[RPG] [BT][Rio] Delvin Anaris ~ Warriors of the South

[Timothy Collett]

The army assembled in Ardmore covers the whole plain.  The vast  
majority wear the gold and blue of Riombara, but in one corner are  
nearly a hundred in the blue and white colours of Alluran, in another  
a token force from Luz de Bia, and in the north--between the army and  
the advancing daimons--a force of undead warriors over 200 strong.

At the western edge of the army is a larger tent, flying the  
Riombaran colours and the banner of the Prime Minister.  Beside the  
tent is a tall platform, from which the entire army can be surveyed.   
Delvin stands halfway up the platform, looking out at his army, and  
the others who have come to join them.  Then his eyes turn north,  
where smoke rises from the garrison at Avengmil.  He closes his eyes  
briefly, his jaw set in a grim line.  Then he opens them, and ascends  
the rest of the steps to the top of the platform.  He stands there,  
and holds up one hand.  Gradually, silence spreads out from the foot  
of the platform as the soldiers notice him.  When the silence has  
spread as far as it seems likely to do, Delvin begins to speak, his  
voice carrying well over the flat plain.

"People of Riombara...allies from the Kingdom of Alluran...soldiers  
of Luz de Bia...and our warrior brothers come from beyond the grave:  
we stand now at the edge of a mighty battle.  The hordes of demons  
from the Netherworld have forced their way south and even now wait in  
Avengmil.  There is every likelihood that, by dawn, they will be  
here, attacking Ardmore.  But here they will stop.  Here, we will  
stop them.

"They are a terrible foe, make no mistake: worse than anything we  
have ever faced.  Even those of us who remember the second--or the  
first--invasions have never faced a foe as mighty and as fierce as  
the Daimons.

"But they have never faced a foe as determined as us!

"Riombara has long been one of the strongest realms on the continent,  
despite our relatively small size.  Even when we were reduced to half  
our size by attacks from outside, we were able to hold off a much  
more powerful foe, and eventually go on to reclaim almost all that we  
had lost--and since then we have grown to be more powerful still!   
Together, we are the most formidable force on the continent, with  
nearly twice the strength per man of even the largest realm!"

Delvin points to the north.

"The Daimons will come at dawn.  By dusk, they will be no more!   
Riombara and her allies will stand strong, and destroy the most  
fearsome of foes!

"Tomorrow, we will show the world that the Pits themselves contain  
nothing that can daunt the Warriors of the South!"

--

"The only thing you can't trade for your heart's desire is your heart."
  ~ Miles Naismith Vorkosigan

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