Sunset was closing in when Buchanan and his troops arrived at their camp. The soldiers where Green and his men, but Buchanan did not care. He was fixated in Artio and the possibilities that await him with her on his leash. Buchanan is not just a mercenary captain; he used to be an aristocrat that was sent by his father, a mayor of a poor city, to form a company to earn profit for their house and town. He pillaged every village they come across and send the gold to his father, the gold he was willing to part with. He mostly keeps them for himself and amassed a fortune hidden elsewhere.
But even if he hoarded most of his treasure, he will still be a lowly aristocrat that governs a poor rundown city. There was no renown or prestige under his family name. But now things have changed. His company is widely known in the realms, and he now has a daughter of a duke. He is getting closer to the status he believed to be rightfully his as the strong. Artio may not be the next in line in the succession, but a dagger can change that.
Then there were the dark elves they have enslaved thanks to the mysterious collar they bought from a foreign beastkin merchant. Whoever wears these collars must obey the orders from the one wearing the blue crystal orb necklace. Buchanan could feel the orb's mana burning his skin, but the burning pain was worth it if it meant keeping such rare slaves.
Dark elves rarely leave their underground homes because they feared the sun and those that walk under its light. And their rarity makes them highly sought after by the nobles. Once he sells these darker elves, he would have a large enough fortune to built his own castle. Of course, he doesn't have to if he could just kill Artio's father and siblings and push her to become the duchess.
Finally, there's the Golden Condottiero, Bret Hart, that followed them after the war. He's known as the single strongest mercenary among the Golden Condottiero that even the Chief Bishop of the Tinian Church fears him. But strength can only get you so far. Rumors circulated among the aristocrats from the cities that Bret Hart once lost a battle and was buried in a pile of smoke and ashes. Ever since then, Hart had a phobia of smoke and fire. Hopefully, those rumors were true, and Buchanan's plans to choke him in the cave with smoke succeed, for his sake.
Buchanan arrived at the camp, but barely anyone greeted him. His men at arms were in defense formation in front of the cave blocked by their incomplete red wall. "What the hell is going on?" He opened his helmet's visor and grabbed one of the men that greeted him, "Tell me what is going on!"
"Bert Hart is coming. Our scouts stationed further in the cave saw him, so we blew up the cave and blocked the entrance." He said.
"Yahahaha!" Artio laughed, "So this is why you were tearing down Tungstrees. You're trying to choke Hart to death. Yahahaha!"
Buchanan threw the soldier aside, "You laugh now. But you'll cry once we go to bed."
Artio stopped laughing and glared at him, "Fuck you!"
"Captain Buchanan!" The Black Crows' strongest orc and 1st officer, Horace, ran up to him and gave his salute. "We've blocked the cave and made sure no smoke leaves the cave. Also, where is Officer Green?"
"Probably dead." Buchanan turned to the man he threw aside, "You, go get me a collar." The man saluted and quickly ran towards the barn.
"Who is that, Captain?"
"My bride to be."
"Bride?" Jackson yelled while walking to greet Buchanan, "What do you mean by your bride? What about our plans on killing Hart. Are you going to run away and start a new life? And where did you even meet this elf?"
"She is not just any woman. She's the daughter of the duke of Lyon held captive by a bunch of savage goblins."
"Savages? Goblins in these parts of the forest are hardly savages. More like weak rats running about."
"It doesn't matter the exact tribe I rescued her from. What matters is that she will be the key for my ascension into high nobility."
"Yahahaha!" Artio started laughing again.
"What the hell is she laughing about?"
"Maybe she has gone insane from the strange events happening around her?" Horace wondered.
"Weak rats? Yahahaha!" Artio cried from laughter, "Sure, the goblins that live and die here are weak. But the ones that tried to attack you and rescue me are not from these parts. They came from the harsher northern tribes. They are no weaklings."
"Another question, how do you know she's noblewoman?" Jackson asked.
Buchanan casually pointed at Artio's bow. "The red bow is the signature symbol of the high nobility among the petty kingdoms south from here. And the material used to craft that bow signifies an even richer background."
"You've done your homework," Artio commented.
"Excuse me," The guard Buchanan sent out returned with the collar, "Here you are, Captain."
"Thank you," Buchanan took the collar and turned to Artio, "Do you mind moving those beautiful red curls so I can put this around your neck."
Artio glared at him before reluctantly pulling her hair back. Buchanan placed the collar around her neck, and the gemstone attached to it began to glow. "What's that? What's going on?" Artio swatted Buchanan's hands away and grabbed the collar, "What is this?" Artio touched the stone, and it shocked her fingers.
"Don't touch it, unless you want to electrocuted from head to toe." Buchanan laughed.
Artio raised her bow and swiftly grabbed an arrow from her quiver and aimed it at Buchanan's face, without giving Horace or Jackson time to react. "What the fuck is this gemstone?"
Artio began to pull the string, but the collar shocked her and made her drop to her knees. "That my sweet is an obedience collar designed after the Sky People's ancient artifacts used to enslave us Tinians. And normally we have to inscribe a spell on the collar first to make the slaves do anything we demand," Buchanan crouched down, "But sometimes, slaves try to kill themselves or their future masters during the inscription process, so these collars were pre-inscribed that makes slaves unable to harm themselves or their masters." Buchanan pulled a necklace out from his armor's collar, "And the glowing rock on this necklace tells the gemstones that I am the master, and that you have to obey me."
Buchanan grabbed Artio's arm and pulled her up. "But we have yet to personalize that inscription. We have to make sure you're an obedient wife and duchess before I let you out the forest." Buchanan removed his helmet and turned to his Officers, "I need you guys to keep an eye on that wall. If you hear any knocking, you tell me. Otherwise, don't disturb me. I will be at the barn with Artio to write her commandments. And to have a little fun," Buchanan glanced at Artio and smiled. He stroked her curly hair, and she responded by moving her head away, "Giving me the cold shoulders."
Artio glared at him, "Go fuck yourself."
"I don't need to do that if there's a woman to have. Bacacaca!" Buchanan laughed.
"Laugh all you want, when they come for you, you'll regret everything you've done. Not even that silver husk can save you!"
"Enough!" Buchanan slapped Artio across the face. "You think Hart will save you!"
"Who said anything about him."
"Oh, so you mean the goblins and that angel are coming to save you. Bacacaca!" He laughed, "I don't know where you get that confidence from, but they won't be coming here. And if they do, what makes you think the outcome will change from before. I am the strongest one here, strong enough to be a noble knight! Now let's get that gem inscribed, and I'll make sure you shut up." He grabbed Artio's arms once more and dragged her with him to the barn where the slaves are kept. Artio picked up her bow before heading towards the barn. Jackson and Horace returned to their post, guarding the cave exit.
Buchanan was beginning to boil under his armor. He was irritated to hear Artio place her hope to some nobody that appeared out of the blue. A nobody that lost against him unarmed. A nobody that lost his consciousness with one punch.
He thought it was funny at first, but the more he contemplated on Artio's words, the more irritated he became. Because if it was true that the nobody that challenged him was strong enough for Artio to place all her bets on, then maybe that is the reason Green was nowhere to be seen.
The two of them had planned so easy to follow that it will only fail if they were too stupid to forget. Buchanan will attack the front, while Green and his men cut down the trees and carry them away. And they were to meet later.
Buchanan waited for his Officer to come, but instead, another angel showed up with much longer hair and a ridiculously long nose. Artio tried to persuade the angel to retreat, but the mad lad charged headfirst towards Buchanan, who laughed at the man's feeble attempt to punch through his invincible chest plate. He could have easily ended the fight, but he decided to entertain himself by beating the angel to near-death while his men held Artio in place, making her watch Buchanan stomp on the poor soul. That would have been enough to break a person's spirit, but Artio and the mysterious angel did not waver.
He had never seen such strong will before. If only Green were there, he was a person specialized in torture, but he is dead, and his body rested on the base of the Tungstree located at the center of the Maston tribe.
Green's body looked as if it was floating on his pool blood. His skin white as snow and his chainmail ripped apart, shows the large crevice on his chest where the blood flowed down like a waterfall.
Isla stood in front of the corpse. She covered her mouth as not to smell the foul stench coming from Green's body. Isla knows the man well as the sadist that the Orgut tribe warned them about. They took the warning seriously, for they knew men have no limits for their quench for violence. And because Green posed a great threat to the women of Maston, they did not hesitate to kill him when the chance showed itself. But Green was not just a sadist that took glee from torturing others; he was also a warrior that could destroy any opponent the Maston tribe threw at him.
After losing her strongest warriors to Green, they avoided him and the Black Crows. They became isolationist, letting the Orgut tribe settle near them to use them as a buffer zone. No one dared to venture too far, only far enough to make sure no Black Crows were near them. It was when they saw Artio, Shuja, and Natasha did they regained their bravery and rescued them, only to realize that it was merely a misunderstanding.
And this misunderstanding led to Green's demise. They attempted to attack the rear and cut their trees while they were busy fighting at the front. If not for the men they held captive the night prior, he would have killed their sacred trees and possibly their lives.
Now, Green sleeps with his eyes open under the tree he wished to cut down. Isla's shoulders shuddered from the wind blowing against her. They almost lost everything.
"Elder Isla?" Elena walked by Isla, staring at the body. Elena was no fighter, and she crumbled at the sight of Buchanan appearing behind them and grabbing Shuja by the neck. She lost all hope until Sun appeared from the sky and crashed on the earth.
She learned Sun was the brother of the prisoners she was tasked to guard. Those prisoners being Stick and Rock. She found their company to be pleasant. Stick asked many questions about their sleeping gas, and unfortunately, she knew very little of the method to make the sleeping gas.
Rock was quiet but occasionally speak about the lady he was in love with waiting for him to return. Elena found it sweet to see such a large red conqueror speak of love in such a gentle and caring matter. Elena slowly saw her prisoners be more than just savage men who wanted to destroy sacred trees. And they were also strong and brave.
They returned with the Orgut tribe after finding their lost companion. He was severely injured with blood covering his entire body, and everyone that saw his awful injuries quivered in fear, except for Sun and his group. They were not afraid; they were angry.
They planned to depart and rescue Artio and the other slaves kept by the Black Crows. This surprised many of the Orgut and Maston goblins. Most goblins would not dare face those that overwhelmed them the first time, but Sun was eager to fight Buchanan. And so was the rest of his companions eager to take their revenge against the Black Crows.
Before they left, they first prepared for the fight. Stick asked Elena if he could have the ropes used to keep the suspended in the air, and Elena obliged to his request. Elena ran back to the cage, and with the rope on her person, she ran back, but on the way, she saw Isla glaring at Green and his lifeless body. "Everything ok?"
"Why they not kill us?" Isla murmured.
"What mean?
"Why not kill us? They strong, Sun strong, Shuja strong. All strong. And no kill us." Isla turned around, "You know why?"
"No," Elena said, "But maybe they nice."
"No one nice." Isla turned and walked back to the tribe's entrance. "Not even Isla."
Sun and his brothers were getting ready to march to Black Crows' camp. They wore their gambeson and polished their weapons. Sun held his longsword close to his heart, whispering to the heaves and to himself for the strength to fight. Smoke cleaned his metal club, making sure no grime and rust tainting the cog piece at its head.
Stick and Rock hugged Natasha after receiving their weapons from her. Rock slammed his bronze and steel bucklers together. Stick waited for Elena to bring him the rope he requested. "Here," Elena walked up to him, "Thorny rope Stick want."
"Thank you!" Stick tied the rope around his right arm and attached it to one of his sickles. Then he took a small vial of yellow liquid and poured it on the rope.
"Wait that sleeping gas?" Elena asked.
"Yeah, Isla gave it to me."
"Isla?" Elena turned and saw Isla carrying the bow that only the Maston Chief could wield.
Isla walked up to Shuja and gave her the bow, "Look, I told you I can't be your,"
"No, I give bow. Use bow save Artio. Please," Isla said.
Shuja stared at the silver bow before finally accepting it, "Ok, and thank you."
Then Isla turned to Sun sitting next to Shuja, "Now me ask, why no kill us?"
"What?" Sun was surprised to hear the question, "What do you mean?"
"Why no kill us? Rescue boys and women, easy just kill us. But no kill us, Sun pick fight to Black Crows."
"Oh, well that's simple. Its because they're assholes, hahaha!" Sun laughed.
After getting ready, Sun and his companions said their goodbyes to Natasha and the two goblin tribes. And they made sure Cossack get fully rested. Then the five of them left and followed the sun to the west as it begins to set on the horizon. They walked side by side with their eyes set on the Black Crows. That evening, before the sun's light disappears from the sky, they will fight.