Chapter 2-Chaos:The Ancient Pyramid
"Faster, faster!" Bear raged at the moving tribe. He rode at the back, killing anyone who struggled too far behind. A line of goblins walked next to his mount, a large white tiger, helping in case a straggler fell behind too far from him.
The tribe moved across the desolate hills toward the Temple in the distance. Bear, at the sight of the large pyramid, ordered the group to stop and rest. He called to a woman helping a child off a horse. "Bloodsinger, get over here! And bring Cheetah with you!"
The shaman lifted the boy off of the back of the horse and ran over to her leader, alongside the theif. "Is there anything that you'd like us to do, Great Cheiftain?"
He pointed to the tribe, moving towards the temple, then at Cheetah. "We are close, but you still have failed, theif." She grimaced slightly at the title. She preferred to be known as a huntress. "What was our deal? Oh, yes. To reach the temple in two fortnights, or your head on the ground in front of me."
He grinned. "Your time is up, theif." He pulled out his sword and lunged. She moved, but not quick enough. He put the sword back in its sheath, remarking sadly. "Well, you were lucky this time. I guess I will just have to live with that ear instead of your head. Anyways, I might still have need of you."
She tore a piece of her fur dress and pressed it to the side of her head. She knew it was luck, not speed, that had saved her that time.
He turned to Bloodsinger. "Now, it is your turn. Is there anything that you can use to speed us up?"
She nodded. "Wanderlust," she mumbled.
"Then use it and let's go."
She turned towards the group. She made a few passes and muttered under her breath. Immediately, a change was noticable. People got to their feet and started looking at the temple.
Bear yelled, "Okay, your break's over! Now let's go!"
The tribe moved with a new will.
"Oof." Geagon dropped to his knees. Tears of pain ran down his face as he rubbed the smarting leg. "Watch it, Zywark. It's still tender there."
Zywark smiled as he leaned on the practice staff. "Well, it should. You got such a beating from that guy in the tavern. Three cracked ribs and a sprained leg, not to mention that you were almost comatose for two days."
Geagon grimaced. "Boy, I wish I could get my hands on him. I'd slice him to bits and feed him to the dogs. I'd hang him, then burn the tree he hung from."
"Oh, come on. You deserved it, attacking him like that. And you should have seen the way he asked for another drink when you went down. The serving lady almost went down and hugged him."
Geagon clenched his fists. "I'd love to hug him around his neck. Now, come on and fight."
He took a blow to the other leg and one to the head. He sat down hard. He happened to glance behind his friend. He turned and looked again. He grinned. "Well, look who's here."
Edygor went up to the open door of the barracks. Geagon greeted him, wearing the same grin. "What a surprise. We were just talking about you."
Edygor gave a small squeak of fear as he was pulled in. The door shut behind him.
/Damn idiot./ Cheetah winced as she pressed the blood-soaked fur to the side of her ear. /If he keeps on like this, he'll soon get himself killed. There are things a lot more powerful than him. I'd like to see him face off with a necromancer. Another dead fool for their army./
The temple loomed over them as they reached the huge steps leading to the entrance. She heard Bear yelling orders to the tribe, who were becoming fatigued again.
"Okay. Everyone who is not a warrior of some kind, stay down here. Bloodsinger, you stay with them and protect them if someone tries to attack. It's no good being the cheiftain if I have no followers. Now, goblins, ogres, riders, beserkers, and raiders in the first row, led by me. Cheetah, you'll take the shamen, hunters, and huntresses, and stickthrowers after me. We'll win back that temple from Balkoth's troops this way."
Slowly, they made their way up to the top level. As they reached the last stair, they found that they were almost too late.
"Stealing gold, eh?"
Feriam looked in shock at the large muscular fist that held his own. "Uh, no, sir. The drawstring to your purse was a little loose, so I was tightening it for you."
The dwarf stared at him for a second before replying, "That was the worst excuse I've ever heard. Of course, if you owned up to it, you would have had a smaller punishment..."
Feriam sighed. "Okay. I admit it. I'm sorry."
The dwarf grinned. "...or you would have given yourself up without a chance of getting out of it."
Feriam's eyes widened. "You liar! You cheat! I should..."
"Do what, halfling? Remember, you're mine now. Let's see, should I give you up and lock you away? or maybe give you to the mages to practice spells on? I've got it. You're coming with me to the Forbidden Forest."
"Oh, no. No way. Give me to the mages or the jailers, but I'm not going to the Forest. You can forget it."
The dwarf continued to drag him to the exit of the city. "Well, maybe you won't try to steal from a dwarf again."
Feriam continued complaining as he tried to pull the other way. "Listen. I don't deserve this treatment. Lock me away, drown me, give me to the storm warriors, the necromancers, or anything! Not the Forest, though! Torture me or something, burn me, cut my leg off-"
He left Klay, slung over the dwarf's shoulder, unconcious.
Another tribe was already at the door to the temple. Bear called out to them. The whole group turned around and stared at them. A large warrior pushed through the crowd, riding a yellow tiger almost as large as his. "What do you want with Helsaf, Lord of the Barbarians?"
Bear laughed. "'Lord of the Barbarians'? I don't think so. It looks like you haven't even rid the temple of those vermin yet. Now step aside and let the real warrior through."
Helsaf's eyes narrowed. "'Vermin'? Those things are a lot stronger than vermin. They've got a full-fledged dark warrior in there, plus almost a score of zombies and twoscore skeletons. Nothing that you can handle. So if you'll leave us alone, we'll go in there and take what's rightfully ours."
"You mean the artifact? That is rightfully mine, fool."
Helsaf's tiger lunged as its rider pulled out a large axe. Bear's own tiger reared, taking the force of the blow and causing both warriors to fall from their mounts. A short scuffle and the white tiger tore the throat from the other and sat licking its wounds.
The two warriors struck at each other, neither scoring. They were equally matched in strength and skill. Soon Bear began to lose ground. Both tribes watched as Helsaf struck blow after blow, but still not scoring. Soon they came to the top of the stairs. Helsaf used his axehead to catch Bear's sword and force him back to the edge.
He grinned. "Well, warrior. I guess I win. Your tribe, your steed, the temple, the artifact, the kingdom, everything is mine. Including your life."
Bear grinned back. "Hope you enjoyed it while you had it." He dropped and pulled on the sword. Helsaf tripped over him and fell, head first, onto the stairs. A large crack was audible as his neck snapped, and his corpse rolled down the stairs to the ground below.
Bear looked back for a second, then towards both tribes. "Well, this will make it easier. All who are not warriors, go down the steps toward my tribe. All warriors, join the ranks of my group. Anyone who disobeys, joins their leader at the bottom of the temple."
He climbed back onto his tiger. "Now, I want all warriors to finish the skeletons first. All mages, finish the zombies. I will grab the artifact. The dark warrior is mine. Now move out!"
They entered the temple.
/Well, another tribe coming to regain their precious temple, so they can worship their fake god, Thrith./ Drondar looked towards his undead troops. Fifteen zombies, thirty-eight skeletons, and three wraiths waiting in the shadows.
The foolish, mortal Barbarians entered the main chamber. Such pitiful strength these humans have. They might have had enough to beat them if he didn't have those hidden wraiths. "So, human, what is it that you want?"
"My name isn't Human. That's his name." The mortal pointed to another rider. "I am Bear. If you want to live, take your forces and leave my lands. Now."
He raised an eyebrow. "Who do you think you are, human, to order me around like that? Me and my troops are quite happy in here, thank you."
The human called Bear /Why do the Barbarians name themselves after other animals? It's so confusing./ started to get angry. "You mock me? I'll see if you can do the same with your tongue split in two."
He himself started to get angry. "Don't threaten me. It's not good for your health. Or the health of all of your troops. In fact, you may not have any health anymore if you do so again."
"What can you do? A bunch of piles of bones, some rotting bodies, and an elf dressed in armor riding an oversized iguana."
He smiled evilly. "You forgot the moving shadows."
The wraiths moved out of the dark, three dark shapes only distinguished by their yellow eyes. They started flinging balls of dark magic at the back ranks. Their mages started to counteract the attacks, but not until some hunters and a shaman were felled.
The skeletons and zombies attacked, holding the Babarian troops back. Soon, the whole Barbarian army was surrounded by undead troops. Drondor laughed. "See, you mortals never had a chance." He stopped, noticing something wrong. He looked around. "Where is that warrior that rode on the tiger?"
"Behind you, shithead." He turned around, just to see the swordblade arcing toward him.
The dark elf's head fell to the ground, followed a fraction later by the body. The undead troops, who were bound to their leader magically, instantly fell. The zombies collapsed as the skeletons turned to dust. The wraiths shreiked as they were torn apart and destroyed.
Bear ignored the huge group waiting for him and moved up to the altar in the center of the room. He took a large axe from the stone table. He turned and started to walk towards the group. Together, they walked out of the temple and to the tribe waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs. Stepping over Helsaf's body, he moved to the center of the tribe. He held up the artifact. "Behold, the Axe of Chaos! Now it is proven that I am the Lord of the Barbarians!"
He waiting for the cheering and applause to die down. He signalled to a small band of hunters and huntresses. They kneeled before him. "I want all of you to find the other tribes. Tell them that Lord Bear has the artifact and has freed the Great Temple. Tell them that they are welcome to live in the city that will be built a league south from the Temple. My stronghold, the new city of D'iskordt!"
Amid the wild reaction to this good news, the group sped off into the wilderness.
"Faster, faster!" Bear raged at the moving tribe. He rode at the back, killing anyone who struggled too far behind. A line of goblins walked next to his mount, a large white tiger, helping in case a straggler fell behind too far from him.
The tribe moved across the desolate hills toward the Temple in the distance. Bear, at the sight of the large pyramid, ordered the group to stop and rest. He called to a woman helping a child off a horse. "Bloodsinger, get over here! And bring Cheetah with you!"
The shaman lifted the boy off of the back of the horse and ran over to her leader, alongside the theif. "Is there anything that you'd like us to do, Great Cheiftain?"
He pointed to the tribe, moving towards the temple, then at Cheetah. "We are close, but you still have failed, theif." She grimaced slightly at the title. She preferred to be known as a huntress. "What was our deal? Oh, yes. To reach the temple in two fortnights, or your head on the ground in front of me."
He grinned. "Your time is up, theif." He pulled out his sword and lunged. She moved, but not quick enough. He put the sword back in its sheath, remarking sadly. "Well, you were lucky this time. I guess I will just have to live with that ear instead of your head. Anyways, I might still have need of you."
She tore a piece of her fur dress and pressed it to the side of her head. She knew it was luck, not speed, that had saved her that time.
He turned to Bloodsinger. "Now, it is your turn. Is there anything that you can use to speed us up?"
She nodded. "Wanderlust," she mumbled.
"Then use it and let's go."
She turned towards the group. She made a few passes and muttered under her breath. Immediately, a change was noticable. People got to their feet and started looking at the temple.
Bear yelled, "Okay, your break's over! Now let's go!"
The tribe moved with a new will.
"Oof." Geagon dropped to his knees. Tears of pain ran down his face as he rubbed the smarting leg. "Watch it, Zywark. It's still tender there."
Zywark smiled as he leaned on the practice staff. "Well, it should. You got such a beating from that guy in the tavern. Three cracked ribs and a sprained leg, not to mention that you were almost comatose for two days."
Geagon grimaced. "Boy, I wish I could get my hands on him. I'd slice him to bits and feed him to the dogs. I'd hang him, then burn the tree he hung from."
"Oh, come on. You deserved it, attacking him like that. And you should have seen the way he asked for another drink when you went down. The serving lady almost went down and hugged him."
Geagon clenched his fists. "I'd love to hug him around his neck. Now, come on and fight."
He took a blow to the other leg and one to the head. He sat down hard. He happened to glance behind his friend. He turned and looked again. He grinned. "Well, look who's here."
Edygor went up to the open door of the barracks. Geagon greeted him, wearing the same grin. "What a surprise. We were just talking about you."
Edygor gave a small squeak of fear as he was pulled in. The door shut behind him.
/Damn idiot./ Cheetah winced as she pressed the blood-soaked fur to the side of her ear. /If he keeps on like this, he'll soon get himself killed. There are things a lot more powerful than him. I'd like to see him face off with a necromancer. Another dead fool for their army./
The temple loomed over them as they reached the huge steps leading to the entrance. She heard Bear yelling orders to the tribe, who were becoming fatigued again.
"Okay. Everyone who is not a warrior of some kind, stay down here. Bloodsinger, you stay with them and protect them if someone tries to attack. It's no good being the cheiftain if I have no followers. Now, goblins, ogres, riders, beserkers, and raiders in the first row, led by me. Cheetah, you'll take the shamen, hunters, and huntresses, and stickthrowers after me. We'll win back that temple from Balkoth's troops this way."
Slowly, they made their way up to the top level. As they reached the last stair, they found that they were almost too late.
"Stealing gold, eh?"
Feriam looked in shock at the large muscular fist that held his own. "Uh, no, sir. The drawstring to your purse was a little loose, so I was tightening it for you."
The dwarf stared at him for a second before replying, "That was the worst excuse I've ever heard. Of course, if you owned up to it, you would have had a smaller punishment..."
Feriam sighed. "Okay. I admit it. I'm sorry."
The dwarf grinned. "...or you would have given yourself up without a chance of getting out of it."
Feriam's eyes widened. "You liar! You cheat! I should..."
"Do what, halfling? Remember, you're mine now. Let's see, should I give you up and lock you away? or maybe give you to the mages to practice spells on? I've got it. You're coming with me to the Forbidden Forest."
"Oh, no. No way. Give me to the mages or the jailers, but I'm not going to the Forest. You can forget it."
The dwarf continued to drag him to the exit of the city. "Well, maybe you won't try to steal from a dwarf again."
Feriam continued complaining as he tried to pull the other way. "Listen. I don't deserve this treatment. Lock me away, drown me, give me to the storm warriors, the necromancers, or anything! Not the Forest, though! Torture me or something, burn me, cut my leg off-"
He left Klay, slung over the dwarf's shoulder, unconcious.
Another tribe was already at the door to the temple. Bear called out to them. The whole group turned around and stared at them. A large warrior pushed through the crowd, riding a yellow tiger almost as large as his. "What do you want with Helsaf, Lord of the Barbarians?"
Bear laughed. "'Lord of the Barbarians'? I don't think so. It looks like you haven't even rid the temple of those vermin yet. Now step aside and let the real warrior through."
Helsaf's eyes narrowed. "'Vermin'? Those things are a lot stronger than vermin. They've got a full-fledged dark warrior in there, plus almost a score of zombies and twoscore skeletons. Nothing that you can handle. So if you'll leave us alone, we'll go in there and take what's rightfully ours."
"You mean the artifact? That is rightfully mine, fool."
Helsaf's tiger lunged as its rider pulled out a large axe. Bear's own tiger reared, taking the force of the blow and causing both warriors to fall from their mounts. A short scuffle and the white tiger tore the throat from the other and sat licking its wounds.
The two warriors struck at each other, neither scoring. They were equally matched in strength and skill. Soon Bear began to lose ground. Both tribes watched as Helsaf struck blow after blow, but still not scoring. Soon they came to the top of the stairs. Helsaf used his axehead to catch Bear's sword and force him back to the edge.
He grinned. "Well, warrior. I guess I win. Your tribe, your steed, the temple, the artifact, the kingdom, everything is mine. Including your life."
Bear grinned back. "Hope you enjoyed it while you had it." He dropped and pulled on the sword. Helsaf tripped over him and fell, head first, onto the stairs. A large crack was audible as his neck snapped, and his corpse rolled down the stairs to the ground below.
Bear looked back for a second, then towards both tribes. "Well, this will make it easier. All who are not warriors, go down the steps toward my tribe. All warriors, join the ranks of my group. Anyone who disobeys, joins their leader at the bottom of the temple."
He climbed back onto his tiger. "Now, I want all warriors to finish the skeletons first. All mages, finish the zombies. I will grab the artifact. The dark warrior is mine. Now move out!"
They entered the temple.
/Well, another tribe coming to regain their precious temple, so they can worship their fake god, Thrith./ Drondar looked towards his undead troops. Fifteen zombies, thirty-eight skeletons, and three wraiths waiting in the shadows.
The foolish, mortal Barbarians entered the main chamber. Such pitiful strength these humans have. They might have had enough to beat them if he didn't have those hidden wraiths. "So, human, what is it that you want?"
"My name isn't Human. That's his name." The mortal pointed to another rider. "I am Bear. If you want to live, take your forces and leave my lands. Now."
He raised an eyebrow. "Who do you think you are, human, to order me around like that? Me and my troops are quite happy in here, thank you."
The human called Bear /Why do the Barbarians name themselves after other animals? It's so confusing./ started to get angry. "You mock me? I'll see if you can do the same with your tongue split in two."
He himself started to get angry. "Don't threaten me. It's not good for your health. Or the health of all of your troops. In fact, you may not have any health anymore if you do so again."
"What can you do? A bunch of piles of bones, some rotting bodies, and an elf dressed in armor riding an oversized iguana."
He smiled evilly. "You forgot the moving shadows."
The wraiths moved out of the dark, three dark shapes only distinguished by their yellow eyes. They started flinging balls of dark magic at the back ranks. Their mages started to counteract the attacks, but not until some hunters and a shaman were felled.
The skeletons and zombies attacked, holding the Babarian troops back. Soon, the whole Barbarian army was surrounded by undead troops. Drondor laughed. "See, you mortals never had a chance." He stopped, noticing something wrong. He looked around. "Where is that warrior that rode on the tiger?"
"Behind you, shithead." He turned around, just to see the swordblade arcing toward him.
The dark elf's head fell to the ground, followed a fraction later by the body. The undead troops, who were bound to their leader magically, instantly fell. The zombies collapsed as the skeletons turned to dust. The wraiths shreiked as they were torn apart and destroyed.
Bear ignored the huge group waiting for him and moved up to the altar in the center of the room. He took a large axe from the stone table. He turned and started to walk towards the group. Together, they walked out of the temple and to the tribe waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs. Stepping over Helsaf's body, he moved to the center of the tribe. He held up the artifact. "Behold, the Axe of Chaos! Now it is proven that I am the Lord of the Barbarians!"
He waiting for the cheering and applause to die down. He signalled to a small band of hunters and huntresses. They kneeled before him. "I want all of you to find the other tribes. Tell them that Lord Bear has the artifact and has freed the Great Temple. Tell them that they are welcome to live in the city that will be built a league south from the Temple. My stronghold, the new city of D'iskordt!"
Amid the wild reaction to this good news, the group sped off into the wilderness.