Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 259: Banter

That night the prisoner is given a choice to enter the army of Clan Vor or die in the execution block. They all choose to die in the battlefield.

They rather die in battle over the execution block anytime. They will become the front line infantry attack Arial decided.

Then he went to the kitchen. He is famished after not eating for so long

Arial eat a little from the fortress kitchen and the rest is distributed to the army.

Some Orc ask permission to loot the nearby village and settlement like the Bor has been doing when they conquered fortress belonging to the Vor clan.

Arial quickly forbid such conduct.

'But we won, Larenas Arial.'

'I am your leader and I order you not to loot. Is my order clear or do I need to beat it out of you so you would understand?!'

When one of the Ratarai, one thousand Orc troop leader ask for his permission.

'Whoever loots any of the settlement or villages without my expressed permission will be sentence to death according to military law of disobeying a higher ranked leader! DO YOU ALL UNDERSTAND!

'YES LARENAS!' they replied.

After that they all went to sleep.

There are some whispers of dissatisfaction but they would not dare disobey his order not when they all knew how Arial temperament is when anyone disobeys his order.

Arial walk to his camp and found Velamina is there waiting for him.

'What are you doing here Velamina?' he asks

'Waiting for you.' Arial asked while began removing his armor.

'Let me help you with that' as Velamina approach Arial and help him remove the armor.

'How is it?' she asks

'What? The battle?' he asks back

'No, the armor, hemlen. You win the battle didn't you? I was there. I'm curious about the armor.' Said Velamina as she put the armor down beside the bed

'I should have made you one back then.' Arial remarked. She smiles gently and said

'It is alright. After all, if you made two we have to wait there for two weeks and who knows if Orgehren suddenly manage to persuade you to let him come with us? Uhhh, I shudder to think about that.'

And Arial laughed slightly.

'It is great. None of the attack seems to damage it.'

'Unless of course they hit you with considerable force.' Velamina reminded him.

'Well, it's not like I'm going to be sitting around and let them attack me, would I?'

'True, you wouldn't.'

Velamina take a seat beside Arial bed as Arial lay on the ground with the multiple hays as his bed.

'So, is this enough? I think you did enough. You have won considerable battle for the Orc. If your objective is for the Orc gratitude and Arakath trust I think you have got it.'

'Not yet, Velamina.' He said

'Why suffer so much to help the Dark race? I know you said Arrandy is allied with the Dark Lands but to go this far is….' she did not finish her words

'For peace, I guess.' Arial replied. Then after a brief silence he continue.

'My view of the Dark Races has always been skewed. This all change as I travel around the dwarves Taigns, the Forest of Goblins and even the Orc tribes. They all have their loved ones, people they want to protect, people they hate, their culture and beliefs, just like humans do. The Vernian Church in the Human Continent preaches that Dark Races are deceitful races, and among the most conservative of them, they once preach that Demon Race has no soul. They love killing and they have no heart, compassion or love. They destroy everything they touched, tainting it with the darkness in their hearts.'

'These Church men sound like an idiot' said Velamina. Arial smile a little.

'They sure seem like it. But many humans believe it.'

'Why?' Velamina ask. Arial chuckles bitterly and then he said

'Because they do not know any of you. They do not know any better. The Dark Races are shrouded in mystery. This is the first time since a long time that a human from the Human Continent ever reach this far. Many of those that met me thought me from Asteros but when I told them I am from Davarus they look at me suspiciously. Ignorance breeds misunderstanding. I have seen how a mother Orc would sacrifice herself rather than letting her children die and I have seen how loyal a Kobold warrior and how honorable they can be in the face of certain death. And while the dwarves are greedy they never broke a promise.'

'But what difference does it make if only you are doing all this? And what benefit is there for human if you keep doing this?' Velamina askjosei

Arial then reply

'Humans are viewed in an unfavorable light in this land are they not? Orcs viewed humans as weak, Elven view humans as deceitful, dwarves view humans as Oath Breaker and Demon Lords view humans as savages. And whether I like it or not, humans of Davarus have a complicated relationship with the demon race of Anvali compared to Vorthy and Asteros or Ariundus. There is hate, vengeance, misunderstanding, a rift of a one thousand years' separation'

At this Velamina had to nod.

Even when she first heard of her prophecy she has her prejudice about humans. Whether the humans are from Asteros or Vorthy, humans are humans.

They destroy nature and burns trees, The Elder once said.

Well, since she is a high Elven, trees are not really needed for her to channel magic.

While the White Elves and the Dark Elves must always return to the Forest, High Elven is free from such restriction as their magic is in all things even in Words, Dreams and the Stars

Velamina then ask him

'So you think by helping the Orc it will heal the rift, the misunderstanding, the hatred and vengeance of these races? A thousand-year hatred for you to fix? That seems to me a heavy burden to bear for any man, Arial' and she began lying on the hay looking at Arial eyes.

She notices that beautiful blue eyes, that see further than anybody else, which see a dream that is beyond her.

Arial turned and look at her eyes, staring at each other, and his heart start beating furiously.

His heart is not the only hear that is beating furiously. His soulmate she thought to herself. Their heartbeat seems to be beating at the same rhythm.

She brings her finger to Arial hair and feels it with every stroke.

Arial did the same thing, letting her long flowing hair to be on his fingers as he traces his hand around her hair, like he is admiring her.

He smiles and she knows that she likes him. And where she could lie to herself in her mind, she could not lie to her heart

Arial then reply to Velamina words

"I don't expect it to heal. But it is a start. Because, Velamina, somebody has to start it. That is how it is always is. Somebody has to step forward and do it. If nobody starts, then others cannot follow."

She smiles

'Hmm, you really are a remarkable human' she said and she give him a light kiss on his cheek.

And then her hand traces his body and began trying to enter his trousers and she undid the laces on Arial trousers.

'Stop, Velamina.'

She stares again at those beautiful blue eyes. That beautiful blue eyes that is driving her crazy with love.

'You know; I never told you this. But I could lose myself in those blue eyes of yours' she said.

'And me, yours' Arial reply and Velamina blushed slightly

'You really are a remarkable human. You're like a stone statue. Almost a year and you still stay strong against temptation. Usually a man like you, young and at his prime would ravage a woman like me.' She said her eyes glint mischievously

"I am confident of my body" she said when she looks that Arial is staring at her body

'Well, a lady should be treated better than that'

'I never declare myself a lady and I'm not a lady. Why do you insist giving me that tittle?'

'You are a lady to me.' He said

'I refuse.' She reply

'I insist' Arial replied. Then Velamina removed her hand from Arial trouser as Arial release a relieved sigh and Velamina begin standing up.

'One day, I will catch your heart and you will fall under my spell. Once you are caught, there is no escape' Arial could not help but grin.

'Unlikely, Elvenan. But do try' and with that ended their night talk and Velamina return to her tent.

They usually have this banter at night; Velamina try to seduce Arial and Arial rejecting. In a way it is like a game to both of them.

One who cannot stop, while another one who is immovable. Velamina have met her match. Velamina is still a maiden.

She is young, but she knows the Art of Seduction after all Legion of Leaf always use it in their reconnaissance mission for the Capital.

Velamina once dream of entering the famous Legion before her prophecy of Elder is given. After that she was forced to study the Ancient Laws and Ancient Magic.

This is why she is proficient in both mana controls and swordsmanship.

'One day before you return home, I will make you mine' she grins before she went to sleep that night

Arial mind before he went to sleep that night is this

"She will never win that bet" as he smiles and fall into sleep. And with that they both go to sleep, preparing for another day of battle….and love