Year 510-520
"Forward, march!"
Bronze-armored troops marched, their footsteps in unison across the southern plains. Their grand prize? The northern lands.
Was it for resources or exotic goods?
No.
These southerners preferred the hot climate, their violent lifestyle and rituals, and they enjoyed skirmishing. It was a pleasurable sport, victory cementing their status as the chosen ones under the Sun God's baleful rays of light.
Donned in bronze armor with golden lining, the leader of the southern tribe rode atop a black horse. At his side hung a longsword sheathed, and in his hand, a wooden tablet which he tossed into the plains with an aggravated sigh. His golden-blond hair almost appeared to glow as it blew in the wind.
Beside him, a small dwarf strutted- his face scarred and mutilated beyond recognition, save for a single eye.
Strut?
More like jog, with hoarse, heavy breathing to match.
"We have horses, Stonebreaker," the leader peered down lazily at him.
"No horses for this dwarf! Only corpses," the dwarf panted. "My artistry will never return because of their torture."
He raised his hands, gnarled and twisted, and shouted in rage at no one in particular.
"Yes. But your mind is still useful. We need it to improve our weapons."
"And I have done so plenty! But I want my revenge too. I will walk on my own two feet. I will grab the torches with these hands and light the flames under their feet myself!"
"You will not have any such pleasures if you do not obey me," the leader warned.
Stonebreaker's wrathful gaze rose to meet the leader's glare.
He took a few more steps before shouting angrily again, his pace slowing as other riders approached with horses. With assistance he climbed atop one and rode up beside the leader once more.
"Elio, you are unfair," Stonebreaker cursed.
"Unfair?" Elio scoffed, readjusting himself in the saddle. "I'm unfair, merciless, ruthless- and I am respected. I am the leader of the Dorian tribe."
"Within a few months, we will rule this continent. You will have your revenge and I, my power. What will you do after your revenge?"
"With my joy stolen? Drown away my pain until death."
"You could teach the youth what you can no longer achieve yourself."
Stonebreaker snorted. "Teach them? It would be a cruel taunt to witness, knowing I can't forge it myself. But I suppose without me and my hammer, your tribe would've suffered more losses to the North."
"Not many," Elio said sharply, his eyes like daggers. "If you do intend to teach the youth, then I'll have our engineers—"
Stonebreaker snorted again.
"-build you a forge and the grandest home we construct."
"Very well," Stonebreaker grumbled, struggling to grip the reins with his gnarled hands. "But this is not our normal route. We are heading north by west instead of east. Why?"
"You know why. Soldiers disappear, and we find their mutilated corpses along the eastbound route. Most likely the elves- or the monstrous creatures of that accursed forest."
Grimacing, Elio recalled the first reports: gutted corpses with their entrails removed, hanging from trees, or lazily sprawled out as paintings in blood. Most of the governance blamed the elves or the North, but Elio highly doubted it.
'It gives me plenty of reason to invade, however. And now, with a bountiful spring, we can march north to conquer it,' Elio thought, smirking to himself. 'Those flying aberrations don't seem to care for us either. That worry is gone.'
As his thoughts wandered over the politics and strategy of it all, they finally reached the lake's edge along the western side. Ahead of them, their scouts were cutting the throats of ambushed Northern scouts before tossing them into the lake.
"Do you really believe it will assist us one day?" Stonebreaker frowned, watching as the ripples dissipated.
"I do. And with its power, we will control the sea too. The only thing left to conquer then will be the sky!" Elio pointed to a distant dragon flying far above. "The land, air, and sea will be ours, and the Sun God will have no choice but to declare us the supreme rulers of this world!"
"Sky-god, Sun-god- sounds like the same god to me."
"Which is why you stand here with me," Elio smiled.
"Hah! Indeed!"
--------------------
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
A few short, snapping bites and the human bodies disappeared into the monstrous serpent mouth.
Far beneath the lake's surface, near the ancient corals and fossils thousands of years in age, a colossal serpent enjoys a human snack that fell from the surface. The sandy floor kicked up like a storm as it's scales scuffed it.
Obsidian skin with luminous algae crusted on and harmless creatures bioluminescent clinging to its scales, adopting it as their home. As it moved entire underwater mountain ranges shook. Its tail alone flicked and occasionally cause tsunamis above.
Burping, it rumbled, "Free food? Foolish expectations. Don't mind me."
But it didn't speak. Psychic thoughts sent out in waves that caused creatures to jerk and spasm in fear. Whales, sharks, anything that deemed itself more 'safe' veered away in panic.
And yet, echoing from the depths of the water another softer voice cooed out to him.
"They desire your help, Sea King."
"Maybe if they feed me another century or two."