Ravens Among Crows (Warhammer Fantasy)

[Ford Prefect]

Kargun has suddenly become my favourite character in this; the level of badassitude he just showed was immense. Plus he's a Dwarf, and that's awesome.

[Imperial Overlord]

Arrows were falling and men screaming as Sebastian forced himself to his feet. From what he could tell, the wounded and the dead out numbered the living. Crows and ravens were already descending to pick at morsals. A large raven looked at him from the top of a wagon and cawed as if to say "You'll be my meal soon enough."

The Bright Wizard pulled on Aqshy and wove The Armour of Fire around himself. It wouldn't last too long, but it should serve to preserve him long enough to fight. It hurt to move his left arm. Well, he was meat in close quarters. That shouldn't scare him.

The defences were being pressed hard. Spears and sword thrusts did not suffice to keep the Goblin's at bay. They came and many fell, but they still came. The survivors struck back and allowed more Goblin's to scamper up. The defenders struck at them and recieved wounds in turn. The line was near collapse. The wizard strode over to the area Richart defended.

The man fought like a daemon or a Norse berserk. His sword was slick with black Goblin blood and the bodies of the dead were piled before him. The Goblin's facing him retreated and fell back, looking for less fierce prey. More arrows fell. One missed him by inches. Another glanced off Richart's breastplate.

At the side of the wagon now he got a better view of the field. The wolf riders were in disarray and some of the Goblin packs were splintering. On wolf rider who was lashing other Goblin's ahead got a spear into his gut for his troubles.

Layered on top of this was his Witch Sight. Currents of power ebbed and flowed around him. Aqshy, the red wind, flowed through him drawn by his own nature and the desperate passions of those fighting to survive. Overlaid ontop of the Goblins was a net of green lightning. They were being inflamed to greater courage and violence by their shaman. He could see the spell, but the shaman himself was hidden in the Goblin ranks.

He needed a different approach. Someone was moaning piteously off to the side and more arrows were falling. One bounced off his right arm. He focused, tracing the streams of magic to the front of one of the rearmost warpacks. It was just at the edge of his range.

Sebastian raised his hand. The power stones on the Doomfire Ring glittered in the afternoon light. Three balls flashed from the ring and smashed into the front rank of the warpack. The spell of fury did not vanish. Arrows fell around him. One grazed his right arm and another bounced off his left arm. He heard a man gurgle and fall nearby.

He unleashed the Doomfire Ring again. More fireballs flew. Goblins tumbled from the front of the warpack screaming and burning. The spell of fury vanished.

The front ranks of the warpacks stumbled in confusion. The surviving humans counter attacked fiercely, pushing them back. Sebastian conjured a pair of fireballs and blasted a wolf rider off his steed. That was enough for them. They had been subjected to a hail of enemy fire since coming foreward and they valued their own hides quite highly. The wolf riders broke for the woods. The Goblins on the fringes broke away with them and then the trickle became a flood. The Goblins on the front rank, no longer pushed, magicked, and bullied foreward, ran.

In moments the field was abandoned. Sebastian looked around. The wounded were slumpt by the dead. Many of the wounded would not survive the day. Drovers, merchants, and guards had all paid a high cost in blood. Man and beast had taken heavy casualties. It took a moment for him to realize that most of them had died.

The caravan was dead, even if its members lived. They no longer had the men or the beasts to drive all the wagons. A few might be salvaged, but most of their contents would be lost. Sebastian slumped away from the wagon. His shoulder hurt.

He saw Marieta helping Kargun to his feet. He saw a drover walk past, his face a mask of blood, staring at nothing. Richart was loading stuff on to his horse, cold blooded but probably a good idea. He around to face the field of battle.

Wing beats startled him and he involuntarily pulled back. The raven's wings brushed his face and Sebastian raised his right hand to shield his eyes. Wings brushed his face as the raven settled on his left shoulder. The bird shifted around to find a position more to his liking. A wave of calm washed over Sebastian.

Once again he surveyed the dead. The carrion birds were feasting wholeheartedly on the dead, a mass of indistinguishable dark forms fluttering and feasting. His new familiar fidgeted. He didn't have time for the dead. "Morr, recieve these men into your care," he whispered. He turned back to the living, his fellow band of survivors. The strongest, toughest, most skilled, and the luckiest. The ravens among the crows.

[Ford Prefect]

*applauds*

[Imperial Overlord]

*applauds*

*Takes a bow*

[Ford Prefect]

Will there be more, or is it the end?

[Imperial Overlord]

Will there be more, or is it the end?

The end of the story, but not the only story that I'll write with these characters.

[Ford Prefect]

I see I see. It was a good ending, and the characters that have survived have made an impression on me. I like them all; Kargun and Sebastian especially. Certainly, more stories featuring them would be excellent, and I look forward to them (like I do with most of your stuff).

Viva la Imperial Overlord!

[Prozac the Robert]

Good stuff.

[Feil]

Very nice, Imperial Overlord! This has been an excellent introduction to Warhammer Fantasy for me, and I find myself looking forward to more reading about this universe.