131 Chaos in Irriton Grove Encore (2/2)
The knights squinted at each of their posts.
There came a sudden rush from the void, the pitch blackness from afar covered the felbeasts as they pounced coming seemingly from nowhere. A few knights were caught off guard and couldn't dodge the sudden lunge of the beasts. Some fell to the ground as they rolled around. The others tried to help them but their formation was broken and the reserves were also bombarded by rocks falling from the sky, brought by felhawks.
Chaos ensued while Rycharde shouted commands to keep the knights in formation. Some felbeasts tried to gather dirt toward the fire to extinguish it. Rycharde saw the move and he prevented it by commanding some men to fight the beasts. Hailing stones rained downward as the felbeasts threw them. Shields were on high but the men had a hard time defending from above and on the ground. A few knights gathered to use fire spells at the attacking horde as they didn't want the shadow walkers to come as it would be a dangerous fight.
\”These guys are good,\” panted Caspian as he deflected a falling rock with his shield.
\”Yeah, the shadow walkers and the whisperers have good coordination and it seems that they are very well versed in jungle warfare,\” Hearth observed.
\”All right, five archers rally to me,\” Rycharde's voice resounded, \”All of you target the felbeasts above, while you three shield them as they cover us. Don't use spells if possible, we need to conserve magic. We don't know how many of them are there,\”
The knights nodded and shot the arrows, they were precise enough to kill the hawks as each fell down one at a time, however, with the engulfed darkness protecting them, they could target the beasts afar and could only shoot those who were directly above the camp.
\”Alright, Leighton, I give you command,\” Rycharde told a middle-aged knight in black Armor. He nodded and walked to the middle and took his post.
\”I guess we'll have to do that?\” Evered asked Rycharde as he raised an eyebrow.
\”Yes, looks like we will,\” Rycharde said.
\”We need to break that shadow wall, that's where we get this headache,\” Evered added.
Rycharde raced toward the black wall, Evered at his side. Donning his war hammer he smashed felboars left and right. Two shadowy figures dashed toward him but he smiled. As a shadow pounced, he moved ten meters away in the blink of an eye.
Rycharde immediately blasted the shadow with a [Fireball] and the figure fell burning and screaming. The other figure stopped in his tracks but was hit by a large boulder as a knight's spell connected. Rycharde immediately smashed the skull of his opponent.
Rycharde spat, \”You shadow walkers can't do with a bit more fire, can you?\” Rycharde's flames sprayed toward the black wall but it parted.
\”Change tactics, we attack now! Spearhead Formation!\” Rycharde shouted as he rallied the men.
Five fire adept knights pushed forward as the earth versed knights supported them from the rear. Ten knights stood in the periphery to defend the camp. While Rycharde led the charge. The shadowy curtain slowly parted as the Knights advanced.
However, from the opening, a stampede of beasts charged.
\”Inclined Wall! Pit of Despair manoeuvre\” Rycharde shouted as he fell back.
Evered joined the vanguard as they raised an earthen ramp. Half of the earth mages in the ranks conjured a depression on the ground. The beasts were blindsided by the ramp and fell into the pits as fire mages cast their spells on the trapped animals. Blood and smoked mixed as hordes of beasts charred.
\”Repulsion now!\” Rycharde shouted once again. The walls cracked and jets of stones hailed toward the direction of the blockade. The shadows tried to run but they were startled at the sudden turn of events, they didn't expect a direct confrontation.
Their plan was to weather them with felbeasts. The encirclement slowly dispersed and a few stones hit the bodies of the shadow walkers, muffled shouts were heard from the blackness. The other knights were quick and cast fireballs as their bodies charred. Three of the enemy fell.
\”Charge!\” commanded Rycharde. The knights pursued full force but they were met with more felbeasts trying to ward them off. The shadow walkers also changed strategy and encircled patches of the skirmish. Chaos ensued as some of the knights began to be slowly engulfed in darkness. A knight was picked off by four shadow walkers as he was surrounded unable to see behind him.
\”Fall back!\” Rycharde commanded, \”To me! Back to formation!\”
It a tough battle, as the lack of visibility was exploited. The terrain was advantageous to the shadow walkers, blind spots were easily created.
As more shadow walkers gathered, Rycharde shouted, \”NOW! Burn the trees!\”
The periphery was suddenly engulfed by fire. Burning trees fell hindering the escape of the arcanists. The enemy was forced to engage the advance. A knight was encircled and killed but the five shadow walkers were also slaughtered in the unit's retaliation.
Most of the shadow walkers started to retreat south. The Knights wanted to pursue but Rycharde told them to hold.
\”At ease men, gather the dead. We wait for Lord Blackfyre at the camp!\”
There were looks of distress, they wanted to purge the enemy thoroughly to avenge their fallen comrades, but they conceded and did as commanded. As they were trying to gain their breaths they heard a primal roar.
Everyone's spine shuddered.
Rycharde looked at the beasts. He knew the contours of these creatures, the majestic aura they donned. The very same creature he had fought as he was commanded by two-year-old, years past.
\”Fuck,\” Rycharde and Evered cussed at the same time.
Within their sight, four chimeraans appeared.