Invincible

Chapter 5

Sigmar woke up in his chambers with a sad thought, Thasja would leave the city today and go back to Almerdan to continue her training. He would miss her but he would try to visit her when Invincible was in need of a longer flight. Almerdan was only 2 hours away when he could fly. On normal horseback it would take eight hours if you didn't encounter unforseen events along the way. And Almerdan was a flying city so when you arive by horse or foot  you need to be teleported in by a mage refined in the arcane arts. So if no mage was around the visitors meeting point when you arrived it could even take longer to be able to enter the city. Luckyly for Sigmar he just could fly to the plaza near Thasja's place. He would do anything just to spend some time with her. And so weeks passed while Sigmar tended his duties as Prince of the realm and als tend to his steed and trying to tend his feeling for Thasja too. 

On a rainy day Sigmar was tending to Invincible when Marwhyn the guard came rushing in,"My lord!" he yelled, Invincible let out a growl of frustration because Sigmar stopped washing the mud of his back legs. Marwhyn clearly had come running in a hurry because he continued almost breathlesly:

" The king request your immediate presence in the throne room immediately!" 

Sigmar rushed to the throne room hoping nothing had hapend to his father, he wasn't ready to take the crown and stick to a throne and letting others do everything for him. He trew the throne room doors open with such a force he thought he would break them. When he saw his father a sudden relief filled him, he was alright. But there were some other persons he didn't knew in the throne room and also a hooded tall person who stood at a distance from the others. Sigmar walked onto the room and the cloaked person turned around. He instantly recognised her face, He saw it so much in his dreams he could not be mistaken but still he spoke to her hesitantly:" Shandra ? Shandra Halderstream is that really you ?"She smiled when he spoke her name, " Hello Sigmar, I'm glad you still remember me after all these years." whispers went through the crowd because she adressed the prince by his name, some insults were common in those whispers for the lack of respect. King Tarenthar rose from his throne and the whispers stopped instantly, he spoke with a tone so serious it scared Sigmar what could make his father so serious. 

Tarenthar started:"Some grave news reached us today, Our northern borders past the vast Eversang Forest has been raided and a dozen of our outlying villages have been razed.  Only a couple of our people survived by fleeing into the woods. Some were taken injured and were treated by the elven people . Shandra here was the one to bring us this news. Once the people have recovered they will be escorted by the elves to the edge of the forest so our guards can escort them back to the safety of our  city and guard duties around our cities and villages will be doubled. Survivors told the elves some troubling stories. The Attacks came from creatures they had never even seen before, they were not simple brutes but organised warriors with proper weaponry, leadership and even siege equipment were reported in the attacks of the larger villages. Catapults raining fiery balls of destruction on the building while the savage warriors surrounded the village and charged from all sides. It was not a conquest it was a pure slaughter. No prisoners were taken and no one was spared. Not even the women nor the children were given mercy. Only the few who escaped the battle survived. We will send our armies up north to meet this treat head on. I Will not command our armies myself, but i will give this task of defending our people of this new threat to the only person i could trust for such a matter. Sigmar step forward!"

Sigmar was shocked, did his father just say he would lead their kingdoms army into battle? Sigmar stepped forward and knelt for his father and king. "Father, u are too kind,but do you think this a task fit for me? I am so young and i don't know if i would be the right person for such an important task for the realm." The king stepped towards his son and signaled him to rise:" My son, I know you are still young but this is an urgent matter and there will be no better time to learn how to stand for your people. I wil not send you alone in the jaws of this unknown beast, I will ask Lord Abbadon to accompany you on this perilous task of defending our people. He will be your trusted advisor and he will help you proces the difficult choices you will have to make in the field. But i trust your just judgment and your strenght in battle but also the righteousness." Sigmar was stunned, never before had he been entrusted  with such an important  task. "Father" Sigmar started but he was cut off before being able to continue by Shandra. "Excuse me your highness, But i would like your permission to travel with your son. If left unchecked those beasts will start to chop down our forests and also attack our people. I will gather warriors from our people and meet you along the way.  Sigmar responded kindly:" Thank you Shandra your help will be greatly appreciated. From what i saw years ago from you i will feel a lot safer having you and your people with us." Sigmar faced his father again:" I will make you proud father, Invincible and me we will lead our people to victory and secure our borders once more. Should i also enlist the help of the mages father ?." The king anwsered firmly:" No my son our troops aided by the elves will be more than enough to push back these invaders. Two days from now you will march north with the vanguard of our army and the rest will follow half a day behind. As of this day our kingdom is at war."