Chapter 150: Start of the war
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After the normal boring moring Carl was called to a meeting by his captain, when he walked into the office of his captain he knew something was deeply wrong, she, that normally never drank had an open bottle on her desk and a crystal glass in her hand, she looked up from her documents and greeted Carl with a neutral expression, as usual, it was hard to guess what she was thinking, never the less Carl still greeted her as usual
"Captain Feiona, you wanted to see me?"
Being captain of the guard Feiona was an esteemed level 7 compared to himself that only was level 6 which was impressive in and of itself
"Oh you have come, Carl… Tell me again how long is it we've known each other?"
"For 112 years captain Feiona"
"Oh, I see… it's already been that long huh…"
Feiona swirled her glass around, the dark red liquid inside followed her movements before she suddenly asked
"You are a married man right Carl?"
"Yes, captain… However, I don't see where you are going with this..?"
"Is it a happy marriage?"
"...No… It's not, all she does is spend my hard-earned money… Honestly, I am thinking of getting a divorce"
"I see… Guard vice-captain Carl!"
"Yes ma'am!"
Carl stood at attention at once as the usual vigor returned to Feiona's voice, she stood up and downed the contents of her glass before she threw it onto the ground, then she wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her uniform and picked up a letter which she handed to Carl
"Your orders are to deliver this letter to the city of Jular's guard captain"
Carl did a salute, now that he had received his orders he only needed to carry them out, he took the letter and spoke
"Orders received!"
Feiona looked at him for a few seconds as some sadness flashed in her eyes before it was stomped out and only a resolute look remained
"Good, very good…"
Carl turned and walked out of the room after saying his goodbyes to the captain which muttered 'I am sorry my old friend' once the door closed
Outside the office, Carl put the letter in his breast pocket carefully before he went to the stables and said hello to his old partner
"Hey there girl, are you ready for a ride?"
A wuff sounded out as a Direwolf ran up and began licking Carl in the face, Carl let out a hefty laugh as he petted the Direwolf before he put a saddle on the beast and got up onto said saddle and rode it out of the stables
'Now then Jular is the city closest to here further inland… If I ride fast I should be able to get there before nightfall…'
"Let's go, girl!"
And so Carl and his faithful Direwolf rode off towards the city of Jular, the journey took them along a dirt road that was flanked on either side by farmland, the journey was a not so lonesome as it sounded as Carl talked to his Direwolf all the way, in reality, he vented his frustration of his wife and told funny stories about work to his faithful companion as they neared Jular, around nightfall, just as Carl predicted they reached Jular, he quickly passed inspection and walked towards the guard captain's office after being told where it was by some guardsmen he knew in the city, he knocked on the door and a rough voice sounded out from inside
"Come in"
Carl opened the door and gave a salute to the guard captain of Jular which also happened to be Feiona's father
"Vice guard captain Carl here to deliver a letter!"
Feiona's father nodded and held out his hand, Carl handed him the letter which he slowly read though, then he gave a deep sigh as sadness flashed in his eyes and spoke to Carl
"Take a seat"
"Yes sir"
Carl sat down and was surprised to see that Feiona's father take out a bottle of spirits and two glasses made from the finest crystal from a drawer and place it on the table before he looked a little awkwardly at Carl and asked
"Do you mind to keep an old man company?"
"No not at all sir"
Carl sat down and then the two of them began drinking, at first the two men were silent but after they got something to drink the guard captain who turned out to be named Hann started speaking, he told a long monolog about his daughter whom he was very proud about and by the end around midnight he raised a toast and spoke
"To Feiona's memory"
"To Feiona's… Wait, what? Her memory? What do you mean?"
Hann sighed before he silently handed the letter to Carl that read it, it was filled with regrets and mentioned an imminent attack on Helem which she had been informed about by the lord of Helem, Carl dropped the crystal glass onto the ground as he stared at the final words of the letter as he muttered
"...'I am sending you my best man Carl to hold back the humans at Jular as it is expected that Helem will fall within a day due to our unpreparedness, much love, your daughter, may we see each other again in the hereafter'..."
Carl began shaking as tears began to form in his eyes he stared blankly out into space for a while before he stood up and wiped his tears away and spoke loudly
"Guard vice-captain of Halem reporting for duty!"
Hann looked at him for a few moments before he also stood up and spoke
"My daughter says your her best man, I'll work you to the bone, are you alright with that?"
No hatred for the humans was found in Carl's eyes, only a frim resolution to protect his homeland as he responded
"Sir, yes sir!"
Despite how frim his resolution was the next few days were hard on Carl as he began to prepare the defense of Jular, the reason why they were given time to prepare was that the leaders of the Fire iron race had decided to sacrifice Helem while preparing a defense further inland, over the next few days there arrived no travelers form Helem, no merchants, no refugees, no nothing but on the third day from further inland did the first platoon from the army arrive… The stage was set for a war that would last the next few years at least, it was only later that the non-humans would learn that this war was provoked by the Wind spirits race's new leader: Mike
Day 512 since the Wind spirit's ascension, Mike was lazing around as he looked at a map in his hands the map showed the entire continent which had a circular shape, with the human lands on the outer edges then further inland was the impassable no-mans-land which was crawling with all sorts of horrors, this so-called no-mans-land lay as a circle and separated the human land's from the non-human lands, in this circle were a few holes of passable terrain where trade/attack routes lay which was used frequently by both sides, though there had not been a war for about 50 years now
"Something which will hopefully change…"
Mike put down the map before he spoke
"When are they going through again?"
"At midday Mike"
"...And what time is it now?"
"Around midday?"
"...Okay, then it should be any moment"
What Mike and Julie were talking about was that the weekly check of the travel trees on the non-human sides, this they did to check for a response from denying tribute or a potential call for arms on the war Mike had been working to provoke, after the first teams went though the travel trees Mike suddenly paused before he showed a smile and spoke
"Bingo… Bring them through…"
Then soon after a couple of Wind spirits emerged from the portal followed by a few members of the Fire iron race, Mike looked them over, most of them were clearly soldiers or guards of some kind while one was dressed in expensive-looking clothes, Mike made the Wind spirits lead them to a table that stood outside in the central plaza, then he himself walked over and sat down at the end of the table and asked
"So… What do you want?"
The one in the expensive-looking clothes spoke
"We are here to request reinforcements, the humans are attacking our lands"
"And?"
"What do you mean, and?"
"I mean why should we care?"
The one in the expensive-looking clothes paused before his face was flushed with anger as he yelled
"Are you daft!? I said the humans are attacking our lands, the Wind spirit race is honor-bound to respond to our request!"
"...Maybe the old Wind spirit race, the one you cursed and condemned, why don't you look up for a bit?"
Mike pointed up and the man in the expensive-looking clothes looked up and saw something that made his jaw drop, members of the Wind spirit race were flying around the city
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After the normal boring moring Carl was called to a meeting by his captain, when he walked into the office of his captain he knew something was deeply wrong, she, that normally never drank had an open bottle on her desk and a crystal glass in her hand, she looked up from her documents and greeted Carl with a neutral expression, as usual, it was hard to guess what she was thinking, never the less Carl still greeted her as usual
"Captain Feiona, you wanted to see me?"
Being captain of the guard Feiona was an esteemed level 7 compared to himself that only was level 6 which was impressive in and of itself
"Oh you have come, Carl… Tell me again how long is it we've known each other?"
"For 112 years captain Feiona"
"Oh, I see… it's already been that long huh…"
Feiona swirled her glass around, the dark red liquid inside followed her movements before she suddenly asked
"You are a married man right Carl?"
"Yes, captain… However, I don't see where you are going with this..?"
"Is it a happy marriage?"
"...No… It's not, all she does is spend my hard-earned money… Honestly, I am thinking of getting a divorce"
"I see… Guard vice-captain Carl!"
"Yes ma'am!"
Carl stood at attention at once as the usual vigor returned to Feiona's voice, she stood up and downed the contents of her glass before she threw it onto the ground, then she wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her uniform and picked up a letter which she handed to Carl
"Your orders are to deliver this letter to the city of Jular's guard captain"
Carl did a salute, now that he had received his orders he only needed to carry them out, he took the letter and spoke
"Orders received!"
Feiona looked at him for a few seconds as some sadness flashed in her eyes before it was stomped out and only a resolute look remained
"Good, very good…"
Carl turned and walked out of the room after saying his goodbyes to the captain which muttered 'I am sorry my old friend' once the door closed
Outside the office, Carl put the letter in his breast pocket carefully before he went to the stables and said hello to his old partner
"Hey there girl, are you ready for a ride?"
A wuff sounded out as a Direwolf ran up and began licking Carl in the face, Carl let out a hefty laugh as he petted the Direwolf before he put a saddle on the beast and got up onto said saddle and rode it out of the stables
'Now then Jular is the city closest to here further inland… If I ride fast I should be able to get there before nightfall…'
"Let's go, girl!"
And so Carl and his faithful Direwolf rode off towards the city of Jular, the journey took them along a dirt road that was flanked on either side by farmland, the journey was a not so lonesome as it sounded as Carl talked to his Direwolf all the way, in reality, he vented his frustration of his wife and told funny stories about work to his faithful companion as they neared Jular, around nightfall, just as Carl predicted they reached Jular, he quickly passed inspection and walked towards the guard captain's office after being told where it was by some guardsmen he knew in the city, he knocked on the door and a rough voice sounded out from inside
"Come in"
Carl opened the door and gave a salute to the guard captain of Jular which also happened to be Feiona's father
"Vice guard captain Carl here to deliver a letter!"
Feiona's father nodded and held out his hand, Carl handed him the letter which he slowly read though, then he gave a deep sigh as sadness flashed in his eyes and spoke to Carl
"Take a seat"
"Yes sir"
Carl sat down and was surprised to see that Feiona's father take out a bottle of spirits and two glasses made from the finest crystal from a drawer and place it on the table before he looked a little awkwardly at Carl and asked
"Do you mind to keep an old man company?"
"No not at all sir"
Carl sat down and then the two of them began drinking, at first the two men were silent but after they got something to drink the guard captain who turned out to be named Hann started speaking, he told a long monolog about his daughter whom he was very proud about and by the end around midnight he raised a toast and spoke
"To Feiona's memory"
"To Feiona's… Wait, what? Her memory? What do you mean?"
Hann sighed before he silently handed the letter to Carl that read it, it was filled with regrets and mentioned an imminent attack on Helem which she had been informed about by the lord of Helem, Carl dropped the crystal glass onto the ground as he stared at the final words of the letter as he muttered
"...'I am sending you my best man Carl to hold back the humans at Jular as it is expected that Helem will fall within a day due to our unpreparedness, much love, your daughter, may we see each other again in the hereafter'..."
Carl began shaking as tears began to form in his eyes he stared blankly out into space for a while before he stood up and wiped his tears away and spoke loudly
"Guard vice-captain of Halem reporting for duty!"
Hann looked at him for a few moments before he also stood up and spoke
"My daughter says your her best man, I'll work you to the bone, are you alright with that?"
No hatred for the humans was found in Carl's eyes, only a frim resolution to protect his homeland as he responded
"Sir, yes sir!"
Despite how frim his resolution was the next few days were hard on Carl as he began to prepare the defense of Jular, the reason why they were given time to prepare was that the leaders of the Fire iron race had decided to sacrifice Helem while preparing a defense further inland, over the next few days there arrived no travelers form Helem, no merchants, no refugees, no nothing but on the third day from further inland did the first platoon from the army arrive… The stage was set for a war that would last the next few years at least, it was only later that the non-humans would learn that this war was provoked by the Wind spirits race's new leader: Mike
Day 512 since the Wind spirit's ascension, Mike was lazing around as he looked at a map in his hands the map showed the entire continent which had a circular shape, with the human lands on the outer edges then further inland was the impassable no-mans-land which was crawling with all sorts of horrors, this so-called no-mans-land lay as a circle and separated the human land's from the non-human lands, in this circle were a few holes of passable terrain where trade/attack routes lay which was used frequently by both sides, though there had not been a war for about 50 years now
"Something which will hopefully change…"
Mike put down the map before he spoke
"When are they going through again?"
"At midday Mike"
"...And what time is it now?"
"Around midday?"
"...Okay, then it should be any moment"
What Mike and Julie were talking about was that the weekly check of the travel trees on the non-human sides, this they did to check for a response from denying tribute or a potential call for arms on the war Mike had been working to provoke, after the first teams went though the travel trees Mike suddenly paused before he showed a smile and spoke
"Bingo… Bring them through…"
Then soon after a couple of Wind spirits emerged from the portal followed by a few members of the Fire iron race, Mike looked them over, most of them were clearly soldiers or guards of some kind while one was dressed in expensive-looking clothes, Mike made the Wind spirits lead them to a table that stood outside in the central plaza, then he himself walked over and sat down at the end of the table and asked
"So… What do you want?"
The one in the expensive-looking clothes spoke
"We are here to request reinforcements, the humans are attacking our lands"
"And?"
"What do you mean, and?"
"I mean why should we care?"
The one in the expensive-looking clothes paused before his face was flushed with anger as he yelled
"Are you daft!? I said the humans are attacking our lands, the Wind spirit race is honor-bound to respond to our request!"
"...Maybe the old Wind spirit race, the one you cursed and condemned, why don't you look up for a bit?"
Mike pointed up and the man in the expensive-looking clothes looked up and saw something that made his jaw drop, members of the Wind spirit race were flying around the city
After the normal boring moring Carl was called to a meeting by his captain, when he walked into the office of his captain he knew something was deeply wrong, she, that normally never drank had an open bottle on her desk and a crystal glass in her hand, she looked up from her documents and greeted Carl with a neutral expression, as usual, it was hard to guess what she was thinking, never the less Carl still greeted her as usual"Captain Feiona, you wanted to see me?"Being captain of the guard Feiona was an esteemed level 7 compared to himself that only was level 6 which was impressive in and of itself"Oh you have come, Carl Tell me again how long is it we've known each other?""For 112 years captain Feiona""Oh, I see it's already been that long huh"Feiona swirled her glass around, the dark red liquid inside followed her movements before she suddenly asked"You are a married man right Carl?""Yes, captain However, I don't see where you are going with this..?""Is it a happy marriage?""...No It's not, all she does is spend my hard-earned money Honestly, I am thinking of getting a divorce""I see Guard vice-captain Carl!""Yes ma'am!"Carl stood at attention at once as the usual vigor returned to Feiona's voice, she stood up and downed the contents of her glass before she threw it onto the ground, then she wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her uniform and picked up a letter which she handed to Carl"Your orders are to deliver this letter to the city of Jular's guard captain"Carl did a salute, now that he had received his orders he only needed to carry them out, he took the letter and spoke"Orders received!"Feiona looked at him for a few seconds as some sadness flashed in her eyes before it was stomped out and only a resolute look remained"Good, very good"Carl turned and walked out of the room after saying his goodbyes to the captain which muttered 'I am sorry my old friend' once the door closedOutside the office, Carl put the letter in his breast pocket carefully before he went to the stables and said hello to his old partner"Hey there girl, are you ready for a ride?"A wuff sounded out as a Direwolf ran up and began licking Carl in the face, Carl let out a hefty laugh as he petted the Direwolf before he put a saddle on the beast and got up onto said saddle and rode it out of the stables'Now then Jular is the city closest to here further inland If I ride fast I should be able to get there before nightfall'"Let's go, girl!"And so Carl and his faithful Direwolf rode off towards the city of Jular, the journey took them along a dirt road that was flanked on either side by farmland, the journey was a not so lonesome as it sounded as Carl talked to his Direwolf all the way, in reality, he vented his frustration of his wife and told funny stories about work to his faithful companion as they neared Jular, around nightfall, just as Carl predicted they reached Jular, he quickly passed inspection and walked towards the guard captain's office after being told where it was by some guardsmen he knew in the city, he knocked on the door and a rough voice sounded out from inside"Come in"Carl opened the door and gave a salute to the guard captain of Jular which also happened to be Feiona's father"Vice guard captain Carl here to deliver a letter!"Feiona's father nodded and held out his hand, Carl handed him the letter which he slowly read though, then he gave a deep sigh as sadness flashed in his eyes and spoke to Carl"Take a seat""Yes sir"Carl sat down and was surprised to see that Feiona's father take out a bottle of spirits and two glasses made from the finest crystal from a drawer and place it on the table before he looked a little awkwardly at Carl and asked"Do you mind to keep an old man company?""No not at all sir"Carl sat down and then the two of them began drinking, at first the two men were silent but after they got something to drink the guard captain who turned out to be named Hann started speaking, he told a long monolog about his daughter whom he was very proud about and by the end around midnight he raised a toast and spoke"To Feiona's memory""To Feiona's Wait, what? Her memory? What do you mean?"Hann sighed before he silently handed the letter to Carl that read it, it was filled with regrets and mentioned an imminent attack on Helem which she had been informed about by the lord of Helem, Carl dropped the crystal glass onto the ground as he stared at the final words of the letter as he muttered"...'I am sending you my best man Carl to hold back the humans at Jular as it is expected that Helem will fall within a day due to our unpreparedness, much love, your daughter, may we see each other again in the hereafter'..."Carl began shaking as tears began to form in his eyes he stared blankly out into space for a while before he stood up and wiped his tears away and spoke loudly"Guard vice-captain of Halem reporting for duty!"Hann looked at him for a few moments before he also stood up and spoke"My daughter says your her best man, I'll work you to the bone, are you alright with that?"No hatred for the humans was found in Carl's eyes, only a frim resolution to protect his homeland as he responded"Sir, yes sir!"Despite how frim his resolution was the next few days were hard on Carl as he began to prepare the defense of Jular, the reason why they were given time to prepare was that the leaders of the Fire iron race had decided to sacrifice Helem while preparing a defense further inland, over the next few days there arrived no travelers form Helem, no merchants, no refugees, no nothing but on the third day from further inland did the first platoon from the army arrive The stage was set for a war that would last the next few years at least, it was only later that the non-humans would learn that this war was provoked by the Wind spirits race's new leader: MikeDay 512 since the Wind spirit's ascension, Mike was lazing around as he looked at a map in his hands the map showed the entire continent which had a circular shape, with the human lands on the outer edges then further inland was the impassable no-mans-land which was crawling with all sorts of horrors, this so-called no-mans-land lay as a circle and separated the human land's from the non-human lands, in this circle were a few holes of passable terrain where trade/attack routes lay which was used frequently by both sides, though there had not been a war for about 50 years now"Something which will hopefully change"Mike put down the map before he spoke"When are they going through again?""At midday Mike""...And what time is it now?""Around midday?""...Okay, then it should be any moment"What Mike and Julie were talking about was that the weekly check of the travel trees on the non-human sides, this they did to check for a response from denying tribute or a potential call for arms on the war Mike had been working to provoke, after the first teams went though the travel trees Mike suddenly paused before he showed a smile and spoke"Bingo Bring them through"Then soon after a couple of Wind spirits emerged from the portal followed by a few members of the Fire iron race, Mike looked them over, most of them were clearly soldiers or guards of some kind while one was dressed in expensive-looking clothes, Mike made the Wind spirits lead them to a table that stood outside in the central plaza, then he himself walked over and sat down at the end of the table and asked"So What do you want?"The one in the expensive-looking clothes spoke"We are here to request reinforcements, the humans are attacking our lands""And?""What do you mean, and?""I mean why should we care?"The one in the expensive-looking clothes paused before his face was flushed with anger as he yelled"Are you daft!? I said the humans are attacking our lands, the Wind spirit race is honor-bound to respond to our request!""...Maybe the old Wind spirit race, the one you cursed and condemned, why don't you look up for a bit?"Mike pointed up and the man in the expensive-looking clothes looked up and saw something that made his jaw drop, members of the Wind spirit race were flying around the city
