"Lengelzai, I hail you. I am Host-Lord Illian Vantias, and I come from the South, where I fought many wars for my country. But we were defeated, my Stratikrator was killed, and our armies were disbanded. The people of the West have destroyed my nation, which was both great and beautiful. And I hate them for it. I killed some of your men, but only to prove that the same can be done to the Westrons a thousandfold, under your command."
He paused, and then continued.
"I can teach your people the secrets of forging bronze, a metal more powerful than what you use. And with me are two men, who once built great towers of wood and metal that can breach the walls of the highest city. I am no Lengel. But I want revenge. And in return for the chance to get it, my army will aid your horde in creating the greatest Empire known on the face of Tellus."
The Lengelzai looked at the Veritasan commander. And he looked at his blade, and his armor, and the two scholars cowering behind him.
And he began to laugh.
A huge smile almost split the Lengelzai's face, his jovial smile offset by the intelligence of a military commander, looking at the strange sword with a dark hunger. Oh yes, many enemies could be felled with such a blade, and many arrows tipped with such a substance could rout the greatest army.
"You say you are not Lengel, strange Host-Lord from the land of Metal," the Lengelzai began, as the two scholars attempted to translate as best they could, the barbarian warrior unsettling them greatly, "but already you understand what it means to be Lengel. You can serve a different God, wear different clothes, have different names, but as long as you serve the War-Host, as long as you serve me, you are Lengel."
Once the scholars finished translating, the former Host-Lord smiled slightly, and offered his hand to the Lengelzai. "It does not matter what banner I serve, as long as I may slaughter Westerners."
The Lengelzai looked at the hand for a moment, before the scholars explained what the action meant. After the explanation, the Lengelzai took the Host-Lord's hand, and squeezed hard, as Vantias did the same.
"Spoken like a true Lengel. Now come, let us have...conversation concerning these Southern lands..."
******
The Lengelzai, his Lengel generals, and the former Host-Lord sat in the War tent looking over various maps of Nkondi, and Maugot, gathered by the Lengel War-Host's many and skilled scouts. Invasion plans were being drawn. Argument's broke out about the placement of numbers as small as 500 men, as the War-Host deliberated upon the best paths of invasion, and the best way to crush the enemies troops.
Vanitas was arguing with several generals about the best location for his troops, asserting that it would be better for him to take the 'Blue' path, since his troops would be better suited to holding an enemy army than the Lengel War-Host.
"I firmly suggest that my troops be sent where we can be of most use!" Vanitas said, his omnipresent scholars translating for him while the Lengelzai and him had a dispute.
The Lengelzai frowned slightly, "Our troops mobility cannot be compromised! It is a better to allow your troops to make the best use of your Scholars talents in city breaking! I want your troops to travel through the mountains, and flank these southerner's cities, as your troops are more suited to traveling the mountains than our horse hordes."
Vanitas, once the scholars translated, took a deep breath and then spoke, "Why not a compromise? Why not do both?"
The Lengelzai considered it for a moment, and then nodded his agreement. "Very well, I will allow you to go with 'Blue' group into Nkondi with half of your men, while the other half will go with General Jebe through the mountains to flank. If there is nothing else..."
With that, the Lengelzai left the War Tent, while the former Host-Lord, and now a War-Host of the Lengels, Vanitas smiled in victory. Soon, he would fight against the Southerners, and then beyond that, the damnable Westerners...