Chapter 42: The March Of Clans

By the time Xior and Becca returned Alice had finished the preparations. The remaining humans as well as the Tribe members were all ready.

Alice stands in front of the warriors wearing a light silver armor, her signature spear in hand. Behind her are the chiefs of the Tribes, all adorned in their war armor and their weapons ready to fight.

And then right behind them was the massive army made up of humans, tigers, wolves, rabbits, lions, deer’s, foxes, bears, eagles, rams. All stood in an orderly fashion.

“Commanders, welcome back.” Kayla shouted from where she stood.

The Chiefs looked at her but she grinned making her father sigh. Becca and Xior went to two separate tents and got ready.

Becca wore a long Wolf Tribe battle robe, fur trimmed at the edges, dyed in deep crimson and black over chainmail.

The chestplate was reinforced and runes were carved onto it for protection. Fitted black leggings tucked into high leather boots with fur cuffs. Her sword was on her hip as charms hung from her belt.

Her hair was braided with eagle feathers and fox tribe beads. She also wears a cloak of snow-white fur, clasped with a silver brooch shaped like a flame.

On her right stood Xior, he wore a fur-lined leather tunic dyed in black, reinforced with steel plates. White wolf pelt draped over one side, the head of a wolf resting like a pauldron.

His bone necklace, now hung with a single lion fang and a serpent scale on top of the Wolf fang he initially had.

His trousers were reinforced with iron bands, and his wolf hide boots were wrapped in white cloth stripes.

On his back his sword is strapped and on his hip was a knife gifted to him by Kayla. Across his chest, a diagonal sash made of crimson cloth, pinned with the insignia of the Dragon Guild–a dragon shaped brooch, defying the enemy tribe by wearing it.

No one says anything they just look, both of them were only twenty but both worked hard in making this alliance work.

“This is slightly suffocating.” Xior complained to Becca.

She chuckled hearing his silly response, “same here, but we endure. It was Alice’s idea after all, I don’t want to sadden her.”

Xior nodded and walked towards Alice, the Chiefs stomped their feet on the ground as it was time for their departure.

The Wolves howled as the Lions and Tigers roared in competition. Eagles soared the sky as the bears got in front with shields in hand acting as the defenders of the whole army.

And then they started walking, their rhythmic march reverberating in the Earth shook everything around them.

Their destination was the Dragon Tribe, they resided on another mountain which has a dragon symbol carved out on the side.

This was the final stand, there was no chance of backing out now. Not that anyone would do that so far in this conflict.

The army marched fearlessly towards the enemy territory, they were prepared for ambushes but neither happened.

Night came as they decided to rest and set up a temporary camp not far away from Dragon territory.

As they pray for one last time the fires flicker and silence takes over everything.

*****

Shouts are heard as the army is approached by the army of Dragons, almost in the same numbers as them.

On their front stood a young dragon, the same one who was behind pursuing the Tigers to help the Dragons.

He wore a black jagged armor, his black horns were curved and two black wings covered his back.

Behind him was the army of the dragons, all of them wore the same black armor. He walked forward alone as if he wanted to talk.

Xior also steps forward as Becca joins him as well, they come face to face with the young dragon. He was the same height as Xior but was much more muscular.

“Allow me to introduce myself, I am Rheagor the Vice Chief of the Dragons.” He declared.

Neither Xior nor Becca replied to him, it was because of him and his father that Rain was in their captivity.

“Seeing as how you brought the lot here, you have no intentions of stopping.” He grins as he looks past Xior’s shoulder at the army. “Before the armies clash, the Rite of First Blood must be honored. Send forth your champion–unless you’re cowards.”

The Chiefs are taken aback from his provocations, the Lion Chief growls and wants to step up. The Bear Chief stomps the ground hard, “why waste a warriors?”

Tension rises as the Chiefs start to argue among themselves, but Xior spoke with confidence.

“Enough, I’ll go. Better me than a funeral before the battle even begins.”

Becca stepped backwards as a massive Dragon tribe member came up from behind. He was twice in size than Rheagor and much taller than Xior.

Xior just looked up at the oversized Dragon, he was not scared at all. He unsheathed his sword and got into a stance. The dragon didn’t use any weapons.

It lunged towards Xior and tried to rip him apart with his claws but he dodged effortlessly. Seeing this the Dragon swung his arms wildly again only for him to dodge.

To others seeing this it would feel Xior being cowardly and only dodging but he was carefully reading the attack patterns. The Dragon was a formidable warrior but his fighting style was redundant.

Xior read through his attacks and kept dodging, then he ducked under a horizontal slash and punched the Dragons solar plexus as a gust of wind came out of his back due to the impact.

The Dragon couldn’t breath properly, it staggered as he started choking on the air, this gave Xior enough time to swiftly cut his arm with the knife Kayla gave him.

The Dragons blood dripped down his arm and stained the white snow red. It had been done, first blood had been spilled.

Rheagor thought his warrior would’ve won but he underestimated his opponent. Now he was forced to march first.

As the Dragons took position Rheagor in a fit of rage charged forward. Xior on the other hand did the same, Becca, Alice and Kayla on his sides and the massive army behind him.

This was not a simple march, this was the march of clans. One meant to end the tyranny of the Dragons.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep