The Devouring Knight

The two group parted ways at the edge of the goblin village.

Shade's group was the first to move out, marching toward the second base.

Lumberling's group followed soon after, the sound of hooves and boots echoing through the village. The villagers stood in silence, watching them go. Some waved. Others simply stared, the weight of parting heavy in their eyes.

Riding at the front, Lumberling glanced at Eldric.

"So," he said, "what's our first stop?"

Eldric's voice was steady but carried a note of urgency. "There's a place, Drosvain City. I left it when I was injured. My comrades are still there, holding the walls against the Sengolio army."

"Drosvain…" Lumberling frowned. "Doesn't ring a bell."

"It's not a famous city," Eldric admitted. "But the lord there, Baron Roland Brightwind, is a good man. He's been taking in refugees without question. Still…" Eldric's words slowed, his jaw tightening. "…there's a problem. A mage attacked the city."

That made the captains stir. Krivex spoke first. "A mage? And you survived?"

Eldric gave a small nod. "We were lucky. He's not that strong, a Magic Circle Three. With your help, we can bring him down."

Lumberling's mouth curved into a grin. 'A mage… what a sweet feast.'

"Alright," he said, his voice firm. "We ride."

The order rippled down the line. Warhorses stamped and snorted, eager to move. There were enough mounts for everyone, and those without horses swung onto the broad backs of the iron armored boars.

At the head of the column, Lumberling rode between Skitz and Eldric. The road stretched out ahead, the distant silhouette of Drosvain waiting on the horizon. Without another word, they marched toward it.

…..

That night, the campfire crackled in the cool air, its light dancing across faces both human and monstrous. The horses and boars were tied nearby, their soft snorts mixing with the sound of the night insects.

Eldric shifted on his log, staring into the flames before speaking.

"Lumberling… once we get there, let me talk to them first. They might… not take kindly to seeing monsters walk into their gates."

Lumberling gave a slow nod. He didn't need Eldric to explain, he'd seen enough of how common folk reacted. Fear first, questions later. And this time, they weren't a small group that could slip through unnoticed. Hundreds of soldiers, armored and armed, couldn't be hidden behind masks and cloaks.

Eldric glanced around at the others, his voice softening. "But don't worry too much. We're there to help them. Once they understand that, they won't be so wary. There are good people in Drosvain, people I trust. So… let me handle the first meeting."

Lumberling leaned back, watching the flames twist upward. "Fine. We'll see how they respond." He smirked faintly. "And relax, we're not here to start a fight."

The fire popped, sending a small ember floating into the dark. Around them, the camp settled into silence, each soldier lost in their own thoughts about the city waiting ahead.

...

Meanwhile, in Drosvain City, a place of five thousand citizens, now swollen with another thousand refugees, the walls stood of weathered stone. They weren't tall, but they had stood for years. The wide wooden gate at the front was reinforced with iron bands, though today it groaned under the strain of war.

On the walls, the clash of steel rang out. Soldiers and knights fought desperately, holding their ground while the enemy swarmed outside. The defenders numbered barely two hundred. The attackers, Sengolio troops, were easily a thousand strong.

"Captain! The gate's almost breached, we can't hold on!" a soldier shouted, blood running down the side of his face.

"Hold! Just a little longer!" the captain barked back, his sword flashing as he cut down an enemy climbing the wall. "The evacuation isn't finished yet!"

They fought on, boots slipping on the blood-slick stone. Arrows hissed through the air. Ladders scraped against the walls as the attackers tried to climb, only to be kicked away or cut down.

The wall groaned with each battering ram strike, a deep, splintering thud that vibrated through stone and bone alike. Shouts and steel merged into a grinding, endless roar, the air thick with sweat. Somewhere beyond the haze of arrows and rubble, the enemy's chant rolled like a distant storm.

Through the smoke, a figure emerged atop the enemy's forward line, robes whipping in the wind. His hood shadowed most of his face, but the gleam of his eyes burned through, cold and unblinking. Fingers flexed around a staff of blackened wood, the air around him rippling with heat and static.

Then, he raised his hand.

BOOM!

The sound shook the street below. A blast of force ripped through the air, the shockwave making dust rain down from the battlements. The captain's head snapped toward the source, and his stomach dropped.

The great wooden gate, splintered, shattered, collapsed inward in a cloud of smoke and splinters.

"A mage!" a soldier yelled, voice shaking.

From beyond the wreckage, Sengolio soldiers roared their battle cry.

"Kill them all!"

They poured into the streets like a flood.

The captain stood frozen for a heartbeat, watching them advance. His knuckles whitened around the hilt of his sword. His voice came out low, almost a whisper.

"…We're finished."

...

Moments before the city gate was blown apart…

Lumberling's group reached the top of a small hill, and the scene before them came into full view. Drosvain City sprawled beneath a choking haze. Banners, tattered but defiant, snapped against the wind, their colors smudged by smoke.

Below, siege towers moved forward, their hulking shadows crawling across the plain. Lines of soldiers shifted and swarmed like black ants.

Beyond the walls, fire blossomed where catapults struck, sending clouds of dust spiraling into the gray sky.

Eldric's eyes widened the instant he saw the enemy. "No…" His voice was tight, and before anyone could stop him, he kicked his horse forward, charging toward the city.

Lumberling spurred after him. "Uncle Eldric, calm yourself!"

Eldric slowed just enough to glance back.

"We'll deal with the Sengolio soldiers," Lumberling said firmly. "You find the Baron and the city guard. Make sure they know we're allies so there's no… unfortunate misunderstanding."

Eldric's jaw tightened, but he gave a short nod. Without another word, he broke off from the main force, angling toward the nearest side gate.

Lumberling turned in his saddle to face his gathered captains and warriors. The tension in the air shifted, there was eagerness in their eyes, the kind of hunger that came before a fight.

He lifted his spear high, the black shaft catching glints of dying sunlight.

"Prepare for battle!" His voice rolled like thunder. A dark grin tugged at his lips.

Grins spread across the faces of his captains. War cries erupted as they kicked their mounts forward, the thunder of hooves rolling across the field as the army split into attack lines.

Lumberling guided his horse alongside Skitz. "Save the strongest prey for later," he said with a pointed look. "And if there are mages, don't kill them unless we have no choice."

Skitz's lips curled into a knowing grin. "Understood."

The ground trembled as they rode, dust rising around them, and ahead, Sengolio's army closed in on the doomed city.