Maxxor, an Overworld Lieutenant, was talking and laughing with other soldiers from the Overworld military. It was night, so they needed torches to see in the black of night and a fire to keep them from freezing in the cold.
There were only five of them sitting around a fire, but they weren't the only creatures around. They where at this Overworld camp with at least a hundred other soldiers and a hand full of warriors inside the camp. Some were sitting around fires like Maxxor, a few creatures were working or on guard duty and the rest were asleep in the dozen of tents scatared around the camp.
"Say, Maxxor how many Underworlders have you killed?" A warrior that looked like a humanoid wolf, asked. Maxxor didn't know this creature too well, but that didn't matter; they were all Overworlders.
Maxxor was taken off guard by the unexpected question. Not only that, but the way he asked was as if he was asking what his score was on a game. Maxxor has meet creatures like him before, but he just doesn't get why they feel the need in keeping score on how many enemies they kill.
"I never have killed an enemy before. The worst I did to an enemy is cut off one of their limbs." he answered honestly.
"What? You've got to pulling my leg. Surreally the son of the great Overworld Ruler, whose a lieutenant should have at least killed a few dozen of those revolting creatures. I'm just a Sergeant and I've already killed so many Underworlders that I've lost count." the creature laughed.
Maxxor didn't like how he had said that as if each kill was a badge of honor. He also hated to be laughed at.
"So what if I have not killed any one! I've helped win many battles before without the need to kill!" He angrily said.
"I'm sure you have, but think about it these way. If we don't kill those things on the battle field then they would just become prisoners. They would stay in a cell for the rest of their lives and waste hardworking Overworld citizen's tax money. In my opinion it would be best just to end their miserable lives as soon as possible."
The other three soldiers were keeping out of this argument and were just watching the two debate.
"If we do not show mercy to them, then they will not show mercy to us." he quoted. His good friend, Raznus had once said it to him, but he wasn't going to say who originally thought that up.
"Psh, you're just a coward. And to think all the great stories I'd heard about you were lies." The creature said then left the group.
The group were all silent, not sure what to say.
"Well now, that was intense." One of the soldiers said. "Sorry about him. It's not like he thinks that way with all the Tribes, just the Underworlders."
Maxxor was a bit surprised at that. From their argument, he thought the wolf creature hated any one who wasn't an Overworlder. Now that he thought about it, he did say he killed Underworlders and didn't mention any of the other Tribes.
"But why?" Maxxor asked.
The soldier just shrugged his shoulders. "Beats me."
"It might be, because he has only fought Underworlders. From what I have heard, he has only been on missions near Underworld turf." Another creature said.
"Maxxor, you've only battled Mipedians and Danians right?" the third creature asked.
"Yes." he answered. It surprises many creatures when they hear he has never battled an Underworlder before. His father for some reason or another didn't want him to. When he asks his father, he just says he is imagining things.
"You're lucky. I've battled a few and they all have one thing in common. Whether male or female, old and young they fight to the death."
Maxxor didn't say anything after that. He wonders what it would be like to battle Underworlders and if what they said about them were true. He just couldn't believe that all Underworlders would fight to the death. Surly the younger ones would run away or the weak old females would know better then to fight the enemy.
Seven days later, he was proven wrong.
All around him were bodies of died Overworlders and Underworlders. The battle was bloody and over half of their soldiers had perished.
As he helped move the died bodies, he sees the wolf creature who he had argued with at camp. He was missing an arm and was stabbed multiple times.
Maxxor was having a hard time believing that the Underworlders were capable of such devastation. The Mipedians and Danians never inflicted wounds like this. It was almost like the Underworlders wanted the soldiers to die as slowly and painfully as possible.
One of the soldiers walked up to him and said: "Sir, a few of the Underworld citizens have escaped. Should we pursue them?"
"No, the attack was a success." Maxxor said, finding it difficult to call the attack a success after they lost over half their man.
The Underworld village was theirs now and that's all the higher ups wanted.
He thought it would be easy to take the village since it was small and all the adult males had been drafted into the Underworld army over a month ago leaving only the females, the children and the elderly.
But no, everyone of them wanted to fight. The elderly were the first on the battle line fallowed by the females and then the older children. The ones who escaped must have been the younger children.
Maxxor learned the hard way how Underworlders fight. If only they would have ran away then he wouldn't had to kill for the first time.