The Homecoming 66.

Battle Rages...

"Fuck, i can't see shit" mutters Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy as he crouches behind a tree, further down the hillside than the rest of the group.
Lisell Maera is the closest to him, a further twenty five yards or so up the wooded hilltop from where he is.
The elf from the principality of Alínlae sourly smiles as he tries to ignore the slaughter happening below. And instead concentrates trying to find the war engineer that he and the rest of the group are searching for.
The spy Tanith who is watching the crews of the war machines in the Harkonin army. Can't get a good view of all of them. Especially those on the southern side of trade road. Or who are standing on that side of their heavy weapons. Opposite to where he is.
Dalinvardél or Dalin as he's more commonly referred to by the rest of the group. Dare not move further to the west along the south facing side of the hill.
That might put him in the line of sight of the two cockatrice that are out infront of the army from the Harkonin fief. That's something he definitely doesn't want to do.
Especially as every now and then, out of the corner of his right eye, he catches glimpses of the Lé Dic army who are getting mowed down by those soldiers with ranged weapons in the Harkonin ranks. Or by the heavier war machines, such as the trebuchets, catapults, ballista and scorpions.
The elven spy who was once in service to one of the more notable noble houses in his homeland of Alínlae. Glances back uphill, and spots Lisell Maera.
The attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury on the coast of the Southlands. Sees Dalin looking back up at her, as she stands behind a tree, looking out from the side of.
The orphan teenager slightly shakes her head no, to indicate that she is having no luck trying to find the war engineer by the name of Tovis.
Dalinvardél Tanith sighs, then he looks back downhill to the trade road below. Still trying to locate the war engineer that they've travelled to the kingdom of Druvic to find.
Further back up the tree covered hill, they too are looking down at the Harkonin army, after Dorc da Orc informs them that though the cockatrice have their blinders off. They are looking directly westwards at the Lé Dic army, so that they have nothing to fear.
Not so the army from the Lé Dic fief. Who, not just those who are mounted, but also plenty of the foot soldiers. Are being cut down without much in the way of resistance.
Soldiers and officers. Commoners and nobles. Those that look at the pair of cockatrice, are paralyzed with fear. Either standing there without moving. Or sitting still upon the back of their horses. Just waiting to get hit by an enemy arrow or bolt.
Or something worse shot from the various war machines in the Harkonin army.
"Looks like some of them are going to make it to the enemy lines" quietly says Tamric Drubine, Riley Hait the mercenary ranger nods his head in agreement, then quietly says "Not enough of them though".
As they see a number of the mounted in the Lé Dic army haven't been effected by the cockatrice. For the simple reason they didn't make eye contact with the naturally magical creatures.
Now they're riding straight towards the Harkonin ranks. And though some fall as they repeatedly shot by arrows and bolts. Most continue on towards the front ranks of the Harkonin army.
That's that lord Milburn isn't it? the ranger Hait thinks to himself as he's sure he spots the grandfather of lady Linara Lé Dic amongst the riders approaching the front ranks of the Harkonin army, towards the right flank, near the trade road.
The mercenary ranger who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to inhabit the body of Riley Hait. Looks over at sir Percavelle Lé Dic, and sees that the heavily armoured knight is watching those in his niece's army, about to ride into the ranks of the Harkonin army.
The ranger Hait then looks back down to the trade road, just as riders on the right flank of the Harkonin army move to intercept the oncoming riders in the Lé Dic army.
Just as they do, Dorc da Orc grunts loudly, Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman quickly glances at him, and sees the large ork is looking up through the trees behind them.
"What is it Dorc?" asks the mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen as down below, the two groups of horsemen ride into one another.
The ork warleader who is sniffing deeply as he looks uphill, grunts loudly again, and the ranger Hait repeats "What is it Dorc?".
"Magic" replies Dorc da Orc, who after a slight pause, continues with "A magicky cunt".
All of them look away from the battle below, and look up the hill behind them instead. Including sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who has been watching the carnage below with intensity.
Up at the top of the hill they know are a number of Harkonin soldiers, scouts and signallers mostly. For the simple reason Dorkindle caught wind of them earlier as they made their way halfway up the tree covered hill to observe the Harkonin army below.
And because down below, signallers can be seen looking up at the top of the hill, which is the most obvious place to have lookouts in the area. Especially looking away to the west, the way the Lé Dic army has come from.
"You sure?" quietly asks Riley Hait as he glances at the ork weaponsmith "Yeah cunt, me knows what a magicky fucker smells like" replies the large ork, who then mutters "Fucken stinks of magics".
The others all glance at one another, as they wonder who it is that's appeared at the top of the hill.
"That's all of them then?" asks dark druid Palvarc "It is advisor Palvarc" replies the officer, a scout commander, who leads those upon the hilltop, on the northern side of the trade road.
He points west to the rear of the enemy, and adds "You can just make out some of the war machines they've brought with them" he briefly pauses then adds "Not that they'll make a difference to what's happening".
The dark druid who is the advisor to baron Harkonin, nods his head as he watches the battle below, a definite one sided battle. As he has always planned it to be,
Palvarc the dark druid briefly glances behind them, and quickly grins. Before he goes back to watching the battle below. Where the Lé Dic ranks are getting cut down. With very few of them making it to the front ranks of the Harkonin army.
The hilltop is the site of an ancient druid's circle. The stone markers are covered with moss and lichen, and have worn over the centuries. And there's trees growing in and around the circle. Which like most of the hilltop when the circle was first erected. Was cleared of trees. But they've grown back over the years.
Not that it matters, as this particular druid's circle is still active, and in working order for one who knows how to tap it's power. One, such as baron Harkonin's personal advisor. The dark druid Palvarc.
Who traveled here instantaneously a few moments ago, via the new druid's circle he had built near the village to the southwest of castle Harkonin and the town of Maliss.
A newly built druid's circle that he has connected to all of the ancient circles that are still functioning here in the east of the kingdom of Druvic,
The dark druid who is standing just outside the circle of standing stones, asks the scout commander "My apprentice Maren?" he continues with "Is he not with our army below?" as he cannot sense the apprentice dark druid.
After a slight pause, the officer in charge of the scouts and signal men on the top of the hill, shakes his head no, then says "He is not, advisor Palvarc" the scout commander continues with "He did not return from Falshire after the battle there".
The dark druid nods his head, as the officer explains to him "He might of been taken prisoner as other important members of our forces there were" he continues with "Lord Sarvaine was taken prisoner, they sent a messenger yesterday to ransom him".
Palvarc the dark druid knows there was a chance his apprentice Maren might not of escaped the recent battle of Falshire, which the scout commander tells him, was a short, decisive battle won by the enemy. Who took the border town in less than half a morning.
Baron Harkonin's personal advisor planned it so that the baron's army would lose Falshire. Though he didn't expect it too fall so quickly. But nevertheless, it's had the desired effect.
Having the Lé Dic army move into the Harkonin fief, along the trade road, to this very spot. Where the dark druid has planned their demise. He was a little surprised when he appeared in the druid's circle upon the top of the hill. That the battle had already commenced. He was expecting it to begin sometime early tomorrow morning, or late this afternoon at the earliest. Not now, in the middle of the day.
Ah well, if he's dead, it's simple enough to get another one, the spellcaster thinks to himself, the dark druid then looks down at the two armies battling one another. Though to be fair, it's a one sided battle if there ever was one. As the Lé Dic ranks are getting slaughtered.
"Someone important did escape the battle of Falshire, and make it back to the army with the other survivors" says the scout commander, who then adds "The baron's war engineer, Tovis". Palvarc frowns when he hears that, as his scrying showed him that the young engineer would be one of those who would fall in battle at Falshire. As the dark druid planned it.
For though the war engineer is quite popular with some of the nobility. And the common folk, all predictably like him.
Palvarc thinks the baron likes young Tovis a little too much, and gives him free reign. More so than any other commoner in the fief, with the exception of the dark druid himself.
It's the reason Palvarc wanted the war engineer with the forces at Falshire, where he wanted him killed.
No good having someone around who has nearly as much influence as himself. No matter how talented the young engineer is. And what skills and hard work, he gives of himself for the benefit of the fief.
Palvarc sees the war engineer as threat to his position. A threat that should of been taken care of during the recent battle at the border town of Falshire.
"Indeed" says the dark druid, who after a slight pause, continues with "That's lucky of the engineer isn't it?".
The scout commander who glanced sideways at the baron's advisor when he said that, and saw the sneer on the face of the dark druid.
Quickly changes the subject, and gestures down at the battle below them on, and around the trade road, and says "Looks like it will be an easy victory for the baron, advisor Palvarc".
"It does look like that, doesn't it" says the dark druid, who is silent for a few moments as he watches the one sided battle below, then baron Harkonin's personal advisor adds "But we don't want just an easy victory" Palvarc continues with "We want to wipe them out for good".
The dark druid commands "Give the signal that I'm about to begin" the scout commander nods, and says "Yes advisor Palvarc" then he gestures to one of the signal men to raise one of the banners. They've already signaled to those below that the dark druid has arrived. So baron Harkonin knows his advisor is now here. And that the next phase in the battle is about to begin.
"Stand to the side of the circle" commands the dark druid, who points to the southeast side of the circle of standing stones. The side behind the Harkonin army below.
As those scouts and signallers not already on that side of the circle, quickly move there. One of the lookouts says "The handlers are putting the blinders back on the cockatrice".
"Good" murmurs Palvarc the dark druid, who then tells the scout commander "You and your men better hold onto something". "Yes advisor Palvarc" says the officer, who quickly gulps in fear, before hurrying towards a tree.
Baron Harkonin turns and walks back into the druid's circle. In the center of it, he stands, and turns back, to look in the direction of the battle. Though he's looking off in the direction of the Lé Dic army. Further back in their ranks.
From beneath his robe like cloak, Palvarc takes a large stick. It's about two feet in length. And holding it in the middle with his right hand, he makes a fist.
The stick instantaneously grows in length so that it's a near six foot tall staff.
He sticks the pointy end of the staff into the damp ground in the center of the druid's circle. Hidden runes along the length of the staff illuminate in a bright white light. And white light bursts from each and every standing stone in the circle as he activates the power of the druid's circle.
Time to get rid of the Lé Dic army once and for all, Palvarc the dark druid thinks to himself, who then unleashes the power within the druid's circle on top of the hill.
The ground shakes, at first slightly, then suddenly violently. As the pent up power within the druid's circle is released.
Palvarc fiercely grins as he directs the newly unleashed power down the hill, heading southwest, down the incline, towards the direction of the Lé Dic army.
As the earth erupts, and trees fall along the path of the vast amount of power as it heads down the hill, towards the enemy army from the neighboring fief of Lé Dic.
Palvarc who has just released centuries old stored power of ancient druids, many of whom were dark like himself. Knows that years of planning with baron Harkonin has finally come to fruition. And that he's just not given the baron a decisive victory against their enemy. But he's finally wiping out the Lé Dic army for good . . . . . .