The War March Begins

"My Lord, our Guardsmen are prepared to move out. We have two supply wagons stocked with provisions for the journey. Would you like to ride on one? We can arrange a chair..."

"No, I will walk at the front. Emo, you will bring up the rear. If anyone falls out of formation or attempts to flee, kill them."

"As you command, my Lord."

As I stride toward the front of the formation, I observe the Guardsmen, evaluating each one. Upon reaching the front, I turn to face them and deliver an address. "Though you may stand here with uncertainty and fear, hesitant to fight or leave, I assure you that following me means more than following a mere hunter. No! I have been chosen to lead my people to salvation and to eliminate any obstacles in our path! We have a daunting 400-mile march ahead of us, toward a Capital none of you have ever laid eyes upon. But mark my words, when we arrive, I will demonstrate unequivocally that I am the one and only chosen leader!"

A few of the men respond to my speech with a resounding roar. It seems Emo was right; some of them truly believe in me. But I need all of them to have faith.

"On your command, my lord."

"March!"

The wagon wheels creak into motion, and the men purposefully step forward. This will be the most arduous journey any of us have ever embarked upon. We must travel 200 miles northwest through the vast plains of our lands until we reach the coastline. From there, we'll travel another 200 miles north and then eventually west along the coast until we reach the Capital. Hunters alone could cover such a distance in around 12 days. However, with the wagons, I estimate it will take us 16 days. We have just enough rations to reach the Capital's doorstep. Once we reach the coastline of Oxian Bay, we can gather more supplies through hunting and fishing parties.

"Um, my lord, may I speak?" a random guardsman marching right behind me asks hesitantly.

"Speak," I reply.

"Is it true that you no longer eat or drink? That you possess the strength of ten Kreegans?"

"It is true. I no longer experience hunger or thirst like you do. As for my strength... you will witness it when we reach the Capital. Then you can spread the tale."

"I knew it! You truly are here to lead our people away from this dying planet. My lord, how much time do we have left?"

"We have less than a century to unite everyone and escape before our planet becomes uninhabitable."

"It's a shame, my lord. This home holds so much meaning for our people, and yet..."

I cut him off mid sentence, "What is your name, Guardsman?" I inquire.

"Varok, my lord," he responds respectfully.

"Varok, if you wish to survive, remember this: we are not bound to this forsaken rock. Our mission is to escape it!"

"Yes, my Lord," Varok acknowledges, feeling rejected he looks down and becomes quiet and continues to walk. 

I increase my pace slightly, moving ahead of the group to find a moment of solitude. I need time to contemplate and strategize, for the journey ahead holds countless questions and possibilities. I must uncover the workings of these Capitals, understand their leaders, and seek any information they possess about the other Capitals.

As I stride forward, the weight of responsibility and curiosity fuels my thoughts, propelling me towards the future that awaits us at the end of this arduous trek.

As the march progresses, I find myself drifting into daydreams of my younger years spent hunting. However, each reverie ends the same way, with my surroundings engulfed in flames and me left stranded in a dark void, tormented by the memories. These flashbacks serve as a stark reminder that I will share the same fate if I fail to unite the clans and acquire the necessary resources to build a spacecraft that can take us away from this desolate planet.

Suddenly, I hear hurried footsteps approaching from behind. I turn to see Emo running to catch up with me.

"Emo, why aren't you at the back of the pack?" I question.

"My lord, about that... We've already traveled 30 miles today. It's time to set up camp and allow the men to eat," Emo replies.

"Hmm, I hadn't realized we had covered such a distance already. Do what needs to be done and have someone set up my tent. I will venture ahead for a short while and return soon," I instruct.

"Yes, my Lord. Your will be done,".

Emo falls back and begins issuing orders to the men, directing them to set up camp and kindle the fires. Meanwhile, I continue ahead, exploring the surroundings to gain a glimpse of what lies just ahead. The landscape offers nothing but further evidence that this planet is slowly dying. The grass is dry and withered, and I stumble upon the partially decomposed body of an Anoxe. This should be the rainy season, yet the ground is so parched that cracks have begun to form. Every aspect of this environment serves as a poignant reminder of the torment awaiting us if we fail to take action.

I retreat to my tent, seeking solace and time to contemplate the looming doom that hangs over us all. My mind yearns for sleep, yet my body refuses to succumb to its demands. This cursed form I now possess feels so unnatural, a vessel dedicated solely to the purpose of leading my people away from this wretched rock.

Over the next seven days, we persist in our northwestern journey, eventually reaching the coastline of Oxian Bay. The scent of saltwater permeates the air, and a warm breeze carries in from the bay.

"Set up camp here," I command. "Emo, assemble two groups—one for hunting and the other for fishing."

"Yes, my Lord! You heard him," Emo relays the instructions. "Give me two squads of ten men each. One for fishing and the other for hunting. The rest of you, focus on setting up camp and starting the fires."

I make my way to the beachfront, gazing out at the expanse of the bay. Never before have I witnessed such an abundance of water. However, as quickly as a flicker of joy attempts to surface within me, visions of the ocean and bay drying up plague my thoughts. Dead sea creatures flop about, slowly perishing under the scorching sun. These haunting visions refuse to release their grip on me. Perhaps only when we escape this forsaken rock will I find respite and be released from my burden.

Several hours pass, and I observe the sun beginning its descent. Once, I used to gaze at sunsets with awe and wonder. Now, every glance at the sun fills me with disgust and serves as a grim reminder of the imminent doom it will bring. My hatred for it grows with each passing day.

"My lord, we have a problem," Emo informs me urgently. "The hunters and fishermen have returned empty-handed. Not a single fish or anoxe."

"Do the men still have supplies in the wagon?" I inquire.

"Well, my Lord, they do. However, at our current pace, we will exhaust our rations in four days," Emo replies.

"Put the men on half rations. It seems this wretched planet wishes to test us. What a despicable rock," I seethe with frustration.

"Your will be done, my Lord," Emo acknowledges as he heads back to camp to relay the news to the men that they will now be on half rations.

From this point onward, I know that only the strongest will survive the remaining 200 miles up the coast. It will be intriguing to see if their old warrior blood still runs deep or if our prolonged period of peace has made them soft.

In the following days, I observe the toll that the lack of nutrition and water is taking on the men. When we stop to make camp, I address them with utmost seriousness. "Listen carefully. What you are experiencing now is a product of this world, telling us to piss off. But mark my words, it won't be long before your children and grandchildren suffer the same fate as you do now! Will you allow that to happen? Or will you endure a little hardship now so they won't have to?"

Varok, the youngest among them, hands his ration back to Emo and steps forward to the center of the camp. "You can have my rations back. I'm not finished marching yet!" he declares, igniting a rallying cry among the men. They rise to their feet, don their armor, and begin shouting as if they are preparing for battle.

"No, we are not done yet, are we, boys? Pack light, leave the wagons behind. Let's march!" I proclaim, issuing the final marching order. We are three days of normal marching away from the Capital, but with the motivated Guardsmen and without the burden of the wagons, I predict we can reach our destination within a day by doubling our speed. We begin to run through the night, with Emo and Varok taking turns shouting war cadences to keep the men motivated. Around the tenth hour of running, some of the men start to drop out, collapsing on the spot. I am unsure whether they have perished or if their bodies have simply given out under the grueling conditions. Regardless, we press on.

I can see fatigue taking its toll on all of my men. Even the mighty Emo struggles to keep up with my pace. I slow down, moving alongside the men, and shout to them, "Do you know what you are?" Silence follows, interrupted only by the sound of feet pounding the ground and the clanking of their armor as they run. "You are my Guardsmen, the most trusted of my mighty army! When all is said and done, and all the clans are under my rule, I will sit at the pinnacle with each and every one of you by my side as my most trusted of my allies. That is what you are, my Guardsmen! Now, do you know what you are?"

As the men shout in unison, "We are your Guardsmen, my lord!" their spirits are lifted, fueling their determination to press on. We continue running through the night, though we lose a few men to exhaustion along the way. By daybreak, a large stone wall comes into view in the distance. I command the men to halt, and their legs give out in response to the order. Addressing them, I propose, "I can see what appears to be the Capital ahead. Is there anyone among you with the strength to accompany me and scout it out?" Emo is the first to stand, followed by Varok, and a few others also volunteer to join me. "The rest of you, rest for a while and then make camp off the path to conceal our presence. We will return with news and our plan for conquest," I instruct.

The small group and I turn, heading towards the Capital that is within sight. Before proceeding, I turn my head to address the men behind me. "You all shall bear witness to my deeds. When we arrive, no one speaks, and no one interferes."

"Yes, my Lord," echoes from the men.

Approaching the Capital, I notice the large doors swinging open, and men emerge in a hostile manner, wielding spears. "Wait here," I order my men, and I sprint towards the oncoming enemy. As I draw closer, I realize that no matter the skill level of these men, they cannot kill me. This is my destiny. I slow my pace and open my arms, welcoming the chaos about to unfold. There are four men in front of me, each armed with a spear, and they charge towards me. The first man thrusts his spear towards my abdomen, but he is too slow. I grab the shaft just below the blade, holding it there, staring into his eyes—the eyes of my prey. The others circle around me, attempting to surround me. The man behind me aims to spear me in the back of my head, but the force of his thrust breaks the spear shaft, rendering the blade ineffective against my resilient metallic skin. A surge of laughter escapes me as I revel in my sheer dominance over these men. They stand no chance. I yank the spear out of the first man's hand, swiftly turning towards the man who had just tried to stab me from behind. I drive the spear so deeply into his belly that it pierces through, protruding from his back. I hoist him up by the spear, wielding his body like a grotesque trophy. In a flash, I pivot to my left, letting the tip of the spear drop to head height of the third man, and forcefully impale his skull, severing his jaw from his face. The spear lodges itself firmly in the ground. Their blood coats my right arm, resembling an artist's mess in the midst of creating a masterpiece. I admire the stacked bodies, arranged like a morbid kebab, as the pale intestines of the man on top slowly ooze down, covering the face of the jawless man below, whose quivering leg betrays his fading life. The man without his spear attempts to leap onto my back, aiming to strangle me. I swiftly pull his arms away from my neck, repositioning him in front of me. Gripping his upper arms, I hoist him up in the air. "You are looking into the eyes of your God!" I declare, pressing my right foot against his chest while simultaneously pulling on his arms. The sound of popping shoulders accompanies his anguished screams. I continue to pull on his arms and push on his chest, blood splattering onto the ground. With a final tug, his arms give way, separating.

One guy left who is not in mental shape to fight. "Go back to your Capital, tell your leader of my deeds. Tell him his God wishes an audience with him."

As I reach the others, Varok's fascination with the gory scene escalates as he runs over to the bodies," Did you see that? He ripped his arms clean off his body! and this guy is over here is slurping up the other guys intestines'..."

"Varok, Leave the dead alone," Emo swiftly intervenes, reminding him to respect the dead. 

Ignoring the macabre spectacle, I find a spot to sit at the side of the path, preparing myself mentally for the upcoming encounter with the leader of the Capital. I remain composed and focused, knowing that I must present myself as a formidable and commanding presence to earn their respect and submission.

Minutes pass, and a group of men emerges from the Capital, cautiously approaching us. Their eyes widen as they take in the scene before them—myself sitting calmly, Varok's curiosity, and the lifeless bodies on the ground.

The leader of the group steps forward, his posture and attire indicating his higher status. He surveys the situation, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern. "Who are you, and what has happened here?" he demands, his voice tinged with both authority and wariness.

Rising to my feet, I meet his gaze with an unwavering stare. "I am the one they call Lord, and you will either bow before me or I will slaughter you and everyone who follows you." I reply, my voice carrying a hint of power and conviction. "As for what happened here, it is merely a demonstration of my strength and the consequences that await those who oppose me."

The leader narrows his eyes, trying to assess the situation and gauge the threat I pose. "You claim to be a god, yet we have never heard of you before. Why should we believe you? And why should we submit to your rule?"

A smile plays on my lips as I respond, radiating confidence. "Believe or doubt, the choice is yours. But know this—my power is real, and my intentions are clear. The Clans shall be united under my leadership, and resistance will only bring destruction upon yourselves. Hear my message and make your choice."

The leader's skepticism wavers, replaced by a flicker of uncertainty. He recognizes the overwhelming power I represent and the potential consequences of defying me. After a moment of contemplation, he nods reluctantly. "Very well, we shall hear your words and consider our options. If I find you a false god my entire army will be commanded to hunt and kill you where ever you may go."

Satisfied with his response, I motion for him to lead the way. "Take me to your hall," I command, "for our discussion shall determine the fate of your Capital. My men will be waiting outside the doors of your capital."

Emo turns to Varok "Run back to the camp get everyone and have them move to outer wall of the Capital at once."

As Varok runs off to tell the men, I look at Emo and say "I will give them one full day and then I will begin to burn their capital down if they do not submit."

"We will be waiting my Lord, Your will be done."