It moved faster than a destrier could charge, and its size became all the more intimidating as it drew nearer.

The urn broke open. Wisps of mist, cold and clammy as fog on a winter morning, emerged. Rik felt very chilly. The fog rushed skyward. Snowflakes and cold droplets of rain formed the gigantic outline of a man sculpted from snow-clouds. Within it, small tornadoes stirred the cold air.

Asea spoke orders in a language that Rik had never heard. The elemental’s reply echoed within his head, a voice of arctic chill that held the power of a chained hurricane. If a storm in the iceberg-filled Northern seas had a voice it would sound like that, he thought.

The approaching fire elemental gave another crackling roar. Sensing the presence of an ancient enemy, the storm elemental rushed to meet it, its body flowing in tattered streamers, like clouds driven before a powerful wind. It fell on its foe like a blanket thrown over a fire. Tentacles of flame tore into cold clouds.

Where the fire elemental passed the grass was blackened and scorched. Where the storm elemental had stood it shone with a coating of ice. The stench of ozone filled the air. Lightning flickered around the storm elemental and lashed the flame creature. It responded by breathing jets of fire into its foe.

For long moments it was impossible to tell which was winning. Asea unleashed another storm elemental. It leapt into the fray and soon it and its brother had reduced the fire being to a thing the size of a small bonfire. It dwindled down to a candle flame and then vanished entirely. The two storm elementals headed for the walls of the city, aiming for a gap blown in the stonework by cannon fire. In those places the warding spells in the walls were damaged or broken entirely. The storm things made their way into the city, the first of the Taloreans’ sorcerously summoned creatures to do so.

Asea paused in her chanting for a moment and poured herself a goblet of some golden fluid. She looked weary, but the potion revitalized her, and she gave her attention back to the battlefield, scanning it for more magical threats. Beneath them on the plain surrounding the city, horns sounded and drums answered them.

Catapults lobbed crystal spheres over the city walls. The translucent balls shattered on impact. Some of them contained alchemical fire. Others sent clouds of poisonous gas spreading through the streets. Inside the walls of the nearest part of Halim, it must seem very much like hell, Rik thought.

Down below the lads would be readying their siege ladders, and checking their weapons. Sergeant Hef, Weasel and the Barbarian would all be getting ready to follow Lieutenant Sardec into the fray.

He wondered what they were thinking at this moment.

 

 

Lieutenant Sardec watched the human soldiers of the First Company of the Seventh Talorean Foot Regiment rally round their flag and prepare for battle. They were easy enough to spot. All of his men wore the green tunic of the light infantry company, the so-called Foragers.