21 Raider

Hidden between the foliage, a dozen of grim looking warriors laid in wait. They all wore scaled armor, not in metal but made from some kind of red reptile skin.

Their faces were painted with crimson signs of war, that run across their scar ridden visages and even touched their bold heads. Even the women, the tree of them that were part of the group, were completely hairless. They were surrounded by a palpable killing aura, and every one of them was armed with a large double bladed ax and had a couple of smaller throwing blades on their hips.

"The Sticks are coming, they will be soon on zone X" said one of the smaller warriors, looking deep in the forest and checking light signals. The signals were given by other members of the group, positioned on the road to check the movement of their prey, the Sticks.

The Sticks were obviously the member of Forest Will Tribe, and the red colored warriors were members from one of a new marauder group coming from the Fire Earth Territory.

The group was under the control of a certain Godemro, a warrior that wanted to make his name known to have more chances to be elected an elder of the tribe at the next Councill of Fire. For those reasons he put together a war band, calling under the lead people that knew him and new recruits.

Although he usually didn't like it to employ people who he hadn't personally trained, he couldn't let this opportunity slide away. Plus the Council was very close.

He stood alone, on a broken rock, looking far away to the forest path surrounded by the woods.

"Are you ready?" he ironically exclaimed, not even turning to observe the reaction of his team of warriors.

The Fire Earth marauders didn't erupt in senseless clamor, but they all started to pet gently their giant weapons, a dangerous glint shining in their eyes.

Of course, they were ready! They were born to fight, and now they could do so against the greatest enemy of their tribe, the despicable Forest Will Tribe hunters.

Plus this raid would bring them untold riches, they would be able to avoid going on dangerous missions against other tribes and even they won't have to fight against other warbands.

"Remember what I told you. Do not stand still, not even for a moment! Those cowards have no honor, they will attack you from long distances with their despicable bows"

A sound of rage and disgust run across the group of heavily armored people, all outraged by the lack of honor of the Forest Will. Bows? They had real warrior's weapons! The Glorious Axe!

The Forest Will people called their experts "hunters". Pathetic. How could they be hunters if the only thing they did was to attack for long range and then run away? How could they be hunters if they never wrestled with a red wolf barehanded, if they never assaulted a trihorn armored boar alone?

Hunters? Fire Earth children were more worthy of that title. As for adults? They weren't simply hunters, they were Warriors.

"Chieftain! We need to move!" said suddenly the man that was in charge of keeping contact with the scouts. The moment he said that, he realized his error. He wasn't the only one, many people in the group widened their eyes, sensing the great mistake made but the scout responsible.

Godermo smiled viciously, looking at the man who talked with crescent moon shaped eyes. He seemed amused, like something incredibly funny was just said out loud.

"Need?" he said, jumping down from the rock. Contrary to many of the present expectations, he didn't create any sound when he touched the ground. That made many of stunned: he wasn't a small man, on the contrary, he was probably the more imposing warrior around, plus he also held a very large ax on his hands. How could he land without making any sound whatsoever?

"I didn't know that you, Foracu, was the real leader of this war band. Excuse me" said with a strange tone the man, bowing slightly his head towards the guy that was rapidly paling.

"Chieftain, I didn't mean it that way..." begged the man, eying the large weapon on Godermo hands. This was his first time working for the man, but he wasn't a fool: war band leaders were known for being violent maniacs. They killed for even the minor infraction, and sometimes even casually, to relieve their stress or out of boredom. How else would they be able to control entire groups of Fire Earth Warriors, the most aggressive and indomitable people in the whole Extreme Wilderness Region?

'I'm done for'

The man thought about his family, the only reason he chose to follow this new war band that he didn't know much about. The Tribe didn't help the families that were in need, you could work for your food or you would be thrown outside and let to die.

The other members of the group all fell in silence, some of them ( probably the new recruits) showing looks of concern and unease, other ( probably the old guard) with a strange smile on their lips.

Godermo moved his hand, grabbing the shoulder of the man before him.

"What's your name, son" he asked while his deep magnetic grey eyes fixed themselves on those of the youth that he was holding.

"Kuraio" answered the youth, without hesitation. He was afraid, but the most important lesson of their Earth Flame Tribe was to never show your fear. This was why he didn't even think of begging or bowing, that would just result in a dishonorable death. He didn't want that. He couldn't control his paling, but he damn sure could control how he spoke before he died.

The war band chief looked at him for a long moment, in silence. At first, Kuraio was afraid, but after a while, he managed to calm himself. He was going to die, but so what? He wasn't a coward. As for his family, his wife would probably find another warrior. It wasn't the best outcome, but he was not going to humiliate himself any longer trying to find a solution.

It was in the exact moment when the look in his eyes changed, that the chieftain let go of his body.

"Good. Kuraio, I'm giving you a second chance. You shall follow the vanguard, and the between the first in the assault line. Don't let me down a second time." smiled Godermo, patting a couple of time the astonished Kuraio and starting to move towards the road that split the forest into two part a couple of hundred of meters away.

'Wait what?' Kuraio was completely mind-blown. He wasn't the sole one: a second chance? Did they hear that correctly? They never heard of a war band chieftain giving out second chances!

They immediately forget that the second chance came from something that wasn't even a real infraction of some sort, and all focused on the fact that their chieftain was incredibly gracious and good-hearted.

The passion in their heart started to grow, so their admiration for Godermo. As for Kuraio, after believing that he was going to surely die he was now looking with a disturbing fanaticism the back of his chieftain.

The seed of zealot obedience has been planted in his heart, and from that moment forward it would only grow stronger.

Godermo smiled, his expression hidden by the shadow. He lifted his arm, pointing his long weapon forwards.

"Move" he simply said, and the whole company started to do just so, their eyes burning with admiration and bloodthirst.

They walked silently, moving across the dark forest without any torch. The only light they needed was the feeble moonlight.

Soon, they arrived next to the dirt road, hiding in the foliage right next to its borders. They laid in wait, their arms ready to crush skulls and their blades ready to gut their enemies.

The silent night seemed almost holding its breath, no animal moved, no nocturn bird let his call be heard. It was like everyone in the forest was waiting with the hidden warriors, waiting for the massacre that had to come.

After a while, the eerie silence was broken by the cracking sound of many wooden carriages moving on the dirt road. The beasts that hauled the wagons full of supplies puffed and growled from time to time, only to be immediately recalled to order by the cruel snap of a whip.

The Forest Will Tribe had arrived.