The Fulcairns discuss the plans for the spring campaign with Count Tychon and Count Ukko. They decide they must intercept the Imperial army enroute to Stormpoint and appeal to the Taeghans to join them as a free and independent Taeghas. Cuinn discloses two things to the other counts-- the ancient crown of Taeghan kings, and the documents proving House Fulcairn once ruled Taeghas. Ukko states that these make her not just a rebel, but a legitimate claimant. Emboldened, they part ways until spring.
The armies of Wilder's Gorge, Bayside, and Portage begin to march. Aerona dispatches a magical message to Caern of Redstone, bidding him to join the fight for an independent Taeghas. Both armies' scouts become aware of each other, and the Imperial army sends a messenger to offer terms of surrender-- Thaliere vows that the soldiers will go unharmed if they join the host enroute to Stormpoint. In lieu of answering, Cuinn, resplendent in the tabard with the new crowned-griffon heraldry of free Taeghas, with hawk on wrist and a cairnhound following alongside, addresses the army, her voice magically boosted by Aerona. She entreats the Taeghan army to join them and fight for the freedom of Taeghas and its destiny as a sovereign nation and people, free from the yokes of both Boeruine and Avanil. The Imperial envoy leaves, Count Tychon spits at the ground in his wake, and the armies mobilize.
The Imperial army is a terrifying sight-- more than twice the size of the northern Taeghan army, equipped with siege engines and the wagons of the Imperial mage, the arcanist Xander. The Fulcairns nonetheless grimly urge their army forward. Suddenly a cry is heard from the Imperial army, urging Taeghans to fulfill their duty to the land and the common people of Taeghas. Someone names the speaker Valmyrri-- the long-lost vassal house of Wilder's Gorge. A mysterious vibration is felt. Two units, formerly in service to Islien, and a unit of Seasdeep turn against the Imperial army. The Silver Lions, led by Corliss Isilvaere, waver, undecided as to their allegiances.
The fighting begins in deadly earnest. Mara summons her horde of firehawks, Cuinn stays to protect her, and Aerona descends into the fray with the Bayside elite infantry. Almost immediately, a horrifying sight appears-- Xander has raised a massive iron golem encrusted with gems. Immune to normal weapons, it begins slaughtering the Valmyrri soldiers.
Cuinn, wielding her magical bow from Melehan's armoury, sends volley after volley at the iron titan. Mara, catching sight of Xander, sends a fireball not at him, but at his wagon of supplies. The alchemical reagents explode in a massive mushroom cloud, slaying a number of bystanders, though Xander manages to evade.
Aerona summons her ghostly warrior guardians and attempts to hold back the enemy infantry, but the Bayside infantry is taking heavy losses. Soon she finds herself face to face with the Haelynite priest whose magic is healing and bolstering them, and the two begin trading blows.
Xander and Mara are locked in a magical duel; Xander attempts to magically change Mara's form. She evades, but traps him in a sphere of magic, where he is immune to attacks but is unable to cast. He can, however, move slowly, and begins to inch away. They cannot give chase, for soon, Thaliere herself, face red with rage, and her Dragon Knights, are upon Cuinn, Mara, and their men-at-arms. Despite the protective shields of the Dragon Knights, Cuinn manages to strike Thaliere with two arrows before they are upon them and Cuinn is forced to drop her bow.
The Silver Lions, Corliss Isilvaere's unit, turns against the other units of Islien and joins the Taeghans, effectively betraying her father and family.
Mara's young mage assistant, Dorian, bravely takes on a Dragon Knight singlehandedly; all his magical abilities barely help him stay alive, and Mara can only watch, horrified. Their men-at-arms are clearly outmatched by the Dragon Knights, and Cuinn cannot stand toe-to-toe with Thaliere in melee combat; Thaliere rains blows on Cuinn, gravely wounding her. Cuinn gets in a lucky strike with her blades, and an odd golden light seeps from the wounds-- the Haelynite priest's magic has saved Thaliere's life. Mara makes a desperate, dangerous gamble-- she throws a fireball directly into the melee. A Dragon Knight hurls himself on Thaliere, taking most, but not all, of the damage for her. Taeghan men-at-arms and Dragon Knights alike perish in the blaze, but Cuinn's god-touched blood protects her; the majority of the flames sluice harmlessly off her. But Thaliere and two Dragon Knights survive, and rise.
Both Cuinn and Thaliere are so grievously wounded that both can barely stand and continue fighting. Mara draws her own blood to gain the power to cast one final spell-- she sends a storm of magic missiles at Thaliere that cut through her armour and perforate her body in a dozen places... finally slaying her.
Aerona and the Haelynite priest are locked in combat, and Aerona has greatly injured the priest, but she realizes that the decimated Bayside infantry are falling back, and she disengages to join them, shrugging off a handful of javelin strikes as she retreats.
The Taeghan men-at-arms surge forward to protect Cuinn, Mara, and Dorian, just as a horn sounds-- the Imperial army are finally falling back. The battle is won, at least for now. Miraculously, the other heads of the Houses have survived. They quickly confer over what to do. Tychon, ever zealous, wishes to pursue them and drive them off forever, but Ukko and Cuinn believe they need to regroup, tend the wounded, and assess the situation further, as the Imperial army has merely retreated, not been routed decisively.
Cuinn and Mara are greeted on the field by a trio of brothers who state they are of House Valmyrri. Cuinn thanks them for their service. One of them notes that his ancient legacy sword, the heirloom of their house, is still vibrating-- the characteristic vibration they all had sensed earlier in the battle. Cuinn asks what it means, but he replies "A family matter" and says no more.
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