The Orkust/Argonia Conflict: Vali's Valor
On a clifftop overseeing the border tunnel between Arcadia and the lands surrounding Orkutsk, a group of 10 men and women clad in green and brown clothing with black fur cloaks have gathered. A man with greying hair and a large bow stands in front of the group.
"Soldiers of Orkustk, the enemy gathers at our border. We've waited too long for the day we knock the teeth out of the Argon Lizard." He dots his left cheek with paint under the eye. "Our Orc friends have given us some of their war paint. Wear it with pride, as it shows they want victory as much as we do. They will be fighting alongside us. The gutless cowards of Argonia have insulted them for years while hiding behind their gilded market stalls." He turns to face the tunnel as he pulls a grey rope from under his cloak.
"Every captured Argonian soldier is a slap in the face to Charmles. Gear up, take your positions and let's knock the crown off his ******** head!" He shouts as clouds began to roll in.
"Yes Captain Vali!" The group responded in unison. Two men and two women grabbed bows similar to their leader's. They tightened the belts holding their quivers as ropes were tied around their waists by other soldiers. The remaining troops began pounding pitons into the rock face as they climbed down the cliff. Once they reached the bottom, those troops applied the orcish war paint. Vali followed closely behind them. The four troops with ropes around their waists took positions on the cliffside. They pulled the hoods up on their cloaks and seemed to disappear into the rocky surface of the cliff. The ground troops drew clubs and hammers as Vali moved ahead of them. Some put heavy wooden shields on their off hands. "I thank you for your bravery my friends." He looked to one of the people with a shield. "Make contact with our friends by the river. Tell them we'll bring the second wave of the enemy to them so they won't be bored." The man nodded and ran into the woods.
A white-haired woman in a white and grey coat and a tall man with long brown hair came out of the woods as soon as the messenger left. The man carried two longswords on his on belt.
"I see you got the gift our friends sent us. You always looked great in your uniform." She ran her hand along Vali's cheek. The young man beside her rolled his eyes. "Mother, perhaps you two should wait until after we repel the invaders before you start having sex? At least wait until I'm out of earshot please." Vali smirked at the man.
"Not all children have parents that are still so in love once they grow up Normund. I can only hope you find someone who you can share this sort of relationship with. You can't go around punching princes forever, even if they deserve it." Normund shook his head and smiled.
"You two are insatiable. Looks like I'll be sleeping outside after the victory party."
The soldiers that came down with Vali stood at attention. Normund greeted them. "Isn't this too many troops?" Vali smirked. "They refused to sit by and let us have all the fun. We promised the Orcs the second wave, so don't go too crazy."
"Who's leading the Orcs? I haven't had the chance to talk to them while preparing defenses."
"The troops closest to us are led by Zarguth, but Gurajek is leading a group guarding the Nook Grass cave." Normund smiles at the mention of Gurajek.
"It's a shame they won't get anywhere close to there. He's probably just going to spend the whole battle gathering food for the victory party."
Vali looked to his troops. "They should be marching through Arcadia now, so we have about two hours before they reach the tunnel. As soon as they draw weapons, we strike." The soldiers nodded and dispersed among the trees and rocks near the tunnel. Vali and Normund began setting up a small campfire while the woman examined a spear she brought.
A little over an hour later, marching feet could be heard coming from the tunnel that separates Orkutsk from the rest of the world. The family continued casually talking and eating as a group of 30 armored men surrounding 10 robed figures emerge from the border tunnel. A man in yellow armor bearing intricate designs approached the group. "I am Brigadier Benjamin Grinda of the Argonian Royal Army. I have been ordered to arrest the person who assaulted King Charmles. Do you know who committed this heinous act?" Vali and Normund chuckled and looked to the man.
"Your king is so weak that he needs to send forty men to arrest one of ours? As expected of one who hides behind gilded walls while spewing insults toward us our Orc allies. He sent his most pompous officer too." Vali said while taking a bite of fish. Normund laughed and stoked the fire.
" Did you pay someone to paint your armor for you or did you let a nursery school do it? I thought Notso Machos were monsters in your area, but it looks like Charmless hired one to lead his army of bootlickers." Benjamin looked toward the woman sharpening a spear.
"Are you more willing to cooperate ma'am?" The woman's eyes flared and a guttural growl emerged from her throat.
"My name is Suvi. Call me ma'am again and this spear is going straight through your neck you lizard loving b*****d. Your bulky helmet blocks your vision, the one you're looking for just insulted your armor." Benjamin looked to Normund and pulled a set of manacles off his belt. "Is this true young man?" There was a small hint of nervousness in his voice. Normund was easily a head taller than the brigadier and had stern eyes with a wicked grin.
"Did I hit him so hard that he forgot the day it happened? I thought he'd at least be able to describe the person he sent an invasion force into a foreign land to capture." He cracks his knuckles. "Do I need to punch you for comparison?" Benjamin dropped the manacles and drew his sword. "We have you outnumbered. Come peacefully or war will be declared."
Vali knocked an arrow and fired into the air. The arrow emitted a loud whistling noise as it flew. "You declared war when your shitheel prince first struck my son. Now you shall feel the wrath of the mountain!" All the armored Argonians drew weapons while the robed figures pulled books and scrolls from their belts. Before they could start casting spells, the plants near the feet of all the troops began wrapping around them.
The close grouping of the troops to protect the mages made them an easy target for the spell. The soldiers on the cliffside had heard the whistling arrow and one cast an entangling spell while the other three cast a spell on their bows. The spell created entangling plants with viscous sap that caused itching to those it touched. The majority of the spellcasters, as well as the brigadier and all but three of his armored troops, were contained. Vali waved his hand over his bow while muttering the same words as the cliff troopers. The soldiers hidden in the forest showed themselves and rushed into the fray. Hawks descended and clawed at the mages while their masters swung at the joints of the armored troops. They immobilized their limbs before knocking them down into the entangling plants. Those that managed to stay mobile were peppered with arrows from Vali and the cliff troopers. The magic on the arrows made them hit like warhammers against their armor.
When an opening appeared to strike at the mages, Suvi charged forward alongside two other women who had hid in the woods. The Argonians on the ground could only watch in horror as three women tore their mage formation apart. They ripped the magic cloaks from their hands before bashing them with the blunt ends of spears and shields. The first Argonian wave had fallen in less than ten minutes from a force one-quarter their size. The three that weren't entangled had fled as soon as the forest troops showed themselves, going to get reinforcements from the border tunnel.
Normund stood over the fallen brigadier Benjamin. "Velkommen til snøland" He said before stomping on his face. The Argonian lost consciousness soon after. "Call the retrieval squads mother. We've got ransom notes to write. Dad's plan worked like a charm." Vali approached his wife and planted a kiss on her lips. "Not now Vali, my coat is covered in enemy blood." Suvi said with a chuckle. Vali began tying up the brigadier with rope. "I haven't seen you fight like that in years. You handle a spear with the same ferocity as when I first met you. It's got me worked up."
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