by J J Moriarty
“We could wait, sleep here tonight and send ahead a vanguard to deal with their scouts. Make sure the men are well rested and plan to attack them tomorrow at evening time”, Tsy said.
“The men will still be tired if we do that. Thirty miles is a long way”, Hyzou said.
“Yes, but they’ll be exhausted if we attack tonight”, Tsy said.
“Do you really think the best option is to wait and attack tomorrow?” Hyzou asked.
Tsy shook his head.
“I think we should ride hard into the night and catch them unawares. The greatest weakness of the Servant are projectile weapons. If we can catch them by surprise, we can neutralise their ranged weapons. Come so close they can’t use them” Tsy said.
“And we have another advantage. The Lamyblan army can’t see in the dark”, Hyzou said.
“Very good Protakyrios, I was just about to say that too”, Tsy said.
“Give the order then. We advance as quickly as we can, and we make contact by midnight”, Hyzou said.
Tsy nodded and gave out the shout. He and Hyzou quickened the pace of their horses, and ahead the others did so too.
They rode that way for another twenty miles, until darkness fell upon them. Then, on Hyzou’s command, they left their travel formation and formed their battle formation. Riding to Piquea they had been in a simple pyramid, with Hyzou at the apex and furthest from the front. Now, in the darkness, and using only their Qi to guide them, Hyzou’s army fragmented.
They split into sixteen different divisions, each of one thousand riders. Four divisions went to the left and right flank of Hyzou’s army each. They would ride and circle around Aheb, attack from either side. These divisions were made of the best riders, Safia was among them.
Hyzou stayed in the slower moving centre. Eight thousand men that would crash right into the Lamyblan military camp. Hyzou had everyone stop and put on their armour, much better for the battle they’d face than the lighter robes. Then they set off, the eight divisions forming six wedges that would break through any defences the Lamyblan forces cobbled together, and the last two divisions forming ranged weapons that would sling rocks at the enemies.
He needn’t have worried, the Lamyblans didn’t manage to pull together any real defensive strategy before Hyzou and his men reached them.
Hyzou reached out with his Qi and sensed as far as he could. The Lamyblan army had formed a gigantic, sprawling camp. Fifty thousand men, they’d settled far beyond the boundaries of the ruins of Aheb. The camp stretched for miles in every direction, and even stood over the pit of dead Piqueans.
Just two miles away, Hyzou drew his sword. The torrential rain bounced off the iron, creating a sheen as the moonlight was refracted through the rain drops. Hyzou’s horse was tired, he knew, but Hyzou bound his will to the horse and convinced the stallion to keep striving forward.
Just as Hyzou sped up to begin the final sprint to attack the camp, he heard screams from the camp, coming from the east.
One of the flanks have already attacked. Hyzou thought.
Little did it matter, they were too close for the defenders to do anything. Using his Qi, Hyzou reached out and realised that most of the soldiers were clumped together, sleeping under makeshift tents which were little more than cloth held up with a stick.
Hyzou led his division forward and they finally made contact. The soldiers were just waking up, and Hyzou didn’t even bother slowing down to try and use his sword. Trusting the horse to use his balance, Hyzou rode straight over the tent, trampling the soldiers beneath him. They screamed, but Hyzou pushed forward. Those who followed him crushed any soldiers Hyzou had missed.
He trampled three tents, before he came upon the first standing man, who was trying to get a spear out from under his chest. Hyzou cut him down. The stallion beneath Hyzou was proving his worth, as he trampled over crowded ground but managed to maintain his balance.
He had ridden a hundred men deep into the swarm of bodies before the enemy began to even properly react. Hyzou used his reach to cut down any who looked dangerous and left all the other enemies to be swallowed up by the swarm of horses following him.
When he realised he had a few seconds clear, Hyzou glanced over each of his shoulders to see how his comrades were doing. Very few of his soldiers had fallen, but Hyzou imagined that they had already killed or injured a thousand Lamyblan soldiers in the division’s charge alone.
Screams from the injured were filling the air. But then a new sound arose. It was the clanging of a deep drum, and the bellow of horns. It came from deep within the Lamyblan camp. All around, soldiers were waking up with all the noise. They knew they had been attacked, and they scrambled around for a spear and a shield. It did them little good. They couldn’t see, and Hyzou’s force could. They were slow, groggy, and disorganised. Hyzou’s force was fast moving and always working in tandem.
Victory came quicker than Hyzou could have imagined.
The Lamyblans began throwing down their weapons and sprinting away from the onrushing horde. When they realised that wasn’t working, they began to surrender. At first, Hyzou would pass pockets of two or three men who had surrendered and did his best to ride around them. These clumps of surrendering men grew bigger and bigger, until they grew to more than a thousand men.
They had won.
Soon after the surrender seemed absolute, Hyzou ordered his men to begin rounding up the prisoners. Then he told some of the riders to spread the word out, and to tell Tsy to come to him where he was. It took Tsy twenty minutes to find Hyzou among the rain and the press of people.
“Victory, Protakyrios”, Tsy said.
Hyzou grabbed his outstretched arm and dismounted.
“Come, let’s talk”, Hyzou said.
Hyzou began to walk, and his stallion followed. Tsy dismounted and did the same.
“I only lost three Servants. Have you heard of the other casualties?” Hyzou said.
Tsy shook his head.
“I won’t know that until tomorrow at the earliest. But from the sounds of it three per division is how it went. I heard a lot of screams from the south of my position, so maybe some divisions lost more, but a successful attack”, Tsy said.
“I couldn’t have done it without you”, Hyzou said.
“You flatter me, Protakyrios”, Tsy said.
Hyzou nodded.
“May I ask, Protakyrios, but I think we may be kin in more ways than one. Are you a Xuan?” Tsy asked.
Hyzou shook his head.
“Piquean. But my mother came from Vymnym. So by blood, I’m half a Xuan, I suppose”, Hyzou said.
“That makes you a Xuan to me”, Tsy said. “I came from Vymnym too. Or well, a village near it.”
“What age were you when you joined the Servants?” Hyzou asked.
“Nine. I was one of eleven children, so my parents took the gold from Uqing and ran with it”, Tsy said.
“Do you miss it?” Hyzou asked.
“I miss my childhood, yes. But I don’t doubt that small village has changed. The Anarchy destroyed a lot of places and built new ones too”, Tsy said.
Hyzou nodded.
“It built the Pharaoh’s Empire”, Hyzou said.
“Soon to be the Empire of Nuyin”, Tsy said.
Hyzou looked at Tsy.
“I don’t want an empire, I just want to protect Piquea. To protect Uqing. To protect my home”, Hyzou said.
Tsy stopped.
“I remember, during the Anarchy, hearing word that Pharaoh Snefru of Lamybla had just lost the confidence of every one of his Fieldnobles. The word was that a deal had been struck. The Pharaoh would abdicate, and he and his family would be allowed free passage into exile”, Tsy said.
“I’ve heard this story before”, Hyzou said.
“Pharaoh Snefru’s fifth son, a young Prince by the name of Ganymedes, had different ideas. He decided to take some loyal men and massacre the families of two of the most prominent Fieldnobles. The Fieldnobles declared war on Ph
araoh Snefru, and Prince Ganymedes made an alliance with a team of bandits led by the truly insane Nerikare. Together, Ganymedes and Nerikare won that war, and formed the Empire you see before you today”, Tsy said.
Hyzou was about to reply, when a Servant appeared before him.
“What do you want?” Hyzou said.
“We’ve captured their leaders, Protakyrios”, he said.
“Bring them to me”, Hyzou said.
The Servant bowed and left.
“We’ll need all these men as slaves”, Hyzou said. “If we’re to resist the full strength of the Pharaoh’s force. We need all of the captured soldiers to be working our fields and building our weapons.”
“You’re right”, Tsy said. “And as soon as possible.”
“The rains are here, and the land will be flooded soon. The Pharaoh will be stranded at Lamybla, and we’ll be stranded here”, Hyzou said.
Tsy nodded.
“The next battle, it’s at least three months away. At least one good harvest away”, Hyzou said.
“But when it comes, the Pharaoh will bring an army like we’ve never known before. Like the world’s never seen before”, Tsy said.
Hyzou nodded.
“We’ll need more than the Servants. I’ll be putting you in charge of raising a force from the Piqueans and training them. Can you do that?” Hyzou said.
Tsy nodded.
“You seem happy”, Hyzou said.
Tsy shrugged.
“I’ve always wanted to show Pharaoh Ganymedes what a real war looks like”, Tsy said.
Hyzou turned away, tried to hide his disgust.
“Protakyrios, here they come”, Tsy said.
Hyzou looked up. Servants, in grey cloaks and heavy armour, were carrying several bound men in expensive garb. They were thrown at Hyzou’s feet.
Hyzou’s stomach leaped when he realised that he recognised one of the faces.
“Kyrios Nuya”, Hyzou whispered.
Kyrios Nuya wriggled up to his knees. He squinted, and finally made out Hyzou’s face.
“Do I know you?” Kyrios Nuya said. “You look familiar.”
“You were one of the Kyrios that sacked Piquea”, Hyzou said.
Kyrios Nuya frowned.
“I was”, Kyrios Nuya said.
“You took me from a slave cart and brought me to Lamybla yourself. You tried to pawn me off as a Noble so you could sell me to the master. Have me fight in the arena for the Pharaoh’s birthday”, Hyzou said.
Kyrios Nuya’s eyes widened.
“You’re the one who killed the Colossus”, Kyrios Nuya said.
“I’ve always wanted to see you before me, bound like this”, Hyzou said.
“Are you going to kill me?” Kyrios Nuya asked.
Hyzou shook his head.
“Personal feelings have nothing to do with me anymore. You’ll work the fields for me, along with everyone else I’ve captured today”, Hyzou said.
Kyrios Nuya’s face curdled.
“I’m worth more to you if you ransom me, you fool”, Kyrios Nuya said.
“You’re not. Because I’m going to be in Lamybla someday soon, and my army is coming with me. When we’re there, I’ll take everything you own, not just the wealth you can afford to buy your freedom. And by scything all the grain your hands can manage, you’ll help me every step of the way”, Hyzou said.
Hyzou gestured to the Servants, telling them to take the leaders of the Lamyblan army away.
“We have a man just like you. He can kill Colossus just like you!” Kyrios Nuya shouted.
“Wait”, Hyzou said.
The Servants stopped. Hyzou walked over to Kyrios Nuya.
“Do you mean Luan?” Hyzou said.
Kyrios Nuya nodded.
“He’ll tear you apart. And Nerikare is coming too”, Kyrios Nuya said.
Hyzou gestured to tell them to take Kyrios Nuya away again. This time, Hyzou didn’t listen to any of the insults sent his way.
“Luan. That’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time”, Tsy said.
“You must have known him”, Hyzou said.
“The fiercest warrior I’ve ever met. Until I met you, that is”, Tsy said.
“Do you really think I could beat him?” Hyzou said.
Tsy shrugged.
“Perhaps. Perhaps not. Wars don’t pit one side’s best warrior against the other’s, so it’s likely we’ll never have to find out”, Tsy said.
“He’s my uncle”, Hyzou said.
Tsy did a double take.
“You were Orman’s child? From Yobo?” Tsy said.
Hyzou shook his head.
“That’s Iset you’re thinking of. She’s Vizier to Pharaoh Ganymedes”, Hyzou said.
Tsy scratched his head.
“How could Orman’s child be the Vizier to Pharaoh Ganymedes?” Tsy said.
“You can ask her when we reach Lamybla. I know I’m planning to”, Hyzou said.
“Wait, are you Orman’s second child?” Tsy said.
“No. I’m Mygst’s son”, Hyzou said.
Tsy’s eyes lit up.
“Mygst, well I never know he had any children. All this time, and I never knew who you were. It’s a shame you never met your father Hyzou, because he was a good man. A good friend, to all”, Tsy said.
“I did meet Mygst. He died only five years ago in the sack of Piquea”, Hyzou said.
Tsy now looked like he had had a bucket of water poured over his head.
“Mygst was alive. For, what, a decade? And I didn’t know”, Tsy said.
Hyzou sighed.
“Let’s worry about the prisoners and cleaning up the battlefield. We can talk about this later. But for now, we have work to do”, Hyzou said.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
“Hark, I bring news from Drascia!” The Servant proclaimed.
“In case you couldn’t tell, we’re rather busy in here”, Vorska said.
The Palace in Piquea had just over a hundred people inside its large hall. The bloodstains had been cleaned away.
“No”, Hyzou said, from the stage. “Speak. Tell us.”
The Servant bowed to Hyzou.
“Kyrios Nerikare has turned his army around, he’s marching towards Piquea as we speak”, the Servant said.
Mutterings broke out throughout the hall. There had been hope that Kyrios Nerikare would press on and try and conquer Drascia before turning to Piquea. That would give them time to train an army. No such luck.
“There’s more”, the Servant said.
“Speak”, Hyzou said.
“The Pharaoh has formed an alliance with the Drascians. They have agreed that it makes most sense to put aside their differences and deal with a military Uqing. They consider it an existential threat to both states”, the Servant said.
At this, the murmurings grew into speech. Hyzou raised his hand and waited for silence.
“Did whoever you spoke to in the east have an idea as to what size the army Kyrios Nerikare now controls would be?” Hyzou said.
“He said that, as he understands it, the alliance of the Kheme Empire and Drascia will be able to raise five hundred thousand fighting men”, the Servant said.
Now, there were gasps throughout the Palace.
The most I could hope to raise from Piquea and Uqing is seventy thousand. And that’s if enough people can be cured back to full health from their starvation. Hyzou thought.
Piquea had been decimated, beyond even Gardem’s understanding. There was more than hunger; the plague had spread throughout the countryside and left many too weak to fight.
“Is that all?” Hyzou said.
“Yes, Protakyrios”, the Servant said.
He bowed, and left the Palace. Tsy leaned into Hyzou and whispered in his ear.
“I think it would be now even more pertinent to use the Xuan term for your new position. As I’ve said, it will discourage Vymnym from invading, and the last thing we need is another enemy”, Tsy said.
“
I agree”, Hyzou said.
Tsy nodded, then stepped away from the stage. The crowd was nervous. This was not good news.
From among them, Phatmose stepped forward. He was an old man, someone Hyzou recognised from his days in this very room serving at his father’s side. He had been one of King Imhotep’s captains, a soldier through and through. He was tall, and despite his age, looked strong and fit, his body lean and his movements deliberate. His hair had receded long past the hairline, and the grey strands left were cut to a thin stubble.
Hyzou and Tsy both had been impressed with the preparations Phatmose had readied in anticipation of a Lamyblan army besieging the city. Part of the reason Kyrios Nuya had only brought them as far as Aheb were the actions of Phatmose, who had done everything in his power to slow Kyrios Nuya’s cumbersome force.
“We needn’t worry. We knew we were facing odds even Lorikuy would fear when we rolled this dice, all it means is that what we do today is even more important”, Phatmose said.
There were nods of agreement. Hyzou glanced to Phatmose and nodded slightly, just enough to let the aged captain know that Hyzou was grateful for his support.
“Shall we begin?” Vorska said.
“Let’s”, Hyzou murmured.
He sat down on the simple wooden chair someone had found for him. Hyzou wore only his grey cloak and iron armour. Nothing ceremonial for him.
“Hyzou of Nuyin, do you accept that there is a matter to be done?” Vorska said.
Hyzou nodded.
“I do”, he said.
“Do you accept the Archai’s judgment that you are the person best placed to see that this matter is done?” Vorska said.
“I do”, Hyzou said.
“On behalf of Piquea, do you accept that there is a matter to be done?” Gardem said.
“I do”, Hyzou said.
“Do you accept, in the people’s judgment, that you are the person best placed to see that this matter is done?” Gardem said.
“I do”, Hyzou said.
“Then the Union of Nuyin is complete”, Vorska said. “Piquea and Uqing shall join as one, to see that this matter is done.”
“And you shall be named the Imperator of Nuyin, to see that this matter is done”, Gardem said.
Hyzou raised his right hand.
“Apologies, but for diplomatic reasons, I’ll ask that you use the Xuan term for Imperator. We don’t need another enemy”, Hyzou said.