Frostbound

Chapter 275 - Stand Tall

00:00:21:01

I stood atop our Wall and watched as thousands of people fell into ranks. Over 800 people stood at the ready at my back and Marcus had even more standing behind him to our South.

The area between the ringed Wall and the Obelisk was filled with all manner of death traps and poisons. Pitfalls, spikes, arcane traps, all covered in thick layers of poison where it was applicable.

Carpenters to shape the wood used, smiths to shape the metal, Trappers to set it all up, and Alchemists to make it even more deadly.

It was the union of five or six different people all to ensure it was at maximum lethality.

And there were thousands of them primed and ready.

The wall itself was devoid of any towers or gates, as there wasn't enough time for the former, and there was no need for the latter. One didn't need gates to keep something out.

The weather only worsened as the timer ticked down, but I paid it no mind. With the amount of magic about to be used, the weather was the least of our worries.

A heavy rainstorm or thunderstorm might actually be useful, rather than harmful.

Thousands of gallons of water were diverted from the river in a hastily built canal. Both Marcus and Abigail worked together to create the reservoir for them and the other Water Mages to use.

With it at our back, all the Water mages would be a lot more powerful. And ice would be readily available for all those who used it.

When the sun did come out, it shined brightly upon the thousands covered in plate. Reflections lit up the area because of the glistening metal and the solar mana continued to gather. Austin would have his own boost.

Thousands upon thousands stood awaiting the arrival of our challenge. It only took a turn of the head and more of the sea of men and women would be revealed.

00:00:12:25

Siege weapons created a second ring behind the Wall. Dozens were built and assembled by nearly every Faction adding up to hundreds creating a second ring. Catapults and trebuchets creaked under the tension they were under.

All of them were ready to unload at a moments notice.

00:00:08:42

Men and women with bows stood multiple ranks deep. Hundreds of thousands of arrows were created just for this moment. Every person had a stack set aside next to them so they had enough for what was to come.

00:00:05:01

Leaders began to inspire who they could. Speeches about fighting for humanity, or stepping up. Every leader was different. Every Faction drew inspiration from however they could.

"It's time to nut up or shut up," Austin joked and gave me a thumbs up, "Knock 'em dead."

He and Jonathan both stood at my side like normal. Elliot was up here with us as well along with a few other Warriors.

I sighed deeply before quickly regaining my confidence. To get everyone's attention, a sent a burst of cold through the area. A light application of [Desolate Blizzard] was enough to draw everyone's eyes.

Or maybe it was unleashing my aura.

"Members of Frostheim. We stand at the ready to face our challenge. Thousands of miles were covered so that we could stand here right now and face what's thrown at us!Whatever comes through that obelisk, it will break upon our walls! It will break upon our swords and shields! It will break because we will stand here and make it break!

"There are two things every man, woman, and child should hope to accomplish in life. Two things that set us apart from everyone else. It isn't our power or strength. It isn't our pride or ego!

"It is our hearts!

"It takes heart to stand tall while others cower! It takes heart to fight while others flee! But most of all, it takes heart to Live with Honor and fight for those who cannot!

"In addition to heart, it takes a determined will!

"Having heart may lead you to where you stand today, but having a determined will is why you remain! Everyone saw those slinking off in the night. Those who left when the time for battle came near.

"Yet here you stand! I can see the determination burning in your eyes. Determination that even the threat of death can't extinguish!

"Not only determination, but the Willpower to charge into battle knowing death is possible. Knowing that this may be your end, yet here you stand!

"The determination to Die with Glory!

"Those two things are what set you apart from everyone else. Those two things are why you and I are here today. When the sun sets on this day, those are the only two things that will matter!

"And if Death comes for you today, and this fight is to be your last, those that remain will remember you. They will carry you with them for as long as they live. The memory and legacy that you forge today will be something no one here will forget.

"Because it will be Glorious!

"An End that people can only dream of. An End fit for those who go out and grasp with their bare hands! An End fit for KINGS!"

A grand cheer broke out from everyone listening. Weapons were raised in the air and shaken in response to my own. After it died down, I wrapped it up.

"We stand here today and we will not be found WANTING!"

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"AHHH!!!!" Everyone added their voice to the cheer and the noise was near deafening. The fervor was enough to put a smile on my face.

00:00:00:49

I hadn't timed it but it ended up perfect. Just enough time for everyone to close ranks but not too long the vim and vigor died off. The energy in the air was palpable. I stood proud, my blood chilling in excitement. Excitement and anticipation.

As every leader whipped their people into motion, as the thousands here readied themselves, a weight settled on everyone here. A weight that comforted instead of stifled.

It was the collective weight of everyone here. As everyone let it out, their auras mixed and collided, but instead of fighting for dominance or smothering each other, it was all pointed in one direction. It was the first time I had ever seen such a phenomenon and it was... beautiful. All of our efforts pointed in the same direction.

The weather took a turn and I swore I felt a drizzle begin to fall, but no rain came.

With my speech finished, I leaped off the wall and landed in the dead zone and a thud. Austin, Jonathan, and Elliot followed after along with those who were willing.

Austin just had to have the last laugh and landed next to me with a smile, "It was no King Théoden but it still was good. I liked how you weaved Live with Honor, Die with Glory in there."

"It's easy to inspire what I already believe in," I said and slammed my helmet down and made sure it was snug. Austin did the same next to me, his eyes sparkling through the eye holes.

Next came the Ice. My Mana, Spirit, and Law infused into [Frost Armor] and it settled over my armor perfectly. Thick sheets of hard pressed Ice settled and froze into place and I wasn't the only one applying an extra layer of armor.

Jonathan had earth flowing up from the ground and hardening onto his form. Elliot shifted the layers of metal around him into a suit of armor that encased him in inches of the stuff. He looked more like a walking tank than a person in a suit of armor. He was going full defensive for this battle and I couldn't blame him.

Only Austin was left out and he could only tisk in shame as everyone else pulled their elements around them.

I swung my hammer around lightly to make sure everything fit into place. The Ice melded with the Polar Steel creating a flowing set better than both sets apart. Those who jumped down with me did the same. Even Austin did some practice stabs to make sure he was ready.

00:00:00:05

"Archers, NOCK!" I called.

I couldn't see them but I could hear their synchronized movement. The sound of bowstrings tightening and wood creaking.

00:00:00:00

'Defend your Obelisk!'

The timer hit zero and doors no one knew were there opened. All four sides of the obelisk ground open and things started to pour out. Thousands began rushing out of the tower as every side was dozens of feet wide.

Before I could even recognize what we were up against, traps began exploding left and right. Those placed closest to the Obelisk were set off first but more and more began blowing up to add to the noise.

"Austin, what are we up against!" I called. I couldn't make anything out, but he could.

A flash of light came from him before he responded, "It says [Blight Touched Orc]!"

"What level?!"

"All of them are level 100!"

Explosions continued to rattle the battlefield as three days worth of traps tried to slow down the tide. It was a losing cause. For every orc that fell to a trap, dozens more came pouring out of the Obelisk and only one of them were finite. Hundreds died in the first few seconds from our preparations alone.

In the times in between clouds of dust and smoke, I could make out the monsters pouring out dozens at a time.

The Orcs themselves were disfigured. The tall, muscled green skin that Orcs usually were thought of was long gone. They were still tall and extremely well-muscled, but their skin was different.

Instead of rich green, they had streaks of black running through them or splotches covering sections of their body. The vibrant green I expected to see from orcs, was instead sickly and dull.

The Orc's ran through row after row of traps and the area around the obelisk became drowned in bodies. The circle of death only expanded as more traps were expended or arrows from other sections were launched.

"LOOSE!" I called.

A wave of arrows rained down and even more Orcs fell. Thousands of arrows came flying down in the volley which was unreliant on our numbers. Skills like [Splitting Arrow] or [Arrow Rain] turned what would've been a volley of hundreds, into a volley of thousands.

The carpet of arrows only gave a small reprieve. It wasn't long before the wave of Orcs made it back to where they had left off. Without traps to slow them down, it was only moments before they were pushed forward again.

"Trebuchets, FIRE!"

Large chunks of rock came raining down next as our dozens of siege weapons fired. Row after row of charging Orc's were flattened or crushed as the projectiles were designed to hit and roll through rank after rank of them.

The angle was meticulously measured to make sure the weapons were most effective.

Still, like the arrows, the effect was minimal.

"Mages, FIRE!"

A sea of spells rained down next containing so much mana it was hard to look at. It felt like staring at the sun but for my mana sense. Fire exploded, lightning boomed, earth and ice came raining down in droves.

Some of the spells persisted, turning into a field of fire or thick rows of roots and thorns pulled whipping back and forth.

It still wasn't enough to stop the Orcs' advance.

"Fire at Will!" As the orcs closed in, I wouldn't be able to command the ranged units for much longer. I'd have my hands full with something else.

"Time to put in the work." Austin flashed even brighter as light started escaping him.

The test began right at noon which couldn't have come at a more perfect time for him. He was at his most powerful right now and he was aiming to make the best use of it.

His spear came alight and he started stabbing out in quick succession launching skills of his own. The warriors with long-ranged skills followed suit along with the Rogues with throwing weapons.

Row after row of Orcs went down but more and more came spilling out. It was impossible to miss there were so many.

Finally, when the Orcs came into my range, I began. [Permafrost] and [Desolate Blizzard] drank in my mana and momentarily, Summer was banished and Winter reigned.

I flared my Bloodline for an initial boost but quickly let off to save it for later.

We had no way of knowing what would come next. It could be an endless row of Orcs, or there could be champions mixed in. We wouldn't know until they arrived.

Still, with Summer turned to Winter and my skills turning the area around me Arctic, it was finally my turn to face the charging orcs.

Now that they were close enough, I could make out more of what I faced. Hal was right in that they were carrying weapons. Most had axes of some kind while others had clubs.

The rare Orc held a sword but those were few and far between. Some even had hammers, but by far axes were most popular.

They were primitive in make. Some were even hewed from bone instead of forged from metal. Rust was common on the rare metallic weapon as were chips and slight fractures. The weapons could use a reservicing but they were deadly enough.

The muscled arms that held them aloft made it so. Their skin may be sickly, but it seemed they still retained their strength.

As the front of the wave neared enough to our defensive line, the fight began in earnest.

My hammer met the first of their number and its face crushed in from the blow. [Mighty Blow] turned its skull to fragments and it fell listlessly forward as its momentum forced it to go in a direction its head didn't follow.

The next was embedded upon the spike before it too joined its brethren in death. [Momentum of the Avalanche] started to build to match the bodies at my feet.

Jonathan and Elliot stood at my side while Austin danced around the battlefield stabbing out when the opportunity arose.

With command delegated, Hal and Abigail both took charge of the Archers and Mages respectively. Vinny and Brayden remained in Frostheim so command of the siege weapons was left to Phillip.

He stayed to fight even though his fighting capability was poor. "It doesn't take skill with a sword to launch some boulders." The Builder claimed.

An axe landed upon my armor of Ice and barely left a scratch. It was filled with everything I could give it and not even a level 100 orc could cause it to shatter.

But for some reason, that didn't make me feel good. This was our test. It determined if we kept our protections or not. It shouldn't be so easy that my armor was impenetrable.

It took a second for me to realize the problem.

None of the Orcs were using skills.