Remember What You Fight For

[Crevel 7557]

No sooner than the erection of the Imperial Legion’s war tent on the outskirts of the dwarven Fort Alpine would Arthur Littlewood find himself the target of a courier demanding his presence in the tent. The long march had taken its toll on the weefolk’s legs, but war does not stop for a halfling’s rest, and so there he found his little legs carrying him over to the war tent.

 

As he pushed his way through the war tent’s flap, he found himself face to face with Sir Antonius ‘the Dagger’ of House Helane, the Count of Valmont. Arthur shook his chestplate as he promptly brought his fist over his heart in salute, “Sir Knight! I’m ‘ere at yer command!” he’d energetically proclaim, masking the fatigue that lingered within.

 

“Your loyalty to the Emperor, his Empire, and our war effort has been recognised, Arthur.” the knight clad in his darkened plate armour assured.

 

It was true. Much of his presence in the Imperial Legion so far had been contributing to the war effort in some form; especially in acquiring materials that the Legion’s craftsmen would forge into various armaments. Despite his unusual predicament as a halfling, his size had been no obstacle in his contributions; even in his help in foiling an attack on the Crown Prince and in defeating an olog at the gates of Rittersburg.. If anyone deserved recognition, it was only right it would be him.

 

“Of course, Sir! I am just doin’ mah duteh like any membah of tha guard should! It is not onleh mah pleasure, but mah honour to be able to fight alongside ye in tha Empiyah!”

 

“Just so. In recognition of your efforts, you will be conferred a promotion to the rank of ‘Storm Guard’. This comes with greater expectations and responsibilities, but alongside this comes the benefits associated with such a rank. Do you accept your new charge?”

 

It did not take even a moment of thinking before the excited halfling delivered his response, “Thank ye, Sir! I accept, Sir! Thank ye for seein’ mah efforts, Sir!” Arthur let out a beaming grin at that. For once in over a year of service would he finally find his efforts not only recognised, but honoured. 

 

“I am glad.” Sir Antonius lets out a warm smile before pressing on, “Find the quartermaster and he will make himself available in putting together your new uniform. You are dismissed. Ave Imperium!” the knight proclaims with a salute.

 

“Ave Imperium!” 

 

“Oh, and Arthur.. remember what you fight for…”

 

Arthur simply nodded before turning in an about-face as he exited the war tent. Remember what you fight for. He peered out from the hill into the slopes below. Over yonder out of sight he knew that the remains of a once idyllic shire stood there. To Arthur, it was clear that the halflings who led the village of Amberdell were not responsible enough to lead the weefolk into prosperity. His hand balls into a fist as he recalls in anger the sight of seeing halflings working alongside a dwarf tearing down the village in a scorched earth strategy that deprived weefolk of their homes as much as it served to spite the Empire’s goodwill attempts of working together.

 

A Month Passes…

 

Arthur heaves a cannonball in his arms, following alongside a cart filled to the brim with munitions. Dawdling along, both he and the cart would finally make their way to a row of cannons being inspected by a gathering of knights but chief among them would be Emperor Hadrian himself! In his hands were a quadrant, and he was meticulously aiming them towards the dwarven fortress at key targets. “Once they have been aimed, do not move th-… get the **** away!” the emperor berates a feoderati soldier who had started touching an already aimed cannon causing them to scamper away in fear. Arthur places his cannonball on the floor, finishing a pyramid of cannonballs that rested by a cannon in the centre of the row. He turned to salute the emperor who gave an approving nod before resuming his calculations.

 

“The barrage will start soon. To your stations!” the emperor booms his command to his side of the encampment. Arthur returns to his cannon with a cleaning rod, putting the upper half of his body in the bore of the barrel as he removes it of any debris. He then proceeds to insert cartridges of blackpowder and knock it towards the base of the barrel before adding cloth as wadding.

 

“Give meh one of tha balls,” Arthur requests from another in his crew before lodging the cannonball in there. “Tha cannon should be readeh now!” he gives a thumbs up to his crew who were visibly in shock that not only were they paired with halfling but said halfling was repeatedly placing his head deep in the barrel of a cannon containing blackpowder.

 

Moments pass in vigilance. From their high positions in the encampment, they were able to see specks of metal begin to take position on the walls. Dwarves. While they were sparse, it was clear they meant to put up any fight they could. Arthur readied himself for what would be his first major battle in this war.

 

“FIRE!”

 

 

At the emperor’s command which carried throughout the encampment, hundreds of cannons would blast the dwarven fortress with devastating damage to the dwarven counter-artillery. Arthur’s own cannon had dealt irrecoverable damage to two cannons simultaneously. The bombardment continued until their most effective cannons were in ruins and their walls had become vulnerable to laddering.

 

A rallying flag would be waved, commanding the Imperial force to unscrew the artillery and pursue the breach. Towards the rear, Arthur chased after the main force hoping that he would be able to do his part in assaulting the breach with spear and shield in hand. Unfortunately, by the time he had arrived he was not able to make any meaningful attack. The brunt of the Imperial force had already left a swathe of dwarven corpses on the lower levels as they began their cleansing of the upper levels.

 

In a matter of moments, the dwarves and all who had fought alongside them would be piled on the floor. Officers went around unmasking those who had fallen to see if any important foes had been slain while others began cheering on this glorious victory and giving their thanks to God and the Emperor. Arthur too would join briefly in this before an abrupt thought entered his mind. He strides over to the wall that peered over the west and there he would see not far in sight the ruins of Amberdell. Once a bountiful village full of smiling faces. Now a decrepit landscape extinguished of all life. A tear rolls forth from behind the halfling’s sallet.

 

“Remember what ye fight for…”