Thirty Seven
Gladius and Fletcher, Brookhaven Village Outskirts
The fires in the surrounding homes burned with a ferocious roar and blistering heat. There he was- the scourge of Darkwoods, The Wicker King.
The monstrosity was a half-burnt raw-skinned Dark Elf affixed by the waist to a similarly grotesque and eternally damned horse.
In life he was Milwr Tywyll, the brutal warlord avatar of the Drwgi, happy to sow misery and pain in his dark goddess's name.
His foul spirit had been evoked to scourge the Ileuadi once more.
He ordered his Wicker Beast lieutenants, hulking humanoid wickers tasked with spreading the fires by his command. Even though these Wicker beasts lacked facial features it was obvious they took great pleasure in their task.
Meanwhile the Wicker King howled with sickening delight, arching his back and elevating two of his cloven hooves. Gleeful howls echoed from a mouth burning with Drwgi black fires.
Magister Lunaris blocked the beast's path, his Ileuadi banner men forming either side with halberds and shields to reinforce their leader's bulwark.
Moonsworn defenders had erected barbed palings to break a cavalry charge. Likewise with the Golden Sun Knights, the Moonsworn struggled to keep the waves of Wicker Beasts at bay.
The fires ignited by the Wicker arsonists were beginning to converge, the ancient wooden structures withered as the inferno took them.
Lunaris stood atop his bulwark and called to his ancient enemy: "You were a sorry lot in life, your sick cultists. Tywyll! I will be happy to put you back in the ground where you belong, monster!"
This caught the Wicker King's full attention now. His executioner in life, then a Moonsworn general, now a Magister, Uaireadair Lunaris stood before him.
The ancient grudge boiled over in the fury of The Wicker King's assault now. His rage empowering the rampaging Wicker Beasts, swelling their size and ferocity to match their master.
"Lunaris..." A hollow voice echoed from The Wicker King's flaming mouth.
"Your Ileuadi will burn as I have for centuries!" Themonstrosity drew a flaming mace from his hollow chest cavity and raised itabove his head.
"Now die!"
"Stop in the Maker's name!" a resounding command rang out as Gladius and his horse, charger stepped into the fray. The beacon of The Tabernacle shone with conviction.
The decree from a Knight of The Tabernacle burned The Wicker King's ears, his minions shrank slightly as their master recoiled.
"The Tabernacle? Here?" The Wicker King was livid. The one thing he detested as much as the Ileuadi was the self-righteous humans spreading their venomous Purist faith into Dark Elven land.
Gealladh and Fletcher's horses stepped forward either side of Gladius.
"Don't expect to walk away from this," Fletcher threatened the monster in a cold tone.
He was done playing around with the foul creations.
Now the challenge was on. The Wicker King held his gnarled mace above his head igniting it with black Drwgi sorcery. Wisps of hellish fire emanated from his steed's flaming nostrils and fanged mouth.
On hearing their master's call, the nearest Wicker Beasts now turned their attention to the three heroes.
Now the other Ileuadi disengaged, finally having a chance to douse the spreading flames.
Geally and Fletcher were fast with their short bows, easily able to thin out the beasts' numbers as they funneled toward them.
The few stragglers that reached close enough were instead trampled under hooves as the two riders ran them down.
"Back, you beasts!" Lunaris cried out from the village gates, his hands glowing as hot as the sun with his silver Ileuadi magic, he aimed his hands towards the Wicker arsonists.
The foul creatures erupted in a pillar of silver flames.
They now had room to maneuver their forces into a more favorable position behind archer's stakes, as the armored troops pushed forward.
The Moonsworn were turning the tide of this battle, their pikemen were able to skewer and destroy the smaller Wicker Beasts, and the archers could keep the beasts at bay now.
Seeing his ranks failing The Wicker King charged Gladius at full speed, his burning hooves crashing on the cobble street. The fires of Hell seemed to be racing towards Gladius now.
"Are you ready to meet your Maker, Purist?" The Wicker King closed in on Gladius.
This wasn't the first time Gladius was issued a fight to the death. Over the years he had slain many beasts and adversaries, but never an undead Drwgi Warlord.
He looked over at his allies holding no quarter as they fought for their lives.
I won't fail you. Gladius promised.