The Returning Veterans
A few veterans from the same decimary in the
Berini first campaigning army hear that the war (
Berlintini I's Great War of Coalition) has come to an end and they talk about their plans for their month at home before their next deployment. They are packing their things in their tent, folding it up and heading off with everyone else. At the moment there are only three veterans in the tent as the others are doing other important tasks and are on their way while our three men are packing things up.
Veteran 1: "So, now that the war is over, what are your plans for when you get home? I was thinking of selling some of my loot and drinking some strong wine..."
Veteran 2: "I was thinking of going to tell my parents that their beloved son is alive and back from the war and on his way to give them a big hug. I'm sure that they are worried sick about me."
Veteran 3: "I'm from Tesfan and I'm the youngest of my siblings. I hope that my elderly 60 year old mother is still alive and that she will be by the time I get home. I want to give her this beautiful gold necklace I got off a dead Shiis soldier a few years ago as a birthday present."
Veteran 1: "That sounds a bit disturbing. If I were you I'd give it to my sweetheart so she would marry me. Unless she married someone else by now, a highly likely situation. I haven't heard about any girl waiting 15 years for her sweetheart while there were another 7 suitors at least competing for her hand in marriage. That doesn't happen outside the realm of folk tales or mythology. Heck, I wouldn't wait so long."
Veteran 3: "It's not disturbing at all, first of all, you come from Maria In The South while I come all the way from Tesfan. Our home cultures are different. Second, I have been away from home for 12 years during which my father died and I wasn't there for my mother when she mourned, I was out fighting men as strong as bears and as tall as pines whom were encased in the best iron I've ever known and armed with weapons that could render my armor useless. I want to show my old mother that I love her and that there wasn't a day that I didn't want to return home and give my support."
Veteran 2: "And what makes you think that just bringing home some treasure would all of a sudden make things all better?"
Veteran 3: " I don't, I want to show her how much I respect her by giving her some of my personal treasure that was very hard and dangerous for me to acquire. To show that she is more valuable to me than any treasure I could get on my campaigns far away and that keeping her happy is important to me. After all, she is my mother who cared for me and raised me."
Mariani's duel
As Mariani stepped into the, he saw Shil-Wa. A giant man who was taller than a manderthal and clad in a suit of shining steel similarly to
Eldanfan the Outcast. He remembered what he was taught by his mentors and his experience like phrases racing through his head and mixed with his actions and his perceptions as he prepared to close in.
Voice: "When facing armor you go for the gaps. However, note that that your opponent probably knows them better than you and how to protect them."
Mariani's eyes raced about the giant form looking for a difficult to defend gap.
Voice: "A blow from a much larger opponent is extremely dangerous, one blow to your legs, right arm, or head from this beast of a man will be your end."
Mariani kept his eye to his distance and made sure to stay out of reach.
Voice: "If you find a weakness, exploit it. The ideal way to win is by putting in as little effort as possible for the maximum outcome."
Mariani paced back and forth, right and left and around to test for anything of importance in his opponent's reactions, footwork, armor, weapons, posture and guards.
Voice: "Hmm. I know that he is a professional duelist and seems to show it off nicely. Wait, something's off with him, is he trying to hide it?"
A scant moment later Mariani puts together the fact that Shil-Wa's face is covered by a visor, his movement appears more restricted and less eased and flowing as he would expect an ace fighter to. To be willing to. Able to.
Voice: "Can he? Is he able to? He appears to be hiding some tough pain, some exhaustion too...
"Let's try to draw this out without getting hit. A man that big with with a covered face will probably tire before a small man like me with unrestricted breathing.
"This might get interesting. In a way good for me..."
"Just avoid making static blocks since he'll go straight through them, so only dodging and redirecting is should be done. and considering his height, he'll probably aim for my head..."
Shil-Wa stood there, always facing Mariani, in a shiny suit of strong steel holding his halberd in a low guard. He knew that in the pain that he's in he should keep his distance and use his better reach to keep the little officer away. All he needed to do was to hit him once, twice or thrice to win.
The fight started with a long and stressful minute of nothing followed by a few feints by either side which didn't yeild any immediate reslut but allowed the opponents to size up one another. A thought sprang up in the head of the pain plagued Shil-Wa: Pee break. (See, he didn't do it all day since it was too painful and now it was resurfacing again partly because of the stress). After about a half a minute that involved a few feints, deflected, dodged or blocked strikes and a near miss, Shil-Wa could hold no longer and he bent in a spike of pain, dropping the halberd. Mariani quickly responded. He dropped his spear on the ground and wielded his axepick, closed the distance within a second and struck his opponent on the back of the head (if you're getting nerdy about it, then on the helmet in a spot where it covered the top of the parietal bone) dulling the point on the well made helmet. The giant fell down, concussed. Mariani rolled him over, pulled off his helmet, removed his bevor and the maille protecting his neck, and started to hack at the meaty muscular neck of the fallen champion. After the first artery severing hack that sprayed deep red blood all over the place, a second hack that cut deeper and into spine and a third that severed the head completely, the victor pulled padding off the head and grabbed the head. He raised it dripping high above his head for all to see and laughed triumphantly. The horrified Yu-Baii watched as the Berini champion held up the head of their fallen champion and laughed. He was filthy, covered in dust, blood and gorgeous colorful beads.
Mariani: "We won!
"You thought that you could conquer the mighty Berini empire with the strength of a single man???
"What could have possibly led you to believe that a god guided ruling nation would fold to even the biggest, strongest, best armed and most skilled fighter in the world!?"
After he finished yelling to the crowd, he lowered the head and stared into the glassy eyes. They lay there on a scarred face with tightly braided hair decorated with lovely ornate and colorful beads. In the motionless open mouth he could see quite a few golden teeth where the original teeth once stood until they were knocked out or pulled out by dentists to take care of toothaches. He smiled, defeating such a formidable foe was an acheivment that he didn't really believe was possible. Now he lay dead on the ground with his severed head in his killer's hands. He casually threw the head at it's body and said:
Mariani: "As stated in Berini law, a newly conquered and vassal state has to deliver an intial tax of 30% of their wealth within two months to a Berini official. I'll be waiting for the 500
[Gold Tulli in Bashur. I'm also expecting you to provide us with supplies and logistical as well as financial support."
He them proceeded to loot the body with the help of three minor officers and left for his ship.
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