****(POV)
This mountain ridge is a land of death and fear. At least that's how anyone sane would describe it.
The fearless avoids it like the plague. The suicidal assault it.
It used to be nothing more than a simple mountainous range. If it is possible to describe a disaster zone with that word. Countless monsters. Natural defenses making breaking into this place a challenge.
One needs to scale the huge outer cliffs to be able to penetrate the inner region. It makes for an impregnable fortress. One impossible to take. One not suited for human life. At all.
Because of it, the surrounding civilizations decided to ignore it. Out of sight out of mind.
From time to time there will be a beast tide happening, but even the beasts themselves get hindered by the mountains in their invasion.
The point is not even 10% of the attackers actually make it to mankind's land.
It was thus considered a uselessly dangerous and yet worthless no man's land. After all, even monster hunting is extremely arduous in such an environment. No proud warrior wants to die from falling off a steep cliff after all.
That is until he came. The Old Lion. The Old Lion and his band of mercenaries. Army would be the word to use.
More than a thousand elite troops all with formal warfare training. But he calls it a band anyway.
At this point, the whole continent knows better than to offend him so a band it is.
After all his army is probably one of the few that exist that can transcend ranks.
It is estimated that even a rank 5 would not survive an encounter with them.
Their teamwork is honed, their blades sharp, their killing intent palpable, or so I've heard.
While they call themselves mercenaries, they are in fact known as the deadliest and most dreaded bandits in the land.
They initially started as such but became blazed of fighting others' wars. Turning to pillaging and killing as a means to survive.
After all, this is all they know, to fight. And they are damn good at it.
At the time they became public enemy number one and countless gods' followers hunted them day and night.
With numbers enough to make the earth tremble.
With vigor like no other. From ones holding grudges to people looking for fame and achievements.
All their efforts came for naught. After all, just when people assumed them cornered, they retreated in the depth of this disaster zone.
People called them foolish. People laughed at them dying a dog's death. People celebrated.
That is until they showed their might again.
Started raiding various sects as retaliation.
Of course, they were bound to fail since they were attacking established bastions with protection from the gods themselves…. or not.
They brought destruction in their wake. It was a painful period for the continent. Blood kept flowing in rivers.
At some point, the entire forces united against them once more and launched a decisive crusade to clear this enemy.
Faced with such oppressive might the mercenaries of course…. still survived. Yep, not only did they not suffer a single casualty, but they even managed to exit the mountain range sneakily from time to time to rob some supply chains of the very enemies sieging them.
It was a total loss of face for all major powers. The various faction leaders decided to launch an all-out offensive even if it meant death!
Of course, most elders managed to convince them otherwise. Still, a few sects ended up losing most of their forces after an assault attempt.
After all …only the suicidal should attack this place as stated previously.
Such a loss only meant getting eradicated in the constant power struggles of the gods.
While the Old Lion did quiet down in recent years, none of the wise have forgotten about him. He is a danger lurking around.
Always out of reach. The good thing being he is one to hold grudges.
Meaning after mostly venting in the previous war he is now relatively calm.
While he will still raid some random factions from time to time he will only rob and not viciously slaughter.
They are akin to a natural disaster. It happens and people naturally recover afterward.
Speaking of the Old Lion I did meet him once. Only once that is. I felt something in him that made me resolve to stay forever away from him. Or the old me anyway.
What I felt from him was a fighting spirit. He derives joy from war.
Not the end result, the process itself. In that regard, he is similar to the Eagle of Massacre that joined the Moon Keep.
Well, he used to be his teacher so that explains it.
But while the Eagle will fight to slaughter and loves to personally defeat his enemies, the Old Lion prefers to win with numbers.
There is nothing he prefers than to outmaneuver enemies with a legion of soldiers perfectly trained.
Akin to a maestro guiding an orchestra he loves to conduct the battle rhythm.
Until the enemy's spirits are utterly crushed.
That is how his fighting spirit is shown. He's a multifaceted man, it just happens that all contribute to his warlike personality.
Calm, steady, yet overwhelmingly deadly.
If there is one thing peculiar about him is that he himself has no special ability besides his unnaturally powerful will.
He never gives up. He attained his power through rigorous training of the body and mind.
More importantly, he doesn't believe in any god.
He believes in his troops.
He believes in the sweat and blood of man.
That is both his weakness and what makes him truly strong.
While he himself might always remain a rank 3, very much like me, he is not one to be underestimated anyway.
The old me did not want to have anything to do with him.
I found him foolish to risk his life fighting.
I found him remarkable in a sense, yet I wanted nothing more than for him to stay away from me.
He himself, or his army for that matter, never scared me.
I have the confidence I could annihilate them if I so ever wished.
After all guerilla warfare is my specialty.
No number of troops can ever be enough against one such as I.
So while the continent is afraid of them, I am not.
I now somewhat respect him a lot. It took the sectmaster to open my eyes.
To show me a world beyond blindless worship.
Funny how it took a god to show me not to awaits mercy from these deities.
A god that doesn't even care about people knowing his existence, that doesn't care about faith power.
Such a god is truly refreshing.
Also a complete mystery.
But looking at his champion he is a powerful one for sure.
The sectmaster seems extremely weak at first glance but will realize miracles without batting an eye when you aren't looking.
Honestly, I would have preferred to stay at his side.
Explore the world with him.
Help show our god's glory and message.
A peaceful god, yet a vengeful god.
It makes my blood boil.
Yes, me!
The most cowardly of them all, or at least that's how others see me.
For me surviving is all that mattered.
At least before.
Now I actually want to accomplish something.
At first, I was really angry about that damn wolf chasing me away.
But then I realized that the sectmaster doesn't need my protection in any case.
There are other things I should be doing instead.
What kind of sect only has 2 believers?!
I plan to rectify this issue as soon as possible.
Well, here goes nothing. Time to risk my life for once.