Colonel Richards cursed inwardly even as he heard his scout’s report.

“Are you sure?” He asked, hoping for a no.

“Yes Sir. I didn't dare let my familiar get closer, but I know what I saw. There is a small keep near the pass.” The scout said, confirming his fears.

“On our side? That can't be, they wouldn't dare.” He stated, trying to convince himself their invasion wasn't known.

“I don't know colonel, but the inhabitants seemed smaller than humans.”

“So we’re in luck? It’s just some random tribe of monsters?” He asked.

“That's possible colonel, sir. I don't know for sure though.”

“Dismissed soldier, make sure no one leaves the protection of the camp.” He commanded.

Now that he was alone he allowed himself some excessive cursing, his regiment of two thousand man was just supposed to scout and secure the pass, not fight any opposing forces. He had no doubt they would take the keep - two companies would be enough - but really hoped the keep was in neutral hands, the enemy couldn't know about the invasion. He called for his aide. "Send some scouts towards the enemy, find out if they are from the free cities." He commanded. "And find me two experienced captains, they are to take the keep while we keep marching on the pass."

"Yes Sir."

---

Captain Wells cursed the colonel under her breath. Why would he send her company out with the incompetent lordling, Captain Harrington? At least the enemy didn't know about them, she got some of the battalion's illusionists to cover their advance, but that seemed to be for naught.

The enemy keep was unaware of their presence, manned by stocky, small lizard monsters. Instead of walking up to the keep and slaughtering their opposition under cover like any sensible human Harrington wanted to attack head on...

For fucking glory!

She hated the insufferable prick, but sadly the noble had senior command over both their companies.

"Ready the man to attack, we're going to show them how to fight." Harrington commanded both their aides.

"It would be prudent to let the man rest before attacking." She tried, but going by the evil eye Harrington gave her she doubted the man would listen to reason.

"Drop the illusion as soon as we are assembled." He commanded instead, ignoring Wells.

Cries of alarm and surprise came from the enemy camp when the illusion fell, showing the two hundred men of their two companies. The archers let loose the first volley, arrows filling the overcast evening.

None of the arrows hit the enemy though, all of then having ducked behind their fortifications just in time.

"Advance." She called out. hoping to get some soldiers in the looming hole that was the entrance.

---

Khu'ta grinned in anticipation as the rest of the village stormed out of their cave. The chieftain warned them humans could attack anytime after summer, so they had only been a little surprised to see humans materializing out of thin air.

None of them ever saw the chieftain go all out, but she wouldn't have a choice when arrayed against humans nearly ten times their number.

"Prepare for evacuation, get the hatchlings out of the way and close the gates, let's get this party started. Melee, protect the mages. Mages, light them up or help with the evacuation." She commanded, even as she jumped on the huge wyvern.

"Good hunting chief." They said, still in awe of their flying chief.

---

"Fuck." Was all Wells could say as a new type of enemy appeared on top of the enemy fortifications. These were slender, taller beings, led by one wearing expensive armor. These were no simple monsters, but they were committed now.

She didn't even bother to hide her curse when a huge fucking wyvern appeared next to the one wearing armor, and it mounted it before rising in the air. The heavens seemed to agree with her as the clouds darkened, and air seemed to blur as the wyvern accelerated upwards, and she lost sight of it soon enough.

It didn't stop there though, as roots dug out of the keep and closed the only entrance, fire bloomed into existence above the keep and flew straight into their front ranks.

"Retreat!" She yelled.

"We do not retreat. Attack!" Harrington screamed on top of his lungs. She saw despair spread through their ranks - they were just told to attack a mage-defended keep without mages of their own. She rode up next to Harrington. "Are you an idiot? We don't have the men or mages to win this!" She hissed.

"Captain Wells, I gave the command to attack, yet you dare gainsay me? Your commander? You're here to advice me, not usurp me!" He answered with barely restrained anger.

"And it's stupid to attack now, we only stand to lose, even if we win." She answered. "If you press this attack we will be out of this war one way or another, assaulting a fortified position without a ten to one majority is foolish!" She told him, even as more and more of their soldiers burnt. He took a while to respond, and the storm above them finally decided to let itself be known. Lightning struck in their ranks, thinning them even more as ice fell around then, shredding through everything that wasn't steel.

"Retreat!" She yelled, heedless of the idiots commands. She saw him get ready to contradict her again, so she decked him over his head and threw him from the cover of the trees, right into the magical attack that was decimating her soldiers.

"Retreat!" She yelled again, and the soldiers got moving. "You saw nothing." She stated, looking at the terrified aides a few meters behind them. They nodded eagerly, before speaking up. "Orders ma'am?"

"Prepare the illusions, the colonel will need to send a mage-corps to deal with these, that's no normal keep, they have to have four mages, just to come up to that volume of fire." She commanded. The aides retreated, even as the survivors of the ice-storm came running, shields over their heads.

She shook her head, what a disaster.