Sorcerer… Cyborg???

Chapter 83: An Old Enemy

Deep within the endless plains of the Southern tribes, an enormous dark mass was encroaching, heading towards the heart of the plains. A closer look would reveal the numerous flags flying the standard of the hawk, this army was personally led by Grand Marshal Tam.

Along with Tam's massive host, many of the nobles had brought the bulk of their own forces, hoping for a war against the tribes, eager to take revenge for their fallen fathers in the great war between Ursten and the tribes.

"Where's the bear?" Baron Leynish rode alongside Lord Ausman, one of the many cronies he had gathered on his campaigns deep into Kalun territory. Eager to loot and reap the rewards from the vulnerable state after Tam had decimated their finest commanders.

"I think it just makes it all the more clear who this army owes its loyalty to, I wager it'll be a long while before we see any army flying the bear of Ursten." Ausman, a tall fair haired man, with delicate features who looked like he belonged in the window of a boutique rather than the battlefield, spoke with shakily. His father's death to the tribes had thrust authority onto him, and he had proved himself a capable leader of the heavy cavalry his father had left him.

"I notice you've got your men wearing blue armbands like so many of the other fools, tell me Ausman. Are you going to fly Tam's flag above that of your father also?" Leynish, though much smaller than Ausman, absolutely radiated rage. He had taken Ausman under his wing on his short campaign into Kalun and felt betrayed.

"Can't hurt to keep on the commander's good side, Leynish. Y'know how he feels about all us nobles since Kultas' rebellion." Ausman mumbled and squirmed in his saddle, avoiding Leynish's fierce stare.

"You fool, he'd be the obvious choice for heir with Kultas out of the way. You think this whole Grand Marshal business came out of nowhere. No way, I gather his father had been planning since Rotan was declared heir. You know that left a sour taste in many a mouth, why leave the throne to a soft naive fool, and leave the Last Hawk himself stationed on the border." Leynish spoke with an almost mad fervor, specks of saliva spraying the shrinking Ausman.

"All that remains to be seen is whether that madman Anteris makes a move-" Leynish was right up in Ausman's face by now, while the poor man had his eyes almost completely shut to shield himself from Leynish's spit infused yells. Fortunately, he was interrupted by a booming voice.

"Come now, Leynish. Leave off the lad for a while, he'll be no good to us if you chew off his head before we get into battle. Save those chompers of yours for the Tribes, or the Empire, whoever gets in our way first." Boson grinned as he teased Leynish, his teeth shining out from behind his small opening in his dome shaped helmet.

"Alright, alright. But tell me, Boson, are we really going to ally ourselves with these damned tent dwellers?" Leynish spat as he spoke, his face twisted in a mask of rage and hatred. He wished he could slap Boson right there for showing him up, however, he dared not to. Tam's Lieutenants answered only to him, and many would consider them the most powerful individuals after Tam and Anteris. As for Rotan, he had been largely written off by the nobility at this point.

"If the General's predictions hold true, then we just might. Just keep in mind Leynish, they had already lost some of their finest to the Empire before any of them tried coming north into Ursten. You'd do well to respect their prowess." Boson's grin disappeared as he admonished Leynish.

"I respect their prowess Boson, only a mighty warrior could have defeated my father in his prime, but that doesn't mean I have to like them. As for fighting alongside the dirty rats, I will of course obey the Grand Marshal's commands." Leynish smiled mockingly at Boson, he knew how uncomfortable Boson was with Tam's sudden increase in power and prestige. After all, it was common knowledge that the majority of Tam's lieutenants had joined him in his adventuring days, when he had roamed the Isle.

At the very head of the massive army, Tam rode a fierce beast, the color of midnight, dwarfing even the hybrid horses many of the nobles rode. The horse he rode had a pale blue horn rising up from its forehead, and lightning crackled around its hooves as it thundered along.

He had chosen the beast in a rare sentimental moment, for while it would be an enormous asset in battle, the lightning that crackled around the beast's hooves reminded him of his son, studying magic far to the north in Trinquile.

Tam himself wore his usual dark blue armor, the hawk clearly emblazoned across the front. His hair had grown long, and flowed loose in the air behind him, he looked very bit the commander he was made out to be, fitting the picture of the tales told in the inns in the port cities of the Empire, where the common folk were beginning to hear ballads of Tam's revenge, where he had had defeated two armies almost single handedly in a matter of days.

Tam raised a gloved hand and closed his fist, immediately the flags of the army behind him lowered, and the soldiers all came to a stop. They were here.

Tam gestured to Boson and Serena to ride ahead with him, the rest of the army would wait while the three of them talked with the clan leaders waiting ahead.

Tam squinted his piercing blue eyes and looked at the waiting tribesmen. There was a cluster of tents pitched within the circle of weathered stone monuments that had traditionally been used by the clan leaders in their annual meetings, and just as he had expected, they had gleaned his intentions and awaited him.