Conflict Begins.

Through out the night they worked diligently, urgently, building the earthworks. With the help of the Kellen it wasn’t difficult. The powerful red elves tore up earth with their cat like retractable talons, tossing earth up, shouldering massive boulders, tearing up trees and rerooting them in them in the new walls, spreading a façade of wood chip and debris, vines and plants, until the earthworks took on a natural look. Inside the first earthwork, loggers and carpenters chopped and hammered log walls together and the Kellen hoisted them into position. The cannon were placed in mounts and ballistae were set up behind with catapults hoisted up to the top of the walls and boulders smeared with a glassine mixture of red and blue stone, sent by the Elo’s, were set into the cradles of their slings. By early morning the construction was complete and the fortifications were reinforced with boulders. More boulders had been cleverly buried in the outer works, with explosive charges placed to bring them down into the yawning opening purposefully left there as an entrance. The place took on the appearance of a natural rolling hill artfully decorated as if it were a park. The Kellen took their leave, along with the Habrien archers, to take up location ahead of the battle sight, hiding out in the woods along the passes. Bjorn and Melki dispensed their men along the way, arming them with bow and arrow and spears, and the trenches, now filled with flammables were covered with more wood chips and these too were disguised to look like mounds in a pristine seting. No one would have guessed they were death traps and the men reasoned the Kensen would not either until too late.1

The Kellen and Habrien began their own defenses, with the Kellen digging into existing caves along the passes, honeycombing the foothills, their massive muscles and natural digging claws tearing out new tunnels which opened into the fields with trap doors made to look like tree stumps and rocks covered with vines.. In these abandoned caves pockets of gas had long formed and the Kellen set about setting charges. While no man could exist in the gas, the Kellen, used to breathing foul air in the caves, with the ability to hold their breath for long periods even while involved in intensive labor had no problem. The pockets were soon filled with explosives. Meanwhile, more Kellen dug into the rock high up on the passes and weakened the base, setting more charges, while the Habrien hung bags of the explosive violet mixture of red and blue stone, suspended in a waxy paste high in the tree branches. The Elo’s had long used this mixture, taken from a berry which provided excellent paraffin like wax for torches. The blue stone created it's own oxygen and when ignited by the explosive red stone was virtually inextinguishable. Explosives set in the tree line insured the trees would fall with the avalanche of rock creating a fiery holocaust when the explosives were set off. By afternoon the defenses were complete and the Habrien took up their positions in the tree tops, readying their arrows. The Elos circling high above sent messages to the other elves of the approaching first wave and the people of the reserve were kept in alert at their enemy’s progress. 2

Bjorn and Melki set themselves up in the high cliffs off Bjorn’s cavern castle and watched as the Kensen came forward. As expected, the first group numbered about three hundred men and they moved swiftly, unaware of the greeting they were about to receive. When they came to the clearing near the earthworks suspecting nothing, sure they had complete surprise working for them,they hid along the timber line, waiting for the villagers to stop work. Work went on as stands for vendors and construction on the arena continued, while field hands howed and planted more shrubbery in the first works. The Kensen saw the wooden fortifications but decided they were simply there for appearance, assurance to the coming royalty that they would be safe behind a gaited front and laughed at the simple looking wall. By early evening they'd readied themselves for their onslaught.3

At evenings approach folks returned to campfires, and cooking pots were set on the blaze, children played and women began to prepare a meal for the carpenters and gardeners. All seemed normal to the Kensen when they broke out of the tree line running at the fortifications at full speed. Bjorn signaled the men below with a wave of a flag and the trap was sprung. 4

The Kensen rushed the wall, firing arrows at the men on the earthworks. But, before they could aim the men turned, seeming to see them for the first time and ran up the banks. The Kensen let out their deadly war screams and charged after them. They rushed through the natural opening into the space between the first earthwork and the second with the wall standing before them not knowing what had been prepared. The men who had baited them in dived into prepared trenches and scurried into tunnels left courtesy of the Kellen. As Kellon rushed into the space between the earthworks and the wall charges went off and rocks tumbled in sealing the opening. Those inside were trapped and archers appeared at the wall firing down into them. Some tried to head back, but they were easy targets and none made it very far. Those outside the wall attempted to fight, but the catapults let loose, firing flaming boulders into the middle of the trap. Cannons were kept silent so that no one coming in later would suspect. The charges made only a muffled sound and it was rightly assumed anyone outside would think the explosions were simply men clearning stumps and boulders. Instantly as the flaming boulders struck the ground the trenches burst into flame and Kensen were caught in an inferno. They were cooked alive, unable to even imagine what was happening to them. Outside the earthworks, nearly a third of the Kensen who hadn’t made it through the gate stood in confusion. Now a wave of rangers hidden in the trees, charged out hurling spears and firing arrows. The Kensen had no chance and all three hundred were soon dead. 5

Bjorn and Melki came down from their vantage point and surveyed the carnage.6

“This time we caught them totally unaware Melki,” Bjorn said. “The next time, I fear we won’t be so lucky. Many men are likely to die.”7

“I know Bjorn,” Melki agreed. “But, we have no choice. If we don’t stop the advance now we will not be able to keep them from taking their prisoners and the entire Kingdom will be in jeopardy.” He started off to the where the men were burying the fires and collecting the dead. “Let’s go and congratulate the defenders, they’ve done well.”8

Unaware of what had happened, Bartok led his forces forward. Twelve thousand Kensen followed him, all on horseback. It was his intention to crush any remaining resistance in a massive cavalry charge and take the village before the spectators could arrive. He was aware the first attackers might not subdue the village completely, knowing the fighting strength of the Rangers and the fierce natural nature of the North-Landers. He anticipated resistance and wanted to crush it before there was a chance for anyone to escape and worn those on the way, or worse, to get to Quanx and alert the Nartac Army. He wasn’t concerned with the Sudra forces as they would be far away and not able to respond in time. He needed to keep the armies fragmented if his plan was to work. He was confident it would however and proceeded slowly, sending scouts ahead to check on the progress of the first attack. By nightfall, he stopped to camp, pasturing the horses in the low mountain fields and letting his men rest. It was a fatal mistake.9

He was discussing the plan of attack with his seconds when one of the men stood to pour himself a cup of tea. As he turned an arrow struck him in the chest and he went down gagging and screaming. Bartok leaped up and, on impulse drew his sword. More arrows found their marks on the seconds about him and he dived behind a boulder for protection. The camp, unknowing of the first kills went on with business as usual, cooking meals and rolling out bed rolls. “Alert”, he yelled, invaders, to arms and be on the ready!” But to no avail, the warning went out.10

From out of the ground, all around them, patches of vines and rock rolled away and Kellen ran amok, hurling red stone with their slings and crashing into the fences set up about the horses. Hundreds of horses panicked and ran loose. Men went after them, attempting to stop them, but arrows filled the air, striking them down in waves. Desperate the men looked about for the attackers but could only see a violet glow in the distance, around the trees. The Habrien moved; leap frogging from tree to tree firing off arrows in perfect sequence. More elves filled in where the first had just vacated, while others rearmed the first wave. The arrows flew like rain, leading the Kensen to believe there were hundred of archers instead of the sixty or so there actually were. The effect was chaos as they ran, smashing into one another, diving for cover and falling in death throws. The Habrien with their natural night vision and perfect marksmanship took an ungodly toll. Their favorite target was an arrow directly into the throat and men were soon lying everywhere thrashing, gagging and crying in their death throws . Bartok tried to rally his men but had to duck the arrows himself, barely able to move from the boulder as he saw his forces cut to pieces. The horses ran off in a herd, leaving their riders behind and those warriors who were mounted soon rushed directly into the pathway where the explosives began to blow holes in the pass. Rocks and trees cascaded down burying man and animal. Finally, as fast as the attack had begun, it ceased. All about lay dead and wounded, perhaps a thousand and more than twice that number of horses were long gone, charging off into the hills. 11

“Damn you!” Bartok shouted at the retreating Kellen, “Stand and fight, you cowards!” The Kellen paid no attention, running off so fast the few mounted cavalry who went after them were left behind. The Kellen could run faster than horses, loping along on all fours in a comical looking manner, but with speed no creature could match. They had done their damage and were already planning their next strike. Only a few Kellen had been killed, most of them by the avalanche while others dug their way out and ran off with the rest. Bartok sat stunned. “Those damned elves." he muttered, "I never knew they were intelligent enough to do something like this!” Bartok’s hatred for all elves was his undoing, and he now could see he was facing foes far more dangerous than he’d ever imagined. “You little animals, you'llpay for this!” he screamed, but the Kellen were all well out of range by now, their laughter piercing the night. “Come back and I’ll kill you all, you subhuman scrum!” he screamed after them, waving his sword. The only response was a sudden down pour of purple dust covering the fields around him and landing on wounded men on the ground. A hail of red stones followed blowing up all around, setting the purple dust off in a torrent of flame, along with the wounded. Bartok had to run with the others to escape the maelstrom, finally coming to rest outside the burning walls of flame. Screams of those caught inside were hideous. The rest of the men stood dazed, fearing for their lives. They had never seen Hadrien, few of them even knew such elves existed until now and the awakening was something that put terror never experienced by any Kensen into each of them. 12

Where had the fires had come froml Bartok wondered? What sort of weapon did these people possess? He searched the skies, but saw nothing, save the phosphorescent moon high above in the black night sky, for the Elos, having done their damage had long since flown their mounts over the ridges and out of sight.13