Post by Anthony on May 13, 2011 10:32:21 GMT -5
It had been a couple of days since Alaric left Renwold with his men, since he had sent Walden on his vital quest. He rode his horse in silence most of the way. Pondering all that had transpired in the past couple of weeks. The war, the mother confessor, the Sliph, Walden. So many things he must take care of.
"Sir." A soldier said.
Alaric snapped back to reality. "What is it."
The soldier pointed off into the darkness. Small fires were scattered across the country side.
"An army." Alaric whispered.
It was Rahls forces. He knew it. Damn they were hidden just out of site of his camp. Thoughts raced through his mind. How to react how to warn his men. The journey book was out of the question. He had given his to Walden, to use to report back to him on his progress. Riders? Maybe. They may have some scouts up ahead to stop any riders coming through.
"You four." He said pointing at a couple of his men. "Ride to the camp. Warn our forces of the army that is here. Do not let anyone stop you. The rest of us will go to the camp and attempt to light a few of the bigger tents on fire. The flames will notify our forces of their presence. One of us must succeed. Go now."
With that one group rode for the their camp, while he and the other 8 men rode for the army.
****
Alaric arrived at the army camp. He and his men were on the very edge of the camp.
"Damn. They are ready for battle. I hoped they would be sleeping or drunk. They look like they are waiting for a signal." Alaric was growing frustrated. If the signal was giving before he could warn his men it would be a slaughter.
He grabbed four of the men with him." We must find out what they are planning. Go see what you can find out. You are D'Haran soldiers after all. They shouldn't recognize that you are one of mine. The rest of us will set the fires. We will meet on the hill to the east in two hours. If one group does not show, leave for camp. Do not wait for us for we will not wait for you. This is to important. Now go!"
Alaric and his men crept along unnoticed. He gave them orders to split up and get to the biggest tents.
"What of you Sir?" A soldier questioned.
"I will do the same." Alaric hating having to lie to them, but he knew they would protest to what he must do.
Alaric crept towards a tent that looked like the command tent. He peeked in. Nothing. "I don't have time for this." Alaric said frustrated. Alaric the bold he thought. Well time will tell weather this was bold or stupid. Alaric walked directly up to a group of guards. "Hello. Might you be able to point me in the direction of the commanders of this army?"
The men drew their weapons." Wow, you are a stupid spy aren't you?" One of the soldiers joked. The rest laughed. " Oh I will take you to our commanders alright." The laughed again. Stripping him of his weapons, well the ones they could see anyway.
Alaric knew this was a desperate move a one in a thousand chance, but one he had to take anyway. He saw the army they were prepared. They had planned and strategized for this for who knows how long. The fires would warn his men but they would also signal this army to attack. Once the commanders of this army knew they had been found they would have to attack. His army would still have little time to react. But this might just help them.
The soldiers escorted the prisoner to a tent on the outskirts of the camp on top of a tall hill. The armies commanders must have set up there to have a good view of the battle field. They would command from there, relaying there orders to runners or flag men. Instructing the army on were the enemy was weakening and funnel their forces to those points.
"When will that wizard give the sign. That Mord-Sith better not fail."
"Sir." A soldier entered the tent.
"Yes what is it?"
"We have captured a spy sir."
" A spy?" The General asked. "How did you come about finding this spy?"
"Well sir he kind of found us."
"What?"
" He came up to us and asked where he could find you. We stripped him of his weapons and brought him here. He is of no threat I have four men on him, and he is unarmed. Just to humiliate him we didn't even tie up his hands. He has to be the stupidest spy we have ever seen. See here are his weapons." The soldier said throwing down a couple knives and two swords on the table.
The Generals face went white when he saw the swords. He recognized those swords. The General was about to speak when the men lead the prisoner into the tent.
The General took a step back. "Damn you fools!" He said drawing his sword.
"Hello General. Nice to see you again. Are these all your commanders? There were four other men in the tent. Eight total.
The soldiers looked stunned. What was happening?
"Your men made this to easy for me, I didn't have time to look for you so I asked. They brought me right to you. They didn't even tie me up. You know what the oldest saying is when it comes to war? Cut off the head of a snake and the rest will die. With you gone this army will be confused and useless."
" Your more then welcome to try Alaric." The General spat. Recognition came into the eyes of the rest of the tent. This was Alaric leader of the rebels, the most dangerous man in the world, and they had brought him right to the commanders. They heard commotion outside a number of soldiers were yelling. "FIRE! FIRE!" His men had done their part. Now it was time for him to do his.
"Looks like my men won't be that surprised. Unlike you." With that Alaric sprang into action. He pulled two concealed knives and drove them into the throats of two of men next to him. He pulled each knife out as quickly as he had put them in, and threw each one it to two of the commanders chests. He spun taking a sword to the side from the General. It was a deep cut, but he had taken worse. He heaved a chair at the two guards that were left. He reached the table that his swords lay on. He drew them. Beginning to spin them at a blinding speed. The two soldiers attacked. They looked for an opening but there was none. One of the soldiers swung for Alaric. He side stepped and with one fluid motion decapitated the man. Alaric advanced on them. swords spinning almost hypnotizing. The last soldier and commander backed away as Alaric advanced on them. Alaric struck. Cutting deep into the leg of the last commander. Hitting a vital artiery. He would bleed out in about thirty seconds. The final soldier made a break for the door, but before he could reach it he dropped with one of Alaric's swords protruding from his back.
" You are good Alaric." The General said. " I have always wanted to see how good you really were. Alaric the Bold. After this you have earned that name and then some"
" I don't have to kill you old friend. You could join me. I could use a man of your experience to command a battalion."
" Alaric your going to lose. You may have won this small battle, but Lord Rahl has the numbers and the Magic. He will eventually win. Look at you, you can barley stand. Your losing a lot of blood."
" You are wrong. My forces grow everyday. We will win. I am sorry you won't be there to see it." With that they clashed. The General was a veteran worrier. He could hold his own against anyone. And he was right Alaric was loosing a lot of blood. Steel meet and the dance in sued. Back and forth. Alaric was bleeding profusely from the cut on his side. The general advanced like a mad man. Barley giving Alaric a second to breath. He was trying to tire Alaric. He knew all he had to do was out last him. Alaric knew he could not let that happen.
Alaric was weakening loosing blood faster then ever because of the strain he was putting on him self. With a quick flick of the wrist he knocked the generals sword away. The general pulled a knife. This was it. Alaric couldn't last any longer. With one final act of deperation he threw him self at the General. Leaving him self open. He took the knife to the belly. But rammed his sword through the Generals chest. The knife was not long and would not penetrate deep enough to kill him, but another wound meant more lost blood. But his plan had worked. The army was in chaos the fires having alerted his forces and no commanders to give them orders. He had succeeded but....his thoughts were trailing off. He had to get to a healer.
"Sir." A soldier said.
Alaric snapped back to reality. "What is it."
The soldier pointed off into the darkness. Small fires were scattered across the country side.
"An army." Alaric whispered.
It was Rahls forces. He knew it. Damn they were hidden just out of site of his camp. Thoughts raced through his mind. How to react how to warn his men. The journey book was out of the question. He had given his to Walden, to use to report back to him on his progress. Riders? Maybe. They may have some scouts up ahead to stop any riders coming through.
"You four." He said pointing at a couple of his men. "Ride to the camp. Warn our forces of the army that is here. Do not let anyone stop you. The rest of us will go to the camp and attempt to light a few of the bigger tents on fire. The flames will notify our forces of their presence. One of us must succeed. Go now."
With that one group rode for the their camp, while he and the other 8 men rode for the army.
****
Alaric arrived at the army camp. He and his men were on the very edge of the camp.
"Damn. They are ready for battle. I hoped they would be sleeping or drunk. They look like they are waiting for a signal." Alaric was growing frustrated. If the signal was giving before he could warn his men it would be a slaughter.
He grabbed four of the men with him." We must find out what they are planning. Go see what you can find out. You are D'Haran soldiers after all. They shouldn't recognize that you are one of mine. The rest of us will set the fires. We will meet on the hill to the east in two hours. If one group does not show, leave for camp. Do not wait for us for we will not wait for you. This is to important. Now go!"
Alaric and his men crept along unnoticed. He gave them orders to split up and get to the biggest tents.
"What of you Sir?" A soldier questioned.
"I will do the same." Alaric hating having to lie to them, but he knew they would protest to what he must do.
Alaric crept towards a tent that looked like the command tent. He peeked in. Nothing. "I don't have time for this." Alaric said frustrated. Alaric the bold he thought. Well time will tell weather this was bold or stupid. Alaric walked directly up to a group of guards. "Hello. Might you be able to point me in the direction of the commanders of this army?"
The men drew their weapons." Wow, you are a stupid spy aren't you?" One of the soldiers joked. The rest laughed. " Oh I will take you to our commanders alright." The laughed again. Stripping him of his weapons, well the ones they could see anyway.
Alaric knew this was a desperate move a one in a thousand chance, but one he had to take anyway. He saw the army they were prepared. They had planned and strategized for this for who knows how long. The fires would warn his men but they would also signal this army to attack. Once the commanders of this army knew they had been found they would have to attack. His army would still have little time to react. But this might just help them.
The soldiers escorted the prisoner to a tent on the outskirts of the camp on top of a tall hill. The armies commanders must have set up there to have a good view of the battle field. They would command from there, relaying there orders to runners or flag men. Instructing the army on were the enemy was weakening and funnel their forces to those points.
"When will that wizard give the sign. That Mord-Sith better not fail."
"Sir." A soldier entered the tent.
"Yes what is it?"
"We have captured a spy sir."
" A spy?" The General asked. "How did you come about finding this spy?"
"Well sir he kind of found us."
"What?"
" He came up to us and asked where he could find you. We stripped him of his weapons and brought him here. He is of no threat I have four men on him, and he is unarmed. Just to humiliate him we didn't even tie up his hands. He has to be the stupidest spy we have ever seen. See here are his weapons." The soldier said throwing down a couple knives and two swords on the table.
The Generals face went white when he saw the swords. He recognized those swords. The General was about to speak when the men lead the prisoner into the tent.
The General took a step back. "Damn you fools!" He said drawing his sword.
"Hello General. Nice to see you again. Are these all your commanders? There were four other men in the tent. Eight total.
The soldiers looked stunned. What was happening?
"Your men made this to easy for me, I didn't have time to look for you so I asked. They brought me right to you. They didn't even tie me up. You know what the oldest saying is when it comes to war? Cut off the head of a snake and the rest will die. With you gone this army will be confused and useless."
" Your more then welcome to try Alaric." The General spat. Recognition came into the eyes of the rest of the tent. This was Alaric leader of the rebels, the most dangerous man in the world, and they had brought him right to the commanders. They heard commotion outside a number of soldiers were yelling. "FIRE! FIRE!" His men had done their part. Now it was time for him to do his.
"Looks like my men won't be that surprised. Unlike you." With that Alaric sprang into action. He pulled two concealed knives and drove them into the throats of two of men next to him. He pulled each knife out as quickly as he had put them in, and threw each one it to two of the commanders chests. He spun taking a sword to the side from the General. It was a deep cut, but he had taken worse. He heaved a chair at the two guards that were left. He reached the table that his swords lay on. He drew them. Beginning to spin them at a blinding speed. The two soldiers attacked. They looked for an opening but there was none. One of the soldiers swung for Alaric. He side stepped and with one fluid motion decapitated the man. Alaric advanced on them. swords spinning almost hypnotizing. The last soldier and commander backed away as Alaric advanced on them. Alaric struck. Cutting deep into the leg of the last commander. Hitting a vital artiery. He would bleed out in about thirty seconds. The final soldier made a break for the door, but before he could reach it he dropped with one of Alaric's swords protruding from his back.
" You are good Alaric." The General said. " I have always wanted to see how good you really were. Alaric the Bold. After this you have earned that name and then some"
" I don't have to kill you old friend. You could join me. I could use a man of your experience to command a battalion."
" Alaric your going to lose. You may have won this small battle, but Lord Rahl has the numbers and the Magic. He will eventually win. Look at you, you can barley stand. Your losing a lot of blood."
" You are wrong. My forces grow everyday. We will win. I am sorry you won't be there to see it." With that they clashed. The General was a veteran worrier. He could hold his own against anyone. And he was right Alaric was loosing a lot of blood. Steel meet and the dance in sued. Back and forth. Alaric was bleeding profusely from the cut on his side. The general advanced like a mad man. Barley giving Alaric a second to breath. He was trying to tire Alaric. He knew all he had to do was out last him. Alaric knew he could not let that happen.
Alaric was weakening loosing blood faster then ever because of the strain he was putting on him self. With a quick flick of the wrist he knocked the generals sword away. The general pulled a knife. This was it. Alaric couldn't last any longer. With one final act of deperation he threw him self at the General. Leaving him self open. He took the knife to the belly. But rammed his sword through the Generals chest. The knife was not long and would not penetrate deep enough to kill him, but another wound meant more lost blood. But his plan had worked. The army was in chaos the fires having alerted his forces and no commanders to give them orders. He had succeeded but....his thoughts were trailing off. He had to get to a healer.