Fantasy The Battle of Ironstar (The War of Clans)

[TheSunVanished]

The Battle of Ironstar

ShadowScars​

The battle field was filled with noise from the constant cranking and firing of Ironforge Siege cannons. The crowing of Fallencry’s birds, and the yells of Steelbrand’s warriors. Only the Shadowscars were silent even in death. They were the shadow flitting between battling enemies. Stabbing them in the back when their backs were turned. A young warrior panted as she was tiring. She barely dodged a charging Scorpion man. The warrior couldn’t even remember what the clans were fighting about. Something to do with coming winter and lack of food. There’d be plenty left now that their numbers were being thinned. All except Ironforge hiding in their stupid siege towers.

The warrior stopped to wipe her blade on her cloak looking out at the chaos. A blade flung towards her intercepted by an white haired elf wielding a scimitar. “Don’t stand still. The still get stabbed” said the elf. The warrior nodded and sprinted through the field. Ever so often flashing out a blade. Trying not to recognize the enemies who’d been her own clan-mates two years earlier. So far she couldn’t spot any golems. Probably the one race she couldn’t dispatch with her blades. Skin was hard as rock on those.

Suddenly there was a screech from above and a wyvern fell from the sky. Dead with scorch marks on the corpse. Trapping the warrior under it. They tried to heft it but were unable. That left a few seconds for thoughts to fester. A damn Troll. The behemoth towered over most of the fighters around it. Fire still burned around its arms. Damnit. The troll looked down at the trapped one and lifted its arm to strike them down.

The elf was there in a moment. Slashing out to blind and incapacitate the troll. Who caught the scimitar and crushed it with its bare hand. The warrior did not watch the battle but she heard her ally die with a crunch of bone being crushed.

Suddenly there was a yell that seemed to shake the ground. A man the size of a mountain had appeared. The giant took a few steps forward crushing soldiers under its feet as it moved. Before bringing down a mighty siege tower with one blow.

he giant reached down and grabbed the troll tossing it away like a toy. The warrior didn’t recognize the giant. She did the only reasonable thing. She pried herself out from under the wyvern and ran. Giants were supposed to be extinct. Where did some other clan find it? It didn’t occur to the warrior that this may just be a druid using a mixture.

Fallencry
​

A beastfolk wielding a large axe. He decapitated his enemy and took a deep breath. An hour of battle he missed the times before the clans split. No matter how traitorous those thoughts may be. “Not done yet, brother” said the dwarf fighting beside him. The bearfolk sighed. “Apparently not”. Simultaneously deflecting a Steelbrand arrow with the flat of his weapon.

“How much longer do you think until the others waver from our might” said the dwarf. The bear man went along with it. While hacking away a Shadowscar that had tried to get the drop on the two. “Oh, any second now. Whenever our birds overtake Steelbrand’s dragon”. Laughed the bear.

A pained squawk followed by an almost roasted bird showed how “close” the birds were to that feat. “Well when it’s all over many will make the trip to Starforge. Want to bet how many” said the dwarf. It was unfathomable how these two could joke at each other over such a conflict. But the two didn’t seem fazed by the anguish of death around them.

“Don’t gamble with the dead. Shall we say how long until the clan leaders goad their Druids into joining the battle” said the Bear man. The dwarf shrugged. “What are the clan druid’s names again. Ours is Kerchev correct. What’s their apprentice’s name again”. The bear man shrugged. “Can’t remember for the life of me mate”.

“Yeah, but Kerchev’s getting old. I doubt they’re going to hop in. What about the Shadowscar’s”. Said the dwarf. “They’ve got a greenhorn if I recall. Though their Shaman’ll probably hop in soon and bring a mess of demons with’em” said the bear person.

“Ironforge’s is probably going to stay safe and sound in a siege tower” said the dwarf. The bear man thought while hacking apart a goblin. “That leaves, Gaether, Steelbrand’s. You think that old bastard’ll hop in."

“Eh, well Gaether’s a prig, if Silenus tries to egg him into joining the skirmish he probably won’t just to smart about it” said the dwarf. That was when the massive shout reached their ears. They saw the giant and stood slackjawed. “I’ve been wrong before mate” said the dwarf.

The bear man raised his axe. “If we focus on the giant we can bring it down. They’re not immortal”. The bear man charged his massive adversary with a righteous battle cry.
"FOR FALLENCRY!"

Ironforge
​

Inside of the massive siege engines Ironforge’s warriors sat around laughing and drinking as they shared ale, and bread. While spectating the battle below. “Watch that golem crush that bloke’s head. Hilarious” said a satyr.

A young dwarf let loose a volley of cannonballs on Steelbrand’s wall. “It’s like shooting the broad side of a barn. Good thing we didn’t give them time to reinforce the wall” bragged the dwarf.

A circle of elves gave jovial chuckles. “At this rate they’ll never even put a dent in this siege engine. We’ll win for sure, then there’s only one clan, us. The whole land will be ours” said a bearded man. Carrying a bit more ale.

He waved off the dwarf. “You can’t aim drunk, wait for your firing shift t’be over” said the man. Taking a massive swig. The dwarf sulked and growled. This bastard had no right to tell him when to be drunk. “Oof ya missed it. That dragon just burned a Shadowscar to ash” said a satyr by the window.

The dwarf rushed over. He’d missed it. “This is boring, why can’t they just give up. We’re going to win it’s inevitable” said the bearded man.
There was a massive crash as a man who stood three meters taller than even the tallest siege engine stomped onto the battlefield.


“What the hell” said the satyr. The bearded man picked up a musket. “DRUID! Prepare for a real fight” he said. Aiming the primitive firearm out of the window. Hitting the giant square in the eye. The behemoth of a man yelled in pain and staggered forward. Crushing a wave of Fallencry going to rush it.
One punch penetrated the engine sending its crew flying. With that Ironforge’s assured victory was wrested away from them.

Steelbrand
​

Gaether sighed. It’d only been two years. What was wrong with the clans. Maybe he should’ve done something. To stop the elders. If he’d gotten the Druids together the genocide may have been avoided. But then the other Druids were old. Gaether was talented at his craft but he’d never expected to be possibly the most powerful living Druid.

What would his teacher think of him? Standing on the wall while people died below him. People he’d called friends and allies just two years ago. “What are you pondering Master” asked Uve. The speckled lynx was lounging around his feet. “Just how pissed Silenus is going to get when the wall crumbles” said Gaether. Lying. But he was a good liar.

“Don’t say that” said Uve. “Say what” said a voice that Gaether knew too well. Silenus walked up to the pair flanked by two members of his troll vanguard. “Just Chiron’s gotten ugly over the years” said Gaether.

Uve let his master get away with that. Not ratting him out. “Why haven’t you jumped into battle yet” demanded Silenus. Gaether shrugged. “Not very fair for me to jump in, not like the other druids are jumping to slaughter”.

Silenus narrowed his eyes. “This isn’t fair it’s war. Gulp down one of your damn potions and jump in. A giant would be nice right about now”. Gaether gritted his teeth. It was against Druid code to use a potion that rare and powerful for such a thing.

“I’ll crush Steelbrand’s as well. At that size I won’t be able to avoid it” said Gaether. Silenus laughed. The trolls nervously joined in. “Since when do you care. Consider them sacrifices for the greater good. Steelbrand’s victory”.

For once Gaether was lost for words. “I” he said. Silenus stopped him and said in a dangerous tone. “Is that disloyalty”. Gaether sighed. “It’s on your conscience” said Gaether. Pulling out a vial. Druidcraft couldn’t be allowed to die. Gaether needed to live. He leapt off of the wall. After gulping down the vial.

The normal sensation of changing hit him like a truck. His body felt like it was on fire as he grew in size. He landed with his fist in the ground. Crushing a golem as he landed. He lifted his head and gave out a massive yell. Stomping towards a siege tower and bringing it down with one punch.

The rest was a blur. Uve watched from the tower with Silenus walking away chuckling at Steelbrand’s stolen victory. “Poor slavedriver” said Uve. As his master raged on crushing everything in his wake.

(ALL CREDIT GOES TO Yahhah FOR MAKING THE DAMN BATTLE OF IRONSTAR!)