Rising god

The outliers.

No one knew exactly why they hated or attacked humans. Some said it was for food, others for the thrill of the hunt, and some believed it was fear—fear of what humanity could become. But judging by the expressions on the faces of the outliers currently storming the battlefield, it looked like they simply enjoyed the violence.

Especially the Nomands and Barbarians.

The Nomands were humanoid in shape, but that was where the resemblance ended. Their skin was a deep shade of blue, and they had four arms instead of two. Their strength scaled with their height, and even the shortest among them towered over a grown man.

But what were they known for? Their lust.

In that regard, they preferred other races to their own. However, in the absence of other species, they turned on themselves. Their urges were so depraved, it wasn’t rare for them to assault their own kind—siblings, elderly, males—it didn’t matter. If caught on the battlefield by a Nomand, it wasn’t uncommon to become a victim of rape. Their having four arms only made matters worse.

Then came the Barbarians.

Also humanoid in stature, but once again, that’s where the similarity stopped. Their skin was crimson, and their bodies were covered in tribal tattoos that glowed faintly. Their strength and ability to resist the cold weren’t based on their muscle but on the markings on their bodies. Each tattoo represented a win, a ritual, a kill. The more they had, the stronger they were.

And what were they known for? Their love for battle.

The Barbarians could have easily breached the front long ago, but they never did. They didn’t want conquest. They wanted war. They occasionally sent small waves just to release stress. They even waited between assaults, giving the humans time to rebuild and regroup, just to fight again.

But this...this was different.