Archibald Riverdane, looked over the dead scout - that had been brought to his War Room. The poor lad had died on his way through the Bone Desert - he had to give the scout credit. Not many were eager enough to treck through the Bone Desert - it wasn't called that, because of its dryness. More so, its deadly sand-storms, poisonous critters and near lack of water for miles. Still he had managed to reach the lands of Zaros, before he died. Luckily a few border guards had recovered him, and the message he had been carrying.

The message itself claimed a request for aid, from the Eternal Grounds. That was rich and ironic in its own sense - namely because, often times it had been called on how the Eternal Grounds - were the equal of some ancient cultural civilization and the all the others were savages. Well, atleast that was the tone that was usually used whenever, they talked with the Zaros Imperium. It wasn't so much an Imperium and more likely - a single large city ontop of a mountail structure and all around them sand, sand and more sand. It wasn't much to look at, but it belonged to the Zarosians and they defended their land to the death.

Their lands were a death-trap in itself, but the bounty of the land came, from where many overlooked it. Underneath the sand and dry ground laid the largest caches of mineral resources in the lands. It what gave Zaros its might and what many kingdoms, warlords and rulers before - had attempt to get for themselves. Usually at the prospect of trampling and killing off the people living there. It had been only around two centuries ago, that the first King of Zaros - had declared no more, rallied what people remained and constructed a great fortress in the mountain complex that existed in the Bone Desert.

Ever since then, many of their people had become something more. More militant, more harsh and more...some say cruel. Some spoke on how, Zaros was breaking the right of its people. Enslaving them, forcing them into their army, warlike mentality. Experimenting on their own people, to create war soldiers. It wasn't like Zaros had any choice, they lived for war - since their neighbours time again showed that the weak subjugated the strong. And to stop that, the weak must become strong. Nowadays, none dared risk the wrath of Zaros - less they be attacked by their endless hordes of golems and deadly rifles.

A weaker man, would have simply ignored this request and laughed as the Eternal Grounds was reduced to cinder - many times like how Zaros had been whenever it had been attacked and left in rubble. However, being a War-Master he had always the duty of taking the hard choices - choices that made him out to be a monster, tyrant and sometimes inhuman. However, like this choice now before him - it was all done for the Greater Good. "Summon the Desert Knights and awaken the War Golems. We have a war to reach," spoke Riverdane, readying his people for war.

---

It was on the tenth day of fighting, around the Eternal Grounds that the Zarosian Army arrived. They had marched five days to reach the Eternal Grounds at that. It was at that point, that the first sign of the orc horde was spotted. It was on the tenth day, that the might of Zaros was unleashed and proving why many others feared them now.

Lead by War-Master Archibald Riverdane himself, he blew the mighty War-Horn said to be carried by the First King himself. Hundreds of Desert Knights and War Golems charged forward at that point - the mighty warframes of Zaros leading the charge. Golems made of metal, stone, flesh, rock and even molten lava. The fury of Zaros soon clashing with the orc horde.

@Valchyrie



The first from the Zarosians to engage the orcs - were the dreaded and feared magma golems. Spoken to have been forged in one of the few active magma pits in the Bone Desert. The fire inside them visible through their stone skin, as the two dozen in the front soon clashed with the orcs. Their weapons had less effect on stone at that - some even starting to melt, when they made contact with the more bright spots upon the magma golems. The golems in return however, had no sense of hesitation - as their large fists were already drawn back, before impacting the orcs around them. Hard enough to shatter even the tough bones of the orcs - their armor saving them none from death and injury.

They were merely the heavy-impact troops as, the next wave of shock troopers arrived. These were as well, forged in fire - as the many myths about the Army of Zaros contained. These were the feared war golems, armored in strong suits of steel, given shields and maces that no man was able to wield - they were more precise in their attack, rather than the rip and smash fighting style of the magma golems. These heavy-hitting monsters, clashed against the mighty orc berserkers and the large domesticated trolls. While trolls had enough strength to crush a human or elf into paste easily - against the war golems, they only managed to dent their armor and make the war golems more pissed; as skull after skull was caved in by their maces.



Only after the more heavy-hitters had moved in to engage and sow chaos amongst the orc horde - did the more...human part of the Zaros Army arrive. The disciplined Desert Knights, garbed in their mix uniform of armor and leather - they marched in lockstep, a wall slowly moving forward, a musket in each of their hands at that. Any orcs that dared approach this slow march, ended up receiving a bullet from half of their soldiers in the vicinity. They moved on at that, not stopping to reload - they namely reloaded on the march. One half shooting, while the man next to him fired - it was a continous wall of gunpowder, as the Desert Knights didn't stop at all. As they slowly marched towards the exhausted forces of the Eternal Grounds.

Leading them at the front, was the current King of Zaros. Namely one War-Master Riverdane, decked his ornate armor that was inscribed with several glyphs and ancient blessing in their ancient tongue, all written in golden and silver. He wasn't marching behind the Desert Knight line, infact he marched infront of their line - rather several metres infront at that, the line following after their King. He didn't dodge nor attempt to sidestep, whenever an arrow was shot at his direction. Namely they impacted and bounced of his plate-armor. Whenever some orc managed to get close enough, he raised the flintlock pistol he carried - and shot the orc, with the pistol unleashing enough force to tear the orc in half with the loud noise of a cannon being fired.

Marosa herself would understand the reason. It was one of the few magical feats from Zaros. While their people lacked access to higher magics - like conjuration, divination or even summoning. They did infact possess a different ability - namely the ability to affect bane. Or as some of her people knew, as life-energy. Some of the best healers in the world came from Zaros, since the greatest banecasters could heal a person with a snap. There was however, another type of ability for bane. Namely a thing called bane-hardening - using life-force to harden the armor, or improve the power or sharpness of a weapon - a hundred times over at that. Making normal steel almost as hard a stone wall; or enable a simple rifle or pistol, to fire with the force of a cannon; or have a simple sword have the potential to cut solid stone, like butter. It was one of the few things, that many called the Zarosians barbaric and inhumane for doing. Since many assumed that they used human sacrifice, to fuel such weaponry and enchantments. Whatever the case was now, it made the King whom marched infront of his army - essentially immune to the arrows shot his way. And any orc stupid enough to try and fight him, ended up essentially a red mess on the forest floor - or cut in half by his likely bane-hardened steel sword.

Soon enough the column of rifleman and their King arrived, close to Marosa' group. The air smelling of gunpowder, and the War-Master whom stood close enough - that she could see his green eyes underneath the helmet that covered his face. His own appearance, being one of calmness and short, dry humor.

"Well, well. Queen Marosa, if I am not mistaken. The paitings of your image, don't tell the whole truth - I am afraid," he spoke, gently cleaning of his bane-sword of orc blood and calming reloading his flint-lock pistol. "It would seem you have an orc problem. One that required, asking the barbaric, backwards and inhuman Zaros Imperium for aid."

@Valchyrie

War-Master Riverdane at that ordered his troops to move forward. Delegating his magma golems, to make sure the orcs left these grounds post-haste. And nothing inflicted some good casualties like hitting the enemy when they were retreating at that.

The rest of his War Golems he ordered to help go and delegate with the wounded. They were strong in that, they could easily help clear the broken trees and dead bodies at that. Decay and blood-borne diseases might settle in at that, and he wasn't upto seeing what kind of illness the orcs might carry at that. Setting up somesort of fire at that, for the dead horde - and letting it burn under the heat of the magma golems.

Luckily enough, he had brought alongside him several Banecasters. Namely people who were experts in the art of Bane - or lifeforce at that. Making them excellent healers, to the many those whom had received injuries but had managed to life on after the initial onslaught. He had his troops form a semi-circle - namely around the front gates of the Eternal Grounds. Incase the orcs decided to return with reinforcements at that. Or worse, tried to deploy a counter-attack at that.

For the most part he simply walked along the line - checking up on his soldiers, as they held the line and kept guarding against any further incursions or likely attacks. While the healers worked their magic and aided the Eternal Grounds warriors to get better. While the Golems cleared and burned away the wretched filth that had attacked the kingdom.

@Valchyrie

"That is unnecessary," replied War-Master Riverdane, shaking his hand infront of them. "I am comfortable sleeping with my men at that, and incase orc assassins show up - it is likely the safest place to also be."

One might be curious if that was Zarosian humor, or if he was serious at that. "If such accomodations are presented to my men, then I will let them decide, where they wish to stay. For the mot part however, it is best - that you and I talk in private."

His tone wasn't that of a demand, more like a request - and his tone didn't betray the sound of greed or lust at that. As likely many a ruler had gazed upon her and likely wished to join her bed. Rather his tone was that of a military commander, taking one victory as a necessity to plan for the next one at that. "It's best, that we talk about this orc attack. In addition, the likely casualties and future."

Riverdane and Zaros was more than most accomodated with the idea - that the war wasn't won, until the enemy was beaten, broken and that you could see with your own eyes - that they wouldn't be a trouble for any particular future. "If you'd be so kind, as to share information and maps, over some tea - that would be very accomodating," he added - showing that underneath that gruffy and warrior-king persona, there was still the hint of royal decour and blood.

Riverdane looked over the map, she had shared with him and shook her head at that. "No. Unlikely," he replied, then looked at her. "I think, what we are dealing with here is, pardon this, overconfidence."

"Namely, when we came down that path, we saw no disturbance nor indication that any orc or horde of them, had passed through the land. It was one of the reasons, we had our golems up first. Since we had expected ambushes along the path," he spoke, then trailed a finger along the map - from where the orcs had escaped to. Namely it was in the opposite direction - and into forests that were supposed to be too dense to pass.

"I have gotten no messages from my rear scouts. So that means, that they went through here and disappeared there, somewhere," he spoke, holding his finger on that spot on the map. "Since if you forget, the only way the orcs had to escape was through us - and we had a wall of gunpower and steel infront of them."

"So in my opinion, that leaves two options. Either somebody has carved a long path through your forests and hidden it with magic. Or the orcs have dug somekind of tunnel or network underneath your lands. Which do you think is more plausible or worse?" he finished, then taking a moment to try out her land' tea. "Mhmm. Not bad, minty."

@Valchyrie

@Valchyrie

"Alright then. The other question, I might want an answer to - is for how long, do you expect for us to stay here?" he asked from her. They had cometh to her aid, without any possibility or promise of reward or reparations for their assistance. Plus, their stay would also cost them - in time and supplies, and while he had left a sizeable army to defend their homeland; as a leader of his nation, he had to put the welfare of his nation first and foremost.

"How badly were your own armies damaged. You have to understand, that we can't stay here forever," added Riverdane. It was the cynical and pragmatic part of rulership - depending on namely the ruler. Specifically it was the notion, that nothing was gained or given for free. Riverdane had called worth and marched upon the Eternal Grounds - since he didn't want to deal with the horde of refugees that might have cometh, in the case that the Eternal Grounds fell. Nor to deal with the orcish horde, when there was the possibility of stopping them before they reached his borders.

But now, when that conflict was over - many of his men would want to go home, and he was also inclined to agree with them. The battle was won, and for them so was the war in retrospect. So Marosa in essence, needed to provide them some reason to stay - other than, there being likely tunnels running through her forests. A deep threat or a more lucrative opportunity - might convince their armies to stay for now. But if Marosa had nothing to offer, then his armies - would want to do nothing and leave. And Riverdane wasn't about to force them to stay. Zaros had a history of bad neighbours - and them taking casualties was luck. If they started bleeding for another country - then it would be very hard to explain, why they needed to stay.