Chapter 14

The strong manly ones in life are those who understand the meaning of the word patience. Patience means restraining one's inclinations. There are seven emotions: joy, anger, anxiety, adoration, grief, fear, and hate, and if a man does not give way to these he can be called patient. I am not as strong as I might be, but I have long known and practiced patience. And if my descendants wish to be as I am, they must study patience

Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616)

I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.

Alexander the Great (356 BC-323 BC)

Dark clouds had manifested above the mountains surrounding the Valley of Avalar. For centuries, it had been the place where dragons and apes off all types travelled through, trading along the way. Many villages had once covered the whole valley, their walls and houses still standing after thousands of years since their last inhabitant died. They had been prosperous cities, led by chiefs, kings, emperors and warlords, and they had all served one of the many purposes that was intended by their masters.

Many had been enormous circle like structure, with a marketplace in the middle of the whole construction, giving an economic boost to the whole region. Back in the days of old, these cities were also filled with the best bars in the realm, serving many travelers with pleasure and fun, before they made the last leap to Warfang. Back then, Warfang was just a small city, mostly inhabited by fire dragons, and it wouldn't have its important position for many centuries to come. Overall, the valley had been a place of prosperity and evolution, and to this day, many old dragons in Warfang told stories, that they themselves had heard from their own elders, about the beauty and wealth of the region.

But these day had passed long ago.

After Pharamond's takeover, many of the remaining resistance moved their activities to Warfang, taking the traders, the people with experience, and all the workforces with them, leaving the former glorious region without any source of income or work. Slowly but surely, the towns ,camps and cities ran empty until there was nothing left except the burned and destroyed remains of a once powerful group of cultures and tribes.

One of these cities was Shalamaser. It had belonged to a tribe that spoke a language that was now long forgotten, and their customs had been unusual to say the least. Their people had been excellent traders though, and so they flourished. But even the powerful had to fall eventually, and the dragons of Shalamaser were no exception. Creatures of all kind now roamed the dark market place and the surrounding houses. Vegetation had grown over the many inscriptions and drawings on the walls, detailing the long history of times before Warfang, going way farther in time than any current scroll dared to go. But something had changed.

For the first time since the fall of Pharamond, there burned another fire in the center of the marketplace. The walls were once again covered with light, and most of the houses were back in use, against all odds. But these new inhabitants weren't the trading tribesmen of days past. They were the soldiers of an army that was almost as feared as the one that brought Shalamaser on it's knees so many centuries ago. A name that could rival Pharamond's in fame, and in fear.

Tenebris.

The army of the dark lord had travelled a full day since leaving their mountain, but something slowed them down. Thanks to the fact that cheetahs, nor apes could fly, they had to walk. This way of travelling greatly increased their travel time, and their chance to be spotted by spies, but Tenebris couldn't miss a single soldier. Not when he wanted to defeat the last city resisting his rule.

Warfang.

Tenebris glared around his room. As the dark lord he had obviously chosen the biggest building in the whole city, that now served them as a camp. It had probably belonged to the chief of the tribe that had lived there so many ages ago, and Tenerbis greatly enjoyed the idea of living in such a place. It was like a relic of power, from even before Pharamond's time, and it made him feel like he was continuing a legacy of some sorts. It made him feel important and legendary. Still, his mood was slowly being ruined by an individual in his room. A group of individuals to be precise.

In front of him, he had his whole general staff. Dragons at the left, apes at the right. They had all chosen their spots on the many pillows that covered the rooms floor, making the room rather cozy. This didn't took away from the tense atmosphere hanging in the building.

"So, Hilderic. According to you, we have to delay the travel with one more day. If I understood you correctly, you deem it necessary because the cheetahs and the apes are tired after such a long journey, and they need a good moment of rest so they will be optimal at the battlefield? Before I speak my mind, does anyone else have an opinion about this matter?"

Tenebris looked around the room, judging the faces of his inner circle, trying to find a trace of doubt in their eyes. An unsure general couldn't work properly, so he needed them all to be on the same page. It was essential to the machine that was his army. The ape generals were their usual selves. They just looked at him like the answer to all their problems was written on the dark master's forehead, and he was thinking about intimidating them a little, just to get some reaction out of them.

Their total devotion to him was handy, but so annoying at the same time. It disgusted him that there were beings that could sink so low that they were prepared to kiss anyone's paws, as long as they promised them great power and other stereotypical things, that meant nothing in the end. But none of these apes could even come close to the biggest ass-licker of them all, Hilderic.

The general had joined the dark master his ranks years ago, when he became a real threat for the first time, and in all these years he had shown himself to be one of the biggest opportunists in dragon history. As long as Tenebris was the strongest, he could count on him, but the tide had to change only once, and his feelings for the dark master's cause would surely change. Tenebris was sure that Hilderic would backstab him from the moment that he wasn't the biggest fish in the pond anymore, but there was a simple solution to this.

Just be the biggest fish in the pond.

Tenebris his eyes where pulled to his left when he heard a sound, closely resembling a snort. It was almost unhearable, but the dark master's ears where better than those of most other dragons. Looking at the source of the sound, he couldn't help but smile a little.

"Ahh, dear Thrasamund. Do you have something to say about Hilderic's plans? I would love to hear it."

There, standing behind her brother Gunthamund, stood one of the biggest dragons that the world had ever seen, rivaling the height of even Tenebris. Her scales held the same black color as her brother's, and they would have been identical, if it wasn't for the difference in size and figure. But the most different thing, were their eyes. Tenebris had known these two for a long time, and he had spotted some big differences. Where Gunthamund's eyes were filled with insanity and constant chaos, his sisters were filled with determination and a cold stare that could kill (figuratively speaking.). A terrifying warrior, and a useful tool.

Thrasamund answered Tenerbis his question with nothing more than another snort, aided by her brother, who randomly decided to enter one of his many and sporadic fits of uncontrollable laughter. He was stopped though, when the fist of his sister smacked him along the head, kicking his mouth shut. Hilderic trembled a little at this display of violence. Tenebris just snorted.

"Tssk,tssk. Always the violent one, aren't you Thrasamund?" he said. She ignored his question though, and answered the initial one.

"Our soldiers can handle this travel. Making them rest will only make them lazy and lackluster. I say, travel further." Tenebris grinned when he noticed the cold stare Thrasamund was sending at Hilderic's direction, daring him to object. He loved it when the female general showed her dominance in front of her weaker counterpart. It served as an insurance of some sort, a certainty that his generals had this competitive side that kept pushing them to new heights. And force the weak one's out.

Hilderic seemed, against all odds, ready to give Thrasamund an answer that would serve her right, but at the last moment, his courage seemed to sink away in the coward-like figure he was and always would be. If it was for self-preservation or because of a genuine feeling of fear, Tenebris couldn't tell, but he couldn't help but laugh a little at the scene.

"Thanks Thrasamund. You were just as …stunning as always. I do have to say that I have already chosen what I will do. Our dear Hilderic may be a dirty coward, and far less competent then you in the battlefield, he still has a point. We will wait. I have some unfinished business anyway." The dark master said. Thrasamund her deadly glare went from Hilderic to her master, and for a second it seemed like she would protest, but the rage quickly faded, and her cold exterior returned. She wouldn't dare to go against her master. She needed him.

"Your wish is my command." She whispered.

"Probably." Tenebris replied.

With one gesture of his paw, the dark master ordered everyone to stand up and to leave. The ape generals were the fastest, greatly imposed by their leader. The dragons were much slower, being bigger and less afraid of their leader. Hilderic was the first of the dragons, almost immediately behind the scared apes. Next was Gunthamund, still holding his head to recover from his sisters assault. Thrasamund was the last one to leave the building. She had already left the stone structure, when she heard her masters voice behind her.

"Thrasamund. It would be wise if you would keep an eye out for any coward that tries to run away. I have a feeling there will be some who are eager to leave, now we are so close to battle. You can handle this, can't you?"

Thrasamund nodded, but she didn't leave. She seemed to think a little, before speaking her mind.

"If I catch a deserting general, should he be judged on the same merits as a soldier?"

Tenebris his grin grew when he heard this.

"No. We will give that traitor a special treatment. But I do have to ask you something. You aren't trying to get rid of someone, do you? That would…cruel."

Thrasamund just stared back.

"I will do what is best for our cause."

The dark master nodded, grin still on his face.

"Of course you will, Thrasamund. Of course."

Tenebris sighed deeply. It had been only minutes ago since his generals had left his room, giving their master some much needed rest, before the bane of Tenebris's existence decided to enter the room.

The ape king himself.

Gaul.

The ape was feared by his enemies, and even by his own people, who were the receiving end of his sadistic tendencies on more than one occasion. His deeds spoke louder than his words, but he still had to answer to someone greater.

"Come here Gaul, and bring me whatever information you have to bring me. I assume it is about our lovely lady Amanitore?"

The ape king slowly walked over to the dark master, a small hesitance in his movement, like he was afraid to come close to his leader. This was the only thing showing weakness though, his face holding an emotionless stare, almost as empty as Huneric's, but not quite as imposing or depressing. The king couldn't himself to look weak in front of such a master. Not now, not ever. Still, his hesitation was spotted by Tenebris' eyes, and the dark master always liked to toy with his victims.

"Why are you walking so weird, great king? Something wrong with your leg?"

Gaul grimaced a little when he heard the question.

"No my lord."

Tenebris nodded.

"That's good to hear. I can't have one of my generals being weak right before a great battle, now can I?"

Gaul nodded at this, slightly faster than a totally calm person would.

"I would rather die than to let my body become weak, my lord."

Tenebris grinned at these words.

"Perfect Gaul. It's just that your body isn't what I am worried about. It's your mind that I fear."

Gaul frowned.

"Why would that be, my lord? I have never complained, I have never disobeyed, I have never stopped doing what I needed to do for my master's cause. Why should the state of my mind be questioned? " Gaul said. He couldn't understand what was going on. Why was his master telling him this? Was he going to be executed? He hoped not. His breath almost stopped when he saw Tenebris opening his mouth, especting an order of execution.

"The mind of any individual is honestly, one of the most interesting places to look. It contains everything someone needs to know, needs to feel and needs to hide. Every person in this camp, being ape, Cheetah, dragon or hellhound, they all have their own thoughts, feelings and opinions. Most of it are trivial things not worthy of mine concern, but some require special attention. Otherwise they might be infected with ill thoughts, and like Aveta, the mother goddess, I shall protect my followers from such sicknesses. Sadly, sometimes the sickness proves to be incurable, and in that case we have to prevent further infection by eradicating the source. That's the hard truth every caretaker faces. And so it pains me to ask it, but Gaul, please, in the name of Aveta, tell me the truth . Are you carrying the seed of a sickness in your mind ?"

Gaul shook his head like he had never done before.

"I swear upon Aveta, Artio, Andarte and every other goddess of our glorious pantheon of heroes that I speak the truth when I say that I am nothing more than your humble servant."

Tenebris nodded, grin fading, seemingly looking satisfied with that answer. Gaul couldn't help but relieve some air from his longs now the tense situation had passed. This was way too close to an allegation to be toying around from his master. When this was all over, he would need to check upon the other ape generals, just to see who had spread gossip about him. Probably that snake of a Gnupa again. Gaul would finish this business later however. He still had to say why he had initially come.

"My lord, I know I am unworthy but I have to ask a favor of you. It is about Amanitore, may the God's curse her name. My scouts have…"

Gaul his attempt at addressing his situation whas ruined by some loud screaming outside of Tenebris' residence, followed by a multitude of voices shouting orders and insults in every language spoken in the dark master's forces. One word was repeated every time though.

Traitor.

"Seems like something is going on outside. Let's have a look, shall we. This conversation can wait"

Gaul nodded. Running outside, he pulled his sword out, ready to fight. Still, nothing could prepare him for what was outside the building, making him stop dead in his tracks. Even when the dark master pushed him away to get out of his home, the ape still didn't move. Tenebris only reacted by raising one eyebrow, seeming barely surprised, summarizing the situation in one sentence.

"Wells, that's quiet the situation we have here."

There, in the middle of the old market place of Shalamaser, were two bodies lying on the ground, surrounded by an enormous crowd made up of almost every soldier in the whole army. The bodies were those of a dragon, and an ape. Both of them were smashed to a bloody pulp, a pool of bodily fluids surrounding them. Still, both of them lived, although barely. Standing behind both of the bodies was the enormous black body of the beast known as Thrasamund. Her face still held her usual stoic expression, although her eyes glistered like she was enjoying every second of this. Gaul barely noticed this though, too focused on the body of the beat down ape.

"Gnupa." He whispered.

In his confusion and disorientation, the ape king didn't notice that Thrasamund had started speaking.

"I found these two trying to escape ,my lord. Apparently, they weren't prepared to give the ultimate sacrifice for their high leader." She said, spitting on the head of the bloodied dragon at her feet. To everyone's surprise, the dragon lifted himself up from the ground, showing his face, and so his identity to the whole crowd. A wave of gasps went through the ranks when they saw the face of the dragon that had tried to flee from this all, who had turned around from his duty. This time, Tenebris did seem surprised, both of his eyebrows shooting up, his mouth forming a disapproving expression.

"I knew you were a dirty snake and a hopeless opportunist but I never thought you would fall this low, Hilderic."

The dragon general looked up at his master, but he couldn't look him in the eye, instead focusing on the general his neck.

"Explain yourself, filth." Thrasamund spat at him. Hilderic, seemingly convinced of something, looked fully up, staring right into the dark master his eyes.

"I have spent my whole life trying to find that one leader, that one empire that I could serve and would lead me to glory and safety. Years have I served you, Tenebris, and I have fought many battles for you. But after all these years, the blood I spilled didn't felt like it could safe me anymore. Every time I fought, I realized that every kill I made was only to serve a cause that I didn't supported. And besides, what is the purpose of serving a leader that kills more of his own men then on the enemies side. I don't know if it was bravery or cowardice that drove me to run away from you, but this night I realized that I was working with a nihilistic power junky, surrounded by megalomaniacs as servants, and I couldn't stand the thought of dying in service of such an organization."

Hilderic lowered his head again, closing his eyes, a small tear running down his cheeks. Tenebris seemed to think about the general's words for a minute, before he decided to speak his final verdict.

"If that is how you feel, I hope you will be glad to know that you won't die in my service. From now on, you are discharged of your position." The dark master turned around, but not before making one last sign with his left paw. A sign meant for only one individual.

Thrasamund didn't hesitate for one second. Before Hilderic could properly process what was happening, she had pushed him down on the ground. The purple general struggled for his life, but it was of no use. With a pleasured growl, the enormous female put her back paw on the smaller male's head, before slowly putting more and more pressure on the skull. Hilderic screamed his lungs out, his nerves being overwhelmed by the pain coming from his skull, bones and muscle ripping and giving up under the enormous pressure. Thrasamund didn't seem to mind the noise though.

The female had closed her eyes, a low and satisfied growl emitting from her throat. The screams, the feeling of life fading away under her paws, the blood and skin splattering on her dirty cleanly washed paws only made the experience better to her. But she wouldn't leave before she had felt the ice-cream topping she craved so hard. With one flap of her wings, she stood on her hind legs, and with one big crunch, Hilderic's head was splashed open under her weight. Blood, brain and other parts of the general's head squirted in multiple directions, painting the ground, Thrasamund's foot and some bystanders red. The screaming had now stopped, and the enthusiasm of the bystanders left with it.

The violence and cruelty displayed by their general made the situation uncomfortable. Some of the warriors gathered turned their heads away from the gruesome scene, while others, mostly cheetahs, shook their heads lightly, disapproving of these acts. Most of the dragons just looked at the crushed head of their kin, some feeling threatened. Hilderic wasn't the only one with desertion-minded idea's, and he wouldn't be the last. Most of the warriors began to back up, returning to their huts and houses, trying to avoid to be confronted with the grim reality they were living in. Most of the ape's stayed however. Their show hadn't ended yet, because there was still one prisoner alive.

The ape-general Gnupa. And he was being held under the burning gaze of Gaul, the ape king.

Gaul hadn't moved. He couldn't. For years, he had battled the rusty and old establishment that ruled his lands and people, and he had been successful on this front. He been able to reunite a big part of the ape's under one flag, and with it came a whole new generation of staff to fill the power vacuum that was left by the old leaders. The only one remaining from this old system was Gnupa.

The old general had once been the right-hand of the feared ape king Geta, father of Gaul. He had been the leader that had regained some of the glory that their kingdom had lost through the ages, thanks to weak rulers and many problems with the much more united dragon armies. The fractured sections of the ape army's couldn't fight against such a race, but Gnupa and Geta had given them hope. This was mostly the reason that Gnupa was kept around, if only to pleasure the public's opinion.

This didn't meant that Gnupa approved of Gaul's kingship, always talking about how much better Geta had been. But this had all been a lie, or so it seemed to Gaul. This display of cowardice had opened his eyes. Finally pulled from his initial shock, helped by Hilderic's dying screams, he took his purple sword tighter in his hands, slowly moving to the ape general, who still hadn't regained his footing. The old Gnupa wasn't even trying, probably to ashamed to show his face to the crowd. This didn't took away that Gaul still had to ask one very important question. At least to him it was.

"Why?"

Gnupa didn't react immediately, but after some seconds, the general lifted himself up, standing just an inch taller than his younger king. Gaul was shocked by how this ape looked. Gnupa's otherwise so cunning eyes seemed tired, empty, red and totally done. His arms were waving next to his body like two pieces of cloth, barely moving or being controlled by their owner. His fur was filled with leaves and it looked like he hadn't taken a bath in months. Nothing about him pointed at the proud warrior that had once fought next to the father of one of the most famous kings in the whole realm. Gnupa wheezed for a moment, before answering the question asked.

"I have followed your father for many years, my king. He fought for equality and regaining the glory of times past. His ,ideals were and still are holy to me, but you have forsaken them. You allied yourself with a dragon of all things, and now your kingship is nothing more than being the butt boy of Tenebris. I refuse to serve a servant."

Gaul had listened, and his reaction was just as fast as Gnupa could finish his reply. With a fast blow of his sword, he ended the generals life. Many of the surrounding apes gasped when seeing this act, annihilating every tie with the past. Thye knew what this moment meant in the greater scheme of things. Now, the only thing leading them was Gaul and no one else. the oposition had finally been silenced. The warriors backed off when they saw Gauls face. The king his eyes were beaming at the bleeding corpse at his feet, rage clearly in his eyes. The arm holding the blade that had struck down the last great ape general was shacking with tension and frustration, and the other apes knew what this meant.

"The only servant here are you, and you failed your master." He spit at the corpse. Before anyone could stop him, Gaul began to furiously smash his sword on the corps, screaming his lungs out. It wasn't long, or the crushed remains of Hilderic's face had been joined by the molded heap of flesh that had once been an ape. This display of feral rage would have probably continued for a much longer time, if it wasn't for one person.

"Gaul, can you please come back inside. I just remembered that you wanted to tell me something. And you know how Amanitore gets when someone makes her wait."

Gaul stopped his onslaught to look around, facing his master Tenebris. For a second it seemed like he would direct his violent behavior towards the dragon, but a blanket of calmness seemed to spread over the ape's body, and he lowered his sword, his face returning to his calm demeanor. Tenerbis grinned at this change in attitude. The fearsome warrior had been returned to being the sheep that the dark master needed.

"Very well then. I hope you still rememeber what you wanted to tell me, because I am waitingfuriously. Every lost minute can be missed."

Gaul nodded and he walked back into the house without looking behind. Eventually everyone left the market place, leaving the two bodies behind. It wasn't long until some birds began to eat from the remains, destroying the last pieces of weakness in the dark armies. Some of the ape their bards would probably make a poetic song about it later on in time, removing the sad truth that their was nothing poetic about this death. It was useless and unnecessary, but they weren't the last, and they surely weren't the first.

Sorry that I couldn't update faster, but school decided to fuck me over really hard. My French teacher practicly said something to me like " You are just incapable of speaking this language" so yeah, that's a downer. Mais je m'en fou. My German is going well, and English is just peanuts. Another reason I couldnt update was because I decided to bingewatch some series these last few days. From best to worst, I have seen 'Outlaw Star', 'RWBY', 'Slayers', Baka and Test', 'Black lagoon', and the Twilight movie series( being one of the most wasted hours of my life. Please dont be insulted, but I can't understand why anyone would like those movies.). Anyway, so I have been gone for a time. But now something about the chapter.

I have said this before, but I do not really like this chapter. It feels like I had many ideas, but couldn't put them on "paper". It's also shorter than I first thought. However, I still think it gave some insight in the inner workings of Tenebris' army and Gaul's mind, although next chapter will go further on him. I also introduced Gunthamund's sister, Thrasamund. Job well done, I would say. Anyway...

Goe dagske nog verder.

Goed dagje nog verder.

see ya

PTPD