[Baalz]

The dust cloud grew larger as the legions of Midgard closed. Rank after rank of wildeyed skinchangers marched in a seemingly never ending throng hundreds strong. The air hummed with the charged energy as scores of air wizards prepared to tear the very heavens open with more lightning than this world has ever seen. Truly the might of Midgard had turned out to repel the army besieging their capital and their magic arsenal was terrible to behold. The central nexus of the army was a gigantic Great Mother, powerfully in her dominion and regenerating a staggering amount of damage per turn.

Lined up around the castle were ranks of gleaming golden Gandharvas, their shining armor looking like so many lightning rods flanked by the nearly naked Yavanas and a hanful of Markata servants. Vastly outnumbered and obscenely arcanely outgunned their generally awesome presence seemed a bit dimmer as the enemy forces lined up and prepared to charge. The golden army stood firm, prepared for whatever fate decreed for them.

With a huge roar the hoard of raging skinshifters charged forward to defend their homes, giant claymores held high with the promise of blood. The massive congress of mages began the evocations which would split the sky open and for a moment the golden army stood still. Then the Kalaisian general said one word. “Now”

Hundreds upon hundreds of Atavi archers sprang from cover – dropping out from trees, standing up in the long grass and bursting from concealed burrows. As they quickly drew and fired their bows the great god of Kalaisia manifest on the battlefield and caused the arrows to burst into flame while a sorceress appeared from nowhere to cause the air itself to guide the arrows true. The celestial music began to play, the strength of giants flowed into the golden army and the great prophet Cittaprabha invoked the divine blessing of Vishvamitra causing the weapons of the righteous to spring into flame. The Rishi known as Rage caused swarms of wolves to appear around the flanks of Midgard, the Light of the Northern Star shown down and the battle of fire against lightning was joined.

Over two hundred flaming arrows fell among the shieldless skinchangers in the initial volley and yet they proved resilient. Singed werefur sent acrid smoke into the air and Midgard sorceresses screeched as blazing arrows pierced their chests. Yet an avalanche cannot be stayed by arrows and the Midgard response was immediate.

The Midgard infantry split, half moving forward to engage the Golden Army, half pulling back to defend their mages from the wolves. Lacking any archers themselves, things looked to be grim for Midgard. Then the sky fell down. A torrent of lightning never before seen poured out of the sky. Thunderstrike followed thunderstrike with an occasional smaller lighting blast shooting out almost as a taunt. Nearly 50 blasts shook the Golden Army before they could react and the very ground bubbled with the energies released.

The might of Vishvamitra is undeniable though. His blessing not only gifts his most loyal followers with flaming weapons, it also twists fate itself to prevent them harm. Massive though the electrical discharge was, relatively few casualties were incurred amongst the Golden Army. The same cannot be said for the flanking wolves, yet they had served their purpose.

The next volley of flaming arrows darkened the sky and a fresh wave of wolves appeared on the flanks. Soul Slay after Paralyze was piled atop the tremendous Great Mother, but she paid them no mind. The forward division of skinchangers was more tightly clumped however and the casualties from the arrows were hideous. The Golden Army also closed on the front ranks of skinchangers and magically quickened flaming falchions cut a staggering path, threatening to push straight through to the mage congress in the center of Midgard’s forces.

Those wizards had an opinion on that, and it was terrible. The strength of Vishvamitra was exhausted and fate no longer bent for the Golden Army. The sky once again split open and this time hardly a blast smashed down that Yakasha or Gandaharva bodies were not flung in bloody heaps. Dozens upon dozens of the divine warriors lay piled in charred lifeless heaps.

Then the arrows came again, and the forward regiment of skinshifters was completely destroyed. The Golden Army charged forward eagerly as there was now nothing between them and the corps of mages intent on destroying them all. More than a dozen mages were slain in this charge. Then the Great Mother stepped forward.

As yet another overwhelming deluge of lighting rained down, the Great Mother led the rear regiment of skinshifters forward, trampling a terrible hole in the Golden Army’s lines into which skinshifters poured. The Golden Army was mere feet from slaying the Midgard sorcerers, yet those feet were filled with snarling werewolves. And the lighting rained down destroying everything it touched. Most of the Golden Army now lay lifeless, yet the Atavi archer corps were relatively untouched and the frontlines finally included Midgard wizards.

Now when the arrows came mages died by the score. Yet the Great Mother had shrugged off near fifty Soul Slays and Paralyzes with no magical hardening save her strong dominion and no matter how many mages were slain the lighting continued to rain down in an irresistible barrage, bringing the Golden Army to its knees.

As the last dozen golden warriors closed ranks, to quickly become surrounded by the remaining skinshifters, the skinshifters made a critical mistake and charged forward in mass, thus concentrating the last of their forces. As the last of the golden army was blasted by lighting the flaming arrows fell wiping out the critical amount of Midgard’s forces. Midgard broke and ran, yielding the field to 5(!) Yakasha and 110 Atavi archers. The Great Mother led the remaining score of wizards off in a route….which was cut off by two Kinnara heroes flying through the night to cut off their escape.

GG Anticipatient, that was truly an epic figh!