Hunting the Dead

Aranion's body hit the ground hard, rolling across the hard packed ground, a small cloud of dust erupting where he landed. Standing above him was Lord Barrowmire, seated upon his fearsome zombie dragon. The dragon was covered in white fletched arrows, it had thrown Aranion into the air without effort, while the Wanderers poured a storm of arrows into the monster.

The Mithrin brothers, Seral and Kiro had watched in disbelief as Aranion had charged across the dusty terrain in an attemplt to slay Barrowmire resulting in him getting thrown around like a rag doll. Before Barrowmire's dragon could feed upon Aranion, they both took aim and sent a flurry of magically blessed arrows into both Barrowmire and his accursed dragon. The dragon shuddered and collapsed, while Barrowmire himself vanished in a cloud a black and red mist.

Across the battle field Ceryn had led his brave glade guard through the hidden paths to attack the undead army's flank. They were hunting two monstrous undead contructs, as they left the hidden path the caught site of their prey hiding behind a ruined crypt. Unleashing a devestating salvo, one of the beasts lost cohesion and collapsed into a pile of bones and dust. The second beast let lose a bestial scream, it's hide covered in Aelven arrows.

The scream let out by the beast was answered... Ceryn turned to look behind him and his warriors as a feeling of primal fear flared up in his chest. A low guttural growl sounded from behind them, while Manfred looked down and quietly chuckled. Before the Wanderers could turn and fire Manfred and his mount bounded across the ground between the Wanderers and himself. He and his mount tore into the Wanderers, quickly slaying all the Aelves except for their champion Ceryn.

Ceryn, pulled his sword free and slashed at Manfred. His blows rung hollow on the flanks of Manfred's mount, before the beast Ceryn had been hunting landed behind him and cleaved him in two, his sword falling to the dirt with a dull clunk.

Manfred laughed as he tore through the pitiful Aelves who stood before him, lifting one before him and sinking his fangs into the mortals soft flesh and drinking his life blood. It was so clean and full of life, the warm fluid dripped down his chin and onto his ancient armour. His devious smile quickly changed to a grimace as an arrow of pure life magic thudded into his shoulder. Turning to face this new threat, he could see more hooded Aelves stepping through a strange dark green mist, they had glowing bows trained upon him, more damned life magic he thought.

Lythal led his rangers of the watch against Manfred, they would hunt him down and slay him, he would pay for the lives he had taken. Lythal and his rangers were supported by the Mithrin brothers and Nimue and her Tree Revenants.

Together they pursued Manfred, encircling and trapping him. Nimue and her Revenants run ahead and caught up to the powerful vampire lord. Their mighty blades hacked in both Manfred and his mount. The mount was hacked to pieces while Manfred suffered many deep and mortal injuries, but he used the dark magic at his command to vanish in the melee before Nimue could step in and take his head.

Arthyr paced the ruined crypts with Mandia and Nimue. The undead seemed to have either fled or collapse into broken heaps after Manfred vanished. They had managed to cleanse this area, but at a heavy price. Aranion was badly wounded and clung to life, whereas Arthyr's cousin Ceryn had been slain along with all his warriors.

The forces of death and destruction were being hunted all across the Flame Scar plateau. Arthyr's Wanderers and Slazenger's Stormcast effectively pushing into the occupied lands. Arthyr knew to give Slazenger a wide birth and so decided they would next try to hunt more foul undead...