He knew it would come to this, and Kazimir hoped now that enough heroes and other sorts would come to defend the city.  Mamlak was a grand place, and he hated to think that it might be badly damaged, or even destroyed by the ravening horde of orcs and their undead.  He had informed King Mojaku as soon as he knew of the orcs' plans, as well as his cousin Queen Qendresa.  But there was a question if the armies of Adeluna would arrive in time.  So the High Mage of the Wyllmochvar Academy sent out another call, along with some of his apprentices to open portals for those willing to aid Mamlak.

The horde was approaching the city from the south, moving through the plains with decent speed.  The armies of Mamlak were readied, but weary from defending the outer villages.  And Kazimir had been doing his best to bolster their morale by bringing in some of his own people.  But with a horde of thousands strong, many of them mindless undead, the Vysomag still had his doubts.  The sun was beginning to go down when he saw them approaching the outer walls finally.  They looked like little more than a swarm of ants, but he knew ants could be quite dangerous.  There was a particular species of ant from Bakulaw Island that could devour a large mammal in minutes. 

The portals started opening behind his back, just as the first seigestones started flying towards the orcs.  It would be a long night.

Orcs were already disgusting and vile creatures that she couldn't stand to look upon, but now there were those that were undead? Such a waste of good magic it was to see it being poorly used like this, but she supposed that it couldn't be helped. After all, it was used by orcs, and they simply lacked the creativity that she had. Paige's hand brushed at her long hair absentmindedly as she watched the approaching army from a distance, slowly closing the space between them and the city walls. She had been informed, along with many others of the danger that awaited Mamlak from these brutes. Plainly, she simply wanted to enjoy a night of slaughtering them and sending them to a grave that not even the greatest of magic could pull them away from. What was dead should remain dead, no matter what. No matter how much she wanted her sister back, the Misty of this world was gone now.

What remained of Paige because of that was a hollow shell of her former self, filled only with contempt and a drive to destroy anything that threatened her. Dark blue eyes narrowed as they breached the outer wall and the battle begun. For the time being, she would let the army do all the work as she climbed down from the perch she had sat on and scurried towards the entrance where others were likely awaiting to defend the grounds when those outside of it failed. Perhaps she didn't look like she belonged on the battlefield, but when it comes to taking lives, the concept wasn't new to her by any means. There was no innocence left in her as her inner wolf hungered to spill the orcs' blood and paint the ground below them red. A feral smile was thrown across her face as she could hear steel against steel, the sounds of death ringing into the air. As far as she was concerned, the number of causalities didn't matter as long as the opposing force was uttered annihilated. She would let the healers and such worry about such trivial things, as well as those that didn't have the stomach to see their enemy or kill them. "It's simple, they come, we kill as many as possible", she spoke to no one in particular, but loud enough for any to feel as though they were being addressed. Flickering her hair, her eyes narrowed as she heard more deathly screams and cries. "If you don't have the stomach for it, then hide. This won't be pretty, not at all. The enemy's playing with forces they are too stupid to understand and they brought with them abominations of the highest degree to fight for them. Slay them, no matter what."

Cha'Kwe'Tza stepped through the portal as it opened in front of him, clawed feet landing on the paving stones of the city of Mamlak. Followed by the warriors he'd hired, the Reptilian looked around the area. Portals were opening everywhere, troops and all manner of other people spilled out like liquid from broken pottery. Moving forwards like everyone else seemed to be doing, Cha'Kwe'Tza found himself oddly tuned out. The massed noise created from equipment being moved, shouted orders and the like all seemed to take a secondary place. This background noise was strangely penetrated by the periodic thump as the city's defensive siege weapons were fired, sending large stones sailing out over the walls to crash down into the oncoming horde.


Never the type to back down or avoid the thick of the fighting, Cha'Kwe'Tza finally managed to push himself into the frontline of foot troops waiting behind the gates. All around him men, and a few women here and there stood. Terror plain the faces of some, others wore the grim look of veterans. To his left and right, soldiers of all types stood waiting with shields at their sides and weapons sheathed. It was heartening to know that the front line had the intelligence to rest on their feet for as long as they were able. Since there was some time, as the attackers hadn't reached the gate yet, Cha'Kwe'Tza reached into the small red bag at his side, withdrawing a small wooden box. From the box he pulled a length of rolled pipe leaves and clenched it in his teeth. The enchanted dagger in his waistband worked as a source of heat, and the large warrior tried and failed to blow a ring of smoke.

Halfway through the roll, Cha'Kwe'Tza looked around. The front ranks seemed to be holding quite well, but further back didn't look quite so solid. There were small pockets of armed people that seemed jittery and appeared unable to remain still. If nothing happened soon, or no one with authority showed up, those pockets were sure to break and attempt to flee. Attempting to blow another smoke ring, Cha'Kwe'Tza failed as the crashing sound of a massive ram battering the gates startled him. This triggered much activity among the gathered warriors as some ran to relay information to commanders and others hefted weapons and tightened their formation. Raising his shield, Cha'Kwe'Tza helped to form a shield wall as a loud screeching sound pre-ceded an explosion that blew the gates into flying bits of wood and metal.

The mix of living and undead Orcs that charged in through the breach slammed into the defenders like a landslide. The cacophony made up of war cries, screams of anguish and the clash of weapons on armour was almost deafening. Roaring his anger back at the enemy, Cha'Kwe'Tza thrusted outwards with his spear, piercing an Orc's throat. This was the only aimed strike that the warrior could manage as immediately afterwards, the horde had pressed against the shield wall and the fighting became even more chaotic and brutal. The men with spears or pikes in the rear ranks tried to thrust through the gaps between their comrades ahead, while those on the front fought with whatever hand weapon they could swing in the closed space of what would become a bloodbath.

Tavor N'eveth had fought very few battles in his life, none as great as the one yet to come. Mustering his courage, the crocodile stepped through the portal, and appeared on the other side, where the loud clinking of metal armour greeted him. He stared at the approaching army before him. These were forces greater than an he had seen before in his life. These numbers were great, not hundreds or thousands, but tens of thousands, even.

He glanced behind him into the vast sea, and even he couldn't help but admire how a whole world, hidden as such, so close to the battle yet so peaceful, with such power that could destroy the whole continent, that could change life as known. The crocodile turned back to the armies and drew his khopesh, and studied his companions. His eyes landed on a creature like him; a reptile standing on two legs, a few inches shorter than he. N'eveth swiftly followed the reptile, but right before he reached him, something large slammed into the gates, causing anarchy among the ranks; a battering ram. The crocodile stopped in his steps, standing high and mighty, and bellowed, "STAND  YOUR GROUND ! PREPARE FOR BATTLE !", and the men listened, not bothering to look for the source. The battering ram slammed into the gates once more, and as the enemy realized this wasn't going to work, they seemed to have placed some sort of bomb, for the gates exploded, but the men had formed a shield wall, and the orcs charged from the opening in the wall.

The onslaught of attacking orcs seemed to have taken many by surprise, and Tavor knew that this wasn't going to work. He raised his staff into the air, and bellowed a spell in ancient tongues, causing a great tendril of seawater to rise from behind him and slammed into the army of orcs, but of course, this only killed a couple hundreds, if not less. As the ranks of men were breached by the assault, he ran forth, swinging his blade before him, blocking or slaying enemies. 

He now stood before the incoming armies and pointed his staff forward, and a black mist emanated from the dark mark at the crooked tip, spreading forward, curling at the legs of the enemy, gripping them ever tighter, causing whatever it touches to rot and decay. But as the crocodile turned, the mist slowly dispersed, but a good deal of dead bodies lay at the gates, yet more orcs and undead came, over the dead bodies of their peers. He did all he could have done.

Tavor turned and slashed his sword, stabbing an orc in the back, then running into the ranks of men, once again hacking almost mindlessly before him, before swiftly turning. His body extended, growing a tail, his staff, sword, and shendyt melting into scales, then the twelve foot long crocodile, the sarcosuchus, grabbed a large orc in his jaws and started shaking him wildly, throwing him aside to die from his wounds, and charging once again at the enemy alongside the reptile with the stone weapons.

Word of the siege on Mamlak had spread like wildfire. Having just spent a fortnight in Wyllmochvar making a small fortune regaling stories and songs of the artifacts that had been uncovered, and dancing. It had started on the streets with the common folk, but she too spread like wildfire. In a matter of days she was receiving invitations to the gatherings of wealthier(including a couple in the Mage Council).

She had been entertaining a small party when news trickled down from a member of the Mage Council whom she had entertained the night prior, that they had just received word that the Orc hordes had risen, swelling in numbers, and moved with swiftness to attack Mamlak. Nura immediately thought of her family on her mother's side, who were gypsies who wandered Mamlak, the Harena, and Arri. Immediately she pulled the Mage aside and asked if he could make her a portal to Mamlak. He told her that there were portals already made, they were asking anyone who could help to go to Mamlak to give aide, and begged her not to go.

It was chaos the moment she appeared in the great city she had been to so very many times when she was a child. It was always wonderful to come back, but not this time. Nura was surrounded by so many people, jostled here and there as she tried to make her way through the crowds, and thunder made her ears ring. “Stand your ground!” she hear someone nearby shout, and turned in the direction to see a reptilian who owned that voice. “Prepare for battle!,” she witnessed him shout.

WHAT?!

The sound of the battering ram thundered again, and Nura shuddered at the sound, realizing that the thunder had been the attempted breach this entire time. With a dead panic, Nura tried to weave her way through the crowds, as far away from the gate as she could manage. She was no warrior, nor was she a mage. She did not belong with those who would fight, she belonged on the outskirts of the fighting where she could do more good.

But it was too late. Nura ducked into a very thin alley, but quickly realized it was blocked with crates. Of what, she didn't quite know. However, she was left with no choice but to turn back. When she rushed out of the alley, she came face to face with an orc, who was smashing one person's skull with another. For one brief moment that felt like an eternity, her indigo eyes were locked with his rage-filled red eyes. She had never known terror before.

The orc roared out savagely, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. The beast began to charge at Nura and he was deceptively fast. By the time she had turned and began to build up speed, the orc was nearly upon her. The brute reached out and clobbered Nura with a massive hand, easily swatting her into a nearby cart. The breath was knocked out of Nura and she dropped to the ground, giving the orc plenty of time to come to a halt, turn around, and come back for her.

Nura recovered in enough time to crawl under the cart in just enough time. The orc bellowed in fury, and violently struck the cart, which wobbled at the force. The orc seemed to realize the cart was not that heavy, and backed up to slam his weight into it, which caused the two of the wheels to lift nearly two feet before dropping back down. It was only a matter of time before he flipped that cart over to get to her.

"What do you mean, I'm too young to fight?  I trained for years under my father, a great mage knight!  I have a sword, I have armor, I have magic, and you need every man you can get!" Hiro's voice was raised in anger.  This stupid captain of the guard here in Mamlak was being obstinate.

"No, you are but a child, I don't care if you have your father's sword, or played soldiers with him, I won't have a young 'un dying on the battlefield, if you feel you must do something, go to the back line and protect the women, children, and the elderly.  I cannot in good faith let you onto the front lines," the grizzled man in chain mail shook his head.

"Wait, why should I even listen to you?  I'm not in your army, I'm a volunteer to defend this city, I came here for the sole purpose of fighting on the front lines to keep this city from falling!  If this city falls because you left perfect good men away from the front lines, no matter their age, it'll be your fault!" Hiro felt his frustration building.  Never had be been so insulted in his whole life, to be refused to fight with the other men, just because he was sixteen?  He was old enough to drink if he wanted to, he should be old enough to fight, and possibly die to protect innocent people, if that is what he wished to do.

"Because I'm Captain of the Guard!  Just get out of my sight, I don't want to see a child fighting on the front lines, you'll understand when you're older.  Just go and guard the women and children in the back, or I'll have you locked up myself.  I will protect the people of this city.  I have a son your age, and I wouldn't send him into the front lines to die to Orcs and undead.  Now go!"  Truly this man was an idiot, if he refused an able body willing to fight and protect his people.  Hiro gave a rude gesture before grumbling and storming off away.  The sounds of explosions, and battering rams filled his ears until he heard the shriek of a woman, standing out from everything else.  He heard the voice coming from an alleyway, so he quickly rushed down the street and ran into the alley, his heart beating in his chest hard.  His mythril plate mail clanked with every step.  The handsome young man saw a terrible, monster of an orc bearing down on some woman.  Hiro sprung into action, drawing his sword, a long blade, and charging toward the orc with a shout.

"Unhand her you monster!"  The orc turned in time to see the hero baring down on him, Hiro ran him through with his bastard sword, then cleaved through him, able to smell the stench of orc sweat and blood from being so close to the monster.  The orc gave a cry and collapsed to the ground.

He took a moment to catch his breath, he looked toward the lady, cleaning then sheathing his sword.  He extended a hand toward her, giving her a kind smile.

"Are you alright miss?"

While a great many were surprised by Mamlak's siege at the hands of the Tenebrim Orc Army, the event was hardly shocking to anyone paying attention. Their army had been moving north east the entire time, and the places they had already attacked formed a perimeter around the Golden City. The attack on Mamlak had only a matter of time rather than chance. One did not require great foresight to determine this.
 
Of course, because the assault for foreseeable, Natsumi had already begun mapping out the orc's battle plans before they arrived. Having eavesdropped on the secrets of the orc leaders, she knew when and where they would strike, but chose not to tell the army of Mamlak ahead of time. Mortals needed to defend themselves in the Goddess's mind, after all; and babying them would only make them more susceptible to future attacks.
 
That said, Natsumi was still going to help the city, if only because the Tenebrim army was being reckless with her domain and needed to be quelled. They had exploited their artifacts for military gain, and were about to reach the breaking point with their latest scheme. You see, the Golden Lion - as his people liked to call him - was vital to the Mamlak's survival, and his palace district was the shining hope of the entire nation. If both were to be destroyed in one fell swoop, Mamlak's morale would be greatly harmed, making any follow-up combat that much easier for the orcs. Their leaders foresaw this, and had conjured a water demon in order strike at the nation's soul. Already, the engine of destruction slunk silently up the Mtoi river, all with the surrounding armies of man being completely oblivious to its presence.
 
"They always underestimate inhuman creatures, don't they," the Goddess rhetorically asked Jack as the two of them crested the Tenebrim mountains once the demon was just entering the mouth of the river? "They may be orcs, but a creature can still be cunning no matter how vulgar his tendencies. These soldiers would never expect a Tenebrim orc to summon and bind a water demon for the purpose of killing their king and crushing their morale. Perhaps these humans simply believe their Golden Lion is untouchable, and cannot begin to imagine a lowly orc getting to him. But neither side sees the danger in summoning a demon of this caliber, seeing as it won't stay loyal for long."
 
"You talk too much," responded the dragon underneath her bum. "Just let me at him so I can rampage like a boss." Shooting a glance downward, the Goddess smiled under her mask and then pointed to the middle of the river in reply to her friend's request. Several hundred meters from the entrance, the water demon hid beneath the surf, visible only to an all-seeing eye. Jack dove head first in that direction once he was given a bearing, and then blasted the surface with ice breath in order to get the beast's attention.
 
"DRAGON!" Guards overseeing the river panicked at the majestic site of a Boreas Dragon, figuring that Jack was an ally of the orcs for the ongoing siege; but the deafening screech of the aquatic engine of destruction was swift to quell their misgivings. As the surface of a small patch of water froze over, a monstrous creature arose in anger. The demon's torso emerged from the Mtoi, shattering the ice that had adhered to its face.
 
"This is my stop," Natsumi yelled before jumping off at this moment. She landed on top of the demon – who was named Kirota after the ancient goddess of the sea – and immediately punched his scalp with a consecrated, explosive fist. The combination of the demon's resultant pain and forceful detonation shook the nearest buildings, and even reached the southern gate where the armies gathered. Yet this death knell hardly marked the end of the battle between Kirota and the White Fox. The point-blank explosion was not enough to kill him, as Natsumi knew. Her flashy entrance was less about damage and more meant to foil the infiltration attempt. Now that that had been done, she retreated from the demon's head and flew back to Jack's back in order to engage the beast anew. "I need to express some rage, and it's your turn, Kirota."