“From what we can tell, there will be three main waves to the ensuing attack. The first will consist almost entirely of the lowest and most expendable monsters of the forest. It is unlikely that you will see any creature much taller than the average man during this discourse, they have strength in numbers and will continue without ceasing well into the second wave. The tail end of the first wave will leave little room for reaction to the much more dangerous
foes contained within the second. From here a much larger variety of creatures will emerge from their midst, gathered from throughout the world's forests in preparation for this very assault. The enormity of the creatures will range from the shortest of the Hawthorn Maple at roughly 8 meters to the towering Black Locust reaching up to 25 meters in height. Advancing at the rear of the attack will be the gigantic Wild Junipers found lumbering alongside the merciless Tainters of the Forest. It is the Tainters who twisted the Guardian of the Woods shortly after the Ancients created it. They are every bit as old and powerful as the Ancient but became distorted and deformed in order to use their vile wood magics. If they reach the Gate, its powers may be used to free the Tainted Guardian from his imprisonment. The Tainters have chosen to take the form of hobbled old men, concealing their true powers from the world. Do not hesitate to kill them for they are the only ones among their forces that have a will of their own, it is they who have twisted the trees and cause them to move.”
“Lady Beth has done considerable work in recreating the powerful armor of her elders. You will find that they will provide considerable protection from even the sharpest needles and thorns while fending off the strongest of blows. Only the wretched magics of the Tainted will find any weakness in the links of your armor, but they are few and our forces many so retreat only within the sight of these monsters. The other trick that we have up our sleeve is the Army of the Ancients, formed from the earth to protect the Treegate from any harm. Lady Beth will summon them momentarily and they will fight alongside you until the Gate is again within the ensured protection of Former Glory. Andy will lead the forces to the east, the Knights will direct those in the west, and I will oversee the main resistance in the north. Lady Beth will remain at the Gate and channel its power during the discourse of the battle.”
At the closure of his briefing, the earth shook under Sir Robbie's feet. As the forms of mighty warriors made of dirt and dust emerged from the ground before him he glanced towards his Fair Lady Beth. She seemed entranced by a force well beyond her control, but the army stood strong and beckoned to her every whim and will.
It was two long hours before the trees attacked. Sir Robbie and his forces reacted with vigor and assurance, wielding blades forged from their own hands and imbued with ancient powers. The ease of their resistance to these monstrosities of nature diminished as they battled on. They were equipped for the strength and immensity of their enemy but were ill prepared for the duration and intensity of war. The trees did not tire nor stumble under the weight of exhaustion and as the battle reached its third dawn, those who remained did so only by the strength provided to them by Lady Beth as she shifted her focus from the slowly crumbling army of earth to her fellow humans. The few who remained back during the battle now sustained Lady Beth as she clung weakly to her remaining shreds of consciousness. When the Wild Junipers arrived, even she seemed to shudder at the presence of the Tainted. A strange darkness descended on the forest as if the sun suddenly felt compelled to reverse its course and hide amidst the stars. Andy the Tree Cleaver held his axe high in the air and it suddenly glowed brightly as if with the very fires of a mighty star. Within moments half the Junipers were ablaze in a brilliant flame as Andy darted from one to the other with all the speed of a powerful wind.
The Tainted crept towards the Treegate in the shadows of the glorious display. Only Lady Beth noticed their presence but offered little resistance in her current state. It only took one touch from their retched hands to poison the Treegate and break the spells holding the Tainted Guardian. As they retreated into the darkness, the remaining bits of their army burnt to the ground. Alas, it mattered not for the purpose they had come to preform had been fulfilled.
