Chapter 1017: Icethorne under siege (6)

Chapter 1017: Chapter 1017: Icethorne under siege (6)

As the presence of a couple dozen A-ranks washed over the 5000 elites and their leaders Duke Runak summoned a few soldiers to his side.

"Wake them up." He sternly ordered and a moment later ice cold water was dropped onto those who had fallen unconscious and those who were trembling in fear because of the ambient bloodlust.

Ten seconds later he released his aura allowing it encapsulate all 5000 men and women including Baron Glorfile and Cavalish.

’Such density, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already halfway through the door.’ Even with putting only little strength into his display Duke Runak’s aura was far stronger than anything Baron Glorfile could summon even back during his prime. This man was truly one of a kind.

The ancient fossils who were a part of the War Ursa Battalion’s previous generations welled up with pride whenever they saw the War Marshall display his might. And like the well trained soldiers they were they silently placed themselves behind him, adding to his already imposing image.

"Each and every one of you the moment you passed through my gates you became mine...." Duke Runak’s voice bellowed across the wall, ringing deep within the minds of the 5000 men and women here to lend their aid.

"You became my soldiers, my warriors who will fight on behalf of the Northrend Empire and die when and only when I deem it necessary. Until then you will kill everything that dares to assault this wall. You will fight tooth and nail until your time is up and even then it will not be enough to stem the tide." His tone become much more solemn by this point.

"We will not win this war....the enemy is too vast and too strong but nevertheless we will not cower, YOU will not cower!" His eyes roamed each of the 5000 men and women, his voice piercing through them to address their very souls.

"Beyond this wall lies an enemy of unimaginable power but behind it lies your home, your friends, your family, your loved ones. It is you duty as soldiers of the Empire to protect them from those that wish them harm, so protect them you will!" Duke Runak’s aura shifted from pressuring them to lifting them up, instilling their spirit with strength and power.

"You will not see them again and these walls that have stood stalwart for decades against our enemies will fall but that will be where it ends! We cannot beat them, but we can make damn sure we take enough flesh from their bodies that they don’t dare step beyond this point! We will instil fear, a fear so deep in their souls that even the thought of attacking the Northrend Empire will fill them with terror....we will become their nightmare!"

The 5000 men and women as well as the soldiers stationed on the wall all felt a fire rising in their chests, they had the urge to scream and shout and wave their weapons in the air.

"So men and women of Northrend, soldiers who braved the dangers of the Glacial Mountains to reach us, what say you? Will you fight? Will you stand alongside The War Ursa Battalion? Will you follow me into battle and scar the enemies of our great and powerful Empire?"

"Death!!!"

"Death!!!"

"Death!!!"

Several members of the War Ursa Battalion started chanting their infamous battle cry further instilling the spirits of the 5000 men and women who after briefly placing their hands atop their rapidly beating hearts echoed the same chant.

"Death!!!!"

"Death!!!!"

"Death!!!!"

Duke Runak smiled from ear to ear, his expression somewhat demonic as he raised his massive black sword to the heavens as if declaring war against the very Gods themselves.

"Then from this moment on each of you are honorary Ursas, Jared show these brave soldiers to their stations."

"By your will War Marshall!" Jared despite hearing many of the Duke’s speeches during his tenure here at Icethorne couldn’t help but get riled up, the man just had a way with words and an innate charisma.

Jared alongside several officers from the War Ursa Battalion thus led the 5000 reinforcements back down wall to incorporate them where they were most needed.

"Damn even I’m shaking after that speech." Baron Glorfile said as he held his shaking hands before his chest, his heart pumping a mile a minute, screaming for him to start punching and maiming the enemy.

"Don’t worry General Glorfile you’ll have more than enough opportunities to go wild during this war." Duke Runak spoke softly as he recalled his aura, it was not yet time to unleash the Purple Fist.

"Cavalish was it?" After briefly calming down Baron Glorfile he turned to face Cavalish.

"Y-yes Lord Duke." At the moment Cavalish wasn’t quite in his right mind, he’d been dealt far too many mental and emotional blows.

"Give me a rundown of the supplies you’ve brought so I can amend my plans for the war effort."

"Yes sir." He responded like a loyal solider even saluting like one, greatly surprising himself.

’What the hell? I’m behaving like a starstruck fangirl.’ His mind was telling him to stop but his body didn’t listen, as if possessed he followed the Duke’s every command with a bright smile on his lips. His cohorts the colour coded A-ranks strangely had looks on envy on their faces as if jealous of him being the one called on.

’Impressive charisma indeed.’ Baron Glorfile shook his head in response before informing the War Marshall of the supplies he brought though with a bit more decorum than Cavalish.

While this was happening, thousands of kilometres south in the heart of Northrend in its capital, Arkheart a handsome man gilded in gold and crystal sat on a throne leaning his head against his right fist in lazy manner as a man kneeled before him and informed him of both success and failure.

"My Prince although we successfully uprooted the Cahina family, slaughtering much of their true bloodline remnants still survive under the protection of the other old noble families. Prince Sedrick has also attacked one of our more important trade routes and ransacked a warehouse that stored C-rank magic crystals."

"Hmph that brother of mine ever the eyesore, even now with mother and father dead he still thinks he has a chance at the throne how delusional." The man on the throne was Crown Prince Randolph, and he was not happy with his brother’s efforts to stop his rise.

"Keep targeting the weaker noble families under his protection, eventually he’ll have no one to rely on and then we can crush him." Randolph cared little about the loss of a trade route and a measly warehouse, momentary losses nothing more.

"Yes my Prince, I’ll start immediately." The man lowered his head as he accepted the order.

"Leave me."

"Understood." The kneeling man quickly rose to his feet but kept his back bent as he walk backwards showing the upmost servitude.

"Duke Runak will be getting the reinforcements he asked for." Shortly after the man left Randolph spoke aloud.

"True but given their haste and limited means it’ll be a far cry from what he needs to defeat the Glacial Mountains’ Liberation Alliance." An elderly woman suddenly appeared from the shadows and stood behind Randolph. She wore thick white and gold robes, and her face was covered by a similarly coloured mask.

".....Is there truly no chance he’ll succeed?" He asked after a period of silence, a frown on his brow. There was only one man he feared, one man who could truly jeopardize his rule, Duke Oscar Runak.

"None my Prince. The force he’s up against is enough to kill him and the War Ursa Battalion ten times over even with our most pessimistic analysis." No one knew how strong Duke Runak and his War Ursa Battalion truly were so the hands behind this event prepared for the worst and then some.

"Good then we have nothing to worry about. Duke Runak will die along with his soldiers. My dear sister who fled into the mountains will also die as a result leaving just that rat brother of mine. He can scamper about and play the game but eventually I’ll catch him and make an example out of him hehehehehe." Randolph really didn’t put much stock in his younger brother’s abilities.

"Haaaaa foolish little Sedrick you’re probably still confused about my actions, why I’d go to such lengths to kill Duke Runak even at the expense of Icethorne and why I so ruthlessly killed our parents hehehehehe." An evil laughter escaped his lips and the woman behind her mask smiled. She knew the reason behind it all as she played a very big role in their plan.

Eventually after having a good laugh Randolph turned to ask the masked woman, "How long until we can establish a solid trade route?" His tone was much more serious than normal, far more serious than his subordinates had ever heard from him.

"At least a year, our haste was not in the initial plan."

"I know but we didn’t have a choice, that bastard was trying to oust me." An expression of hatred marred Randolph’s handsome face as he spoke of his father.

"True but now we’re in the middle of a civil war with limited backing, a rather perilous situation don’t you think?" The masked woman didn’t speak to Randolph like a subordinate more like an equal or perhaps even slightly superior.

"You overestimate my siblings as well as the useless nobles in this failing Empire. A year, two years or even three my position won’t be shaken. But the moment we establish a solid connection with the mainland I can go on the offensive, and nothing will bar my way hahahahaha." His evil laughter returned.

"In the end trade relations will be reestablished with the new owners of Icethorne and the entire Empire will be at my feet, and I can finally paint it in his glorious image."

The masked woman in response to Randolph’s words released her aura, an aura that was suffused with light and purity.

"In his Holy Light."

"In his Holy Light."

They both said as if reciting a prayer.