The Tide of Total War

Death March

Marcus and his men started marching on again when the spring of day reached. Though you could barely see it with the clouds rolling in, little beams broke through the clouds shining and sparkling with new life it seemed. Marcus and their men found themselves at the start of a long mountain range as they continued down the path, the path itself zigged zagged up the towering mountains, nicely clumped together to almost make just one gargantuan mountain that was covered by the white top trees. 

"Should we just head up the mountain or should we risk it through the snow forests once more?" Questioned Marcus as he stared upwards at the top of the mountains.

"I think we should just stick to the dirt path, it got us this far. Let's see how far it goes." Said Alrim, his black beard bouncing around every word. He was finally able to join the front with Marcus and Gottfried based on the rules of the army. Still shirtless however, tattoos marked across his chest and stomach.

They marched on, following the spiraling dirt road. Every step just getting a little more painful, as Marcus and his men were very foreign of this way of walking. Everyone was hauling their shoulders around, helping them get up much easier as it should have been. The march was grueling, but safe. The forests could have held more of ferocious beasts, and they couldn't accept injuries right now, this was the time to fight. Maybe one more village for recruiting and selling treasures they found, but nothing more. Marcus could feel that this war, this Total War would be over in one more month. It was fun while it lasted.

They reached the last turn on the road after several miles of walking, a hill side in between two mountain sides which is where the dirt path lead. The ground was rocky and green, with moss hanging on some pine trees. The snow on the bottom of the mountain and on the tops. Though, the middle stayed green and cold. Marcus headed to the top of the mountain, pains in his legs like knives. When he reached to the top and looked down at the land around him, he was shocked.

The land below the mountains weren't there. It was destruction everywhere. Everything dead. The ground black, the rivers lava, the trees solid rock. The path went to dirt road to iron street. This must have been one of the kingdom's, or his kingdom that has been absolutely abominated from Aeghard's savage onslaught. He could feel the heat of the destruction grasping his face from here. 

"Sir.....We need to stop this destruction. We need to head straight for Aeghard's capitol." Said Alrim, staring onto the apocalypse that has reigned here.

They jogged down the mountain path to reach to the fire. They could feel the heat inch hotter and hotter. By the time they got down to the land, they were getting cooked. They tried to cool down with water from time to time in the lava heat, but to no avail.

"Stand firm men... We can get out of here soon..." Said Marcus, gasping by the heat.

His vision started to buzz... His head light, his face stinging. But he marched on, he had to have the revenge of his fallen kingdom. Him and his men were taking very small steps by this time as they marched down the hot abyss. They reached to a point when the air started to feel nicer, they could breathe better, by every step they could feel a degree getting colder. Him and his men spotted grasslands going atop a cliff, where the road climbs up, cutting off the drop with a steady rise. They started to walk faster towards the road. They could finally see again as they hurried to the road on the cliff.

"Ahh... Finally boys. I would love to be in that frozen tundra again." Said Marcus as him and his men gasped for the clean air. They marched down the cliff, fully losing all the heat from the destruction, and marched down the now dirt trail once again. 

"Sir! Is that the capitol!?" Yelled Thylrrim as him and Marcus spotted a large city on an open plain. It had to be the capitol of Aeghard's. 

"It is!! Alright men, we set up a war camp here! We might need some help, who wants to volunteer to carry a message to the city of Elves and to our village for aid?" Asked Marcus as he turned to see the army.