Empire Wagron. Third century(Rozlam spadek)

Empire Wagron: Molding an empire

The man with the dark golden crown dark bronzed skin and brown hair pointed out across the fields of the forests from the great hill between Vlanstead and Novo Torun Tukron, He glared intensely into the eyes of the three men with him, and spoke his words slowly and confidently telling them of his plans for a new city. He was King Kroy, smart, optimistic and loved building. His generals' faces were defined by hard lines that their beards only partly hid, but they were still relatively young. There was seriousness in their eyes and in the tones of their voices.
"Wagron needs a royal district out of Novo Torun Tukron. Novo Torun Tokrun is no longer a city appropriate for Wagron's Monarchy. Lord Prestepza it is time for you to assume full responsibility for Novo Torun Tukron."
  "Opanow you will bring 500 slaves from Kopalnia and my engineers will put them to work immediately." Opanow was the merciless general whose responsibility it was to oversee slave labour. He was bald and had a whispy beard, a pale complexion and a grin he wore everywhere as if to intimidate. he was fearless and didn't understand people who weren't. "You will have your slaves, I would like an additional 40 soldiers to keep order in Kopalnia's streets. Slaves and free men are always fighting. And it stops other people from coming to Kopalnia to settle..." Arzalek interrupted Opanow as if accusing him, "Maybe you should give your slaves more freedom in Kopalnia like we do in Vlanstead."
King Kroy held up his hand and spoke with more authority. "Stop Arzalek, Kopalnia continues to produce fine metals and precious stones and Opanow assures that. Opanow you will recruit 60 young men from Kopalnia first and send them to Vlanstead to be trained you will pay Arzalek from the Kopalnian currency treasury." Opanow agreed.
 "Yes high King Kroy, this will be done."
Both Men looked toward Arzalek who was the high general of Vlanstead's military academy. Arzalek was tall and had shoulder length golden brown hair, he was looking out at the site King Kroy had allocated for the castle, imagining the castle was built, fantasizing it's splendor. He was the most repected general, not just for the fact he was a direct descendant of Bellion the great, but because he was to their knowledge the best warrior in the land. Standing beside him was Lord Prestepza of Novo Torun Tukron, once two cities with great orchards between them, now one huge city with close to a million people living there. Lord Prestepza was the most ambitious and dangerous man in all of Wagronia, he would have met the axe by now had it not been for his absolute loyalty to King Kroy. Short strawberry blond hair and a tight mouth, the only person who truly trusted him was Kroy, everyone who worked for him feared him.
Arzalek turned to King Kroy and Opanow "I will need 100 men, Lecvillea's eastern patrol division lost ten men last week in an Agordon attack. What is our motto when it come to losing men to the enemy?" Prestepza spoke in a toneless voice. "We go after them with twice the force and make them pay!" Opanow's grin widened and King Kroy brought the men in closer to discuss how they would outsmart the eastern lizards.

300 years after Rasvlan had set foot in this new land an incredible civilization had formed. Prepared through out their lives to survive and even outcompete their world's countless predators.
The sophistcated etymology of the wagron realm would have rivaled the great wall of China and other such marvels. The two main pursuits of wagronians were engineering and military. However now a healthy class of citizens who were tailors, shopkeepers, butchers, teachers, policemen and even bankers as the first currency evolved out of an attractive and abundant metal that could be more easily forged to imprint on. Street workers earned just as much as any other trade there were more of them but they were responsible for everything from digging and laying the sewer drains under the roads the paving and cleaning to planting roadside trees and informing the police of dodgy dealings. Often they would interfere if there were any crime on the street and people preferred that because as soon as Prestepza got involved there was big trouble to be had, some would be sent straight to Kopalnia to work off a sentence of labour and sometimes never returned, other times they would be executed in the grand town square in front of a great audience. Prestepza never let anyone off the hook and people would polish the walls and great edifices of the city for weeks for minor infractions. Prestepza also earned King Kroy's trust this way Because of the fertile lands and long warm wet seasons farming was very easy. And hundreds of huge orchards and plantations flourished around the great cities of Wagronia. It was a civilization with over a million people. The first generations leading up to Bellion had had large families, it was an unwritten law, because of easy food supply including two major harvests a year it was easy to feed large families some families having more than twenty children. These families were always influential, and it was believed the bigger the family the more power a family could have.
 Odwaga's reign 240 years earlier had created the laws, encouraging big families and instituting slavery to make up for the constant need for minerals, great walls and other works where hard labour was to carried out by non citizens. Every king henceforth had supported these laws, Kroy was no exception in fact his ambitions required slave labour. But he wasn't a descendant of Bellion like Arzalek and the kings before him. Infact Kroy had come out of a smaller and humble family. He made Kingship by being the best leader in the kingdom. He impressed Arzalek's father Starzak, who was the former King of Wagronia. Kroy became Viceroy during the years Arzalek was to be groomed to become King. Alas Kroy became loved by the most powerful in the kingdom, lords like the notorious Prestepza and landowners didn't want to risk their attained power on Arzalek who was a warrior first and a leader second and had liberal ideas about how Wagronia should be governed.
Before King Starzak's death there was a meeting involving the most powerful men in the empire, they pressured King Starzak into making Kroy the Supreme King over all of Wagronia overlooking his lack of lineage. Starzak begged for his son to be able to be given coronation, but it was no good, Starzak's age his waning beliefs in Wagron law which had inspired Arzalek's liberal opinions in the first place had lost him the power and respect to be able to fight them.
So Kroy was crowned king and Arzalek made lord of Vlanstead. This ended the lineage of Bellion but started an era where Wagron innovation great as it was, was pushed ahead by slave labour as much as it was by the great minds of Wagronia's engineers.

Empire Wagron 1 The northern town of Biskupin

Ronoth was no longer inhabited by people from Wagronia it had been abandoned. Pomar herb in Ronoth had stopped being abundant almost a century ago. And with professional gardeners could be propagated more easily and abundantly in Lecvillea. The settlement of Ronoth was too far north of the wall and therefore too vulnerable to attack by large predators.
North of Novo Turon Tukron was a small settlement of five hundred people. Small villages such as these had begun to pop up everywhere within the walled borders of Wagronia shortly after Ronoth was abandoned. This town was built with it's back literally against the wall. Most people in the town also had access to the other side of the wall where there was a small bridge and a track leading into the western jungles. Predators of the jungles were mainly Agordon lizards which couldn't really target humans much anymore because of the great walls that surrounded Wagronia's cities. Equally the beasts were never seen, unless the Lizards themselves were seen observing wagronians. It would often be the case that humans of wagronia often captured glimpses of strangely colored shapes observing them from the jungles as the Wagron soldiers had slaves work on the walls or the soldiers patrolled them. Spotted tigers who had just started to grow in number after a century of coming close to extinction, stayed well away from Wagronians. The apex predator from the west was the Jazsurka lizard which would reach 15 meters but seldom ventured close to the Wall borders of Novo Torun Tukron because of it's moat.

  During Odwaga's reign Jazsurkas would attempt to swim across the moat and scale the wall. Wagronian patrols were not really enough to stop the beasts. But there was a song written during Odwaga's reign about a man called Robur who had captured the offspring of a creature that used to live in Vlansteads lake and took it to the moat of the western wall. A creature whose appetite was as big and whose lust for violence just as big. The creature grew to be bigger than the Jazsurka lizard and each time the still waters of the moat were disrupted by the clumsy body of a huge Jazsurka the thing would come, sometimes swimming hundreds of meters that was how sensitive it was to movement. It patroled more than twenty kilometers of the moat like a guard dog moving at great speeds through the still canals eating fish at first but then anything that dared to stick it's head in for a drink. It served it's purpose well because Jazsurkas never dared to even stop for a drink after the beast came to size, a fair many survived but one attack by the monster of the moat and the larger lizards would make their way back to the thicker tropical northern jungles. People who lived in Biskupin had told no one the secret because they would now fish and use the water from the great moat for irrigation of their crops. People of Biskupin knew that the creature had been killed 50 years earlier by the ever looming blue Agordon lizard who had used one of his grey friends as bait to get the beast out of the water so that five other 8 meter long Agordons could pounce on it and cause enough injury to kill it. The blue lizard's family was also responsible for killing Jazsurkas here and there. It was the people who cleaned the walk space at the top of the wall of Biskupin that had heard the crashing and fighting from the moat and forest floor. From that moment on a tunnel was dug From Biskupin under the wall giving people access to the moat and so access to extremely abundant source of fish and even the odd harvest of jungle fruit both were commodities In the bustling metropolis of Novo Torun Tukron. A man called Sierz who worked between Biskupin and the big city and answered to Prestepza made sure all evidence from the carcass of the huge moat monster was pushed back into the moat.

 This secret had kept Biskupin a wealthy little village for two decades. The monsters of Vlanstead's lake had been hunted and killed by ambitious fishermen more than a century ago, 30 fishermen and more than a dozen very brave and incredibly gifted hunters were killed in the process, but Vlanstead was then open to fishing. It didn't last long though before fish stocks in the lake went down so far there were no longer enough fish to meet the demand. From that moment on fishing was a right only nobles in Vlanstead had. Every few years fishermen would be allowed to come back and start fishing again but there was never enough, so the fish was extremely expensive.
Sierz engineered a story that people from Biskupin told Prestepza's market guards.They told them they had pardons given to them by Arzalek himself to take fish from Vlanstead, the thing is they didn't even set foot in Vlanstead and their fish were fatter and tastier than anything that came out of Vlanstead. Because of all the insects, fruits, seeds and small animals that would fall directly from the overhanging jungle trees into the calm waters. Novo Torun Tukron's wealthiest would pay a lot and Biskupin could afford to hide it's lie even deeper while becoming richer and richer.

Empire Wagron 2 Condemning Dard

Siwilna pleaded with his wife "We must do whatever we can to keep our town ours, Prestepza's regional officer Sierz is requesting all young people without essential career skill be collected from the town gate keeping a family member unemployed under your roof could mean Kopalnia mines for us all!"
 The lord of Biskupin's town was Siwilna and his wife was called Maciere
Maciere appealed "You are the lord of this town we can simply let him join the fishermen during the day and he can catch fish and no one will be the wiser."
"Yes, love but all citizens need the work skill certificate and if they don't get one to prove they have started a career they cannot be approved for citizenship. Dard has failed three times in the three fields he chose including agriculture, law and food preparation." Siwilna's eyes filled up with tears.
Maciere responded "Nobody would have to know, we could forge the document."
Siwilna turned to her, he couldn't believe what he was hearing "You want me to forge a legal citizen document!!!! What in Pienka's name are you talking about! If anyone got word of what you just said we would be publicly executed with no quarter and our five other children would go parentless!"
Maciere scolded Siwilna in a harsh tone "This whole town is based on a lie, people don't even know we get our fish from the moat! You could make this small sacrifice for our son."
Siwilna wanted to tell his wife that Sierz the officer and even Prestepza himself knew of the lie and that lord Prestepza was the man who had told Siwilna to invent the lie to generate more wealth for the villages that surrounded the great metropolis of Novo Torun Tukron. One of lord Prestepza's other motives was that he wanted absolute loyalty from all men of influence in the region great and small. The lie about the moats fish allowed Prestepza perfect leverage over Siwilna and Siwilna's competent town planners. Siwilna was a great town governor, a good builder and even a good warrior but he gave complete loyalty to Wagronian law customs and their enforcers.
The next morning Sierz came with soldiers to collect Siwilna's son Dard, Dard was a skinny young man who was easily distracted and couldn't pass any of the tests or evaluations given to him through the town's authority which directly involved his father. Dard found it difficult and frustrating to follow any rules. Siwilna his father felt a sense of grief that the boy his son forced to leave. Infact the only thing that Dard did know was animals. Not the tamed surpon horses or some of the small farm mammals wagronian bred for meat, no what he knew was wild animals, he had an interest even an obsession with them.
 Siwilna spoke to his son Dard as the guards waited outside their large stone house. "You need to be brave, the mines of Kopalnia are dangerous and the work is hard. I may not see you again..." Tears fell quickly from Siwilna's eyes."..."You have the chance to become a free man after five years in the mines and you'll be able to become a professional miner and come back and visit us." Dard replied with no energy in his voice "But father, even if I survive I will have to pass their exams again to become a professional miner." "Yes Dard you will but five years in those mines may change you a lot lad." As Siwilna finished his sentence Maciere his wife came down stairs running she pushed past Siwilna and grabbed Dards arm running out the door as the guards looked up it was too late. "Dard run to the river cross the river they will never follow you there, you may be free, run child run!" The guards grabbed Maciere, Siwilna's face went dark. Sierz shouted at her "What were you thinking Maciere he is as good as dead in the jungle anyway." Maciere spat on Sierz slim dark grey moustache "He has just as much chance surviving out there as he does as a slave in the mines of Kopalnia and everyone knows that."
Sierz's eyes went red "You truly have no idea do you! Siwilna's son wouldn't go to the mines we said that so that other young people wouldn't think there was unfair treatment. He was supposed to be sent to a place south of the city to work on King Kroy's new castle! He would be fed cleaned and educated and in two years be made a free man." Siwilna turned to walk back into the house, the guards grabbed Maciere, she screamed. "Lord Siwilna what will become of your wife?" Siwilna gave no answer and walked inside as Maciere was taken away with the town's undesirable young people to join the multitudes of slaves at Kopalnia. Moments later he felt the heaviness of it all. He sent men after his wife to make sure she was taken care of Kopalnia. He stared at the image of Pienka which his wife would pray to, and both of them would lay flowers on the anniversary of her death. The image glistened and seem to come alive for a second. One day soon he would get her back from there.

Dard had already stolen a boat and rowed across the moat and ran into the humid jungle.
He was sitting on a log contemplating exactly how he would survive his first night in the jungle. He walked further into the forest where the trees were even taller, he came to the creek that had filled the moat. He sat down again the jungle was completely silent, above the canopy the sky was grey and it looked as if a storm was brewing. He thought he might have to climb into a tree for the night, but he didn't feel like it. He stared across the creek into the dense shrubs of the forest floor.
A pair of fire flies were buzzing around in the brush, but both were moving in unison as if to follow each other as the two flew toward him he realized they weren't fire flies at all, they were eyes on a  stumpy swift blue Agordon lizard.

Empire wagron 2 Glory of Kroy and Arzalek

It had been three months of designing and improving the model for a truly unique machine, one that could be pulled and powered by both horse and man. It was a two story armoured wagon that could fire three different sizes of large projectile spears. On it's front long protruding blades protected the spaces for four horses. In the first floor cabin four men would take turns running in an internal hamster wheel which was directly connected equally onto the wagon's back wheels, it moved at the same time as the wagon wheels so the men inside could easily accelerate by running inside the internal wheel. In the second story were four different spear lancing contraptions that would be operated by four men. On the roof was a platform for crossbow sharpshooters.
Arzalek had done most of the designing but Kroy had sourced all the materials and parted with a lot of his personal wealth to build two of these "Strak slayers". Reports from Lecvillea by Local hunters and foragers of a huge beast roaming the forests. Coupled with the stories of the old King Svylas death by the claws of the Strak, inspired Arzalek to build the machines with Kroy and to go east and slay any other Straks or predators of the like. The "Strak slayer" was quick, easy to maneuver. From Lecvillea it was narrow enough to navigate the eastern forests and hunt the great beasts who would sometimes hunt and rummage extremely close to Lecvillea. Although Sightings were rare, the animals left tracks and no one from the cave villages of Lecvillea was supposed to venture outside the rockwall. The problem was Kroy wasn't doing it for the people, he didn't care so much for Lecvillean wagronians they were much more easy going and liberal than people from other parts of the empire. They worked hard but because of the perfect microclimate, effects of the Flower water, Pomar herb and a few other local herbs and fruit the Lecvillean Wagronians were truly happy. Fewer slaves were offered because most young people passed the requirements that Prestepza had enforced. Prestepza didn't really care though, his first concern was Novo Torun Tukron, Prestepza often visited Lecvillea to overlook cases of young men who had passed the citizenship exams, and ignored those who had failed their citizenship.
Arzalek cared about Lecvilleans though, Arzalek would spend weeks at a time relaxing during the warm seasons there. During the long months Arzalek would work until he fainted, taking pomar herb and flower water as a stimulant to keep going. Both had positive effects. So he'd go there to show his gratitude to the hundreds of farmers and gardeners there. He knew many of them by name and pledged to build the "Strak slayer" to protect them.
King Kroy and Arzalek spent three days patrolling the nearby forests of Lecvillea to find signs of the Strak. There were none. "Arzalek I'm afraid I'm going to have to return to the construction of the Royal district I need to check on the progress of my engineers there." "Don't you dare, we have built these incredible machines and we will see glory I swear it, have patience King for we will slay a beast before the week is done" "But Arzalec there is simply no signs of the Strak here, there are not even signs of the big Lizards what do you want me to do?" Arzalek responded without hesitation send your messenger south to talk to Opanow he has the best trackers in Wagronia, then we will find and butcher the beast and free Lecvillea from their fear to go out into their own forests." "Okay there's is just one problem with your proposal, you don't like Opanow, how do you know these things?" "I don't really like him but he is realistic and honest so I have begun talking to him of affairs between Kopalnia and Vlanstead." "This pleases me Lord Arzalek, I will send messengers today and we will have our trackers in three days until then we should set some traps for the beast."


Empire Wagron: Dard's monster

The long crocodile like snout came within 10 centimeters of Dard's face.
He didn't flinch, the fear inside him was so great he was clinging onto consciousness not to faint.
The creature stood motionless, Dard was anticipating the snap of it's jaws on his head and then a sudden death. The lizard didn't move though.  It's eyes looked into Dard's. So they stared at each other for almost a minute before a word came into Dard's head as if it was put there somehow. The word that was uttered in a whisper was "what" But after three repetitions it became "who". Without even trying Dard imagined everything in his life including the quaint three story houses of his village that leaned back against the huge western wall, the people packing to go to novo Torun Tukron and his family before Dard's citizenship was denied. Then the words came together in a sentence and Dard's eyes filled with tears. The words whispered from the lizard's flame like eyes into his mind "What are you doing here?" Again almost as if the information was being extracted as he remembered how in the last hour his town had disowned him. Then the whisper grew in volume and spoke one word that stirred in Dard's heart and made him wake up to the fact he was standing in front of a coldblooded killer that could eat him in three or four mouthfuls. "Betrayal Dard".
The lizard didn't move it just stared through Dard's eyes, Dard found himself being hypnotized again and just before he lost consciousness he felt the presence of other lizards.
he woke the next day in a tunnel sleeping on some dried leaves and grass next to a monstrous lizard. As he yawned a huge brownish colored lizards passed within a meter of him as it made it's way through the tunnel. The blue Agordon lizard  appeared out of nowhere, dard could tell it could read his mind as the lizard spoke to him through his mind "You will stay with our kind now, be like us Dard. I have been watching you Dard all those times you played on the banks of the moat with the other kids. But mainly when you were alone trying to talk to the beetles and insects. Trying to talk to the small lizards. Talk to me Dard. Talk to me of your betrayal. We have many plans to show the men of your lands that they may not shoot us from their walls. They have killed so many of our kind over the long years." As the Blue lizard imagined, Dard could see skirmishes the blue lizard and others had had against the Wagronians, terrible ambushes and lizards that had come back from hunting near the wall with arrows and crossbow bolts in their heads. Dard felt the pain and realized the colored lizards were completely conscious of themselves and their goal which was now to kill off the Wagronian invaders.
Some hesitation rose from Dard's heart, but then Dard remembered the place he would be taken. The mines of Kopalnia where his mother had been taken to work the mines. Tears began to well up in his eyes as Dard screamed in his mind "Yes".
Horrid visions came to Dard of the evil he would commit to realize his own supreme destiny, a destiny that fell upon him and frightened him. He spent one week underground with the lizards planning an attack on the western wall.


Empire Wagron Glory of Kroy and Arzalek

The trackers arrived at Lecvillea earlier on their surpon horses. They greeted Arzalek but didn't recognize Kroy because he was not in his royal clothes. "Men bow and show respect for this is your majesty" The trackers did so and apologized. Kroy spoke quickly and loudly "We will be hunting the Straks of the east, you will search for tracks report back to us then help us follow their tracks so we can hunt them down and kill them and once again liberate the eastern forests for our friends here at Lecvillea. If you fail in picking up tracks there will be consequences." Kroy and Arzalek boarded their Strak slayer wagons and followed the scouts out into the eastern forests.
After their second day of roaming through the eastern forests scouts reported the prints of a large beast they'd never tracked before. The scout reported to Kroy "It must be the beast the foot prints match the description of those found near Lecvillea we have found our monster." How fresh are the tracks?"Kroy inquired. "They have been today." Everybody got out of their wagons when they heard that. And stared out into the forest in all directions. Something was watching them. Kroy screamed "Everybody get back into your wagons, we go after the beast now. And never leave your post. Just as the wagons started to move the scout front left of the wagon yelled out "It is on us!" The scouts rode behind the wagons as the crazy Strak could be seen sweeping sideways like some sort of clown making fun of the fact it would soon be slaughtering everyone. It swept between the trees diagonally not straight toward the wagons. the wagons Kroy and Arzalek started to imitate the beast, which seemed to intimidate it. The beast slowed it's running down a little but didn't stop. Then with no warning the beast changed direction and simply ran straight for Kroy's wagon, Kroy had just enough time to call the men to adjust the wagon to meet the beast head on. The crash of the impact was mind numbing. The men on top who had let off three or four arrows before impact had partially blinded the beast disorienting it as it ran body first into seven very long and razor sharp spears, the impact had cracked through the protective façade most of the wagon was about to fall apart, but the beast was so dead there wasn't even a spasm. Kroy and Arzalek got the men together a Lecvillean painter was summoned and was told to paint the image of Kroy and Arzalek and their kill. The head of the beast was then sawn off. The hunting party repaired Kroy's Strak slayer and they all returned to Lecvillea to show the head of the Strak. There was a great party and King kroy managed to even relax a little. he then went to Novo Torun Tukron to show off the head of the beast and the people's response was very positive.
Two days of celebration followed and the shrines of Pienka were littered with flowers and Kroy was hoorayed wherever he went. Arzalek was also given special recognition by the Lecvillean lords.

Days later King Kroy and Arzalek met with Lord Prestepza at his small palace behind the town hall. He invited the two men in to have lunch and talk about how everything was going through the empire. Prestepza bragged that the three other towns on the western wall north and south of Novo Torun Tukron were growing and becoming prosperous because of his own management. He spoke to them of Biskupin which was the oldest of the three new villages. He didn't mention the fact that they were the biggest fish suppliers yet they were further from Vlanstead than Novo Torun Tukron. Nor did he mention the fact that exceptions were made for people of influence so that Prestepza could politic his way around the empire hoarding almost as much influence as the king himself. Though Arzalek and Kroy wouldn't have believed it, they had never thought of him as power hungry. They thought of him as an overexcited bureaucrat nothing more. The only thing that did bother Arzalek just slightly was the fact prestepza had his own personal palace almost as big as Arzalek's palace in Vlanstead.

Empire Wagron Sacred law

The only man who had been watching Prestepza carefully was Opanow. Of course Opanow was almost 50 kilometers south of Novo Torun Tukron but he had his own spies. King Kroy went back to where 500 slaves and twenty very talented engineers worked on his new palace. He would spend the next month working with them and making improvements and additions.
Arzalek went directly to Kopalnia which was becoming a real city with over 20, 000 inhabitants half of them slaves. Opanow had already been working on his own out of city settlement just for him his three generals and his lieutenants. Opanow was fully responsible for all distributions and application of slave labour so he had over a thousand soldiers who were all active in managing the slaves for mining, wall maintenance and other necessities King Kroy and Prestepza had in mind.
 Arzalek arrived at lunchtime in Kopalnia twelve guards were there to pick him up in a wagon that had been fitted with comfortable seating and a roof. He was then escorted to Opanow's own private village where slaves were still working on the roads. Arzalek would have felt it a decadence and a shame except for the fact that when he got to the top of the small hill overlooking the small village he saw Opanow himself working on the stairs for the front of his small castle. He seemed ashamed as Arzalek arrived, he pretended not to be working and scolded the guards for not warning him.
Opanow guided Arzalek into the castle and they both had lunch. After lunch Opanow reached out to Arzalek. "Arzalek we have never been good friends, but one thing is for sure, we don't like corruption, double dealing and dishonesty. We have always shared that in common. That and our dedication to our posts."
"That is true Opanow, although I believe you are much too cruel on your slaves and you do not train them as if they were human beings but merely force them to work, I would see better treatment of them, remember there will come a day when there is no longer such a need for slavery."
 "That is one of the reasons I called you here, I wanted your ideas on how I may be more fair.
 I will listen to you and we'll work together.
However right now I have some shocking news and I don't want to bother the King. I need to warn you of the fact there is a man of influence in our empire that makes special exceptions for sons of nobles who cannot pass the citizen law."
"That is impossible slaves must all serve the same sentence it has been Wagron Law since the days of Odwaga!!!"
"It is Prestepza!" Opanow shouted.
Opanow spoke in a tone quieter but more focused than before "Prestepza is giving western villages the right to fish the western moat to enrich their communities but basically the lords of those towns are all in allegiance with Prestepza! Kroy doesn't know anything but my spies have confirmed everything."
"Everyone knows the western moats are forbidden there is a creature there that devours anything that gets within meters of the moat."
"No no Arzalek, the creature has been dead for quite a time"
"Well it's just Lucky the lizards don't know then isn't it?"
"Um, local tales tell that they were the ones that killed it, they killed old Robur's beast, that is what my spy in Biskupin tells me."
"What do you want me to do? Go and confront Prestepza? Opanow you are mad if you think kroy will just believe all of this, I don't even know if I believe all of this."
 "Yes Arzalek I want you to send one of your own trusted men to see how things are actually done up there in Novo Torun Tukron."
"I will, and if he confirms it, we'll go to Kroy together and foil his schemes. I fear you are right though."Opanow could see that Arzalek had already considered it. So he asked Arzalek outright.
 "How so, did you see something when you were in the big city?"
"His palace behind the town's hall is opulent, it's interior matches the royal palace of the center city. He very well may be using his influence to give himself king status"As Arzalek finished his sentence he realized there was actually very little doubt that Prestepza was crooked. Opanow's tone changed. "The point is he's breaking Wagron Law and he should be killed the same way any of us would be if we dared break the sacred laws of Bellion and Odwaga!"
Arzaleks face turned red in anger "Of course I recognize that, it's the code I teach my soldiers, all of them, there is nothing more sacred."
They looked at each other in rage but instead of throwing punches they shook hands and looked at each other briefly Opanow said "In the name of Bellion!" Arzalek nodded and spies were sent from Vlanstead and Kopalnia to verify just how crooked their peer Prestepza really was.

Empire Wagron Dard's New test

The blue lizard walked with him through the jungle in the moist fresh morning listening to each other's thoughts a conversation started. It was Dard's thought that started it. "All of you want me to prove that I am trustworthy."
"Yes, we want to know how far you'll go to help us flourish."
 "How do I know you'll help my cause?"
 "Well, because Dard, they will never let you be, nor will they let us be, and if you want your mother..."
 "My mother has nothing to do with this!"
 "Wait Dard, so much anger, you know This beast I am can read your mind, it's what I am doing right now. But it's not about your mother, we need your kind to make us smarter, the lizards come down from the north every few months and attack us, the tigers and other jungle dwellers. They are coming not just because there are more of us now, they come because there are even bigger nightmarish creatures that move in the north and north west. Wagron walls and patrols make our lives even harder"
 "So you'll invade Kopalnia and help me save my mother?"
"Only after we attack the wall soldiers and their workers."
Dard knew it had to be done but couldn't imagine how he would bring himself to do it.
Before he could think or telepathically argue he was on the lizards back and heading for the western wall where slaves were repairing a section along the Southern half. He rode with seven large Agordon lizards.
As he rode through the jungle he noticed how truly beautiful it was, wagron scouts stationed in Biskupin would often return on long missions and talk about parts of the forest that were majestic. Most of the time scouts had to count on the fact any moment they might encounter a predator, they probably couldn´t really enjoy the scenery as much because of that. Dard did enjoy all of it though, he began to feel so at home under the tall canopy and between the lush under brush and trees, he felt a subtle joy growing in him.
As Dard and the lizards neared the moat, on the other side the wall they saw about 50 slaves and twenty soldiers working on the wall. There was a bridge about 500 meters down from their work site, but it wouldn´t hold the lizards, dard could feel that the lizards didn´t know how to swim very well and alot of them had developed a fear of the water. So Dard and the lizards kept walking down until they found a narrow part of the moat, lizards cleared the way to give themselves enough área to run and jump over the moat. As they did that, Dard crossed the other side by the narrow bridge and started to take out and break some of the sharpened stakes that protruded from the wall so when the lizards landed they wouldn´t stab themselves. Each lizard made it across the moat without any trouble, Dard was not known for his bright ideas but since he had joined the collective consciousness his mind seemed to recognize every useful memory. He communicated to all the lizards through his thought. "Stay here we are not so far from the soldiers, I will lure them down to you and you may devour them at will" The blue lizard hissed and responded. "What of the slaves?"
"The slaves will come with us, they will be very useful for our next missions."
Their was a wave of thoughts all saying "Why can´t we just eat them and be done with it"
The blue lizard grunted aggressively and went quiet. Dard could feel that his idea would work, before he went he looked at the lizards, how fierce and dangerous they really looked and how shocked the soldiers would be. "As soon as you see the guards attack them and eat them, they carry crossbows which can blind you or wound you mortally." The lizards gave subtle nods.
Dard walked up despite his ragged clothes now he still looked like a Lords son, he came up to the first guard who had already called out to the other guards, now all the guards on the ground were alerted. Dard spoke in an urgent worried voice holding his arm as if he had been attacked. "Guards a band of escaped slaves kidnapped me from Biskupin, they are only 1 kilometer down from here please come with me so we can apprehend them." The captain climbed down from the wooden scaffolding which most of the slaves were working on and took half of the soldiers with him. Dard swallowed back his fear "If we don´t persue them they will escape and cause more chaos to villages of the wall." The captain spoke quickly and authoritively "Exactly how far down the moat are they? And are they armed?" all dard could think of was extending his story but he decided to keep it as simple as possible just incase, he was really practicing lying for the first time in his life, he didn´t consider it real lying, Dard decided he was acting, something almost never practiced in Wagronia´s Kingdom. "They don´t have any weapons except for a few pick axes they took with them."
As dard and the soldiers walked the captain interrogated Dard further. "So how exactly did they kidnap you?"
"Well it's a long story my father took me to Kopalnia to see the wonderful mines and refineries there and..."
The next thing they knew lizards were on the men, Dard dodged out of the way and dived into the water. The soldiers hadn´t time to percieve anything, the attack was so sudden one of the older soldiers died of a heart attack before being gobbled up.
 One death cry was enough to raise suspicion though, and the other ten soldiers clambered down the scaffolding to run after their colleagues, this time crossbows fired and two of the lizards were badly injured before the other ten soldiers were ripped apart and eaten. You have to remember these were not battle hardy soldiers. These soldiers were the ones simply trained to hold down rebellions and drive slaves, they had never really even seen Agordons and the wall patrol guards hadn´t seen anything resembling a lizard pass by in months and almost in years.
Dard climbed out of the moat which was curdling red on it´s margins by all the carnage.Hhe walked back to appeal to the slaves, who had probably never heard of a rebellion before.
The slaves were all gathering at the foot of the scaffolding. Dard approached the fifty slaves "My name is Dard and I am liberating all of you." Dard waited for a reaction, the slaves were staring at him in fright, he looked at his clothes which were partly stained in blood, he never felt so powerful in his life. However when he heard breathing he turned around to see the blue lizard there, which would have scared the slaves half to death. "Listen, please don't be afraid of the Agordons they helped me to liberate you." As Dard finished his sentence he lay his hand on the lizards head to show there was no threat. "I would have all of you join me in the jungle north west of here, you will have shelter, food and protection. Those of you that choose to go back over the wall do so now because the wall patrol will be back shortly." One of the slaves responded "If we go back over the wall Opanow will have us killed, we have no choice but to follow you." Dard had not expected such a confident response from a slave and asked, "Who are you sir?" The man raised his head and said "I am Viart" Dard continued to probe, "What is that tattoo on your arm?"
Viart replied in ernest "I used to be a commander under Woorfrot one of Opanow's generals. Woorfrot was angry because my treatment of my slaves was more humane and our workforce was more productive. Woorfrot got Opanow's approval and I was dismissed, when I confronted Woorfrot I almost killed him, his guards arrived just in time. From that moment on they made me a slave." Dard was young but he could already see a plan forming, he ushered the slaves to follow as they started to walk down to where the corpses of the soldiers lay. "Viart will you help me guide and protect the rest of these men and join me to liberate slaves in the south?"
Viart spoke hesitantly "Opanow has more than a thousand soldiers how are supposed to achieve this?" Suddenly a thought appeared in his mind as if it were put there by some outside force, he looked back at the blue lizard, but the lizard looked away. "Viart, I myself was to become a slave and the only thing I learned from that was, people in Wagron question nothing and conform to everything it is their survival tactic." Dard picked up a helmet and a soldier's vest and started to put them on. He then continued to hint at an implication which could well have come from the blue lizard. "If I were dressed as a Kopalnian soldier, do you really believe someone would question that?"
Viart realized what Dard was saying "But it sounds too simple, too dangerous are you saying we take these soldiers vests march into Kopalnia and free the slaves."
"Viart you forget people do what they are told. And months from now no one will even remember the fact you all went missing! In some weeks you will train these slaves to become soldiers. We will live in the jungles with the lizards and then we will deceive the guards of the slave holdings in the south. We will free the slaves from the mines and return, if Opanow's army follows us, they will be ambushed until they no longer trust the sight of the forest. So Viart will you help me?"
"Yes Dard, but keep those lizards away from us please."
"I'm sorry Viart but you and your men will have to tolerate them, this is their land." The blue lizard stumbled off awkwardly as if he had understood the whole conversation.

Empire Wagron, Prestepza the terrible

Rodzina masto was a sparse network of towers, halls and large residences radiating from one central castle which King Kroy, his engineers and slaves had almost finished building it was called Kroydon Palace.
Rodzina masto was picturesque it had open fields, the part of the river that passed through the small royal city was pristine, it was upriver from Novo Torun Tukron. King Kroy was admired by all for his defeat of an eastern Strak especially by Lecvilleans, however he was like a distracted child at a time when he was needed the most. For there was deception in Wagronia's biggest city.
 Prestepza was extremely popular with both gentry and working class in Novo Torun Tukron. It was the first thing Opanow's spies had noted when they began their mission. Arzalek sent his own spies aswell and both leaders, Arzalek and Opanow worked together to get enough intelligence as possible about Prestepza.
As things would turn out Prestepza had his own intelligence, a group that he had started before Opanow and it wasn't a mere few spies. It was a network of spies that gave Prestepza power in trading and acquiring weapons and equipment for his city guard, which was an army much bigger than Opanow's and even more loyal to him.
Prestepza caught and won the hearts of the people in Novo Torun Tukron by giving speeches in the town square and hosting extravagant celebrations that would drive other towns' folk in the empire wild with envy.
 "I am your provider my people and it is true that I cannot provide feasts for you everyday, but for your great sacrifices to our brilliant empire I have provided a feast for you here today. Each and everyone of you is appreciated, my loyal soldiers and I will feel blessed to have you all enjoy this great feast." He gave a similar speech on every occasion twice a year. Even the hundreds of thousands of working class families had feasts prepared for them albeit smaller and often leftovers(unbeknown to them). And so Prestepza seemed invincible, atleast to Opanow and Arzalek's spies.
It was a week after Opanow and Arzalek's spies had united to exchange information and organize "Watches" when each one was systematically arrested. They were taken to an underground hall where there were cells prison guards and armed soldiers waiting. The constable ordered his soldiers to cut their ears off and beat them. They were refused food and drink for two days, then Prestepza himself dressed up as a guard and put all the prisoners in the same cell, one that his builders had constructed with secret holes, so conversations could be heard through the wall. It wasn't long before Prestepza knew everything.
He killed the spies outside the city gates in stocks which were rigged with steel spikes that would bleed the victim from the neck and wrists for a few hours slowly. He coincided their deaths with an invitation for Opanow and Arzalek to the city.
Opanow and Arzalek met shortly before reaching Novo Torun Tukron to discuss what they would do, both men were sure their spies had been caught. Opanow appealed to Arzalek "The only thing we can do is arrest him directly in the name of Bellion and take him infront of Kroy, then he will be disciplined." 
"That is foolish Opanow you know better than I that Prestepza won't have it. We should tell him the truth that we suspected him of illegal acts against the empire and that he should stop on fear of being tried a traitor."
"That's not really any better Arzalek, lets just go in with our own soldiers and see what he does."
Both men were apprehensive of what they might face.
The first thing that pleased Prestepza much was to see Arzalek and Opanow investigate the bodies of their spies in the stocks almost lifeless and completely futile to try to save.
They continued with their soldiers through the town gate where four very well dressed soldiers were there to greet them. "Lord Opanow and Lord Arzalek please step this way Lord Prestepza awaits you."
In Prestepza's own palace there was a feast. Prestepza was seated at the head of the table he didn't rise to greet them, he just simply gestured them to sit. "Thank you for coming, trust is a commodity these days so I sought the two of you out so we could build back some of the trust we used to know when we were younger."
Arzalek didn't let his comment pass without exchanging an implication. "Lord Prestepza if you have something to get off your chest, confide in us we are all ears." Prestepza remebered how he had ordered his constable to cut the ears off their spies and realized he was being made fun of, the loose smirk wrapped back into the tight lipped expression he usually kept.
"Lords I have nothing to vent, my life here is just business as usual, I am not the sort of person who gets distracted by gossip."
Opanow burst out blaming "We know you are operating by your own rules here Lord Prestepza, you are breaking Wagron law and it can't go on, explain yourself!"
"It's so funny to see the two of you together aren't you supposed to be enemies or something? And then you come here to my palace to accuse me of the absurdist things."
"We know at least half of what you've been doing, and those things are so shocking that we can't imagine how far it actually goes."Arzalek added.
"You know nothing. And that is how things will stay, you will not inform the king. You will enjoy your evening here at my palace and leave first thing in the morning."
Opanow reacted again "And just what makes you think you can do that, we'd fight our way out of your palace right now, we have some of our best men with us we have more outside ready to go directly to the king himself if we don't make it out."
"Opanow how simple you are my lad, I never plan to kill violent men face to face, it would be like taking the handle off a hammer. But I know some tools that you might want to keep."
Opanow passed a list of names to his servant who passed it down to Opanow and Arzalek.
"Friends, this list has 15 members of your direct family, great people who live under my protection, for the time being they have been detained. As long as you keep your lies to yourselves they will not be harmed."
Opanow and Arzalek grimaced, Prestepza was impossible to fool, Prestepza was always a step a head and willing to do the unthinkable to get what he wanted.

The next day humiliated and furious the two men went to Lecvillea with their military escorts. They went there to plan on how exactly they would draw Prestepza out and take any known friends and Family out of the great city.

Empire wagron: Dard´s Liberation

Dard would be responsible for starting a war with Wagronians. This would be the genius of Dard but it was almost as if half of his great ideas were coming through him from the Blue lizard. It was like the lizard was using Dard, however Dard knew very well the ideas were being elaborated with the help of the blue lizard. Dard knew that the plans his mind and the lizards mind were forming would mean he could save his mother and many other people who were enslaved to work in the mines. Dard and Viart trained the slaves for weeks with the weapons they had. They washed the soldier's clothes and steel chain vests and chose the slaves that looked the best to dress as soldiers.
Dard divided the fifty slaves up into five groups of ten. And assigned three lizards to each group.

Dard"s group went to the northern area of the wall just past Biskupin, being careful to stop before entering tiger territory. Dard dressed himself as the captain and set up some traps on the other side of the moat. He waited for the wall Patrol to pass in the late morning.
The ten wall patrol soldiers armed with very effective crossbows were talking when they came into view of the spectacle across the moat. "Horlpo, last month we did see a lizard, no one believed us. It doesn't really make a difference what you think we shot the beast with two bolts and..." Another soldier interrupted him " Look down across the moat there's a soldier, he's wounded."
The sergeant attempted to calm them down "Be quiet we will go down and investigate from our side of the moat." The squad went down through an internal staircase and came out of a small trapdoor 1 meter in diameter on the wall's side of the moat. They walked along the grassy verge until they could see the wounded soldier across the moat. "Let's get to the bridge" announced the sergeant.
The squad crossed the narrow rope bridge always looking at the water, despite knowing the local people would fish there they still couldn't trust what swam beneath. "I want you two to stay here at the bridge in case we have a lizard problem" The sergeant pointed at two of the men as he he took the other men with him toward the wounded soldier. And it started to happen horrifically, the sergeant and another soldier leading the squad fell into a bear trap and were impaled on short thick spikes, three of the soldiers tried to run back to the bridge and were hit by crossbow bolts to their throats and chest just as they came into view of their colleagues fighting off what looked to be men in rags.
Those men in rags were Dard and ten others. Three soldiers escaped into the forest but it wasn't very long before their screams could be heard echoing off the open jungle and moat and rebounding off the high wall. For the five groups of Dard's men the result was the same, not one wagron soldier escaped. Their clothes armor and weapons were taken, washed and mended.
Dard, Viart and the lizards had outsmarted and massacred all of the morning patrol squads along the western border wall luring them down from the wall with slaves dressed as soldiers pretending to be injured. Dard knew at this stage it would all be easy because nothing like this had ever happened to the Wagron Empire.
Dard met Viart and the rest of the men back at the camp. They distributed clothes, armor and weapons, there was more than enough for everyone. All men divided into two companies under Dard and Viart. The blue lizard followed Dard everywhere and both Viart and Dard knew that it was influencing their decisions, but it knew the jungles, the southern forests and Dard could feel it in his bones that there would be a natural symbiosis between them that would benefit both sides.

While Dard and Viart marched south disguised in Wagron soldier attire, Sierz and some of his captains from the wall spoke to Prestepza to plan vicious reprisal attacks on the western forest's lizards. Their first move was to fully man the walls with wall border soldiers and even Novo Torun Tukron police guards. Huge wooden and steel spear throwing machines were hoisted onto the wall.
Giant crossbows that required a team of three men to operate were mounted onto the wall overlooking the jungle.
However the blue lizard had already called his own lizards back from the wall, the beasts that roamed the parts of jungle close to the wall came from other groups of Agordon lizards, mainly grey wilder varieties that could survive without joining the colored lizards.

Dard and Viart traveled separately, but every few hours they would meet up so Dard could check Viart was close behind. Dard would translate the messages he was getting from the blue lizard and Viart would tell Dard if they were getting to close too Wagron territory which could mean scouts.
It had become dark and started to rain as Dard, Viart the lizards and the men neared Kopalnia.
The slave compound was easy to find, Viart knew exactly how to get there as they came into view of Kopalnia's village lamp light. Dard signaled to the lizards to disappear into the forest and stay behind the treeline. Viart ushered his men into columns so it looked like a realistic Wagron force arriving at the gates of the slave compound. A force of twenty heavily armed Compound guards marched down from the wall to meet Dard and Viart.
"Welcome soldiers of Wagron who are you and what is your purpose here?" Said the Compound's officer.
Viart replied "We are the inspectors of the compound, my name is Captain Fozem, bring out all of your soldiers for inspection.
"Under whose authority is this inspection to be carried out? We have never been inspected before?"
Viart spoke with more urgency in his voice, "Under General Woorfrot himself."
In the dark and rain The wagron officer could almost recognize Viart's voice in which case there would be a fight, one which Dard and Viart could lose against Wagronians well trained compound guards. But the Wagron officer was already convinced. "Guards come out for captain fozem's inspection immediately!" All forty of the guards presented themselves in rows outside the gates in the pouring rain. They had left their crossbows inside the walls of the compound, only holding spears. Dard and Viart gave the signal to their men, and their men shot their crossbow bolts into the guards killing half of them on the spot, at first everyone thought there was a rushing of water from the heavy rain, but it was the lizards coming in to finish off the Wagron soldiers.
Dard and Viart went into the slave compound and unlocked the doors, freeing all of the slaves. Dard spoke to them as they crowded before the gates. "Slaves of Kopalnia my name is Dard, you are no longer slaves! You can join us and live in the western jungles where Wagronians don't dare to go. If you do not join us you will be caught by Wagron soldiers or you will be hunted down in the forests and jungles. So join us Viart and I will lead you."
Dard, Viart, their men and the slaves marched out taking with them as much as they could fit on the lizards backs to build a settlement of their own in the west far out of reach of Wagronians.
However Dard was far from satisfied, he was desperate. The fifty men who now made up the small but organized army checked every single slave among the two thousand slaves. Paying special attention to the three hundred women. Dard double checked but couldn't find his mother among the slaves. He tried not to let it dampen his victory celebration feeling, but it distracted him. Viart questioned the slaves who informed him there were four other slave holdings in Kopalnia's southern region, that would now be impossible to break into. Viart was also informed of a new work site south of Novo Torun Tukron where King Kroy's new palace was being built. That was to be the place Dard was to be sent by his father Siwilna, where Dard would have had easier working conditions with the sons of other important Wagronians who didn't pass the citizenship test.
Dard did what he could to organize the freed men into groups that would carry the tools weapons and supplies west and then north back into the jungles. But sadness gripped him, he had never really wanted to liberate all those slaves he had just wanted to save his mother. He hadn't even noticed how the liberated men stared and flinched as the big Agordon lizards who had helped free them, crawled by. The blue lizard watched Dard intently as if he was reading Dard's emotions.

King Kroy's new measures

Opanow and Arzalek hadn't come up with a plan on how they could outmaneuver Prestepza when they were informed that King Kroy's envoys had arrived at the gates before the cave entrance of Lecvillea. "Greetings to you Noble Opanow and Arzalek we have been officially sent to summon both of you to the Kroydon palace in Rodzina Masto, there has been attacks along the western walls and a Rebellion in the south. Opanow your southern most slave camp was liberated, all the guards were killed and chewed to pieces, this is what General Woorfrot reported, he is also waiting for you at Rodzina Masto."
Opanow and Arzalek arrived at Kroydon palace, a gigantic castle whose finishing touches were being made, among other nearby megaconstructions King Kroy and his engineers were undertaking.
Both men met with their generals and organizers at the foot of the place entrance sparse and shallow steps. General Woorfrot informed them of all they knew as walked into the castle and into it's chamber for war. Prestepza was seated with two advisors at either side of him, he was trying to hide a smirk, which to Opanow and Arzalek made it all the more obvious. King Kroy didn't notice the strange reaction between the two parties and went right into his plan. "We believe the attack in the south and along the wall was lead by escaped slaves, escaped slaves that freed more slaves, this will slow down our progress for the next years. OPANOW where were you when your city and district were being breached?"
"I was in Lecvillea with Arzalek making plans for training exercises in the south" Opanow spat out without hesitation.
"I can attest to that your highness" Arzalek added quickly.
Kroy looked at both men suspiciously for a moment "So you two are working together? This is an odd affair!"
Just as Arzalek put tongue to lip to convince the king, the king burst out once again.
"PRESTEPZA, where were you when the western wall was being attacked almost a hundred soldiers have been killed or are missing!"
Prestepza hadn't planned on being questioned about any of the events following the attack near Kopalnia, as he was entirely sure Opanow would take full blame for not being present and taking action. The king pushed him on.
"Prestepza you were in Novo Torun Tukron when the attacks happened were you not?"
"Yes sire I was."
"So what action did you take to retaliate?"
"Sire we manned the walls with over a thousand troops and arbalest lance hurlers placed every 100 meters, as well as heavy windlass mounted crossbows for each brigade of men, if the rebels ever come close to the wall again they won't stand a chance."
"Prestepza did you pursue our enemies?"
"No"
"Then Prestepza it will be your task to pursue them now, hunt them down in the western jungles with your soldiers and resources of Novo Torun Tukron, Opanow and Arzalek will work on defenses in the south around Kopalnia where there is no wall to protect them."
The expression on Prestepza's face satisfied Arzalek and Opanow, and both men knew their job would be much easier than Prestepza's one.
General Woorfrot spoke up "My soldiers have reported evidence the lizards are working together with the rebels and escaped slaves, we'll need extra help."
Kroy's cringed "Not one of us is stupid enough to believe that General Woorfrot, Lizards and humans wouldn't work together, Agordons would kill and eat the rebels, the rebels must have gotten away before the Agordons came. Now General Woorfrot you are dismissed head back to Kopalnia and see that the other slave camps have sufficient defences and guards, Opanow and Arzalek will join you soon, GO!" Kroy was getting angry now, to him the notion of lizards and men was absurd.
Kroy had summoned Prestepza's subordinate Sierz to the meeting. "Sierz you will take half of Novo Torun Tukron's army and leave west of Kopalnia moving north west outside the wall. You will march from the southern forests north west into the jungles until you meet Prestepza, am I clear?"
"Yes sire, I will honour your command." Sierz knew he was being promoted, though he did his best not to smile or fall into Prestepza's glare.
Kroy continued his instructions with a map of Wagronia's western regions, "Prestepza you will march with the other half of the city's army up to the ruins of Ronoth.  Then march south west until you meet Sierz is that clear?"
"Yes sire" Prestepza already started dreaming of assassinating Sierz once he had marched the north western jungles. He couldn't stand competition for him there was no such thing as being replaced and would never accept losing control of Novo Torun Tukron and all the power it gave him.
Arzalek and Opanow left Rodzina Masto's wondrous towers, halls and pristine streets smiling ear to ear. They were planning to rescue their families as Prestepza went north.
Kroy himself went to Vlanstead where thousands of professional soldiers lived and trained. He informed Arzalek's lieutenants and extended their hours of training and difficulty. For the first time in years Kroy felt a tinge of uncertainty and promised himself he would be prepared for anything.
Sierz and Prestepza divided the city's military force and equipment between them equally. As much as Prestepza wanted to undermine the king and take the best soldiers and equipment for himself he knew that Sierz wouldn't trust him when they met in the jungle, trust that Prestepza would use to dupe Sierz and make his death look like the rebels or the lizards had done it.

Dard's Abraks

The lizards led Dard and Viart to an area in the jungle where the undergrowth was thick and difficult to pass through. It just seemed to get thicker and all his men and the slaves they had saved had come to a standstill. Dard suddenly thought to himself what if this is really an ambush. The lizards head moved around from where the lizard was positioned leading all of them. Panic never actually formed in Dard's head, he had just as much reign in the mind of the lizard and he couldn't sense any trace of treachery. The lizard seemed to smile, which made Dard ashamed. With the lizards long snout it lifted up part of a dead rotting log with bromeliad like plants covering it, more than three meters long and four meters wide. Underneath was a tunnel the lizards had abandoned years ago.
 "Viart start a fire and make some lanterns, we must lead our friends in here before Wagron scouts follow. While you do that the rest of our men and I will clear the tracks." It went unsaid, but Dard was the undisputed leader of the group, he was young and unexperienced but communicated with and trusted the blue lizard who was basically the shepherd of them all. Viart in his early forties and in the beginning had trouble accepting it, but it did become easier to take orders from Dard. Viart felt even though he couldn't communicate with the lizards they were his allies now, the way they had helped the slaves escape, even things like their gestures intrigued Viart. Both Dard and Viart had already begun to trust the lizards more and more.
Wagron scouts had been following at a distance, but by themselves couldn't continue into the jungles of the north. Big grey Agordon lizards patrolled the south western forests that lead into the thicker taller western jungles. The scouts had hidden up in trees giving the slaves and rebels ample time to reach their new home and settle in.
The network of tunnels the lizards had dug under the impenetrable jungle was impressive, there was almost enough room for everyone. However there were thousands of slaves that needed new homes. After Dard and his men covered their tracks, Dard supervised the digging to make sure there would be enough room for everyone.
Dard mobilized the slaves to digging and building in drains to reduce the rain water entering the tunnels, they dug a long corridor and at the end a huge pool where the water could be accumulated safely. Rooms were dug along the tunnels. An underground hall was dug so close to the surface tree roots could be seen coming through the ceiling.
Dard Called their new abode "Mirteed" Just 30 kilometers west of the wall dividing Novo Torun Tukron from the jungle.
A week later as the tunnels were being finished Sierz and Prestepza started their pincer movement outside the western wall. Dard declared a meeting in the great underground hall for all the men and slaves who had skills in fighting. There was only enough room for three hundred people and almost one thousand were present. Dard stood on the earth platform at the back of the hall looking out across freed slaves.
"People of Mirteed, The Wagronians from inside the wall will want to find us and kill us at all costs. The blue lizard..." As he spoke the words "Blue lizard" many of he men and women repeated it quietly but noticeably after him, as a reference of homage. Dard was momentarily surprised he hadn't realized just how much the people revered the lizards. "The blue lizard knows that the armies of Wagronia are trespassing into our jungles this very moment to find us and kill us." Short pause.
"You are no longer slaves! You are free people, You belong to Mirteed and the western jungles, You belong to the Blue lizard, you belong to me and I to you. From this day you will be known as the "Abrak". We will deceive the invaders and turn the jungle against them."
Dard then went about choosing captains, men that had shown bravery and courage on the march to the tunnels. Most of them were men who Dard had freed with Viart, they were the most experienced. There were five ex Wagron soldiers who had been banished for misconduct, two of them proved they were excellent warriors and extremely knowledgeable, they were promoted to generals.
Wagron people did pride themselves on having high intellect, culture, knowledge and sophistication. It was true, Skilled men were venerated given titles and special benefits but were obligated to teach. Slaves were cut off from all of that, slaves that exhibited useful skills were usually given a second chance and sent to Lecvillea to be reformed. But in general slaves had no access to the rich education the Wagron Kingdom had to offer. The motto was if you didn't show potential you weren't given the benefit of the doubt. So Dard exploited the ex Wagron soldiers as much as he could, and many young slaves learned how to fight well. It didn't come close to Vlanstead's military academy but it didn't have to, Abraks had the jungle which was a weapon in itself.
More reports came to Dard through the blue lizard that Wagron soldiers with heavy equipment were now inside the southern forests and sweeping north killing anything that moved.
With the weapons they had salvaged and a few they had managed to make out of tools Dard and viart assembled 10 fighting groups of thirty. Each fighting group was identical ten axe men and twenty archers. Viart forced the men to train at night.
It was simple and Viart had suggested it. "We must find their positions, wait until nightfall and exact as many injuries and casualties as possible." Dard looked at the blue lizard and then back to Viart "This is the best course of action." But Viart could tell it wasn't Dard agreeing with him it was the blue lizard.

Empire Wagron Contact!

Kroy had sent 200 professional soldiers to help Sierz advance from the south. Formations were staggered and soldiers from the back would swap with soldiers at the front to help the Surpon horses maneuver the mounted arbalest carts and other heavy repeater crossbows on wheels. Highly trained scouts went ahead to report any kind of ambush or the presence of Agordon lizards.
Sierz had cleared over a 100 kilometers of periphery forest and was now entering the thicker warmer jungle regions, two Agordon lizards had been killed and fifty or sixty smaller less dangerous creatures were also skewered by Wagron bolts and arrows.
On the fifth night of their campaign as most of the wagron soldiers including Sierz himself were incredibly exhausted, Viart and six groups of the Abrak fighting force assaulted the Wagron's makeshift camp. First sentries were killed by Abrak archers who had gotten incredibly close in the darkness, the alarm was sounded as at least two of the fifty sentries escaped with their lives and blew their horns to wake their comrades. Sierz was told by Arzalek if this was to happen, to let the trained soldiers lead his soldiers in defending their position.
Sierz acted quickly and saved most of his men, Abrak axe men infiltrated the camp and took a few wagron soldiers by surprise but they were no match for Arzalek's trained soldiers who despite the darkness would not get disoriented and knew exactly where the enemy was coming from.
Twenty of Arzalek's fine soldiers were targeted by Abrak crossbowmen and archers as the axemen tried their best to push the trained Wagron soldiers back so they could be taken from the flank.
It didn't work, trained wagron soldiers defended Sierz main army and themselves with big shields. Then when the Abrak men tired, the trained Wagron soldiers pulled out their swords and chased the Abrak offensive force into the night. Some of the trained Wagron soldiers found themselves separated and slightly disoriented once out of range of their camp's firelight, consequently they were snatched up into the mouths of Agordon lizards.
Sierz mobilized his full force into taking torches and manning the arbalest carts and firing the long lance like projectiles into anything that moved. they didn't hit anything but it kept the lizards from coming in too close. For Sierz and his whole fighting force it was a victory, the assault could have killed hundreds, but thanks to Arzaleks trained men and good instinct Sierz fighting force was intact.
Viart had lost more than 100 Abraks, although his small victory was that Sierz fighting force wouldn't be travelling with as much momentum now, and for Wagron soldiers nights would be times to dread.

Prestepza had arrived in the north at the ruins of Ronoth, his force was slightly larger than Sierz because he had done some secret recruiting. He had good equipment but he didn't have Arzaleks trained soldiers who knew the jungle and could communicate better with the scouts and prepare.
Although Prestepza saw it all as another opportunity to prove to King Kroy what a hero he was.
However the northern jungles were slightly harder to navigate and predators lurked everywhere.
Three of Prestepza's soldiers mysteriously vanished on the track up to Ronoth. The only explanation the other soldiers could give was that the spotted tiger had caught them off guard. There had been sightings of  large creatures watching them from the undergrowth.
 Prestepza didn't really care, he knew the real challenge was when he would have to embark south with his army to flush out the lizards and rebels. He had left a small amount of his weapons, food and supplies at Ronoth. He left some men there to rebuild tree top shelters, so he'd be able to return later. He assembled his men, horses and arbalest carts once again and outside Ronoth the next morning and headed off. The terrain under the jungle's canopy was terrible giant roots and hanging vines would slow them down.
Dard, twenty agordon lizards and seventy men had been following Prestepza's force since They left Ronoth. He had decided not to attack them head on, or even at night. Dard would kill them off very slowly from the flank and the sides.
 Dard's abrak force of seventy made matters worse for Prestepza by setting deadly traps ahead of Prestepza's force.
Prestepza wore very heavy embroidered armor as did his generals, they gleamed brightly whenever the canopy opened up enough for dappled light to pour down, alerting every wild creature. It was absolutely ridiculous, the noise they made trying to get over fallen logs or roots. Or out of creek bogs or valley ditches.
Surpon horses were heavily laden down with crossbow bolts, arrows and lances. Prestepza tried to pretend it wasn't awkward as he attempted to navigate the forest with his heavily laden horses and men. Every hour there would be a scream and someone from the front had been caught up, injured or even killed in a trap. Or someone from the rear or the sides had been picked off by Dard's cunning bowmen. Prestepza marched from the middle yelling and screaming "Advance men, advance we will seek out the lizard and rebel slave, shoot anything that moves". Prestepza's generals repeated the same thing, The two thousand soldiers pushed forward as best they could but the jungle was unpredictable and not easily navigated.
The reality of their misfortune was only really felt when the frontlines stopped in front of a creek that was just three meters wide, but it was at least five meters deep.  Prestepza's front general organized men to start building a bridge. However the sun was going down and it was beginning to get darker under the jungle canopy now. men half heartedly chopped at tree branches absolutely exhausted.
Hundreds of men lined up along the margin of the creek looking for a sure spot to lay down logs to build a bridge. The other side of the jungle climbed upwards, and they were at the base, Prestepza moved to the front to see why his force had come to a stand still.
He met with his general and they started talking when a diabolical sound burst down the valley and a huge eight meter long red and black colored lizard came racing along the side of the creek. Nothing looked or felt more horrific to these men who barely had the energy to lift their crossbows. As the lizard raced across the other side of the creek weaving between the trees and roaring a high pitched spine tingling roar, the Wagron soldiers picked up their weapons, set up the heavy crossbows and jumped onto the arbalest carts. Not one arrow got within a meter of the beast as it seemed to taunt the soldiers from across the creek. For the soldiers in their haste made errors when loading and firing, all soldiers armed with crossbows fired too early. it was just too much shock.
And the lizard looked to be enjoying itself, it climbed the hill a little provoking the men to draw their swords and axes to follow the beast, some of them were stupid enough. but because the generals had been busy supervising the men into building a bridge over the creek they weren't able to order the men to stay back Prestepza was screaming his head off as five men ran up and jumped over the creek to follow the creature. As they ran up the hill more and more of the soldiers whose curiosity had led them to the front started pushing men over the creek margin forcing the men at the front to jump across or swim across.
Prestepza and his generals screamed orders for the men to stay put, but there was a sudden chaos.
A whirring sound and deeper more horrific screaming roars cut through the air echoing demise all the way deep into the valley. Gigantic Jazurka lizards had started attacking the soldiers from the rear.
Absolute chaos ensued, most men just ran for their lives. Prestepza took off his armor told his men and generals nearby to follow him. he screamed for all of his soldiers to regroup back at Ronoth. And they ran into the jungle heading back to Ronoth as the better part of one thousand five hundred men got chewed up and killed by the Jazurka mega lizards, and finished off by Dard's Agordons and his patrols of crossbow men who had learned to follow behind the Agordon lizards and give support it's attacks by firing on the enemy before the Agordon made contact.
Prestepza and his men got back to Ronoth the next morning and spent the day resting and regrouping one thousand three hundred men were dead or missing, he now had eight hundred left.
Prestepza Returned to Novo Torun Tukron at night fall. Took all of his family, concubines and relations and the families and concubines of his generals. He told his soldiers to get their families and join him also.
He was stopped at the gates as he tried to flee the great city. It was very dark on the drawbridge leading up to the gate.  King Kroy had a brigade of soldiers working as security guards while Prestepza and his forces were gone. The captain announced in a high voice "In the name of King Kroy you may not leave the city with these people." King Kroy's soldiers held torches and swords as if they were all ready to fight. Prestepza slowly stepped forward right between the captain's sword and his torch. "Have you heard the name Prestepza before captain?"
"Yes, he is this city's governor he is fighting the rebels in the western jungles"
 "Well actually he is fighting some of King Kroy's most incompetent guards so he can leave this hell hole for good!" Prestepza's dagger fell from his sleeve and cut the captains face wide open. Prestepza's generals and Prestepza himself armed themselves with swords and made their way through ten of the guards with only minor injuries. The rest of kroy's brigade were inside the city and patrolling the western wall, Prestepza left the city he once governed, never to return.

Sierz progress was now snail pace, each time Sierz and his soldiers advanced they had to set up camp earlier making provisions and building up areas of defence. Every night lizards would come, Viarts archers would fire their arrows over the wooden defences. Sierz had to work extremely hard just to secure the camp.
Each day Sierz's force would move forward less than a mile. Lizards would flank the force every day and night attacking supply carts and forcing Sierz to scrounge what he could from the jungle.

Dard had returned to Mirteed underground village with loads and loads weapons, armor, shields and supplies they had plundered from Prestepza's defeat. Dard had returned with the red and black lizard who was not from the blue lizard's colony. The red and black lizard met the blue lizard, both lizards disappeared when they came back, Dard realized that the blue lizard was in fact female and the red and black lizard it's male mate now. He didn't realize the consequences as the space in the tunnels began to fill up with lizards from the north that followed the red and black male lizard. Instead of joining Viart to fight the Wagron soldiers who had breached the nearby areas of their jungle, Dard was forced to supervise tunnel diggers. Dard with the help of Abraks who had experience before being condemned to slavery, created furnaces for smelting metal, converting some of the weapons into tools. The lizards also helped by accepting great wide shallow containers on their backs to transport the earth out of the tunnels. Dard was slowly but surely creating a network of tunnels and drains so complex it was quickly becoming an underground city. One that would harbor both lizard and human Abrak. Viart wasn't far away but he and his now seasoned soldiers never dared to venture into the tunnels incase Wagron scouts spotted him.
Viart continued to probe the oncoming wave of Wagron soldiers with their professional soldiers who guided and boosted the morale of the inexperienced and almost untrained Novo Torun Tukron soldiers. Viart had managed to communicate basic ideas to the lizards, showing them that each time Sierz's Wagron force moved forward it would be time to flank the force.
Over the course of one month The flanking lizards were responsible for more Wagron casualties than Viart's night raids.
Just when Viart thought he was getting the upper hand Arzalek and newly trained troops came up from the south, they had new armor and crossbows. On their way to join with Sierz great jungle force they killed atleast five monstrous fighting Agordon lizards that had been at Sierz flank for weeks. Arzalek was born to be a warrior and a general and had begun his own campaign to back Sierz without King Kroy's consent. Arzalek knew Sierz wouldn't make it through as word spread across all of Wagronia that Prestepza had failed and fled. Arzalek knew the power of the ferocious lizard, the Agordon, he ordered attack groups of twelve to shoot bolts from their crossbows in separate volleys, three lines of four men. As the lizards advanced Arzaleks trained men didn't panic as the common city soldier would. The first line shot their bolts and formed a new line behind the last line reloading, as the lizard came into close contact the impact of the bolts would have slowed the lizards and partially stunned them, the last line of men would draw their swords and finish the beast.  They injured ten other Agordon beasts. Decimating the lizards southern flank and establishing a supply trail going from western Kopalnia all the way to Sierz position less than 10 kilometers from Mirteed Dard's underground city.
Viart arrived at the entrance to the tunnels with his new Abrak captains men who had fought fearlessly and aggressively against Wagron's best. Dard left the tunnels exhausted to meet his beloved general. "Dard it's good to see you."
"How is progress, Viart?"
"Not good Dard we have managed to slow them down but now a new force has come from the south, much hungrier to fight than these men in the jungle Dard The lizards have lost many of their brothers and sisters in the south where they were flanking our enemy."
"Viart worry less friend, for I have a plan that will cost them dearly. Draw the Wagron armies into a chase. Summon your men and the local Agordon that continue to aid us in battle, show all traces and signs of heading north west, lead them away from here Viart and into the thicker warmer jungles to the west."
"You mean to say retreat, Dard. This is cowardice we cannot be seen to do this. They will laugh at this when they regroup inside the walls of their realm again."
"No viart, no they won't the loathesome Jazurka beasts in the north west kill everything and if my friend the blue lizard is right, the jazurka is the least of their problems. Just move quickly Viart carry all your wounded there as far west as you can, leave them there and lead the rest of our army back to the jungles above Novo Torun Tukron where that fool tried to attack us."
"Do you expect me to leave our wounded fighting men in the western jungles to bait the beasts?"
"Yes Viart we must destroy most of their fighting force if we want to survive here in these jungles Viart. We are their greatest enemies and they will never stop, unless they understand the futility of fighting the bigger uglier predators, predators that couldn't care less if we lived or died. Predators that in normal times would attack our Agordon lizard hosts and protectors."
"No Dard I will not do it, these men have been fighting for months in the southern forests and neighboring jungles."
Dard looked at the captains, "Who of you will lead the scourge that hunts us far west into the mouths of the unknown jungle beasts residing there?"
Out of the five captains two stepped forward. Dard looked into the eyes of the Captain whose name was Bierack "Tell me Bierack how would you deal with our Wagron oppressors?"
"Oh lord Dard, why it is simple, hit and run until they lose their way."
Then he looked at the other captain whose name was Muloet "And how would you stop them Muloet now that Viart has promoted you?"
"Well lord by ambushes at points in the forest where they would be vulnerable."
"Bierack your idea appeals would you like to become our new general?"
"Lord Dard, if it is by your will."
"Why yes it is."
"This cannot happen, Dard I am the high general of the Abrak! You cannot replace me!"
"You are not being replaced we will need you to lead other attack teams on their supply lines"Dard's voice becoming more aggressive.
Viart starteted to raise his voice also "No I will manage all of this Dard I am commanding these men"
Dard shouted quickly and shrilly "Bierack you will be taking over Viart's operations if you can knock him down."
Without warning Bierack swung at Viart, Viart ducked and came up at Bierack with an uppercut, also missing. Both men were now throwing punches and parrying. Bierack kicked out Viart's legs in a surprise attempt to knock him down. Viart fell down and Bierack jumped on top of him punching him again and again, Dard signaled to Muloet and the other captains who quickly pulled Bierack off Viart.
Viart stood up quickly as if to prove that he was neither tired nor injured and stated matter of factly "You have betrayed me Dard I thought we could work together, but it seems you would rather kill me."
"On the contrary Viart you will be continuing the war in the south against Wagron supply lines like I said. If you disobey you will be killed, we are not here to argue but to survive the incursions of the Wagronians whose advances leave us less and less time to defend ourselves. Will you disobey us Viart when we need you more than ever."
The captains looked at Viart, ashamed he responded in frustration, "I will not disobey you Dard or our Abraks."
Dard turned and walked back toward the tunnel just as the blue lizard surfaced, it was almost like the lizard was coming up to confirm Dard was alright. Thing is Dard didn't need much defending, since he had started his crusade to free slaves and start an alternate civilization nothing seemed to touch him, in the few close counter fights he had been in, his awareness and confidence had been so boosted that not a blow was struck against him, and he would strike his enemy successfully each time either wounding them or killing them, always felling them. But it wasn't quite him himself that he had all this confidence in. It was the fact he had seen the future and he had these monstrous forest creatures showing the ugliest of violence to all of his Wagronian enemies.
Each time he had fought the Wagrons he had felt a strength that tingled in his stomach holding his heart. As a lad in Biskupin other kids would taunt him, he was nothing back then, nothing more than a slave bound for Kopalnia, now he had the kind of confidence, vision and strength to be able to go back and singlehandedly kill each of those childhood enemies as adults with his bare hands. He was ruthless and boundless and haunted a small space in King Kroy's heart.
He was the King's sleepless nights.

Empire Wagron Opanow's offensive

Opanow had acted fast, he had taken the acts of Prestepza more personally than Arzalek and as Arzalek was making the most of his talents aiding Sierz in a fantastic campaign against these rebels who called themselves the Abraks. Opanow had assigned General Woorfrot to manage the mining operations in and around Kopalnia's mineral rich countryside.
Opanow's army and escorts reached Rodzina Masto the royal district. King Kroy came out to welcome him. The men shared lunch and talked about the recent events that had changed Novo Torun Tukron. "Prestepza has fled, and my spies and scouts tell me he has ventured far north with his won army. With the rebels in the west, Prestepza will present another threat from the north, I promise you a man like that will not be gone for long. And when he comes back it will be for blood. I want to go north and hunt him down with my own army, we have new and improved armor and new weapons to test on these traitors."
"I wish I could just let you go out there and hunt him down, I am afraid there is too much for you to do here in our great Wagronia, so no for the time being you may not venture north."
Opanow's eyes focused he could see clearly into Kroy's eyes and he saw fear. A rage started to grow in the pit of Opanow's stomach it was Opanow's ambition not only to keep the engine of labor providing for Wagronia, but to protect Wagronia. And Opanow had no fear whatsoever. He only had ambition and a longing to see Prestepza put down.
Opanow's fist banged down on the lunch table, "Kroy you are only being informed! What have you done in the last three years beside build your royal district. If you do not start leading you will be forced to step down."
Kroy's soldiers tried to accost Opanow from behind but in the blink of an eye Opanow had jumped from his hardwood chair and used it as a weapon knocking one of the men to the floor and throwing it against the wall where it broke into five pieces.
The other guard drew his sword and said "Stand down lord Opanow, this is the king's chamber and you are refusing to follow his commands!"
"Guard if you don't surrender your sword this second you will experience a slow death."
The guard screamed and lunged at Opanow, Opanow stepped aside letting the sword come into contact with his body so he could grab at the base and tear it from the guard. He disarmed the guard leaving a mark across his breast plate, then he put his own personal dagger against the guards neck.
Kroy shouted and cursed "Okay you stupid idiot take what you need and go north! I have no idea why in bloody hell you couldn't just stay to your function"
Instead of responding Opanow just stared at Kroy in absolute disgust, he could smell the fear. Kroy reaked of fear. And Opanow had a sudden urge to kill him, instead he just stared at his eyes intensely. The king cried crazily again "Didn't you hear what I said you can go north."
Opanow slowly cut the guards throat open in front of the king. Opanow now realized that Kroy hadn't the stomach for his duties, Kroy had seen very little violence face to face.
Opanow waved his guards in. "Kroy you will wait for Arzalek to return from the west with his armies then you will be officially deposed."
Opanow's guards turned the palace into a kind of prison where supplies could come and go but Kroy and his family were incarcerated there.
Kroy pleaded for a while until he realized he was probably lucky to have gotten out with his life.
Opanow started recruiting from the next generation of soldiers being trained at Vlanstead, which wasn't many as Arzalek had taken most of them with him.
He then turned to Lecvillea where he managed to recruit a few hundred good men. He and his expanding army took supplies and presents with them to Novo Torun Tukrun which was becoming slightly chaotic after Prestepza had attacked and left.
Opanow arrived and was forced into the role of policing the city. All of his new recruits trained and not trained numbered almost a thousand, many of them incredibly young, but very resilient. Opanow sent them out into the city's market where thieves had begun looting the wares and produce traders sold in the town. Day after day the young fighting men made arrests and Opanow had the simple solution, "KOPALNIA" and off they were sent weekly escorted by Woorfrot's professional soldiers who would come up from the south to get them.
Opanow suddenly realized he was doing the work of Prestepza and the king. Nothing made him more angry. He recruited all young people who were not employed and had finished their basic steps in education. He set up training grounds outside the city of Novo Torun Tukron and summoned some of the trainers from Vlanstead to become part of the northern contingents training program.
The young people who had caught beaten and apprehended most of the troublemaking factions that had popped up in Prestepza's absence were now promoted and Opanow was bringing in the dozens of wall patrols that were responsible for watching the jungles on the other side of the wall. he sent his young promoted recruits there to watch and where possible attack any movement below the wall.
The dozens of men who had little to know real battle experience were to be retrained.
As Arzaleks and Sierz marched over Dard's territory and into the dangerous western jungles, Opanow began his military revolution in the north with two objectives, to establish order and to bring down Prestepza.

Empire Wagron Arzalek and Sierz

"They think we don't know about those larger monsters to the north and to the west, why do you think we haven't expanded there yet Sierz, because those creatures are almost invincible and will eat dozens of us alive before they go home."
"King Kroy said we must fight them to the death and hunt them down." Sierz bursted out saying.
"King Kroy would never have allowed me to give you support from the south, I came here because I knew you needed help."
"We can't just go back the King will hold us accountable."
"Let me deal with the king, now send a messenger east to Biskupin we must escape these forests as they expect us to head west like imbecils we will retire and regroup."
Sierz, disappointed and reluctant did as Arzalek had ordered. The week had been good less casualties good advances of many kilometers per day, but Arzalek knew something that Sierz didn't and he knew it by instinct, they were being led west for a reason. And Arzalek didn't want to be led anywhere especially not by his enemies.
Bierack continued small skirmishes on Sierz Wagron force just to check they were following.
So Arzalek arranged a small group of the weaker and fearful men to continue following to give the impression they were following. Sierz and Arzalek made their way back to Biskupin where one of Opanow's generals were to insure their safe entrance across the long moat and through the secret entrance in the wall.
Arzalek guessed there were spies in the jungle but he hadn't known that their escape out of the western jungles and through the wall had been observed by dozens of Viarts men, in fact as some of the soldiers were getting the last of their weapons and supplies, Viarts men fired their bows and crossbows killing a dozen of their men and seizing more weapons and supplies before the wall guards young recruits figured out where they were and started to fire back on them.
In all Arzalek and Sierz and their armies had survived most of the horrors Viart and Dard had planned for them. But the rebels had now obviously established themselves.
Sierz and Arzalek felt very uncertain about the fact that they never actually came into contact with the settlement, both men had seen enough of the jungle to know that their enemies were living there, and every square kilometer they passed had shown absolutely no sign of habitation.
This scared the shit out of Sierz and disturbed Arzalek aswell.
Opanow met them days later in Novo Torun Tukron which had now become a huge military center. Arzalek felt a tinge of envy as he observed the installations that his best friend had now set up outside the city. Makeshift barracks between houses in the middle of streets. Arzalek and Sierz left their armies outside the cities to aid the next weeks training.
They met Opanow who cried when he saw them. Absolutely overcome with emotion.
After greetings and stories of the jungle were told, Opanow informed them on the state of their king and of the need to arrest him.
Opanow then began explaining his plans to go north.
"Men of Wagron, we go north to hunt down and kill the treacherous coward Prestepza. He has fled north with remnants of his army to hide from us. I have many men ready to fight, most of them are in training but they are good soldiers, Sierz and Arzalek with your men combined we will find them and destroy them without any trouble. I have scouts in the northern jungles looking for them."
Sierz interrupted "Any sign of them there then?"
"No we can't locate Prestepza or his army in the north, but we will there is no where he can hide."
"What if Prestepza and his men were devoured by the northern Jazurka lizards?" Arzalek asked.
"No chance, we know the Jazurkas were involved in the battle prestepza fought against the rebels in the north for Wagron. Jazurkas leave plenty of evidence when they kill."
 There would be no safe place for dear Prestepza. Arzalek, Sierz, Opanow and the dozen or so high ranking men agreed that Prestepza would have to be found and executed before King Kroy's case was decided.
But before they left the cities and towns of Wagronia would have to be stabilized. New leaders would have to be promoted to maintain order. In Vlanstead, Rodizia Masto, Novo Torun Tukron and Biskupin.

Empire Wagron Prestepza's pride

Over the weeks that Opanow had militarized Novo torun Tukron, and Arzalek and Sierz were fighting in the western jungles, Prestepza had become restless.
His home in the canopy of the northern jungle was ideal, they had ample fruit and even edible vegetation from the canopy. They seldom had any reason to climb down to go hunting or exploring.
Something happened to provoke Prestepza, something happened that Opanow knew would flush him out like a hungry wolf.
Scouts Opanow had sent into the northern forests were patrolling every few days, and sometimes they would cross right underneath Prestepza's forest canopy fort. The scouts would move in groups of two and in the lonely quiet spaces of the jungle's floor they would often comment on Prestepza's failure to hold the north and his treachery In Novo Torun Tukron. Prestepza's own scouts often followed them and commented on what the enemy scouts had remarked.
Prestepza couldn't stand to hide, he deemed Wagronia a damned civilization that lacked the strength to dominate it's own surroundings. Prestepza hated Wagronia, hated Arzalek and Opanow. And kept a special loathing for Kroy the old King. He had felt duped.
He dreamed of recreating Wagronia by his terms in the northern jungles. Alas his will to come down and confront Opanow's scouts and fight them was stronger than to continue to work on expanding his village in the canopy.
So one fine morning just to satisfy his burning rage and lust to injure he descended from the canopy on a rope ladder and surprised two of Opanow's scouts. Prestepza knocked their crossbows out of their hands and stuck one of the scouts in the neck with a dagger, the wounded scout hobbled away desperately as the other drew his own sword and swung at Prestepza. Prestepza relished every moment, problem was the other scout was slowly getting away and leaving a terrific trail of blood.
Prestepza now dodged another blow from the scouts sword and wounded the scout in the ribs. The forest began to shake. The smell of blood had awoken the local Jazurka who was now running straight toward Prestepza and the scout. Prestepza called to his soldiers in the trees who helped him back up into boughs leading back up toward the canopy, out f reach of the oncoming beast. The scout ran faster than he had ever run in his life, he sprinted for three or four kilometers weaving in and out of the thick trunks of the northern Jungle. In the end it was no good, the Jazurka didn't even have to run at full pace to catch up, and the scout stood no chance as the creature swallowed the scout leaving some blood and a chest plate behind.
The other scout despite his wounds had made it back to a small camp where the scouts met near a hollow in a huge trunk where they could slip into if predators turned up and where they would sleep.
The fire was lit and there were four scouts still eating their breakfast.
"Help me I've been attacked, and I have found the location of the enemy. Help me get back to the city so we can tell Lord Opanow."
The scouts picked him up in their arms and bandaged his neck with cloth.
They made their way back to Novo Torun Tukron. After a few days of medical attention, the scout was summoned to speak with Opanow.
The scout sat down in Novo Torun Tukron's palace with Opanow, Arzalek and Sierz.
"My name is Spieg My comrade and I were patrolling the northern jungles when we were attacked by a maniac who came down from the trees. I am certain it was one of Prestepza's men."
Opanow questioned him "Could you find this place again if we were to go there?"
"Yes lord Opanow but these crazy people must live in the trees because the one that attacked us came down from the trees."
Opanow nodded "That's why we haven't found them until now."
Arzalek stood up from the table, "Spieg go to the townhall and make a map of the northern zone you were attacked in. Sierz you will make long shields that can protect us from any attacks that could be launched from above. Let me and Opanow talk."
Now Opanow and Arzalek were the only men in the room.
"We will finish Prestepza Opanow and then I would say you should stay in the great city of Novo Torun Tukron, you are the only one strong enough to keep order here."
Opanow looked at Arzalek, he knew in his heart the only other man who could replace Kroy was Arzalek. "After this is done you will be sworn in as King and Kroy will be executed.
Arzalek sent a messenger to his training lieutenant Kierowka in Vlandstead summoning him and some of the great armoured vehicles for war He and King Kroy had used to kill a Strak. Vlanstead and Kopalnia were now under the jurisdiction of General Woorfrot, nothing changed in Lecvillea where more than a dozen men managed matters concerning the town, agriculture and goods distribution over all Wagronia. Siwilna lord of Biskupin was now responsible for the western wall town's of Biskupin, the south western towns of Flutron and Pildod. Sierz took the position of mayor over Novo Torun Turkron. Arzalek and Opanow's captains chose seven hundred soldiers out of three thousand that had performed during during training. Kierowka had now arrived with five war wagons and other equipment. Arzalek, Opanow and their new army mobilized and left Novo Torun Tukron heading north. Groups of scouts ran ahead of them.

Empire Wagron Bieracks demise

Bierack had been leading Sierz small decoy group further north west. Bierack and his thirty men had been walking for days, they would camp at the top of trees by the early evening and hide whenever they heard something big approach, because they had been living with the Agordon's and used so many of the jungles aromatic herbs most predators just walked right through, the odd tiger, a few Agordons from another Lizard colony and yes the larger Jazurka lizard always making appearances at night. It's huge tail knocking trees it's foot steps vibrating through everything.
After a week of trekking into the thick and tall jungles of the north west Bierack sent some men back to confirm they were still being followed.
The men returned to Bierack a day later in an area of the jungle that had a high thick canopy almost like an auditorium inside, also the forest floor was bare and there were interesting rock formations within it. As Bierack looked around The men arrived to tell Bierack of what they had seen.
"Captain Bierack we've seen remains of the wagron soldiers that were following us the beasts of the jungle already got them! Hey does that mean we can go back?"
"Everyone get up into the trees right now there's something coming."
The men clambered up into the canopy of the trees until they were almost out of site from the jungle floor. Seven great lizards approached, one was the blue lizard the other lizards were different colors and shapes, one was longer and more slender but had more sharp spines protruding from it's back, another was fatter and almost took on the shape of a frog except for it's shorter legs and fat tail.
Bierack and his men looked on in awe as the lizards took their places each one sitting on each rock in the rock formation as if it were their own very board chamber.
"Hey Bierack why aren't they talking?"
"Shut up idiot do you want to get us killed?"
But it was true the lizards weren't making any kind of noise, it seemed there was no communication whatsoever, but the way they turned their heads and sometimes nodded gave them the feeling they were actually having an in depth discussion about something very important.
Then Bierack literally wet himself as he noticed the colors on the Agordons Lizards bodies were moving and changing, on the body of the blue lizard Bierack could see a churning of purplish tones across it's chest and back. The other Lizards seemed to reply with blotches of red, yellow and green.
Bierack thought to himself these Agordon lizards really do have their own agenda and it might not include us in the end. Three hours later the lizards waddled off into the jungle. Bierack was forced to keep his men up there all night.
The next day Bierack got down from the tree he was in and landed on the ground almost losing his balance. In front of him was Dard "Dear Bierack you had no idea did you? This is the heart of the Agordon empire and we are just guests."
 "But My king I fear they will not take our interests seriously."
"That does not concern you Bierack you are a soldier your purpose is not to question how things work here."
"But I saw many different kinds of Lizard and I believe they all represent different regions of the west, northern and even east jungles, we need to tell our people to leave."
Dard stared into Bierack's green desperate eyes.
"What are you doing?"
"This is so strange please stop lord Dard I will tell no one."
"Ohh ahhh noooo"
Dard had entered Bierack through his eyes and wiped his memory, but in doing so he had also wiped his personality.
"Now Bierack I want you to return to the camp with the men and prepare a celebration there"
In a toneless broken voice Bierack responded "As you wish King."
Bierack as a person would never resurface, his men thought it incredibly strange, they almost gathered the courage to talk to Dard about it. But one of the men remembered seeing Dard out of the blue talking to Bierack when they were stuck far into the west. It soon spread in the ranks of fighting men that it may just be a good idea to mind one's own business.
Though Dard knew about the fact Agordon lizards from distant territories met in places in the western jungles to dispute territory hunting territory, exchange information, debate problems they all faced, help each other if necessary. And the Wagronians were just one rival to the Agordon on a very very long list. Dard was not concerned with Bierack he admired his ambition but could feel how limited he was, ambition without creativity is either a recipe for great evil or stupidity.

Empire wagron: The chase

Arzalek and Opanow had surrounded an area of the forest they agreed Prestepza was hiding.
It wasn´t until soldiers from the northern group started falling that they realized the notorious Prestepza was there high up in the trees looking down on them. Arzalek withdrew his men from the northern most point, as the casaulties reached the high twenties. Opanow had found a way up into the trees. Arzalek sent fifty scouts to stay hidden and report back if they saw any sign of Prestepza´s escape.
The light was dim on the ground through the trees and every few minutes another wagron soldier on the ground fell by the arrow. Opanow and his men got up to the canopy where there were narrow wooden platform bridges going from tree to tree until a small tree housed village became evident.
One of Prestepza´s soldiers had noticed Opanow´s arrival into the trees, from the South. And he was sprinting along the narrow platforms to catch up to the rest of the Prestepza´s army to warn them. Opanow chose his best sharpshooters and ordered them to take down the rapid running soldier.
The soldier wouldn´t have had to run another twenty yards and he would have warned Prestepza about the invading tree bound force.
Arzalek continued to guide his men slightly South to where opanow had made it into the trees. As he did so Prestepza´s force continued to shoot arrows down at them.
Opanow had landed on prestepza now not giving him enough time to break the bridges which were firmly built into the large spreading trunks of the surrounding hundred or so huge trees.
The first volley of arrows coming from Opanow´s bows were highly effective at breaking Prestepza´s morale and making his soldiers run in panic.
Prestepza didn´t hang around to fight though, he ushered to some of his officers and even fighting men to make a break for the ground and escape.
Opanow already had his sword in hand and was fighting through Prestepza´s determined guards. Arzalek noticed the tides had turned as more and more of Prestepza´s men were falling from the canopy to the ground.
Just as Arzalek stepped up to follow Opanow into the trees he saw one of his scouts arrive, he ushered him in.
"What´s going on? Arzalek spat out quickly.
"We have seen Prestepza, he has just landed on the ground, him and a small force are heading north eastwards will we follow?"
"By Bellion we will!!" Arzalek signaled to his officers who signaled to their detachments. They would pursue Prestepza through the north eastern jungles at any peril!
Arzalek chased Prestepza through the trees with his whole army. Prestepza was down to about fifty men and some of them were unarmed by this point. Prestepza hadn´t counted on being attacked by opanow from the tree tops. The only thing on his mind now was escape, but to where?
 The chase went on, Prestepza and his men running at a fast pace.The jungle´s trees not as tall as they were, and then suddenly a pack of big agordon lizards crossed their path, Prestepza didn´t even draw his sword he told the men to keep running. Two of his men were scooped up into Mad agordon mouths. And then the lizards disappeared.
But the lizards hadn´t disappeared at all, they had caught Arzalek and his Thousand odd soldiers giving chase and were burrowing into their frontlines sometimes breaking their limbs and tearing their armor. Arzalek ran to the front with his officers and gave the order to shoot arrows at anything that attempted to flank them or catch them off guard. Arzalek had a very lightweight but sturdy shield, four times he was knocked to the ground by the one grey Agordon he had confronted. His officers struggled on, but Arzalek landed nasty blows all over the beast and within minutes of fighting the beast wounded and squealing took off. The Arzalek took another one on. The officers saw the way he dodged the lizards tail swings and lunges. It was louder than a rally cry the officers and brave men of the front line attacked the lizards simultaneously carving them up.
After the fighting was done and four huge lizards lay motionless and bloody, Arzalek set fires and the men ate what they could from the succulent meat in the large three meter long lizard tails.
By the time Opanow arrived to the battle scene the best meat was gone. Arzalek saw the injury on his shoulder.
"Opanow you got hit by a bolt, did you take it out yourself?"
"Sure did,lost a bit of blood though."
"Can I trust you to take most of my army back with yours tomorrow morning?"
"What are you talking about,? I have as much claim to killing Prestepza as you do?"
"Which is why we´ll try to bring him back alive."
"Do you expect me just to go back to Wagronia?"
"Unless you want to leave the rest of the wounded here to die? You have been wounded what do expect?"
Opanow caved he was exhausted from fighting in the trees and his muscles wanted nothing better than to get back to civilization. "Okay but if you kill him. i want his head."


   





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