Thread: Attention!  (IWishThat&Valanaer)

The same constant soreness that had plagued his muscles for weeks continued, his body throbbing as if to tell him it wasn't all some horrible nightmare but instead a harsh reality. He had to keep sharp despite the dull pain, pushing his body past the limits he had spent countless hours expanding over the years with training, going farther than he ever believed possible. Nothing could have prepared him for the war though and even as he parried the most recent attack sent in his direction he knew that the battle wasn't going to end well. It wouldn't be the first time and no doubt the last, his people had been fighting for months with the larger force and they had been pushed back at ever turn, not even minor victories to speak of. It was starting to take its toll on all of them, loss of morale and exhaustion beating them all down before they even engaged in combat. It didn't help that some tactical mastermind led them, some female general of great renowned, enough that even Ashal had heard of her. He himself was no great general, although he was impressive in his own way. Ashal was the most skilled combatant in his village, making most veteran warriors submit when they sparred. His body a toned machine, a medium frame packed with lean muscle. He stood an impressive 6'1, taller than most in his village, and his looks didn't disappoint either, his attractiveness agreed upon by the women of most villages even if he didn't realize it himself. Most of all though his intelligence set him apart, more than his skill or appearance he excelled in understanding anything put in front of him. It made him the perfect successor to his father and allowed him to understand the more advanced nations that seemed to surround his own, not only their language but the beliefs and technology they possessed. Unfortunately none of that helped and they were still being pushed back, but he was not giving up. He had no time for idle thoughts though, not about himself, his enemies, or the future, he had to lead his people and the clang of swords mixed with screams of the fallen reminding him of that quickly. He pushed back the soldiers in front of him, cutting one down for good and slicing another who came his way. Unfortunately despite his skill and effort it didn't matter, while he could push them back the people beside him could not, most of them being first time fighters only given weapons due to the dwindling number of trained combatants. That being the case they were soon cut down, the trained military men of the other force making short work of the inexperienced tribesmen and before he could mount a counter offensive their line, if it could have ever been called one, had broken. The people scattered, many of them being shot down by arrows of skewered by a flanking line of enemies. The rest surrendered, dropping their weapons and putting themselves at the mercy of the enemy. Ashal however did not. He would not surrender to the monsters who killed his people and when they approached he showed them what real skill was, cutting down nearly ten soldiers before they encircled him and forced him to the ground, immobilizing and disarming him before he could do anything. Rope was tightened around his wrists, cutting into the flesh mercilessly, and he was dragged to his feet in the most unpleasant way possible. As like the rest of his people he was dragged into a line not to far from where the fighting took place, all of the men not chasing down the runners now stood guard, one of them kicking his as he walked past as some kind of idiotic warning. The rest stood, swords drawn, and waited for something. At first Ashal didn't know what they were waiting for but it became obvious as he saw the feminine form approach. No doubt the woman before him speaking so harshly was the infamous general, her tone making it obvious that she meant business. She walked down the line of them, ordering them to be taken care of and in that moment all of the people panicked, his men who thought surrendering meant life realizing how sadly mistaken they were. He had expected as much, the rumors about her not speaking kindly and her hatred for his people being well known, so he was quite calm, his head raised proudly and his sharp blue eyes full of defiance that his body was currently too beat up to convey. What he hadn't expected was the woman's next action, she did a double take, stopping and coming back to the line instead of leaving, and to make it worse she approached him specifically, even going as far as to grab his face. He didn't lose the look of defiance but hatred soon became present as he looked upon the face of the woman who was slaughtering his people, gritting his teeth and trying not to lose his composure. Nobody seemed to understand what was going on, even her own men, so he had to remain calm and try to figure it out for himself, though even after she ordered her men to remove him from the line and take him to her tent he couldn't figure it out. The last thing the young man wanted to do was be removed from his people though, given special treatment, no he wanted to be right by their side whether that be to fight or to die. Instead he was being dragged away by several men, albeit only because they were forcibly dragging him, his bound state and condition making even his struggle pointless. As he was dragged along he began to wonder why she had requested him be taken to her tent, whether she knew who he was, that he was not only a powerful warrior but the chieftain's son. It shouldn't have been possible for her to know but he couldn't think of another reason he would be spared from death and dragged away, unless of course he was to be made an example of. He was soon thrown into a tent, no doubt the generals tent as it was larger than the others and the inside resembling the woman, or at least in his eyes. They left him on the floor though, his hands still found and guards posted outside to prevent any and all escape attempts. The man would not try to escape though, as far as he was concerned he could have a chance to end her life at some point if he let it play out and if he died he would at least like to end her life as well. Not that he knew why he was being kept in her room. He simply hoped that whatever happened to his people outside that it was quick and painless, even if his fate would not be so kind.