This would be settled where it was intended to take place all along.
The middle platform.
Soon I was within about fifty paces of the southern edge of the forest. Even at this distance and with all the trees enclosed around me, I could hear the intense sounds of combat.
On my map could be seen all the unit icons jammed so close they practically overlapped each other.
I zoomed in for a clearer picture of what was happening and immediately spotted a problem.
The forest edge was lined with enemy units which only minutes before was under my units’ control.
They were blocking my way to the platform.
I scoffed. This had to be Amara’s doing. She knew I would emerge from the forest at that location and did everything she could to get her men into position there. In fact, I now noticed the entire forest was encircled by enemy units. Amara had me completely surrounded.
Quickly, I gave commands to my troops defending the northern edge of the platform to push north toward the trees. Each unit leader confirmed the order, but looking at the crush of enemies they were facing, I doubted it would do much good.
Still, I had to try. Sitting and waiting for something to occur was not in my DNA, much to my detriment.
Skulking forward, I drew closer to the forest edge. Movement could be seen between the trees as men and horses fought in the middle clearing.
Then I saw them. Grunts fumbling through the trees in my direction. Dozens of them. Watching them try to negotiate the tangle of foliage was laughable. But they were slowly making progress.
They were coming for me.
Not wanting to retreat, I climbed. I had grown slightly adapt at scaling the trees here as I’d gotten so much recent practice. In the upper canopy, I jumped from branch to branch, and from tree to tree, making my way southward.
Below I heard shouting and caught the occasional glance of a grunt staring up at me. If they wanted to come up here, let them try.
One grunt threw his spear, and it thunked into the bark next to my feet. Others started in kind and soon spears where swishing through the surrounding air, some striking close by.
I moved faster, mindful of my balance.
Then I reached the very edge of the forest and from the safety of a huge branch thick with leaves, peered downward at the chaos below.
Amara’s units had now pushed right up against the northern edge of the platform. My units were fighting like rabid animals to keep them back but the pressure was too great.
Past the platform were the mass assembly of my own army waiting to join in.
Arrows flew from every direction. Screams and death were everywhere. The carnage was staggering.
Sensing something amiss, I turned and looked behind me.
Amazingly, two grunts had managed to climb the tree and were now trying to take aim at me with their spears.
Time to go.
With a final glance at the mass of enemy units between me and the platform, I jumped outward through the leaves. My Leap ability kicked in and I found myself soaring through the air.
A swarm of arrows zipped by me in the same direction, fired only a moment before my jump. Several struck me along my right side and in an instant my health bar dropped by half.
As I fell downward amongst the arrow cloud, I had the strange arrow-eye view of their trajectory.
But I came up short of the platform.
Instead, I landed right on the shoulders of a troll cavalry leader who grunted with the impact. Someone managed to slice my left thigh with a sword and nearly caused me to fall.
Even injured, I could still use my momentum and jumped from the cavalry leader and sailed over the front lines.
An attempt at a graceful landing was foiled by my odd angle and extensive injuries, and I tumbled across the platform to slam hard against the altar.
For a few seconds, my avatar could only see stars.
Arrows landed around me, and someone was screaming at me to get back. I looked up to see a footman leader trying to help me but an arrow punctured his temple and he fell from my wobbly view.
Well, I’m here, I thought, trying to stand.
Human cavalry and footmen created a line across the platform only a few paces from the altar. A massive crush of enemy units pressed against them.
I’m losing the platform.
Grax loomed over me. “You are injured.” He said, log-club on his shoulder.
His health bar was worse than mine. “You, too,” I said.
Suddenly, the sky darkened.
It was Amara on Yuinnick circling overhead. She was low to the ground, and I ordered all my archers to change their targets to her.
As arrows shot up toward her, she dived.
“Death now,” Grax said, hefting his weapon. “It shall be glorious.”
I blinked at the red banner in my hand. What was I just standing here for?
Quickly, I whirled about and jammed the banner’s handle into the waiting skeletal hand.
Blue Banner has been captured! Five minute countdown begins!
A counter appeared on my view-screen, but I didn’t have time to even notice.
Amara practically fell from the sky and slammed into me. We tumbled across the crowded platform, bouncing against the legs of horses and men.
As I skidded to a halt, I saw Yuinnick fly straight into Grax who dropped his club at the last moment to grab the giant bird with both arms.
With a loud thump both champions shot across the platform and vanished over the edge. A huge splash of water geysered upwards when they hit the river.
Amara had recovered and stood with sword in one hand, and my red banner in the other.
“Time to fail, you miserable FILTERED!” she yelled.
Before I could retort a footman stepped out of the front line crush and stabbed her right through her abdomen, its point sticking out her back.
Screaming in pain Amara dropped my banner where it landed in an upright position right at the edge of the platform above the river.
Your Banner Has Been Dropped!
Amara’s health bar dropped to less than 20% and she grabbed her injured side with her free hand. With her sword she decapitated the footman.
Stunned, I moved toward my banner. If I could just nudge it off the platform, it would be returned. Or maybe since it hadn’t been placed in the altar it would be instantly returned at my touch. One way to find out.
But as I moved, Amara staggered forward and swung her sword at me.
Losing blood fast, I only just managed to parry it away.
“This isn’t over, FILTERED,” she yelled over the fighting around us and coughed up blood. “I still have time.”
“You’re getting your butt spanked by a noob,” I said with a bloody grin. “I’ll post it on all the forums. I promise you.”
This got her really angry, and she lunged forward.
But as we swung at each other with weakening blows, a shadow fell over us.
Looking up I saw two sets of massive arrow clouds falling toward us. Dozens from her side, dozens from mine.
Then they found their mark. Arrows hit me over several places across my body.
I heard Amara scream in pain.
As I fell over and my vision dimmed to nothing, two messages appeared before me.
You have been slain in battle!
Amara Frostwalker has been slain in battle!
Then my screen went black.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
It was all I could do but stare at the two death messages in amazement.
We both died? What now? What about the banners?
Amara’s banner was still in the grip of the skeletal altar, while mine sat perched on the platform’s edge. And now no one was there to return either.