Aurelia

He looked sternly at the demon, scoffing at her request. " I will not follow a beast such as yourself anywhere. I had very private business to attend too here, none must know of my pressence. I am leaving." He stated as he and his guards turned and were quickly gone. "If you want to talk, find me in Venterra beast! If you can survive that is." He chuckled behind his back. Soon she was in silence, Sergei was gone and she was not going to find him in the city again. Sergei had spies in Advara and was meeting with them that day. Once he had gotten his new intelligence he left, back for home. Back to his wall of troops. The war was coming to an end, be it his side, the demons, or Advara to win. It is ending very very soon. He intended to be on the winning side. No matter who's side it was.

With Sergei's return to the border and his war camp there was a new mood upon the camp. The attack was soon to begin, and Advara's border was finally going to be crushed. Sergei had united Eastern Venterra and some of the stronger western lords to the same cause, the demon's border wasn't the biggest thing they worried of at the present time. Sergei looked out over the hill of his tent. At the thousands of men armed and waiting to march. The men cheered, talked, and drank before the march. It was an attack at Dusk so they had a small amount of time to wait. "Hopefully Biorn will hold that border. When this one falls we will be able to take Advara swiftly." He told his higher rankings officers. Soon the battle horns blared and catapults launched their loads. A large battle cry rang out over the land as the masses of men rushed the Advaran border and camp. "It is time they see the true hand of the north!" He shouted as he lead is men into the fight. Arrows were loosed upon the battlefield and Sergei had to do everything to react fast enough to raise an ice shield. The sounds of battle rang out everywhere something Sergei truly felt was home. With that, the battle began.

Lauryn Auriol
Upon waking from her nightmare of the previous day Lauryn Auriol had come to a grave realization... something had to be done to change the horrible future foreseen in her dream, so she collected her personal army known as the Steadfast Vanguard; a collection of roughly 500 elite Advarian soldiers. She marched her men to the border with intentions of meeting peacefully in an attempt to negotiate with the Venteran Forces she would be at the border soon...

The men at the border had been well aware and ready on the border. Upon the walled fortifications archers lined the walls firing volley after volley of arrows, the occasional ballista bolt being fired from a tower. The men were overall in the more defended and tactically secure location. As the archers fired from above occasionally having to disperse only to regroup do to catapult fire while the greater brunt of the warriors held the gate in tight formation waiting incase the gate was breached. The men sat defensively waiting as there strong fortifications and position would kill roughly a few hundred men peeling away at the Veteran forces.

On man on the wall a marksman whose job was to target high value targets set his gaze upon Sergei and smiled formed on the corners of his mouth as nocked an arrow on his large bow and fired an arrow at the man. He cursed as the man had brought his shield up right in time to block the arrow. The man had found himself a target and would no focus on this man as he ran down the wall to get a better position.

(For future reference please do not start an attack and assume your are going to be victorious, this battle will be done of the course of a few post. So do not make post that I can not counter such as "venteran forces kill all the soldiers in a matter of minutes" or something as I will ask you to edit it.)

Arrows rained down upon the masses. Soldiers fell to his left and right as Sergei stormed towards the wall. He knew he picked up an archer's sights. and he planned on keeping he defense up. The Siege towers were rolling towards the wall as the catapult pelted the enforcement. Sergei could see Advara was well prepared for the raid this time, with this some panic overtook him. He closed in on the wall and into the blindspot of the archers. He kept his head up for any sort of counter attack below the wall.

He watched as large amounts of the Venterran forces were picked off by the steady rain of arrows. All he could do was pray teh siege towers would arrive, and if not it would be a full retreat. Something he couldn't afford at this point. His eyes then turned to the gate, and the men working to break it. If that opened, they had the advantage of outnumbering them from what he understood. He found breathing room for the moment but he knew a hardfought battle was ahead of him, wether he were to survive or the north be captured. He was here to finish this god forsaken war. "A tower approaches!" He heard shouted among the men with him below the wall. With the first of what seemed to be very few towers left at this point landign on the wall. The first wave of men set to a skirmish with the defenders.

Advarian Army

The marksmen that had been hunting Sergei had lost sight of him and his brow furrowed in rage. Then he had suddenly heard a large crashing noise less than fifty meters to his left; it was the large door of a siege tower opening and releasing a small yet steady stream of men. The archers kept calm under these circumstances do to the famed discipline all members of the Advarian army had as they put their bows away and pulled out their shields and blades and defended themselves from the onslaught.

The invaders were making progress from the siege tower slowly but surely, but there was one thing that the Venteran Armies had not noticed, the ground in front of the gate was slick and oily in a semi-translucent black pungent liquid. With knowledge of this a captain on the wall saw the threat the tower was and ordered his men to shoot flaming arrows at the oil and it would combust and burn intensely incinerating or catching ablaze everything at the base of the wall. Chances are this would catch the tower on fire from the bottom as it would likely slowly burn upwards.

On the opposite side of the gate the men sat and arranged in a well known formation used by the Advarians; They had a line of with swords and large shields, behind them they had a row of pikemen, and behind them a line of archers. This made an effective formation that was very hard to charge upon and was able to consistently cause maximum devastation if not dealt with quickly somehow. While they gate hadn't fallen yet they were preparing incase it did or for possibly something else...

Biorn could all ready see the camp from a distance it looked quite small for a military camp and as he could get a batter look at it he was amazed by how smell the camp is "if the demons attack we have no chance of denfending this border.Sergei must be crazy if he thinks sending me here would do any good"Biorn thought to himself.he looked at his men at least they were real men they were warriors you could tell just by looking at them that they fought countless battles and they are still here thats for Biorn means a good warrior.He went to the command tent as he walked in he realized this is the first time he will be commanding up untill now he did the tactics and strategy and fought the battles but he was never the one to give the orders, he chuckled to him self as he sat down and started reading the latest scout reports on the demons movement Biorn didnt know much about the demons except what every one knows, they werent his enemies there was no reason for him to study them but now they are.One report peeked his intrest it was about a gathering of demons near the gate it looks like there was a leader some one who order every one to come and issued orders to the other demons this scared Biorn up un till now he thought the demons structure is some what close to the tribes in the north where every group has his own leader and they some times even fight them self he thought that was the only reason why the demons didnt prevail yet, now he thought that the demons maybe scared for some reason from the humans but he knew that wasnt the case "there must be a reason for why they didnt go all out on us,their numbers are all ready big enough"Biorn couldnt figure it out so he just thanked the gods and hoped they wont invade soon since right now they are far from ready.

Sergei was up the tower with the fourth wave, him and his personal outfit of soldiers, most of them kinsmen or strong warriors from his own tribe. When the got to the top the battle waged somewhat well in their favor against archers, but the real advarian infantry had shown up, and it had proved to be a rather unstoppable force. They were establishing a landing zone somewhat effectively, until he heard the cries of "Fire!" And watched as the siege tower burst into flames. to ground behind him. He cursed to himself knowing that the only thing they had left was the heavily defended gate, one which has proven almost impossible to break. Up top Sergei was engaged in heavy combat with advarian soldiers. He was able to hold his own and so were his guard, but the weaker soldiers of the north, the first few waves, fell before him like sheep to a wolf. The numbers they managed to get topside before the siege tower was burnt to the ground, along with the sieging soldiers in it or around it, were small and at the rate they were falling dropping by the minute. Sergei knew it would soon be him and his own men left to stand up top and he wasn't ready to die just taking the border. With what men he had left he established a wall and behind it he drew his horn and sounded for a retreat. Intel was wrong and clearly they had the border heavily guarded. He wasn't going to slaughter his forces just to get behind it. The men inside continued to fight with the few advarians that didn't recognize the horn but for the most part the soldiers stood down. Sergei knew what was to come, but he wouldn't let Venterra fall to the Advarans. He spotted the high guard of Advara, and their leader Lauryn among them. All he could do was await her arrival before him. He looked over the wall to see what was left on the battlefield, all the dead men and charred corpses. He looked out to the north to see the forces safely retreating out of archer range. Atleast what was left of them, and he smiled, knowing they'd continue to fight if need be.

Lauryn Auriol

Lauryn Auriol saw the flames rolling in the distance, nearly a mile away. She had assumed the worse as she ordered her men to swiften the paces of their horse as they now ran towards the wall the banner of Advara flowing in the wind behind her along with the personal banner of house Auriol.

Mere minutes had past and her guard were approaching the fortified wall and battlements of the border. She had slowed her pace as she looked seeing none had seemed to penetrated the gate, she had also heard a familiar horn; she knew this was the horn of retreat custom to Venteran officers and generals. She looked up to the wall and saw the burning tower and the few men left on the wall in a defensive formation, and among them she saw the face of a man whom she had seen on the battlefield many times in the past. She ordered her guard to secure the walls and gate and dismounted her mount and took off her banner and held it in hand as she scaled the steps until she was on the same level as Sergei and his few warriors.

The woman now stead less than 10 meters (roughly 30 feet) away from the man safely behind 4 of her elite guard. She had her hand set on the hilt of her rapier and handed the banner to a nearby guard as she walked a few feet forward. She was wearing her armor and took off the helmet as she started to speak. "Sergei Kottorov, High General of Wintercliff... It seems to me that you have been caught by my forces". She used her hand and pushed the hair out of her face to get a better look at the man in the eyes for a moment as she thought of what she would do and how her action would affect her vision from the previous nights.

She turned away from the man as she walked away slowly looking at the battle field where Venteran corpses sit burning and the bodies of her own men sat ont he wall. Her head looked over her shoulder slightly. "Send his men to the gate and allow them to live... Sergei stays as I require him for something" She walked a few more steps. "He is not a prisoner as of yet, keep this in mind". She started walking down once more and her men looked shocked as Lauryn was not one known to be merciful to captives. This was very strange to them as they opened the gate and let all but Sergei leave.

Sergei watched as his men reluctantly departed from the gate, free to return back to the others, free to fight another day. He smirked, mainly because he knew she wouldn't kill him. She needed him, as much as he needed this border. Atleast that's the impression he was now under. He spat at what she said. "Captured? No, I've simply spared the bloodshed there would have been today." He spoke in his accent. He looked Lauryn in the eyes and spoke harshly. "So you say you need me do you?" He smirked in her direction as though he had the upper hand in the situation.


Back at the now reassembling war camp some armored riders were sent, to cross out to the other border of Venterra where Biorn was assigned to lead the camp. They rode with the banners of Wintercliff and had the fastest horses the north could offer. Their message was of Sergei's retreat and capture behidn the Advaran wall, Biorn was to be in command until Sergei was either returned or dead. This meant he would more than likely need to travel yet again, all the way out to the Advaran border for negotiations. The treacherous land in btween was known for its rogue lords or bandits. Meaning the convoy would more than likely be delayed a couple of days.

Sergei's blood brother Olaf was already regrouping the men of the north and planning a new form of assault on the wall, one that they would hopefully succeed in. The gate was heavily damaged and very close to being broken. With this notion construction was soon begun on a battering ram, something they had been without in the first assault.

Lauryn Auriol
Lauryn had paid very little attention to Sergei comment at the moment as she gave orders to the men having them make quick repairs to the walls and having them re-oil the ground in front of the wall and now the gate and if all else failed Lauryn had one last line of defense in mind but this was secret to all but her most trusted men. The forces were now bolstered by the Queen or Sovereign as she prefered Lauryn's personal guard more than making up for the losses from there earlier battle. The wall was now ready for another assault or as ready as it could be. With the wall attended to she walked into the tent where Sergei was being kept...

She walked slowly in as she set her helmet on the table with a map of the gate and surrounding area, she set her hands on the table and cleared her throat to speak. Her voice was gentle and soft yet there was an undertone of frustration in it. "Sergei you know you wouldn't have won this battle... and I decided not to make you my prisoner as a show of good faith do not make me change my decision" Her eyes shifted slowly up to the large man who towered over her. "And please don't think that I need you, you are disposable to me, infact I expect your men to attempt to get you once more. Would be a shame if they were to fail in taking my wall and the greater part of your army were decimated trying to besiege these walls. Especially with what i've set up for them..."

She walked outside the tent and crossed her arms, outside the tent were men loading something into the walls and behind the walls a series of catapults and ballistae were set up to punish and demolish any returning Venteran forces. She turned to Sergei "No will you negotiate or will you lead your men to slaughter.."

Lauryn Auriol
Lauryn had paid very little attention to Sergei comment at the moment as she gave orders to the men having them make quick repairs to the walls and having them re-oil the ground in front of the wall and now the gate and if all else failed Lauryn had one last line of defense in mind but this was secret to all but her most trusted men. The forces were now bolstered by the Queen or Sovereign as she prefered Lauryn's personal guard more than making up for the losses from there earlier battle. The wall was now ready for another assault or as ready as it could be. With the wall attended to she walked into the tent where Sergei was being kept...

She walked slowly in as she set her helmet on the table with a map of the gate and surrounding area, she set her hands on the table and cleared her throat to speak. Her voice was gentle and soft yet there was an undertone of frustration in it. "Sergei you know you wouldn't have won this battle... and I decided not to make you my prisoner as a show of good faith do not make me change my decision" Her eyes shifted slowly up to the large man who towered over her. "And please don't think that I need you, you are disposable to me, infact I expect your men to attempt to get you once more. Would be a shame if they were to fail in taking my wall and the greater part of your army were decimated trying to besiege these walls. Especially with what i've set up for them..."

She walked outside the tent and crossed her arms, outside the tent were men loading something into the walls and behind the walls a series of catapults and ballistae were set up to punish and demolish any returning Venteran forces. She turned to Sergei "No will you negotiate or will you lead your men to slaughter.."

Striding through the demon camp, Alastor watched as the crowds loomed into sight, and subsequently parted, it had become frequent in the past couple of days that the demon leader had drawn together crowds of demons to offer out orders, As many demons were hungry and wishing to get out and fight. Though it seemed now the leader wished to send Alastor out himself, to try and fulfill a step within his plan.

The once booming noise of the crowd lessened to a din, as they regarded Alastor with unease, without a doubt he was one of the few demons within the army bar the leader himself that could command respect, even the leader understood that. " Alastor... you are to take a small force of demons and probe the northwest border... try and guage their resistance.. you are not to lead a siege do you understand?"

" If they come out... then i will engage" Alastor more told the leader, but still waited to see a reaction from him, as it was still was meant to be a question

" Very well.... the detachment waits on the outskirts"

" Tell them to catch up... i wish to leave with haste" Alastor said curtly, striding off without another word. His steps were now filled with intent and swiftly he passed outside the camps boundaries and was on for a quick march towards the northwestern border, He would undoubtedly arrive there on his own, and early, but probably near the mornings end, he hoped he might catch the borders patrol having breakfast

He eyed her down, he knew intimidation wasn't something he could use on Lauryn, past experiences on the field had led to that. "Let us negotiate then, friend." He stuttered out with distaste. "Tell me your terms Lauryn, for I believe we both know the fate that becomes us both." He looked out past her towards the gate. "You're gate is nearly finished, I don't believe a second siege would be kept out. Remember, we do have numbers over you here. Your border has faced more of an onslaught from the demons then ours, your fancy walls won't keep them out forever. With us breaking this gate, the eventual fall of Advara would surely come with it, if not from us then from the demons that would soon take over the North." He looked to her, she could see a tell of sadness in the last few words he spoke.

Back at the camp Olaf prepared for the second siege it was to happen if Sergei wasn't released by tomorrow night. The ram was ready, the gate would fall and the masses would soon poor into the border of Advara. In what was Sergei's command tent Olaf spoke to the captains and planned tactics and strategies rather than feasting with the men.

On the trail towards the border the messengers faced hard fought challenges, losing three men on the very first day to bandit attacks. Within the next few days one messenger remained, heavily wounded and without message he rode towards the border. Hoping to survive what may come.

Lauryn Auriol
Sergei's words had caused her to become agitated as she thought the man was stubborn and borderlines on ignorance, now this may have been from her lack of personal knowledge of the man but she turned to him and gestured to the wall "Sergei your men are undisciplined and fight barbarically. Do not think they will enter Advara ... those fancy walls stand 90 feet high and nearly 30 feet thick, and they have kept your kinsmen out since the days of your treacherous Founder Daedriaus (The creator of Ventera often worshipped as a god among men). Even if you do manage to break the gate my little... surprise will guarantee not a single Venteran soul crosses into Advara." She pointed to the men were loading some barrels into the walls of the great wall, Sergei wouldn't know but these were explosives to be triggered should The invaders break the gate, This would effectively create an impassable mountain of rubble on the border.

She calmed down now remembering the issue at hand and leaned on the table. "I want you and your men off my border immediately. I need these men on the southern borders near Pandemonium... they are massing up and preparing an assault on my border and i'll imagine yours as well and to be honest the demons worry me more than your people."She walked to the opening of the tent and looked towards the wall. "But i'm curious do you think if Advara falls to either the demons are even your own troops that Ventera will be able to fend them off... If they could take on an empire with like the might of Advara what will stop them from running through your lands?" She laughed "Brute force will not stop these demons."

She thought on this she knew more than anyone that demons would crush everything in there path and this worried her yet she kept up the facade of being in control as she knew that if Sergei wouldn't see reason then this war was already over. This meant if she couldn't convince him then i'd be up to the angel of death and she would have to blow the wall on the border to halt the increasingly aggressive Venteran armies. "I want you to think on this; do you think Ventera even as great as you think it is can take the demons?" She paused for a moment continuing to stare into the distance "Now you have my permission to leave just bare this in mind Sergei Kottorov..."

Sergei laughed at her words, he looked out South with a crooked smile, then back towards the wall and gate. "You are as naive as I figured you would be, why is it you think we're trying to get into Advara? We could care little for your culture and empire, we want to hide behind your wall as much as you and your puny men do." He began to walk towards the wall. "Wintercliff will fall, that is something I've known since the gate opened. I just wish the men and woman of Venterra wouldn't be forced to go with it because of you and your bloody empire." With that he turned and picked up his pace.

A scout at the camp came running, the gate was opening. The moment the message arrived Olaf and a landing party of six armored men were off towards the gate on horseback. The force was too small for them too be aggressive so they didn't fear Advarian retaliation. They brought with them a riderless horse in anticipation of Sergei's release.


Sergei's mind rested on the demons, and the impending doom ahead of them. The Justicars were not a group Sergei trusted, having entrusted a demon. He despised Western Venterra but knew he'd need to unite Venterra under one probable cause in order to survive the demon invasion. He also feared Advarian trickery and invasion aswell but that was the least of his worries. The Justicar beast was looking for him. He figured it would be sometime tonight.

Lauryn Auriol
Lauryn sat with her hands behind her back as the man walked by, she had a rather foreboding look on her face; yet she couldn't help but fill a small amount of guilt for her actions and words. She had misjudged the General even if she disagreed with his actions she could respect his thoughts were of the safety of his people. She also felt this way after hearing that so many people even Venterans would fall to such a horrible fate.

She almost decided to stop Sergei but her pride stopped her, she even for the way she felt could not bring herself to swallow her pride and propose an alliance or even a ceasefire. None the less she could only assume or hope that she had at least talked Sergei into going to take his troops to his own border despite her better judgement she still feared retaliation and decided that she must leave her armies divided, leaving half here and the other half defending the border. She did this begrudgingly but felt it necessary.

She gathered her personal guard and sent them towards Freymere where she would ready the rest of her armies to dispatch for the gate and where she would send a portion to the border. She then turned around to face the remaining men who would hold the gate. "I want repairs started on the walls" She thought long and hard about the last part. "Take the explosives from within the walls, they are to precious to destroy." She had realized one thing from Sergei and this was destroying the wall would be a terrible decision and she realized that she had lost herself in the moment to her zealous hatred instilled in her. She then Started to speak once more. "We are not abandoning you brethren and I would not lead you to slaughter, if the Venteran come in force before I return or before reinforcements come fall back to Freymere and we will retaliate in force..." She hopped on her horse and held the banner of Advara and raised it "For Advara!" She turned and rode off toward Freymere.