laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

Spray from the sea hit Elliot in the face, tired from purging for most of the trip across the Oka Straits. He had never sailed before and it showed. Much to the chagrin of the crewmen having to constantly skirt around him at the rail, the scholar had prompted bets that he wouldn't even make it to the far shore alive. A burning desire to see the vault filled to capacity with wealth untold drove him on, however.

After the three day voyage, the fleet dropped anchor near the forested shoreline and began disembarking their army. Hundreds of horses, tons of supplies and thousands of men streamed to the grey, rocky banks.

"You're going to need to climb down the ladder," the first mate informed as Elliot watched the sea of leather tunics and steel breastplates melt into the treeline. Helmets, pikes and other assorted weapons gleamed in the sunlight and for a moment, Elliot became nervous. He was promising the world to men who would soon realize who they were attacking. And Kevelaer would not go down without a vicious fight, irregardless of what he had been told.

"Alright," he finally answered, glancing to the sea dog, then down to the narrow steps built into the side of the ship's hull. This was going to be fun, he thought sarcastically.

* * *

On the road, troops gathered until their respective barons, knights or the duke himself arrived. In the distance, four soldiers of the Kuzin kingdom of Ganshoren noticed movement heading towards them. Mounted riders with large, overstuffed packs behind each.

"Inform the baron we have company," one of them stated as the remaining troops loaded their rifles. With each passing moment, more troops arrived and filled the clearing. Some taking notice of the scene now developing on the far left flank and began loading their own weapons while their accompanying pikemen moved up to protect the musketeers from the mounted arrivals.

As the approaching caravan slowed their horses, the lead raised his right hand in peace as the musketeers lowered their wheellock rifles onto the tall, wooden supports and aimed.

"We're of Wroclaw. Traders," the rider informed.

"Scourge of the world! Fire, men!" With that, an explosion of smoke and fire sent shot down the road to their targets, now obscured in a thick, white fog. "Reload," sounded over the distant screaming of horses. Once done, they prepared for another volley, but as the cloud evanesced, only bodies were revealed among a few limping horses, trying their best to retreat into the forest or back down the road.

The men smiled and yelled, "Huzzah!!"

* * *

Elliot finally made it to the shoreline and up the embankment to the forest, helped by his entourage of learned men and friends when the echo of gunfire reached them. He glanced up and to the left as other men suddenly began running up to the hidden highway while the crewmen and others continued unloading their supplies.

"What, have they confronted us already," Elliot wondered aloud as they climbed up and around large, grey boulders.

"Can't be," Samuel replied. "Not even those with us know our destination."

As they broke the treeline, mounted knights and other nobles began organizing the defense of their position, yelling orders that were quickly carried out by the well trained and modern army. Pride of Elliot's other brainchild, the Military Academy. Through the morass of shining steel and brilliant heraldry, he found the Count of Osum and moved towards the commander, his host of compatriots in tow.

"And deploy skirmishers," the middle-aged noble commanded.

"Right away, sir," the dutiful reply as the knight raced off to inform the scouts.

"Sir Wilhem, what's going on," Elliot asked.

"Seems the first shots of this war have been sounded. I've been informed a scouting party of dark elves were intercepted and killed to our left. No casualties on our side," he smiled broadly.

"I see. Are all their scouts dead?"

The count nodded, "They are".

"You're sure of this? You realize they are adept at hiding in the shadows."

"Don't fear, scholar. We have this well in hand. That was only the first volley in the fight that will finally rid this world of their ilk."

Elliot grinned, but wasn't as confident as the arrogant noble. He turned to Samuel and the others, then leaned in. "We have to do our part to ensure that this doesn't become a disaster before it even begins. Spread among the ranks and keep your senses open."

"Don't worry," Samuel grinned. "The two that survived their volley are already on their way home," the mentalist informed. "We have a few days before we have to worry about them again."

Nodding, he watched as the group who held to not only their scientific insights, but also relied on their natural abilities, that no one outside their private circle knew of, to keep everyone alive. Their goal was only a week away and all now had a stake in this. There would be no going back now.

Once their own scouts returned and the supplies were unloaded, they set off into the wilderness and towards the foothills of the Abor Mountains. The rest would have to secure the coastal base and their supply line, for little was available other than what they could hunt on the way.

Into the rugged terrain they marched and each day felt like an eternity to Elliot whose older body wasn't meant for physical labor. His feet ached, his back was screaming and his legs couldn't take any more of this. But, he pushed himself on and used the salves and other aids that he had packed away when they got a break. It helped a little, at least.
The higher they climbed, the more open the ground became. Elliot did enjoy the view and turned to look back down the mountainside to the distant blue that melted into the haze.

Sunlight warmed the cool, thin air as the army broke for lunch on a large, open rise. Four days of marching and climbing in the foreign land was taking it's toll on everyone, but their promise of wealth drove the nobles on at least. Green eyes glanced to his companions in dark robes as they mingled among the seated troops.

Suddenly, Samuel glanced at him, then up into the sky. "To arms!!"

Turning, Elliot glanced upward and saw them. Gleaming armored bodies brightened by the sun aimed downwards as the army scrambled to set up a defensive ring, protecting their leaders in the center with the horses and supplies. This was it, he thought.

Fire poured on them from roaring dragons, flying at altitude as their riders aimed bows and magic, pouring it into the ranks of troops hiding within tall pikes as they loaded their guns. Screams of the dying all around him, Elliot feared for his life and cowered within the stacks of food and barrels of gunpowder.
Soon, the first salvo was over and the dragonriders arced up into the sky and turned for their next pass. There had to be hundreds of them, he thought to himself as he tried to become as small as possible.

"Here they come, boys," the count yelled. "Give them hell!"

As the dragons neared, they inhaled deeply and Elliot closed his eyes, praying for the first time in his life for deliverance. It seemed like hours until the explosion from the rifles echoed up and down the ranks preceded the intense heat from the firey breath now pouring down around them. Hell on earth, he thought to himself and wanted more than anything to be back in his private quarters. Amelia's scent in his nostrils, her soft kisses on his lips.

How had he gotten into this mess?

Confusion reigned as he heard the crashing of something large and heavy in the trees beyond them, the victorious yells of the men... and he wasn't burned to a crisp. Slowly, he opened one eye, then the other. Beyond his hiding place, he noticed the duke of Dobrich eye him with disgust, then turn away.

"Reload!"

Elliot chanced a peek and noticed the searing above and around them in the air. The protective dome worked, he realized and glanced through the ranks of horses to see several dragons had crashed into the forest, shot down by their guns. The sight made him giddy.

What came next didn't, however.

As the men prepared for another pass, Elliot looked up and over the nearest peak to see the dragons and their elven riders change tactics as they dipped out of sight. His smile suddenly melted. They could do this all day and night, he realized.

"Count, we have to move. We can't stay here," Elliot implored.

"Relax, scholar. We've got them now," the noble's proud stance and eagerness made the elder educator nervous. "Here they come!"

Green eyes turned as the horses fought to flee, but had nowhere to go. Dragons flew treetop level and dipped into the circle of men, but their large talons were deflected by the protective barrier. Frustrating the rider and dragon alike, the salvo burst into the immense, silver bodies and caused several to escape as those behind unleashed another burst of flame that engulfed the entire hillside, torching the trees and ground all around them. But, leaving the ground they held intact. Five more dragons carried their riders into the forest of green below, crashing into an inglorious death as they rolled downward. Splinters of wood and branches flew in all directions and prompted the remaining to turn and head home.

"Great work, men," the count yelled. "Huzzah!!" A cheer echoed by all.