by Ryan Peter
*
After their negotiations, Sephobwe had ridden back to the Fort Gersha and waited for news from his general, Lelemla, who had been ordered to Arsheen's fort. All the messengers who returned to Lelemla informed him that Sephobwe did not seem bothered by the goblin horde, and was confident it would not delay them much further.
The delays, however, both angered and concerned Lelemla. The goblins were unexpected, and their ambush was completely uncharacteristic. Never before had he seen the hordes have the daring to assail a battalion of his size. It was difficult, too, to get the upper hand as the attack came so suddenly. He had to withdraw the front end of his army, who were ready to bombard the fort. The goblins caused damage to some of his catapults, which angered him all the more.
What angered him the most was that he and Arsheen were never enemies until only a few weeks ago when the armies finally clashed in the desert. Although the war had started before that, it was only a war of minor skirmishes and unsure battles. Inside his own ranks there were the extremists who wished to fight Iza-Kiêrre to the very death, most of them younger men, having been been brought up on the True Teaching from the schools of Ben-Kiêrre. He, himself, was still a student of the True Teaching and often wavered at some of its points. For him the war was what made it difficult. He was a comrade with Arsheen for many years. They respected each other highly.
He had hoped to bombard the fort and force Arsheen's surrender, thereby discussing some way of granting Arsheen his safety. But he had not counted on Sephobwe arriving and had not counted on disappointing him either. The news from the messengers did not make him feel much more at ease about the situation. But as they defeated the horde and approached the Fort Maghtani he was alarmed to hear the reports from his scouts informing him that Arsheen had abandoned it. As his messenger arrived to report the news to him, another messenger arrived from Sephobwe ordering him to cut Arsheen down personally. Sephobwe wanted Arsheen dead, not captured.
Confused about this order, Lelemla was relieved that he now couldn’t obey it. He sat considering what he should say to the chancellor and eventually instructed the messenger to tell the truth: they were delayed for too long by the goblins and now the fort was abandoned. Arsheen would, no doubt, flee to the Meadow where the Outlanders and Dernium army were. It was no use pursuing them.
The messenger ran to Sephobwe at once while Lelemla took the abandoned fort and claimed it under their own banner. Sooner than he expected, the messenger arrived back from Sephobwe. This time the message was not verbal but written. It read:
“General, do not pursue them or battle them at the Meadow. I have heard reports that the goblins have moved south and they will no doubt meet them.”
This startled Lelemla for two reasons. Firstly, it never even entered his mind to engage them in battle at the Meadow. That was against their most sacred traditions and their law. Why would the chancellor think that such a thing would cross his mind? Secondly, he was perplexed at the goblins having reassembled so soon. Was this another horde? Their behaviour staggered him: never before had he seen this.
He ordered the Fort Maghtani to be closed and kept secure. They would stay here for the night and avoid any more rampage from the goblins. He wondered if they were seeing the rise of a new savage enemy. He hoped not.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
