The first action of the war was to storm that irritating fortress Agartha had set up in Mountains of Evernight, right on the border. All the available troops converged on the stronghold that was taken unaware. 100 Valkyries, 40 hirdmen and a few mounted hirdmen laid the siege and quickly brought down its defences. And to honor the life that was rising everywhere in that early spring, the few defenders were put to death without delay …

As a Dis was building a new temple to spread the rightful faith in that newly captured land, some dire news came up from the western reaches of the kingdom. Indeed, the bat people of Xibalba was being destroyed. The humans of Marverni had been eating them from the west while Daurgothoth the Dracolich , the scary pretender of Niefelheim, was taking control of their lands on the south-western border. Ur was also part of the game and was pushing into the western mountains to their capital.

As such, the council of War decided to secure that west-most border and dispatched there a small party of 10 Valkyries. That didn’t change any plan however regarding the fate of Agartha and the campaign went on, taking their few unfortified territories out of their hands.

These operations went rather well. The scouts then spotted a number of Crystal sorceresses gathered in the Agarthian fortress of Momephe. These sorceresses were known to train some sacred flying Pegasus riders . This information raised utmost interest in the war council. Indeed, these riders were renowned for their agility, and with Lord Kall’s bless they would certainly be untouchable. A decision was quickly taken and available forces began to converge on Momephe.

At the same time, Yrsa the Dis had been ordered to search for the darkest places in the newly conquered lands, drawing on Dark knowledge as she had been taught in her youth. And one of her discovery drew attention : a Banefire forge was found under the throne of Thorns ! That magical place was renowned, some famous magical artifacts had been crafted in its fires, and skilled mages could use it too for great purposes. As a result, a Vanjarl was sent there to prepare the place to host mages and craftsmen.

By mid-summer of this second year of the war of Ascension, things looked rather good. The provinces of Xibalba on the western marches had been secured, the Banefire Forge was ready to forge numerous items, and the fortress of Momephe, key to recruiting Crystal sorceress and Pegasus riders, was about to be stormed. And all the peace treaties signed there and there were as healthy as ever … Lord Kall, though still in his dark prison, was confident. May be he had more time to get free than expected, Helheim’s leaders were doing rather well without him …