Death's Favorite Child

33. A promise

In the pre-dawn hours, a few kilometers north of the First Settlement Village of the Panther tribe, a certain Lizard General was looking at his troops. Gathered in front of him were a dozen Lizard Champions and more than two thousand Lizard Warriors. This was the full force of the Lizard tribe, except for very few warriors left in the various settlements to protect them.

They had been moving into the Panther tribe territory for ten years now, and they had been preparing for a final battle to eliminate them. However, the timeline was significantly shifted two weeks ago with orders from the temple. The orders said to attack immediately with the biggest force they could muster and kill everyone. The General didn't like this. Everything seemed rushed. Why now? What happened in the last two weeks?

However, he had complete confidence in their victory. He still remembered 100 years ago when his tribe stumbled on one of that accursed gates. Back then, the tribe was purer, closer to the roots. After the temple took over the gate, strange things started happening. The temple would distribute food and war supplies that no one knew where they found—magic weapons, artifacts that increase fertility and strength, blueprints for buildings. The tribe soared to the peak of power with the temple in the center.

At the same time, the temple abandoned the teachings of the Goddess of Life and started teaching that not all creatures are the same. Lizard people were said to be at the top and should eliminate all other tribes. Since then, several tribes have fallen -- utterly destroyed. Today, it was the Panther tribe's turn.

He didn't believe in the temple's teachings, but he never protested -- since the teachings allowed him to indulge himself in killing. He smiled. The General fastened the last part of his magic armor and ordered,

"Move according to the plan. Leave none alive."

*=*

"We are under attack! It's the Lizard people!" a messenger ran through the streets, yelling at the top of his voice. Shouts could be heard everywhere, panic. This was unbelievable; how did the Lizard warriors reach the Village undetected?

Alis woke up sprawled on the floor outside Daniel's room. She jumped up and ran downstairs to the Inn reception.

"What happened?" she asked in a panic.

The owner looked at her and replied,

"You are a warrior, right? The Lizard tribe is attacking. More than 2000 warriors. Several Champions and even a General. You should head to the walls and help!"

Alis nodded in shock and rushed outside the Inn and towards the walls. Reaching the walls, she came upon a scene taken from her nightmares—bodies sprawled on the ground, mostly Panther warriors, the stench of blood and burning bodies, the screams of wounded people begging for help. She flinched as she saw an enormous Lizard Champion wielding a giant hummer and smashing the head of one of the Panther Champions. She curled at the side of the street and vomited violently.

Civilians were still evacuating towards the temple, but if the walls were breached, everybody would die. She spotted six more Panther Champions engaged in an unfair 2-on-1 fight with the Lizard Champions. She grabbed a spear and rushed to help one of the Champions, only to see his head flying off. Her knees buckled. These were the strongest warriors in her tribe, blessed by the Goddess herself, and she witnessed two dying within minutes of arriving at the battlefront.

Somebody grabbed her shoulder and turned her around, "Girl, there is no use. The Village will fall. Go back and help evacuate people. Some of us need to survive and rebuild. Escort the people into the hidden caves!"

It was one of the Champions of Life. The oldest female Champion. Alis could see the sorrow in her face. The Champion pushed Alis towards the village and dashed to the enemy Champions. Alis stood dumbfounded. Will her tribe disappear like other tribes? Is there nothing she could do?