More Mantic writing

Corûn looked on grimly as the elementals he had summoned wrought bloody mayhem on the goblin fleet. “Very well done,” said a cold voice behind him. “A nice disruption. But lo, they have begun their landing. Well, my troops will easily finish off those that land. We’ll pick them off one group at a time. We’ll send them back fleeing to their own shore.”

“Caelor, I summoned those elementals to buy time so that I could warn you-”

“On the contrary I do believe you forced their hand for they began their assault almost as soon as your elementals attacked,” laughed the Sylvan lord. “But then, all is to be gained from that. Their attack will be uncoordinated and dysfunctional. This will be an easy victory for the Great Mother.”

“Caelor, listen to me!” growled Corûn. He was irritated by the arrogant lordling. What did he know of life and the world? Nothing. He had lived out all the many centuries of his life in his halls deep within the woods. In his own way he was naïve. Dangerously naïve.

Caelor turned and glance at him languidly. “Yes,” he smiled lazily. “You have my ear.”

The druid gritted his teeth. He doubted very much that the Sylvan lord would listen to him yet he had to try. At least for the sake of all these poor creatures that followed him blindly. 

“The rest of the goblins aren’t going to attack now. Those few that do are either doing so to flee the elementals or aren’t obeying order. There are a few among the goblin race that have mastered some forms of magic and I am almost sure that an invasion this size will have at least one if not more of these magic users.”

“What are you getting at?” queried the Sylvan lord.

“What I am saying is that they are going to destroy the elementals with magic and then they can sit around all they like. They’re waiting for the tide to go out, Caelor. They’re not going to come at you in small group so that you can destroy each regiment that makes it to the beach. They’re going to come at you in thousands upon thousands. They will swarm up this beach and even if you had twice the number of warriors that you have here you wouldn’t slow them at all.”

Caelor paused and became very still. Then after a moment of thought he seemed like he had decided upon a course of action.

“I will not withdraw,” he spoke and Corûn sighed and shook his head.  He felt defeated. “At least not yet,” Caelor continued. “Some of the goblins are already in the process of landing. They are alone and cut off from the rest of their force. We will crush them and then we shall see. Maybe we withdraw or perhaps we stay. It all depends on whether the goblins do as you say they will. One thing I will not do is flee in fright while the goblins enter our lands uncontested.” He spoke as if that settled the matter. He strode over to where his court of Sylvan kin awaited him.

“Caelor! Retreat now while you have a chance. If you wait too long you will be surrounded on the plains as you withdraw and be slaughtered. You must act now!”

“Enough Corûn!” the Sylvan lord snapped back. “I have made my decision and I will stick to it. That is all I have to say on the matter and it is final.” And with that he ignored the druid. “Send word back to the Enderthal,” he spoke to one of the Sylvan kin. “Tell my steward to raise more troops. I fear we have a long and bloody war on our hands. And tell him to send word to the Ironwoods, we need a fast moving force to harry the enemy as they come further inland.” The being nodded, took two steps back and seemed to disappear into the trunk of a tree. Aulon turned to another. “And you will send word to the Blackwoods. Tell them it is nearing their time of ascendancy and that I need military assistance, for my powers grow weaker as Summer wains and Autumn rises.” Again the huge bestial creature nodded its assent and fled on its errand.

The goblins were almost on the beach now and the last of the elementals were being dealt with as flashes of red and green could be seen shooting out from the goblin ships as their wizards struggled against the water beings.

“If we fight, will you stay awhile,” Caelor spoke softly to Corûn.

“As my lord commands,” answered the druid coldly and marched off towards where the centaurs where camped. If he had to die, he’d rather die with those sensible beings than whimsical lords.

Caelor Drakathi watched avidly as the goblin boats and rafts came within bow range. “So it begins,” he said quietly to himself.