The king bowed down on one knee and lowered his eyes to the dark wall on which he knelt. He waited for an indication from somewhere out in the forest that he was to arise. There was a low rumbling which he took as a sign of acknowledgement. He then stood tall before the tall trees and waited for his unexpected visitor to initiate communication. He had only met one of these rare creatures by chance many years ago. He quickly reflected back on that wondrous encounter. The blessed meeting brought a warm smile to his face.
“I am glad that you still remember our first meeting” the familiar, powerful voice sounded in King Derek’s mind. There was a deep hum that followed the creature’s mental communication.
“I will never forget that blessed day. What is it that brings you to our humble realm?” asked the king smoothly. He was in awe of the sheer power emanating from his visitor. It was so rare to meet one of these majestic creatures and now he was meeting the same one again. He had a better chance of swimming to the center of Lachlan and diving to its deepest fathoms than having this chance meeting.
“I come with grim tidings I am afraid. It appears that the orcs have tired with ramming their collective heads against the impenetrable South Gate. They have determined that your supplies to Landen are the reason for their misfortune. The loss of the high elves is likely the real source of their frustration.” The voice had a calming effect even though it could only be heard in the monarch’s head.
“So, they are coming our way. How many days do we have to prepare?” He looked into eyes that were so blue that the sky above paled by comparison. It was amazing that a creature of such size could hide amongst the thin trees of Aran.
“They should be here in a day or two. They will likely surround the city in an effort to contain you. They will build siege works to get over the obsidian walls. What they do not understand is that these walls are filled with magic. Even though it is dark by nature, the magic will protect all Aranians.” There was some worry in the mysterious visitor’s mind when it mentioned the dark magic.
“I will begin preparations immediately. I am truly honored by your visit. Will we see you again?” He looked at the gigantic friend with hope and anticipation in his eyes.
“You will most certainly see me and my kind at the end.” Immediately the ground shook even more violently than before. As the rumblings subsided, the king could no longer see his massive friend. It was truly amazing that such a massive creature could move in such a way for no one to take notice. You almost had to know where you needed to look in order to see one.
“I wish you well…” King Derek said into the empty woods. He had a brief look of weariness on his face but it was quickly replaced by purpose. He had been given the gift of knowledge and he planned to put that to use without delay. He felt the wall beneath pulsate in response to his change in mood. After all these years it still made him a little uneasy when it responded to him.
The second night after the visit by the mysterious creatures of massive proportions the lights appeared in the night. The orcs had arrived and they had already encircled the city of Agaroth by the time the moon was high in the night sky. The air filled with smoke from the fires lit by the various camps that were near the obsidian walls. The men behind the bulwarks were confident in the plan that their king had outlined for them the day before. They were going to give these fiends a real reason to be afraid.
As the first night of the siege of Agaroth came to an end, the black walls began to pulsate with greater intensity. There was a feeling of power…dark and foreboding for those on the outside. An ill wind started as the sun broke through the tall slender aspens. The orcs were reluctant to begin their labors on their siege works as the breeze increased in strength until it reached gale force strength. General Akuji ordered his troops to their tents in hopes that the wind would pass. As the massive green and black beasts reached the safety of their tents, the once sunny morning disappeared. Dark clouds blotted out the sun entirely. The temperature dropped drastically in mere moments. Puddles of water froze in an instant.
Even over the sharp howling of wind a rhythmic thrumming sound emanated from the black walls. A flash of bluish white light erupted from the walls of Agaroth. Instantly there arose a blizzard. Behind the walls the weather was unchanged…all the nasty weather was outside the barrier. The Aranian soldiers on top the bulwarks cheered as they witnessed the magical display. They were relieved that the battle with their formidable foes had been delayed…even if it was for only a day.
“Do not rejoice yet men…the battle will begin despite the assistance we are receiving. Remember, these orcs are from Mount Tarn…they are used to this kind of weather. Be assured that they are, at this moment, altering their plan of attack. They will use the weather to their advantage” the Aranian king said wisely. He put his right hand on the soldier nearest to him in a fatherly way. His eyes were looking at the white out before him as though he was seeing something no one else could.
“My king…what are your orders?” queried Captain Korvic. The soldier was still rather skittish after his deadly encounter with the giant wolves in the Forest of Renshaw. He had settled down considerably since his return to his home land; however the current events were bringing back feelings of unease.
“Archers…touch the tips of your arrows to the wall and then let your bows sing” ordered the king with a steely glint in his eyes. Several of the soldiers looked at one another and then simply shrugged off their disbelief and followed orders.
“For the free peoples of Tuwa!” bellowed Captain Korvic as he notched an arrow. He touched the tip to the wall which turned it completely black. He pulled back and let fly. The arrow flew with surprising speed. There was a dark wake behind the projectile that rippled like water. The tent door that the captain had unknowingly targeted opened slightly to see what was happening. The orcs had made sure to camp out of range, but this arrow had many magical properties that made distance meaningless. The head of a heavily armored orc soldier peaked out just as the arrow arrived. It embedded itself deep within the orc’s skull. The shaft stuck out from one of his eyes.
Silent awe filled the air above the obsidian wall. After a moment of pause, there was an explosion from the tent that the captain had successfully, albeit blindly, attacked. Green gas filled the air around the burning canvas as several orcs ran for their lives. The Aranian archers filled the air with the deadly projectiles. The screams from the orc camp could not be heard over the gale force winds. Even though the soldiers atop the wall could not see or hear what was happening in the battlefield, they felt a surge of power and sense of purpose coursing through them. They continued their assault as though they knew exactly where to hit the beasts.
Just as hope and good fortune seemed to be smiling down on Agaroth, there was a tremendous boom that shook the obsidian walls. The orcs were launching a significant counter attack. They were using their catapults and giant iron arrow throwers in an attempt to break down the accursed walls. The deadly projectiles had no effect on the walls, however, when they hit higher up, the effect was devastating. Several groups of Aranian archers were swept from the wall bodily to their gruesome deaths. King Derek’s face hardened as he made his way to the top of the front gates. He had expected this attack, but he was not sure what his home guard could do to counter such an effective assault.
The king scowled as he strained to see where the orc’s siege weapons were. As he looked left and right along the walls it became clear that General Akuji had distributed his heavy assault weapons all around their encampments. This thought frustrated him so much that he literally stamped his foot vehemently. The wall beneath seemed to ripple like water. Suddenly a dark voice spoke to his mind. “What would you have me do?” Fear gripped the monarch’s heart as he realized that the wall was not only alive but that it was a sentient being with a mind of its own and it had addressed him.