Lizardmen gathered before me. Forming disciplined rows. Two rows of dozens of leather and bronze clad warriors.
At the forefront of those rows stood two green scaled lizardmen. Two lizardmen sporting better gear than most.
It was Celo and Brobha.
Standing next to me was the Shaman Ruda'ar.
Biting my lip. I turned to the real leader of this group.
"Are you really... Sure about me leading. Mr Ruda'ar?" Asking. Faint hopes of having this leader position revoked surfaced up.
"We've talked about this for the umpteenth time now Young Dominic. I am will make sure that everyone follows up to the plan of you being the leader."
Damn it!
"Right everyone?"
"Right! Dominic smoothskin healed my wounds back then! He's a good human child!"
"Yeah! If the shaman trusts him then we shall trust him as well!"
"Yeah!"
"Yeah!"
The scaled battle junkies roared. Clattering and clanging steel drowned the area in an uplifting mood.
Damn...
These lizardmen are too honest and trusting. And... Are they some sort of hive mind? They all agree so easily!
My arms went limp. The grassy floor greeted me with joyous green colors. I looked. The sun had just passed the middle of the sky as the trees around are bathed in a softer shade of light.
The wind blew. Leaves and foliage rustled. Even my robes fluttered.
I have a small force at my hands. It can't compare to that event back then but the stakes are equally as high.
"Alright. Everyone! Please ready yourselves and heed my words. Do not kill the yellow scales when we assault their camp." I spoke softly with resolution. With a voice loud enough for everyone to hear.
Gasps followed. Shock rewrote the expressions of the lizardmen.
"Are you joking? After being beaten up so bad by them, we would just... Not kill them?"
"The yellow scales wanted to trample us. To erase grim guard tribe from the face of the land! Just as we wish for the same. For them! And now. We can't do what is inherently right?"
"Our ancestors had told bitter tales of betrayal! And betrayal beseech blood! Times were fortunate today that none of us fell on battle. But many are wounded! Injured!"
Oh dear... The lizardmen are mad.
I expected something like this. They may look at me favorably but their hate staining their minds and burrowing deep into the marrow.
That was enough to twist my words into something akin to heresy for them.
I glanced to the side. Ruda'ar was observimg everything. He grinned in amusement. While looking to and fro from me and his tribesmen.
This shaman. He won't help me with this.
Taking a deep breath. I filtered through everything and thought about things thoroughly.
Calm thyself.
Despite the public outrage and verbal outbursts. I only had one thing to say to that.
"Silence! I wasn't done yet!" Barking out words that could possibly earn more ire. I didn't allow the lizardmen's large bodies. Menacing auras and equipment bother me.
If you want my head then it won't be easy. And my head would not be taken today anyway.
Not on my watch.
So here I am. I would speak what I want.
"How long has the two tribes existed in this forest? It's been several generations already! Even my little Cain village pale in comparison to the time spent by the lizardmen in this area."
"Hundreds of years. Hundreds of years of hate! Now I will ask of you. What did that hate bring you?"
"It... I-"
"It brought nothing but harm! Revenge! Revenge! Revenge! All you see is revenge! Fighting! And dreams of victory against the yellow scales! Yet do you not see... Do you not see how many had died for that victory? Dying but failing to reach an ever distant dream?"
"Are all of you just that blind? How many lives should be thrown away for that victory? How many of your men can you stomach to lose?"
"Fighting is good. It keeps one ready and at peak shape but too much fighting and peace and balance will disappear. Without peace nor balance. The future is filled with danger!"
"Take Celo and Brobha for example! Today they may be laughing and eating food with all of you but tommorrow. If we really try to eradicate the other tribe. We may lose these two exceptional captains!"
"Even the great shaman nearly fell!" Ruda'ar coughed some blood as if he was still injured. When in reality he was just poisoned a little.
I'll ignore that.
"It works for you. You and You too! It works for everyone!" I pointed at one. And one soon turned into many as I cast my gaze over all of the troops organized so far.
"Do you want your comrade to die just like that? Do not underestimate the other tribe. A cornered tiger is the most dangerous! The fearless spear tribe can make the Grim Guard Tribe lose numbers and be weakened afterwards. Let's say you win and wipe out the other lizardmen."
"Weak and crippled. Now you are.. There you go. You won."
"But at what cost?"
Breathing with difficulty. My hands shook. My throat felt pained after all that shouting.
The lizardmen looked down. Brobha was still lost in thought. Celo widened his eyes at my little outburst and the rest of the lizardmen gaped at me.
Their green pupils shrank into dots. And a lot. A lot of pain surfaced in those shrunken eyes.
A somber mood enveloped the camp. And everyone fell silent once more.
"I understand now..." Brobha broke out of his trance. Eyes burning in flames of determination. He stared at me with seriousness.
He clenched his fists and closed his eyes.
"All lizardmen dream of being true warriors. Warriors that are unafraid of combat. Warriors who will not run away but will fight to the bitter end!"
"Yet now I understand. For hundreds of years. A cycle of hate had formed. And unbreakable chain of suffering! And today we must break that chain. Break it so that we can no longer lose our brothers in the future due to the other tribe. We were too busy being blinded by wishing to be warriors. That we weren't able to see what must be done." Brobha looked down. Some tears dripped off his eyes.
A bad feeling surfaced in my chest.
Hey now...Aren't... You getting too into this?
Something feels off.
Brobha gritted his teeth. His fists shook and he then stood up straight. Saluting at me with his right arm.
"Great Shaman Ruda'ar really is wise. He saw how Dominic's words can lead us to the truth! I had my doubts at first but now. I truly have faith in your capabilities Dominic."
"Everyone! Dominic had revealed to us a great plan! A plan for true conquest! A plan that if implemented well would spell doom for the yellow scales. And true peace for the Grim Guard Tribe!"
Hey! That's... HEY!
"We shall assault the yellow scales. Subdue them and heal the shaman as a false act of kindness. After that we retreat. But in reality, we would all surge. Surround Tethra and our Chief. We shall watch as our combined numbers inspires worry into Tethra's heart. With that worry. He would lose! With Chief by our side again, fully restored by Dominic's magic. We will finally put an end to things and wipe out the yellow scales in one fell swoop. Having zero casualties on our side due to the power imbalance! Without Tethra. Our Chieftain. Chief! Would be unstoppable!"
Brohba prattled on about this whole great plan. And even went as far as to praise me. At the end of his words. He looked at me. And cupped his fists as he bowed.
And then they all started chanting... Calling my name.
"Dominic... You really are a wise human." I heard Celo speak.
"Dominic..."
"Dominic.."
"Dominic."
"Dominic!"
"DOMINIC!"
Cheers erupted forth. The sad mood enveloping the camp vanished in the blink of an eye. Reolaced by unparralleled exhiliration.
My eye twitched.
Ruda'ar laughed. Cackling at how things turned out.
Brobha seed to be moved to tears.
Celo nodded at me with an impressed smirk.
What the.
This...
THIS IS ALL WRONG!
Anxious. I opened my mouth to speak. "Guys! That wasn't what I mea- qhshgshsgsjaja!"
Only for Ruda'ar to cover my mouth with a hand.
"Shhh... Even if you explain things now. It's already too late. I didn't really know this could happen either. But truly... You really have great insight Dominic. That plan is a real sinister one. Indeed." Ruda'ar was smiling and nodding at me.
"But Brohba... He misinterpret what I said!"
"No... Brobha only conveyed the meaning behind your words to the tribe. Brobha is slow. And most of the time he flies into a daze. But Brohba... Is even wiser than I am. Yet at the same time. He is a happy fool."
I was expecting lizardmen thinking about the possibilities of co-existence...
But it only took one Brohba to change everything.
I felt the sudden urge to cry.
What the hell happened to the script!?!?!?!
It was now at this moment that Dominic knew.
He fucked up.