The North, was liberated. The thundering hooves of the Bretonnian Knights crushed roving bands of Chaos pointed out by Nordland woodsmen, the Empire, Bretonnian peasants, and Vampire forces stormed castles and freed provinces, and Estaria, looked in with delight. They were truly working together, in a real alliance. Everyone was wary of the undead to begin with - it was like a Chaos Champion coming and saying he wanted to fight alongside them- but that was slowly eroded as they fought with valour by the side of the living. Trust built on the battlefield was always the strongest kind of trust, and the Vampires even partook in food they did not need or enjoy, to further a camaraderie and give them a grounded sense of normality. Watching a count neck back a stein of ale and sing jaunty songs with the drunken soldiers was an impressive sight. Something Estaria never thought she would ever see. Their true dietary requirements were handed tactfully, on animals and late at night on humans that had given permission to support them. Few realized that a Vampire had even visited them, for they were subtle and executed small magic to heal the incisions left by fangs.
Eventually, Estaria had to drop the recruitment of the cities, since the upkeep of all the buildings was getting intense, and the Chaos Raiders to the south was dropping trade income to a point that it could not sustain anything. While Estaria had a lot of money, and the constant sieging and fighting and bloody slaughter she had engaged over the next three months had pushed her to the next milestone of 150, she was hemorrhaging gold at a rapid rate, and she rarely had the time to run risky S-rank dungeons for the required money. So in the end, when everything was over, she was only leading a 6,000 man army back South, letting Count Acula leave a large garrison of undead in the cities of the North. She had also picked up the trait to have a permanent pet called Bloodwolf Ulricsson, a wolf that had a blood-red fur coat, and the ability to morph into a massive horse-sized creature that Estaria could ride into battle.
On the topic of troops, the Bretonnians and Empire soldiers had taken serious blows over the course of the campaign, and they led 2,000 between them. Though Count Acula had a mighty force of some 35,000 men from the Chaos soldiers and Empire soldiers who had given permission to be resurrected and keep on fighting. It was truly as massive army that marched back down south. Archeon had heard of what was happening, and decided to meet them on the open field and decide this all. There had been correspondence between Emperor Franz and the Northern Liberation Union on tactics for the fight. A ridge overlooking the valley in which Archeon had gathered his forces was a great place to set up her archers, and from there charge down on Franz’s signal. De Luc chafed at the idea of following the commands of anyone who wasn’t his King, but Estaria convinced him it was tactical, nothing more.
Arriving at the ridge, Estaria stood on the battlefield overlooking 100,000 warriors. On the other side, was Karl Franz and Vlad Von Carstien. Together, they had brought 30,000 men of their own from every part of the South. Still, together they were outnumbered a considerable margin, and this fight would have the entire Empire at Archeon’s mercy were they to fail it. But failure was not going to be what happened today. They would fight, and they would win, and this Everchosen would face the same fate as every other Everchosen. Estaria crested the ridge, looked over the enemy, and clambered aboard Bloodwolf, joining the thin but determined line of Bretonnian Horsemen. Handgunners and archers lined up on the ridge and prepared, ready for the signal from The Emperor across the field to begin the charge. From their vantage point, they saw the Empire forces rush into the fray, hearted the roar of artillery and magic, and then the order was given. One of the Mages of the Bright School launched a great fireball into the sky that exploded into many smaller fireballs. With that signal, the Bretonnians began the charge, backed by the thunderous barking of handguns behind them and the whistling of arrows over head. The Hammer of Bretonnia hit hard, smashing into the Chaos line and beginning the butchery. Estaria leapt off Bloodwolf after the initial impact and let him go wild as she began her own killing. Not very well versed to horseback.
A Manticore flew overhead and grabbed some Knights in it’s talon, puncturing armour and spilling their blood. Estaria looked to it and threw her Flails to it’s underbelly, spilling blood all over the battlefield. However, it took off with great fury when it was hit, and Estaria was caught off guard by the force, having her flails ripped from her hands and having the creature fly off with them before faltering and dying from blood loss, some quarter of a mile away from her. Suddenly unarmed, Estaria retreated backwards, using her Heelblades to take potshots at anyone nearby. Once behind the line of infantry who had charged behind the cavalry, Estaria opened up her inventory and pulled out the gauntlets she had used at the start of her run in Naggarond. She had kept them as sentimental, never thought that she might have some use for them in such a dynamic situation. Another thing that caught her offguard was the trait Chain Queen mutating into something else when she equipped the gauntlets as her primary melee weapon.
Headripper Uppercut - a tremendous blow take the man clean off his feet, and maybe even his head clean off his body, should the user put in enough strength. Spend Cool to deal 200% damage to the head and knock them off their feet.
The trait was put to good use as a Khornite Berserker barreled through the Men-At-Arms and swung for Estaria with a roar of violence. First, Estaria used Quicksilver Viper to throw off his stride and swing, and then the new skill. Crouching low, she threw herself into the air and smashed her fist against his chin. True to it’s name, the man’s head ripped off and flew into the sky before landing with a crash. Slipping by his body to lash more jabs and right hooks at any Norscan in range, she found new enjoyment in this. Much shorter range than her flails, there was a much more dynamic feel to fighting with her fists, and more satisfaction to feel their head go crunch under your fists. Heh, maybe she’d keep these till she got bored of them, stick them in the Workshop for better stats. Not that that was really needed, with her Strength.
Eventually she got put up against a Giant, and that climbing trick she did last time wouldn’t work again, so she activated her Divine Form and sliced open it’s bloodlines, using her Exalted Art to wash the battlefield with his blood when she had dealt enough damage. This, was beauty. The thousand sounds of battle, the feel of the enemy’s blood on her body, the tingling feeling of stealing a dead person’s luck to add to her own bar...it was all overwhelming sensory feedback. At this moment, she could really understand why Slaaneshi would chase things like this. Eventually, she got into a clearing, and through that lull she was able to watch Valten cross blades with Archeon. Both of them monstrous combatants, and the force of blows rocked the ground. But, it was not all glorious. Unseen by Estaria, a winged woman with horns and blood-red armour soared down from the sky, and with her cursed spear, blew the heart from Karl Franz’s chest. The Emperor stood stunned for a few moments, before with a great roar brought the Runefang down and decapitated the woman with a final breath, dying gloriously with the blood of his foe on his blade.
For Estaria’s part, she was too caught up in the whirlwind of blood she was causing. Khaine wasn’t exactly her God persay, but she was still heavily tied to him, and so splattering blood was good fun. However, all good things must come to an end, and as Estaria butchered through the Chaos horde, backed by men to her fore and her aft, eventually the two armies met and expanded outwards, putting to the sword all that would stand against them. Archeon might have had the numbers advantage, but the Knights of the Empire, of Bretonnia, and the Undead were relentless, as was the artillery support and the rockets that Estaria periodically launched. Finally, the last of them was cut down, and there was victory. Estaria ran over to Valten, who was sat panting on the ground, looking rather unsatisfied.
“Coward fled through a portal just as I was preparing to finish him” Valten exclaimed, shaking his head.
“Well, his army is dead to the man, and he has fled twice. I doubt he will find much support from The Gods or the people of Chaos. He bares no threat” Estaria replied, sitting down next to Valten. The man’s next comment was lost as a powerful, magic-enhanced voice filled the battlefield.
“Men and Women of the Empire. I have grown to respect you over these past few months. You are a greater people than I could have imagined. My long-dead heart swells with pride to have fought with you, and this is why I offer a hand. Join me, in my Eternal Empire, and I shall see you all rewarded!” Vlad Von Carstein's speech filled the battlefield, and weary soldiers looked up. Confusion on their face as to what he was even talking about. The Reikmarshal approached him, and while Estaria was unable to hear the words spoken, they were clearly words of heated distrust and hatred, as the crack of a pistol rang out, the Reikmarshal aiming to put a bullet through Vlad’s head. It was reflected by a magical shield, and then Vlad tore the Reikmarshal’s neck to shreds and drank him down to the last drop. Then turning to the rest, and seeing the vile repulsion and furious hatred on the faces of everyone present, spoke again.
“You will not stand with me, who has aided you in victory. Then, you will serve me in death!” Vald’s voice bellowed across the field, and with the lifting of a staff, the dead rose. Over ten thousand undead creatures clambering to their feet and striking the exhausted Empire forces. Estaria reacted quickly, punching the ones closest to them into the ground, and then looking to Valten.
“Fucking Vlad! He’s betrayed us! We need to get out of here, back to Nuln!” Estaria exclaimed. But, her vision was filled with popup boxes.
Altdorf is under attack
Wurdbad is under attack
Avahiem is under attack
Wissenburg is under attack
Talabahiem is under attack
Hergig is under attack
Bechafen is under attack
Salzenmund is under attack
Wolfenburg is under attack
Middenheim is under attack
Eicheschatten is under attack
Stunned by what she was seeing, she was bowled over by a Norscan Zombie and had to be saved by Valten’s hammer.
“It’s happening all across the Empire. The Capitals are all under attack. He was waiting for this moment…” Estaria’s voice was hoarse and hollow, realizing the scale and enormity of what was happening.
“Get out of here! You have to survive, to come back later! If every capital is under attack, you may be the last Elector Count in The Empire! You need to survive!” Valten barked, smashing zombies apart with Ghal Maraz and the Dwarven Runehammer. Estaria heard his words, and responded before thought, her legs carrying her away from the battlefield as tears ran down her face. Vlad had planned this meticulously, and everyone had fallen for it. The Empire, was no more. The Vampires, had won.
