The Mountain of the Burning Bear

And they were driven from the battlefield, weary from blood and slaughter. Even mighty Fanalain did weep with the carnage that was perpetrated upon the green grasses and sweet forests. Yet the evil of Dalanus prevailed, and the grasses were trampled upon by twisted hooves and twisted feet. Valiant dead lay on trickling streams mingled with the corpse of the unbelievers. A great cry arose from the temples of the land, and more so from Epsolos itself, for its heroes had been slain, and it seemed certain that the darkness would engulf the light of their souls.

Fanalain did ride from the plains in heavy heart, his arm only laden with the blood of men from the cults. Thirty dozen horsemen did accompany him as did two legions of pike and two of arrow and together did they run from sacrilege and death. And Dalanus did not leave it in his mind that pursuit was meaningless; for in his mind he saw Fanalain as his nemesis and that he would never be calm without his once-friend’s death. Guided by his darkening heart did he pursue and his hounds and riders did harry the retreat.

Much could be told of the chase, and the heroism of the great army. Many did die upon the plains and more so within the forests but always were the aggressors denied in their goals. It was said that Dalanus cried with frustration as Fanalain escaped his grasp.

Yet Fanalain was no God, and nor were his followers endowed with everlasting strength. It was on the slopes of Mountain of the Burning Bear that Fanalain did decree a stand and thus did he array his forces into a line of battle. Of his arrows did he place them in positions of height and were they surrounded by rows of pikes. Of the horses, they were place in the ridges near the summit, so that the lances would pierce the strongest armour in a thundering descent. Fanalain himself did seize the banner of the army and he stood at its forefront, with the symbol of Arathmus high to all. And then he did call upon the God to protect his servants from the coming battle and silence reigned upon the war weary troop.

The morning arrived with Dalanus and his army. The host was uncountable in its numbers and it did inspire fear upon the defenders of that place. But Fanalain stood clear upon the rocks and did shout taunts down to the men who had lost they faith and behold; they did shy away from the lone man. And the defenders did receive hope from their leader and so hope was present when battle was joined.

And the battle began with true passion. The hordes did swarm the lower reaches, yet they did founder when the arrows were unleashed. The sky was blackened with shafts and behold, the wild men were driven back. But they came again, and the arrows meant nothing to them. On the second attack the pikes were reached but the staunch defending did drive the men away. Again the force was repelled but thirty men, loyal to the true God Arathmus, lay dead on the battlefield. Fanalain did weep a tear for each of the fallen and he did swear to avenge their deaths with his own right arm.

On the third attack, Dalanus himself did lead his forces to the mount; a figure of awesome power atop his snowy steed. The men of pike rightly felt a damning dread upon their souls and they fled from the reach of his death-laden sword.