THE RED TERROR
The background of Scarlet Commander Joseph Haltman
The floor began to quake and tremor, birds flew hastily from their perches as hordes of Scourge minions ran past in a frenzied state of rage towards their target.
Up ahead in a small plague-free clearing was a man stood defiant at a gateway into Tyr's Hand, no sign of any life for miles around as the Scourge Onslaught charged onwards showing no sign of stopping or slowing down.
Time seemed to slow, if for a moment, as a piercing whistle emenated from the man's lips.
The walls seemed to almost come to life, soldiers on the ramparts lept from hiding positions, unveiling the Scarlet Crusade banner down the wall, cannons were primed and ready to fire, bowmen nocked an arrow in rapid succession and swarms of concealed Scarlet warriors and paladins came rushing from small hiding positions behind the walls.
In the space of but a moment, a barrier of zealous anguish awaited the Scourge which were forced into a bottleneck as cannons were fired and shields were splintered.
It took no time for the battalion of Scarlets to demolish their attackers and the one who gave the command thrust a large broadsword into the already opened belly of an Abomination, its innards spilling onto the faded, cobbled stone path.
"
Commander Haltman!" A voice echoed over the chaos
The man withdrew his blade and heaved it onto his back, his age becoming visible as he seemed to stoop slightly as he walked towards the chapel
"
You summoned me, General Abbendis?"
The General stood at her full height, although not as imposing she still held a position of authority
"
Yes, i just wanted you to know that your going to be sent to Stratholme in the coming week, your needed at the Scarlet Bastion to deliver a message to the Crusader Lord Dathrohan, you will have a contingency of paladins at your disposal, your supplies will be available at Hearthglen"
The Scarlet Commander stood up straight and saluted the General, quickly turning around on one heel and making his way to the doorway.
Walking down the pathway he paused for a moment, looking towards three scarlets talking beside a campfire, his eyes being lost within the blaze of the flames.
Stratholme, prior to the culling of its citizens"
USE YOUR SHIELD YOU LAZY LITTLE TROLL!" a man burst screaming across the courtyard
a young human, no later than twenty toppled over as a blast of arcane magic paralyzed him and knocked him several feet back.
The man wearing an insignia of the Silver Hand glanced around the square which was full of many humans all donned in recruitee clothing and wooden swords and shields they ran around in a pathetic attempt to avoid the spells cast at them by hooded figures in a large hexagon shape around the courtyard.
A second blast knocked another student, this one who was not looking where he was going, into a cartload of apples.
"
FOR UTHER'S SAKE, LOOK WHERE YOUR GOING YOU STUPID CHILD!"
the voice roared once again.
One boy ran directly across the middle of the square, two of the hooded figures hurling fireballs directly for him only for the boy to roll out of the way.
The two mages were knocked back by the force and a large singed mark could be seen on their robes which they had to throw off on the account that they were still flaming.
"
Excellent work, James! You can forget about doing laps for once, now GET BACK IN LINE!"
a quick scurry of the humans resulted in a fixed line with the man's insignia catching the early morning sun as he walked past them all, his hair a bloody orange colour and his eyes constantly narrowed, like a beast searching for his prey.
"Right, you can all go for your rations now, just don't go beating each other up without my permission, understood?!"
He strolled over to the corner and picked up a pike that was poised against the wall, using one hand he threw an apple into the air and with lightning-fast reactions he grabbed the pike with both hands and sliced the apple clean in half before it touched the ground.
He let out a brief guffaw before he keeled over in agoney, his hand dropping the pike and resting on his hip as he groaned quietly.
"
If the orcs don't finish me then surely age will" he said with dread hanging in his voice as he gave a sigh and returned the pike to where it came from.
The Commander's vision began to fade, as his sight faded back to the present he saw only glimpses of Stratholme burning, women and children being cut down by their own prince.
Tyr's HandHaltman looked briefly at the fire, then his gaze moved to one of those sat around the fire and he picked out a blonde haired rather handsome looking boy who was wearing his scarlet robes and tabard, talking to the others.
The Commander hastily looked around and saw a Scarlet Conjourer stood next to him, idly forming a fireball in the palm of his hands.
Quickly, Haltman swiped the fireball from the Scarlet's hands, hurling it towards the back of the boy's head who was still chatting by the fire.
There was a scream of pain followed by laughter from the other Scarlets as the boy panicked to put out the fire that had engulfed his robes that were now on the floor.
Haltman only grinned, the words that escaped through his near-sealed lips were:
"
Your still too slow Tomson, many years too slow"
He slided his helmet on and walked out of the gate, the blood-red sun was setting into the distance and the Red Terror was on the prowl once again