Tundra Conquest

**Tundra Conquest** takes place in parallel with **The First Attack**.

## Final Preparations

In a Frostbourne outpost, Hilda, the Shieldmaiden stares at a map of the tundra when Lyria, the new Elytra Corps Captain, landed near her to inform an alarming news...

"My scouts report that the Villager Kingdom is pushing northwest, capturing every small town and village on the way. Their advance isn't stopping anytime soon..."

"Who is leading this attack?"

"They call him... Osbren, a conqueror of the Villager Kingdom."

"Very well. Let's put an end to his happy little conquest."

"But commander! It's too dangerous to face them given our small numbers. Our outpost is just an obstacle they will easily plow through! Shouldn't we give this place up and regroup with the main army?"

"No. We can't let them push any further, it will endanger our people who have yet to evacuate."

"But commander, we don't stand a chance! What if we lose the outpost before they get here?!"

"Don't be afraid. I have a contingency plan my dear Lyria. A blizzard is upon us soon. It's our key to turn the tides of war."

"Blizzard?! Commander, I don't get how that's any good for us. If anything, our army will starve or even freeze to death!"

Hilda giggled.

"You have much to learn."

Hilda walked to the stage and looked at the Frostbourne troops below.

"We are the Frostbourne. We've called the snow biomes our home since the dawn of time. The biting cold is our way of life, while our oppressors, adapted to the temperate climate, will suffer when the weather becomes freezing. Stare them down as you thrust your weapons into their flesh, reminding them that this winter land is not theirs to take."

"Death to the Villager Kingdom!" she shouted as she raised her mace. The soldiers raised their weapons and yelled out. Lyria, motivated, raised her blade too and smiled.

Meanwhile...

In a Villager Kingdom outpost within the tundra, numerous Villager Knights mounted on polar bears march forward as countless lines of Berserker Golems followed from behind. The Villager Conqueror, Osbren, watched over the army, his army, from the outpost tower. A knight emerged from behind.

"Everything has been prepared sir. Our army is yours to command."

"Excellent. Those puny humans don't know what's coming to them..."

Osbren pulled out his diamond falchion from his back and began the speech he had rehearsed a thousand times before.

"The humans of this world, they may believe that we are fools to invade their tundra homeland, but you are all conscripted straight from our own tundra lands, adapted to this wintry climate! They will soon see the terrifying might of the Villager Kingdom, with our polar bears, our Villager Knights, and our Berserker Golems gladly tearing through their inferior forces. Glory to the Villager King!"

The army cheered and began its march towards the outpost, Osbren mounting a Berserker Golem himself.

## Battle for the Tundra Outpost

Hilda and Lyria both heard cheering, the roars of Berserker Golems mixing with the cheers of Villager Knights and the snarls of... polar bears? Hilda stepped back in shock. The Villager Kingdom had their own winter army? This could prove very bad...

The Villager Knights dismounted their polar bear mounts, with Osbren himself, easily recognisable by his purple-toned armor rather than the blue armor the rest of the knights wore, dismounting his Berserker Golem. The Knights charged forward, and Hilda signalled the archers to rain arrows on the army. However, Osbren quickly grabbed an ender pearl, followed by the polar bears. The group quickly killed off most of the archers, shocking Hilda.

More Berserker Golems arrived, tearing apart every Frostbourne soldier in their path. The villagers had gained the upper hand.

"Commander, we have to retreat!" Agatha shouted as she struggled to fight a polar bear. Hilda had just knocked down a villager knight.

"Withdraw!"

Upon her command, most of the soldiers retreated into the forest, while some valiantly stayed back, only to be slain by the villager forces. The villagers burnt the Frostbourne banners and the Berserker Golems roared triumphantly. The Villager Kingdom had successfully claimed the outpost. Osbren watched as the remaining humans fled.

"After them! Don't let them get away!"

The villager forces quickly followed them into the forest.

Deeper in the forest, the remaining soldiers set up camp. All hope seemed lost, but Lyria noticed something. Snowflakes! Slowly falling from the sky.

"Commander, look up!" She said to get Hilda's attention.

She looked up to see the foggy sky. The blizzard had arrived, giving the army the hope they needed to win.

With their new ally in the blinding snow, Hilda silently signalled the soldiers to prepare for the oncoming battle. In the midst of the blizzard, Osbren approached the camp with his army. The Berserker Golems were being overcome by ice and the troops couldn't see well in the blizzard.

"Commander Osbren, we should retreat!"

"No! We can bear no expense for victory!"

Lyria gave a signal to the soldiers. As Osbren found it harder to see, the trees around him started to fall. Berserker Golems hit by the trees lost their heads and were immobilized. Some of the Villager Knights, Osbren included, were nearly hit by the falling trees, while the polar bears were shot down by flying arrows which the knights were barely able to block.

The Frostbourne soldiers charged in, led by Hilda. Most of the Villager Knights were now fleeing, the few remaining being quickly slain by the human soldiers.

Osbren met with Hilda and engaged in a fierce duel. Osbren knocked down her helmet with his sword, sending Hilda flying to the ground with a gash on her face. Just as he was about to deal the killing blow, Lyria swooped in, knocking him down and disarming him. Frostbourne soldiers quickly surrounded him as Lyria helped her commander to get up.

"You have lost, Osbren. Just surrender." said Hilda as she brushed her bloodied face.

Osbren stood up, looked down, and giggled.

"General Mondus... he sends you puny humans a message. We shall crush all of you, the humans, the players, the mobs, like the insignificant insects you are. It is merely a matter of time!"

The Frostbourne soldiers watched in confusion as Osbren began to laugh, pulling out a totem of undying.

"Initiate Manuever 66!"

Suddenly the seemingly dead Berserker Golems stood up, their chests opening up to reveal ignited TNTs inside them. The Frostbourne warriors were in shock, and many began to run.

"GLORY TO THE VILLAGER KINGDOM!"

"LYRIA, RUN NO-"

Before Hilda could finish her sentence, Agatha grabbed both of them and shoved them to the ground, offering what little shelter from the inevitable explosion she could with at the cost of her own body.

A massive explosion shook the forest, bringing down countless trees.

## Aftermath

Osbren walked back to the outpost, heavily wounded. Another villager commander, Timothy, was standing there in wait.

"So, did you win?"

"At a great cost. The entire army has been decimated by those puny humans. I even had to use my precious totem of undying and initiate Manuever 66!"

"These humans are more of a threat than we'd previously thought. In my battle against the Elytra Corps, I barely managed to seize a single one of their airships."

"Good. You can take command of the armies present in this continent. I'll take the airship back to the capital. Mondus needs to know about this."

"Alright. I'll be waiting."

Meanwhile...

Ser Patrick was busy organising the evacuation of Glacierford before hearing a massive explosion in the direction of Hilda's army.

"Oh no, Hilda!"

He quickly leapt onto his horse and called on a few soldiers to follow him.

When he arrived, the forest was completely destroyed. For many chunks around him, he could see trees having been blown over. He quickly found the Frostbourne soldiers, the majority of which had been killed.

Agatha had attempted to shield the blast from Hilda and Lyria, sacrificing herself in the process. However, she had succeeded in her goal. They were still breathing.

"Get them both back to Dreadfort. We need to know how this happened."

Later...

Hilda opened her eyes to see the familiar walls of Dreadfort. She got up to see Ser Patrick sitting on a chair nearby.

"Hilda... what happened?"

"We'd... we'd managed to defeat the villagers, but Osbren... he had a totem of undying. The golems... they're filled with TNT... it must've been an emergency protocol of theirs..."

"So, the Villager Conqueror still lives. Let's get you two out of here before he blows up this city."