Zoltarion
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In this thread, I will post my book based on the plot of Heroes 5. The book is written for those who want to remember or learn about the game's story but do not wish to replay it. Please be gentle with this creation, as it is the first story I have ever written. For those who wish to read the book in Word, I am leaving it here; for others, I am posting it as plain text. *As a token of gratitude to the author, please follow the link:*
http://steamvk.ru/warhammer/18060
Anyway, enjoy!
– Your Majesty! – shouted a sentry. – The demons are advancing!
– Form up! Crossbowmen! Ready! – Nicholas was seized by battle fever. This fight was far from his first, but he rarely encountered demons. – Volley at the succubi! Fire!
The volley did not bring the expected results. Only a few succubi fell dead; the rest struck back. The blow hit the shields of the knights; the demonic flame did not reach the men.
– Griffins! Strike from the heavens! – Nicholas ordered.
The flock of griffins flapped their wings in unison and soared toward the skies to deliver a crushing blow to the enemy.
The demons reached the human lines. The Knight units fell first. Several Arch-Devils moved toward the knights' ranks and struck them down with monstrous blows. Then came the Cerberi. Without hesitation, they attacked the armored knights, seeing them as the most dangerous warriors. But the hounds could not bite through the fighters' armor to reach the warm flesh. The knights stood firm. The demons grew enraged.
The enemy ordered a magical attack. A squad of Cave Demons summoned a meteor shower over the heads of the humans. No one expected this. The crossbowmen could not withstand the blow; the armored knights were baked alive in their suits. Only a few Archangels remained.
– Resurrect the knights! Quickly!
The knight ranks were covered in mist, from which emerged riders who were alive and just as full of battle zeal. They immediately delivered a crushing blow, destroying the squad of Arch-Devils.
The Demon Lord decided to take matters into his own hands. Realizing that brute force was ineffective against humans, he decided to attack differently.
– Your Majesty! The demon is casting "Unholy Word"!
– I can see that. But why? He will destroy his own army with that spell!
However, the army standing near the Lord survived. The spell killed everyone who stood at a distance: Archangels, knights, and Cerberi. Nicholas flew into a rage.
– Bastard! What has he done—burn him, Elrath! Now he will answer for this!
The King paid him back in kind. Casting the most powerful spell of the school of light, "Holy Word," he destroyed the remaining demon army. And at that moment, the griffins descended.
– Take him!
* * *
Isabelle stood in a clearing near the church together with Godric and Beatrice. The old knight had brought them to this place, which in his opinion was safe enough, by Nicholas's order. For several minutes now, Beatrice had looked somewhat strange, and this was unsettling Isabelle.
– Beatrice, are you all right? You look unwell.
– Me? No... Everything is fine, milady. I just miss home.
– It may be boring here, ladies, but it is safe. – that was typical Godric. Safety above all else. – The demons certainly won't come here.
– They might not come here. But they are entering the rest of the empire quite willingly. – Beatrice said. – A messenger arrived this morning. The demons have already taken Hardwick and Ship. We must go to war, or the war will come to us.
– And how is Nicholas? – Isabelle asked hopefully.
– Alive and well, but... – Beatrice hesitated. – Milady, he is young and doubts his own strength, yet he is too shy to ask for help. I know he forbade us from leaving, but...
– And we will do as he said. – Godric was, as always, firm. – He is young, but he is the king. You are ordered to stay here; I am ordered to protect you.
– But the Empire is in danger. We must do something!
– Perhaps we should look for allies? – Beatrice suggested. – Why doesn't Nicholas want to ask permission from the elves or mages?
– The elves have still not recovered from the last war. Mages? Blasphemers! – Godric tossed out contemptuously. He was a loyal follower of Elrath. – And the first among them is Cyrus. Besides, Nicholas has not forgotten that Alaron and Cyrus returned alive from the Eclipse War, but his father did not.
– Yes... If Alex had not perished, he would have acted differently. – Beatrice insisted on her point.
And Godric gave in.
– If things are truly that bad...
– Two more cities have fallen to the claws of demons. What could be worse?
– Godric, you must go to Cyrus. I beg you. Even if you dislike mages, their magic can help us in the struggle against demons.
– Your wishes are reasonable, milady, but Cyrus... And besides, the king's order...
– For the sake of the Empire, Godric. The Empire is more important than one man. Even if that man is the king.
– As you wish, milady. For the glory of the Griffin!
– And what will we do? – Beatrice asked. – Perhaps we should turn to the elves?
– Try it. Your wisdom will be enough for successful negotiations with Alaron. You are more experienced in the art of diplomacy than I am. Besides, I have always preferred being among warriors over being at court.
– So, you will stay here?
– For now, yes. I will attend to gathering a militia. When you return, you will find me between this palace and the training field. For the Empire!
– For the Empire!
* * *
Isabelle had been gathering a militia for a week. Although the surroundings of the Summer Palace were not the best place to look for fighters, she still managed to gather several warriors. A few peasants from nearby farmsteads and a dozen swordsmen from the garrison tower that towered on the hill since the day before. Isabelle understood that these warriors were useless, and many would not survive the first battle. And who was there to fight? Peasants whose precious pitchforks did nothing but move manure? Or swordsmen who never stuck their noses beyond the Palace surroundings?
She understood everything. She understood, but remained silent.
For many miles around stretched a forest dotted with clearings and hills, like a rich man's clothes adorned with precious stones. A human hand could be felt in this forest—it differed too much from the jungles of Irollan. The Empire's best gardeners looked after the forest and prevented local peasants from cutting it down. Therefore, anyone entering the forest could admire the local beauties for hours.
The farmsteads and barracks fit perfectly into the general picture. There were not too many of them, providing a respite from human clamor. But neither so few that the area seemed uninhabited. Isabelle visited several such farmsteads, taking capable men from there into Nicholas's army. Everywhere everything went normally; the squad was received warmly, and the newly minted militiamen were seen off like heroes. But not in the next farmstead.
As soon as Isabelle entered its borders, everything suddenly went according to a different plan. A small crowd of peasants led by a man in chainmail with a bayonet—the local elder—blocked the squad's path with shouts of "Get out of here!" and "There is no need to trample our fields!".
– What does your disobedience mean? – Isabelle asked coldly.
– We know what is happening in the Empire, milady. They say demons kill everyone and then eat the corpses of the fallen. We have no business there! – the elder shouted.
– Cowards! The Griffin Empire is strong and will defeat any enemy.
– Then it can do so without us! And we are staying here. Get out!
– You will fulfill your duty to the king, even if you must be cast in shackles. Take them!
A dozen peasants were not a serious obstacle. Isabelle thought that for her militia, this fight could be a good lesson and ordered them to form up. She sent the peasants toward the enemy, sending a squad of swordsmen with them for cover. They quickly destroyed the enemy squad, showing they were not so hopeless.
"Well, at least they will have some idea of battle," she thought.
The other peasants, after the punishment of the insolent ones, willingly joined the army, swearing loyalty to the king. However, Isabelle had no doubt that they would flee as soon as an opportunity presented itself.
"I need a city. My own city with people loyal to the king. Only then can I gather an army for Nicholas," Isabelle thought.
Immediately beyond the farmstead, a garrison tower towered over the forest. This tower was a watchtower; it stood on a high hill, so it offered an excellent view of the entire forest. Truth be told, what exactly one could look for in the forest near the Summer Palace in the very heart of the Empire, Isabelle could not understand.
As soon as the squad left the forest, a low, prolonged sound was immediately heard from the direction of the tower. People looked out from the towers with bows aimed at the squad. A shout was heard from somewhere by the gates:
– Who are you?
– Order them to put away their weapons, soldier. Lady Isabelle with a militia for King Nicholas's army.
– Lower your bows! – the man shouted. – Open the gates! Come in, milady.
The squad entered the small fortress. Life was bustling inside: soldiers were training hard, running circles around the perimeter of the garrison; servants ran from one end of the fortress to another, and the clank of metal against metal could be heard from the forge.
– Why such caution, soldier?
– Sergeant Dorn, at your service, milady. Strange things are happening in the forest. Bandits have become completely brazen; they recently attacked a garrison two days' journey south from here. The boys, praise Elrath, fought them off, but lost half the garrison. Peasants from farmsteads further along the road sometimes disappear in the forest. So we are preparing. I advise you to do the same.
– Thank you, sergeant. We will keep that in mind. But I have come for warriors. King Nicholas needs men to fight demons, and they are far worse than local bandits.
– Sorry, milady, but I cannot give more than ten swordsmen. Every person is accounted for here. You know, there is another garrison further along the road. Right on the way, you can't miss it. You can recruit warriors there; they don't need them anyway. A couple of people are enough to intimidate merchants.
– Thank you, sergeant. Good luck in your war with bandits.
– Better take that luck to the king; it will be more useful there. – Dorn waved her off. – Glory to the griffin!
Having taken the reinforcements, the squad moved on. Hoping to find a few more farmsteads, Isabelle ordered them to turn off the road. Following a path, the squad indeed encountered two bands of bandits: one on the path and another in the vicinity of a farmstead. But upon seeing Isabelle's squad, the bandits turned to flee. And they were right to do so. The death penalty for banditry had not been abolished yet.
After recruiting militia at the farmstead, the squad reached a small clearing. It was getting dark, so Isabelle decided to make camp. In the darkness, the forest looked magical, somewhat reminding her of the forests of Irollan. Fireflies flew briskly around the clearing, helping the night luminary illuminate the ground. Bird silhouettes—perhaps owls, perhaps just bats—flew overhead from time to time. Somewhere in the nearby bushes, a small animal rustled. And absolutely no one noticed several pairs of poisonous green eyes watching the clearing.
After eating, the squad began to go to sleep. Isabelle put two swordsmen on night watch, considering it better for warriors to be on guard in this forest. The squad sank into sleep.
* * *
– Zombies! – came the shout of one of the sentries. – We are being attacked by zombies!
At first, Isabelle thought the warrior had drunk too much and was now suffering from hallucinations, so impossible did the sentry's cry seem to her. But standing up and looking around, she realized the sentry was not lying. The squad was surrounded by zombies. It would have been good if they were ordinary zombies, but no. They were Plague Zombies. Tall and strong, in decayed clothing tied with ropes to their green bodies. In each hand, they held a large butcher's knife, well known to warriors who had encountered undead.
– Be careful with the knives! – Isabelle shouted. – They are cursed!
The zombies approached. They were slow but determined. The squad could only wait until they reached them.
"How I miss archers. They would have shot these zombies down before they even reached the camp," Isabelle thought, and aloud she said:
– Form a circular defense! Swordsmen—first row, make a wall of shields! Peasants—second row, you will replace the spearmen!
The zombies approached relentlessly. One swordsman could not take it, dropped his shield, and tried to flee from here. But he did not get far. One of the zombies thrust its knife toward the soldier, and he simply didn't have time to dodge.
– Close the breach! Hurry, hurry!
The zombies reached the squad. The defense was not very good; gaps were visible between the swordsmen's shields, and it remained to be hoped that the zombies would not think to use them. Isabelle herself stood in the second circle, next to the peasants. She saw their fear clearly, but they were not cowards. Moreover, except for the one swordsman, everyone here stood bravely; there were no more attempts to flee.
Then one of the zombies raised its sword for a terrible blow, but Isabelle was quick and stabbed it while it was swinging. She killed another one, but for ordinary soldiers who fought perhaps only with bandits, this was difficult. At the other end of the squad, a zombie broke into the circle, killing another swordsman and a couple of peasants, but he was managed to be hacked down before he caused more mischief.
The warriors relied on one of their main advantages—speed. They were faster and struck the zombies first. Soon the battle ended.
– We won! – came the joyful shout of the squad. – Victory! We won!
– How many did we lose? – Isabelle inquired
– Two swordsmen, five peasants, and three more wounded. But milady, something else worries me: what were zombies doing so far from a necromancer?
– I have one guess. – Isabelle replied and shouted to the warriors: – Scatter and go into the forest! In the direction where the dead came from!
Isabelle's guess was confirmed. One of the warriors brought her a bag of gold. There wasn't much, only a thousand coins, but it was still useful. Isabelle ordered half to be given to the army as a bonus, which made the fighters incredibly happy.
After several days, the squad reached another farmstead, which, if Isabelle understood correctly, was located near a roadside garrison. Having gathered militia, Isabelle already wanted to move on, but a man approached her. Plump, with a light beard and straight dark hair, he bowed to Isabelle—which looked funny—and said:
– Milady! May I inquire where you are going?
– To King Nicholas; I am leading a militia.
– Oh, very good! Milady, I beg your help! A day's journey from here further along the road is a garrison. It stands by the road, so all merchants traveling through the Empire know it well. There were always people there serving the king who did not harass merchants. But recently something unprecedented happened: bandits attacked the garrison and captured it! All defenders are dead! And the bandits rob everyone passing through the garrison! They take everything that catches their eye! I beg you, milady, deal with them.
– Bandits, then. Bad; I hoped to hire more warriors there. Fine, very well, we will deal with them.
At noon the next day, the squad indeed reached the garrison. It consisted of two towers on either side of the road and a grate between them that blocked the way. Something was indeed wrong with the garrison. Instead of the usual griffins, hawks on a green background hung from the flags. Shouts and swearing were heard from the garrison, and a man stepped out to meet the squad.
– Who are you, and why are the Griffin flags not hanging on the garrisons? – Isabelle asked coldly.
– Milady! We just... took them down to wash them! Yes, exactly! Wash them! You know how dirty they've gotten over the years they've been hanging here.
– Unconvincing. I trust you know what awaits you for capturing an object belonging to the Empire?
– Guard! We've been found! Prepare for battle!
The man ran toward the garrison, and an army came out to meet him. In terms of numbers, it was roughly equal to Isabelle's army, but some peasants wore chainmail and pikes instead of pitchforks. Isabelle realized that they would not be able to drive the bandits out of here so simply.
– Split up! Swordsmen attack swordsmen, peasants—on peasants! Armored knights—follow me! Forward!
The armies moved toward each other. The clang of iron, battle cries, and the screams of the wounded and dying were heard everywhere. Isabelle raced across the battlefield with the armored knights, killing everyone who came to hand. The swordsmen stood well, but the peasants fared worse. They stood in one crowd and were pressed by enemy squads from three sides. Isabelle decided to help them and crashed into the enemy ranks, cutting through them like a griffin cuts through clouds. Soon, the main mass of the opponent was defeated, and the rest fled. Isabelle was satisfied with her army.
Having finished off the remaining bandits and occupying the garrison, Isabelle addressed the warriors:
– Soldiers! Today you won your first real battle. Many of you lost comrades in this fight, but those who survived gained invaluable experience. But do not forget that you are not going to a war with bandits. Demons will be much stronger; their goal will be to kill you, your families, and devastate the lands where you live. Therefore, I hope that you will be ready to protect the Empire from invaders, so that your bravery serves as an example for future generations. Glory to the Griffin!
– Glory to the Griffin!
And that is the end of the first chapter of my book. Write in the comments whether you liked the chapter and if I should post the remaining parts of the book.
http://steamvk.ru/warhammer/18060
Anyway, enjoy!
Heroes of Might and Magic V. Chronicle of Times.
Part I. The Griffin Queen
Chapter I.
Two armies met on the field. On one side stood the army of men. At the head of the army, seated upon a sturdy, snow-white horse, was King Nicholas. Clad in white and gilded ceremonial armor, he issued orders to the troops. Beside him stood a loyal standard-bearer. Upon a blue flag, like the surface of the sea, a griffin waved its wings majestically and proudly. Not far away, in the center of the host, stood a flock of his exact copies, clad in combat armor. Nearby, forming a wall of shields to protect the crossbowmen standing behind them, knights were preparing for battle. At the very front of the army stood Knight units. Their horses strained uncontrollably to charge into battle. The sight of demons on the other side of the field did not frighten them in the least; on the contrary, it only spurred them on. Part I. The Griffin Queen
Chapter I.
– Your Majesty! – shouted a sentry. – The demons are advancing!
– Form up! Crossbowmen! Ready! – Nicholas was seized by battle fever. This fight was far from his first, but he rarely encountered demons. – Volley at the succubi! Fire!
The volley did not bring the expected results. Only a few succubi fell dead; the rest struck back. The blow hit the shields of the knights; the demonic flame did not reach the men.
– Griffins! Strike from the heavens! – Nicholas ordered.
The flock of griffins flapped their wings in unison and soared toward the skies to deliver a crushing blow to the enemy.
The demons reached the human lines. The Knight units fell first. Several Arch-Devils moved toward the knights' ranks and struck them down with monstrous blows. Then came the Cerberi. Without hesitation, they attacked the armored knights, seeing them as the most dangerous warriors. But the hounds could not bite through the fighters' armor to reach the warm flesh. The knights stood firm. The demons grew enraged.
The enemy ordered a magical attack. A squad of Cave Demons summoned a meteor shower over the heads of the humans. No one expected this. The crossbowmen could not withstand the blow; the armored knights were baked alive in their suits. Only a few Archangels remained.
– Resurrect the knights! Quickly!
The knight ranks were covered in mist, from which emerged riders who were alive and just as full of battle zeal. They immediately delivered a crushing blow, destroying the squad of Arch-Devils.
The Demon Lord decided to take matters into his own hands. Realizing that brute force was ineffective against humans, he decided to attack differently.
– Your Majesty! The demon is casting "Unholy Word"!
– I can see that. But why? He will destroy his own army with that spell!
However, the army standing near the Lord survived. The spell killed everyone who stood at a distance: Archangels, knights, and Cerberi. Nicholas flew into a rage.
– Bastard! What has he done—burn him, Elrath! Now he will answer for this!
The King paid him back in kind. Casting the most powerful spell of the school of light, "Holy Word," he destroyed the remaining demon army. And at that moment, the griffins descended.
– Take him!
* * *
Isabelle stood in a clearing near the church together with Godric and Beatrice. The old knight had brought them to this place, which in his opinion was safe enough, by Nicholas's order. For several minutes now, Beatrice had looked somewhat strange, and this was unsettling Isabelle.
– Beatrice, are you all right? You look unwell.
– Me? No... Everything is fine, milady. I just miss home.
– It may be boring here, ladies, but it is safe. – that was typical Godric. Safety above all else. – The demons certainly won't come here.
– They might not come here. But they are entering the rest of the empire quite willingly. – Beatrice said. – A messenger arrived this morning. The demons have already taken Hardwick and Ship. We must go to war, or the war will come to us.
– And how is Nicholas? – Isabelle asked hopefully.
– Alive and well, but... – Beatrice hesitated. – Milady, he is young and doubts his own strength, yet he is too shy to ask for help. I know he forbade us from leaving, but...
– And we will do as he said. – Godric was, as always, firm. – He is young, but he is the king. You are ordered to stay here; I am ordered to protect you.
– But the Empire is in danger. We must do something!
– Perhaps we should look for allies? – Beatrice suggested. – Why doesn't Nicholas want to ask permission from the elves or mages?
– The elves have still not recovered from the last war. Mages? Blasphemers! – Godric tossed out contemptuously. He was a loyal follower of Elrath. – And the first among them is Cyrus. Besides, Nicholas has not forgotten that Alaron and Cyrus returned alive from the Eclipse War, but his father did not.
– Yes... If Alex had not perished, he would have acted differently. – Beatrice insisted on her point.
And Godric gave in.
– If things are truly that bad...
– Two more cities have fallen to the claws of demons. What could be worse?
– Godric, you must go to Cyrus. I beg you. Even if you dislike mages, their magic can help us in the struggle against demons.
– Your wishes are reasonable, milady, but Cyrus... And besides, the king's order...
– For the sake of the Empire, Godric. The Empire is more important than one man. Even if that man is the king.
– As you wish, milady. For the glory of the Griffin!
– And what will we do? – Beatrice asked. – Perhaps we should turn to the elves?
– Try it. Your wisdom will be enough for successful negotiations with Alaron. You are more experienced in the art of diplomacy than I am. Besides, I have always preferred being among warriors over being at court.
– So, you will stay here?
– For now, yes. I will attend to gathering a militia. When you return, you will find me between this palace and the training field. For the Empire!
– For the Empire!
* * *
Isabelle had been gathering a militia for a week. Although the surroundings of the Summer Palace were not the best place to look for fighters, she still managed to gather several warriors. A few peasants from nearby farmsteads and a dozen swordsmen from the garrison tower that towered on the hill since the day before. Isabelle understood that these warriors were useless, and many would not survive the first battle. And who was there to fight? Peasants whose precious pitchforks did nothing but move manure? Or swordsmen who never stuck their noses beyond the Palace surroundings?
She understood everything. She understood, but remained silent.
For many miles around stretched a forest dotted with clearings and hills, like a rich man's clothes adorned with precious stones. A human hand could be felt in this forest—it differed too much from the jungles of Irollan. The Empire's best gardeners looked after the forest and prevented local peasants from cutting it down. Therefore, anyone entering the forest could admire the local beauties for hours.
The farmsteads and barracks fit perfectly into the general picture. There were not too many of them, providing a respite from human clamor. But neither so few that the area seemed uninhabited. Isabelle visited several such farmsteads, taking capable men from there into Nicholas's army. Everywhere everything went normally; the squad was received warmly, and the newly minted militiamen were seen off like heroes. But not in the next farmstead.
As soon as Isabelle entered its borders, everything suddenly went according to a different plan. A small crowd of peasants led by a man in chainmail with a bayonet—the local elder—blocked the squad's path with shouts of "Get out of here!" and "There is no need to trample our fields!".
– What does your disobedience mean? – Isabelle asked coldly.
– We know what is happening in the Empire, milady. They say demons kill everyone and then eat the corpses of the fallen. We have no business there! – the elder shouted.
– Cowards! The Griffin Empire is strong and will defeat any enemy.
– Then it can do so without us! And we are staying here. Get out!
– You will fulfill your duty to the king, even if you must be cast in shackles. Take them!
A dozen peasants were not a serious obstacle. Isabelle thought that for her militia, this fight could be a good lesson and ordered them to form up. She sent the peasants toward the enemy, sending a squad of swordsmen with them for cover. They quickly destroyed the enemy squad, showing they were not so hopeless.
"Well, at least they will have some idea of battle," she thought.
The other peasants, after the punishment of the insolent ones, willingly joined the army, swearing loyalty to the king. However, Isabelle had no doubt that they would flee as soon as an opportunity presented itself.
"I need a city. My own city with people loyal to the king. Only then can I gather an army for Nicholas," Isabelle thought.
Immediately beyond the farmstead, a garrison tower towered over the forest. This tower was a watchtower; it stood on a high hill, so it offered an excellent view of the entire forest. Truth be told, what exactly one could look for in the forest near the Summer Palace in the very heart of the Empire, Isabelle could not understand.
As soon as the squad left the forest, a low, prolonged sound was immediately heard from the direction of the tower. People looked out from the towers with bows aimed at the squad. A shout was heard from somewhere by the gates:
– Who are you?
– Order them to put away their weapons, soldier. Lady Isabelle with a militia for King Nicholas's army.
– Lower your bows! – the man shouted. – Open the gates! Come in, milady.
The squad entered the small fortress. Life was bustling inside: soldiers were training hard, running circles around the perimeter of the garrison; servants ran from one end of the fortress to another, and the clank of metal against metal could be heard from the forge.
– Why such caution, soldier?
– Sergeant Dorn, at your service, milady. Strange things are happening in the forest. Bandits have become completely brazen; they recently attacked a garrison two days' journey south from here. The boys, praise Elrath, fought them off, but lost half the garrison. Peasants from farmsteads further along the road sometimes disappear in the forest. So we are preparing. I advise you to do the same.
– Thank you, sergeant. We will keep that in mind. But I have come for warriors. King Nicholas needs men to fight demons, and they are far worse than local bandits.
– Sorry, milady, but I cannot give more than ten swordsmen. Every person is accounted for here. You know, there is another garrison further along the road. Right on the way, you can't miss it. You can recruit warriors there; they don't need them anyway. A couple of people are enough to intimidate merchants.
– Thank you, sergeant. Good luck in your war with bandits.
– Better take that luck to the king; it will be more useful there. – Dorn waved her off. – Glory to the griffin!
Having taken the reinforcements, the squad moved on. Hoping to find a few more farmsteads, Isabelle ordered them to turn off the road. Following a path, the squad indeed encountered two bands of bandits: one on the path and another in the vicinity of a farmstead. But upon seeing Isabelle's squad, the bandits turned to flee. And they were right to do so. The death penalty for banditry had not been abolished yet.
After recruiting militia at the farmstead, the squad reached a small clearing. It was getting dark, so Isabelle decided to make camp. In the darkness, the forest looked magical, somewhat reminding her of the forests of Irollan. Fireflies flew briskly around the clearing, helping the night luminary illuminate the ground. Bird silhouettes—perhaps owls, perhaps just bats—flew overhead from time to time. Somewhere in the nearby bushes, a small animal rustled. And absolutely no one noticed several pairs of poisonous green eyes watching the clearing.
After eating, the squad began to go to sleep. Isabelle put two swordsmen on night watch, considering it better for warriors to be on guard in this forest. The squad sank into sleep.
* * *
– Zombies! – came the shout of one of the sentries. – We are being attacked by zombies!
At first, Isabelle thought the warrior had drunk too much and was now suffering from hallucinations, so impossible did the sentry's cry seem to her. But standing up and looking around, she realized the sentry was not lying. The squad was surrounded by zombies. It would have been good if they were ordinary zombies, but no. They were Plague Zombies. Tall and strong, in decayed clothing tied with ropes to their green bodies. In each hand, they held a large butcher's knife, well known to warriors who had encountered undead.
– Be careful with the knives! – Isabelle shouted. – They are cursed!
The zombies approached. They were slow but determined. The squad could only wait until they reached them.
"How I miss archers. They would have shot these zombies down before they even reached the camp," Isabelle thought, and aloud she said:
– Form a circular defense! Swordsmen—first row, make a wall of shields! Peasants—second row, you will replace the spearmen!
The zombies approached relentlessly. One swordsman could not take it, dropped his shield, and tried to flee from here. But he did not get far. One of the zombies thrust its knife toward the soldier, and he simply didn't have time to dodge.
– Close the breach! Hurry, hurry!
The zombies reached the squad. The defense was not very good; gaps were visible between the swordsmen's shields, and it remained to be hoped that the zombies would not think to use them. Isabelle herself stood in the second circle, next to the peasants. She saw their fear clearly, but they were not cowards. Moreover, except for the one swordsman, everyone here stood bravely; there were no more attempts to flee.
Then one of the zombies raised its sword for a terrible blow, but Isabelle was quick and stabbed it while it was swinging. She killed another one, but for ordinary soldiers who fought perhaps only with bandits, this was difficult. At the other end of the squad, a zombie broke into the circle, killing another swordsman and a couple of peasants, but he was managed to be hacked down before he caused more mischief.
The warriors relied on one of their main advantages—speed. They were faster and struck the zombies first. Soon the battle ended.
– We won! – came the joyful shout of the squad. – Victory! We won!
– How many did we lose? – Isabelle inquired
– Two swordsmen, five peasants, and three more wounded. But milady, something else worries me: what were zombies doing so far from a necromancer?
– I have one guess. – Isabelle replied and shouted to the warriors: – Scatter and go into the forest! In the direction where the dead came from!
Isabelle's guess was confirmed. One of the warriors brought her a bag of gold. There wasn't much, only a thousand coins, but it was still useful. Isabelle ordered half to be given to the army as a bonus, which made the fighters incredibly happy.
After several days, the squad reached another farmstead, which, if Isabelle understood correctly, was located near a roadside garrison. Having gathered militia, Isabelle already wanted to move on, but a man approached her. Plump, with a light beard and straight dark hair, he bowed to Isabelle—which looked funny—and said:
– Milady! May I inquire where you are going?
– To King Nicholas; I am leading a militia.
– Oh, very good! Milady, I beg your help! A day's journey from here further along the road is a garrison. It stands by the road, so all merchants traveling through the Empire know it well. There were always people there serving the king who did not harass merchants. But recently something unprecedented happened: bandits attacked the garrison and captured it! All defenders are dead! And the bandits rob everyone passing through the garrison! They take everything that catches their eye! I beg you, milady, deal with them.
– Bandits, then. Bad; I hoped to hire more warriors there. Fine, very well, we will deal with them.
At noon the next day, the squad indeed reached the garrison. It consisted of two towers on either side of the road and a grate between them that blocked the way. Something was indeed wrong with the garrison. Instead of the usual griffins, hawks on a green background hung from the flags. Shouts and swearing were heard from the garrison, and a man stepped out to meet the squad.
– Who are you, and why are the Griffin flags not hanging on the garrisons? – Isabelle asked coldly.
– Milady! We just... took them down to wash them! Yes, exactly! Wash them! You know how dirty they've gotten over the years they've been hanging here.
– Unconvincing. I trust you know what awaits you for capturing an object belonging to the Empire?
– Guard! We've been found! Prepare for battle!
The man ran toward the garrison, and an army came out to meet him. In terms of numbers, it was roughly equal to Isabelle's army, but some peasants wore chainmail and pikes instead of pitchforks. Isabelle realized that they would not be able to drive the bandits out of here so simply.
– Split up! Swordsmen attack swordsmen, peasants—on peasants! Armored knights—follow me! Forward!
The armies moved toward each other. The clang of iron, battle cries, and the screams of the wounded and dying were heard everywhere. Isabelle raced across the battlefield with the armored knights, killing everyone who came to hand. The swordsmen stood well, but the peasants fared worse. They stood in one crowd and were pressed by enemy squads from three sides. Isabelle decided to help them and crashed into the enemy ranks, cutting through them like a griffin cuts through clouds. Soon, the main mass of the opponent was defeated, and the rest fled. Isabelle was satisfied with her army.
Having finished off the remaining bandits and occupying the garrison, Isabelle addressed the warriors:
– Soldiers! Today you won your first real battle. Many of you lost comrades in this fight, but those who survived gained invaluable experience. But do not forget that you are not going to a war with bandits. Demons will be much stronger; their goal will be to kill you, your families, and devastate the lands where you live. Therefore, I hope that you will be ready to protect the Empire from invaders, so that your bravery serves as an example for future generations. Glory to the Griffin!
– Glory to the Griffin!
And that is the end of the first chapter of my book. Write in the comments whether you liked the chapter and if I should post the remaining parts of the book.
