>>5215887>>5216126>>5216487>>5217556>>5218379You've been here before, more than once. So you look up. Both ridge lines of the pass are filled with the indistinct shapes of Ard Negh warriors, assuredly armed with bows as well as the axes favored by the savages. If you dismount the knights, you think you could handle them, but casualties are a certainty. It would certainly be an ignominious start to your tenure as Captain-General to diminish your forces over some northern blood feud before even arriving at your destination. So, knowing how these savages can claim some primitive sense of honor, you find your solution.
You step ahead your companions and draw your own weapon, placing it before the man's axe in the ground between you. Alys gives you a questioning look and Friedrich scoffs, motioning for the knights to dismount before you hold up one arm to hold them. Bardus sounds panicked.
“My Lord!?”
You ignore him and address the Ard Negh instead. “I am Lord Uilleam Campbell. Is single combat an option?”
He laughs, his blood thirsty grin spreading nearly to his ears. “By the Gods, ye southern dog, it is damned preferable. I am Chief Domlech of the Avech Clan. I accept yer challenge and by the cairn you no doubt denied my brother, ye die this day!” He launches himself toward his planted weapon, and you do the same for yours. This is the ancient custom of his people, and one the northern duchies have seen fit to borrow for their own. Blood enemies, your people share this along with the tartans you both wear over your armor.
The first meeting is a shock to the senses. He lacks the enhanced strength of the boy Reiji, but this man is a veteran and skilled plenty to make up for it. His scraggly beard has a fair shock of gray to it, and you would put him ten years your senior at a minimum. Knowing how his people live, that is a lot of combat experience over the years. You absolutely must take this seriously, and balance caution with the confidence every warrior needs. Back-stepping from a heavy overhead, the snow begins to swirl thickly around the both of you, no doubt obscuring the clash from the watchers on both sides. His silhouette in the snow cloud shifts and you wait for an opening.
