The army of Samanilde marched toward the east. Their banners were tattered with many of their men dragging their weapons instead of holding them high as properly disciplined varangians should.

They saw light in the distance and when they got closer they saw a large armada was close to the shore with a huge army making camp on the beach. It was the first prince's army.

Samanilde walked through the camp and as she made way many of the soldiers in camp stared at her. Never had they seen one of the children in purple in such a tattered mess.

She stopped in front of a large tent. Heavily armored varangians were at the outside holding large axes and guarding the entrance.

"I wish to speak with my brother," Samanilde said.

"And I wish to speak with my sister."

A man with a tall stature with curly hair came out of the tent. He wore a purple robe and unlike the princess, he wore black armor with an emblem on its chest. He also had rings on his fingers and diamond earrings on his ears. He had black hair just like the emperor and Samanilde, but unlike her, he had a strong aura around him just like the emperor.

"Brother Berig….." Samanilde stuttered and stepped back.

Berig stepped forward with many of his generals coming out of his tent.

"I believe you should have met us at the agreed rendezvous point as I ordered you to," Berig said and questioned his sister.

"I saw my chance to strike down at the enemy. They had gathered at Pesamo and seemed like a perfect chance for us to strike at them. The armies that were there stood no chance against our cannons, varangians and my might. I slew their commander and then proceeded to raze the city of Pesamo to give us a port that could be used," Smanailde boasted.

"But if this would have been the right course of action, why many of your men are dead outside the walls of Pesamo?"

Sanailde didn't say anything.

"Answer," Berig said and released his divine aura.

"We were caught surprised by the cavalry of the Fairfax kingdom. They ambushed us as we were engaging the city of Pesamo," Smanilde stuttered in fear.

Berig grabbed his sister by her throat and raised her in the air.

"So there was no chance. What you did was that you failed us all. I like our father do not accept failure."

Samanilde's face turned blue as her life faded away slowly.

"I think you have proven your point. I don't think killing any unnecessary people would help your cause in any way," Markus said as he left the tent.

Berig looked back and released his sister.

"This is Markus Jacob, the ousted king of the Jacob kingdom, now known as the Fairfax kingdom. He was crucial in bringing down the people's free state of Spade. The emperor has gifted him with his own personal soldiers and granted him to be an independent mercenary commander," Berig said to his sister who was gasping air on the ground.

Markus stepped forward and helped Samanilde up.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," he said to the princess.

"He is to go north and gather supplies for our army and also make sure that people learn to fear us and won't resist," Berig explained.

~ ~

Both the imperial and the alliance army had not yet moved. Both were waiting for the other to do something.

As they were waiting for the other one to do their first move, the black company moved to the rich countryside of Etna.

The soldiers of Markus had been molded into true soldiers who were not disciplined soldiers all still possessing the same criminal-like brutal nature. They all were beasts and criminals deep down.

Markus unleashed them on the poor villagers who had seen little to no war during their lifetime and got a rude awakening to the horrors of it.

Just like in Spade, the soldiers of the black company started to massacre the villagers and sent the supplies and food back to the main army. No one was spared.

"How many men did Rufus and the alliance command?" Markus asked August.

"Rufus commands himself around forty thousand men with around another thirty thousand soldiers and mercenaries from the Etnian side. They now also have the rest of the Etnians that Samanilde initially routed and won against. That sums the entire force into around ninety thousand strong."

"So, we are now around at equal strength. It seems Rufus had done well for our kingdom. Not in decades could the Jacob kingdom field such a strong force that Rufus has raised."

Soon sounds of battle could be heard.

The two of them rushed to see what was going on. They saw dead soldiers on the ground with bite marks on them. Mona had engaged the enemy who was a grey skin who wielded a curved blade and moved with incredible speed. He had a wolf's pelt on top of his head and a mask that had a red handprint on it.

Mona was in many ways a strong opponent but so was this unknown grey skin.

Though the enemy was fast and skilled he soon found himself surrounded. The grey skin then took out his mask and instead of looking frustrated or scared he smiled.

"Come at me you pigskins. I will eat you all after I kill you. I do not run from humans and from no one anymore," he yelled.

Markus seemed interested in the grey skin. He felt an aura of pure malice from him.

He walked forward.

"Are you from the army sent by the raja?" Markus asked.

The grey skin smiled and charged at him.

Markus cut a wound on his wrist and formed a tight rope out of his blood and tied down the grey skin.

"I will ask again. Are you of the army sent by the raja?"

"HAH. I AM NO ONE! I AM FREE AND I FIGHT ONLY FOR ME! I AM THE GREAT TRIBAL LEADER SKAL MEDO OF THE SONAM TRIBE!"

"Well then Skal Medo, what do you think of Rufus Fairfax?" Markus asked

"I would like to eat him, but before that, I would like to eat Pema of the Dechen tribe."

Markus smiled.

"I have a proposition. If you work for me and help me, I will help you get what you want."

Skal laughed.

"I would never work for humans. I only eat them."

"Don't say no until you know what you really want," Markus said and placed his hand on Skal's forehead.

Winds of pandora started to flow inside of Skal. Instead of yelling and passing out like Mona, he just started to laugh hysterically.

"That tickled, but that also felt great. What was that?" Skal laughed.

"So, tell me. What is it you really want?" Markus asked.

"I want to devour the world. I want to eat everything and everyone. I want to be a great maw that will chow down on everything," Skal said and laughed.

"Well then. I also have a dream that works pretty well with what you want. If you are to work with me, I will give you all the humans you wish to eat and more. I will also help you so you can eat this Pema person."

Skal started to laugh even louder.

"Hahahahaha. You make a good bargain. I also want to make one request. Let me eat you when I have devoured everything else."

"I will personally roast myself when it is just the two of us in the entire universe."