The Sheep Wars (Work In Progress)

[kirk2111]

   The man had been found bound by spells in a cave near the site of the final battle of the first great war, a legend some said, others simply called him a ghost of times gone by. Either way, now he was very much a real, living, breathing creature once again. The soldier who found him, had tripped upon a small stone, which had formed a binding circle around him. Freeing the ancient creature from its slumber, compared to his modern descendants he seemed to tower over them. These creatures where no longer the docile beasts of labor he had lead into a revolution, instead now they where battle hardened warriors, a thought which crossed his mind and stung at his soul, "This is my fault..." Nagging upon his very essence as he reviewed the basic history of the past half a millennium. Finding the world had been thoroughly enraptured with war since that fateful day, where the scale had finally tipped. Now standing in a museum of those fallen hero's he glanced down at the broken remnants of his blade, the one which he had started this war with... Finding himself slipping towards the past and reliving what was now revered in as a moment of victory.

-Approximately Five Hundred Years Earlier-

   The General, the man who had lived far past his time stood at the head of the table. "What you are telling me is they have us cornered is that it?" Snapped out of at his nearest Lieutenant, the sad eyes lifted to look at their leader. "Backed into this narrow Valley, they have some sort of Mage upon this hill.." Pointing down at the large layout of the map, "The only exit, if any of us get close well... They get more lamb chops." He muttered with a look of dejection upon his face. The General shook his head, even in his own time he was on the tall size. A fair layer of muscle upon his body as well from a hard life as slave labor, and the past five years on the front lines of the war. "Gather a group of Archers, I need them to distract this Mage..." An idea forming in his mind of how to get their army out of this small valley and back into the main fray. The enemy forces where currently on route towards their capital, should they arrive it would be game over. To many of their best and brightest where gathered in that one spot attempting to set about how they would rule themselves once free of this empire.

   Slipping from the table, the General moved to his tent. Pulling out the blade he had been gifted by one of their god's, their creators. Its steel blade glistened in a way nothing else he had seen did, it even seemed to slightly glow from time to time. He paused to pull his mind back out of its ramblings, focusing upon the battle he was about to engage in. Dawning the thick leather armor he knocked his fist against it, "Not that this will do any good against magic..." Pausing he pulled off the armor. "And the Mage is all they have positioned there, something my unit is without.. Odd coincidence there." He muttered in thought, concerned now that this could all be an elaborate set up to finish him and his unit off. He after was the poster boy for the rebellion, the model that all of his compatriots longed to be. He paused to look into a mirror, a hand rested upon the hilt of his blade as he gave a curt nod to himself. "Its time for me to face my destiny."

   The archer's bows where drawn as their General exited his tent, the collection of ten rag tag soldiers moving forward, under the command of the Lieutenant. Giving their General one final glance before they broke from the camp and moved forward a hundred yards. A blast of Fire erupting into the ground before the small unit as the Mage unleashed its magic upon them. Bows drawn, they returned fire, forcing their opponent to take a step back, and for a moment lose his vantage point. The General wasted not a moment, as he dashed for the small opening which lead to a path up the side of the hill. Stalling near the top, as he ducked, waiting to hear another eruption of fire and volley of arrows before taking that step up and into the open of the hilltop.

   The sound of the exchange of blows came only a minute later, driving the General out of his hiding spot and forcing him to race out into the open. Appraising the situation swiftly as he took sight of the old man, one he had seen before. "...No it can't be?" It appeared to be the actual leader of the Empire, a withered husk of a creature. Its head turned towards the General and a sicken grin appeared, "Finally the hero emerges, ready to end this failure of a rebellion are we?" Stalling as it prepared a frost ray, cursing itself softly for falling for such a simple diversion tactic. Not bothering to wait for the attack he could see was coming the General made a dash forward. "We shall end this war, one of us will fall today!" He boasted, forcing courage through this startling development.

   The Emperor couldn't prepare the cast in time to stop the General from getting with in range for the fools blade to be drawn. The sword slicing through the air, stopped in mid swing by a blast of ice from the dark mage's finger tips. "So close..." It chastised, its frail body glowing with an unnatural power. The General looked completely taken back, but his mouth actually dropped as the glow of the blade grew brighter. "What trickier is this?" The emperor stammered as the blade broke free of the icy spell, a minutiae crack appearing upon the steel of the blade. The edge of the blade, leaving a shallow cut across the Emperor's body, who had managed to take a step back after its initial shock. Dropping its hand to the blade at its hip, drawing it. Both blades glowing a faint green, "So there was another enchanted blade.. and you of all people had it.." Knowing the General's swordsmanship would outshine his own he began to mentally prepare a spell, to transport the two of them. This day's battle may go to the General, but the revolution would still lose its hero. Of that he was sure, no matter what the cost he would ensure that at least was done.

   From the ground the archer's drew their arrows back, the Lieutenant raised his hand. "Hold your fire. We need to move out, the diversion is working. Hopefully there is only a token force in our way outside this barrier.." A gathering of Knights and Swordsmen moving forward, to dismantle their fortification, the archer's bows drawn as they watched the slowly clearing opening. Aiming to rid themselves of as many issues ahead of time as possible. Sure enough as the barrier came down, only a small collection of soldiers stood in their way. A soft gasp escaped from one of the Knights as he is lifted off the ground by a spell. "Fire!" The Lieutenant yells sharply, the zing of the arrows fill the air. "The emperor's guard?" He muttered in disbelief, raising his eyes to look at their General.

   The Emperor grinned as their blades clashed once again, the two enchanted blades causing a sound like thunder to fill the valley. "Your men seem a little troubled..." Casting a quick glance down to see the small collection of his troops engaging what he was sure was the Emperor's personal body guard the General smirked. "Yours seem finished..." He countered as another boom landed, and a sickening crack as the two blades cracked further. The emperor grinned, "...Teleport.." Dropping a small pebble to the ground, it erupted into a grey smoke and then a burst of light engulfed the two combatants. The enchanted blades still locked in the last blow finally shattering as they fell to the ground with a thud. The rest was a blur to the General, the last thing he saw was the circle of stones being completed by the Emperor, who fell to his knees. "Bind!" The man cried out, removing the General from the war, but at the cost of his own life.