Valhalla Defeated

Prologue

Leon Ironheart: I know I have asked a lot out of you recently in these trying times but I must ask you to make preparations to head to the Land of the Mist. Communications with our emissary has been cut off and there have been reports of trouble from the Land of Mist.

You: Yes, I will leave right away.

Present Day

A half day of travel left before you reach the gateway to the Lands of Mist.

The Great Canyon below seems empty at first glance. There are large bronze artifacts half-buried in the sands, laying dormant for what could be centuries. Your army cautiously advances along the canyon's rim, leaving the columns of soldiers with their left flank exposed. You feel something disturbing about the situation as a gentle breeze picks up and dances between your forces. Realizing a potential threat, you immediately order your host to hold the advance with the gateway looming a few miles in the distance.

You: Deploy our recon elements! I have a feeling we are about to have company. Large company. Bring up the rear ballista detachment and form a defensive line. We've had our fair share of monstrosities. Let's make sure we are prepared. Tell the advance company to...

You are quickly interrupted as a terrible torrent of wind blows from the great canyon, sending blinding waves of dust and sand over you and your forces. A massive wind funnel erupts in front of your advance army elements, swooping up entire regiments at a time. You grimace as you witness your soldiers tossed about like rag dolls crashing into the canyon below and into each other.

You: ARM THE BALLISTAE! Bring up the mage consort!

An elite group of mages ride up from the rear ranks to meet you. The rest of your army begins loading the massive siege engines into an impressive array of firepower, taking care to calm the horses pulling them. You quickly inform the mages of their duty.

You: I am to understand you have learned the magic barrier spell. Well, it is time to make good use of your newfound abilities. Each one of you is to maintain a barrier over each of our ballistae so they may fire at whatever is coming at us. I will deploy other army elements to attempt a distraction, our forward elements are already lost. Quickly now! RIDE!

In the great canyon below, you can barely make out a massive swirling entity. The artifacts have come together to form some sort of elemental with great torrents of wind forming its body. A booming wind-rasped voice beckons forth:

Valhalla: You trespass the great gateway mortals.... I am now awakened to deliver my fury. Feel the wrath of wind and air.

A stream of violent cyclones launch from the elemental towards your ballistae. The mage cohort quickly pull off their barrier spells enveloping the formation with red-hued energies that crackle against the violent masses of wind. The youngest of the mage cohort was a second too late with his magic barrier spell.The winds pluck the ballista and its crew from the ground and throw them into the suffocating sands twirling about the battlefield. As the cyclone assault dwindles, you give the command:

You: FIRE!

A hail of massive ballistae arrows launch forth into the elemental. However most are caught in the wind drifts and veer off-course, landing with a loud thud into the canyon floor. You realize you must compensate heavily for the elementals violent wind currents. You order your ballista formation to aim to the far right of the swirling elemental so that the next salvo can hit its target. The next volley of arrows again miss their intended target. The costly error comes with a cost.

Valhalla: Arise my minions! Push back the trespassers. Protect the gateway!

The base of the canyon rumbles as legions of smaller wind elementals swirl into existence at their master's command. You tell your trusted commander to take what is left of the infantry and form a defensive line. The ballistae must be protected at all costs! Another torrent of cyclones wash over your forces, ripping the unfortunate souls into the air who were unable to find secure footing. As the infantry absorb the brunt of the smaller elementals assault, you receive word the next salvo is ready. You raise your arm and are about to give the command. You stop short. There... yes, now you see it. The elementals orb resting behind the monstrosity's eyes.

You: Adjust trajectory! Aim high and to the far right, aim for the head but compensate for the winds!

You allow the ballistae crew a moment to adjust their firing angles but realize the infantry are retreating en masse. Their weapons seem ineffective as they are helplessly tossed into the cyclones swirling above them by the lesser minions. You know this is the last chance you have.

You: FIRE!

The salvo erupts in unison with the new trajectory, aiming far right and much higher. The violent winds catch the massive arrows and they seem to near closer to the target. You glance down and see the lesser elementals nearing your ballistae formation. Suddenly the violent winds stop and the engulfing sands fall from the sky, half burying your forces. The lesser elementals disperse into the air and the canyon becomes eerily silent. Your forces are completely scattered over the canyon, some alive while others are crumpled against the rocks. You dig yourself out of the dirt and sand and look down into the canyon.

The massive bronze artifacts have once again fallen into lifelessness with one difference. A massive ballista bolt sticks out of a giant smooth stone in the middle. One of the bolts must have sailed home and struck the elemental's orb. You rally your officers and begin the difficult task of digging your army out from the sands and preparing them to continue on your journey. You feel a wave of hopelessness wash over you. After so much endured, the world continues to suffer and tear itself asunder as if your efforts were for nothing. The journey to the gate of the Land of Mist was once a trivial endeavor, but now you face terrible forces merely to gain entry. As the remnants of your army reform to carry onward, you feel the weight of the world pressing down on your shoulders. Your tired body aches, and a strange aching feeling begins to form in your head... You quickly shake off the pain and dismiss it as an afterthought. You must make it to the Land of Mist as soon as possible.