Vaid Empire: Conquest Ch. 03

A simple warrior had entered the pod, though a future emperor had emerged.

***

16th of Twic, 5 BVE.

Lower Human Basin, East of Nitri.

In the month that followed, the small group of nearly one hundred Nitri survivors had settled down around the pod, building a camp with only the most basic defenses. Though it could hardly be considered a settlement quite yet, Dominax had affectionately named the camp Domani after himself.

In addition to the benefit of the nearby river, the large clearing surrounding them consisted of mostly flat land, granting them ample room to spread out and grow in the future. A location that fit his plans well, as Domani would need to expand considerably to meet Dominax's goals.

The reluctance to settle down away from their ancestral home continued to linger amongst a few members of their new camp, though Dominax had placed his attention elsewhere. For several hours each day he studied the strange orb from the pod's chamber, hungry for its secrets. Dorian's claims concerning the fact that the ball contained information had been true, as Dominax eagerly attempted to pierce its depths. Though it communicated only in its bizarre vibrating language he continued to understand whatever it broadcasted into his mind, allowing him to navigate its contents simply through thought.

Within the first few attempts to coax out its secrets, he had learned of the process required to forge the white metal that covered the pod. With a simple iron dagger taken from their incredibly limited stockpile, he showered the blade in both his electricity and flame. With only the exact amount of intensity being capable of transforming the metal, it slowly turned black over several grueling minutes as he struggled to retain his concentration. From the information he had absorbed, Dominax knew that the metal would slowly become stronger the darker it became. Then, an instant after the blade had turned as black as the void of space, it suddenly shifted pure white, allowing him to cease his efforts. It would now be nearly impossible to reshape the dagger, as it had reached its peak strength.

Though this newfound advantage wasn't all he had discovered, as mere days after forging the dagger he had forced the orb to inform him of the source of his cloak's unique material. Among the warped and multicolored grass encircling the pod, several small plants with white stems and black leaves stood under a foot tall. Each had several rose-like appendages, producing an odd silky material. Woven together, the silk produced a very resilient fabric that was capable of resisting fire and regulating temperature.

Immediately, Dominax had ordered a few of the non-combat experienced survivors to gather the strange plants, which they quickly named Chimira flowers, to begin farming them nearby. Meanwhile, the rest of the group remained busy by building simple defenses and huts, while others hunted for food.

Only when he felt that his people were stable enough to endure his absence did he begin to plan their retaliation. They had virtually no chance of conquering the Zilrinians on their own, though an option quickly presented itself as Dominax studied the damaged maps of the surrounding land. They allowed him to see the general location of nearby Chiefdoms, while the holographic globe provided him with detailed knowledge regarding the surrounding landscape. The deceased Elders of Nitri had been foolish enough to ignore the necessity of allies, a mistake that Dominax refused to repeat.

From information gathered before the slaughter, Dominax knew that the Chiefdom of Omrin was less than friendly towards the Zilrinians, making them prime candidates for an alliance. He had informed his people of his intentions to travel south and make contact with Omrin, though with no intention of leaving their newly formed camp undefended. Therefore, he had selected only Clin, Salduin, and Hesin to accompany him, with the intention of sending for the remaining warriors when the time was right to attack.

The trio had been the only ones to speak up during his seizure of command, placing them above the rest of the group in Dominax's mind. The others had simply given themselves over to him, neither voicing specific support nor descent. It was only right that they obeyed him, as it appeared evident to him that simple-minded beings must serve the strong. Yet, they were only pawns. If he were to be successful in his ambitions, he'd require the input from a select group of individuals worthy of advising him. Clin, Salduin, and Hesin contained potential, and Dominax wished to assess their usefulness.

"I'm not sure how I feel about you traveling in such a small group." Briza confessed, standing in the center of their large tent as Dominax prepared his supplies. He had allowed no one else inside of the pod, choosing instead to sleep with both Briza and Xenia inside of the largest tent that had been constructed.

"At the very least I should be allowed to accompany you." Xenia added, folding her arms. Days after their first riverside lovemaking Dominax had explained the situation to Briza, allowing both women to openly embrace their position as his lovers. Though it had been awkward in the beginning, they had come to accept the arrangement as Xenia concealed her ill intentions toward her female rival. "It would be wise to bring a healer along."

Dominax finished preparing, straightening up as he turned to address the two women. "Perhaps, though it is far wiser for you to remain here and assist the rest of the camp." He said, slinging a satchel of provisions over one shoulder. The heavily damaged chest plate concealed the top portion of his black tunic, while his crudely patched up white cloak hung from his shoulders. "In any case, I require both of you to manage the group in my absence. If all goes according to plan, we won't be apart for long."

"You'd better be right, because I'm not having this baby without you." Briza remarked, placing one hand on her hip and the other on her athletic midriff.

Neither woman had begun to show, yet their pregnancies were undeniable. Even if they had ignored the subtle signs indicating conception, Dominax had managed to follow the orb's instructions and glimpse the spiritual ties between himself and his two unborn children.

The knowledge that they were both carrying his offspring had led to less than gentle lovemaking, his desire nearly insatiable regarding their fertilized bodies. Yet while both women had given themselves eagerly to his touch, he hadn't yet involved them together. Such an intimate act would have to wait.

"It's certainly a risk, though whatever the outcome, trust that I will not fail. You must simply do your part when I send word to attack." Dominax stated, thinking back to his plans. Though he would certainly promise the Chief of Omrin to send for his warriors to join the attack on Zilrin, the Chief may be surprised by his actual intentions.

"We'll attack Omrin while their warriors are away under your command, just as you ordered." Xenia acknowledged with an ambitious smile.

Dominax gave a quick nod. "Then all is prepared. The next time we meet I won't simply be a Chief, but a High Chief."

***

Taking only the bare essentials, Dominax, Clin, Salduin, and Hesin set off towards Omrin. Lacking both Lixidion mounts or a boat, they were forced to travel by foot. Yet despite the fact that their journey would take them a greater distance than their exodus from Nitri, they were able to cover far more ground each hour without the burden of leading the group of survivors.

"Salduin, may I ask you something?" Clin politely inquired as they trudged through the vibrantly green forest.

The large man nodded, his stature calm as he seemingly basked in their momentarily tranquil surroundings.

"How can you possibly find peace in these circumstances?" The blonde-haired warrior asked in genuine curiosity. "You appear as calm as you had before the attack, despite the fact that we may be marching towards our deaths."

"The better question is how aren't you able to?" Salduin replied, before gesturing to the surrounding foliage with his heavily muscled arms. "The very definition of life surrounds us. I simply listen to the nearby animals and insects, knowing that we are but one part of nature."

"Yes, it's quite beautiful." Hesin interjected with notable sarcasm. "Especially when monstrous creatures pounce from the foliage to maul us." His cloak's hood remained pulled over his head despite the absence of rain.

Salduin held up a thick finger, eager to retort the statement. "That is possible, though you must train yourself to cast such thoughts aside. Yet in any case, one shouldn't fear death, as it is merely a natural stage of life."

The answer seemed to displease both Hesin and Clin, though it was Dominax who spoke up. "Three thousand new Graves in Nitri would disagree with you." He replied, gritting his teeth as an image of Cendra's bleeding body flashed through his mind. "Though I don't plan on meeting my end until I've quenched my ambitions."

"You may not get a choice in that." Salduin stated, his voice sturdy but calm. "The slaughter of our people was a tragedy to be sure, though I'm certain that they are all at peace now."

Under his hood Hesin made a scornful expression. "Give me life over peace any day. Though I am curious as to where your little obsession with life and death originated from."

The large man suddenly appeared to be reluctant to carry on the conversation, in stark contrast to his eager explanations. A long moment of silence passed before Salduin finally provided the group with a response. "Perhaps one day in the future I will explain all you'd like to know, though now is not the time."

None of the other warriors seemed willing to disagree with the muscled man while Dominax led them in stern silence.

***

Deep into their first night, the group was awoken by loud cries of anguish originating from Clin. They all quickly jumped up from their simple bedrolls, sprinting to their companion's location.

Clin had settled down a few meters away from the group, just far enough that his screams were slightly muffled by the trees. Dominax reached him within seconds, pulling the cloak off the man's body and preparing his white knife to stab any creature that had slipped under it to bite the blonde. Yet oddly enough, he saw nothing that could be causing the warrior any pain.

Realizing that Clin's eyes were actually still shut, Salduin reached down and roughly shook the man, waking him from his sleep. Clin's screams ceased instantly as his eyes flew open in confusion.

"What's happening?!" The blonde warrior asked in panic, beads of sweat dripping down his face.

They looked down at him in bafflement, before Salduin replied. "You were screaming!"

In his disoriented state it took several seconds before a look of realization spread across Clin's face. "Ah, I had hoped that we'd at least reach Omrin before this happened." He stated in an apologetic tone, though when they continued to stare at him in confusion he continued. "I apologize if I disturbed you, though there's nothing to be concerned about. I suffer from...unspeakable nightmares every few nights, which is why I've taken the precaution of distancing myself."

Dominax peered down at his companion, rising to his full height. "That is...peculiar."

Clin nodded understandingly. "Yes, I didn't want to unsettle you, though I can assure you that they won't hinder my effectiveness in battle."

Standing on the other side of Clin, Hesin gave a subtle grin at the man's explanations, an expression that didn't escape Dominax's notice. The young Chief had known of the two warriors' turbulent past before setting out towards Omrin, though the origin of their mutual dislike had remained elusive. Now, seeing the hooded man secretly take pleasure in Clin's suffering made him wonder if he had made a mistake in bringing both of them along.

Yet momentarily satisfied with Clin's explanation, Dominax ordered his companions back to sleep. Whatever the cause of their rivalry could be delt with at a later time, as conquest loomed over Dominax's mind.

***

17th of Twic, 5 BVE.

Lower Human Basin, Omrin.

The two lookouts atop the North gate to Omrin hummed quietly, scanning the surrounding tree line for danger as the sun hung just above the horizon.

"Why does it take so long for the night watch to get here?" The left guard asked in annoyance. In the hours of his watch, he had taken to tossing small pieces of stone from one hand to the other to ease his boredom. Many of his rough pebbles had haphazardly fallen to the ground below through his carelessness, only to be swiftly replaced by snapping off more small pieces of the nearly crumbling wall that surrounded the entirety of Omrin.

The right guard let out a tired chuckle. "Patience, the day is almost over. Besides, I'm just as eager as you are. My woman has been awaiting my return all day, and I'd give a finger to be able to leave now and slip between those soft thighs..."

Tossing his latest pebble over the side of the wall, the left guard rubbed his eyes in exhaustion. "I don't mean to complain, though everyone knows that Chief Korvis has his attention aimed to the East. Histia is far more likely to attack than Zilrin, and I just feel like we aren't of much use right now."

Opening his mouth to reply, the right guard's attention was suddenly pulled towards the tree line. "Wait...someone's coming." He announced, as four individuals cautiously approached on foot.

"Stop and state your business!" The left guard ordered as the men neared, as was common practice for any unexpected guests. The occurrence was far from unusual, as multiple individuals throughout the day had sought entry. Whether a trader, ambassador, or simply a citizen of one of the lesser settlements under Omrin's control, all had to first offer an explanation to the guards.

The apparent leader, a man wearing a white cloak, spoke in a firm voice. "I am Chief Dominax of the remnants of Nitri, and I must speak to Chief Korvis about an urgent matter!"

"Nitri has no Chief!" The right guard countered, attempting to assess the group of four. "A council of Elders rules over their tiny settlement!"

Folding his arms, Dominax glared at the guards. "Things have changed. Now, are you going to waste my time further, or may I bring Korvis an offer of great importance?"

A moment of silence passed as the two guards considered the request together, before signaling to have the gate opened.

"Very good. I'm sure Korvis will be pleased to know that his men acted accordingly." Dominax announced as he and his companions entered the large settlement.

"We're sending an escort of warriors to accompany you to The Main Hold." One of the gate guards explained as several warriors moved to walk alongside the group.

Several minutes of walking passed before they reached their destination, passing a large number of huts and wooden buildings. Omrin was nearly double the size that Nitri had been, though it was the first time that any of the four warriors had stepped foot inside its gates. Yet even as he surveyed the surrounding buildings in the fading twilight, Dominax reminded himself that Omrin was nothing more than an average settlement. There were many other Chiefdoms that beat Omrin in both size and population, though it would be one of the first steps in his aims.

The Main Hold, located near the center of the settlement, consisted of a large circular building made of crude stone with several wooden rooms extending from its base that appeared to be recent additions.

led through the entrance, the group emerged into a large chamber that took up nearly all of the stone portion of the building. Circular in shape, the room held a throne carved from wood against the far wall, holding up the frame of a large overweight man. Undoubtedly Korvis, he had long braided brown hair that ran over his bare chest. His beard reached his swollen belly, which rested heavily on his legs. He wore only a greenish skirt that extended from his waist to his knees, concealing his lap.

Several guests lined the rounded walls, chatting loudly about various subjects as they milled around small tables holding cooked meats and fruits. Korvis simply stroked his beard as he lounged in his carved seat, his attention held by a slave who danced seductively before his throne. Wooden carvings of his past accomplishments hung from the walls, representing a far younger and muscular Korvis than his current form. The once formidable warrior had grown fat and complacent, content with his place as Chief.

Dominax approached the throne, though he did not join his companions in a bow.

"Ah, a new face in my hold!" Korvis exclaimed as he gestured for the slave to step aside, though his eyes narrowed as they locked onto the younger man. "Though it seems your knees must ache from your travels."

"I am Chief Dominax, leader of the last of Nitri's survivors. Though I will not kneel, I bring you something far greater...an offer." He replied, his silver eyes matching the sitting man's gaze as he stood over him.

Korvis continued to stroke his beard, looking over each of his new guests before returning his attention to Dominax. "An offer from Nitri? I have received reports from my scouts that your settlement had been destroyed, though it seems that your presence here is proof of this terrible fact."

"The Zilrinians attacked us without warning." Dominax confirmed with a hardened expression as his mind quickly relived the events of the slaughter. "In the end, only three hundred of our warriors remained." The lie slipped smoothly from his lips, inflating the number.

"Most concerning..." Korvis replied after a moment. "Though that still leaves the question as to why you have sought me out. What offer could the Chief of only a few hundred possibly provide me?"

Dominax subtly gritted his teeth, though removed the white dagger from his belt. The movement caused a few nearby guards to instinctively prepare themselves to defend their leader, though he turned the hilt of the small blade towards the Chief.

Staring at the strange white metal in curiosity Korvis accepted the small weapon, carefully taking it from Dominax's grasp. "I've...never seen any material even remotely similar...what is it?"

"Think of it as an offer of friendship between our two groups." Dominax replied, watching the older Chief study the blade with complete interest. "I've taken to calling the material 'Chimira Steel', and I can assure you that you'll see far more of its use if we combine our strength."

The statement snapped Chief Korvis's attention away from the blade, as he returned his gaze to Dominax. "Combine our strength? You wish to join The Omrin Chiefdom?"

Dominax shook his head, expecting the question. "Join? No. Rather, I'd see our forces combined in a temporary alliance, long enough to see the destruction of those who took everything from my people."

A glimmer of understanding showed in Korvis's eyes as he leaned back in his wooden throne. "Ah, you propose what I've long since sought after, an end to our Zilrinian neighbors."

"It would benefit Omrin tremendously, as we'd gladly allow you to take the spoils and land from our victory" Dominax lied as he granted the older Chief a calm smile. "My people and I merely wish to see the Zilrinians punished for the deaths of our families and friends. You will of course be compensated with additional weapons made of Chimira Steel, though only after Chief Manith lays dead at my feet."

Taking a moment to consider his words, Korvis gave an inquisitive look at his guest. "That certainly sounds promising, though tell me, why should I commit my warriors to conquering Zilrin when we are already preparing to defend against Histia? Not to mention the horrific reputation of Chief Manith, of which I'm sure I don't have to inform you of."