lifted her chin. "A half-Elf spoke to us of your strength and deeds, prompting us to assess whether you're worthy of Wood Elf friendship. After witnessing your perfect counter-charge on that rainy night, we deemed Sir Ryan worthy of becoming a partner to the Wood Elves. Hence, our appearance."
Are all Elves this arrogant? Ryan thought, a vein throbbing in his forehead.
The half-Elf... must be Estelle!
Rationally, Ryan knew this wasn't the time for pride. With time pressing, nobody wished to battle the Wood Elves now. Testing the waters, Ryan inquired, "So, you've come to aid us?"
"Indeed." Dalina admitted generously, "We believe there's no better time to extend a hand. Our forces are too few, you lack direction. This is when humans and Elves need each other most."
Ryan fell silent.
He disliked dealing with Elves, whether High, Dark, or Wood Elves. Yet, with no other choice and the Wood Elves showing sincerity, Ryan sighed and spoke, "Convince me in twenty minutes."
"You all understand the Warpstone is Chaos's heart, but what you don't know is that its counterpart, the stone we Wood Elves use to suppress Chaos's power and corruption, is the Beacon Stone." Knowing Ryan was compromising, Dalina continued, "Essentially, both are magical stones emitting energy. We can quickly locate it in the forest... in fact, we've found it about thirty kilometers from here."
"Over two thousand Beastmen guard the Warpstone, and we lack sufficient elite heavy infantry. It seems your Bretonnian forces lack strong ranged infantry as well? Athel Loren is willing to assist you."
"...I must admit, perhaps an alliance is the better choice." After careful consideration, Ryan finally nodded, "Though I still can't trust you fully, maybe, as you say, we need each other."
"The ancient pact is reinstated. Humans and Elves will once again stand together against evil."
With that, Ryan gestured for the knights to lower their guard, and Lord Dalina nodded, signaling the Wood Elves to lower their bows and spears.
After twenty minutes of "cordial and friendly" talks, the Bretonnian knights and Athel Loren Wood Elves formed a temporary alliance, uniting against the Warpstone.
Lord Dalina nodded in satisfaction, blowing a whistle. Wagons loaded with food and forest mead drove out from the depths of the army: "A gift from the forest, please accept it, our allies."
Human cheers erupted, marveling at the exquisite food and generous spirits of the Wood Elves. Even the knights were surprised by the Wood Elves' generosity.
Hostility quickly faded, all witnessed by Lord Dalina.
Months prior, a half-Elf returned to the forest, questioned by the Forest King Orion. From him, the Athel Loren learned of the outside world's changes.
Repeatedly, they heard of a renowned human hero, the Grail Knight, Ryan Macado, champion of the Lady of the Lake. The proud half-Elf acknowledged his strength, emphasizing his potential as a lord noble of the knightly kingdom.
This led to Lord Dalina and her Wood Elf army's appearance. After assessment, Dalina believed Ryan's virtues, strength, bravery, and determination against Chaos made him worthy of Wood Elf partnership.
Thus, an alliance was born.
As for Ryan's choice to ally with the Wood Elves, the knights had no objections. Bretonnia already had diplomatic relations with the Wood Elves, along with a non-aggression and mutual aid treaty. Gabriel sighed, "Sir Ryan, your influence is immense. To think we'd meet the legendary Wood Elves, who even offered to ally with us."
"Perhaps it's just luck; my luck has always been good," Ryan chuckled, aware the Wood Elves had their motives. But as Dalina said, in this moment, humans needed the Wood Elves, and vice versa. The Warpstone was a mutual goal, the Beastmen a common enemy.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend, especially with a loose pact already in place.
The two armies merged, with Wood Elf cavalry fluttering through the dense forest like butterflies, as if the wilderness was their playground.
The knights watched enviously, some attempting to converse with the Wood Elves, who couldn't understand them.
Ryan tried speaking with Dalina in Elvish, "I've never seen your tracks; how did you come to the Ardennes Forest?"
"We traveled through the roots of the World Tree, a special method I can only share so much about," Dalina nodded.
"Why did you choose to help me instead of the besieged knightly army?" Ryan pressed.
"Bretonnia, outwardly strong but hollow within, maintains order through pride and fear, filled with hatred and suspicion among nobles. Always considering individual interests, humans can't unite due to various reasons. This is humanity. We don't trust humans, nor do we aid them," Dalina stated flatly. "Only the Grail Knight's virtue has earned Athel Loren's recognition. Willing to set aside differences and prejudices for a greater cause, we only wish to cooperate with the Grail Knight, fighting alongside no one else."
Ryan was speechless; the Wood Elf's words were blunt, but perhaps not incorrect.
After centuries, the once steadfast knightly virtues and codes had faded, deepening the Wood Elves' distrust in humanity. Only the Grail Knight, recognized by the Lady of the Lake—possibly the Elven goddess of fate, Lileath—could earn Wood Elf friendship.
"Regardless, the Beastmen are our common enemy, and destroying the Warpstone our goal. Perhaps after the war, I'd be willing to discuss establishing trade and observation posts in my domain," Ryan responded.
"It should be so. The forest rages; it's time to destroy the source of all evil," Lord Dalina spoke with venom. "The Beastmen will pay, a revenge from the forest."
"The Beastmen will also pay for the fallen knights and soldiers!"
...
Led by the Wood Elves, it took only a day for the allied forces to reach the true location of the Warpstone, a basin within the forest.
In the distance, amidst the filthy, corrupted Beastmen camp, a four-armed Minotaur and two Doombulls guarded the Warpstone's security, patrolling the Warpstone. The camp also harbored two Cygor war herds and several Tuskgor herds protecting the Warpstone. Ryan noticed many Chaos Spawn units, filthy creatures that would explode upon reaching human ranks, causing significant knight casualties.
Arranged on the flanks were hordes of Centigor warbands.
"Leave the frontal assault to us! I'll handle the four-armed Minotaur!" Ryan instructed the knights to prepare for battle.
"We'll ensure every Chaos Spawn explodes before reaching you! The Centigors are ours!" Lord Dalina also signaled the Wood Elves to ready for battle.
Hundreds of Woodland Guards advanced slowly, raising their recurve bows towards the sky.
"Fire!"
A storm of arrows rained down on the Beastmen camp like a downpour, the Woodland Guards' archery skills beyond imagination. Where a serf archer prepared a single shot, a Woodland Guard had already loosed three.
Unprepared Beastmen fell in droves, the four-armed Minotaur realizing too late: "Damn... pointy ears! And... wretched... humans! Defend... the Warpstone!"
The knights were ready, Ryan raising his warhammer: "Tight formation, advance together, for the Lady! For Bretonnia!"
"Advance! For the Lady, for Bretonnia!" Knights and soldiers, fully armed, moved forward.
On the other side, Lord Dalina drew her Elven longsword: "For Kurnous and Isha! For Athel Loren, children of the forest, advance!!!"
"For Athel Loren!" The Eternal Guards raised their shields, and the Woodland Cavalry charged forward.
This was the last battle of the summer.
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