After the Battle

Silence fell upon the entire battlefield, as Demus Allos gave his last breath and died. Uriel sighed and surveyed her surroundings. Bodies lay scattered everywhere, like autumn leaves. A few bodies still clung to their weapons, while most gazed straight forward. Rivers of blood trickled from the wounds, drenching the earth with a deep red dye.

A number of Kompos warriors had not yet fallen, but none of them continued the fight. Instead they turned tail and completely abandoned the scene. The death of their Battle Chief, as well as their Allosaur masters, delivered a message of fear and defeat in their hearts. The Kompos were prepared to suffer losses, but apparently none of them were quite prepared to face such a defeat.

Seeing the enemy flee, Uriel raised her sword in the air and addressed the Ovoo in the village, as well as those fighting alongside her. "Victory!" she proclaimed. "We have achieved victory!"

Ragosh quickly joined in. Raising his spear over his head, the young warrior stood over the corpse of the enemy leader and roared to the top of his lungs. Others soon followed. One by one, they waved their weapons in the air and roared with pride and relief. Before long, the village itself jumped off the ground and cried out. The entire forest heard and acknowledged their voices.

Uriel softly smiled as she watched the Ovoo celebrate. However, the smile did not last long. Although pleased and relieved with the result of the battle, she could not ignore the losses that the clan had just suffered. While most of these corpses belonged to the Allosaur and Kompos, many of these bodies still belonged to the Ovoo. This one battle had made the already small clan much smaller.

With this piece of information in mind, Uriel swallowed and continued to smile softly. The Ovoo needed this moment of respite. Uriel decided to let them enjoy it while they could, for she predicted harder times to come in the future.

"This battle went quite well," Uriel remarked. She scratched the back of her head as she approached Ragosh.

"Indeed, Overlord," Ragosh said with nodded, while carrying cocky smirk on his face. "We lost much fewer than expected."

"Yes, I suppose we did," Uriel murmured as she then scratched her chin. "Perhaps in the next battle, you would survive without me coming to your rescue."

"The heat of battle overtook me," Ragosh explained. He tried arguing. "I could not help myself."

"No excuses, son of Enoch," Uriel snapped with a pointing finger. "You will not be able to complain or say such things to your enemy, once they've taken your head."

"This was just one battle!" Ragosh complained.

"THIS isn't something you can simply shrug off!" Uriel snarled. "The next battle may not be the same as this one! Whatever the outcome, you cannot repeat the entire battle as you remember it!"

Ragosh growled. He wanted to further justify his actions, but found himself frozen on the spot when he met Uriel's icy gaze. The Ovoo warrior's tongue twisted and his heart stopped for a few seconds, when he made immediate contact with that fierce look in her eyes. The stare reminded him a bit of his parents when they were cross with him.

For some reason, he almost felt like suffocating. The very air in his chest just seemed to stop midway. How could she, someone much smaller than him, have such a commanding aura about her? At first, Ragosh believed that she was using magic to scare him.

The lizard attempted once more to argue. He opened his mouth, but found could not find the words to talk back. Unable to defy her, Ragosh gave a low groan and submitted.

"I apologize, Overlord," he said.

Uriel sighed and shook her head. This young lizard reminded her too much of a few pages that the knight captains forced her to train, during her time as a knight for the kingdom. As difficult as those children proved to be, she could never truly get mad at them. Ragosh seemed to have a similar effect on her. Softening her expression, Uriel rolled her eyes and spoke.

"You have skill and talent, Ragosh, but you are still too reckless," she said with a more compassionate tone. "Do not rush into battle like a headless chicken. When one's guard is down, you must exploit it, not announce it!"

"Yes, Overlord," Ragosh said, still a little flustered.

"Good lad," she said, standing on her toes to pat his head.

It felt almost like stroking a horse rather than a person, but Uriel tried to ignore this. "Now let us return to the village and rest."

Ragosh nodded and followed her. Other warriors retreated to the village as well. They trudged and dragged their feed through the red earth with every muscle aching in their bodies. Despite this, they kept their heads high with pride.

The path back to the village felt oddly distant, despite it being so close. The field's new decoration of bloody corpses and the fatigue made the village seem farther than it should have been.

Vultures began to appear as they travelled back. These buzzards scanned the field, until they found a corpse of their choosing. Descending from the sky, they gathered around a corpse and began to feast. They tore through the scales and ripped strips of flesh. They gobbled greedily, making much noise as they swallowed.

The very sounds these vultures made stirred the imagination quite a bit. Just listening to them squawk and swallow painted a rather unpleasant picture in the minds. Without any real choice, Uriel visualized the chewed flesh squirming down the buzzards' slimy throats and into their bellies. Uriel cringed, while the muscles on her face compressed to the center. Her stomach churned, ready to push breakfast out of her mouth.

Upon arriving at the village, Uriel and the warriors found themselves met with a warm reception. The villagers quickly tended to their needs, offering medical treatment, food, water and some praise. A few did show concern and grief when learning the fate of a few particulars that had died in battle. Regardless, the whole village found itself filled with cheer and relief.

"Congratulations on this battle, Overlord Uriel," Jotun commended with a small bow. "You managed to save this village from such a ferocious force."

"It wouldn't have been as successful, if not for your warning of their attack," Uriel replied. "Your Blood Crows did an excellent job attacking from the village, but I would like to know why you didn't appear in the front lines."

"Oh my lady, you overestimate my abilities," Jotun chuckled. "Besides, if I had joined that battle, there would have not been enough enemies to help hone your skills."

"Quite a condescending tongue you have, Drow," Mycelia snidely remarked, as she appeared before them.

"Not as sharp as yours, my misguided beauty," Jotun answered back with a wink that few would actually describe as charming. "But you know, there are other words to describe my tongue. Would you like to find out what those other words are?"

Mycelia cringed. "Only if you want to lose it," she growled, as she pushed him aside. "My lady, please wash yourself." She handed over a bowl water and a rag.

"Much appreciated," Uriel said, as she splashed some water on her face, and cleaned some of the dirt and blood off.

"You know my lady, this battle would have ended much quicker if you allowed me to use my magic," Mycelia remarked.

"You would have most likely ended if for EVERYONE in the battlefield," Jotun laughed.

"Oh, you're a funny elf," Mycelia said with much sarcasm. "Are you sure you were a captain of the empire, and not some jester?"

"I am pleased to see both of you get along so well," Uriel smirked, as she wiped her face with the rag.

Mycelia gave a deep sigh. "With all seriousness, my lady," she continued. "We wouldn't have lost this many Ovoo if I had just cast my spell at the beginning."

"As true as that maybe, I would prefer to only use your magic in dire times," Uriel explained. "But I'll tell you what. If an army of Blood Ogres attacks us, I will have you exhaust every spell you know before the fighting even begins."

Mycelia chuckled uncomfortably, unsure if Uriel was serious or simply joking. "Putting that aside, my lady," she said, trying to change the subject. "We may need to do something about this army. We still have plenty of Ovoo warriors, but I do think we may need additional warriors."

"I have sent one of my own to call the other Blood Crows," Jotun said. "You can expect more Drow to aid your endeavors."

"As comforting as that sounds, I think we may need a little more than a band of exiles," Mycelia groaned. "We would need a large and mighty force to push back our enemies."

"Yes, I agree," Uriel grunted. Turning back, she surveyed the village until she spotted Enoch talking to his son. An idea popped at the top of her head. "I may know where to find more warriors," she said.

"Where, my lady?" Mycelia asked.

"Let's not worry about that now," Uriel replied, as she handed back the rag. "We won this battle. Let us savor the moment, while we can."

"That's the spirit!" Jotun said as he slapped his knee. The Drow then pulled a wineskin from his belt. "My lady Overlord, please be the first to have a victory drink!"

"What is this?" Uriel asked, as she took a whiff.

"Try it, and find out for yourself!" Jotun smirked.

Uriel took another sniff, in hopes to further identify what could have been inside the wineskin. At the very least, it didn't have a malodorous scent. With one shrug, she held up the wineskin over her mouth. Deep red liquid spilled out of the pouch and touched her tongue. A sweet, yet strong flavor danced on her buds, taking her back to the days of loud song and dance in the mead halls.

"This isn't too bad," Uriel remarked. She allowed the taste to linger a bit longer in her mouth.

"It's a simple concoction I've made from various wild berries and nuts," Jotun replied. "It may not be as good as the drinks made from the breweries, but we take what we can make around here."

Uriel shrugged, as she casually took another sip. "I do sincerely hope you have more."

"Of course I do!" Jotun smiled, as he held out his hand. A moment passed, but Uriel didn't respond. She just kept on drinking. "My lady, may I have my wineskin back?"

"You said to have the first victory drink," Uriel blurted out, taking a moment to breathe from the wineskin. "That's exactly what I'm doing."

"Thirsty as a horse this woman, am I right?" Jotun snorted, as he nudged Mycelia on the shoulder, only to receive a cold grimace.

Uriel laughed, as she continued to drink and observe the village.

The Ovoo celebrated throughout the rest of the day. From their storehouses, the villagers brought out a much of their food and drink. Before long, a strong aroma of roasted pork and fish drifted in the air and spread throughout the village. All who caught the scent found their appetites ignited. The Ovoo, as well as Uriel, Mycelia and the Blood Crows, feasted as if tomorrow would never come.

Long after, the night arrived. The sun's rays vanished in the sky, making room for the moon and stars. However, even with night upon the land, the celebration did not quite end yet. As soon as darkness descended, the Ovoo lit large bonfires to pierce through the shadow. Drums beat and voices sang, disturbing the usual peace of the night.

Eventually, things did settle down a bit. Apparently, the celebration exhausted the village more than the actual battle. Most of the Ovoo retreated to their homes to rest, while others took partners to bed to share a moment in the heat. Uriel began hearing noises that she wish she didn't.

Passing by several huts, Uriel reached the end of the village, where one Ovoo sat quietly with a pipe in hand, his eyes gazing at the stars.

"Will you be retiring soon, Chieftain Enoch?" Uriel asked.

"Shortly," he responded, as he sucked in some smoke from his pipe and inhaled through his nostrils. "The battle went extraordinarily well."

"I would like to believe so myself," Uriel replied, as she moved her attention from Enoch and cast her gaze at the stars as well.

"I suppose I owe you an apology for our behavior," Enoch remarked. "Despite obeying, we've shown much resistance to your efforts. For that, I would like to deeply apologize for such rudeness."

The chieftain did not lie. The days after being given leadership over the village were not easy. While they did follow her instructions, many Ovoo did not hesitate to show reluctance or dissatisfaction with some of the changes she had done to the village. As frustrating as it proved to be, Uriel did not bear any ill will. Change was a difficult concept to grasp, especially for those with years of tradition deeply rooted in their blood.

"Regardless, I am quite pleased that your clan is learning to adapt," Uriel replied. "Times are growing and survival demands changes in lifestyle, for better or worse."

"I understand," Enoch sighed. "Now, what may I do for you, Overlord Uriel? I presume that you sought me out for more than just pleasantry."

Uriel nodded. "Indeed, I have," she admitted, crossing her arms. "I would like to know about that clan the Allosaur commanded you to attack."

Enoch bit the tip of his pipe, when he heard this. He did not answer right away. The chieftain took a deep breath and then exhaled a large cloud of scented smoke.

"That would be the Chamael Clan," Enoch eventually responded. "They are a very isolated clan that so rarely communicates with other clans. Even when the Allosaur dubbed them as enemy, they did not try to ask the other clans for peace or negotiations."

"What exactly did the Chamael Clan do to earn the Allosaur's wrath?" Uriel asked.

Enoch shrugged. "I don't quite know much myself," he replied. "However, the Allosaur apparently requested something from their territory, but the Chamael flatly refused. This went on and on, until the Allosaur finally traded words for weapons."

"You mentioned that the Chamael did not request aid from any of the other clans," Uriel noted. "Are they not terrified of the Allosaur Clan?"

"The Chamael are actually quite strong, some would even go so far to label them as a greater clan," Enoch replied. "That is why we, the Ovoo, were especially against fighting them. We would have been slaughtered, if we attempted to do so."

The description piqued Uriel's interest more and more. "I would like to meet with these Chamael," she muttered, rubbing her chin. "Perhaps they could join us in our fight against the Allosaur."

"You may try, but I have much doubts about that happening," Enoch grunted. "As I said, they are an isolated clan that does not speak much with others. Convincing them to join us will be much harder."

"Perhaps, but that won't change my mind," Uriel growled. "If we are to defeat the Allosaur, we will need more clans uniting with us."

"If that is your will, then I will not argue," Enoch sighed. "I will have a runner escort you to their village. Now, if there is anything else I may help you with?"

"I would like Ragosh to accompany me," Uriel requested.

Enoch's eyes popped, as he accidentally swallowed some of the smoke from his pipe. He coughed a few times, before turning his attention back at the overlord. "Why?" he asked.

"Your son is quite skilled, but still very much lacking," Uriel explained. "May I presume that he will one day take your place as chieftain of the clan?"

Enoch nodded. "Yes, he is expected to be given that responsibility, eventually."

"If he is ever to become a competent chieftain, he will need more experience," Uriel mentioned, remembering a knight captain telling her something similar regarding a squire. "Let him accompany me to grow into something greater."

Enoch hummed, as he thought for a while. "I understand," he then responded. "I will have him join you."

"Thank you, Chieftain Enoch," Uriel replied, as she slightly bowed her head. "That will be all. Have a good evening."