The Iron Fists

The Iron Fists is a part of Tales of Arkain.

## Synopsis

The story is from the POV of an old-timer Ironfist veteran.

## Story

Things were easier back in the old days. That's what you keep telling yourself, ain't it? 'Tis your mind tricking you. Trust me on this one, lad. I know such things. I've been through a lot: Poverty, starvation, battles, wars, politics, betrayals, intrigues, pyhrric victories... Today it is mostly politics that bothers us and we old veterans complain about that and "the old days". But is standing your ground in the first line of defense when an army of hell creatures charges towards you and watching your brothers in arms die left and right really that much better than politics? Nay I say. Though I'll be the first to admit that politics feel pretty similar to that at times... I've been with the Ironfist since the old days, you know? When it was still an elite unit, before it became an army and, eventually, the force that put an end to the demonic invasion in the Kingdoms. Others may have called our general evil and sinister, but hell, he was the goddamn best general I ever served. Gardon Bloodclaw had unusual methods and no scruples and the higher-ups didn't like that - with the exception of the Emperor. Or at least we thought so until that son of a bitch betrayed us - may some dragon or wolf eat his corpse one day. Some of us "old" Ironfist soldiers took a while to get used to the new bloods. We were used to working in small but powerful groups or as one small army that just wiped out any resistance. But eventually, we grew used to it. Many of the new ones recruited from other armies were unexperienced but eager to learn and bloody loyal. I'll never forget one of them. A boy, just reached adulthood like a year or two before I met him. Had married his sweetheart before he left the continent - he also said that she expected a child. He was wondering how old this child would be when he returned home. I made a joke that he should've waited with the child until he had grown a proper stache and when the war was over. He grinned and said that he had wanted to assure his girl that she had no doubts about her being his only woman and that he'd actually come back one day instead of getting a girl in the Kingdoms. Later, when we were alone, he told me that he had actually wanted to make sure that she wouldn't be alone if something happened to him. I did not know what to say after hearing that. I had never met a lad that young who thought like that. I respected him a lot more after that conversation - despite his age. A good boy, him. Shared his rations with some poor folk who were on the run from the invaders. I often asked myself silently how long it'd take until he too would lose his kindness and good nature to the war, like so many others. He never did. I can still see it. His head smashed in by the hammer of that treacherous demon-piss-loving Genethas. Nothing left of his young face. Just a pulp of flesh remained. I could claim that it was the worst thing I've ever seen but that'd be a lie. Still, he was a good lad, he deserved better. Then again, they all do. The good ones always die first. I hear that van Durce later smashed all of Genethas' body into a bloody mess of flesh. I hope the bastard felt that.

After the war, the Ironfist had become... numerous to say the least. Recruits were just lining up to join our ranks. Suddenly, we were no longer faced with winning a war but with stabilizing a new realm - one that had the size of several Kingdoms. The Ironfist was separated by Ca'laer Gardon. The recruits would no longer be joining the Ironfist but the regular Zyainor armies instead. The ones who had sided with the Ironfist during the events in Kerrel but weren't really part of the Ironfist were also transferred there unless they were deemed fit to remain - it wasn't a punishment for any soldier to be transferred, the new Zyaise military simply became more organized. The Ironfist became more elite but still remained extremely numerous. What happened to the old Ironfist? We went seperate paths. A few of the old members that had been there since the beginning formed the foundation of the Sadows of Zyainor. Most of the other veterans and elite soldiers stayed with our former general and now Ca'laer Gardon Bloodclaw as his personal elite army. Me and the rest instead joined the second branch of the Ironfist. Not exactly a "relatively small elite unit" anymore but a strong army with strong leaders. We veterans were made officers if we fulfilled the requirements or otherwise trainers and mentors for the younger soldiers. The new Ironfist was formed. We were still a force to be reckoned with but without our old leaders, some of us feared that we might devolve into a regular army - oh boy, we were wrong for our new leaders wouldn't let that happen. Let me tell you about them. Neither of them were members of the original Ironfist, they had joined our ranks when General Bloodclaw had taken half of Cleavehand's forces to serve under him instead. They were low-rank officers back in the day, nobody would have thought they'd get to where they are now. Some think it was luck that the general chose them. I however think that he has a sense for soldiers with potential. These two officers were Captain Herdon and his second-in-command Tormin.

Captain Herdon was the grimmest man I had ever met. I've known him for years now, but I think I have never ever seen him smile or grin, heck not even in a diabolical way. Even Thanok had had his moments, though he mostly smiled in a rather evil way that scared the shit out of all new soldiers. Herdon did not smile at all during his time with the Ironfist - and as far as I know, he never smiled in his entire damn life. Got no sense of humor, that one, he is as grim as the reaper himself. He also is rather brutal and merciless, but if you think of him as a mindless brute, you're sorely mistaken. He's a damn good tactician and uses his special abilities to further increase his chances. When Herdon joined us, he was just a regular soldier fighting with a massive mace. However, when some of the Elves were put under Thanok's command, Herdon spent some time with them - we could never figure out why, we were certain that it was not because he liked them or anything. And of course he never spoke about it, he hardly speaks at all actually, being just grim and all. However, at the next battle, we found out why he had stuck with the Elves: He had learned their nature magic from them, summoning trees and animals to fight. Some soldiers jokingly called him a druid. But by all gods, if that man was a tree-loving druid, then I'm a goddamn supporter of that useless Dorten. Herdon did not use his power over nature like he wanted to preserve nature or like he cared for his power, oh no, he used this power to further the needs of the Ironfist. He cared nothing for the trees or animals he summoned, they were nothing but tools for him. The scoffers soon were silenced as we watched how a tree tore a rebel apart and spread its blood all over the ground. Those of us who had not served with Herdon before learned an important lesson that day: Don't fuck with Herdon. Unless you want the next tree you sleep under to tear your arms and legs off. That moment I almost pitied the poor rebels he fought. Now, General Herdon is known as the "Black Druid" - which is also due to the dark armor he wears. He uses the powers of nature to serve Zyainor, the Ironfist and our Ca'laer, not to preserve nature, leaving that to the Elves. Trust me, if you watch a massive Demon being torn apart by a massive tree in a bloody battle while raging animals clash with demonic animals, you have seen a lot of things. Regarding his strategic abilities... Have you heard of the abilities of Ca'ler Garan? It's just a rumor, but they say that our Black Druid has had a hand or two in teaching the boy. I will be honest, General Herdon scares the shit out of me whenever he uses his spells, but he's a great general. He's not General Bloodclaw, but he doesn't try to be like him anyway. He is effective in his own, very, VERY special way. Seriously, don't fuck with Herdon. Should I point out, by the way, how ironic it is that his former second in command and now co-general Tormin is very different from him? When I first met him, Tormin greeted me with a smile and an open hand. He always spent time with the soldiers, even as he later rose the ranks. However, at the same time, he often spent much time with Herdon, discussing strategies and tactics. He was a proper right-hand-man and still remained so very different from his superior, he even made a few jokes from time to time. In battle, Tormin used two blades and always engaged powerful enemies in single combat when possible. I have seen his technique many times and despite it, in my opinion, being perfectly fine, he always kept improving and modifying it. I believe that even if one of us had spent all the past years studying his technique, none of us would be able to predict his moves. Tormin makes fighting look like an art, he's like a bladestorm that cannot be penetrated by any weapon or spell - I am not kidding, I have seen him reflect fireballs mid-fight! That Demon was killed by its own spell, I saw it with my own eyes.

I know that Tormin hails originally from Isalmur - perhaps Herdon does as well if they have served together for so long now - so he is not Imperial but before the Golden Guard showed up, he was a loyal servant of the Empire. Now he is a loyal subject of Zyainor and Gardon. He had managed to become the second general of the new Ironfist, which may or may not be because he and Herdon had already proven many times that they are an effective combination. While his loyalty is without question, there's speculation that he doesn't trust the black dragons and their cult - unless they serve directly under Thanok - or the necromancers. Considering the company he keeps (Herdon) I'd say it is pretty weird that people believe this. Maybe it's true, maybe not. I don't know. I know one thing for certain however: With these two generals, the Ironfist has not lost a single bit of its prestige and power and we'll damn well make use of that to keep the realm secure. May the Ca'laer and Ca'lea rule forever and may New Zyainor rise! I'm just an old soldier, but I'll make bloody well sure that I continue to serve this damn fine nation as long as I can - and I won't stop until I'm dead.