Chapter 1; The importance of Strategy
My little Charr: Technology is magic
Chapter one; The importance of Strategy.
I do not own My little pony; friendship is magic, and nor do I own Guild Wars 2, Hasbro and ArenaNet have those honours.
War.
War is the lifeblood of the Charr, our culture, our very lifestyle surrounds around war. That and technology, but war nonetheless. From birth our cubs are put in fahrars to train in warfare to test their mettle and ability, and if they are fit for war. Otherwise they are put to other uses, like farming.
Some would call us barbarians, savage beasts that should be put down. The truth could not be any farther. We are not barbarians, we killed our gods. We are not savage beasts; we are a civilized war race. Yes, there is a difference. It means that we don’t live in huts made from dirt and horse fodder.
To be more correct, we are more civilized than most races. We are centuries ahead with our technology, warfare tactics and most other things that most races require magic to do.
But we are not a unified race, not by miles. Right now, our race is divided in four legions, or factions as the other races call it.
Blood Legion: my legion, my family, my life. Remember whe ni said that war was a charrs lifeblood? That goes doubly for us. The blood Legion is the main military power of the four legions. Our way is war, ferocity and our motto is *Victory at any cost*. We worship battle, we breathe death and eat fear to breakfast.
Iron Legion: the tinkerers, scientists, tech freaks and artillerists. They created all of our war machines, and they are devoted to advance Charr technology until there is nothing more to advance. As I said, tech freaks.
Ash Legion: Spies, saboteurs, scouts, information gatherers, you name it. If it requires subterfuge, they are the ones to do it. Well, there is really nothing more to say about them, so I won’t.
And finally, the Flame Legion.
The Flame Legion are the previous master legion that ruled the others with an iron claw. They were the shamans, the so-called *spiritual leaders* of our race. Well, that was until we kicked their asses out of Charr territory. One could say that they were the reason we are called barbarians and savage beasts. And right now we are at war with them, and it’s not an easy war, since many turns tail and joins them for different reasons. Traitors.
Well, that’s enough history for now, I think Dinky is sleeping from lack of attention. Dinky is the only guardian Charr under my command, and he is the better for it. Sure, he might be a little special, not having all the cubs in the fahrar, but he is a massive morale booster for my small army with his humorous nature and just being special at times.
Anyway. Back to business at claw, for we have a war to win.
I am Centurion Sharrak Bloodclaw, and this is my messed up story.
“Centurion Bloodclaw, what are our orders?” a female asked me. I was a little startled, but I hid it well. Being in my position, I have to show that I fear nothing and am the biggest and baddest. I must’ve doused off, all this waiting around for tribune Rytlock to bark his orders. As of right now, I have six warbands at the ready on the brink of infighting because they are waiting for orders. And to make it worse, three of them are blood, two iron and one ash. And this is not something I want to deal with right now. I opened my eyes and looked Kreeva Scalefur in her eyes. “Legionnaire.” I acknowledged simply.
She shifted a bit at me avoiding the question. “Orders, centurion?” she asked again.
I rose up from my chair, staring her dead in her eyes. That lovely shade of bright green, trying to stand stoic in my presence. Well, it would’ve worked if I wasn’t two heads bigger than the average charr. “What of them, legionnaire?”
“Do you have any of them?” she was looking a tad bit suspicious, as if I was hiding something. Oh Kreeva, always the inquisitive one. I stated the obvious. “If I had any of them, wouldn’t you have heard them?”
She flinched back at the obvious statement, and by bothering the commanding officer for no particular reason. Normally this would be a problem, but I knew Kreeva since the fahrar. We were in the same warband, Claw warband, and when I left for centurion duty she got the mantle of legionnaire. I still think that she hasn’t forgiven me for that. “I’m sorry for bothering you centurion, but the crush cubs are getting downright annoying right now, talking about taking an initiative and “scout” ahead of the main force. I told them to sitt down and shut up or I would geld them for insubordination.” Ah, the crush cubs… annoying little pests. Sure, they might have been adorable as cubs when they wanted to brave the crypts, but when they grew into adulthood, it just turned downright annoying. Yet today I still wonder why they didn’t go gladium and start adventuring instead of conscripting into my old warband.
“This is… most troubling.” I replied.
Kreeva snorted. “That’s not the bad news.”
“Oh? Pray tell, what might be worse than the crush cubs adventuring spirit?”
She snorted again. “Scorchmaw is questioning your leadership and wants you to step down.”
Scorchmaw.
“Well, seems it’s time for an coincidental inspection of the troops and give a lesson in discipline, don’t you agree Kreeva?” I said as venomously gentle as I could. No one questions my leadership capabilities while having none of their own, and telling your superior commanding officer to step down is just asking for trouble. Kreeva nodded and grinned. Evil woman.
As we left my tent that was strategically located on a hill I was hit by a smell.
Death. Fire. Hate. Disgust.
War is a wonderful thing.
The grunts camp was located directly beneath the hill, giving me complete overview of the troops. They were all gathered around the camp plaza, as we called the huge space in the middle of the camp. The walk to the plaza was short and swift, I didn’t want to have them feel like they were being ignored by the top cat. Unsurprisingly, they had created a podium where Scorchmaw was having a speech to the troops why I should be replaced, why they should mutiny etcetera. Time to blow the party. Every one stopped talking when they heard my stomps behind them. Yeah, full plate and two heads bigger tend to make the ground shake a bit. Kreeva would’ve said that I had gotten fat.
Their stares gave mixed messages. Some had fear, some resent and some had a disbelieving look, wondering if it was real or not. I held my hands behind my back to look more intimidating and serious, but also to show that I had no fears traversing this sea of mutinous charr. Unsurprisingly Scorchmaw was giving me a glare and speeching. “See who comes out of his nest! The coward is finally showing his face after a whole day of NOTHING!” he shouted. Well, he had to make sure everyone heard him. I just stood there silently and stared at him, making him even more aggravated.
“Answer us this “Centurion”, why are you holding us here? Don’t want us to charge those flame traitors o that they can surprise attack us with your help? We demand an answer NOW!” he was practically screaming now.
“You want to be centurion?” I asked him, as gently as I could.
His jaw dropped. “Wha…?”
“You want to take command? You want to conspire against me? Start a mutiny to take my command for your own? A little over ambitious if you ask me.” I replied to his jaw dropped reply, although I wasn’t done yet. “Call me a traitor do you? Well, if you want to be a centurion so much, I will accept your challenge.”
He was speechless.
I laughed. “first you challenged me, and now you’re speechless? What did you expect? That I would kneel down and beg for my life?
If that is what you expected, then I am disappointed in all of you.”
Most of them snorted, some huffed and some cracked knuckles. Scorchmaw finally shook himself out of his trance and talked.
“Very well then, let’s fight!” he said has he pounced at me.
The whole affair was laughable. The only one that wasn’t laughing was Scorchmaw, mostly because he was biting dirt right now. When he rose up, I grabbed his throat and threw his across the plaza. The whole “fight” lasted an hour, and all the while we were “fighting”, the troops made bets, and Kreeva was the bet maker. The fight was just me punching, kicking and throwing Scorchmaw around. Well, what did I expect from an elementalist. Sure, he might have a knack for fire and air magic, but fighting claw to claw with a master of arms, who also has years of experience, is just asking for trouble. But I was surprised by how long he lasted, almost a little proud.
When the dust had settled, he laid there, broken(mentally) and beaten. I walked up to him, kneeling down and whispered to his ear. “Surrender?”
He gave a light grunt, and nodded. “Surrender.”
I smiled at him. “That’s a good boy.” I stood up and walked away towards the podium, and when I stood up on it I shouted. “All that questions my authority has a right to do so, but do not think that I will let it go unquestioned. Besides, we don’t have the time to bicker amongst ourselves! WE have a mission to do, and I’ll be damned if we won’t make it with exceptional success!” My charr soldiers cheered at me, all the while some looked at each other and snarled, not liking the idea of teaming up with the other legions.
Maybe I should explain my situation. First off, I am a proud Blood Legion charr and let no one fool you. Second, when I became a centurion I was offered to join the Vigil, and I did. After several long and arduous battles, and after I wasn’t needed any longer, I retired back into centurion duty. Third, while in the Vigil I learned the power of cooperation, and when I returned to the Black Citadel, the Iron Legions capital, I brought my case to the tribunes and the iron imperator, the Iron Legions leader, that the charr would be stronger and better if the legions teamed up together and formed one single legion, with a council of three imperators. Fourth, they only half listened to my proposal, but I think that the ash tribune actually listened, and discarded most of my ideas, although the ash tribune convinced them to try and mix warbands from different legions that I would then commandeer against the a flame legion stronghold. And then we’re here, already bickering amongst us before we even had made one attack. But I’ll straighten them out sooner or later.
Sure, we might not have any orders, but if the grunts get this worked up by not doing anything, maybe I should MAKE orders…
“Alright soldiers, listen up!” I shouted again, gaining the small army’s attention. “Tomorrow is a big day, for that is the day we burn some traitor scum!” no small amount of cheer was given that night. “And when we burn them, we’ll remind them of what happens to traitors who join a lost cause! Spit it in their faces, stomp it in their chests and burn it into the very earth!” the cheering got higher.
“And when we’ve burned down every single bit of their so called *stronghold*, we will send a message to all charr, that it was the
Bloodclaw regiment that sent these traitors to the mists! That it was through our combined strength that we utterly CRUSHED our enemies!” that made the cheers echo into the night, probably reaching the flame hold, and hopefully sending shivers down their spines!
But pep talk can only last so long. “Rest now my soldiers, for tomorrow they shall feast on our BLADES!” That earned a very high “Huah!” from the soldiers, and they saluted and went back to their tents. Now there’s only one thing left… “Legionnaire Scalefur! Report to my tent ASAP!”
“Yessir!” she shouted back, almost gleefully.
As centurion Bloodclaw and legionnaire Scalefur walked towards the centurions tent, the soldiers stirred in the camp. The Gear warbands legionnaire, Kershok Gearclaw, stood at the tent opening and fixed his engineer monocle. He then chuckled. “Sooo… who’s betting on makeup-sex?”
The soldiers pulled up their pouches and started counting their coins.
As dawn arrived, the plaza was filled with soldiers, all standing in on a row, split into their warbands with their legionnaires at the front of the row. Earlier that morning Kreeva came down from the centurions tent, and the soldiers grinned but didn’t say anything. When the centurion later came down with a grin on his battle scarred face, there were many a rustling of coin pouches, and some moans of defeat. Sharrak Bloodclaw tilted his eyebrows, staring at the row of soldiers with a curious look. “What’s so funny?”
Kershok stepped forward. “Just a little friendly bet, sir.” He replied with a grin of his own.
Now the centurion was interested. “Oh? And what might this “friendly bet” entail?”
Kershok didn’t panic. Kershok didn’t flinch. Kershok didn’t sweat. Kershok just stood there and laughed, being completely unprofessional, much to the dislike of the other legionnaires. “We were just betting on if you and legionnaire Kreeva here had makeup-sex or not.” The other legionnaires groaned, feeling ashamed.
Sharrak stood still, staring at Kershok with a dead look. And then he proceeded to laugh his lungs out. The rest of the small army soon followed, with Kershok laughing the loudest and hardest.
“I don’t understand! What does “Make-up sex” mean? Is it sex you make up, or are you doing make-up while having sex? And what is the funny thing about it?” Dinky blurted out when the laughing had died out.
“Dinky, don’t ever change!” legionnaire Scalefur replied, wiping a tear from her eye. That earned a smaller laugh from the small army. Dinky just looked confused, but didn’t say anything more.
After the laugh attack died down, centurion Bloodclaw cleared his throat. “Today, is a great day. Today is a good day. Today is a day we shall relish. Today is the day we crush the flame legions hold of this region!” the soldiers cheered. “But that is not all, for I have a dream. A dream that all legions except the flame legion will become a joined force of unstoppable power, able to overcome any obstacle.” The soldiers tensed and one could see the uncertain looks they were giving each other. “I have a dream of a united charr, an unstoppable charr, an technologically advanced charr. A charr that surpasses the other powers in this world. I have a dream that blood, ash and iron will hold hands while stomping on those that would oppose us! This task force, this small army of ash, blood and iron is the first step towards a united charr. The tribunes and the iron imperator might pretend to listen, and then laugh behind my back and call me a lunatic, but I WILL show them of how wrong they are. I, no WE, will prove them wrong! This attack today will prove that ash, blood and iron CAN work together and triumph! And we will show these traitorous bastards that when united, we WILL crush them! WE WILL destroy them! And I tell you, I have a dream. A dream where the charr pummels the fire legion down into the ground so hard that the mists will have a problem collecting them! Today we shall crush these maggots, and we will do it the charr way!” I paused for dramatic effect. When they stopped cheering like crazy, some smarty asked with an uncertain voice. “And what way is that?” that earned him two smacks to the head from his right and left. Bloodclaw just chuckled. “With a big BOOM!” he shouted, earning laughs and cheers from his small army. When the soldiers toned down, on voice could be heard from somewhere in the back. “Bloodclaw, Bloodclaw, Bloodclaw…” it started small, with him and a couple more, but soon it became louder and louder as more charr joined the chorus. Soon it was an all-out choir of charr shouting out “BLOODCLAW, BLOODCLAW, BLOODCLAW!” While slamming their weapons on the ground and stomping to match the rhythm. Even Scorchmaw was shouting and stomping almost zealously
Centurion Sharrak Bloodclaw was on the verge of tears, feeling an overdose of pride and joy. There was something about a mixed army shouting out their commander’s name that wouldn’t do otherwise.
Centurion Bloodclaw cleared his throat. “Enough shouting soldiers, we have a job to do and we are going to do it damn good and with a loud boom!” the soldiers cheer to that. “Alright, I want Gear and Oil warband on the ridge raining bombs and bullets on the bastards. Smoke warband, I want you to sneak in and plant explosives while those flame traitors are confused. Claw, Steel and Tomb warbands are on the front, ready to charge when the gate explodes. Get to work people!”
The rows of soldiers dispersed, everyone preparing to do their job. The Gear and Oil warbands gathered up their mortars, turrets, snipers and rifles and powered up their tanks. Smoke warband gathered at the other end of the camp, going through their plans. Claw, Steel and Tomb sharpened their swords and cleaned their rifles and polished their armors. After an hour of preparation the charr soldiers were in position, with Gear and Oil on a ridge overlooking the flame stronghold, while Claw, Steel and Tomb were behind a hill, ready to start the charge. Smoke could not be seen anywhere, just as it was supposed to be.
Centurion Bloodclaw on the other hand…
Sharrak Bloodclaw was standing on the no-man’s-land between the hill where the blood legionnaires were hiding and the flame stronghold. He stood there defiantly, shouting at them. “HEY! Flame assholes!” There was an instant reaction within the stronghold, with flame soldiers manning the walls. “Who the hell are you?” someone shouted back.
“I am the one that will teach you louts a lesson.” Bloodclaw said, grinning.
“Oh yeah, and what lesson would that lesson be?”
Bloodclaw raised his hand and pulled down all of his claws, except for his thumb and tilted the hand so that the thumb was hanging in the middle.
“What happens to traitors.” He then dropped the thumb down, emitting the sign language for “No”.
That’s when all hell broke loose.
Bombs fell from the skies and bullets ripped through the air, decimating the wall forces instantly. The destruction was immense, but the wall and gate still stood defiantly, withstanding the punishment from the mortars and cannons. Then Bloodclaw raised the hand, holding his thumb towards the skies, and the artillery barrage went silent.
(Inside the stronghold)
The explosions stopped, and everything went silent. Almost too quiet. “Is it over?” someone asked, no one answered. Every flame legion charr went out towards the wall, checking on the damage.
Surprisingly the wall still stood, and the gate was battered but still holding. But there was something wrong with it all, the whole scene. The charr walked closer to the gate.
What is that light that looks like a burning thread that seems to lead to several high ordinance bombs?
(Back to Bloodclaw)
*BOOM*
The gate exploded in a rain of cinder, sulfur and flame magic, most likely Scorchmaw’s doing. He always like to infuse his bombs with different elements, mostly fire though.
That was the signal for Claw, Steel and Tomb to charge, although Gear and Oil couldn’t refuse a chance at a glorious onslaught. Of course, centurion Bloodclaw lead the assault, the first to enter the stronghold and the first to draw blood. The bombardment didn’t count.
The battle was a slaughter. Although, the flame traitors deserved worse. Blood and Iron charged the compound, killing anyone that made resistance. The push went straight into the heart of the compound where they halted. They thought that the entry hall was supposed to be filled to the brim with flame legion charr soldiers.
But the whole central chamber was filled with females and cubs. One thing they hadn’t expected. There were some males, but they were hugging their family members hard, and everyone were pushing against the inner wall.
A line of Iron legionnaires was formed in front of the terrified charr, ready to shoot at their commanders order.
Bloodclaw cleared his throat. “I will give you an ultimatum. You either accept defeat and come with us to the Black Citadel and face justice, or die by the firing squad.” He wasn’t grinning anymore.
At that instance, Dinky came running over, with some kind of strange totem that seemed to glow with the different colours of the spectrum. “Dinky, what in the hells is that?” Bloodclaw asked.
“I don’t know! That’s why I came to you, because I thought that maybe you knew!” he panted. The totem was glowing bright. It seemed to be shaped as some kind of mismatched creature, most likely a chimera. Although, there was something wrong with it, like it didn’t belong in this world… The totem shone brighter and brighter, looking like it was going to explode.
Bloodclaw’s eyes went wide open. “Dinky, get away from i-“ there was a loud bang of colours, and then everything went black.
