The white and dark ones

Chapter two
Boris. A chieftain of the dark lands

Warriors cheered as the fight neared the finish. There was blood poring from both combatants, they circled each other searching for a weakness.
“Finish him Dumek!!” Yelled someone from the crowd. Neither fighter acknowledged Anything in the crowd so close was this semi final.
One warrior grit his teeth and forced the attack, battering at his opponents weapon and forcing him back nearly out of the circle.
“Go on you got him!” Some idiot yelled from close by. Zackamus my oldest and only son stood by watching closely. The boy was friends with both and had high bets laid on one of them. The stupid child, one of his many flaws was this stupidity and I only had myself to blame. I should’ve raised him better then that.
“It’s a Close fight chief, who do you think is going to get the win?” Julik commented looking just as interested.
“Who cares! I’ve seen it all a hundred times, it won’t matter one bit in a moments time” I grumbled.
Julik turned and looked at me and I ignored his side stare. Even Zackamus heard me, however he only gave me a tiny glance so engrossed was he that he didn’t want to miss anything in the fight. I had more important things on my mind, the future of our tribe was at stake and the bloody eclipse loomed over my head like an evil cloud.
“What’s gotten into you? This was your favourite tournament before the last eclipse and you usually love this fighting over the eclipse leaders?”
“Nothing!” I said slightly hostile, I couldn’t confined in him such weakness. The shaking in the hand had began as a joke to myself and as I’d lost nearly all power in the same arm. My fears had grown and now that the shaking started in the leg and now I know my time as chieftain was at an end.
That in itself would not of been a concern, however the timing couldn’t be worse. Zackamus wasn’t a yet leader at all, his sister Jennilea had a better head for it but she was all about structure and rules. She would control Zackamus like a puppet and she would definitely side with Bowhowler.
Anger consumed me for a moment. The fucking Bowhowler. They were destroying the culture behind all our people, forcing sides and if the rumours were true enslaving our own people. The story was that the chieftain Risak had offered to join forces with two other chieftains and had promised them all sorts. Stupid men, he now had puppet chieftains in their place and had all three tribes under his thumb, plus they were strangely dead, well done.
With that power he was bullying all tribes now and it was working, they gave him men and he left them alone. Luckily I had an ace in the pocket an alliance with the Voldar tribe and their chieftain. They were a mighty bunch and feared by all other tribes.
Would Mortard the king of the Voldar honour him and keep that alliance with his son? I doubt it. Cheers Erupted as the victor stood over his opponent and Zackamus jumped a little, obviously very pleased.
Many eyes now turned towards me and as expected I spoke.
“THE FINAL WILL BEGIN SHORTLY AFTER A WEE BREAK” I shouted.
I turned around and walked on into a tent with warriors all around me, some I’d known my whole life and some young enough I could’ve fathered them myself. Hell some I actually have a chance of being their fathers.
We sat down and ate and drank our ale as we aloud the semi-finalist to recover.
“What’s going on Boris? You are in your own world, I’ve not seen the like before” Julik said curiously. I shook my head annoyed. He shouldn’t still be asking questions especially with so many around. Colin who was to his right even looked a little disturbed as he pressed me.
Suddenly my youngest daughters came through the flap. Many eyes turned towards them, both were beautiful and nearly identical. They were deep in conversation with each other and in their own we world.
They strutted across the room not a care given for those around them.
A couple of young male warriors approached them as they grabbed a bite to eat. The oldest of the two looked a little pissed off as they tried their hardest to engage the younger one in conversation.
All the boys wanted to get in good with the chieftains children and many had tried with her over the years and now were trying with the youngest. One was getting a bit close to the younger of the two. Suddenly the older one slammed her foot onto his foot very fast and gave a sharp shove, sending him toppling into his buddies.
I chuckled a little as they giggled and walked off pointing at the fellow. He looked furious but no one would dear pull a weapon or start anything with a chieftains child in their main tent under their eye. Not that they would need any help. Both were very deadly and the older one of the two was the fastest most accurate killer he had ever seen.
She would’ve ruled well, I thought sipping on my drink. She was just too young and she didn’t want to upset her dumber older brother. Suddenly a young confident warrior approached me, one of Zackamus’s close friends.
“Chieftain, will you be joining us on the eclipse war?” He asked casually. Someone would’ve put him up to this, maybe Zackamus. I stared at him hard and let my anger show. His face dropped and his eyes showed fear.
“NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS CHILD!” I shouted and I reared Up and stared down the boy and he put his head down and looked away at the challenge.
Everyone wanted to know. Another day or another mood that would’ve gone a lot better for him I thought as he walked away. I sat back down and sipped away at my drink again, no one saying a word to me now.
The problem was, I didn’t know. If I stayed my body will crumble and the memory of me will be of a crippled old man. I knew I didn’t have much time. If I left I would be leaving Zackamus to lead and the tribe could go to possible ruin.
“LET THE FINALS BEGIN” I shouted. Cheers erupted, I wanted this to be over. I carefully climbed to my feet, making sure I showed no weakness and got moving.
We gathered outside and a circle was made around the fight ring, which was in between the huts. I looked around and many crowded the trees above, looking down from houses and stairways.
Both warriors walked into the middle and drums began. The choice of blunt weapon was presented and one chose a long pole, while the other used a huge near tree trunk. He was a large warrior I thought.
They bowed to each other and then it began, the smaller of the two danced away, dodging big swings and keeping a decent distance.
“The smaller one will win” I whispered suddenly to Julik. He looked at me surprised and a little confused.
“And I will go for the battle of the eclipse”
He nodded and appeared to relax and then I continued.
“I wish to take our forces to the land of the Great Wall and kill their giant leader” I said with a smile. He turned towards me and had clearly forgotten about the fight.
“What? All that way? But Boris, they are the best equip out of all the realms and they fight dirty. Not to mention the giants are formidable opponents and this one is legendary!”
“Quiet yourself. It is decided, you will accompany me as will my second youngest daughter” I said as I watched the fight and clapping as the smaller one smashed the big mans legs out from under him.
He nodded and looked away. He knew what I was planning. It would be suicide and I was planning my death.
The smaller man finished his opponent off knocking him out cold and the crowd went wild. The winner would be pronounced war chief for the eclipse and only I would get a say over him, such was the honour of the the tribal tournament.
I looked over towards my daughter and had a moment of regret where I wished I’d been a better father, then maybe they all would talk to me still.
If she killed the giant then she would definitely be placed at the top for leader of our tribe and being a woman wouldn’t stop that after such an achievement.
I just hope my death with drive her to seek him out and kill him.
All my life I’d ruled how I live, freely and the way out will be the same.