*As the fires died and the last vestige of WO power on this flank was annihilated. Archos's battle hardened, but also battle weary troops, raised a roar over the battle field that made their ancestors proud. That roar grew louder, as the alante relief force came in sight. At last they could return to their comrads, and prepare for the most latest stage of Archos of the Godslayer's counterstrike against the Warlock Order's forces.
Their delighted bellowing and singing of warsongs ended of a sudden, when out of the sky came Manshoon and his forces. They had thought first it was a second relief force...but when it came down hard against the Alante dragons, and chaos ensued, each warrior to the last knew things had just gotten much more complicated. Some units were prepared to launch themselves in to the fray, but the flags were raised to march, not to fight, and so they moved towards their brothers in arms near the coast at a slow but steady pace. A marching song raised in their ranks, but every man elf and dragon amongst them is keeping one eye on the terrible battle above their ranks. Most expect a victory for Alante to be easy given their numbers...and so it is stunning when they can only watch as dragon after dragon falls to the corpse ladden battle field. Still, they dare not interfere. They march onward....only a few remaining behind, to take up the wounded from the two opponents, and carried on great carts to a place of greater security, to be healed during the night encampment*
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*when time permits, a letter is composed to manshoon*
To manshoon,
I, Archos Zyan VryceGriffinsbane Godslayer, do bid thee
well, and express my admiration for thy skill in battle against the Alante.
However, I must give my regrets that I must congratulate thee on thy skill in doing battle with a recent ally in the conflict, whom twas coming to relieve my force and hold that position secure gainst Warlock Order incursions. An thou must do war with Alante, I twouldst ask that thou dost refrain from it, whilst the warlock order doth hold troops upon this native soil. I do nae say thou shalt nae make war, tis thy affair, but I do ask that thou dost make no move that shall impede the alliance goal of defeating the Warlock Order. Those of thine folk wounded in the battle, have been taken up and remain with mine advancing army. They shall be given treatment and when opportunity presents itself, they shall be returned to thee.
Fair days and good battles,
Archos Zyan VryceGriffinsbane Godslayer
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he scribes also a letter to Ordhelm of the Alante
To Ordhelm, ruler o'er the Alante forces,
I bid thee well in the name of the Godslayer hearth,
and I offer my regrets for the loss of life in the relief force thou didst dispatch, yet I must also offer thee congratulations for the skill thou hast shown during the course of the exchange, having survivors after a battle with some of Manshoon's finest tis no small feat, e'en to hae inflicted casualties upon the forces of a skilled and dangerous commander, without thyself present, doth speak volumes about the quality of thy armies and commanders.
Howerr I must also convey to thee, a request to seek to hold hostilities with Manshoon and his forces until the threat of the Warlock Order tis dispelled. A similar request hath been made to Manshoon as well, and if fortune favors, we may yet end this campaign with some speed. At such time as the WO is no longer a threat, I shall no further ask ye to withhold thy retribution for the sudden assault on thy relief force.
As for mine own army, I regret that I couldst aid thee nae, yet were I to send aid to one or the other, this delicate alliance may yet fracture, and tis a split the WO tis sure to exploit given the chance. I do deplore the division in ranks that may have come about via Manshoon's assault, but tis to late to ask him nae to make one, I can only avoid spreading such a split by mine own involvement. I shall send no aid nor information to manshoon in regards to fighting thy force should he choose to do so, but by all rights, I must also refuse this to ye. Those of thy folk that twere wounded and unable to flee nor fight, hath been ttaken up within mine army, and when encamped, they shall be tended to. Then at the nearest opportunity, I twill restore them to thy ranks, just as I shall do with Manshoon's wounded.
Fair days and good battles,
Archos of the Godslayers |