The chronicles of Mittland Part 03 Time of the wolves

[Tiermann]

Wonderful Vauban, great to see the continuation of the story.

[WarriorOfToys]

I have been waiting for this!
Wonderful! The army is assembled,
And Artrac has a determined enemy.

[Vauban]

@Tiermann: thank you, Tim

I have been waiting for this!
Wonderful! The army is assembled,
And Artrac has a determined enemy.

Yes, WoT. And now the battle for freedom begins ...

Chapter IX.

ARTRAC's soldiers had arrived in the meantime at the edge of the Cold Mountains. An old ruin, a witness of the first unsuccessful campaign against the Mountain Realm, was already referred of the dragon soldiers as an outpost. A swarm of raves observed distrustfully the introduction of humans in their district. From here the dragon soldiers looked on the powerful fortresses of their opponent: the gate fortress Nihinara, as well as the mountain fortresses De'monn Te and Sin'monn Te, the right and the left fist of the Indescribable One.

[Vauban]

The mountain fortresses De'monn Te and Sin'monn Te were protecting already for many decades the Mountain Realm against predatory attacks and repelled also ARTRAC's first conquest campaign. But queen SELLINAS counted on ARTRAC's new attacks, on stronger weapons and on a larger number of soldiers. Thus also SELLINAS built a powerful gate fortress and called these in memories of her dead husband Nihinara, NIHIR's revenge. It should prevent that ARTRAC could still use the Small Trading Route for his plans.

[Vauban]

"NIHIR's revenge" formed an enormous fortification together with the mountain fortresses. It was inconceivable for the humans of the Mountain Realm that this bulwark could ever be defeated, and one believed oneself safety in the isolation. The Mountain Realm had been even the smallest of the six kingdoms, but the mountains were rich at ore, and the fields and pastures brought enough yield, so that nobody had to hunger. The humans learned quickly to live without the few things, which they could not manufacture themself. 

[Vauban]

JON, the leader of a small group of rebels from the former Sea Country, had taken in the meantime the difficult route over the mountains and had arrived in the Mountain Realm. He was well known to the border patrol by his former visits. So they brought him immediately to the queen. With serious face she listened to JON's report and she experienced in such a way from the forthcoming attack by ARTRAC's dragon soldiers.

[Vauban]

Queen SELINAS came also in the conclusion like JURAS and his friends that the decision was imminent now. Since she was too old in the meantime for the fight, she transferred her daughter NIHRA the supreme command over the armed forces of the Mountain Realm. NIHIRA was the only child SELLINAS' and NIHIR's. As a young girl she experienced from the murder of her father by ARTRAC. On this day she swore revenge to ARTRAC. She practiced untiringly in all combat disciplines and became a strong warrior. Many women and girls followed her model and served in the meantime as soldiers the Mountain Realm.

[Vauban]

Under their command innumerable crossbow-men and bow-men were as guardians on the edges of the fortress. They knew, if ARTAC's army crowds turned into attack, their arrows had to defeat them. NIHIRA's warriors had to hold the dragon soldiers in distance, as long as it was possible for them. The fear of ARTRAC's unknown secret weapon sat all in the neck. The doubly occupied guardians were looking out nervously, each small change of the environment were observed by their eyes. 

[Vauban]

The men, who could have given information over ARTRAC's secret weapon, were dead. Some weeks ago  they departed in order to warn the queen before the breath of the dragon. But when they crossed the mountains, they were discovered by hungry bears. One of the horses shrank from and threw off its horseman. When the second one wanted to come to assistance his comrade, the bears lacerated him also. Thus the for SELLINAS so importent knowledge died with them.

[Vauban]

Although she was missing the knowledge over the cannons, NIHIRA possessed nevertheless a large tactical fate and military forecast. Thus she looked for and she found many volonteers as water carrier. The thick walls of the fortress did not have to be afraid the projectiles of the catapults, but by incendiary bombs released fire could become the fortress and its inhabitants the calamity