As the new days sunlight breaches the fortress' windows Yorun stands at the gates watching the pathway up to the fortress as a group arrives just outside the fortress barriers, they carry containers that are large enough to be bigger than several of his villages houses. Yorun teleports there and looks at the group, he sees several Djelir and Dwarves as well as some of the animated suits of armour he saw the previous day holding up the containers. The Djelir and Dwarves look at him happily.
"Consider what we bring today the down payment or just rewards for yesterday's first 'shipment' from you. This will allow you to fully figure out what is best for yourself as its a singular shipment of each invention we believe to be best for you" One of the dwarves say
"That is fine, drop the containers then I shall inspect them while you can return home" Yorun said receiving excited nods from the people before him
The animated armours gently put the containers down and step back as they and the people teleport away. Yorun scans the containers then teleports with the containers back up to the fortress after determining they are safe though the lingering doubt is there as he knows these people are advanced in their magics. Once he has the containers in the courtyard he opens one container looking into it he sees golem launchers neatly packed inside quickly scanning it is exactly 50 as he was told.
"Happy with the delivery?" Yanikast asked as he walked into the courtyard
"Only opened one container thus far but currently yes. You're holding to the agreement" Yorun said
Yorun opens a portal to Kragrum and several undead begin coming out and taking the golem launchers through the portal as he opens the next container containing 10 of the animated armours which are packed in there in crouched stances yet even like this they are as big as the average human.
"Just supply a little magic to their bodies after that what's within their bodies will begin working perpetually until forcefully stopped" Yanikast said
Yorun gave a sliver of magic to each of the animated armours more than he needs for a simple undead nowadays yet green flames appear within the helmets eye slit as they stand up slowly with metallic clangs emanating out as they do so before they march out of the container and line up side by side outside it.
"Commands?" Yorun asked as he looked to Yanikast
"These ones can understand pretty much any simple command as well as some higher tier commands dependant on how long they've been active, how much magic has been stored within them and other such things. Give them a random simple command and then a complex one if the complex one doesn't work then just give them some magic and see if it works then otherwise I'll tell you what is needed" Yanikast said making Yorun look to the animated armours
"Shield wall" Yorun said with a commanding tone
The animated armours got close together in their line and held one arm out in front of them horizontally with the gauntlets metal shifting and warping into a shield closely linking them together in a shield wall.
"Surprised that wasn't an issue with the little magic given" Yorun said
"Admittedly we've made the armours very receptive to this kind of magic for several reasons, both labour and combat related" Yanikast said
"Aye indeed, our brilliant inventors and researchers figured out some good things for this but it adds to the complexity of them hence the small amount in each shipment" Dyre said as he walked into the courtyard
"Alright, complex..." Yorun said as he thinks to himself
"Turtle formation around Yorun, spears and lightning between openings for further offense and defence" Golanier said with a gruff tone as he looked into the courtyard
The animated armours moved into formation as much as they could given their limited numbers while keeping the shields but as they try to conjured spears and lightning they suddenly stop before the shield shrinks away back into a normal gauntlet and the armours stand stock still once more.
"That'd definitely be more complex especially given their limited number and the rest of the command. With a bit more time for the magic to 'wake' them and some additional magic given they'll be able to do that" Dyre said
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"Takes more magic than my normal soldiers but they also can easily be 'awakened' and commanded by others that aren't me, could be useful for those who can't raise the dead who are allies" Yorun said
"Indeed" Golanier said
"Next time I send dragon materials I'll sense them back in these containers, may as well reuse them. For now I have future war battles to strategize with some others, Golanier let's go" Yorun said
Yorun and Golanier leave the courtyard and head to the war room while the undead continue to take the golem launchers into Kragrum. When Yorun and Golanier enter the war room they look to Sunhale who sets up a quick temporary Darkness of Otaper then when connected to it he shapes the darkness into the war room of the Qur'Anther Palace, shadow versions of Yorun, Golanier and Sunhale appear within the room.
"Thank you for joining us, as we have yet to meet I am Virtalias, Master of the Land" Virtalias said
"While I am Tilaster, Master of the Seas"
"Given my army's presence on both land and sea now, I shouldn't be surprised to be talking with experts on both matters for the war. Anything you need my forces assistance with?" Yorun asked
"There are seven sieges ongoing at the moment, spread across the Fiernian empires territory" Virtalias said as they use magic to highlight the locations on the nearby map which Sunhale also highlights outside what the Darkness shows
"We can send some forces there give us numbers on what you need there and we'll see what can be done, at the very least a few undead mages will be sent to recoup the undead forces from the dead and dying at the sieges
"Meanwhile for the moment the seas are calm and we'd be interested in making your new fleet be up to snuff both for our own sake and yours" Tilaster said
"We would appreciate that but how about we get on to the next matter, a combined attack on the next big target" Golanier said
"Any ideas as to where?" Virtalias asked
"The Fiernian Fortress of Ghilantriaz it's the next place we should go for and it'd weaken the forces of surrounding areas, once upon a time I took this fortress and as such I have no doubt its still got some old counter measures the humans made after I was defeated" Golanier said
"If so then it definitely benefits a living armies aid which is where our forces would come in" Virtalias said
"Indeed, Tilasters naval forces wouldn't be left out either. This fortress is near enough the sea that ships within it could fire upon the fortress from a different angle" Golanier said
Yorun sees another appear within the room though the dark version of them in Sunhale's recreation of the palace room is more notable, more solid even with the fluidity of the darkness.
"Virtalias, Tilaster, the reports of Ghilantriaz" Reifal said
"Thank you Reifal, have you met the necromancer personally?" Virtalias asked as he took the report to look over while Reifal looks towards the shadow version of Yorun
"Hello chosen of Raeknar" Reifal said before the dark figure of himself disappeared
"Virtalias, what do those reports say?" Yorun asked
"Ghilantriaz lives up to the name fortress, under normal circumstances not as strong as the one you currently control however it seems they've quickly increased the strength of it's defences, several new barriers, both divine and not, new siege weapons and plenty of new soldiers within as well. Reports indicate construction going on as well however nothing has happened on the outside so it is unknown what has been done" Virtalias said
"And to top it all off we know that Emperor Durenkals second son Hykalin is coming for me now" Yorun said offhandedly
"That could be a problem, should this siege drag on long enough he could intervene, the second son as far as we know has always been a very strong mage and far more calm and calculating than his elder brother. Unfortunately the siege is liable to go on too long to avoid his attention and as such we need to be wary of that, surround the fortress so that if he comes we shall know, I can have my ships given their distance keep an eye out more on the shoreline and skies" Tilaster said
"It is appreciated Tilaster. Both our armies will need their backs watched" Virtalias said
"Regardless, for the siege itself the problem will be the barriers particularly the divine one, which god was involved with it?" Yorun asked
"Who else? The god of war. Only way that barrier comes down is with enough death thanks to the war be it bloodshed or starvation, if they hide behind it they know they can have it stay up for a long time" Virtalias said annoyed with the outcome
"Then it's a waiting game, they can't keep getting supplies. Teleportation barriers would have to be modified or taken down for those to be brought in and that'd allow us entry which could in time allow us to kill enough of them. A fortress like Ghilantriaz could hold enough for a year, if they've got more soldiers and if we assume they did the smart thing and that construction was to add more storage space for supplies then possibly more. The sooner we attack the less they can build and stock up" Golanier said and a silent look is given between them all
"I'll send the undead immediately, send elven forces by land and sea as soon as possible. The undead will surround the fortress to cut off everything as soon as possible. Inform me of when your forces arrive" Yorun said
"We shall, may the gods grant us victory" Virtalias and Tilaster said
"May we grant it ourselves" Yorun said
The next hours go quickly as the undead are readied for battle, several taking golem launchers for use within the siege. Yorun dreads how long this siege may last and what the Emperors second son shall do but he feels that it'll be difficult even if he cannot know the future. The feeling of impending death lurches within his soul distant and yet drawing in while Hykalin continues his plotting...
