My name is Esquimo. I started as a simple warrior, fighting for my kingdom for years. I was a good soldier, being tasked to lead many brigades into chaos and killing my way up the ladder.
My career changed when, during battle, I took two arrows in the chest for my King.
I woke up in the medical ward to find the King by my side, thankful for my recovery and grateful for my unselfishness.
I wasn't expecting such gratitude for my actions. I honestly didn't even think about it. I simply moved and got shot. But because of this, I was promoted from a soldier to the the King's personal guard.
My fighting never concluded, though. I was back on the battlefield as soon as medic cleared me. Fighting hard every day in a war, we were losing. The soldiers knew it, as did the King.
While strategizing in his tent one night, the King concluded that if he did not do something quickly, he would lose this war, his kingdom, and everything he loved. So, in the middle of the night, in the middle of the war, I, the King, and the rest of his guard left for a destination only he knew.
We arrived on exhausted horses at a giant waterfall a day later. The King told us to jump off our horses as we were going for a swim. None of us understood, but we were to follow, not question.
So, stripping ourselves of our armor, we plunged into the water and dove deep under the waterfall.
We swam pretty deep into that cold water. I, never being a strong swimmer, just knew that I was soon to drown. But before I died, we finally reached an air pocket, and we all came up gasping, thankful for oxygen.
We swam a little further and soon came upon land. A vast territory hidden underground and unknown to the world.
As soon as we could walk upon the ground, we found a line of warriors across us.
There were no weapons, just a lust for killing in their eyes. One spoke, and I learned later that he was their leader, but our King left with him.
As we sat there against an unknown people, all we could do was prepare ourselves for the worst as we started to wonder if our King would return and if we would ever return.
My King returned a couple of hours later without one of his hands, and upon his return, he told us to get back in the water as it was time to go back to battle.
"My King, what has just happened?" I asked him, curious as to what the hell just went on in his absence.
"I have recruited assistance for the war." the King stated as he dove straight into the cool water.
As we resurfaced on the side of the waterfall and hopped back onto our horses, I was shocked to hear and see that the warriors from the cave had started jumping out of the waterfall and landing on the ground behind us.
At least 100 men, including their leader, had come to join us in our last hope for victory.
As we raced back to the battle, I was utterly shocked to see that the warriors from this tribe were keeping up with us by simply running behind us. And we were on horses!
As we approached our military in battle with our enemy, the Warrynt Kingdom, this unknown army behind us jumped high into the sky, leaving us speechless as we watched them land in the middle of the battle, dividing the two armies.
Both militaries were quiet at the interruption of this third party, but as I and the King finally caught up to them, I could see the leader of this tribe smiling as he surveyed the Warrynt Kingdom.
"Soldiers of the Youtound Kingdom," he shouted loud and clear for all of the battlefield to hear. "Stand back. You have fought long and hard, but I and the mighty Hardoy Tribe have come to fight the rest of this battle. If you wish to fight alongside us, you may, but your safety or life cannot be guaranteed. Only victory."
Standing in their ranks, I was utterly consumed. Their leader spoke shortly, but his presence alone filled me with so much confidence that I knew we would win this battle.
A few of our soldiers stayed to continue fighting, but a majority of our troops fell back, assured that this next round of the fight would be better observed. But I, just like my King, was going to fight fully for the security of our kingdom.
The general leading the Warrynt kingdom scoffed at this man making such a bold assumption without even a breastplate or a sword in his hand. He roared for his troops to refuel for this second act of violence, but I could see, as clearly as I could see the sun in the sky, that the enemy's troops were shaken with doubt.
The Hardoy Tribe didn't hesitate for a second, though. At the sound of their leader screaming, "Hardoy! Have all thou can consume!" the tribe eagerly dove into combat.
Bare hands against metal, Flesh against steel. And the Hardoy tribe utterly destroyed them.
I participated in the fighting, but then again, I'm not so sure I did. Most of the time, I found myself just mesmerized by the ferocity of such a people. I mean, clearly, they were men like us, but then again, they were so much more.
I watched them punch their way through iron and steel as if it were paper. Tackle
horses like they were mere children in the field. Swords would break against their skin like rotten tree bark slammed against a stone wall.
With my own eyes, I saw one of them slap a man and snap his neck. With just a slap!
After the battle was won, with a thousand bodies laying stiff on the earth, the King ordered for a celebration, right there on the spot. We drank and partied with these magnificent men for two days, drinking and eating for this swift and unexpected victory.
At the end of the festivities and partying, the warriors of the Hardoy Tribe stood up and started marching toward the Warrynt Kingdom, ready to win the war by themselves.
"My king, do we prepare for departure as well?" I asked
"No need," he answered. "Their leader has promised to return to us victorious." He said "We asked for his assistance, now all we need to do is trust him."
So we did just that. A week later, the Hardoy Tribe returned to our kingdom and dropped the heads of the Warrynt Kingdom's king, queen, and children at the King's feet.
Most of the women in the room were disgusted and left the room, but the men in attendance were astonished. This unknown tribe of warriors had ended a war that went on for years in a week's time.
The King stood face to face with the leader of the Hardoy Tribe and shook his hand. Afterwards he withdrew his sword, bringing all to a quick alert and presented it to the leader, bowing his head in respect for his amazing deed. The leader took the gift and returned a warm smile as they shook hands again and parted ways.
That was the last and only time the Hardoy tribe had entered the Youtound Kingdom, but the two leaders had developed a mutual respect after that. Being part of his guard, I got the privilege of witnessing their friendship as they hunted together and shared ample time, exchanging tales and lessons learned throughout their lives.
The King even continued to incorporate the assistance of the Hardoy tribe. Any dispute that he wanted to be snuffed out indefinitely, all he had to do was ask his friend, who obliged with delight.
Well, time got to both of these great men. And as order dictates, their sons took up the thrones they envied as they grew up. So the new kings arranged a meeting, seeing how as good a relationship their fathers had, they themselves had never met.
The new leader of the Hardoy tribe invited the Young King Juulian out to his territory to discuss the partnership their father's built.
The young King, in his early stages of maturity, was rather… disrespectful in the least. So, arriving at the territory of the Hardoy tribe, learning at the last second that he would have to take a deep dive to reach the home of the Hardoy tribe, he arrived on the other side already in quite a foul mood, having soaked his fine garments.
The new leader could sense this unpleasantness reeking off of our young king, and thought a feast would be enough to cheer him up. Oh, how I wished it were that easy.
With the banquet set up, the leader stands to toast the event, to which everyone but the young king stood. He eventually stood, but he did so at my behest. In my eyes, this was the first strike for King Juulian as the leader, and all Hardoy tribespeople in attendance took quick notice of the disrespect.
The next strike, came when during the meal, the King spit out his food in front of everyone back onto his plate. Wiping his mouth, he stated he did not enjoy cold food and sat there, unwilling to take a single bite of any dish while everyone else dug in.
I was used to it and so were many of the other guards, as once his father passed away, we simply just started protecting him. It was a different taste of food, but in their culture, you ate all that was prepared, no food was to be wasted. So I know the Hardoy tribesmen were irritated watching the maiden take a full plate away from the table at the end of the feast.
The Hardoy tribe's new leader thought some music and dancing would lighten the mood before business was conducted, so he brought in their musicians to lighten up the crowd. Unfortunately, business was never to be undertaken that evening.
With everyone dancing, laughing, and enjoying the moment, the King was still in a sort of funk and standing apart from the festivities. A rather pretty lady was giving out wine and drinks to all at the event.
The King thought this was what he needed to shake himself out of his mood. Engaging the girl in conversation, he tried to charm her but to no avail. Kings do not like hearing no, and King Juulian aggressively grabbed the girl.
That was a tragic and fatal mistake. In the Hardoy tribe's culture, they never touched any woman who was not either their family or beloved. And King Juulian had just roughly grabbed the Hardoy leader's sister in front of all of them.
A punch was thrown, dropping King Juulian to the ground. Of course, the rest of his guard and I reacted instantly, but we were all hit and restrained as quickly as the King.
Feeling a heavy foot on his chest, King Juulian looked up to see the leader of the Hardoy tribe looking down on him with disgust.
"So much for a friendly and peaceful meeting." King Juulian says, trying to remove the foot from his chest.
"Friendly? Since you have arrived in my home I have sensed no such feeling from you.
"I sat quietly and watched you disrespect me twice, refusing my kindness. Then you touch my sister with no permission or any right? No, friendly is no longer an option. You are banned from this land. And the business and relationship built by our father's, ends today," the tribe leader states.
"I'm not sure you want to make an enemy of me. I'm not as kind as my father was." King Juulian states from the floor.
The leader of the Hardoy tribe bent down low, increasing the pressure on the King's chest as he got face to face with the king. "I said nothing about us being enemies."
Grabbing King Juulian by the throat, he held him in the air as he stared at him coldly.
"I'll tell you something, King Juulian, I am not as kind as my father was either. Since you think we should be enemies, allow my next actions to be a clear indication that that is perfectly fine with me," the Hardoy tribe leader says with a twisted smile.