A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor

OliverPatrick,theGreatestGeneralinStormfront'shistoryhasasecret-asecretnotmanyknow.TheythinkthathisIronWIllwasbuiltovernight.Theyknownotthepathofsufferinghewalked,astheslaveBeam,toreachhisdestinyasKing,andthenEmperor.Thisisthatstory.Atruestory,ofprogress,struggle,hardshipandstrength.Astoryofgreatnessachievedwithoutasystem.Astoryofhowoneunknownboy'sstruggletransformedacontinentforever.//ExtractThearmdroppedtothefloor,asdidthehead.Spearpointsracedpastthefallingcorpseasthegoblinssoughttotakeadvantageofhismomentarylapseinattention.Butthetidehadalreadyshifted.Theequilibriumthathadkeptthebattlegoingforsolongwasshattered.Withnobruisertotakecareoftheirfrontlinesanddistracthisattention,thegoblinsinfrontofhimwerenomatchforhisspeed.Heemployedhismisdirectionashenormallymight,feigningthesamebackwardsstepthathehadpractisedoverandover,beforeleapingforward,catchingthegoblinoffguard,twistinghisbodytoavoiditsspearandforcinghisbladeintoitsthroat.Itletoutahigh-pitchedsquealasitdroppeditsspearandattemptedtostemthetideofbloodthatwasspurtingfromthewound.Thegoblinnexttoitsquealedtoo,infearthistime,asitseyeswidened,seeingtwoofitscomradesdealtwithsoeasilyinquicksuccession.Beamsawittakeabackwardsstep,asitattemptedtoturnandrunaway.Buthewasonitbeforeithadachance.Hewrappedhisarmarounditsneckanddroveaswordthroughitsback.Ratherthanletthecorpsefalltothefloorashenormallymight,heheldontothisone,enduringitsdeaththroes.Oncelifehadfinallyleftitsbody,heshifteditintoplaceasameatshield.Twoarrowsthuddedagainstit,almostpiercingitstraightthrough.ButthetimetheyreachedBeamthemomentumwasentirelygone–thoughtheytouchedhim,theydidnotevenpiercehisclothes.Slowly,withhismeatshieldinplace,Beamadvancedontheremaininggoblins.Theybothsharedaglancewitheachotherastheydaredtofireanothervolley,beforeturningontheirheelsandattemptingtosprintaway.“Stay,”abriefmomentofeyecontact,andoneofthegoblinswasrootedinplace.Beamtossedhisshieldasideandpickedupaspearinstead.Withatwistofhishipsandshoulder,thespearwentsoaring,impalingtherunninggoblinstraightthroughitsstomach.Itsbowfelltotheground,asstrengthleftitshands.Itthenfelltoitsknees,beforefallingfacedowntothefloor,pushingthespearbackthroughitself.