Eodem: A Rifle and Sword Adventure (Complete)

Chapter 65: Rangers vs Rangers

One Week has passed in Ghana's Wall and the Ethuilen Elves soon cracked the whip into work establishing cohesion with the Imperial Remnants.

Archmage Sellyine kindly fed the Messaging Birds with crushed nuts as she enchanted Invisibility and Abjuration Spells onto their bodies. They will need all of the energy and protection for the coming trials ahead. Ethuilen Elven Rangers were unparalleled Scouts alongside being Skirmishers, guarding the fringes of the Alfel-Nora or be the tip of the spear when assigned to special Royal Assignments as decreed by their King. But outside of their famed resilience and the truthful strikes of their Composite Bows, what made them set apart amongst their peers is their integration of Magic to enhance their overall team cohesion. Elven Rangers can cloak themselves invisible to set up a masterful ambush or coordinate their allies with arcane Messaging spells to further push the dagger into the heart of their adversaries. He could also count on the light-footed Dale-Dashers, long-limbed and skittish beasts, yet deceptively agile if not of mythical awe. Their fabled title is brought by the beasts' fable-sung ability to leap and cover great distances at blink-like speeds as almost if they are lighter than the soothing winds that were their natural habitat. Such speedy steeds were given to the nimble Gladehearth Knights that favored all things fast and true.

Prince Valorion came up with the most radical of paradigm shifts. His plan is to use more finesse-footed of his soldiers to close enough distance to attack then contract away to avoid reprisals. For this, he will need the lethal grace of the Ethuilen Rangers and Gladehearth Light Cavalry with assistance with his battlemages to succeed for this trial. He will divide his enemies into detail, striking piece by piece of his army quickly and as efficiently as possible. He will bludgeon the Invader's ability to fully bear the full strength of their otherworldly powers until only the very core of the enemy is left for his Human allies to be able to fight off. With this strategy, Valorion hopes he can buy his Sleagian counterparts the time they need to regroup their forces. The more- heavier armored warriors will have to make themselves at home at Ghana's Wall Fortress in the meantime.

Basing on the disastrous first-hand accounts of the Human's current stratagem in contrast to the results of their actions painted these Otherworldly Invaders as Heralds of Fire, able to summon fire from the sky, cast killing blows from ranger upon unsuspecting Slaegian Empire. Mass charges and drawn-out battles of attrition will only condemn more deaths against these invaders. Such losses doused any enthusiasm the once mighty Imperial Legions of the Empire had when they had started this war. That and their hunger pangs as the income of Refugee's from Kalmte poured into Ghana's Wall for the Bastion's sanctuary thus stretching their supplies to the fringes of famished-borne strife.

"These are the finest men I can offer for you milord." Marshall Huguet presented a troupe of capable lads and veterans to the Elven Rangers.

These men, a mixed assortment of Legionary Auxiliaries, Gold-ranked Adventurers and Volunteer Citizens will be the lamp in the dark for the Elven Rangers. At least three of them will be attached to each squad of Ethuilen Rangers who will guide them through the Northern Frontier. Having spent most if not all of their lives in this harsh land, the Rangers should be able with their assistance evade most of the natural dangers Northern Ysanigrad has to offer for them, not including the Invaders themselves.

"Indeed they are fine soldiers." Valorion saluted as he put at ease the coalition forces at his presence. "You have your orders to scout and perform ambushes against the Demonic Invaders south of here. May the Goddess Ghana protect you all and may Widall make your blades strike true."

The Rangers and their Human attache's bowed down as they embarked outside of the Fortresses' southern gate.

Valorion sighed, having toiled himself intensely these past few days establishing his nation's presence proper in Ysanigrad. So many responsibilities and tasks he had to organize the Fortress ready for battle and he could almost collapse. In his mind, he prayed for the success of his men, yet still, her feared that it may be simply not good enough. It was a new enemy after all, not unlike the many studies of his darker kin of the Black Tree Pact, Tavai Corsairs, or Daosne Barbarians as he was the first of his kind to ever encounter such a daunting foe. The Demons of Alboen were purely storybooks in origins. However, unlike the legends, they were very much real. Returned these Demons were much stronger, much cunning, much implacable than in the past. To such a point, that they are capable of resisting Holy Magic. Yet Valorion remained confident that the more powerful Holy Magicks of the Elves can fare better than where the Empire's had failed. For all of this preparation, there was all of his acumen and intuition as a General shall be put to the test. The cards of stratagems he put into play could shift the balance back in the Light's favor. But even more so, he had always wondered, what became of his dear younger sister, Aliathra?