Deity 2.317

Viggo was facing an army. He stood out for his great stature, for his red hair and, above all, for the turquoise armor with golden edges. Even the runic mount paled in comparison to the beauty of dwarf royal armor.

Viggo advanced through the desert in his mount while the army fifty meters away stared at him in shock. Even if there were kings, even if there were great warriors in the wilderness, none could match Viggo's vision on his armor and on the rune mount.

The army was composed of a hundred warriors, many of them covered by black robes to avoid the inclement desert sun. Most were on horseback, some with spears and shields. Others with swords and shields.

A man of great stature was at the head of the army. Tall, stocky, brown skin and hair with dreadlokcs. He wore a reinforced leather breastplate and a black robe underneath.

Viggo kept advancing, but no one came looking for him, challenging him, or shooting arrows at him.

Viggo stopped ten meters away from the army leader. Behind the latter was the army numbering in the hundreds.

The military leader had a hairless face and tanned skin.

—Hello— said Viggo.

—Hello, foreigner— said the army leader in a neutral tone. He watched Viggo everywhere thinking he was some kind of God. It wasn't mortal, that was clear. He emitted an aura that the kings of the desert already wanted to have. He had never encountered a god, but his senses told him to stay calm. Then, as he catches Viggo's gaze more closely, he notices the golden iris. That made him afraid, and his heart began to beat harder. However, as a man with dozens of battles in his body, he remained calm and was glad that he did not give the order for arrows to be fired.

Viggo smiled as he felt the reverent fear in the warrior's eyes. When you've fought a lot of battles, you know when to listen to your gut and back off. Only a madman or a desperate person would dare to defy death.

—I come from the underground city— said Viggo.

The military leader frowned but remained calm and quiet.

—I wish you would stop thinking about that underground city— Viggo added.

—What do you offer?— asked the military leader, his horse becoming restless, but firmly holding the reins and continuing —I cannot turn a blind eye. Behind this army there are families to feed, regardless of my own army—

—How many years have you been fighting, warrior?— asked Viggo.

—I learned to wield the sword before I spoke— he replied.

—And what have you gained so far?—

—That...—

—Most likely nothing— said Viggo, got off his runic mount and the horses of the military leader and his men became nervous. Some neighed and wanted to move away, but the desert warriors knew how to maintain control over their mounts.

Viggo touched the runic mount and vanished leaving a medal that traveled in his hand. Viggo looked at the desert warrior and as he planned it, he emitted sunlight all over his body. Its mere presence was more incandescent than the sun itself.

The horses neighed, some threw out their riders, but others were able to maintain control over their mounts. The military leader was one of them along with his closest ones while many others were thrown by their mounts.

The military leader looked at Viggo with his hand in front of his face. One part of him wanted to run away as quickly as possible, but the other wanted to see what was going to happen. A god had appeared in the forgotten desert, in front of his people.

Viggo decreased the amount of sunlight to the point that it was a kind of golden covering over his armor. His face and red hair were visible.

—I, Viggo Dragonroad, king of the gods, need an army, will you serve me?— ask Viggo

Those words penetrated deep into the military leader's mind. The very presence of Viggo wrapped in the sunlight armor was frightening, sacred, perfect. As an all-powerful god of war and destruction. However, he hadn't been leading his tribe for that long for nothing.

—God— said the military leader, got off his horse, which was very frightened. The mount, which was usually faithful, ran away at full gallop. The military leader didn't pay attention to him and tried to step forward, but the heat Viggo emitted in his sunlight armor was unbearable. Then he realized that under Viggo's feet the sand was turning red, as if a powerful fire was melting it. The military leader held his position, with his hand over his eyes to protect himself from the powerful and continuous light —God, my people, I cannot let them starve and follow you. If there were mercy in your heart, if there is a room for kindness. That's all I ask—

Viggo smiled and dimmed the sunlight until it transformed into golden rays surrounding the turquoise armor. The heat and light decreased, but the sand under Viggo's feet was still red and emitting a lot of heat.

—Of course, I will provide your people with food, shelter and all the necessary things, but you will have to work. You will live with me in my city, and you will be my army— said Viggo.

The military leader stared at Viggo and smiled.

Viggo advanced through the hot desert leaving the heat behind. His turquoise armor with golden edges was intact, it hadn't even absorbed heat or been damaged. Impeccable, perfect, beautiful, the armor for an emperor.

Viggo stopped in front of the military leader and stretched out his hand wrapped in the finely finished turquoise gauntlet —What's your name, warrior?— he asked.

—Abdul, sir— Abdul said, bowing his head in respect and then shaking his hand.

—Nice to meet you, Abdul, what do you need right now?— asked Viggo.

Abdul stared at Viggo and smiled —food, sir—

—Good, but you must tell me how much. You must make a long trip to Orario. Bring your people—

A warrior on his horse got off the saddle and walked to Abdul. He was a head shorter than Abdul and had a slender physique —a hundred sacks of wheat, rice, or whatever. There are many mouths to feed— said a female voice that tried to sound manly.

Viggo looked at the new warrior, wearing a turban and veil to cover her face. In addition to wearing a scimitar on each side of her waist.

Abdul looked back and motioned to the warrior to remove her veil. The warrior did so, and a female face was left with some scars made by swords. However, it was still quite a pretty face.

The warrior stopped one step behind Abdul and looked at Viggo's eyes suspiciously —the gods are capricious, if you cannot fulfill this small request, my people will not follow you—

—You people?—

—Yes, my people—

Abdul let out a sigh and looked at Viggo —I'm sorry, God Viggo, this is my wife, Ruth. She has a strong temper, but she is a good person—

Viggo chuckled and commented —they make a perfect combination—

Ruth blushed and looked away while Abdul remained neutral.

—I can give you a hundred sacks of rice and a hundred of wheat, is it useful for you?— Viggo asked as if it were nothing

Abdul opened his wide eyes and blinked several times upon hearing Viggo's proposal while Ruth looked at Viggo in disbelief.

—Where?— Ruth asked, raised her voice, and continued —you have nothing with you—

—Just answer the following, can you take everything I offer you?— asked Viggo as he placed his arms in jugs.

Ruth looked back and then Abdul followed. The two evaluated their men and how much each could carry. Many went on horseback, but they were quite far from their camp. In addition, there was the inclement desert sun.

Abdul and Ruth looked at Viggo and shook their heads.

—Do you have carts?— asked Viggo.

—Yes, but it would take us days to go and come back— Ruth replied.

—Will you wait for us?— Abdul asked.

—Of course, I'll wait for them— replied Viggo —Do you know where the underground city is?—

Of course, Abdul and Ruth nodded. They also knew the layout of the city, where they kept the food and how to overcome the defenses. They were a nomadic people who specialized in combat and when they weren't plundering cities, they worked as mercenaries for the desert rulers.

—In that case, I will wait for you— said Viggo —I will honor my word and give you the two hundred sacks once you return with the carts. Don't let me down, Abdul, and neither do you, Ruth—

Abdul looked at Viggo and asked —Do you really want us to be your army? There aren't that many of us—

—I am Viggo, King of the gods— said Viggo —Do you think that only your people will be my army? The war I am going to wage is beyond food, kingdoms, and empires. The entire world will be my army, Abdul. This is your chance; you can be part of my army or retire with the sacks of food. It's up to you. However, in something that will not compromise, is to attack the underground city—

—In that case!— said Ruth —is it okay to take the wheat and rice without doing anything?—

—It's the down payment and a consolation so they don't attack the underground city. If you break your word, well, you can imagine what will happen—

Ruth swallowed as she remembered how this red-haired giant surrounded himself with that creepy energy. The red-hot sand was five meters behind Viggo, but it still emitted that terrifying heat.

—We will be your army— said Abdul —we have fought for the kings of the desert, but never for a god—

Viggo held out his hand and Abdul shook it. Viggo smiled thinking about what these people thought, as if they were doing him a favor. They did not know that Viggo was the one who was protecting them and preparing them for what is to come.

Ruth and Abdul took their army and retreated while Viggo stayed in the middle of the desert and watched over them.

At the same time, Sakura and Ana came looking for him on their runic mounts. Sakura carried Sara on her rune horse.

Viggo turned around and looked at Sakura and Ana on the rune mounts. They stopped five meters away, avoiding the terrible heat of the sand that was still red hot, but that was gradually extinguishing and turning black.

Sakura stopped and Sara jumped off the mount. She was dressed in dark clothes and pants as if she were a man. Like Ruth, she wore a veil that covered her lower face. She uncovered her face and was left with brown skin with feminine features.

—Is that enough?— asked Viggo, his arms in jugs.

Sara looked at Viggo and asked —What did they say to you?—

—They will leave, but they will return to claim what I offered them—

—It would have been better to give us that wheat and rice—

—You must eat, besides that the underground city provides you with everything. Now, if your brother and his people agree to go to Orario and be my army, I might think about it—

—I don't think so— Sara replied in a soft voice. Anyone who has lived in the wilderness would understand the convenience of living in the underground city. It was their place of shelter, both from the sun and from the sand and monsters. No one in their right mind would go to Orario just for the simple promise of a god. Unless... then Sarah investigated the desert and understood why Viggo offered such treatment to the bandits. They were the kind of person desperate enough to accede to the promise of an anonymous god like Viggo. Although Sarah still didn't know how to respond to the future King of the gods.