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Spring, 1424
Hiding behind their cloaks, the pair headed into camp. A bizarre contrast awaited the leaders. The sound of fighting echoed in the distance, but in other places folks were cooking and packing as if nothing had happened. Most encampments however remained quiet. Walkerite patrols were wandering the camp, but most ignored them. Lowering their helms, Jayna and Chagraff blended into the crowds of the soldiers and camp followers, trying to escape notice.
Finally the pair came upon the entrance to Cutler’s Brigade. A Walkerite checkpoint had been set up, with guards from the two units silently facing off against each other.
Jayna brazenly walked past the Walkerite checkpoint before anyone could respond, quickly followed by her companion.
“Halt! Declare yourselves!” The coupist troops called out, attempting to block their way, but Jayna ignored them,walking past without looking back. Weapons were raised, crossbows were aimed, but Cutler’s troops readied their weapons as well and the hesitation was enough for the Arcadian leadership to reach the opposing checkpoint and be brought to relative safety behind the mantlets.
“Declare yourselves!” Confused guards blocked the path forward.
“I am Jayna Durham, leader of the Arcadian Revolution and commander of the Army of the Republic! There are people attempting to capture or kill me. If you are among them, then arrest me! Otherwise, take us to Major Cutler!”
“I am Chagraff Alisan, Chief of Staff.” The Rutherian shrugged.
The guards looked at each other. A long pause ensued.
Then they bowed. “This way, commanders.”
The colonel was in his tent, trying to make sense from a flurry of messages as Jayna and Chagraff walked in. Cutler immediately got to his feet.
“Commanders!”
Jayna went straight to the point. “Do you and your men remain true to the revolution?”
“We are, General Jayna Durham.”
“Good. Tell me the situation, Cutler.”
“The Walkerites seized all the control posts. There have been clashes. Units are leaderless and in confusion. There are rumors the dragon is dead. There are rumors you too were dead.”
The Arcadian leader snorted. “That's what they want us to think. But we have a revolution to win.”
“Where is Mera?”
“I don't know. I know not the ways of dragons, but Mera can defend himself. Focus on what humans will do. What’s going on in camp? Who remains loyal to the cause?”
“Your Gonner Legion of course remains loyal, but the Walkerites attacked their camp immediately.”
“Do they stand?”
“Yes, but they are hard pressed. Most of us were awaiting news of what the hell is going on.”
Jayna folded her arms. “Murray has turned against us. He has tried to kill or arrest Chagraff and I. We need to fight. What is the status of your troops?”
Cutler nodded. “I have had them up and ready to move for hours, but there had been no direction, so they have stood. Your orders, commanders.”
“We march out and relieve the besieged Arcadian camp.”
***
Within minutes, Cutler’s entire command marched out, heading straight to the gonner encampment. In front, the Walkerite checkpoint hesitated before the onslaught, then beat a hasty retreat without firing. As the loyalists marched through camp, Jayna, atop Cutler’s spare horse Trout, raised her standard into the air and called out to the stunned onlookers from the various camps along her route.
“The revolution is in danger! Murray has betrayed us and aims to have us all slaughtered by the Imperials! This is the moment that your faith is being questioned! Do you stand and fight for what you believe in?”
Scattered cheering broke out, soon joining into a massive cascade of acclamation. Individual soldiers from the other camps quickly began joining up. Well's contingent fell in, joined by Hassan’s force, then Porter’s. The Arcadian troops were loyal, they just needed leadership and direction. Soon 6000 Arcadian loyalists assembled, creating a massive battle column against 4000 Walkerites besieging the 2000 Gonner Legion.
Still, the danger was not over; the Walkerites had been Jayna’s most combat effective unit. The Arcadian leader bit her lip. Even if the vanguard was ordered back, they would not return before the end of the confrontation, and other troops remained neutral, clearly awaiting the outcome of this fight. Her forces were in for a bloody and costly fight that it may well still lose.
She glanced over at Chagraff, who noticed and nodded with determination.
Jayna breathed deeply. What needed to be done needed to be done.
Outside the gonners encampment the Arcadian loyalists deployed into battle formation and advanced, coming face to face with Walkerites also in battle formation. The coupists were prepared for a fight, loudly beating their targes with their swords.
Jayna was having none of it. She immediately rode ahead to face the Walkerites.
“Here I am, the focus of your attempt!" The Arcadian leader announced. "If you want to shoot me, do so and be done with it!”
The Walkerites stopped, and muttered among themselves. A single warrior aimed his crossbow at the Arcadian leader, but the weapon was immediately pushed away by another.
Jayna nodded. She rode Trout along the two lines, seeking the Walkerite commander from among her opponents.
“Your coup has failed, Murray! If you want an end to more bloodshed, surrender and your lives will be spared!” She looked down at the angry, confused and suspicious Walkerites. Murray did not seem to be among them. “My terms apply to everyone standing against me here!” The rider continued. “If you are sick of war, then you will be allowed to go in peace. But do not take your frustrations out on your former comrades, who have broken bread and shared fires and fought and bled with you! Our revolution is in the midst of its greatest challenge yet, but we have persevered, and we will continue to do so. Keep faith! We must rally together, or hang separately!”
The Walkerites looked uncertain. Mutterings grew louder and angrier. Then Major Amherst charged out at Jayna, swinging his claymore in the air.
“Attack!”
For a minute, about half of the coupists obeyed, with a yell surging across the interval between the two sides, weapons poised.
That abruptly stopped as a roar erupted from the sky and Major Amherst burst into a screaming pile of flames.
The Walkerites halted in their tracks as Mera suddenly swooped down, landing between the Arcadian leadership and the coupists.
“Try me.” The dragon hissed, smoke rising from his nostrils.
For a few tense moments, the Walkerites hesitated.
Then they laid down their arms en-mass.
Ludwig Göransson - Smokestack Twins (Sinners OST)
From
Chickenzaur!
Hiding behind their cloaks, the pair headed into camp. A bizarre contrast awaited the leaders. The sound of fighting echoed in the distance, but in other places folks were cooking and packing as if nothing had happened. Most encampments however remained quiet. Walkerite patrols were wandering the camp, but most ignored them. Lowering their helms, Jayna and Chagraff blended into the crowds of the soldiers and camp followers, trying to escape notice.
Finally the pair came upon the entrance to Cutler’s Brigade. A Walkerite checkpoint had been set up, with guards from the two units silently facing off against each other.
Jayna brazenly walked past the Walkerite checkpoint before anyone could respond, quickly followed by her companion.
“Halt! Declare yourselves!” The coupist troops called out, attempting to block their way, but Jayna ignored them,walking past without looking back. Weapons were raised, crossbows were aimed, but Cutler’s troops readied their weapons as well and the hesitation was enough for the Arcadian leadership to reach the opposing checkpoint and be brought to relative safety behind the mantlets.
“Declare yourselves!” Confused guards blocked the path forward.
“I am Jayna Durham, leader of the Arcadian Revolution and commander of the Army of the Republic! There are people attempting to capture or kill me. If you are among them, then arrest me! Otherwise, take us to Major Cutler!”
“I am Chagraff Alisan, Chief of Staff.” The Rutherian shrugged.
The guards looked at each other. A long pause ensued.
Then they bowed. “This way, commanders.”
The colonel was in his tent, trying to make sense from a flurry of messages as Jayna and Chagraff walked in. Cutler immediately got to his feet.
“Commanders!”
Jayna went straight to the point. “Do you and your men remain true to the revolution?”
“We are, General Jayna Durham.”
“Good. Tell me the situation, Cutler.”
“The Walkerites seized all the control posts. There have been clashes. Units are leaderless and in confusion. There are rumors the dragon is dead. There are rumors you too were dead.”
The Arcadian leader snorted. “That's what they want us to think. But we have a revolution to win.”
“Where is Mera?”
“I don't know. I know not the ways of dragons, but Mera can defend himself. Focus on what humans will do. What’s going on in camp? Who remains loyal to the cause?”
“Your Gonner Legion of course remains loyal, but the Walkerites attacked their camp immediately.”
“Do they stand?”
“Yes, but they are hard pressed. Most of us were awaiting news of what the hell is going on.”
Jayna folded her arms. “Murray has turned against us. He has tried to kill or arrest Chagraff and I. We need to fight. What is the status of your troops?”
Cutler nodded. “I have had them up and ready to move for hours, but there had been no direction, so they have stood. Your orders, commanders.”
“We march out and relieve the besieged Arcadian camp.”
***
Within minutes, Cutler’s entire command marched out, heading straight to the gonner encampment. In front, the Walkerite checkpoint hesitated before the onslaught, then beat a hasty retreat without firing. As the loyalists marched through camp, Jayna, atop Cutler’s spare horse Trout, raised her standard into the air and called out to the stunned onlookers from the various camps along her route.
“The revolution is in danger! Murray has betrayed us and aims to have us all slaughtered by the Imperials! This is the moment that your faith is being questioned! Do you stand and fight for what you believe in?”
Scattered cheering broke out, soon joining into a massive cascade of acclamation. Individual soldiers from the other camps quickly began joining up. Well's contingent fell in, joined by Hassan’s force, then Porter’s. The Arcadian troops were loyal, they just needed leadership and direction. Soon 6000 Arcadian loyalists assembled, creating a massive battle column against 4000 Walkerites besieging the 2000 Gonner Legion.
Still, the danger was not over; the Walkerites had been Jayna’s most combat effective unit. The Arcadian leader bit her lip. Even if the vanguard was ordered back, they would not return before the end of the confrontation, and other troops remained neutral, clearly awaiting the outcome of this fight. Her forces were in for a bloody and costly fight that it may well still lose.
She glanced over at Chagraff, who noticed and nodded with determination.
Jayna breathed deeply. What needed to be done needed to be done.
Outside the gonners encampment the Arcadian loyalists deployed into battle formation and advanced, coming face to face with Walkerites also in battle formation. The coupists were prepared for a fight, loudly beating their targes with their swords.
Jayna was having none of it. She immediately rode ahead to face the Walkerites.
“Here I am, the focus of your attempt!" The Arcadian leader announced. "If you want to shoot me, do so and be done with it!”
The Walkerites stopped, and muttered among themselves. A single warrior aimed his crossbow at the Arcadian leader, but the weapon was immediately pushed away by another.
Jayna nodded. She rode Trout along the two lines, seeking the Walkerite commander from among her opponents.
“Your coup has failed, Murray! If you want an end to more bloodshed, surrender and your lives will be spared!” She looked down at the angry, confused and suspicious Walkerites. Murray did not seem to be among them. “My terms apply to everyone standing against me here!” The rider continued. “If you are sick of war, then you will be allowed to go in peace. But do not take your frustrations out on your former comrades, who have broken bread and shared fires and fought and bled with you! Our revolution is in the midst of its greatest challenge yet, but we have persevered, and we will continue to do so. Keep faith! We must rally together, or hang separately!”
The Walkerites looked uncertain. Mutterings grew louder and angrier. Then Major Amherst charged out at Jayna, swinging his claymore in the air.
“Attack!”
For a minute, about half of the coupists obeyed, with a yell surging across the interval between the two sides, weapons poised.
That abruptly stopped as a roar erupted from the sky and Major Amherst burst into a screaming pile of flames.
The Walkerites halted in their tracks as Mera suddenly swooped down, landing between the Arcadian leadership and the coupists.
“Try me.” The dragon hissed, smoke rising from his nostrils.
For a few tense moments, the Walkerites hesitated.
Then they laid down their arms en-mass.
Ludwig Göransson - Smokestack Twins (Sinners OST)
From
Chickenzaur!
Category Artwork (Traditional) / Fantasy
Species Western Dragon
Size 2301 x 1582px
File Size 821 kB
Listed in Folders
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