A Fateful Meeting: Part one
From IKwiki
Gorrad brushed purposefully through the folliage, the sounds of nature around him was the only cover he needed. Only being in the game for three short years, Gorrad had gotten used to keeping his battlegroup quite as it moved through heavy terrain. Made easier that he was supposed to meet the man at night meant he didnt need to worry about the jacks smoke stakes giving them away. Not that they would probaly be seen in this dense scrub.
The choice of taking this mission was completely up to him. The Gospel had been paid a small bonus in advance for the added risk they were taking by dealing with the traitor. Some deliberation whether it was worth risking the lucrative business of the crown of Cygnar, they had decided to send perhaps their most savy member to negotiate with the nefarious warcaster. Gorrad South, or Huntsman as he was often called by his peers had thrown in the solitary life adventuring through the eastern boarders of civilisation, fighting off monsters, raiding ancient temples and keeps and travelling the frontier to join in the battles of the Iron Kingdoms. Going into middle age, he wanted to fill his pockets with enough coin, buy a lavish house outside of Corvis and live a nice relaxing life until the end of his days. Sadly things wernt going so well, his high priced lifestyle and splurges on wine and other fineries during his brief times between jobs.
He checked his map again, raising his hand to signal a stop to his gathered company. He double checked his mark and checked the landscape for any sign of traps or vantage points. Satisfied with what he saw he ushered some quick commands to his men and sent commanded his jacks to move into hidden positions. After enough time had passed stood straight and brushed through the last ring of folliage with two of his warjacks, a rusty old Talon and a Jackal warjack he had assembled himself and twenty mercenary soldiers. The men who accompanied him were mostly young men from Ord and Llael who chose to fight in the wars of the Iron Kingdoms as mercenaries as their kindgoms were either defeated or would not enter the war. Each held tight his rifle or sword and stepped onto the clearing with Gorrad hoping that things would go well. Huntsman had to plan this carefully, Magnus the Traitor was a man with a dubious reputation for betrayl and ranked among the most powerful warcasters in western Immoren. Only given the resources at hand, he wasnt taking any chances and had prepared for a sudden engagement. He stood in silince, his warcaster armor idling while his men waited nervously while the time ticked by. He was six hours early, but he wanted to be their first just incase someone was going to pull a swift one on him, he wanted first pick of the land to set up an ambush.
An hour passed before he heard the sounds. He had taken the time to note nature familar sounds and he could hear to passing of predators, small nocturnal creatures fleeing from something that was not far away, the men around him were tense but didnt seem to acknowledge the sound. He too kept a straight face, his eyes combing the distance for the telltale signs of an enemy advance. Soon the noises died down again, and things returned to normal. Gorrad held gripped his mekancial blade Kilith and announced into the darkness. "I know your there. Come out and show yourself." His men redoubled their attention and fixed their weapons on the line of trees where Gorrad had made his sudden proclamation. They readied their fingers on the triggers and waited. The sound of unconcealed shifting was heard ahead and three burly trollkin stepped forward with their arms raised and axes sheathed. They were joined by six more before the rest stepped cautiously onto the clearing. Nearly a dozen trollkin first, followed by ranks of Steelhead soldiers flanked by six suspicious looking cloaked men who wore similar garbs of dark green camo and held their crossbows by their side. A man in the front, held a pistol by his side. Gorrad could only guess who these men were as he had to blink serveral times just to make sure his eyes werent deceving him. They stepped behind the larger trollkin and
Gorrad kept his cool despite the fact that these men outnumbered his own nearly two to one. "Magnus! Set out and show yourslef. Ive heard that dodgy leg of yours scraping the ground since you stepped out of the Crag old man. Lets hurry this up." The unnusal call was met with puzzled looks on the faces of the men on the field. All had probaly heard of the man named Asheth Magnus, a man known in some circles as the warlord and rumored to be in calusion with some of the most powerful men in the world. His repution for for treachery and his rage known throughout the mercenary world. A man who wanted to insult the man had better be extremely confident. Or have a death wish.
Magnus took a crooked step into the moonlight his metal fist closed around the heft
(To be continued)
