1353
The Battle of Takien Falls
SuperZac
It was not long ago from the time of this writing that a great Battle took place at Takien Falls. Nae, I doubt you have heard of this place; it is deeper into the wilds than even the great Explorers of Malinor had ever ventured. Word of this battle did not reach many ears, it was only by chance I even heard tell of it. I was just sitting in my library, thinking, when I heard a pounding on my gate. Investigating, I found a bloodied man, nearly too weak to stand. He claimed to be the lone survivor from his side of a battle, and he had traveled many leagues searching for help. I knew his time was near and there was nothing I could do to save him, and yet, I was intrigued. I am not a cruel elf, so I let him in and brewed him a tea of hern leaves to ease the pain of his final hours. Sitting him down in my favorite chair, I beseeched him to tell me his story. So it was that I recorded, in full, the Battle of Takien Falls:  "My name is General Hakim, of the Seventh Tribe. I come from the far north, where there are Seven tribes of Humans, Elves, and Dwarves living unkown to the multitude of Aegis. We live in quiet indifference to the troubles of the people down here. Honest work and peaceful existence are our two codes. And yet, in all places where intelligent beings dwell, there must be some disturbance. 'Tis ineviteable; whether it be gold, power, or simple wickedness, none can live in peace for long. Since the formation of our tribes, naught but two centuries ago, the Orcs have always wanted a place in our Counsels. Alas, there were those of us who shunned the orcs, and that mistake has costed us dearly ever since. The orcs formed the Eight Tribe, and they built a city of their own not far away from our tribal clusters. They mostly to themselves, but occasionally, battles broke out and political slander exchanged. Thirty years ago, Aelpho'Razok took up the leadership of the Eight Tribe. While in the past some of leaders had been aggresive, this Razok was practically insane. He bided his time for those thirty years, learning the secrets of dark Sorcery. Seven days ago, he began rallying his people for war. Without warning, the great army of orcs laid waste to tribe after tribe, a fell mix of primal bloodlust and Razok's evil sorcery. So it was that us of the Seventh Tribe woke that morning to see six thick pillars of black smoke rising from each of the Tribe's respective towns. We amassed our forces, which were significantly greater than those of the the other tribes, and prepared to meet with the Orken army at our gate. At that time, a fierce thunderstorm struck, and the sky was filled with drops of water and bolts of white fire. Then, the orc invaders hit us. At first, we had the upper hand because of our skilled archers. But alas, they were only skilled because of our prowess for hunting, and the rest of our warriors were mediocre. It was then that we found that the orcs had been trained since birth to fight in hand-to-hand combat. Our ranks were mowed down easily. We were already almost outnumbered when Razok, curse his name, appeared and began his Dark chants. Suddenly, the orcs retreated! We of the Seventh Tribe were jubiliant for a few moments, thinking that we had finally driven off the invaders. Then, the first bolt struck. At first, we thought it to be normal lightning, as we were in a thunderstorm. But we quickly discovered the truth. This bolt did dissapear. No, it stayed, growing thicker and turning a purplish hue. Without warning, a barrage of these fell purple sparks began raining down into our ranks. Explosions filled the air, and I could see my men being thrown into the sky only to crash down to the dirt, (or onto a fellow soldier), and lay there, motionless. 'That was why the orcs retreated,' I thought to myself. 'They didn't want to be blasted as well.' A bolt of lightning exploded near me, and I saw no more. When I awoke, I was aware that I was covered with debris and corpses. Struggling out of the wreckage, I found my self at the base of a large pile composed mostly of what was previously my beloved village, and its inhabitants. The stone wall still stood, and on the other side of the sooty, fenced-in clearing, the orcs feasted and made merry. I was filled with a manical anger then, and, seeing the scum Razok among them, I lifted a nearby sword and charged at him. He nor his soldiers had time to react; I had pierce d the beast's heart before he had even seen what was running at him. And as the blade ran through his unworthy flesh, a surge of energy pulsed through the air, and his corpse exploded within a great ball of purple fire. I remember nothing after that until I woke up on the shores of a strange, icy lake. I was weak and vulnerable, but I managed to struggle through the Wilds, until I stumbled upon this place. You know the rest." His narrative complete, I could tell he was in a considerably weaker state than before he started. "Brother," I told him. "You and I both know you have naught long to live. Such plights take a heavy toll on the body." I was indeed sorry. He replied, with a trace of a grin on his face, "Aye, my good elf, I know it. But remember this: The orcs may have destroyed our city and our people, but the Seventh Tribe shall stand forever." With this, he clasped my shoulder, and he was no more.