50 Chapter 50

Earl Abery awoke painted in sweat, his bedroom so humid you could fill a cup with water by swinging it through the air. The heat and humidity signified that summer had arrived, it was time to go north. He walked over to his wash basin and stared at his reflection in the silver coated mirror before him.

He barely recognized himself anymore, the man peering back at him seemed to have aged a decade these last few months. He had lost weight too, no longer could one describe him as a barrel of a man. Instead he looked to be an aging noble, not yet frail enough to be defenseless but well on his way.

These last few months the people of the Abery territory had been barely staving off starvation. The territory wouldn't last another winter without grain, they had only managed to make it through spring with heavy rationing. The adventurers left due to being unable to pay the price for food, no doubt leaving for Marquis Verden's territory.

Once the adventurers left Earl Abery realized just how much they were needed. Not only did they spend coin for inn's and ale they also kept the flood of monsters from the north from coming down. Once they had left Earl Abery requested that Fort Abel and Vesin help stem the tide but was refused. Their job was to keep the forsaken races at bay not deal with monsters and beasts.

After Earl Abery finished cleaning himself he sought out the mage Pontus.

"Are we ready to go?"

"Yes my lord. The Durani merchant ships have just arrived. Your men are boarding the ships now. Marshal Dolan has outdone himself, gathering nearly two thousand men. I worry we may not have enough room on our ships." Pontus quipped but seeing the lack of a response from Earl Abery made his smile quickly disappear.

"Let's go."

They arrived at the docks as his men were boarding and Earl Abery spotted the monstrous dwarven cannon that was among the last of his families possessions. He had considered selling it to buy grain but with the gate opening during this generation, he would effectively be exchanging starvation for a brutal death at the hands of the invaders so he decided against it.

The cannon was enchanted and required a mage along with many mana cores to fire the massive twenty two kilogram cannon ball but once used it's effects were devastating. It could plow through most city walls as long as they weren't enchanted and he didn't expect a few tiny dark elf village to have such means, thus this weapon would be the key to his victory.

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A Fae'Laran necromancer's wide range of skills made it so their work was never done. One of the village guards had fallen off the walls and broke his ankle and Nyris started his morning by making a healing salve for the man. Once that was done he had to visit the farmers outside the walls. They had been struggling with melo flies that had been filling their voracious stomachs on the farmer's crop ever since Aerwyn had taken care of the jakku.

Nyris came prepared, bringing over some rikon root that once burned, creates a smoke which should ward off most insects. After visiting the farmers it was off to the forest surrounding Lyr. The village was building a new grain silo and as a necromancer that meant his undead would handle most of the menial labor. With a short chant he summoned three death knights and threw them lumbering axes.

The death knights had only been chopping trees for a few hours when Master Ynir appeared.

"There may be trouble, one of my rangers spotted an army of humans landing on the shores to the south. If they're coming this way, they'll be here within the hour." Master Ynir was panicked and frantic as he spoke.

"Relax, there's no reason for the human to attack us. They're probably here checking on the status of the gate, it's been over two hundred year since the last invasion and it'll be opening soon... Either way it's best to get everyone inside the gates and prepare for the worst case scenario. Let's head back." Nyris assured him before caution took the better of him.

A few hours later his worst fears were realized. He stood upon the southern wall staring at nearly two thousand men ready to do battle. In the center of their ranks was a three meter long cannon, aimed directly at Lyr's walls. Nyris was expecting the humans to offer some sort of demands but when he saw them loading the cannon he decided to use magic to enhance his voice and call out to them.

"We are but a small village, you have nothing to gain by attacking us. Why are you here? Perhaps we can compromise-"

"BOOM!" The explosive force of the cannon ball crashing into the walls sent Nyris tumbling to the ground as the southern wall collapsed. The power of the explosion and impact of his fall would have surely killed him had he not protected his vital parts with mana.

Master Ynir rushed over to him, helping him stand while Nyris summoned four death knights along with dozens of skeletons that rapidly clawed their way up from the black viscous liquid in front of him. Nyris turned and looked at the damage the cannon ball did to the village. It had crashed straight through the wall and destroyed a building behind it before stopping. The frightened faces of villagers who were standing by ready to fight entered his gaze through the smoke.

This battle would be hopeless, Lyr didn't have enough elves that could fight to stand a chance against this army. Nyris quickly came to a decision in his mind, he closed his eyes and sighed before turning to Master Ynir.

"Take the villagers that are unable to fight and flee. We cannot win but i can buy you some time and maybe, just maybe, some will survive. Bring the villagers to Ardin, Aerwyn can look after them while you run to notify Setrhyn."

"You must have lost your mind Nyris. A Fae'Laran necromancer is far more valuable than a head ranger that only got the job because of his father... If one of us must go then it needs to be you." The human troops had begun to march towards the breach as Master Ynir put on a self-depreciating smile but the fear of death on the twenty seven year old man's face was clear as day.

"Ynir there is no time to argue damn it. You're faster than me and you can notify Setrhyn of the attack quicker. You must go!" Nyris yelled.

"I've already made up my mind necromancer. Either we both die here today or you go. Aerwyn's undead are faster than me and he can notify Setrhyn. You're undead will be far more useful to protect the villagers on the journey. Now go, i won't say it again." Master Ynir hardened his resolve and began ordering the elves who were going to fight to fill the breach.

"DAMNED FOOL! Fine get yourself killed!" Nyris raged as he sent his undead to fill the ranks of the elves, leaving behind some undead to fight with Ynir was the least he could do. He began casting a voice spell to shout to the villagers in old fae.

"Drae mi ny vallyn cora, ynd mal!"

Many villagers who weren't able to fight quickly fled their homes and gathered around Nyris while other stayed put, the intention to fight written on their faces. Once Nyris gathered all that he could they fled through the north gate into the forest.

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The sun was setting and Earl Abery's tired eyes watched as the dark elves were being loaded up on the Durani ships in chains. The pitiful sounds of wailing and whimpering filled the air and he was forced to avert his eyes.

"My lord, there's a total of three hundred and twenty six. Many fled as we breached the walls should we pursue them?" Marshal Dolan asked as he walked over.

"No... We'd never catch them even if we did... How many men did we lose?"

"Three hundred and sixty four, my lord. The dark elf rangers and that necromancer's undead were powerful, had they more men our losses would've been severe. I fear the larger village will prove far more difficult to crack."

"...Load the cannon back on the ship, we'll make camp here tonight and leave at first light."

The next morning they set off up river and within the hour they were passing Ardin.

"Is that it?" Earl Abery asked Pontus.

"No my lord. Those are ruins of the old Millin kingdom, we checked it the last time we came north and it was infested with goblins."

"...Do goblins in the forsaken lands build walls like that?" Earl Abery pointed to the sturdy looking wooden walls.

"T-they weren't like that a few months ago. It's possible some hobgoblins evolved into ogres-"

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"It's fine, we're not going to stop to kill a few goblins even if they're evolved." Earl Abery cut him off.

Another hour passed when Marshal Dolan pointed out the flying creatures following the ships.

"What are those?" He asked Pontus.

"We ran into them near the last village the first time we came north. They appear to be scavengers, although I've never seen them with purple eyes like these. Perhaps it's an evolved version..."

"How far are we from the next village?" Earl Abery asked.

"Only another half hour and we should arrive. We'll be landing only a few kilometers from an orc village. Should we go there first?" Pontus changed his tone and turned to the Earl.

"No, i'll decide whether or not to attack it after the battle with the next dark elf village."