[center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjQ0LmE1OTc0MC5WbUZyYXcsLC4wAAAAAAAA/blowup-personal-use.regular.png[/img][/center] [hr] A tree, quickly felled and crafted through capable hands, could still have many uses outside of mere hut construction and tool use. In fact, wood had many places in armed ranks, as was being introduced to the Aspasia. Shields, perhaps the first being seen in these lands, were being crafted by the strongest men who would make the core of Atmav’s fight force as they took a stone and refined the wood to into an oval. She had her men organized in rows as they took the hides and pelts of animals to cover the wood, she inspected them as she walked up and down each row. She stopped in front of one of her men, he was young, but strong, and eager to serve his God-Queen. Atmav bent to study his shield, taking it into her hands before snapping it in two with little effort, displeasure coming to her face as she looked down upon the boy. Her hands dropped the two pieces on either side of him. “Too weak in the center,” she growled, before looking to the rest of her men, an eyeless gaze going over them all before focusing on the one in front of her. “Make another! This time, do it properly!” She ordered with a bark. The boy rushed to his feet and went to retrieve additional lumber, leaving Atmav to continue her inspection among them. She had seven days to make them into a competent fighting force, determined to make them far more effective than what Milos could possibly bring to bear. Atmav was silent as her focus took hold, no weakness could be forgiven, if they were fighting in the forest, then these shields would have to stop a rain of branch and splinter when they fought. She stopped. Another failure. Again did the Selka get to his feet and rush to retrieve the lumber needed. Seven days. Seven days to form a proper war band. Time was not on her side, a long peace had made her blind to the possibility of war. Atmav knew that it was her fault for not being prepared, knowing that complacency was a slow and an ever silent killer. Even then she would have to help train the warriors of the Iwai, more time killed and thrown into the metaphorical grave. One row of passable shields. “Third line!” Atmav ordered. The entire line rushed to the feet, gathering their shield in hand along with their short spears, topped with the metal that Kirron had given them. She walked back down the third row, inspecting their posture. Nearly perfect, a few of the throwing spears were held a bit awkwardly but proper use would come with practice. “My God-Empress!” A voice from her left said, determination evident as her head turned to see a Selka who was small and skinny. She recognized this boy as one who, previously, had preferred to make art and decorate the hides for females. He was kneeling with a hastily made shield and a spear with a blunt rock. “I wish to go on this war band! To serve you, my queen!” He explained. A smile crawled upon Atmav’s face, not one of pleasure, but one of sadism as she reached for a shield from the Selka to her right. She held the shield out to the artist. “Then do not let Brottnee push you to the sea,” Atmav said, her cruel smile widening as the tall and broad Selka looked down up the artist. The male seemed to have a confident look, reaching for the shield, only for his smile to disappear as he realized the true height of Brottnee, standing a full ear taller than himself and almost twice as broad. The artist raised the shield as Brottnee stomped over from the front line, setting down the spear he would use to guard the true javelin throwers behind him. The artist was already shaking. When Brottnee ran forward, Atmav was surprised to find that the artist stood his ground to the likes of the one of the largest men in the tribe. The two shields slammed into each other before the artist, despite trying to hold his ground, was knocked clean onto his back. “And like that the men behind you are dead,” Atmav stated, stepping over to the two, feeling all the eyes of the near hundred men looking at the artist and her. She stood over him, a look of shame upon his face as he looked away. “Only the strongest may serve under me, and only the strongest are allowed to win honor by my side,” she said, her voice growing loud enough for the entire force to hear her. Her eyeless gaze burned into the artist. “Go! You have no place among my ranks as you are now!” She ordered, turning away as the weakling got to his feet to drag himself away. Atmav watched him until he was out of sight before returning to her inspections. [hr] As the night drew near, and those of the Aspasia began to rest, Atmav could not help but listen to the night. The silence that came here was one she did not enjoy, even as she walked back to her longhouse, it was almost unsettling and she swore she noticed something massive in the distance moving along the water. For a moment, she thought it could have been Yimbo, but she knew that it did not move anywhere near as graceful as the silent leap she thought she saw. She turned into her longhouse before looking back at the open water, the form gone. Perhaps it was stress coming to her. Perhaps the nervousness of actually marrying someone was making her mind see things. She could not tell. [color=9d8168]”Well, isn’t this a lovely little place?”[/color] voices from behind asked. She turned, her greatsword raising to meet the white form of someone sitting on her throne, its fingertips meeting each other as a tooth-filled grin sat unnaturally upon its face. Atmav knew who it was, perhaps not the form, but the entity itself. “Vakk…” her voice was low as she hissed the name, the red glow of her blade coming as she readied herself to go to blows with her nemesis. [color=9d8168]”Atmav, why the hatred? You knew I would be coming eventually, and you know that you are powerless against me, even with that little toy that Orvus gave you,”[/color] Vakk said, amused at Atmav’s continued willingness to fight it. It let out a low chuckle as hot air blew upon Atmav’s back. When she turned, she saw the massive head of a beast poking through the door, a low growl coming through it as it seemed to sniff her. [color=9d8168]”You are in no position to fight me, Atmav. But I have not come to fight, I have come to talk,”[/color] Vakk stated, leaning its head into the palm of its hand. “I do not want to talk with you, and I never want to see you again,” Atmav growled as she took a step towards Vakk before she felt something wrap around her leg. Looking down, she saw a purple tendril wrapped around her and another moved to grab her main hand before she found herself twisted upside down. [color=9d8168]”We made a deal, Atmav. Your freedom, for a simple favor. Now, I wish to use that favor,”[/color] Vakk said, moving a light chuckle coming to it as Atmav attempted to swing her greatsword only for a tendril to disarm her. “What makes you think I want to talk, demon?” Atmav hissed, struggling and squirming against Vakk’s ever tightening grip. [color=9d8168]”You have no choice, Atmav,”[/color] it remarked, still amused at her unwillingness to cooperate. Its own eyeless gaze studying her for a moment, silence between the two other than the grunts of Atmav attempting to free herself, and the deep breaths of the beast behind her. [color=9d8168]”I did not peg you for the type to marry someone so weak,”[/color] Vakk started, only stopping to chuckle for a brief moment, [color=9d8168]”What ever happened to marrying the finest breed? That is what your kind is meant to do, does it not? My you truly have fallen from grace.”[/color] “What do you want, demon? I know you did not come to merely mock me,” Atmav growled as Vakk chuckled to itself. As Vakk ceased its laughter, it stood from the throne that it hardly fit it before taking a singular step towards Atmav, [color=9d8168]”I require the children of your people. My own children need them to grow.”[/color] “No! These children have families and lives to live Vakk, they are not meant to pawns in your games,” Atmav barked, another wave of defiance coming over her as she continued to struggle. “Why would they even need our children? Are they not capable themselves?” Atmav questioned through grit teeth. [color=9d8168]”No, they cannot,”[/color] Vakk said, a sorrow coming over its voices, [color=9d8168]”Such experiences of life are beyond their capabilities,”[/color] it explained. Atmav grew confused before she began to piece it together, “What did you do, Vakk?” [color=9d8168]”I gave them new life. A new life that cannot be taken, a new life that was once taken from my children that I could not bear witness! I made life from death!”[/color] Vakk snapped, stepping towards Atmav. Its teeth gnashing together as the tendrils flipped Atmav rightside up. “You made abominations! You know you cannot go against nature, Vakk!” Vakk slammed Atmav into the floor of the longhouse, the floor shattering into splinters, [color=9d8168]”Their lives were taken from them! I could not stand idly by knowing that they had died so soon!”[/color] “You are more a fool than I remember! You turned your back on all the morals you once had! What would your father think?!” Those words rung deep within Vakk as he threw Atmav to her throne, her form causing it to crumble before her back went into the wall of the longhouse. Without so much of a blink, Vakk was upon her and planted its foot into her chest, sending her through the wall and into the sands outside of her home. Vakk took a singular step outside of the longhouse, looking down upon Atmav, who was already getting to her feet. The warrior raised her fists as she readied herself to fight.“I can do this all day,” she spat. Vakk scoffed, [color=9d8168]”I struck you not out of anger, Atmav. I struck you out of your adocity to speak against a god in such a manner.”[/color] “You are not my god,” Atmav informed it, her wings spread to becoming with the night sky above them. Vakk was silent for a moment, as the great beast that had come with it jumped onto the sands below Atmav, its voices speaking without a hint of emotion, [color=9d8168]”If you do not wish to honor our deal, Atmav, then I am afraid that I will have to punish you. I will give you one chance, one chance to undo this wrong. You will die to Kalani in the coming battle.”[/color] Atmav only gave Vakk a smug smile, “I do not intend to die anytime soon, Vakk.” [color=9d8168]”Then I am afraid that I will have to show your people my view of life, and I will have them accept it more eagerly than how eager you are to cling onto what miserable life you have in store for your future,”[/color] Vakk said, it’s voices seeming to give an inflection of sadistic pleasure of such a thought. “What?! No, leave them out of this, Vakk! Your troubles are with me, not them!” [color=9d8168]”You have made your choice,”[/color] Vakk said, before nodding, seemingly to the beast. A massive club seemed to launch Atmav into the air, a silent scream of pain coming to her as her breath was hit out of her. A hand caught her throat as she landed in Vakk’s vice grip. [color=9d8168]”You have lost your position as royal guard of the Eternal Talk. As such, you have lost your horns and have forfeit your right to anyone under your command,”[/color] Vakk said, tendrils moving to grasp Atmav’s horns. “Wha- N-no! You c-can’t!” Atmav stammered struggling in Vakk’s grip and punching his face only for it to do nothing as Vakk’s face grew into a sadistic smile. She could feel the tendrils slowly pulling the horns, she could feel the skin underneath them ripping away ever so slowly. She was powerless to stop him and yet she loosed maddened sobs as she struggled more and more, eventually the sobs turning to screams that pierced the moonlight. The pain grew and grew before something gave way, blood poured onto her face as her hands went to cover her face. Vakk released her as she fell into the sand and left her with seven cruel words. [color=9d8168]”I look forward to your death, Atmav.”[/color] Atmav sobbed into the sand, the blood pouring from her head before she felt hands grasp her arms and in a mournful confusion, she lashed out and punched the source and sending it back. Then words reached her. “My queen! My queen!” The words of her subjects began to flood into her as they poured in from all around, each one trying to counsel their hurt and dishonoured queen. But all she could do was sob in pain and she moved her hands to where her horns had once been. Then she felt it crawling down her face, not droplets of blood, but pools of tears trailing down her cheeks and carving a path through the blood. And as she wiped the blood and tears from her face, she saw the faces of her people gather around her. Her eyes opened to meet their gazes. [hider=Summary] Atmav is seen teaching roughly one hundred men how to be a proper army. Forcing them to make their own shields, forcing them into lines and disciplining them whenever they make a mistake. But as she inspects them, Atmav is approached by an artistic selka who wishes to join the expedition. She laughs and says that he can join if he can push back against Brottnee, and he unsurprisingly fails. Only the strongest may serve under Atmav. Later, Atmav is found by Vakk, with the help of his beast. Vakk wants to use Atmav’s favor to get the selka children for the undead Aroiox. When Atmav figures this out, she calls him a madman. They called him a madman. Atmav gets thrown through her throne and then kicked through the wall of her longhouse. Vakk tells her to die in the battle with Kalani or else her people will be converted into Vakk’s new life. Furthermore, Vakk demotes her from her rank as royal guard to the Eternal Talk, which none of you will recall without having to go read the Vakk CS, by ripping out her horns and leaving her. She is left sobbing, blood pouring out of her head. And as her people ran to her. You can read the post to find out that fun fact. [b]Prestige[/b] 23 Prestige -6 to teach her people military formation. -6 to teach her people how to craft shields. +3 Prestige. 20 Prestige Remaining. No MP spent. [/hider]