Foreign Armies

Sinderion stood in the Blood Knight’s headquarters in a small circular room. With him stood a platoon made up of Rangers, Blood Knights with several Farstriders and Magisters exchanging confident smirks while the less experienced trembled lightly with anticipation. There was no conversation; all their eyes glued to the dimly glowing red crystal mounted to a golden cane that stood in the center of the room. The charge of magic in the air grew stronger and stronger, and with it so did the brightness of the crystal.

With a loud crackling sound and a bright flash the crystal imploded, creating a whirling portal in its place. Without a second’s hesitation the group of blood elves all ran through the gapping magical maw. The faint humming of lanterns, distant footsteps of arcane guardians and fabric blowing in the wind quickly turned into the sharp animal like howl of wind the Fjord was named for. The Rangers and Blood Knights shook slightly, attempting to grow use to the sudden drastic change in climate.

Sinderion cracked his neck as he looked around, the Dragonhawk rider that had dropped the reinforcement portal already in the distance. He rolled his eyes as he looked over his men; the Rangers and Blood Knights shivering lightly from the sudden change in climate. Rotating around more he saw a group of Forsaken with roughly the same numbers as his group.

The Forsaken wore thickened leather with no fur for warmth. The armor was jet black with silver studs, contrasting to the blood red and black armor adorned with bright golden lining that Sinderion wore. His cloak blew fiercely in the wind as he addressed the Forsaken with a nod.

They returned it, and after a brief but awkward silence one Forsaken strode up on horseback from the small group. This one was different. He sat straight with no visible bones protruding, with the exception of the sharpened claws lining his fingertips. Well groomed dark brown, near black hair flowed over the edges of his bonescythe mask. His skeletal warhorse was draped in ebony cloth, with even darker armor covering most of the undead steed.

“Ah, so I assume you’re the reinforcements from Silvermoon?” asked the Forsaken with a notable hint of condescendence, thought the tone was more regal then insulting.

Sinderion nodded.

“So you must be Capitan Mathieu, yes?” inquired Sinderion.

“Indeed. We requested assistance. There is an Alliance convoy that will be coming here very shortly. I suggest you set-up. Quickly.” Said Captain Mathieu, moving his hand along possible tactical positions.

Sinderion nodded as his expression became serious, turning to his men and barking out orders, “Captain Hawkhelm, take the Rangers to the sides behind the trees. Magister Dusksinger, take center position with the Blood Knights and other Magisters.”

Captain Mathieu let out a cold chuckle that caused Sinderion to wince visibly.

“You’ve not worked with the Forsaken before, half you, Blood Elf?” asked Captain Mathieu eyeing Sinderion with the expression of a teacher correcting a foolish student.

“No but…” Sinderion said.

“I assure you your little… ‘Knights’… would be far better placed away from the fight. For now.” Assured Captain Mathieu as he strode out in front of his men.

Sinderion shrugged looking to the rest of his men.

“As we are the reinforcements, we’ll listen to his suggestion, for now.” Said Sinderion to his men in thalassian.

“Very well sir, your alterations to the order?” requested Magister Dusksinger, mounting his armored hawkstirder as the Blood Knights called forth their chargers.

“Magister Dusksinger, take the Blood Knights and other Magisters to the side of the road. Be sure to keep out of site. Keep your eyes open for flares. Captain Hawkhelm, move all the Rangers and Farstriders to the trees. Keep yourselves hidden.” Ordered Sinderion.

“Yes sir. On me, now.” Said Magister Dusksinger, letting the tip of his staff in flames to attract the attention of the Blood Knights and Magisters as they followed him off the main-road.

“As you wish.” Said Captain Hawkhelm, whistling to her rangers as she quickly ascended up the trees with the other Farstriders. The Rangers, struggling more, eventually making it up as well.

Sinderion let forth a loud whistle and hopped off a small rock in the road. Extending his hand to the sky as if to pull the sun from it, a large eagle flew from the sky like a meteor and gripped his hand with its talons, gliding into the tree. Letting him go, Sinderion landed softly amongst the branches of the trees. He patted the eagle, handing it a large gray fish and then dismissing the bird again.

He drew his bow and readied his quiver, eyeing the others in the trees to make sure they were doing the same. He moved around and peered out the other sides, to his relief the Blood Knights and Magisters were not in plain sight. His emerald eyes eventually fell upon Captain Mathieu, who was now ordering his men in what sounded like gutterspeak.

“Angriff Protokoll dreiundzwanzig. TodesJäger in den Schatten mit mir. Wenn ich einen Kopf aus, sehe dem Schmutz in drei Minuten heraus noch zu stoßen, entferne ich ihn mit meinem Blatt.” Ordered Captain Mathieu, his tone unchanged despite the different language.

“Wie du Nacht Bringer beherrschst. Sieg Heil!” said the Forsaken soldiers in unison, clapping their arms to their chest as they gave their rather unique salute.

“They’re organized little bastards. I’ll give them that much.” Muttered Sinderion in thalassian under his breath.

The Forsaken soldiers immediately rushed to the center of the road and began to dig frantically, some with shovels, others with their claws. At first it appeared to be a series of fox-holes or maybe even a trench.

Sinderion’s eyes grew wider as he realized the true purpose of these holes. The Forsaken climbed inside of them and pulled the dirt over their positions. The road baring traces of perhaps a horrid gopher problem, but not the slightest hint of an enemy ambush. All this only moments after they had begun.

Sinderion glanced at the Captain, still on the surface who turned ant met eyes with Sinderion. Whirling his cloak around him disappeared into the shadows and reappeared behind Sinderion.

“Keep your men in the trees; leave us to what we do best.” He said in a cold tone, leaping from the tree and disappearing back into the shadows.

Moments later Sinderion eyed the caravan in the Alliance growing closer in the distance. Unaware of what awaited them.

Sinderion let out a sharp whistle and Talos descended from the sky, landing on his master’s shoulder. He nodded at the Alliance caravan. Immediately Talos spread his wings and took off into the sky. Sinderion closed his eyes as he began muttering some mystic words.

When he opened them again, he began to fall from the sky. Flapping furiously he pulled himself up and began to look over the caravan. Two long armored caravans left their marks in the frozen dirt as they crawled along, being pulled by what had to be the two largest elekks in Northrend . Two groups of roughly twenty well armored humans walked in a rectangular formation on the left and right side of the caravans. A group of mounted human knights led the caravan from the front, with various cloaked Dwarven riflemen sitting atop the caravan.

“Gauche! Droite! Gauche! Droite! Gauche! La garder les hommes mobiles. Nous sommes dans le terre ennemi maintenant.” Hollered the Knight-Captain, his voice echoing in Talos’s ear despite his high altitude.

Sinderion shook as the eyes of the beast spell wore off. The transition as always, a tad startling. He armed his bow once more as the particularly loud human Captain strode onto the road. The first caravan rolled over the dirt with no problem, the second began to slowly make its way to safety as well.

Sinderion exchanged glances with the few Farstriders and Rangers visible from his position. What where they waiting for? Or did the caravans or elekks crush the hiding Forsaken? He held his breath, calculating what to do if the Forsaken did not act.

A loud thud interrupted Sinderion’s thoughts as the two back wheels of the second caravan sank into the ground. The elekks pulled harder, but as they did the last wheels sank, causing the animals to fall and thrash wildly, and the Alliance to break formation to avoid the startled elekks.

“Ce qui la baise? J'ai averti que c'était surchargé moi ne prendra pas le blâme pour ceci.” cried a Dwarven riflemen who was thrown from the caravan as it crashed, dusting himself off.

All the second caravan’s guardsmen turned to a confused Dranei and began to shout while making gestures at the panicking elekks. The Knight-Captain rode down and began to harass the Dranei as well.

“Ce qui est erroné avec ces choses?! Vous avez dit qu'elles seraient bonnes pour ce type de travail!” growled the leading knight.
Sinderion spotted a blade shoot from the ground and cut the ropes of the elekks. The animals quickly got to their feet and ran, knocking over anything that stood in their path as they frantically stampeded to safety.

“Comment pourrait ceci obtenir plus mauvais?!” cried the leading knight in frustration.

As the Knight began to rant, a cry echoed out in the road as Forsaken hands began to spring up and rip Alliance soldiers down into the soil. They screamed and kicked frantically, attempting to free themselves. Some spat blood and died with the majority of their torso still on the soil, while others where immediately silenced upon being pulled below the surface.

“Fire at will!” shouted Sinderion as he let loose his bow.
Arrows began to shoot from the trees, striking at the already confused and startled guards.

Sinderion’s arrow found its mark in the back of the leading knight’s head. Blood pooled on the ground as the dyeing Captain slumped from his horse. The startled animal galloping off, dragging his dead master by the left foot.

The cries of the second group quickly brought the first caravan guard’s attention as they rushed to aid their ambushed comrades. The knights charged toward the few emerged Forsaken but as they approached sharpened wooden spikes shot from the ground. The Knights pulled back on their reigns but it was too late.
The dying cry of the horses echoed out in the fjord as they’re riders where flung from them onto the dirt. None able to ready themselves as the rest of the Forsaken emerged, quickly finishing the dazed Knights and rushing toward the human infantry.

Gunshots rang out as the Dwarven riflemen picked off several of the charging Forsaken. Sinderion turned to address this threat, firing flaming arrows into the visible riflemen. They shrieked in pain as they quickly became engulfed in flame, running for any source of water.

One of the riflemen parried the arrow with his rifle butt, his eyes meeting Sinderion in a cold glare. With lighting speed he fired a bullet at Sinderion’s position. Sinderion rolled as the shot grazed his left shoulder. Grinning Sinderion leapt from his cover, firing at the Dwarven riflemen as he fell. The dwarf responded in kind, firing bullets while moving at Sinderion’s direction. Bright flashes sparkling in the sky as their arrows and bullets met while in flight.

Sinderion landed, picking up a wounded Dwarven rifleman as he moved. Securing his grip around the neck with his arm he fired from the new found cover at the particularly skilled rifleman. The dwarf fired, Sinderion lowering himself as he heard the gunpowder explode. The bullet hitting his Dwarven shield in-between the eyes.

“Assez de ceci!” shouted the Dwarf, throwing away his rifle and reaching into his cloak he began to throw grenades at Sinderion.

Sinderion rolled from the first explosion to see a second laying in front of him, he kicked it away and caught the third, throwing it into the sky, the fourth exploded near him, shrapnel ripping into his side he fell to the ground, coughing blood.

The Dwarven riflemen quickly rushed over, axe in hand. He smirked at Sinderion as he raised it up,
“Vous à oreilles longues dessus d'une chienne!” shouted the dwarf as he brought down the axe.

Sinderion winched and brought up his hands, bracing himself for death. After a few seconds of nothing happening he opened his eyes to see the Dwarf hanging over him, his body hung from a sword gripped by Captain Mathieu, the blade lodged in the neck of the rifleman.

“You have a passion for the dramatic, Captain Sinderion. Next time might I suggest staying in the trees like the rest of your men?” said Captain Mathieu looking at Sinderion with a combination of boredom and disappointment.

Sinderion opened his mouth to respond sharply, but decided against it. He was right, although he hated to admit it.

Captain Mathieu jerked the blade around the Dwarf, severing the head and allowing his blood to splatter on Sinderion.

“Shall I call for an apothecary or can your Blood Knights handle this?” said Capitan Mathieu as he strode away, not turning to address Sinderion as he spoke.

“You might find difficulty reaching one with black flips and perorates with the shrapnel in your side.” He added, leaving Sinderion to his wound.

Sinderion growled at the Capitan as he walked to overlook his men. Sinderion’s men gathered and helped him up.

“That arrogant rotter.” Hissed Capitan Hawkhelm, glaring at the Forsaken.

“He’s right, though I hate to admit it.” said Sinderion.

“Perhaps. Perhaps not. What good is a commander if he does not inspire his men? Regardless, we must get that taken care of. I’ll call up the Blood Knights.” Said Capitan Hawkhelm.

Sinderion nodded as Capitan Hawkhelm sent several of her rangers to fetch the Blood Knights and Magisters still on the side of the road.

“Sie zahlen uns nicht genug, um dieses Arschloch mit irgendeinem zu beschäftigen.” Said a Forsaken passing him with a nod and shrug.

Sinderion sighed hopelessly as he ran his hands through his hair.
“Why can’t everyone just speak Orcish?”