Chapter 315: The Mountain Barbarians (1) The Surprise Attack
In the rugged, mist-shrouded mountains far from Grafen, a group of mountain barbarians gathered around a large bonfire. The flames flickered and danced, casting long shadows over the scarred and weathered faces of the warriors. The air was thick with the scent of burning wood and unwashed bodies, and the low murmur of rough, guttural voices filled the clearing. These were men and women of the mountains, fierce and untamed, living on the fringes of society and surviving through raiding and pillaging.
Their leader, known simply as the Chief, was a massive man with a broad chest and arms like tree trunks. His face was marked by deep lines, his eyes gleamed with a cunning light, and a thick, unruly beard covered his jaw. He wore a necklace of bones and teeth, trophies from his many conquests. The Chief stood at the center of the group, flanked by two young women—his newlywed wives. It was a tradition among their tribe that newly married couples would go to war together before consummating their union, a rite of passage that bonded them in blood and battle.
The Chief looked at his wives with a mixture of pride and possessiveness. "This our way," he grunted, his voice like the rumble of distant thunder. "We fight together, then we celebrate." The women nodded, their faces stoic. They were not unused to the harsh customs of their people, and they bore the knowledge of what lay ahead with a grim resolve.
As the warriors gathered, the Chief began to speak, addressing the group. "Scouts return," he growled, his voice carrying over the crackling fire. "They tell of village near Grafen, ripe for the taking. Full of food, goods, and weaklings."
The barbarians grunted and muttered, their interest piqued. They were always on the lookout for easy targets, and a village in Evocatore territory sounded promising. One of the scouts, a wiry man with a scar across his cheek, stepped forward and nodded.
"Chief, we saw strange things," the scout reported, his voice rough and hesitant. "Statues... all over place. Big, made of stone. But... something strange about them."
The Chief frowned, his brow furrowing. "Statues? Bah! Just stone. Nothing to worry about."
Another warrior, a burly man with a missing tooth, snorted. "Scared of statues now, are we? What, they gonna come to life and eat us?"
The group erupted into laughter, mocking the scout’s concerns. The scout’s face flushed with anger and embarrassment, but he stood his ground.