~------Shades------~
Shouyin and Quin's assault would never reach Noel though. Instead their attack would sink into the body of a shade that jumped in the way. Sacrificing itself so that other could drag the bezerk Noel out from the front lines.
There was a command from Omikron, the shades were to retreat. The shade leader had realised his forces had failed to get a foothold in the Vale. The miners and villagers would pound the shades until there was not one of the shadowed creatures. And the shade's very nature told them to stay and fight, to make sure that as many of their enemies as possible would fall, to make them pay through the nose.
To fuel the fires of a non-existent master.
The exact reason Omikron could not let the shades continue fighting. If they didn't show it in action, the world would always see them as mindless killing machines.
Omikron made preparations to stay behind so the other shades could escape, this idea would soon be shot down. A small group of shades had him dragged away just as Noel, reminding him that if he died the shades would have no-one who could lead them through this new world. Reluctantly the ex-shadelord admitted this true, and led the evacuation rather than the last ditch effort at defence. The some of the brave shades that did stay stopped at nothing to slow the approaching humans down, while a few others found the heroes that fought alongside them. There was no reason for their kindness to be repaid with abandonment.
Omikron wouldn't be able to thank them himself, he would be too busy trying to find a new place for the wandering shades to take up residence. Somewhere where they could truly live in peace and never worry about a conflict like this again. Instead Omikron would send a few hidden shades to deliver thank yous to those that helped them.
And when the approaching forces finally reached the ruins, that's all that was there. Another empty shell of a failed colonisation.
~------Villagers------~
Through a valiant effort of our heroes, the evil shadow beasts were pushed out of the Vale, never to defile its loveliness again. In the meanwhile, Vahn boldly marched on the Skinner Mining Company, burning their logging camp to the ground.
But it was not enough to stop them. Unbeknownst to Vahn, the Skinner Mining Company had mobilized its army in an attack against Radiant while its heroes were fighting the enemy. They razed the South Bright Forest, crashing through the village gates and scattering our defenders. It was only through the sacrifice of Mayor Henrik and Mateo, who stayed behind to fight until no breath was left in their battered bodies, that the noncombatants were able to escape.
We will live, and start anew, in another place, not as war-torn as the Vale. I am confident that we shall find one, if only we do not give up the hope...
The heroes that fought with us will always have our gratitude, and what little we have is theirs to share. I hope they will not regret coming to our aid, though things did not end well. It was only through their efforts that we were able to last as long as we did, and it is only because of their strength that we are alive today.
~------SMK------~
When the Shade forces began to be beaten back, we saw an opportunity and went for it. Thanks to the effectiveness of our offensive against the fortified Shade territories, and the further pressure put upon our adversaries by the invasion of their second stronghold by the villagers, we still had a sizable garrison and much firepower to spare in launching a sudden, surprise attack.
Alone, Vahn marched towards our camp, walking straight past our blockades as if they weren't there at all. When he breached the wall, however, there was only a small force remaining to defend the camp. A diversion. The settler forces camped in the woods would see the camp burning, and assume they had struck a great blow to their enemy.
The heavy machines rolled unopposed across the Blazing Plains; the village's defenders were stationed in the forest, and its offensive force had crossed the river to combat the Shades. There was nothing to stop them as the machines launched firebombs into the woods, setting them ablaze and scattering the village's only remaining defense in a matter of moments.
By the time word of this reached their defenders, the Shades were in full retreat and had been pursued almost to the outskirts of their own camp. By the time they made it back, the village was nothing but a burned out shell of what it had been.
With no homes to return to, and enemies both ahead of and behind them, the remaining forces were forced to flee with the villagers who had run from the burning town.
This land was their land.
This land is our land.
