Hunting the Dead

Aranion's body hit the ground hard, rolling across the hard packed ground, a small cloud of dust erupting where he landed. Standing above him was Lord Barrowmire, seated upon his fearsome zombie dragon. The dragon was covered in white fletched arrows, it had thrown Aranion into the air without effort, while the Wanderers poured a storm of arrows into the monster.

The Mithrin brothers, Seral and Kiro had watched in disbelief as Aranion had charged across the dusty terrain in an attemplt to slay Barrowmire resulting in him getting thrown around like a rag doll. Before Barrowmire's dragon could feed upon Aranion, they both took aim and sent a flurry of magically blessed arrows into both Barrowmire and his accursed dragon. The dragon shuddered and collapsed, while Barrowmire himself vanished in a cloud a black and red mist.

Across the battle field Ceryn had led his brave glade guard through the hidden paths to attack the undead army's flank. They were hunting two monstrous undead contructs, as they left the hidden path the caught site of their prey hiding behind a ruined crypt. Unleashing a devestating salvo, one of the beasts lost cohesion and collapsed into a pile of bones and dust. The second beast let lose a bestial scream, it's hide covered in Aelven arrows.

The scream let out by the beast was answered... Ceryn turned to look behind him and his warriors as a feeling of primal fear flared up in his chest. A low guttural growl sounded from behind them, while Manfred looked down and quietly chuckled. Before the Wanderers could turn and fire Manfred and his mount bounded across the ground between the Wanderers and himself. He and his mount tore into the Wanderers, quickly slaying all the Aelves except for their champion Ceryn.

Ceryn, pulled his sword free and slashed at Manfred. His blows rung hollow on the flanks of Manfred's mount, before the beast Ceryn had been hunting landed behind him and cleaved him in two, his sword falling to the dirt with a dull clunk.

Manfred laughed as he tore through the pitiful Aelves who stood before him, lifting one before him and sinking his fangs into the mortals soft flesh and drinking his life blood. It was so clean and full of life, the warm fluid dripped down his chin and onto his ancient armour. His devious smile quickly changed to a grimace as an arrow of pure life magic thudded into his shoulder. Turning to face this new threat, he could see more hooded Aelves stepping through a strange dark green mist, they had glowing bows trained upon him, more damned life magic he thought.

Lythal led his rangers of the watch against Manfred, they would hunt him down and slay him, he would pay for the lives he had taken. Lythal and his rangers were supported by the Mithrin brothers and Nimue and her Tree Revenants.

Together they pursued Manfred, encircling and trapping him. Nimue and her Revenants run ahead and caught up to the powerful vampire lord. Their mighty blades hacked in both Manfred and his mount. The mount was hacked to pieces while Manfred suffered many deep and mortal injuries, but he used the dark magic at his command to vanish in the melee before Nimue could step in and take his head.

Arthyr paced the ruined crypts with Mandia and Nimue. The undead seemed to have either fled or collapse into broken heaps after Manfred vanished. They had managed to cleanse this area, but at a heavy price. Aranion was badly wounded and clung to life, whereas Arthyr's cousin Ceryn had been slain along with all his warriors.

The forces of death and destruction were being hunted all across the Flame Scar plateau. Arthyr's Wanderers and Slazenger's Stormcast effectively pushing into the occupied lands. Arthyr knew to give Slazenger a wide birth and so decided they would next try to hunt more foul undead...

Blood & Fog

The fog was thick and Mandia choked on the thick scent of blood and fear. All around her she could hear her friends screaming in rage as they attacked. The rain beat down through the fog creating a mire of blood, mud and broken bodies. Her head was pounding, why were they attacking and being attacked by Stormcast? She tried to clear her head, all around her she could see Aelves injured and bleeding. 

Arthyr swung his blade at the apparition in front of him, normally the Modryn blade felt weightless in his hands, but today it felt like he was swinging a tree. The apparition in front of him had put down too many of his Aelves and he had to avenge them. He felt as if he’d been fighting in this fog and rain for days, but could it have been that long? Surely not…

From atop the ruins Lord Slazenger looked down and across the littered battlefield. The fog was still thick and the rain was not easing, whoever they fought were quick and shifted with the shadows. Frustrated he led his mount forward, hunting down these wraiths.

“Kurnous, hear my cry! Let your call cry out and clear this cursed and bloodthirsty fog!” cried Mandia Nightlock as she held tight her small rune stone dedicated to the god of the hunt. A hound sounded from far away, booming and getting louder. Her head cleared and she could think clearly, the fog started to clear. What she saw around her was devastating, Aelves fighting for their lives against Stormcast Eternals. But as the horn boomed again, she could see all the combatants dropping their weapons in confusion. Stormcast Eternals and Aelf alike shook their heads to clear the last of the fog they had so consumed them. 

She looked around to find Arthyr dragging the Modryn blade behind him, devastated by the loss of so many of his Aelves. In the middle of the field atop his draconian steed sat Lord Slazenger, his face now un-helmed was a picture of confusion and disappointment.

Arthyr looked around the field of battle, heartbroken at the loss of so many Aelves. He made his way to the leader of the army they had been engaged with unwittingly. “Lord Slazenger, it seems we have been fooled and have both now suffered for it.” Slazenger made no reply, he nodded his head slowly and turned his mount away from Arthyr, and letting his mount give out a low and sonorous cry. The StormcastEternals all started to form up and depart the scene of devastation, they had no need to collect their dead as they were already in Azyheim and the wounded gathered themselves under their own prodigious strength to follow Slazenger away.

With the dead at rest, the wounded and unwounded made their way to the shrouded portal opened by Mandia. Arthyr and Rhavon stood back to ensure all made it through the portal, Arthyr then turned to Rhavon, “We must find who is responsible for this, they will be punished, our fallen will be avenged. I swear to Lilleath and Kurnous.”