Prologue

…

A cold autumn wind blew across the dry field. The scent of men and horses followed in its wake as the two armies squared off under a dismal gray sky.

"Looks like they're lightin the field sir" a man-at-arms reported.

"Trying to burn us off it" the knight captain surmised, "set a counter fire, burn off the fuel before it reaches us."

"Gonna put out a lotta smoke. Make this battle harder than its already gonna be."

"The odds are ten to one against us. Only seems fair to tie at least one hand behind our back, just to be fair."

"Ever the optimist."

The knight smile, "One of us has to be."

The man-at-arms chuckled and went about his task.

A line of fire quickly sprang up and began burning across the field, growing into a massive wall as it ate away the old dry grass. The heat was intense, made all the worse for anyone wearing sixty pounds of metal armor.

If he felt it, the knight captain did not show it. This was a small comfort to his squire who stood nearby, shaking in his mail.

"We're going to die, aren't we?"

The knight glanced down at his trembling squire before returning his gaze to the field.

"Probably."

"I don't want to die."

"None of us do lad."

"Then why are we out here? We can't possibly win against that."

The horde was massive. Not since the great siege at Celadon had such a force emerged from the Underdark. Then as now, one had to wonder why.

"We will do our duty" said the knight, "we will hold them as long as we are able and give as many innocents as possible a chance to get inside the walls."

"While we stand here waiting to be slaughtered" the squire said bitterly.

"We all must die someday" said the knight, "If this is where I am to meet my end, I shall do so without complaint."

"I think your wife might have a few."

The knight flinched, "She would be annoyed."

"Captain! They're coming!"

The knight nodded, "No time to think about it now. CHARGE!"

...

Merry Christmas folks.
The rest of the story will be uploaded throughout the day.