Veth and Scar-shoulder were dead. Rehs and G’shar were dead. Dered had survived, and so had Kran, although he had lost a leg, and not even Utgar’s healing could restore it. Jer had been slain somewhere during the skirmish before entering the keep, and Leran had been cut down prior, near his home. Of the garrison stationed at Helsng, only a handful had escaped Utgar’s assault, and fled with Jandar. Many commoners of Helsng had been slain by the soldiers, and many more by Jandar. Over half of the Volcarrens and Vel had been cut down as well, and Einar had lost many of his rebels.
Despite the death and destruction, those who remained in Helsng welcomed Utgar as a conquering hero. Einar and Vydar pledged to serve him, offering their men as soldiers, and their knowledge as commanders.
Those who were left in Helsng set to rebuilding. The harbor was cleared, and contact established with the other southern villages conquered by the rebels. Young kyrie began to pour into Helsng, pledging their service to Utgar, and an army began to form.
Soon after the destruction of the keep, Taelord sought out his mother. She had survived, her prison mostly untouched. She seemed unconcerned over her fate, whatever that might be. For now, she was fed and sheltered, and seemed content. Taelord had frowned, but left her to her simple pleasures. He would purge Ahnvad from her one day. When he knew how.
He had sought an audience with Utgar soon after. He had no desire to remain at Helsng, the epicenter of Utgar’s war, and had requested permission to sail to Crevcor. He hoped to find Syafa and Aiiva there, and tell them what had happened to Rehs and G’shar.
Utgar had no reason to keep him. Now that the Empire wasn’t there to stop him, he had sent Kirav back to the Volcarren, along with a detachment of trusted soldiers, to secure the Wellspring. A fortress would be constructed over it, to protect it from any who sought its powers.
That of course meant its location would soon be known, which in turn meant Taelord’s threat to Utgar’s power – real or not – was gone. He was free to go, and Utgar granted him passage easily. Taelord suspected Utgar was simply glad to see him go. He saw Runa before he left however, and promised her that one day, he would return, and see her again.
Fera went with him. Taelord explained to Utgar that she only wanted safety. She was loyal only to whoever could secure her future. At Crevcor, away from both Utgar and Runa, she could cause no further harm. Utgar agreed, and she was released to Taelord. He suspected Runa might have spoken to her father on his behalf.
Meanwhile, Utgar drew in mercenaries and eager warriors from all across Kinsland, forming an army. The Empire fled from the entire region, and began gathering its troops in northern Anund, preparing for an assault.
Vydar was put in charge of training the army. His Vel were such legendary warriors, that the choice was questioned by no one, least of all Vydar himself. He took to the task eagerly, training Utgar’s forces how to break through Imperial ranks and wield any weapon.
Einar, meanwhile, was sent west, to negotiate with the Erianor Empire. Their stance on the war was largely unknown. There were reports of them both attacking Imperial strongholds, and supplying the Empire with shipments of raw ore. Utgar needed to know if they were an ally, or a foe.
Before he had a chance to find out, an Imperial army began to descend into Kinsland. They took Deraan first, overrunning the light garrison Vydar had set up there, and then struck south, hugging the Red Mountains and making straight for Helsng.
Vydar marched out and met them in several campaigns on the open fields of Kinsland. The Empire won every one of them. On the ground, in the open, their tactics and formations were unbeatable. The rebels were ill-equipped and untested, and broke before the spear walls, flying to the air, only to be cut down by hails of crossbow-fire.
Utgar quickly found that his powers were useless when they could be countered by Jandar. If he turned his destruction against the Imperial army, he could slay many, but Jandar would take advantage of his distraction, and obliterate the rebel force at the same time. Such trades favored the Empire. They always had more soldiers, but Utgar’s rebels were limited.
Thus there was little Utgar could do to stop the Empire. Now he understood how the Wellspring wars had lasted for centuries – two Valkyries facing each other resulted in a stalemate – a long, bloody war, where their armies fought each other until one ran out of men.
Unfortunately, that was Utgar. The Empire had a seemingly unlimited supply of soldiers, and with each defeat, Utgar’s forces dwindled further. Finally, Utgar’s crippled army returned to Helsng, beaten and bloodied, the Imperials following them at an unhurried pace. Helsng was laid siege to.
The city fell almost instantly. Imperial strike forces landed at random points throughout the city, establishing control and cutting off Utgar’s forces. There was fighting in the streets, but finally the burning of the Maze and the Rows forced Utgar’s men back into the newly repaired keep.
The Empire then set up siege engines outside Helsng, and began to bombard the keep with slabs of rock, carved from the mountain itself. Surrounded, the keep disintegrating about him, his men all but gone, out of options, Utgar was finally forced to turn to the Wellspring.
There was one final ability of the Wellspring, a use which even the ancient Archkyrie had avoided using, knowing the hell it would unleash. But Utgar was desperate. He needed an army, one capable of beating the Empire.
And the Wellspring provided.