Chapter 3 A new King

At dawn in Therwalt's camp he was busy packing his supplies back up and then rousing the tired dwarf Adbar. They remounted the horse and continued on their northern route. To where Adbar knew not but Therwalt had long planned this trip and knew exactly where he was going. In the main camp the rain had muddied the ground so the tents could not be repitched considering they had been taken down the night before so they could live out the storm. Several trees has been broken by the storm but other then that all was well. Elwar and Arna went out to scout the forest following the same rout that Elwar and Eol had taken in the last trip. Their was much sign of goblin, troll and wolf activity but none were found. These wolves were not normal wolves. The wolves of the mountain stood the full height of a dwarf if not taller and had jet black fur. Huge glowing yellow eyes allowed them to see in the dark of the mountain. Long had these wolves been the mounts of the goblins of the mountain which had long ago been excavated and tunneled by some long forgotten people and now it played home to thousands of foul creatures which were the sources of many a killing. Elwar and Arna rounded back to the camp where the dwarves were preparing a nice stag they had killed. The elves settled in with their fruits and their vegetables and relaxed. Therwalt and Adbar however had to cross some rough terrain to get where he planned on going. "How much further ranger?" Adbar whined. "About a day if we go all night two if not" Therwalt replied. The dwarf just groaned and wondered why he had agreed to this journey. They did in fact go all night and Therwalt was astounded in all the miles that they had crossed not a single goblin, troll, Trollikan or wolf. It was a little late in the afternoon when they arrived where they were headed. The dwarf quite understandably was puzzled that they were in a valley of sorts surrounded by little caves on the cliff side to the left. "Are you lost ranger?" The dwarf asked confused. Therwalt merely shook his head. "Not in the slightest." He replied then let out a long shrill whistle. At first nothing happened. Then slowly people emerged from the caves. Tattered clothes and dirty bodies they looked rather ragged as they surrounded the two newcomers. Many of them had rough primitive weapons such as clubs and spears in their hands as they waited for the newcomers to say what they wanted of them. These people were refugees from all along the land but a majority were from the now thief ruled city of Applewyn. "My good people, too long have you suffered here in the wild barely surviving and only ever merely sustaining yourselves!" Therwalt began. "It has long been foretold by the elves of the woods to the west that one day a warrior would come and reform the proud kingdom of Applewyn. I have found the prophesied one! If you will but follow us I can guarantee the training you would need to join the One in his quest to purify Applewyn will be given to you!" He continued as the refugees stared at him with a mix of shock and confusion yet also awe. "Long have my comrades and I the elven rangers and now the dwarves who now reside in the glittered caves of the Majestum woods searched for the One while also stockpiling what his army and citizens would need. We have food a plenty and clothes as well. Weapons and armor also await you if you will but follow us!" Therwalt finished as the crowd cheered. It took several more speeches like this from Therwalt but the refugees soon began packing up all their belongings and loaded them onto hand and donkey pulled carts. "My good people I emplore you to continue readying I shall return in two hours hence and my companion shall stay here to give you extra protection" Therwalt informed the group. The dwarf glared at the ranger as he rode off further north still. He snuck out to the outskirts of Applewyn which now was populated by thieves and murderers. He scouted the city looking for weaknesses before heading back to where the group waited for him. As he had promised he was gone no longer then two hours. "Adbar my friend come along" Therwalt encouraged as he pulled the dwarf back into the saddle. "Come now people let me bring you to your new king. Eol throughout these adventures of Therwalt merely patrolled the forest, practiced with his weapons and hunted for food. The dwarves ever since Eol's arrival simply continued mining and shaping their home and soon it even had a stone door, proper rooms, proper beds and proper eating quarters. They had in a matter of weeks had essentially created their own castle there in the glittered caves of the Majestum forest. The inhabitants of said forest being the elves and Eol had no idea that at this very moment Therwalt and Adbar were leading roughly five hundred refugees to their calm little clearing. What Therwalt had said was true. There were stockpiles of food, weapons, armor, clothes, tents and the such enough for the crowd that was incoming. The elves and Therwalt had for many years prepared for this but they had no idea that Therwalt had chosen now as the time to begin the completion of the prophecy. The elves and Therwalt knew for certain Eol was the One but he did not. It was a week of long tiring travel before Therwalt returned. The dwarves, elves and Eol where dumbfounded about the arrival of the refugees. After a quick talk with Therwalt the elves hastened off to pull out supplies and tents from the stores that had long ago been prepared and was located in a cave a good distance away from the main camp. Adbar leapt off Therwalt's horse as quick as he could and limped off to his room in the new dwarven stronghold recently named Pulchra Pechram by the elves. Pulchra Pechram in elvish essentially meant Beautiful Rock. Therwalt dismounted and led Eol off into a deserted part of the clearing so they could talk. "What in the blazes are all these people doing here?!" Eol demanded. Therwalt carefully considered his response before finally answering. "Eol I need to tell you some things about your past and your future first" Eol looked annoyed at the ranger as he waited for him to continue. "Many many many years ago the wood elves of the west predicted that one day a leader among men would present himself to the world and he and only he would be the one to give a home to the homeless and restore the honor of the once magnificent city of Applewyn. It was said this man would himself have his home taken from him, that he would be a natural leader and that his skills in battle would be never before witnessed." The ranger continued as Eol slowly pieced together what the ranger was driving towards. "And you think I am the One?" Eol questioned still a little confused. "Beyond any doubt my friend you are the One and only you can give these people back a home and purpose in this world. Only you can reclaim the throne of Applewyn that had long ago been taken by thieves, brigands and murderers" Eol merely accepted what the ranger said as if he had always known it to be true. "These are no soldiers and we have not the weapons or armor to arm them even if they were" Eol pointed out. Therwalt grinned. "That is where your wrong...long have the elves and I readied for your coming and all that is needed has been gathered even practice weapons. Elwar and Selkin can train archers but swordsman and horseman are yours to train" Eol looked upon his new people observing them carefully. "They need to bathe, be clothed, fed and they need rest. But know this Therwalt I will not simply take these people as my own. You must send for my people in Revenwil. It is a mere 60 survivors so we should be able to accommodate them." Therwalt chuckled in delight. "Arna is already on his way there" He informed Eol. Eol strode towards his new people with a new amount of pride and nobility in his stride. "My people, I am Eol the one of the prophecy, We have much to do but we will start with allowing you all to bathe and dress in new warmer clothes, follow me to the river, Elwar will bring along the neccesary things" Eol announced. After this little speech he strode off leading his people to the river where they all happily bathed and splashed eachother. As they went back onto land they were given towels and warm clothes and directed to the clearing where the dwarves had set up tents for them. They happily ate the food the elves prepared for them later in the evening and eventually all went to sleep in their tents. Eol stayed awake late into the night planning exactly how he was going to train his new people before finally falling asleep. At first light he was awake and moving as he quickly laid out practice weapons at different intervals in a clear section of the valley. He had also found square shields such as he had previously had in his village. As the refugees awoke they were directed towards the breakfast waiting for them. After they finished eating the men were directed to the field where Eol waited while Therwalt began teaching the women how to fletch arrows and create bows. Some three hundred and fifty men were now at Eol's disposal and they were quickly directed to their practice weapons and shields. "You need not fight as individuals to win. The techniques that I shall teach you will teach you to work as one well disciplened unit. Now I want all of you to form up so your shields overlock forming a shield wall." Eol ordered. And such went the training for weeks. When Eol's people from Revenwil arrived the thirty four men were trained as individual warriors to take on any champions the thieves may have.His surviving guard mates were trained as unit commanders. Each unit consisted of fifty men. There were roughly seven units with the remaining men being trained as archers. Each unit was assigned a group of at least five archers. Totaling out to fourty four archers these men were to stand within the shield

wall and fire over the heads of the front line of the shield wall to cut down the enemy. Fourty six women then agreed to be trained as archers and joined their male counterparts within the shield wall. Within two months the units and archers worked together in perfect synch. One night Eol was talking to Therwalt about his dissapointment that he would lack cavalry. As he had planned it some of the dwarves mainly Adbar and Felkin would fill out the unit commander roles while the elves were in command of the archers. He had total command. Therwalt then pointed out they didn't have the horses neccesary to have a mounted force. After another month of training Eol and Therwalt had decided the army was ready. That night Eol had his people assemble where he informed them all in the morning they would be breaking camp and heading off to reclaim Applewyn. That night they all ate heartily because they knew they wouldn't have time for breakfast. That night they all went to sleep early and at first light there was alot of activity within the camp as tents went down and supplies packed. Therwalt had sent out to Revenwil where thirty five elven warriors were sent out to ensure the safety of the forest while the army was away. Eol and his comrades mainly Therwalt and the elves and a few of his village mates rode at the head of the column on horseback while the rest marched proudly behind their weapons and armor glinting in the early morning sunlight. They stopped each night and continued each morning for roughly a week and a half before they arrived on the outskirts of Applewyn. Camp was made for that night and the fires were kept low and at a minimum. That morning the units formed up in their shield wall and waited for the order to advance upon the city to be made. The women and children who were not fighting were incharged with keeping the horses in camp. After a half hour of waiting the army was given the order to advance and they went still in formation at a steady jog towards the city. The bandits emerged out of there houses and formed a lazy undisciplined mob that advanced towards Eol's army. "Hold your ranks!" Eol ordered as the enemy threw themselves at the shield wall. Swords flashed out from small cracks between the shields and the bandits were dropping. "Front rank push!" Eol ordered. The second rank put their weight at the backs of their comrades in the front and slowly pushed the enemy back with sheer brute force. "Archers!" Yelled Eol. The archers within the shield wall let loose a volley that cut droves through the enemy. The shield wall continued to bully their way into the city and finally after an hour of fighting the theives gave up the city and ran off in all directions. "VICTORY IS OURS!" Eol bellowed. A cheer came up from the assembled units and their was much feasting that night. Eol's citizens moved into the city for the night. That morning assignments to clean and repair the city. This process took about a month and then the city was rebuilt to it's former glory. Eol was crowned king and refugees from all around flocked to the city and trade routes opened turning Applewyn into the most wealthy city around. So wealthy in fact that Jirim Eol's former king grew jealous. He demanded that messengers be sent to Eol for him to turn over Applewyn to his king or there would be war. Eol refused them all outright and said if Jirim wanted a war he would be given one he couldn't win. Eol's legions and cavalry had become near legend. The legions skills in battle unmatched by any combined fighting force. The combinations of archers and infantry inside the shield wall unbeatable. And now Eol had elite cavalry hand picked and personally trained by him. What Jirim didn't know was the elves of Revenwil gave Eol their full support bolstering his forces up to a trained army of around three thousand. The dwarves of the glittered caves had personally seen to the stone defenses such as walls, gates, watchtowers and the like fortifying them beyond what they had been in their golden age. The city had it's own farms and streams within the walls so they couldn't be starved into submission during a siege. Jirim had gathered all the forces he could muster and after a three week march arrived outside Applewyn's walls with some eight hundred men. The battering rams he had ordered to be constructed were ran up towards the gate which to the shock of the attackers opened out towards them. Standing at the very front of the gate was all of Eol's legions shields locked and ready. The cavalry waited behind. The elven archers lined the walls and the archers within the shield wall readied themselves. Upon seeing how greatly he was outnumbered Jirim essentially turned tail and fled as did his men. A cheer arose from the city as the gate then swung shut again. The soldiers retired to their guard posts or their homes depending on their roles. The elves had left and gone back to Revenwil a few days later. A week after the attempted attack Therwalt, Arna, Elwar, Selkin and the dwaves all went to Eol's private office within the castle. "My friends what can I do for you?" He greeted them. "We are going to put this simply Eol we can not stay here any longer we must return to our forest we are sorry, there is increased goblin activity we must go" Therwalt informed Eol. After much discusssion Therwalt and the rest of his party did indeed leave. Eol stayed up all that night in a military council with his generals and commanders discussing if it would be possible to cleanse the mountain that had long troubled not only Therwalt but everyone in the area. It was decided they simply didn't have the man power for an assault on the mountain even with the elves.