Fall of Tarasberg ( Part 2 )

Makarilli

Fledgling Freddie
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At the day of the counsel in the Great Hall those 33 men were gathered around the table discussing possibilities and the best for the kingdom when suddenly an arrow stroke and felled one of the Hibernian representatives.
Before any knew what happened a force of disguised men broke through the doors with drawn swords and began to stab and swing against the counsil. For awhile everything were a mess until the people understood what was happening and began to fight back.

Those not already killed grabbed for their weapons and took up the fight but it was too late. The attackers had directly gone for Ailaghan, Darian and Beowulf knowing that of the 33 people inside the hall they were the youngest and strongest while the rest were older men who would not be able to set up a hard fight.

Yet some few escaped the hall in the confusion and among them one of the Midgardian representives. This was Nornore and he ran to Elatans house and that is why we know what happened. He told Elatan what had occured in the hall and what he had seen as he ran through the corridors of the castle, the honor-guard of the nominates lying dead in the courtyard pierced with arrows or with their throat cut and civilians, men and women brutally butchered. Even children who happily had been playing he had seen dead in the castles area.
It was obvious that no one in the castle should have escaped or survived to tell. The attackers had been working swift and determinated. But not swift enough.

The news of the assault spread through the city as a fire and assumptions and accusations of who stood behind just as fast. Albions blamed Midgardians or Hibernians. Hibernians Albions or Midgardians and Midgardians Hibernians or Albions. It is safe to say that whoever it was it became not the success it was planned to be.
No one should have survived or escaped from the Hall. Whoever it was they would have taken absolute control of Tarasberg and the 6 holy relics. But instead they released the evil in the city and loosened a civil war.

When Elatan had heard it all he immediately gathered what he could of his people. Runners were sent to friends and guilds members with orders to bring his family to the guilds hall and there await further information. The Guild-house were lying in a fairly open square of Tarasberg. It had a 2,5 meter high wall all around it with a wooden gate in the southtside. To the north, south and east the square stretched out with a clear view. The western side of the wall had a 25 meters fall down to a marketplace and a lower area of Tarasberg.

Throughout the city frightened families were seen hastily moving to their respectively guilds or friends. When evening came most of the peoples of Midgardian decent had moved to Elatans courtyard as he was seen as the next after the now dead Beowulf to take command of the Midgardian clans interest.

During the night the guards saw fire raise in the Hibernian area of the city but also in the Albion area and close to Elatans house fire suddenly rose high in the air but yet no one had claimed they stood behind.

In the early morning the guards at the gate reported that an Albion wished to talk to Elatan. Elatan received him in his room hoping for some information about who stood behind or a proposal for the guild fathers to meet. But that was not what the emissary came for. The albion told of Hibernians sticking fire to Albion houses and also of reports of some killing of Albions by Hibs and asked of Elatans aid in this matter. To find the Hibs who were seen escape into Midgardian area and if Elatan knew of the Hibs then to surrender them to the Albions for justice.

But Elatan did not know of any Hibs hiding in Mid area and surely he was not hiding anyone himself from justice and thus he could not surrender anyone to the Albs.
To protect his own people, because he did not know the truth, he would not let the Albs search through Midgardian area. For all he knew it could be a trick from Albion side to take control of the Midgardian area.

He dismissed the Albions due to this and told him his reasons not to allow Albions in Midgardian area but it was taken ill up. The Albion left Elatan saying that hiding a bunch of killers would not be seen upon with friendliness among the Albions and they would search the Midgard area despite the deniel from Elatan. Even if it meant to fight against Elatan.

Maybe, he said, the truth were that Elatan tried to blame the Hibs by dressing up like Hibs ? The Hibs were seen disappear into Mid area. Maybe it was Elatan who had planned and executed the fey attack on the Council to become King himself as he were next after Beowulf ? And in the same round get rid of the Hibs and Albs ?

With these words the Albion left and walked out the gate to his excort outside. Elatan were standing on the battlement watching them leave and he saw the pack of Hibs coming out of the smoke attacking the Albions. The albions were way to few to have a chance against the pack.

Elatan instantaneous rushed down to his gate yelling for his men to follow him.
Elatan and about 15 of his men rushed out the gate and towards the fighting. As they arrived they attacked the Hibs in the rear, they killed a couple of them and the remaining took flight into the smoke leaving their dead and wounded behind. The surviving Albions had escaped and disappeared in the opposite direction.

The wounded Hibernians were taken into the courtyard and questioned but they were furios and angry, accusing Elatan of helping traitors and murderes. They said the Albions had been killing Hibs and sticking fire to houses and the unrightfully aid Elatan had given a bunch of killers would not be forgotten. The dead Hibs would be revenged. The Hibernians said Midgard had finally declared they were in league with the Albions and they would claim the overlordship of Tarasberg.

“We saw them Albions leave your gate Elatan, do not try to forfeit the truth, we saw them and now know whom you and your followers will aid”

“Listen my friend, you attacked the Albions in Midgardian area and you expect me to stand on my walls and see emissaries who came and left in peace getting slaughtered outside my gate while I do nothing ? I would have done exactly the same for you if you had been my guests.”

“That’s an easy lie which proves nothing.”

“You can believe it or not but to assure you have nothing to be afraid of from Midgardians we will release you as soon we know the escaped Albions are too far away to be persecuted.”

“What does that matter to me ? My brothers are already lying outside your area and the Albions will not get away, more likely I expect them to be dead by now or at least captured awaiting their death sentence and by your evil deed you and your followers have doomed yourself and soon you will be sitting in my position no matter what you do. Now begone, I have no further to say to you.”

Elatan left the Hibernians and walked out. A keeneyed scout came from the walls and reported Hibernian troops outside to the northwest and Albions to the southeast.

“Well for now we just watch them. Do not signal hostility unless they attack any Midgardians, right now we are in a difficult position right between their forces and thus we cant move but will have to await what they will do” He had just finished his order when a huge stone from the Hibernian side smashed into the walls.

“Move women and children to the back but stay calm, do not yet return fire, it might be a mistake aimed at the Albions” he yelled. But another stone hit the wall and broke a breach in it. “ Sire, they are aiming at us, one might be a mistake but two !

“Archers get ready !” Elatan shouted. “Aim at those who handle the catapults, you need to take them out first, then use fire to destroy the siege-machines. The rest prepare for the attack. Two lines, one at each side of the breach, keep unseen until they come through, fighters infront, spellmasters behind”

The Hibernians moved forward in cover of the dust from the catapult and the smoke from the burned houses but soon a dark oil-smoke blended in showing the Midgardian archers had done their job well. The first Hibernians now fell to the ground pierced by arrows but they kept moving on coming closer until they broke through the gap.

As the Hibernians saw no defenders save from some few archers they thought a swift victory would occurred and ran inside without any caution. But as the main force had entered inside Elatan closed the trap.
The warriors assaulted the unprotected flanks of the Hibernians supported by a heavy firework from the further behind lying casters.
Panic stroke the Hibs, their much larger force broke into pieces, some tried to escape, turned towards the hole in the wall but were stopped by their own rearguard trying to get in unknowing of what happened.
When they realized it it were too late, some few Hibs, still outside, ran back towards their own positions but the major force were trapped between the sissors teeth inside the wall.

Then it happened. The Albions attacked. From the south a big thundering clash ringed, and then another and another. Albions attacking the gate. In the heat of the battle the Albions took advantage and had moved up to the gates and were now breaking it down with rams. Some of the Albions, who always had held the largest population, had moved around and were attacking the retreating Hibs while the others banged on the gate.

Mids ran to defend the gate instead of keeping up the pressure on the inside Hibs but to no awail. The Albions had broken down the gate and poured in attacking both Mids and Hibs and everything became a mess.

It looked bad for Elatans people. Few as they were, they were trapped inside and compared to the Albions and Hibs who could have reinforcements from their outside positions they seemed doomed but the Hibernians unavare saved them.

From the outside position the Hibenian commander must have send his awaiting men towards the Albion chasing the excaping hibs and those Albions who were still outside the gate turned towards the Hibs who attacked their rear now.

That was the moment for Elatan to take action. He saw the Albions as a greater danger than the already heavily decimated Hibs inside and commanded his men to concentrate on pushing the Albions back and out. Now the Albions were under fire from two sides and those inside retreated towards the gate. The few Hibernians stil alive inside the wall went towards the hole and escaped out to aid their fellowmen outside.

Slowly Elatans men got the upper hand against the Albions and succeeded to push them out. The broken timber from the gates were used to build a barricade. In the other side they piled up stones to prevent a new attack from the Hibs.

Finally they could take a look at the cost of the battle. The ground in the courtyard were red, men from both Midgardians, Hibernians and Albions were lying dead all over the place, several friends and family to Elatan had died and also friends and people he had known among the Hibs and Albions were lying in the red dust.

Outside the Albions and Hibernians still fought but realising they were vulnerable to an Midgardian sortie they called their men back into their initial positions watching eachother. In the distance you could hear battles going on around in the city. The war between the three peoples had begun.

In the yard the Mids began to bury the dead as they could. In the sunset most were buried in common graves. Mids together in one, Hibs and Albs in another. During the dark evening Elatan were sitting pondering upon the day and Serende, his wife, came to him carrying Killgorde in her arms.

“You are silent my dear, tell me what you are thinking and let us pray for a solution”

“My thoughts are dark and sad. We are sitting here trapped while those who could not reach here in time are getting killed outside. They released a beast in Arthurs Hall, a beast who feeds on our fear and the evil inside us and I can not stop it. It has already taken the Hibernians and Albions. It will destroy our land and darkness has descended upon us. Like fools we stood and the devil took command of the souls the Gods gave us. My dear wife none of of your prayers can save us and we are doomed”

“ No Elatan, there is still something worth trying for and if in case worth dying for. I am holding your son, look at him. Look at your kin here and the friendship among our people. Dont give up, you must find hope in the spirit of man. Stand tall Elatan, you are the hope for us all here”

“Hope you say. Can I victorius lead my friends and family against both the Albs and Hibs ? We are not enough even if we were twice the number but if all are willing I am prepared to fight against the beast until death reaches me. It seems a better faith than remaining alive in grief in a ruined world. Alas, then call the men together for a swift death”

“ Elatan you cannot fight this to an end and you can not give up hope. The people of Midgard has never been the most populous and facing both the Hibernians and Albions will only course more pain, suffering and death to all. If our people or any at all shall have a chance to survive you must end this nightmare. Our people are tired, many children and wifes has lost their father or husbond, mother or sister and some has lost all of their kin. I know your heart and pride but in this lead the hope for a better world for your son guide you. The future is not known to me but I see no future for Killgorde here in Tarasberg”

“You may be right. The city is ruined and there is no chance we can restore it and it will forever remind us all about the treachery that have taken place here. I see no other way then than to leave and lead those who wish so in a sortie out of the town. If successful we head West towards the sea. There we might find peace to heal our wounds and make a living”

With these words Elatan stood up and called his men to gather. He told them to get ready for a breakout early morning through the Hibernian lines. Scouts had all day and evening been watching the Hibernians and reports told they were not as numerous as the Albions.

When the first light showed in the east two third of the Mids made an attack upon the Hibernian flank in the and as supposed it draw the Hibernians from their middlefront to where the attack were leaving a big breech in the side There Elatan sent the women and children and wounded through guarded by the remaining third force. As soon as they had slipped through he withdrew from the attack and pulled his last men through the gap before the Hibernians knew what had happened.

Thus dispanded the Midgardians the battlefield and the now lost united kingdom of Arthur. Many days they wandered through the wild lands until they reached snowclad land. And many were the griefs they suffered during those days. The stories of their march across the land others have to tell, this tale has already been too long, but an ending I need to give.

Finally they came across the windy and cold highland and down to the sea and they settled here in this land. Elatan were elected as their Lord and Master and it was he who began the building of Jordheim but he never saw it finished. His son followed him as Lord after his death but he were still a young man and Serende, Elatans wife, were a great help to Killgorde and he followed her advice in almost all matters.

Serende became known as a foreseeing and wise woman and it is told she old of age instituted the order of the Seers and that it in many ways draw their knowledge from her ancient wisdom handed down through generations.

Fall of Tarasberg ( Part 2 )


And what of Tarasberg and the Albions and Hibernians ? Well we don't know for sure but supposedly they too got tired of the fighting in the ruins and withdraw to more peaceful areas to restore to life. They might have tales of themselves about these matters but what is for sure is that no scout or explorer or wanderer has ever again seen Tarasberg or what is left of its now tumbled ruins. There is no intrance to it. The Gods in anger and sorrow of the stupidity and evil raised the ground to inaccessible mountainous regions and has blocked the way to where it once were.

Yet they have left us a possibility to amend our failures. From the outer rim of the inaccessible mountains three keeps were placed. One for the Albions, one for the Hibernians and one for Midgard. Through these keeps emissaries from the three kingdoms can meet and come to understanding and order. It were and is the hope of the allseeing Gods that mankind can drive the evil out and once again can live together in glory and peace.
 

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