Back in Zomerhoven, reports from scouts bring concerning news and thus, L’Tesera calls the team together.
“I need you to gather round this table and take a seat. We have just received critical reports. Thanks for joining me so quickly today. We need all the help we can get. Serena and Adnap, thank you for organising and counting our storage facilities. We now have a good outlook on our resources. Luke and Kelly, thank you for training our new soldiers and magicians in a fast and orderly manner. With many hundreds or even thousands of new recruits, we can handle much more than thought earlier on.
Here comes the news I have to share reluctantly. The forces of Altgrön have left Faucon-Bas and are headed in our direction. Only a skeleton of their fifth division remains in that border village.
Even more worrying, is that part of their army is travelling in part by teleportation. It seems they’ve developed technology that is able to do that on short range. It speeds up their arrival, which means they could arrive within two days at the city gates.
It goes without saying that the remainder of today will be critical to our performances on the battlefield.
Instruct our soldiers, magicians, reservists and citizens that the war has arrived in Zomerhoven.
Time to let this storm brew and spit these enemies back over the border line.”
“Thank you for the information, my dear. Stay hydrated and healthy. Until the battlefield… or death. Whichever arrives first.”
Serena and Adnap remain, as most of their tasks have already been accomplished. As they want to head out, L’Tesera asks them to remain for just a bit.
“I would like to file an additional request for the both of you. Who executes it, is better if I have no knowledge of. Please come closer.”
Adnap and Serena sit back at the table from which they just stood up.
“Well miss, just tell me what we got to do. We are game, right Serena?”
“Oh jolly me, we’re up to mischief again. What can we do ms. Tessera?”
L’Tesera has gotten used to the mispronunciations of Serena, and shrugs it off laughingly.
“Thank you kindly. One of the biggest early onslaughts of the war will take place here. And poor Lord Nelson will never depart on his own. So I have to ask you the following. Our citizens have been instructed to obstruct the enemy, to buy our army as much time as possible. As far as we know, Altgrön’s army consists of mostly civilians picking up arms for a great salary. They’re vulnerable to the same kind of people as them. With this literal human defence force, we hope citizens can persuade a standstill of hostilities as soon as they enter the city.
In the meantime, I would like you two to go the Lord’s mansion and give him this letter. It’s a forged letter. Don’t be surprised if the Lord seems heartbroken or distraught. That will make him decide to leave for the greater good. The content of the message can be read afterwards. Please duly note that I forged the letter, and the news is non-existent. It’s a very intrusive ruse and the only way to save the Lord if need be.
I will personally be at the frontline this time. Rendezvous at Caelhem should you get yourselves in a possibly difficult situation. It’s not worth dying in vain for at this stage of the war.
Our uprising will grow and Jowlani and Zayden will make people flock towards their leadership. They have enough charisma, wisdom and friendliness to accomplish that.
I’ll best be off now towards our army for final instructions.
Wishing you a good day, no battles for you and safe travels if need be. Give my regards to Jowlani and Zayden… oh, and Marques as well!”
With this final instruction, Serena and Adnap head out. They do a final recount of all the storage facilities so that it’s all checked and balanced.
After that, they catch up with Luke and Kelly. Everything is ready if the Altgrönian army strikes as early as expected in the scouts’ reports.
The night falls, and the first handover has just occurred between soldiers of the army. Then…
“Incoming fire at the east gate! It’s Altgrön’s flag! Defend and counterattack!”
Adnap is the first to awaken from our party and wakes up Serena immediately. To prevent further haste, both took turns to sleep prior to the night falling. So Serena is up without issue.
“Oh dear, it’s that time already huh? But the middle of the night? Such sick freaks! Can’t even get some proper sleep due to those weirdo’s! Let’s go Adnap. Check out the fight and if things get heated, we run to Caelhem!”
Serena and Adnap head to the city centre and instruct the citizens one final time about their obstruction. Meanwhile at the battlefront…
“Can’t hold them off for much longer. Our magical barriers are breaking. They’ll be at the gate soon. Keep the cannons loading Luke!”
“Ay, m’am! Please keep the barriers up for as long as you can, Tes and Kelly! We’ll try to hold them up here at the West Gate. East is taking heavy fire and South is coming under fire as well now. Only the North Gate provides safe retreat to Caelhem, madam.”
A scout comes in with the latest news. The East Gate has fallen and Altgrönian forces are marching to the centre. The civilian bodyguard of the city has been raised across the width of all paths. Hooked up, lined in row and organised by column. A solid defence tactic if the army doesn’t slice through them.
A person looking like an officer of the army of Altgrön, steps of their horse.
“Settle down, please. Nothing to be afraid of, we will not hurt you. We’re simple citizens of a country we love. Just like you. We’re only in this country to display the best of our beliefs to you. A better economy and living environment than your government can ever achieve on its’ own.
My name is Kevin Flügel, commander of the second division of the Altgrön Defence Force. We mean you no harm, citizens of Zomerhoven. We only wish to have an audience with Lord Nelson about the conditions of joining the beautiful nation of Altgrön as new major city.”
The crowd starts to roar and the citizens start shouting. “What makes you think we believe that?” “Definitely not my country, most certainly not my new leaders!” “Do you think we’re stupid to fall for such an old trick? I don’t think!”
In the meantime, both the Eastern Gate and Southern Gate have been overwhelmed by the vast numbers of the invading army. The army of Zomerhoven has withdrawn to the inside of the city. They’re stalling the invaders as long as they can, and hope that Lord Nelson and our other party members can make it out in time.
It’s time to set the plan in motion. Adnap and Serena take verbal shots at commander Flügel. “Flügel huh? Like a penguin or chicken who can’t fly? Idiot!” “There’s just one thing dumber than looking ugly. It’s looking ugly and being called Kevin Flügel!”
The crowd roars with intensity and stands its ground. The protest is working and the Altgrönian army is hesitating to advance.
“Men, what are we doing? This isn’t a tea party, move!”
Though the army resists. “Sir, they’re citizens. We can’t kill innocent humans.” “That’s an outrage. Kill soldiers, get paid. Kill citizens, keep terrors in your mind forever. We’re not doing that. We’d rather die in a fair fight than slaughter these people. Some of them are literal family members of us. We can’t kill family!”
In the back of the hundreds of citizens, Lord Nelson’s been watching the process. Serena tells him he has to retreat, but he declines. “My position is clear. I’m here till the very end, even if it means my life ends here. This is my sole purpose as leader of this beautiful city.”
Adnap slips the forged letter by L’Tesera to Nelson and instructs him to read it.
As he progresses, his face becomes more depressed. He even breaks out in tears, not the happy kind.
“Dear mr. Nelson, lord of Zomerhoven. It’s time you end your period as leader, and start your period of mourning. It’s part of life. In order to grief and remember, you need a safe place. Come with us now to Caelhem. We’ll get this city back.”
Thus lord Nelson leaves with Adnap and Serena towards Caelhem as the first to abandon the city. After arriving there, Serena tells the lord about the true contents of the letter.
“Did you use the invisible ink again, mr. Nelson? You haven’t, but the one who wrote the letter has. Let me uncover it for you.”
Adnap uncovers the letters written with invisible ink. It’s a deep message from L’Tesera.
“Dear lord Nelson, it’s with heavy heart I had to pull this stunt to keep you safe. If you read this part of the message, you have been saved. Most of your citizens have as well, with some outside help. Though when the last part is unveiled by magic-infused blood, know that my time has come to an end. We’ve fought till the very end for our grand city. It’s now time for me to greet the sun in its’ eternal greatness. Farewell for now.”
– L’Tesera
“Zomerhoven is now in the hands of those bastards. I wish I could’ve done more for the people that make it such a nice place to be. I’ll chat with Caelira and the government first thing in the morning. Thank you for getting me out alive, the both of you. Go meet up with Jowlani and Zayden. See how far they’re with the HQ and brief them on the events of the place I wish to call home again.”
“It’s time to move back south again, yet not into a city. Welcome to the wasteland roadtrip, I guess!”
“M’am, it’s a pleasure travelling with you. Maybe we can make some coin on the way as well. Help the war treasuries with the additional funds we need. The more, the better!”
On the next day, the storage friends depart at sunrise towards the wasteland that will become HQ of the nation. Thinking about the passing of L’Tesera makes it a trip with many sights outside of the carriage, without a word being spoken.
Have Luke and Kelly survived this battle, or did they perish in the fight as well?
Will they arrive in time to brief Jowlani, Zayden and Marques on the storm that swept Zomerhoven away from the Netralian army?
I'm Amethyst, 30, and from the Netherlands. I've always had a passion for adventure in roleplaying games. Being able to immerse myself into these universes allowed me to escape the trauma's of my youth. Now I want to share my gaming passion with all of you!
