Eodem: A Rifle and Sword Adventure (Complete)

Chapter 49: Climb Mount Denali (Part 1)

All was quiet on the Duchy of Tifrait, the southeastern most province of the Slaegian Heartland that bordered the Cambervale Valley Pass. Among its landscape was the evergreen Cambervale Forest that provided the Empire one of its richest sources of Iron Bark Timber. Although the area is considered within the heavily protected core of the Empire, the region is not without its notable dangers.

Besetting the citizenry Tifrait typically but are not limited to: viperous Bandits, Man-Eating Monsters and Rogue Mage Lairs. Nothing of the sorts the Duchal Soldiers couldn't handle, especially when the Fortress of Brynbach, known as 'Little Hill' assisting the Duchy in all manners of security.

Being known as 'the Protector of the South' in defense of the Empire's Heartland. Within Little Hill contains a stockpile of Arms, Supplies and Men that can weather whatever storm that comes out of the Southern Frontier or project Imperial Power within or throughout the region. It had a proud history of stalwartly stemming any hostile tides of invading hordes from breaching any further pass its Ironbark Gates, its proud roster of Veteran Defenders and a corps of Knights who specializes in riding the Avian variety of Steeds such as Gryphons, Pegasi and Wyverns. The Fortress was originally built to centuries before the conquest of Tyr Rian as a Castle Fort that guarded the Cambervale Mountain Pass from intruders. Overtime, the fortress rose quite literally from its humble beginnings, expanding the facilities within the Fortress to include a Courtroom, a Prison, an Aviary Stables, an Adventurer's Guild Office, larger Warehouses and even an Arcanaeum for College Magi to convene within. Even though Tyr Rian eventually took over in terms of functionality as 'the Protector of the South', Little Hill's long history of defending the realms was cemented with legendary repute. The only other fort of its grandiosity would have been its sister, Ghana's Wall (colloquially called 'the Northern Aegis') situated at the Northern Provinces that guards against the roaming Daosne Beastmen tribes that marauded the area.

The Fortress today was brimming with activity as the Fortress Knight-Captain, Ser Dalaulmas spoke down with authority from the Emperor himself, the construction of the Empire's Defensive Perimeter dubbed 'the Dragon-Wall' around the Duchy of Souviel and the Duchy of Tifrait. To give said Dragon its formidable teeth, Barricades, Traps, Magical Wards, and all sorts of impediments to deter any prospective would-be invader from breaking through were being erected and still being with an overall of estimate of a third of the planned defenses already have been constructed, stretched across the Cambervale Forest. Redundant, but a precautionary redundancy. The Legion took every precaution could by placing evenly dividing his forces across the province with a reserve force coming in from Neuogonia in the event any part of the 'Dragon-Wall' was at risk of falling in addition of sapping through any usable shepherd passes and underground tunnels they could find to control the flow of troop movement for the Invaders to force them to fight on grounds that the Legion shall dictate, which is the tight Cambervale Valley Pass.

The Plan for the Legion as it stands: Hold the Invaders at Cambervale Valley until reinforcements from additional elements of the Slaegian Legion and the Elves were to arrive. Then once the Attackers tire themselves out attempting to breach the walls, counterattack with a headstrong march to Tyr Rian. At his immediate Disposal, Ser Daulaulmas has the strength of 15 Legions, exactly 150,000 of his own countrymen supplemented with an additional 45,000 Dwarven Warriors to man and construct the Dragon-Wall's defenses. Supplementing the core infantry were irregular fighters from the Adventurer's Guilds and Mages from the College to perform special tasks exploiting their unique abilities to the fullest.

It was morning, greeted with a red dawn from Malynaris as Ser Dalaulmas awoke for his daily pattern, for it was all just a repeat of many dozens or so tasks until the Otherworlder's finally pour over from Tyr Rian into the Legion's awaiting battlelines. It had been over a month or less of the construction of the Dragon-Wall, another day of drills, supplies accounting and routine inspections for the Fortress Knight-Captain as he made out of his quarters, suited up in his resplendent armor and marched off with his retinue to inspect the construction of the Defenses. He was a man who demanded perfection in all things yet contrastingly calm and cool headed despite this, always looking to observe his surroundings before he engages his plan of attack. He wasn't much of a frontline fighter however, instead relying on his vast knowledge of defensive formations to win himself the illustrious position as the Fortress-Knight Captain of the legendary Little Hill.