They marched in formation into the woods, only separating to allow passage through the trees. Everyone here had been fed a good amount of slivers and possessed bodies stronger than when they arrived. The Dryads were the weakest of all the Branded, even more so than the Smiths, but they refused to let Skye march out without them.
What they lacked in physical strength, they made up for in their training, which they took pride in. The fields didn't take much work and they only had to be near to increase the growth rate, so they used that time wisely.
Everyone entered deeper into the woods in the direction that the leader of the pack was seen going. He caused chaos and fled once Elli and Claire teamed up to hold him back while the rest of the soldiers focused on the other beasts. Leaping over the walls and calling his minions with him. Claire was grateful that they left, she was unsure she could have lasted much longer.
Their bodies were healing now, yet each still had the wounds from the raid. Elli's head stopped bleeding but the swelling made it impossible to open her eye fully. Skye's head still rang with every step but he no longer felt like he was going to throw up.
They couldn't tell what condition Claire was in, after what happened in Tombstone, she refused to let the others see her hurt. The fact that was was even slightly limping must have meant things were bad.
Even now they were coming upon bodies of beasts that escaped and bled out from the fighting, dropping dead as they followed their pack leader.
Claire held up a hand in a fist, and the Wardens stopped instantly taking up a defensive posture, causing the rest to halt. Elli nocked an arrow and her Branded followed. Each one of her archers scattered into the trees, climbing high to give them a better vantage point. Skye watched them and couldn't help but imagine a movie about monkeys fighting humans he saw long ago.
Rustling in the bushes could be heard, like little critters fleeing away from the approaching boots. Claire looked back and gave Skye a nod, he took the hint and dropped his hands to the ground and started to connect to the roots of the trees around him. One by one he spread out, his Dryads forming a tight circle around him and preparing themselves. four Chestnut Warriors sprouted to life and positioned themselves around Skye as well.
The wind danced and the leaves of the trees followed their lead, the morning light started to turn the sky a dark blue. Elli could feel herself become more panicked as the thought of these creatures vanishing with the approaching dawn washed over her. She had less information than she would have liked and more anger than she wanted to admit.
Sounds of Wardens gripping their weapons could be heard like snakes tighting around a branch, the silence of the early morning was almost too much. And then it broke, unlikely to soon return.
Skye was the first to be alerted from the vibrations in the ground.
"Front! Left!"
The Wardens braced themselves and started to close in on their left flank to make sure they wouldn't be instantly circled. The Dryaids broke from their circle and filled in the gaps behind the Wardens, lowering their spears in preparation. Elli blinked onto a higher branch and joined her Branded.
They wouldn't be able to see far since the forest was dense, but they wouldn't have to shoot between the heads of their allies this way.
Everyone moved like a blur, instinctively knowing what was expected out of them even though this was their first time moving together. It just made sense, strong guys in front, pointy sticks behind them, shooting from up high is good. Simple.
As they were moving into position the bodies of the creatures broke through the tall bushes and came into sight, less than a hundred metres away and charging. There were far less than when they charged the fort, but their numbers were still large enough to be instantly frightening.
Skye tried to get a count as they came closer and closer, positing his Chestnut Warriors in line with the Wardens and himself behind them, adding to the defensive line.
At least over 100, but just. They outnumber us but not by much.
He gave up on counting and strengthened his grip around Thorn, ready for impact. Their speed was fighting, their claws were sharp, but they could be killed just like everyone else. The first of the creatures crashed against the Wardens, a few impailing themselves on the spears between them.
Groans escaped their lips as the force of their bodies forced their feet to slide backwards in the dirt, but only just.
"Hold the line!"
Claire yelled, using her sword like a shield and pushing back against them. They were already starting to push back the monsters and regain the few inches they lost. Spears flying between their heads and stabbing at the creatures, claws and sharp teeth slashing at their shields and armour.
The left flake was hit shortly after the frontal attack, but they weren't able to circle around them thanks to Skye's early warming.
Arrows were flying all over from the trees, aiming for those who tried to run around and flake them. Their formation wasn't a perfect circle so there was always a chance of getting overrun and out manoeuvred.
Swords and spears flashed in a frenzy, piercing flesh and bone as they went. Monsters that would try to jump over the formation would be met with a spear to the body or an invisible wall stopping them in their tracks.
Elli's voice rang over the grunts and yells of the Wardens, she was in the trees with her Branded and could see the whole battlefield.
"Left sweep forward and circle!"
Her commands were echoed by every soldier until everyone heard them and the left flank followed beautifully. They started to push forward and walk in a wide arch, stepping over the bodies of the monsters. There was less pressure on the left flank than there was on the front, who were hardly holding their own against the rush of monsters.
They kept pushing forward until they found themselves facing the horde of monsters trying to push their way to attacking the front lines. The stragglers that were still trying to attack from behind them were being handled by precise arrows to their backs.
They stopped trying to attack the front lines and gave their attention to the left flank, which was now flanking them, relieving the pressure the front line was feeling. They could feel themselves able to swing their swords more freely rather than just trying to stay alive.
"Circle them!"
The orders were pashed down the line and Skye found himself moving long with his Chestnut Warriors to do just that. The front line curved as he pushed forward, until they were looking directly at the left flank across from them.
Elli looked from above, pure satisfaction of an ambush turned around painted on her face. The creatures were now boxed in, only able to retreat from one direction.
"Guess it's our turn. Rain hell on them."
The treeline came alive with arrows swarming like angry hornets, locked onto their targets. They were no longer distracted by trying to protect the formation and could just shoot. They went from hungry wolves to fish trapped in a barrel within minutes.
Clair's sword tore through whatever was in front of her, now able to see the whole picture. They were forcing the creatures to fight a 3 front battle and leaving whoever was in the middle attention divided. They took away their speed and ability to out manoeuvre them. She found it all strangely.. Beautiful.
On the other hand Skye's mind was elsewhere.
The Chestnut Warriors moved like a single unit, allowing him to not worry about his own protection. The larger of the four almost looked like it was directing and motivating the other three.
The sharp claws of the creatures slid off their smooth shell like armour and he attacked from the back. Their accumulating injuries didn't slow them down either, deep slashes in their armour were just shook off and they went back to defending. He was amazed at how these cute little things were fighting like veterans of a hundred wars.
Wardens and Chestnuts alike moved forward, the Dryads following behind and the formation got tighter. The creatures that were wounded but still alive would get a spear to the neck as they passed over. Like a snake tightening around its prey, there was nowhere left to go.
The battle ended quickly after their formation trapped them. The bodies of the wolves laid piled on top of each other in a tight cluster. Skye could feel those that were still hanging on to life buried under the bodies struggle, but he knew they would pass soon enough. It didn't require their effort to speed up the process.
The Branded were exhausted, the fight of the night still hung heavy on their bodies. But they refused to give up.
They didn't fall down and demand a rest, they just started to retrieve the arrows out of the bodies and got back into formation. Skye shouted to Elli as she was refilling the last of the quivers.
"Send a shadow back to base and get some workers here. The boss is just up ahead, let's not waste any time."
She smiled softly and shook her head in agreement. Skye could see the joy of the plan coming together in her brown eyes. He didn't know how he felt about becoming a cog in the machine she was creating but he didn't exactly hate it. What they just did was amazing, surviving the first attack in itself was amazing, but here they were fighting on the open ground.
Elli looked over her shoulder and gave a nod of her head. The darkness under a large tree shimmered and a human appeared out of it and started running back to the fort with a swiftness.
"Shall we?"
Elli said and Claire waved her hand forward. The formation moved right on cue, their bodies revived after a clear victory.
This started under the light of the full moons and would finish with them departed, one way or another.
They didn't have to march far before coming across the shining blue light that illuminated the trees around it.
A clearing surrounded a large tree which sat in the middle, and from it the light was flowing. The dark blue surrounded by the brighter white that formed its outline, mixing together to create the glow that washed over everything, a doorway was ripped right into the tree's trunk.
It was narrow but tall, only large enough for two people to walk through together, but easily reached half way up the tree. They could see creatures lined up to enter the portal, most likely returning to wherever they came from.
The process of returning was slow and the creatures that attacked them were most likely meant to just slow them down as they did. It made sense why it took so long for the attack to begin, they had to all assemble here first.
Skye took in the surroundings with awe, the gateway was breathtaking and the way that it mixed with the tree was truly a work of art.
The largest of the creatures was still there, ensuring that the rest returned before he did like any good leader would.
Its head instantly locked on to them as they entered the clearing and he let out a clicking hiss. Its head swooped low and its body entered into a prowl as it walked between them and the escaping creatures.
The scars from its battle with them were closing up but still visible. Red lines of cut flesh painted its dark body.
The creatures behind it were not so lucky. Some still had arrows lodged into their back, others limped or were dragged by their fellow monsters into the portal. These were clearly the injured that were left to escape while those that could still fight died trying to hold them back.
"What a good leader you are."
Skye said as he stepped in front of the formation, stabbing Thorn into the ground. His roots quickly spread down its shaft and into the ground from its tip, the presence of his Branded speeding up the process.
They moved all around them under the dirt, creating his web of roots. From the ground two Chestnut Warriors popped up and two Flower Boys appeared farther away.
Claire stepped forward and stood beside him, doing the same with her sword and crossing her arms. Her limp was all but gone and Skye didn't want to ruin the moment by telling her she just cut a main branch of his roots by doing that, so he kept his mouth shut and reattached them. Elli blinked into existence on his other side. They had all made their cool special entrance.
"Now die like one."
Elli said while waving back the Branded. They understood the meaning and stepped back into the trees to watch from a safe distance. If the leader was going to fight alone, protecting its pack, so were they.
Claire didn't have anything to say, so she let her actions speak for themselves. She raised her arm and the air around it started to spin. She opened with a rapid fire of death