65th of Ashan 719, ~9am
The conquest of Kephallonia, thus far, had been entirely one-sided. It leaned entirely toward Fridgar's and Alistair's unmatched strength and aggression, though the disparity between them was crushing. Alistair, as a revealed mage was far stronger than Fridgar was, they could barely keep up with him the fights. It felt as though they were being left behind, forgotten in their redundancy. Fridgar of all mages, the most infamous mage in all Rynmere's recent history, the mage that escaped the boy king and the Etzori government alike. They felt useless beside Alistair.
So, with both their axes brandished and all their totems ready, they strode forward into the third village of their conquest. It had no walls to speak of, just an open village of flat stonework with a single cobbled street that ran all the way through it. Like the rest of Kephallonia, the wilderness was thick, overgrown and luscious green. The air was humid, thick and hard to breathe. This village was no different to the rest of them, regarding the plain stone architecture that most Helian villages had.
One thing struck them about the population however, all the men, women and children that watched them approach. They were all ithecal, the reptilian race that Fridgar had very few interactions with outside their time in Quacia. Fridgar could not see them, though they could smell their species quite distinctly. There were no human, biqaj, nor Lotharren scents in this village. Most were dressed with simple clothing, loincloths and such, while Fridgar was dressed in their war clothes, as they had been through all their trials conquering Helice. No doubt, many of the villagers recognized their attire by the word that had spread.
Fridgar had come to their village, and they were undoubtedly seen as the weaker of the two invaders. There were whispers all around them, and though their eyes were wrapped by the leather of their blindfold, they felt one of the Ithecal scamper off between one of the houses, likely to warn the chieftain or village elder that they had come. Eventually, they came to the center of the village, where they awaited their leader.
Half a break of silence passed, and Fridgar could only stand there and feel the Ithecal that watched them with their sixth sense of motion and their sense of touch that warned them of all their footsteps and movements. Occasionally, one of the lizard-like people whispered something to another, whispers that Fridgar could hear. It was all vahanic, regardless of their keen ears, and thus they couldn't understand. All eyes were on them though, the eyes of the brave ones that weren't locked in house and home.
Finally, a rather large Thiussum approached them with a platoon of several Ithecal, eight of them. They all wore half-plate armor of different sizes and carried spears with shields. They were in formation behind the Thiussum, meaning they were well trained. Fridgar didn't budge, they left their menacing, empty eye sockets to watch the band as they approached. A whiff of the air revealed that they held no fear, they were supremely confident.
The band stopped perhaps ten feet ahead of them and stayed themselves within their range of motion sense. The Thiussum approached, and Fridgar smiled. "You," he said in common, which surprised the Lothar. "You have come to discuss the terms of our surrender, have you not?" Fridgar furrowed their brow. None of the villages had been so willing to speak with them this far. Fridgar nodded. "We have," they said. In turn, the Thiussum nodded. "Then we have much to discuss," he said as his eyes glanced to the people of his village. "If you would be so kind as to follow us, there are better places to discuss such matters."
To be so well spoken in the common tongue was a rare thing in Helice. Most Kephallonian's they encountered were barely broken in the language and knew only a word or two. Whoever this Thiussum was, they were certainly well educated and knowledgeable. Perhaps he'd simply seen it wise to surrender? After all, Fridgar and Alistair had both killed every village leader thus far after demanding their surrender. Fridgar knew better than to trust strangers, however, so they kept their wits about them as they followed the platoon and their leader.
The conquest of Kephallonia, thus far, had been entirely one-sided. It leaned entirely toward Fridgar's and Alistair's unmatched strength and aggression, though the disparity between them was crushing. Alistair, as a revealed mage was far stronger than Fridgar was, they could barely keep up with him the fights. It felt as though they were being left behind, forgotten in their redundancy. Fridgar of all mages, the most infamous mage in all Rynmere's recent history, the mage that escaped the boy king and the Etzori government alike. They felt useless beside Alistair.
So, with both their axes brandished and all their totems ready, they strode forward into the third village of their conquest. It had no walls to speak of, just an open village of flat stonework with a single cobbled street that ran all the way through it. Like the rest of Kephallonia, the wilderness was thick, overgrown and luscious green. The air was humid, thick and hard to breathe. This village was no different to the rest of them, regarding the plain stone architecture that most Helian villages had.
One thing struck them about the population however, all the men, women and children that watched them approach. They were all ithecal, the reptilian race that Fridgar had very few interactions with outside their time in Quacia. Fridgar could not see them, though they could smell their species quite distinctly. There were no human, biqaj, nor Lotharren scents in this village. Most were dressed with simple clothing, loincloths and such, while Fridgar was dressed in their war clothes, as they had been through all their trials conquering Helice. No doubt, many of the villagers recognized their attire by the word that had spread.
Fridgar had come to their village, and they were undoubtedly seen as the weaker of the two invaders. There were whispers all around them, and though their eyes were wrapped by the leather of their blindfold, they felt one of the Ithecal scamper off between one of the houses, likely to warn the chieftain or village elder that they had come. Eventually, they came to the center of the village, where they awaited their leader.
Half a break of silence passed, and Fridgar could only stand there and feel the Ithecal that watched them with their sixth sense of motion and their sense of touch that warned them of all their footsteps and movements. Occasionally, one of the lizard-like people whispered something to another, whispers that Fridgar could hear. It was all vahanic, regardless of their keen ears, and thus they couldn't understand. All eyes were on them though, the eyes of the brave ones that weren't locked in house and home.
Finally, a rather large Thiussum approached them with a platoon of several Ithecal, eight of them. They all wore half-plate armor of different sizes and carried spears with shields. They were in formation behind the Thiussum, meaning they were well trained. Fridgar didn't budge, they left their menacing, empty eye sockets to watch the band as they approached. A whiff of the air revealed that they held no fear, they were supremely confident.
The band stopped perhaps ten feet ahead of them and stayed themselves within their range of motion sense. The Thiussum approached, and Fridgar smiled. "You," he said in common, which surprised the Lothar. "You have come to discuss the terms of our surrender, have you not?" Fridgar furrowed their brow. None of the villages had been so willing to speak with them this far. Fridgar nodded. "We have," they said. In turn, the Thiussum nodded. "Then we have much to discuss," he said as his eyes glanced to the people of his village. "If you would be so kind as to follow us, there are better places to discuss such matters."
To be so well spoken in the common tongue was a rare thing in Helice. Most Kephallonian's they encountered were barely broken in the language and knew only a word or two. Whoever this Thiussum was, they were certainly well educated and knowledgeable. Perhaps he'd simply seen it wise to surrender? After all, Fridgar and Alistair had both killed every village leader thus far after demanding their surrender. Fridgar knew better than to trust strangers, however, so they kept their wits about them as they followed the platoon and their leader.
