Glacier & Lights

Chapter 2

It was late afternoon when when the Bardur tribe leader and finest generals all gathered in the meeting hall in the Bardur capital city of Bagrugru. All of them were sitting at the table, only Grulak the tribe leader was standing.

"As you all surely noticed, our war with the Imperius isn't going as well as it could." The general right opposite the tribe leader took a deep breath to force himself stay calm. He knew exactly why the war was going bad. The problem was the tribe leader and the way he lead. But who was he supposed to tell it? The tribe leader was head of the tribe and there wasn't any higher power above him.
"And for this reason I have created a domination plan. Toflak, unroll the map so others can see!" One of the generals, the one sitting at the tribe leader's right hand, pulled out a large rolled up map and spread it up on the table. It was ordinary map of the square with the only difference that there were marked tribe territories.
"But before I introduce you into our new domination plan, we need to discuss latest events. First thing is the Dopire invasion. Like you all surely know, our army has been destroyed by Imperius ambush while they were waiting until reinforcements come to help them capture Dopire. I think we should strike back, Arklak will lead the army. Capture the Dopire!"
The general sitting opposite the tribe leader now stood up. "It ain't happening. I won't clean up his mess!" his voice was loud and full of hidden anger. "Did you said something?" Grulak's voice didn't went up at the end. It wasn't a question, it was a threath. "Yes," said Arklak. "You know as good as I do what happened. It wasn't Imperius' ambush but Toflak's ambush what killed our men. He used half of the army as a bait to lure the enemy into the camp so the archers can have clear shot and for what? He wasted their life's for nothing as the archers stayed unprotected and vulnerable, their knights smashed them off. It was his mistake, make him fix it himself." "Looks like you don't know how you should speak with your tribe leader. I said you are going there. That means you are going there!"

This was the last time he treated him like someone less valuable. He's a Bardurian. "As you wish." said Arklak sharply and set off to the door. When he opened them, he turned back to the room. "I am sorry for all our soldiers as they are going to die for nothing. " Then he went through the door out.

When he entered the streets, he stopped to think what to do now. He was sure that he won't stay in Bagrugru but he had no idea where to go. He had no family and his only friends were dead. Noone was waiting for him, noone cared about him. When he thought about it, he remembered that the second thing isn't entirely true. His men, his legendry army admired him.

He was in labyrinth made from a lot of narrow corridors but even some wide streets, defined by walls of tall wooden buildings, usually made in several levels and topped with a grass pad or ornamental wooden rooftop. In their tiny windows could be seen orange ligths of torches. The mighty Bagrugru was all around him. But he knew the city too good to get lost, he spent there many years. It took only a few minutes until he stood in front of barracks C. In Bagrugru, there were 4 barracks, because there was so many soldiers that they wouldn't fit in one building. Barracks C was where Arklak's army lived when they were in the city. One of the men standing in front of the barracks noticed him and greeted him with respect. "Thanks, Flarø. Nice to see you. I need you, to gather my men. Immedieatly." said Arklak nicely. "Yes sir." Flarø responded, nodded his head and vanished into the building.

Ten minutes later was the whole Arklak's army lined up in the barracks courtyard, facing their general Arklak. "Hello my friends at arms." he started. "Today, I decided to leave the Bardur tribe, because I strongly disagree with the leadership of Grulak. As long as he is the tribe leader, I am ashamed to call myself Bardur." He took a little break before he continued. "That means, I am no longer your general. I know we have fought glorious battles together and I know we are the only reason why the Bardur empire didn't fell yet, but it's over. I am going to exile. Maybe I will return as a general of another army, maybe I will never return again. Anything for my tribe, for my friends, for you. Winter is cold, but not as cold as bodies of our enemies." Then, the great general Arklak bowed before his men, and set off for stables.

When he deployed the saddle on his horse, he felt great sadness, but he knew there was no other way. In the entrance to the stable he crashed into young man who was leading his horse away too. "Oh sorry, my bad" Arklak apologized, but the man didn't seemed to be much bothered by it. "Nevermind, I would surely crashed into you if you haven't done that before me, I am so excited that I forget to be careful. Do you know that some fishermen from Wedolo have haunted a giant crab? That's amazing! You know what tribe is known for having gigantic crabs." he speaked fast and his excitement was nearly touchable. "Aquarion is a myth. said Arklak. "In all these years, someone would must found him." "Hmmm, what if they found him now? I am going to Wedolo, to see the crab. Do you want to go with me?" Arklak hesitated a while with his answer. He wasn't sure where he wants to go. "It sounds amazing, but I have some other stuff to do elsewhere." he said finally.

When Arklak left the city, he started to feel free. Nothing will bother him now, he was his own master. But still he was thinking about his men and hoped that Toflak won't be their new general. After a while a two riders approaching on the same road from opposite direction have interrupted his thoughts. "Sir." said they both when they recognized Arklak's face. "Where are you going solo?" asked one of the men. "Tribe leader Grulak made Toflak a general because he is rich and he ignores the fact that Toflak's strategic skills stinks. That's how it's been. But today, he told me to clean Toflak's mess he made by his poor decisions. Have you heard about the invasion of Dopire?"Arklak let a bit of his anger flow with his words. "Of course, but we were told that Imperius ambushed our troops." Arklak laughed. "No, they didn't. It was Toflak's trap. He knew they will come so he prepared ambush for them, but he fucked up." Arklak took a deep breath followed by a moment of silence. Then the second man spoken. "If it is as you're saying, I am not sure I want to serve in Bardur army anymore. Can we join you, sir?" his voice sounded calmly and honestly. Arklak was thinking for a while. "I won't mind." he said at last.
"Where are we headed, sir?".                  "To the plains of ethernal winter on the north, where forests are full of Baerions and where the only enemy is your own dark side."

This is starting to be a real thing, yay.