Larek

“Larek.” The envoy looked at me contemptuously. “So you’re the one that’s started all the riots?”

The armored orc on a black horse in front of me was an emissary from the Dijurobul Faction. Behind him was a small army of at least a thousand armored warriors. It was around midnight when the army arrived. Fortunately, our spies alerted us days ago. “Yes,” I said, trying to stay calm. “I am proposing that the Dijurobul Faction releases its claim from this town.”

The orc sorted. “And we have to listen to you because…?”

“There are four thousand archers behind me,” I said, smiling, “and all of them burning with hatred and fury towards you and your people. Sure, the armor will protect your men, but how will they survive four thousand flaming arrows raining down on them every five seconds?”

“You have no such army,” the envoy laughed, but I could tell he was uncertain. “I will give you one last chance to surrender. If you do… we will consider sparing you.”

“No… I will give you one last chance to release this town,” I said as I raised my right hand. As I did, flames began to light up in the mountains surrounding the town. The warriors muttered in confusion as more and more fires lit up. “If you don’t, you will have to die.”

I faced the envoy, who slowly spoke, voice shaking: “L-lies. W-we won’t-”

I let my arm slowly fall to my side. As it did, a cascade of arrows suddenly rained down on the right side of the opposing army. Screams and yells of pain erupted as warriors fell down, wounded and dying. “That was only a warning!” I raised my voice over the screams. “If you do not call your army to retreat and come with me to officially release Beggar’s Street from Dijurobul rule, I will be forced to eliminate to all.”

I could see the fear in the emissary’s eyes as he considered the ultimatum. He turned around, defeated. “Retreat back to Dijurobul territory,” he ordered the soldiers, “and save as many of the wounded as you can.”

The army slowly began to retreat, and the envoy turned around again. “Well, we’ll need some parchment, two quills and a bottle of ink.” I smiled as, one-by-one, the fires blinked out.

“How did you manage to gather four thousand archers?” The orc asked, perplexed. “I thought this town had little more than 2,000 inhabitants, most of them women and children…”

“I never had four thousand archers,” I said. It didn’t matter that I was revealing my secret - in fact, it was all part of my plan. “I hardly had a hundred. I just had the village light a few thousand fires around the mountains. If you hadn’t surrendered then, we would’ve lost.”

Serim

“You summoned me?”

Tarden Heavenheart, the legendary knight known as Tarden the Bridgekeeper, stood in front of me. Fortunately, he was not in his armor yet - it’s hard to kill someone when they’re covered in steel. “Tarden,” I smiled. “As you know, skirmishes in Ashait have already begun between the elf and rebel forces. Tomorrow we are to charge into the province and lead the rebel forces to victory under the Aubrerid flag.”

Tarden nodded. “Is there anything you need me to do?”

“Well, actually, there is.” I stood up and walked towards the door of the cabin that was built a few days ago.

“Where are we?” Tarden looked awfully vulnerable without his armor as we entered the forest. “What is this place.”

“The place where you die.” As quick as lightning, I drew my knife and charged towards Tarden.

Instead of slicing through flesh my knife was met with metal. “Serim, what is the meaning of this?!” Tarden was confused, but he held his longsword in both hands, blocking my knife.

I jumped backwards. Truly his reflexes were excellent - this really was the legendary Bridgekeeper. I lunged again and again, but the knight continued to block and parry successfully. “Tarden… poor Tarden, unfortunately I have to kill you.”

“I do not understand,” the knight said candidly as he suddenly jumped forwards. I ducked just in time, and his longsword sliced off a few of my hairs as it zoomed over me. Seeing a chance, I scrambled forwards and stabbed his right leg.

With a yell Tarden tripped and fell. “Well, I want to be King, and you stand in my way.” As I tried to cut at the knight’s heart his longsword still blocked it. This one wouldn’t die easily, but he would die in the end nevertheless.

“They… won’t… bow to you…” With a grunt, Tarden threw me backwards and got up, limping. “A monster like you… isn’t fit to be King.”

“A man like you who stands in my way isn’t fit to live,” I said simply as I swung and slashed at the tenacious knight. I felt his sword dig into my arm, but I pressed forwards until my knife slammed into the right side of his chest.

Tarden suddenly relaxed. “No…” He groaned. “I will… never…”

“Shut up,” I spat as I held my knife with two hands and stabbed it through the knight’s neck. He squirmed and coughed as blood spurted out of his throat. As I pulled my blade out, he fell to the grassy ground, blood spurting out everywhere.

Breathing heavily, I turned the man around and stuck the knife into his chest. Then I began to run out of the forest, shouting “Murder, murder! Tarden Brightheart’s been

The elves will be blamed, obviously. The angry warriors would slaughter innocent women and children when they ride to battle tomorrow… the more bloodshed, the better. The less to resist my rule once I sit on the throne.

Larek

“Well, the preliminaries have ended,” I sighed as I sat with my council.

We numbered twelve in total: Me, Glitsnab, Garul, the eight other orphans and Raginsab, the village elder of Beggar’s Street. “The Dijurobul Faction will certainly take this as an invitation to war,” Glitsnab grumbled.

“However… I believe we have time to prepare. They have Andirltan and Fenlar to deal with.” I smiled. “Sure, we will face resistance, but not anything major for a while. I say we should expand our territory. Once Dijurobul sees us as an actual threat, hopefully we will be powerful enough to oppose them.”

“You know what I say we do?” Garul snarled. “Ally with the Andirltan Faction. An enemy of an enemy is a friend. With their help we wouldn’t be decimated in days.”

“Why don’t we put this to a vote,” Glitsnab stood up. “All save me must vote. Those who wish for us to conquer as much as possible, raise your hand.” I raised my hand, and so did five others, but my heart sank - it wasn’t enough. “And those who wish for us to ally with the Andirltan Faction, raise your hand.” Six hands were raised. “Well, the council has decided,” Glitsnab decreed.

“Let’s just hope the Andirltan won’t send an army as an ambassador,” I sighed as the council cheered.