Kinitanga drew a steadying breath, his hand grasping his sword tighter. It was quiet on this side of the city, as the intel suggested, but he couldn’t shake off an uneasy feeling. Tamahine had warned that her vision was clouded, that she could not see what was to come. But that did not mean defeat. They outnumbered the Escari more than two to one and this was their city, their land, their home. This was the battle for the heart of Castann. In the distance he could hear fighting, Attoa’s forces had engaged the enemy from the front. Kinitanga just had to await Whanui’s signal and their forces would strike the Escari from both flanks at once. The dogs didn’t stand a chance, the plan was flawless. So why did Kinitanga feel so uneasy?
And there it was, a flaming arrow streaked across the sky, the time had come to attack. Kinitanga cried out a battlecry and 2000 Castanni voices took up the sound behind him. Magnifying it into a headsplitting sound. They charged forwards into the sun and fell upon the Escari ranks in bloody combat. The Escari were taken aback, unable to stop the advance of the enraged Toa. From the opposite side, Whanui’s forces slammed into more confused Escari. Kinitanga felt a swell of joy. The heat of battle, the heart of his nation and victory imminent.
But something was wrong.
A great cracking sound split the air, louder than the voices of 5000 Castanni warriors. Louder than the sounds of battle and the death cries of Escari soldiers. The ground beneath Kinitanga’s feet split apart, revealing a dizzying drop into the abyss before he threw himself to oneside. Crawling to the edge, Kinitanga peered over the precipice into the eyes of the Scourge. Drones began pulling themselves over the edges and very quickly there were several hundred Scourge amongst the ranks of the Castanni warriors.
It was a trap.
Kinitanga began sounding the retreat at the same time Whanui did. Gathering those nearest to them, they began to make for the city outskirts. But the next part of the trap fell into place as thousands more Scourge closed in on the city, having crawled from their underground lair during the battle. His heart dropping, he knew what he had to do. Kinitanga gave a few decisive hand gestures to his personal guard and then rallied the rest of the Toa behind him. In true Castann fashion he charged the Scourge head on, driving his warriors into the thinnest line of Scourge he could see. A drone appeared ahead of him and he barely broke his stride, bringing his sword down on its weapon arm, rendering it useless straight away. It caught him with a swing of its claw from its offhand, drawing blood from Kinitanga’s shoulder. He shrugged it off, allowing for the warriors behind him to finish it off as he carried the momentum forward. He had to break their line. But already, the Castanni were slowing, the Scourge drones tough to kill, were taking their toll upon the warriors. He managed to cut the legs from under another drone before he had to stop, three drones blocking his path. Out of the corner of his eye he saw his personal guard driving Whanui forwards, carrying her through the lines with force of will and horrendous toll on their own bodies. A stinging wound on his thigh drew Kinitanga’s attention back to the immediate fight. With half a dozen of the Toa around him they pushed forward, taking the drones on with ferocity.
There was a piercing shriek, the sort that chills the blood of all who hear it. The drones ahead parted ranks as the armoured carapace of the Reaper made its way through. Kinitanga reached into his pouch, pulling out a bottle of the precious Herekore. Taking aim he threw it, catching the Reaper straight on its forehead. It screeched and Kinitanga charged. This would be his last charge. He struck one, two and then a third blow, drawing blood from the foul creature before it caught him. He died knowing he had given enough time for the Oba to get away. Kinitanga was one of almost 5000 Castanni who died that dark day in the streets of Castann City.

The ground shakes, buildings crack and tears appear in the earth. People are confused. Some run screaming, some fall beneath rubble and some drop into the newly opened chasms. The world is rent asunder and the Scourge have returned. No longer leaving the Escari to run things for them they have returned to put a stop to the Resistance, to once again solidify their rule over this world. In the desert sands outside Saurop, thousands of Scourge drones pull themselves out of the ground forming rank upon rank of hideous warriors. Their eyes turn West and their march begins.
Several miles from the walls of Paravel another army of Scourge emerge from under the ground. Thousands of drones gather themselves and begin to march East into the Duchy of Archion.
Word reaches the Resistance that an third Scourge army has dug itself out of the ground in The Ghosts region of the Delvings. And of course, a fourth army is now sat in Castann City. The Scourge armies have returned to the surface and dark days sit ahead for the Accord of Nations.