👑 👑 👑 Chapter Fifteen 👑 👑 👑

The Mountaneer Calvary

[Deamonia]

The next day at sunrise, they were awoken by the rumbling sound of armoured cavalry. The clinking of armour, cracking of horses and yells of men came from what appeared to be the forefront of a massive cavalry. They rode in, most of them ignoring the - quite obvious - bridge in favour of wading through rivers and trampling on vegetation. The entire Mountaneer Cavalry came to a halt at the entrance of the grove as the captain ordered a halt.

”Ho! This is it men! I told you! Who is paying me first now!” The mountaineer captain boasted, atop of a grand white-maned horse. “Estrelle never loses her way! Right girl?” The horse neighed.

Hescor rolled his eyes and stormed up to the group.

“Could you not trample our food source please!”

General Harper and Mountaneeir King Radan strolled up alongside Captain Deus on their mountaineer steeds before addressing Hescor.

“You must be that Hescor fellow from the letter,” King Radan said as he looked around, the servants were scrambling trying to salvage what was left of the fruits and vegetables. The mountaineer horses were bigger than normal ones, so they did twice the damage on the land. “Forgive my men, they tend to be a bit… temerarious while riding the cavalry.”

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The mountaineer group was camped on the east side of the grove. Which became the loud side.

“Eh! Come here beautiful, I’ll take you for a ride, comeres!” Their men were actively trying to flirt with the servant girls.

High Queen Deamonia walked across the grove, accompanied by Arthur. She stopped at the edge of the mountaineer camp. All the mountaneeir soldiers looked her way and saluted her.

Mountaineer Captain Deus noticed her and stumbled up to her. “Hey, what's happenin' General?” His arms were wide open as he was already drunk.

“Deus. You look like you're doing well.” High Queen Deamonia said.

“Oh, trust me, I am! You see these boys!” Deus flexed at her then pulled his sword,the large great sword had a crescent shaped tip. He spun it around before swinging forward.

Deamonia felt the pressure from the attack hit her. She brushed it off and almost didn’t even notice Arthur got blasted to the ground, with a dent in his armor.

“Meh, could be better.” She shrugged.

“I heard about that giant attack, if only you were riding with us, we woulda killed those giants without a single casualty. That’s right, our riders are stronger then they ever where!”

“Is that right, Deus.” The frost queen didn’t like that drunken remark.

“Damn right. My warriors… are the strongest… this age… has ever had!” he proudly declared between hiccups.

“Then, how about a wager?” She looked at him in the eyes

“Wager?” Deus was interested, “I like where this is going, what's the wage, my Queen?”

“Although it is true that mountaineer soldiers are naturally stronger from living and training in the mountains, strength isn’t limited to brute force.”

“Aah.. What's your point?”

“My knight here verses two of your strongest warriors, and to make it fair, no weapons.”

“HA! You really think your leash knight could beat two of my best warriors?!” He turned to his men, “You men hearing this?” All were gathering around as things were heating up. “And what would the wager for this ludicrous bet be?”

“Your horse.” The majestical horse standing in the back, near Deau’s tent was deus’ most prized possession.

“My Estrella!? And what are you going to bet that’s equal value!?”

“Gold, land, favor, name your price.” She said straightly.

He eyed her up and down

“My price? Are you sure about that, because you won't find a liking to my wager.” As he grinned with a laugh.

“It's fine by me.”

“Very well, Deamonia, when I win you shall bestow forth your honour to me. If I lose, you will take my legendary Estrella.”

“Deus, how dare you disrespect High Queen Deamonia?! Would you like further demotion?” King Radan had stormed from his tent with his guards. He looked at her Majesty.

“Your Majesty, I apologise for my drunken captain's behavior.” The young King apologized.

“It's alright, Radan, as intolerable as it sounds, Deus and I know each other well, we’ve scraped knuckles a few times in the great war. I'll accept his bet.” Deamonia said over the crowd.

Deus turned to his men, “Alright! Men, who amongst you wishes to fight for my pride, Estrella?!”

The men raised their fists and cheered.

Deus looked around and made his choice. “Ursif… and Deek, you two will fight.” The two men stepped up, they were bigger than the rest, they were extremely muscular, and had veins exploding on the surface of their skin.

“Arthur, you will fight on my behalf.”

“Of course, Your Majesty. Arthur stepped up and began removing his armor pieces. Revealing a skinny and lean body.

Deus was taken aghast, “This is the knight that fights for your honor? If you really want to lose, why wager in the first place? You could have pulled me to the side and asked!”

“Well see about that.”

Arthur removed his armor until he was just in greaves, chain linked pants and a leather shirt. He said nothing as he stepped up and raised his fist towards the two men. The area was surrounded with spectators from all sides; they were all in a big circle around the fighters. Deamonia backed up and so did Deus and the fight began.

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Ursif and Deek put up their fists and approached Arthur on both sides.

Ursif threw a punch at Arthur, who promptly and easily blocked said punch. Ursif pushed, and Arthur gave a little ground.

Deek went to attack and the same thing happened. Athur blocked it and slid back another inch.

Deek jabbed at Arthur a few times and Arthur maintained his defence. Arthur made no attempts to dodge or counter attack, he simply maintained his defense while Ursif and Deek took turns slamming their fists into his forearms.

“You scared to fight, kid!?” Not like you can do anything against these steel bodies of ours!” The pair kept pounding his block one after another.

“Looks like you’ll be bowing to me tonight, My Queen!" he burst out laughing, "I told you this was insanity!”

Deus taunted her from the other side of the Arena. The fight continued, it was even becoming boring. For only one side was attempting to fight. Boredom ended when Ursif lost patience.

“Better watch out before you break those weak arms of yours!” Ursif flexed back his arm for a powerful enough blow to break Arthur’s block.

Arthur finally made a move. With unmatchable speed, Arthur dropped his block, grabbed Ursif’s arm mid punch and used the extra force to lean back and throw Ursif over his back. Ursif’s body slammed into the ground and Arthur gave one swift blow to the side of his head, knocking him out instantly.

Daemonia’s knights cheered as the mountaineer group was still in shock about what happened, then they started to scold Deek.

“Finish him off, Deek! Stop messing around!” The Mountaineer knights cried out, stunned at this sudden turn of events.

Deek regarded Arthur with a serious respect now. He switched his pace, moving faster and not over extending on any attacks. That was not enough. Arthur, having switched from a defensive style to an offensive one, began pushing Derek back. He attacked, dodged, and countered, making sure that he was in perfect rhythm. Deek was no better than a punching bag.

“Don’t you dare lose to him, Deek!” Captain Deus shouted and bit his lip.

The pressure was getting to Deek.

Was he really going to lose to this skinny knight?

Deek waited for his own opening and found it. When Arthur went for a powerful blow to Deek’s gut, Deek blew air out of his nose and Arthur’s fist slammed into what felt like rock, a tiny crack was heard as his hand exploded In pain he backed up holding onto it.

“What’s wrong, little knight?” Deek’s body looked darker as he went on his own offensive now. Deek’s abdomen was rock solid, and his arms looked like boulders. With this newfound strength, Deek went on the offensive. It was now Arthur's turn for a beating.

Arthur was already slowing down and Deek pummeled him with raw power. Arthur couldn’t trade blows and when he attempted to block, Deek’s fist broke through his guard and hit him in the face. The Mountaineer knights responded with roars and cheers as Deek seemed to gain the upper hand.

Arthur slid back a few feet next to Deamonia. There was blood on the ground Coming from Arthur’s nose.

“Damn earth magic.. not even Ares would result to using that in a fist fight.” Arthur complained.

“He’s not invincible, Arthur. That magic only works on his muscles.” Deamonia noted.

Arthur glanced at Deek and knew what to do.

“Understood, my Queen.”

“That hand looks a little shaky there, kid," Deek sneered before continuing, before boasting once more,"What are you gunna do, now? You can’t fight no more!”

Arthur flexed his left arm and air began swirling around it.

“A magic attack? How cute.” Deek looked at the arm.

“If you want to use magic, then so will I.” Arthur scoffed at him.

All Deek had to do was block. Even if it was magic, his muscles would stop it and then, after the attack hit, that was when he would finish Arthur off in one blow. Deek prepared for his big counter attack; the muscles in his arms hardened to match steel.

Arthur finished flexing his arm and ran at Deek, this attack looked big, the wind was growing larger and larger as he ran.

“Theres no way a weak knight like him can break through this unbeatable block!” Deek slammed his arms together. Everyone heard the power of the resounding earthly block. If Arthur’s attack failed to break through it. It would be over for him.

Arthur yelled loudly, air now violently swirling around his left arm.

Everyone watched closely, the cheers died down as all wanted to see the climax of this magical fistfight.

Arthur’s fist slammed into Deek’s block.

Silence followed,

No magic shot out. The wind died. The attack was feeble and Deek absorbed the blow like nothing.

“Finish him!” Deus yelled.

Deek was going to ram Arthur with a devastating counter attack. But, Deek wasn't moving. Something else had hit him.

Deek’s eyes teared up and his voice went up a few notches. Arthur’s knee was connected against his groin. The running start wasn’t for his fist; it was for his knee. Deek sank to his knees while holding his manhood to assure its existence. Arthur then upercutted him, the magic went off this time; a huge explosion shot out from his fist, blasting Deek up into the air before he fell back to the ground, got knocked out by the impact.

The Regalian knights all exploded in cheers.

“Rrgg dirty tactics!” Deus yelled.

“Nobody told you that you could use magic.” Deamonia uttered as half the crowd was cheering, “I'll be taking that horse now.”

Deus was mad and about to cry, “No.. My Estrella, my baby.” A warrior brought her out to him.

“A wager is a wager, or are you not going to own up to it?”

“Aye, I know the damn wager and I intend on keeping it just give me a moment.” he looked at Estrella and whispered to the horse wiping her mane before walking her to Deamonia.”

“I want another wager after the meeting, double or nothing you don’t even have to bet anything.”

The queen took the horse. And handed the leash to her other knight

“Hmph, maybe if i'm in the mood. We’ll see,” She was satisfied with this.

The horse was legendary. Twice the size of a normal horse, it was covered with muscle and had a dazzlingly white mane, she would almost be tempted to keep it at the end of the day.

Arthur picked his armor back up and returned to the Queen's side once again, holding the armor in his arms.

“Good work, Arthur, I knew you could pull it off.”

“Thank you my Queen, I would fight for you no matter the odds- OW!" he winced in pain.

She looked at his hand.

“Here give me the armor, then we can take a look at that hand.”

“Your Majesty, I cannot allow you to sink so low as to carry my armor.”

“Don’t be stupid, I know your hand is broken and putting pressure on it will make it worse! Tch, and a broken nose. Would you like to carry the armor yourself, and lose that hand or give it to me and be able to fight again.”

“Alright, fine.”

Deamonia took the armor.

“The title of High Queen does not bar me from assisting you.”

The legendary horse Estrella jumped up, getting scared of something, something that appeared to be all around them.

“Woah girl!” Deamonia settled the horse.

Invisible insects appeared from camouflage and were all around the area, the ones around the frost queen was kneeling to her.

“So it seems the insects are here now.” Deamonia noted, “Hello, Chief Elder Ulthaz’d, I see your stealth warriors have improved greatly.”

A big insect with a crown made of bone appeared, bowing his head, his wings glittered and adjusted before going into his body, his mouth changed and clicked until he spoke their language.

“Czerec-click-Hih Queen-click..click.. no need for the compliments You're not fooling anybody, it is obvious. You are suppressing your power to prevent any problems in the grove. Otherwise you would have sensed us a mile away.”

“How flattering. How are the chieftains fairing?”

“About that, I'll need to speak to you about them later.” The chief moved closer and nearly whispered, “I hear your daughters are receiving special training, from a certain sect. I'm interested in seeing the results.” He cackled at her as if knowing some hidden secret.

“Sorry to call in favors of your family. But, the nobles' skirmish will be rough, nothing but the best will have to do.”

“I understand, no hard feelings.” The chief said, “They will need all the help they can get because our little warriors will be undefeatable.”

“How about your daughter, will she be participating as well.” The queen followed up with her own question.

“Depends on her mother. She doesn’t want Lunari to clip any wings. Sensitive, that one.”

“I understand, wings are important to the moth race’s magics.”

Everyone has arrived in the grove and were in their own camps, Hescor told them the meeting will take place at high noon.