All arrived inside the courtyard within Politesse over the course of the next thirty minutes, four-in-a-half hours before sunset.
Baltor ordered the troops, “Shadow Forces, continue to remain at ease. We assume battle formation following mine and Ruling-General Stormea’s return.”
The soldiers relaxed—the next thing Baltor ordered was, “In case anything happens while I’m gone, Commanding-General Tricia is in charge. Understood?”
“Yes, my Sultan!”
“Ruling-General,” Baltor said, “Follow me.”
After responding, Stormea did as ordered, following his leader into the throne room of Calitta’s palace, which took twelve minutes of time to get there.
“Greetings, Queen Calitta,” Baltor said.
Calitta replied, “Greetings to you, Sultan Baltor.”
Baltor declared, “In about an hour or so, I’m going to need the city gates opened. I will let you know when I am ready. I want to welcome the enemy, of who will most certainly plunge in with all they have! They won’t be expecting my Shadow Forces to be waiting inside the courtyard and coming out onto your drawbridge, however. The few Kamanites that get through, have your forces decimate, and we shall have a quick and easy victory, Queen Calitta!”
“Very well, Sultan Baltor,” Calitta responded.
With one final smile, Baltor and Stormea exited for the courtyard, which took twelve minutes longer.
“Commanding-General Tricia,” Baltor called out. “Assemble Shadow Force behind me in pyramid formation. We march for the city gates now. Ruling-General Stormea, I would suggest you stay in the rear of the formation, watch, listen, and learn.”
“Yes my Sultan!” they yelled in turn. Tricia assumed her place right behind and to the left of Baltor.
“Soldiers, forward march!”
Within twenty minutes, they arrived at the city gates. Baltor next called out, “Open the city gates!”
As the gates began to slowly rumble open, the highly surprised looks on the faces of the Kamanites could clearly be seen on the other side. All were five-to-eight-foot tall, donning dirty beards and dirty furs for clothes. All were armed with sharp swords, axes and/or bow-and-arrows! Within seconds, tons of animal horns began to blow outside the city gates.
After drawing out both swords and holding them in the shape of an “x” over his head, Baltor called out, “Remember your training and we shall win, no matter the numbers.”
“Yes, my Sultan!”
The Kamanites, seeing their window of opportunity, began rushing in … even though that shiny and reflecting “x” they saw began to plague their minds! Despite their suspicious fears, within thirty seconds time, battle was engaged!
Wave after wave of Kamanite forces smashed against the Shadow Forces shields and swords—and leading the assault was Baltor himself, whose swords expertly spun in every direction possible, taking three or four Kamanites every single second!
Once the war was finally over, within five hours time, and thirty percent of the Kamanite forces had fled, Baltor had Tricia count out his own losses—one hundred thirty-five of his own troops had died and four hundred injured—the Kamanites had lost more than twelve thousand! Dead bodies were everywhere.
“Victory,” Baltor yelled out.
“Victory!” everyone else cried back, including every last Thoriumite.
For the next several days, Baltor and his forces stayed and celebrated in Politesse—of course, Brishava was able to arrive within the first hour, so they could all celebrate together. Once the celebrating was over, every one of his or her own accord was allowed to utilize the portal on his or her own this one time.
Baltor and Brishava were the first two to return home two days later, after Calitta had given them “a wonderful tour of their equally-shared kingdom.”
Two months later, even Valakan united with the Sharia Empire with Yaush as the governor—so only one last independent nation remained upon the entire continent, which was called the Fiefdom of Gargon. This nation was located at the southeastern corner of the continent, and consisted of three minor towns, and one major capital city.
When Lord-General Thorax Nimbi, the ruler of Gargon, had heard word about the rebuilding of Chao-chu-sha-maen five hundred miles to the north of his northernmost borders, he immediately sent an ambassadorial convoy north to discuss peace and trade between the two nations.
Cheo and Chelsea, who spoke on behalf of the Sharia Empire, easily established that peace and trade.
From travelers near and far, Nimbi quickly began to learn all about the legendary Sultan Baltor Elysian, and the staggering reports that he had more than five hundred thousand soldiers under his command…
Five years after the Kamanite War, Gargon peacefully united with the Sharia Empire, and Nimbi’s title willfully changed to governor.
Moreover, the Sharia Empire had additionally created and fortified three brand new cities spread throughout the continent, so that travel between all the cities became much easier for all.
CHAPTER XXIV
A year to the day later, the ambassador from Valakan paid a visit to Pavelus, most unexpectedly, via one of the dozen portal-mirrors. As soon as the guards had authenticated him—they did this with everybody but their Sultan and Sultaness—a couple of them escorted him to the throne room.
After entering, the ambassador noticed—with a whole lot of surprise—that even though Baltor was nearing his forty-fifth year of life, he still remarkably looked in his early twenties, and had all of his powerful muscles.
As for Brishava, who the ambassador knew was four years younger than her husband, the contours in her face had definitely matured like a fine wine, but overall, her appearance was still quite youthful and very-very-very beautiful.
Despite his surprise, the ambassador gracefully bowed, rose from the bow, and declared with sadness in his voice, “My Sultan and Sultaness—it is with great sadness that I must inform you that something is seriously wrong with Governor Yaush—he may be dying.”
The smiling faces of Baltor and Brishava instantly contorted to looking both shocked and scared. A second later, he looked over at his wife, and said with a whole lot of concern, “Honey, I think we should make a trip to visit Yaush as soon as possible. What do you think?”
“Yes, I totally agree, my love,” she answered with a nod. Looking over at a few servants also standing nearby, she ordered, “Servants, pack our belongings for two week’s time. We depart for Valakan in one hour.”
The servants bowed, and said, “Yes, my Sultaness.” They then left the throne room and headed to their rulers’ dressing rooms, so that they could pack.
One hour later, the ambassador, Baltor, Brishava, the dozen assistants, and a platoon of guards all walked through the portal, instantly arriving in a recently-built cabin in Valakan.
This pleasant-looking cabin’s sole purpose was to house a dozen portal-mirrors, the barracks for twelve guards, and of course, the guards themselves.
After the posted guard at the door had opened it, which revealed a warm summery night outside, the ambassador escorted his Sultan, Sultaness, and the platoon of guards down the gravel road to Yaush and Jimnee’s home.
Meanwhile, the servants—with luggage in tow—made their way for still another cabin that was Baltor and Brishava’s “home away from home.”
About five minutes later, the ambassador knocked upon the front door—as for the guards, they had already begun to spread out and surround the cabin itself, in order to dutifully protect its occupants.
Yaush’s eldest boy Thar opened the door—now aged nineteen. Currently he stood at nine-feet-tall, and weighed four hundred and seventy pounds!
On this giant’s good-looking face, looking just like his father’s, there was clearly a worried expression—still he had his wits to deeply boom out in Pavelian, “Uncle Baltor and Aunt Brishava! Nice to see you—I wish it wasn’t under these circumstances, but come on in…”
“Thank you,” both said simultane
ously with warm smiles.
While the ambassador departed back for his Sultan’s cabin, along with two of his guards, so as to ensure the servants had done their job, Baltor and Brishava entered Yaush’s cabin, and Thar closed the door.
Currently, they saw that Jimnee was sitting on the bed next to Yaush, while Barquoth and Rex were sitting at the dinner table, eating a steaming bowl of stew—Rex was identical to his elder brother in every way, except for the fact that this seventeen-year-old had flaming-red hair and freckles.
With a respectful nod, Barquoth greeted, “Greetings, my Sultan and Sultaness.”
Brishava replied, “Greetings, Governor Barquoth. How fare you?”
“Excellent,” he replied. A frown crossed his face as he added, “Except for this.”
Rex, who had just finished swallowing the stew in his mouth, boomed out in Pavelian, “How are you, my uncle and aunt?”
“Well, really good, until we heard this news,” Baltor answered. “How is your father now?”
Jimnee was the first to answer the question as she said, “When Yaush was last conscious about an hour ago—he said that he was still feeling horribly weak and nauseous…”
After releasing a deep sigh, she added, “It all started this morning, right after breakfast, when he was once again clutching his left shoulder, sweating profusely, and complaining of feeling real dizzy. This is like the third time he has exhibited these symptoms—but this is the first time that he has been too weak to move the rest of the day. Something serious must be wrong with him this time, but I don’t know what to do, nor does our city doctor…”
Baltor asked, “Can we talk to him?”
“Well, if you can get him to wake up,” Jimnee answered, “By all means.”
He and Brishava walked over, and in turn, each gave Jimnee a hug.
Even though Yaush continued to remain sleeping under the thick fur blanket, his face was white as a ghost—Baltor, for the first time ever, noticed that his friend’s thick and wavy hair was now white, instead of blond.
Nearly a minute later, Yaush unexpectedly squinted open his eyes, looked over at Baltor, and delivered a small smile. With a weak voice, he said, “Baltor, tai visha jaosaim …” (9)
Baltor sat next to Yaush, clasped his hand with both of his own, and replied back, “Yaush, tai visha jaosaim, mao sahu ruinam arigarata eutra vrisha—tai hart mit.” (10)
By this time, the whole family stood or sat around the bed … they silently listened.
Unexpectedly, Yaush switched his language to Pavelian as he said, “You’re probably right, but I just don’t feel very good right now…so very tired and weak I am today. But I’ll be okay, my Sultan.”
Baltor released a deep sigh, as well a laugh, before saying, “Yaush, you know you’ve never had to call me Sultan, except when we have had official ceremonies or speeches. Never have I ever let you forget that I couldn’t have become a Sultan had you not saved my life, my friend and my brother…from the scarain!”
“Yes, I know, my friend and my brother,” Yaush said. After taking a deep breath, he added, “I also know that you have hard-earned your title, which title few in this universe ever get a chance at. I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Yaush said, a second before his eyes began to look around at the people surrounding his bed … one person at a time.
Once done, he said real tiredly, “Wow…what a lucky man I am to have all my family here right now…but I must rest…yes. So very tired, I am…”
“Then sleep, my brother,” Baltor said. “You’ll be just fine…”
With that, all but Jimnee made their way toward the living room, sat down in the couches, and began to converse about other casual subjects in hushed tones…
Until, but a few minutes later, their conversation was most unexpectedly interrupted as another major spasm of pain crossed Yaush’s face, just before he gripped his chest and delivered a scream of agony … the second that scream had stopped, so too did his breathing!
Baltor immediately rushed over, switching between pumping the giant’s chest and trying mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, but all his first-aid efforts failed … Yaush was dead.
Upon realization that his friend was gone forever, a few minutes later, his own eyes could not fight back the bloody tears—without pause, he jetted toward the front door, opened it, exited the cabin, closed the door, and ran off into the forest before any of the guards could follow!
Once he was sure he was alone, he collapsed to the ground, and began to sob … for at least an hour, bloody tears continuously soaked the grass!
When he finally had regained his composure, he headed back to the cabin while wiping all the blood off his face—every last guard still stationed around the door had a very worried expression on his or her face.
The female leader asked, “My Sultan, are you okay? We would have chased you down, but the Sultaness came out right after you left and told us to stay at our posts.”
“Yes I’m fine now, major,” Baltor said after releasing a deep sigh. “Just, please, open the door for me.”
“Yes, my Sultan!”
Upon Baltor entering, and the door being closed behind him by the major, he saw that the whole group was sharing in a group hug, while consoling each other through their shared tears.
As Baltor fought back the tears once again, he said, “Sorry…”
Jimnee replied in Pavelian, “It’s okay. Come here, Baltor—please, join us…”
Without hesitation, Baltor joined them in the group hug.
The following morning at sunrise, Yaush’s body was burned on a funeral pyre, which was the Valakanese way—not only had the whole town showed up, but so had Cheo, Chelsea, and their two children.
Jimnee was the first to speak. As her tears freely flowed down her face, she proudly stated, “Yaush lived a full life of fifty-one years! Two days ago, when he was feeling healthy and wise, he coincidentally asked me if he had been a good and caring man…
“I tell you all now, as I already told him—Yaush was not only a great governor, yet he was a perfect husband and father. I know that he is smiling down upon us from Elysium, quite happy to know that all his family and friends are here to say their farewells…
“I—I love you, Yaush, my darling husband! I can’t wait to see you in the next life…”
After Baltor had wrapped an arm around Jimnee’s waist, he said aloud, “If it hadn’t been for Yaush, I would not be here this day—he saved my life! He was one of the most honorable, courageous, and humorous men I have ever met! When we first met, after he saved my life from a scarain, his laughter fueled my heart and soul that shall last forever. Yaush, my friend and brother, farewell—see you in the next life!”
After he had finished, everyone else who had something to say spoke, once his or her turn had come. Chelsea didn’t have to translate to Cheo what they said, as he now fluently understood the Valakan language ... as well five other languages.
By noon, all the farewells had been concluded, and everyone headed to the inn to eat, drink and talk about Yaush’s life, which life had been very good overall. That night, everyone headed back home, wherever his or her home was….
As the years began to pass, the Sharia Empire slowly began to expand into other continents. One by one, the territories, fiefdoms, provinces, kingdoms, and even other empires united under the Sharia Empire—mostly under peaceful terms.
Only two minor wars had transpired, in which Baltor and his empire had not been the aggressors, but they had been the victors.
Meanwhile, as those years passed, many more of Baltor and Brishava’s friends died of various reasons, mainly of old age—of course, the Sultan and Sultaness attended each and every funeral.
Three years after Yaush’s death, Travail died of cancer at the age of sixty-nine—surviving him were four children, and three grandchildren.
Then, only a year later, Calitta peacefully died in her sleep at the age of
sixty-three—she had no children.
Two years later, Praetor—Baltor’s hawk—had died from old age. One year later, Leshava died from the same cause. Overall, these two hawks had bred thirty-four hawks, which in turn had ninety-seven hawks, which in turn had two hundred twenty-eight hawks, which in turn had six hundred sixteen.
Every single hawk was used in still another of Baltor’s brilliant schemes—create an “air force” of hawks, hawk riders, and hawk commanders! Half were used for scouting purposes … the other half were used for aerial combat. The names of these two small divisions were “Air Scouts” and “Air Assault.”
Seven years later, Jimnee died in her sleep at the age of sixty-one…
Two years later, Rex tragically died at the young age of thirty-one. Unlike all the others who had died of old age, however, he had been killed while fighting hand-to-hand against a giant, white bear that had snuck up behind him when he was hunting ... Rex had almost won the battle.
Not even a week after Rex’s death, which was during Brishava’s fifty-fifth year of life (though she still remarkably looked to be in her early forties), she unexpectedly fainted one morning while her handmaidens were in the process of dressing her for the day!
Within a month’s time, things for her got progressively worse, as she began to experience severe dizzy and nauseous spells whenever even trying to get out of bed—at the same time, her face had already aged five years, especially because she never slept well anymore…
The following year to the date, Valiante died in his sleep at ninety—surviving him were four children, eight grandchildren, twelve great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.
A year and a half later, Chelsea died at the age of sixty from a stroke that instantly killed her!
Though Baltor attended and spoke at every funeral, Brishava was too weak and in too much pain to get out of bed to attend any anymore...
Over the course of the next six years to come, her appearance became skeletal, just like with her father and grandfather! Despite her ghastly appearance, Baltor’s love for her never dwindled and he only saw her as “picture perfect.”
BOOK II OF III: The Reign of the Sultan Page 41
