Magnus: King of the Hill
Sometimes the only path forward is to charge uphill
Snugging like a human
Jayne is kicking back in pillows with a fluffy blanket pulled snugly up to his chest. He is ready for tea and a nap
…Time for this week’s story…
Magnus: King of the Hill
After leaving the Kingdom of Zeras, Magnus and his Marauders took the most difficult route to their next destination. Whatever challenges awaited them would be easier with the element of surprise on their side, so they sought to avoid being detected at all. Moving carefully, they scouted ahead and maintained a safe distance from the old fort once they got near. Almost as grueling as the journey there was the two weeks they spent scouting. They made camp far enough away that they wouldn't be noticed and stayed vigilant.
“Magnus!” Farko called. He traversed down the rocky hillside, approaching Magnus as he practiced using a sword and his manatu at the same time. “You look like you're getting the hang of that.”
“Not quite. I know these are made for battle but I feel naked without a shield. Although, I'm lighter on my feet and it feels more natural to cast spells in combat.”
“Use magic to make your shield. If this manatu is too unwieldy, grab one of the smaller ones. Think of it as your shield first, wand second,” Farko suggested.
“In that case, I'll tie it to my bracer. What do you have for me, Farko?”
“We have a preliminary attack plan. If you're not too busy, we could go over it before the sun goes down.”
“I'm just practicing in case we run into our old friend. I'd love to hear what you've come up with.” Magnus put away his sword and manatu, following Farko back to their encampment.
Awaiting Magnus was an illusion of the mountain fort. The encircling wall, towers, and buildings within were made of durable brick and stone. Whoever toppled the fort left a swath of destruction all the way to the keep and left ruins in their wake. The gang which had made it their home took residence in the buildings and in makeshift wooden huts.
“It looks like they have a decent force here,” Farko began the meeting. “They're pretty well defended, although their security seems to be lax. They get a supply shipment twice a week on the same days. It comes in the early morning. Our plan is to hijack one and replace it with some of our men. Those men enter with the shipment and go to this part of the wall here. It's been partially repaired, but it was previously breached. It's the perfect entry point for a surprise attack.”
“My mages have retrieved their password to get in. We can cast a spell to give the supply team the faces of the men they're replacing, and to bring our forces to the opening, keeping them out of danger for as long as possible,” Eranor said.
“How do we create that opening?” Magnus asked.
“Explosives, of course.” Nastor said. “I've been itching to use ‘em. Figured I'd get the chance eventually.”
“Can we use a spell to hide the sound of the explosion?” Magnus followed up.
“Of course, but that would mean someone in the supply team has to cast the spell just before it happens. As soon as that area is silenced they're going to know something is wrong and the plan could all come crashing down,” Eranor said.
“I was going to lead the supply team myself. It's a team of four, so I wasn't going to bring a mage along,” Garley said.
“You're my chief warrior, I would rather you lead our main force. I could lead the supply team, then we wouldn't need to lose a warrior to gain a mage. Eranor can teach me the spell.”
The group discussed his idea and agreed to let Magnus go only if he was accompanied by Farko. Magnus agreed, which left a single item to address.
“The biggest threat down there is Jafret,” Eranor said. “His arm is no longer in a sling, but still bandaged, so the injury he sustained in Zeras is at least mostly healed. He's a skilled mage. I don't want to risk the lives of any of our men if it's unnecessary. I'll be looking to take him down myself so he doesn't continue to pose a threat to our advancement.”
“Thank you, Eranor. Once we're in, I'll leave Jafret to you. The rest of us will clear that fort of all enemies, then we recuperate here for a few days while King Oraku’s army arrives. If everyone is in agreement, let's get moving.”
The Marauders began preparations for the big battle. Eranor worked with Magnus on the silence and illusion spells. That way, their unit would be completely independent once they split up.
“I'm not fond of putting you in the most dangerous positions, Prince Magnus.” Farko spoke with a stern tone as they laid in wait for the supply caravan. He emphasized Magnus’s title to remind him of his greater responsibilities.
“You can't use my status to influence me, Farko. I came to terms with the way of things when I was a young boy. I may be a prince but I'll never inherit the crown. My legacy is mine to make. If nobody remembers my name, I will die at peace knowing I've done right by those I lead. So, I will put myself where I need to be.”
Farko was taken back by the response and said nothing for a moment. The soldier and rogue with them beamed with pride.
“You've grown so much, Magnus. Sometimes I forget how long it's been since I could pick you up and carry you around the castle.”
“Oh, that was so much fun. I used to love slaying monsters with you in the forest,” Magnus said gleefully.
“With me? I was always the monster,” Farko said.
“You were the best monster. I don't remember who was taking care of me for a few weeks while you were away on some trip with my father, but they were absolute trash. No fun at all.”
Farko laughed, but their reminiscing came to a halt when they spotted the caravan. The gangsters driving the caravan fought to the death. It was easy enough to take the caravan, and Magnus had no problem casting the illusion spell to steal their appearance, but the real challenge lay ahead.
Two hours later, they were pulling the two-cart caravan up to the fort. Magnus had the password ready, and locked eyes with one of the guards as they approached. The guard turned to someone in the top tower and gave them a nod. The doors opened before they even passed the guard. Driving the front cart, Magnus gave him a nod. The guard nodded back with a smile, then returned to his post, most notably the chair that was waiting for him.
The fort was bereft of activity. Those who were awake had no gusto, and nobody gave the caravan a second look, if even a first. Those who guarded the under-repair wall they were targeting found their presence curious. They cautiously watched a disguised Magnus and Farko unload four large boxes and stack them in pairs by the wall. He signaled for everyone to circle around, then opened the top box of each stack. He tossed a guard a bottle of rum and said it was from the top. The guards celebrated and passed around the drinks, asking no questions.
Magnus and his men moved the caravan a safe distance away, then stopped and took cover behind a building. Magnus aimed his manatu at the group of jovial guards. First, he silenced the area. The men immediately noticed, and they checked their ears. Next, Magnus set fire to the boxes on the bottom of the stacks, which were filled with dynamite.
In absolute silence, two explosions blew the area to shreds. The massive wall behind the guards came crashing to the ground. Magnus turned around expecting people to come running, but the few he could see hadn't noticed. They milled about, doing their morning routines. By the time Magnus turned back around, his Marauders were there, charging into the fort.
The battle began one-sided, with the gang blindsided by the attack. Soon, alarms were ringing, and men were pouring out of buildings and huts, many without armor. It was a bloodbath.
Then, Jafret made his appearance. He rained down fire as he rode a dark cloud of smoke and lightning that sprouted from his feet from the rooftop to rooftop. Eranor found his target and attacked. The two scuffled in the sky, casting powerful spells at each other.
Eranor’s spells consistently snuffed out Jafret’s, but Jafret was nimble and hard to pin down. While they traded spells in the sky the attack continued as one-sided as before. It was going so well, Magnus took a moment to watch Eranor and Jafret fight. He was fortunate enough to be watching when Jafret snuck in a stab to the gut, and Eranor fell from the sky like a stone off a cliff’s edge.
Magnus used magic to hurry to Eranor. He watched Jafret float down to the ground and disappear behind the buildings. Heart racing, Magnus rushed to Eranor's aid and arrived in time to see Jafret standing over Eranor, holding a dagger above his head.
A fireball to the chest sent Jafret flying. Magnus hurried to Eranor. He was still alive, just bleeding from the stomach and a little beat up.
“It's okay, I cushioned my fall,” Eranor said weakly. “Wait, who did you bring with you?”
“I saw you fall and I just came. You're an amazing mage, Eranor, but not much of a fighter,” Magnus said.
“No, get out of here,” Eranor said weakly.
“There you are!” Jafret boomed. He approached with a large manatu in one hand, patting out the embers on his chest with the other. “I knew you'd be here somewhere. I owe you for getting me exiled.”
“You did that to yourself.” Armed with a smaller, more nimble manatu like Farko had suggested, Magnus fired off another fireball. Another dark cloud appeared at Jafret’s feet and slid him away in an instant.
Jafret fired back and Magnus rolled away. He continued his assault on Magnus, keeping him moving before he could make another attack. After one roll, Magnus spun into an attack and launched a whip of fire at Jafret.
The fire whip slashed Jafret’s manatu, burning a crooked slice off the top. With it's acoustics broken, the manatu was all but useless. Jafret threw it on the floor in frustration. He had delighted so much in keeping the pressure on Magnus, he gave him an opening.
Magnus taunted Jafret, boiling his blood. He attacked wildly, firing everything he could at Magnus. Magnus did not move. A cloud of dust and debris erupted around him. When Jafret stopped, Magnus appeared, holding his arm in front of him, creating a magic bubble to protect him from the assault.
Furious, Jafret turned his attention to Eranor and fired a lightning bolt at him. Eranor closed his eyes to accept his fate, but the spell exploded shy of it's target. Magnus had projected the shield to protect Eranor, then flicked his arm to shoot another fire whip at Jafret.
Magnus assaulted Jafret with his fire whip as he closed the distance, running at Jafret without giving him a moment to rest. The clouds at his feet couldn't get Jafret away from the flaming whip, and when Magnus got within slashing distance, it was over.
A sword through Jafret’s left arm brought him screaming to his knees. Jafret sent Magnus flying away with a concussive blast from his good hand. Magnus got up to finish the job, but he was too late. Jafret threw a bag of powder at the ground and was consumed in a cloud of smoke. When the smoke cleared seconds later, he was gone.
The fort was theirs within the hour. Five Marauders were lost that day, but Eranor was not one of them. Although, they feared the next time they encountered Jafret, he would surely be better prepared.
Next Time
Magnus: Angry Forest