Oh how the frost clings to wary bones.
The wind howled, whistling through the tower where the Winterhorn resided. It was colder than it ever had been. The winters got harsher and harsher with each passing year. Mia feared that soon even the fires in her own hall would no longer pierce it. She frowned as she did far too many times as of late and gazed out over the frozen North. She pulled her furs tight around herself as the wind nipped at her skin. She looked out over the lands, her lands. They were a hearty folk, able to handle much of want was asked of them. Her father would be proud to see it grown so much. She looked over at her cousin beside her dressed in his Dalmatian fur coat. He stood proud and tall, no one would know the demons that beset him at night, of which she had become accustomed to. Long nights of counsel flooded her mind. She smiled at it. He seemed better now though something seemed to move through him so much so that she grasped his arm comfortingly. If only she knew truly what the Harbringers of the North had shown him, that which has plagued his dreams for many years. She released him shivering at a very distant moan. Lucius continued to stare out North unmoving. The moans had become more frequent by now, increasing at night, ever since Absolution’s warning. She walked slowly down the winding steps and out into the town. She smiled at the harbor, Isaac was home. Walking around she didn’t see him but she did see two small girls running about. She had seen them in Valles a time or two. She was often surprised what people showed up in the North despite the deadly cold and weekly blizzards. She stopped and talked with them for a time. They missed their parents, as did she. They thought if they went out to sea perhaps they’d be able to find them. Her mind filled with the impossibilities, nonetheless she would show them to Isaac, or Captain Kidd as he enjoyed being called. She called for Isaac wherever he might be and . . . Was that a faint moan? Isaac came down beginning to talk with the lasses, he of course confused them for wenches the first few minutes, they were about his age. Mia stared off into the distance missing most of the conversation. Something wasn’t right to her. . .
The zombies attacked with such ferocity, ravaging the land under their feet, twisted forms half decayed half not and their bite a vile poison that could twist the mind and the body and in death give rise to even more children. Many fell, simply joining their ranks in death until the citizenry and soldiers rallied under the Scorpion banner. Blood coated their face and their armor in layers as they continued to fight until they couldn’t fight any more, pushing through a variety of barricades into their plateau town, and as they fought the Winterhorn sounded in the North for the first time. It boomed across the mountains and into the plains and the valleys of Oren and Anthos echoing and resounding in the halls of their lords. It was a deep sound, seep and loud and gave a tone that grimed the heart as if the mountains themselves were calling out in agony. It was a sound unheard before, a sound that heralded dark news and and old promise by an old man.
“If ever the demons of the frozen North, of that frozen hell, marches on these walls of Wallport, with such a force that could trample humanity to the dust that horn shall sound and the world should tremble.”
For the moments after the horn sounded and Mia de Silvarois stepped down off of the pedestal a quiet set in, a single echo in the wind, so utterly quiet. The people of Wallport made their way to the plateau had cut the bridge linking them to the outside and the moans began again. The tide of zombies rolled in like the waves of an ocean crashing against the side of the ship that was the town. The people stared grimly out at their fortune clutching babes and wounds.
The icy winds blew strong in the Barony of Wallport, Few weeks have passed of what seemed like endless torture. The sound of the undead rattled in the ears of the her people, who had taken refuge in their homes. The armies of the undead moaned restlessly upon the mountain, lusting for the blood. Hope had vanished in the minds of the people of Wallport. Suddenly, the sound echoing in the bleak mountains, trumpet calls announced the approach of the bannermen of Stagwood, lead by Lynoel Mallister had arrived.
An army of a couple hundred had been called, marching under the gold and black banner of House Mallister. Their armor clanked loudly as they drew closer and closer to the village. The people of Wallport came out of hiding slowly, eyes wide with pleasant surprise as the army started to cut down the legions of the undead. Soon cheers erupted from the city as the last of the undead in front of the village had been slain. As the last was slain, a makeshift bridge was put up connecting the village to the outside world. All that were able rushed to the main gate, eager to see their path to freedom. The bannermen of Mallister split into two - the first force stayed in the village, moving people out of the city and gathering anything the people had left to bring with them. The rest of the men followed Lynoel towards the manor, where they had been told more refugees were hiding.
As the men approached what seemed to be the empty de Silvarois Manor, the undead started to appear out of what seemed to be nowhere, ambushing them from all sides. The men rushed forward, forming a wall of shields at the door of the manor. They slashed with swords and axes at the mob in front of them, but suddenly more undead arrived from behind them. They struggled to hold them off for what seemed like hours, but in the distance was a shout. “HELP ME AND MY WIFE!” cried the voice. A single unit broke off from the two-sided shield wall hurried toward the plea. They discovered the voice belonged to Harrison de Silvarois, who was trapped in the top bedroom in the servants quarters. Lynoel and the few picked men struggled at first, but then easily gained feet, slicing the legions apart and reaching Harrison. Two men quietly strided over to Harrison lifting him into his feet, his armor showing the signs of holding over zombies and not cleaning for a few months, he then called out to Lynoel, once more in a heart breaking tone “My Wife! She is held in the basement!” Lynoel signaled for his men, and moved to cut past the undead that had moved to once more put up a fight. The small men moved quietly cutting past to the basement, where a tiny what seemed to be little girl laid in rest, with a faint sound of her breathing. With care, the men picked up the sleeping Ally, and passed her to her loving husband, Harrison. The Battle raged on for much longer, the men struggling to fight off the undead permanently, but by this time all the villagers had escaped to either Salvus or Valles. Out in the distance called a voice of a women, calling the men to her Mia de Silvarois called out in a commanding tone “TO ME! I CAN LEAD YOU OUT” She called out in a fury holding a large battle axe, one that looked to more fitting for a Dwarven Legionare then a woman, cleaving heads left and right. She started to run, the men slashing the final bits of the undead following her. She lead them to a seemingly barren wall as the hordes closed in, pressing on a stone it went inward, leading them down to tunnels. What they saw next was shocking, an immense network of tunnels lay under the halls, a labyrinth of many paths, some leading to a painful death, though with the guidance of Mia de Silvarois the men were lead out of the mountains, where they reunited with each other and marched home to Valles and Salvus. Distinct marks of blood painted the banner as it flew in defiance of the undead. As the hearts and minds of the men carried on with pride.
OOC: This happened 2 weeks ago, I'd like to thank Gath for writting the bit from Mia's POV and Juno for proof reading, Also Before the Whole Luciunist/Moogle Baron of Wallport