Return to Jorgaldur Volume V: Reunion (2)

Bait (IV)

The living troops took the opportunity to decimate the powerful army of the losts. However, there were so many of them that, after several days, they hadn't even eliminated half of them.

It was then that the horde of corrupted beings began to behave strangely. Therefore, the leaders of the living ordered their troops to retreat as a precaution.

"It seems that more generals have arrived," Elendnas guessed.

"Yes, but what're they doing?" Caranlin wondered.

"Are they retreating?" another elf was surprised.

Everyone could see how most of the surviving corrupted beings were moving away. Only a small contingent remained, although it was only small if compared to before. They were twice as many as the elves.

"We have to inform the high command. Prepare for the confrontation. These may not be so passive," Elendnas suspected.

Without a doubt, Elendnas' suspicions were founded. In the front under his command and in the others, the losts which had stayed behind attacked all at once. The living had tried to incite a few, as they had done until then, but all the enemies had advanced together.

The living were outnumbered, but the battle front was solid. Even though their enemies were more numerous, they couldn't all attack at once, so the rest had to stay behind, whether they wanted to or not. In fact, without any other orders than to attack, the losts pushed each other. They even attacked their allies while trying to reach the living.

The living, for their part, formed a compact front. Sometimes with a row. Sometimes with two that covered each other, acting as a unit. In addition, those who could attack at range, did so. If necessary, those who were wounded or tired were relieved.

Little by little, the losts began to lose troops, until they succumbed completely. Behind them, the corrupted forest remained in a dark silence.

"Now what?" a barbarian asked.

"It's time to count! 153!" another announced.

"162!" a third, proudly exclaimed.

"Shit, only 101," a fourth cursed. He had been wounded, so his number of casualties had been less than that of his companions.

"I've lost count at 1000." Skullcrusher shrugged.

"So have I," Bonecrusher assured.

""You're not allowed!!!"" several barbarians in unison exclaimed.

"Tsk. Such sore losers. Keep counting as we go. We'll cut down a few trees for now," Crushy ordered.

"When we finish the fucking beer!" a dwarf exclaimed, not far from there.

"These damn big guys always seem to have something stuck up their ass," another dwarf criticized.

"Okay, okay. Finish the damn beer," Smashy sighed, as she took out a much stronger drink from her inventory.

"Mom! Treat me!" one of her daughters quickly approached.

"I'm only a mom when you want something..." she complained.

"Ha, ha. Mom is the best," another of her sons approached.

"A jug for every 100 casualties," she finally announced.

""Long live the leader!""

""Long live mom!""

"What about you?" one of Crushy's wives urged him.

"I'm coming, I'm coming..." he resigned himself, and took out a barrel similar to Apli's from his inventory.

The truth is that they had quite a few. They asked Goldmi for them every time they needed more, and brought the ingredients. She simply let her assistants distill the drink to each one's taste.

For now, they could celebrate. Soon, the army would march again, though they didn't know what they would find, or even if they would find anything.

For their part, the gnomes were dismantling the catapults. Since they had to advance, they would take them with them in case the artifacts were needed again later.

Similar scenes occurred on different battlefields. Like Solhana, Kilthana's daughter, who was biting her boyfriend, absorbing his blood. Her mother watched them discreetly, but attentively. She was even taking some "photographs" without them noticing. As for Jiknha, Kilthana had lost sight of her friend along with an elegant-looking half-ferret, demihuman mage.

Merlin also produced drinks and food from nowhere, and invited all the troops. A few had to stay behind to stand guard, with the promise that they would leave them something.

The group of Eldi's children had no inventory, but they had brought provisions in their backpacks, some capable of storing more than it seemed. They soon improvised a small celebration.

The elves were also celebrating the victory. Among them, Ilunbdor had to admit that he wouldn't have been able to replace Elendnas. More than once, he had thought that Goldmi's husband was giving wrong or ineffective orders, only to realize later how wrong he was. However, the young elf was too proud to openly admit it, and he looked at him out of the corner of his eye with a mixture of envy and respect.

They were all now without enemies, and didn't know if they would attack them again or when. For now, they could only advance, although a short rest was necessary to relieve the stress.

Without a doubt, the elimination of the shadows on the battlefronts had been a hard blow, but it wasn't what worried Warkmon or Kan Golge the most. Despite the defeat, they could understand how it had happened. Their enemies had set a trap for them, and had executed it perfectly.

However, the disappearance of two shadows within their domain was different. There was no explanation for that phenomenon, nor did they know if it could be repeated.

They had sent more vampires with winged mounts, as well as had mobilized shadows and losts. However, they had found nothing. There was no trace of what it might have happened, and the signs of combat didn't explain the disappearance.

They knew that their enemies would advance, conquer and purify the Lost Forest. They also knew that it would take many years, and it was impossible for them to maintain the same level of offensive. The living couldn't mobilize so many troops for so long.

When part of them retreated, perhaps they would have the possibility of counterattacking, or at least, of buying more time.

Even the other infiltrated group was less worrying. They might not know where it was, but at least they knew who they were. Preparation to face them, or other similar groups, could be made.

It wasn't encouraging, but they knew the situation and could make plans for it, unlike the invisible enemies that had killed two shadows. Not knowing who or what they were, where they were, or what they were planning, was as disconcerting as it was disturbing. An invisible enemy is fearsome and difficult to counter.