Zachania

by Joseph Henry Gaines

  Lord Heikan was the first to rise where he pulled his sword and thrust it into the air.

  “Victory………Imperial blood will drench the battlefield…..victory my King!” he shouted loudly.

  “VICTORY!” Kinlan, Lord Heikan’s champion then added as all the Lords except Ganasis and Zumal joined in.

  As the days light began to fade the Lords of the council went off to examine the front line, they had men posted at various strategic points keeping watch for any sign of the Empires attack.

  Ganasis and King Arun returned Fort Arun where they had some food before once again going over all the preparations.

  “They needed that today Arun.” Ganasis suddenly said commenting on what the King had said earlier.

  “What is that Ganasis?” replied the King.

  “You roused the men, it is times like these that need a leader to come forward and put some fire in their guts.”

  “It seemed like the right thing to do at the time Ganasis.”

  “Do not undervalue yourself Arun, I was proud of you earlier……….I am proud of you now, you have so far exceeded all my expectations, you have become a good man, a truthful man and a good King.”

  “Thank you Ganasis but I think my Kingship will be judged on the battle tomorrow, if we fail then the memory of King Arun will not be a good one.”

  “Don’t say such things Arun, we will hold our own tomorrow, I have seen many men of war and what you have, Heikan, Tanaga, Zargar, Kinlan and not forgetting Lord Talon is a group of fighters, I see it in their eyes, they are strong resolute men and it will take an almighty force to subdue their spirits.”

  King Arun allowed himself a slight smile as he reached for some water, the King poured the water and then turned quickly as he heard the door open; he was just about to chastise who had entered without knocking when before him he saw a dishevelled Talon walk in.

  “Sire.” Talon said walking in the room quickly and throwing his belongings onto the floor.

  “I came as soon as I could.” he added as he embraced Ganasis and then turned to the King who was now smiling from ear to ear.

  “Thank the gods you’re here Talon.” Ganasis sighed himself now smiling warmly.

  “Arun, I am sorry I could not get here sooner but I was busy conquering the south for you.” Talon added as Kraal embraced Ganasis.

  The King grabbed hold of Talon and embraced him.

  “I feared the worst Talon, when we could not reach you, I foolishly feared the worst.” the King sighed as he held Talon, an action that did not escape the attention of Ganasis who saw clearly how much the King needed Talon.

  “So how have you been?” Talon then added once he had broken free from King Arun and removed some scarfs around his neck and face and sat himself down.

  “Many things have happened since you left Talon.” Ganasis said.

  “I can see that.” replied Talon.

  “Tell us what happened in the south?” Ganasis added.

  “A great victory……..thirty five thousand Imperial soldiers are now dead at the hands of this great commander.” Kraal suddenly snapped sounding proud.

  “You did as you said you would Talon, you have delivered us the south-west coast.” the King added noticing that the look on Talon’s face did not share the same pride as Kraal.

  “You are not pleased with this Talon?”

  “I am pleased with the victory Arun but not at the cost, we lost over four thousand men to the Empire.”

  “It will please their kin that their lives were not lost in vain.” Ganasis snapped

  “We share their grief Talon, but we have taken what we went to take, that is the important thing here.” replied Arun.

  “What is happening on the front line Arun, I hear we are on the eve of battle.” Talon then said changing the subject.

  King Arun looked across at Ganasis before replying.

  “The Empire has returned Talon; they have brought nearly a million soldiers to our doorstep.”

  “A million soldiers!” snapped Talon shocked at the speed and reply of the Empire.

  “Yes….and according to our scouts they will reach us at first light.”

  Talon then quickly turned to Ganasis.

  “They attack tomorrow! Have we taken steps to fight such a force?”

  “We have done whatever is needed to be done but what we lacked was you.”

  “Me.” replied Talon.

  “Yes Talon, only you know how they will fight us, we need to know what tactics they will use.”

  Talon leaned back in his chair and began to think.

  “Show me on the maps where our soldiers are.” Talon replied.

  King Arun then showed Talon the maps of the ditch and the hills where the Zachanian soldiers were camped, Talon studied them hard before replying.

  “Good, it was good thinking to place the archers on them hills that will stop any flanking movement, they have already tried spinal powder but it would be difficult for them to use it here, as they have to meet us in this valley.”

  “They could use the Ivory attack, if I was in command of their army that is what I would use, they need to draw us into battle and Ivory could do this.”

  “What is the Ivory attack Talon?” asked Ganasis

  “It is named after the Ivory horns of the extinct beast, the ‘Kalimof,’ the Kalimof had three horns, one in the centre of its head and two horns on either side of its head that curved inwards, here let me draw you an example.”

  “I have numbered the horns one, two, three with number four the beast head, and these represent columns of soldiers. First number one horn advances to meet us, then two and three will open to look as if they are about to flank us, but then number one retreats pulling us into a trap, if we follow number one then horns two and three will close in on us and number four will then close all around, it is deadly, simple but deadly.”

  “What should we do to nullify this?”

  “We do not be drawn into their trap, it is simple we do exactly to them what they are trying to do to us”

  “When their number one advances we do not advance to meet them, instead we break into three columns, the column in the middle falls back, then our other two columns move outwards where we do not allow them to flank us, then once we have pulled them in we close in and attack.”

  “And this will work Talon?” asked Ganasis.

  “It will work if they attack us in this way, by us not going forward to meet them we weaken their attack, the first horn will be isolated, then we attack horns two and three with our archers.”

  “Ganasis have these sketches copied and distribute them amongst our Generals.” Talon then added.

  So the sketches were copied and the three men worked tirelessly into the night, the battle was now imminent and all the hopes and fears of the Zachanian’s rested upon what the morning would bring.

  When Talon laid his head down to rest he knew that tomorrow would be known as the battle of all battles, a battle that had been in the making for centuries, a battle where Zachania would prove to themselves and all of Kratos that they deserved the right to freedom.

  Chapter 28

  the Battle

  As dawn broke, Talon with King Arun and Ganasis left the safety of Fort Arun and rode to the Zachanian front line where the Empire was expected to attack first.

  “This is always the worst time Talon, the wait before a battle; concentrate your mind on what we have to do and nothing else.” Ganasis said quietly Talon as they dismounted their horses and joined the Zachanian Generals.

  “And remember, whatever comes over them hills, do not let your mind put fear into you, that fear will credit the enemy with almost certainly more credit than they are due.” added Ganasis.

  Talon smiled and nodded as he knew what Ganasis was saying was true, even now without seeing the Empire Talon had to concentrate hard to rid his mind of doubt.

  After a couple of hours of painstaking waiting they heard the cry they had all been wa
iting for.

  “THE ENEMY APPROACHES!” was shouted from the lookouts on the hills.

  “HERE THEY COME!” another captain closer to Talon shouted telling the warriors to prepare.

  Talon reached down by his side and grabbed the butt of his sword, he squeezed it hard, trying to tense himself into an aggressive state, he could hear his heart beating, in the distance he could hear the commands of his Zachanian warriors telling the men to prepare and be ready. Then he began to hear something that sounding like thunder in the distance, he noticed that next to him he saw the branch of a tree begin to shake, Ganasis reached out and tugged at Talon’s arm as if to reassure him to steady his nerves.

  The tension on the battlefield was almost unbearable as all they could hear was the sound of thousands of footsteps coming towards them.

  “DAMN IT! Show yourself.” King Arun seethed knowing full well the Empire were behind the hills.

  Talon then stiffened as he began to hear the sound of horns, then starting with the tips of their flags he saw the Empire come into view, again Talon stiffened as row after row for as far as the eye could see was now coming into view.

  “By the gods.” King Arun sighed as he swallowed hardly and gave a long sigh as he tried to take in the might of the army that was coming towards them.

  “Breath deep!…breath deep” Ganasis uttered as he saw Talon and King Arun froze to their spots totally absorbed.

  Talon rapidly snapped out of his thoughts as he heard Ganasis next to him, he looked around at his fellow Zachanian’s and saw how mesmerized they were, he pulled his sword from its sheath and stepped forward.

  “ALRIGHT THEN YOU BRAVE ZACHANIANS!” he shouted proudly which had the chosen effect of snapping the men in earshot from their thoughts.

  “Let these blaswards come to us!” he added gritting his teeth now looking full of determination and then spitting on the ground.

  Talon then saw from the corner of his eye Lord Heikan approaching.

  “Sire look!” Heikan said to the King as he pointed to someone from the Empire riding forward alone and stopping about one hundred paces from the Zachanian lines.

  “He has the flag of truce” Ganasis added as he squinted his eyes and then recognised that it was Grarlin the wizard Grand.

  “What is he doing?” Heikan said as he waved to some men who immediately aimed their arrows at the wizard.

  “NO!” Ganasis snapped to Heikan seeing what he was doing with the archers.

  “He wants me.” added Ganasis as he then walked towards a horse.

  “You’re not going to meet him are you.” King Arun said surprised and worried as he saw what Ganasis was doing.

  “He cannot attack me; he is bound by wizard law.”

  “Then take someone with you.”

  “No I must do this alone.” added Ganasis as he got on his horse and rode off to meet him.

  The Zachanian’s quickly placed some wooden planks over the ditch for Ganasis to ride across and then moments later Ganasis rode out to meet Grarlin face to face.

  “You have aged old man.” Grarlin greeted Ganasis.

  “After all these years you still lack the art of manners Grarlin.”

  “SSSSS” Grarlin replied.

  “I had hoped you were dead.” added Grarlin.

  “By the end of that day that hope will be a dream.”

  “Ha ha ha…still the same old Ganasis, you still speak with the tongue of a serpent, open your eyes old man, can you not see what I have brought for you.”

  “What do you want Grarlin? I grow tired of this conversation.”

  Grarlin then smiled as he looked Ganasis over.

  “I just wanted to see my old master one last time; I wanted to see the look in your eye as I deliver your beloved Zachanian’s their doom.”

  “So you still call me your master, so you have not forgot Grarlin, you was my student.”

  “I was never your student, I learned what I needed to learn from you then I left you in my wake.”

  “You have always been a disappointment Grarlin, I showed you everything and you betrayed me.”

  “YOU SHOWED ME NOTHING OLD MAN!…………you asked me to help people, these vermin you so love, conjure tricks is all that you showed me, the power I possess now is beyond your imagination, I kill with the blink of an eye.”

  “The Emperor has perverted you Grarlin.”

  “My Emperor has given me more than you ever did, he has made me strong, he has made me formidable.”

  Ganasis then began to snigger at Grarlin.

  “You are a fool, and like all fools you give yourself more merit than you deserve.” Ganasis told him

  “But before I leave you I want you to deliver your Emperor a message for me……tell him Zachania WILL be free……tell him from me I will drive him from his Palace lands, and there is nothing that can stop this.” added Ganasis before giving Grarlin a cold look and then turning his horse.

  “You, are the fool old man!” Grarlin shouted as Ganasis rode off.

  Grarlin then burst into an ear shattering laugh that magically grew louder and louder until it spread across the whole of the battlefield, when Ganasis reached his Zachanian lines he could see that Grarlin’s sinister laugh was now so loud it was hurting the Zachanian’s ears. Ganasis gave himself a smile as he thought of an idea. Ganasis mumbled a few wizard words and clicked his fingers, moments later Grarlin’s laugh turned into a deafening sound of a horse, the sight of Grarlin sounding like a horse made the Zachanian’s burst into laughter where they began to taunt the evil Imperial wizard, Grarlin flew into rage which made the horse sound grow louder, amusing the Zachanian’s more. The Imperial wizard had to say a spell to get his voice back before he glared at the Zachanian’s, embarrassed and furious Grarlin rode back towards the Empire.

  Bursting with rage Grarlin immediately ordered his Generals to attack.

  “KILL THEM ALL!” he screamed still outraged.

  Moments later thousands of Imperial guard soldiers began to advance towards the Zachanian’s. Lord Heikan raised his arm signalling his archers to prepare; they waited until the Empire was within range then unleashed thousands of poison tipped arrows on them. The Zachanian’s on the front line began to cheer as the Empires soldiers began to fall, arrow after arrow was fired at them as more Imperial soldiers fell.

  General Kanyan then approached Talon and the King and told them that there were Imperial archers up on the hill moving into position.

  “They are too far away; they cannot reach us from there.”Lord Heikan added.

  Just as Lord Heikan finished his comment a blanket of Imperial arrows dropped down onto the Zachanian front line, three guards quickly shielded the King as all around them Zachanian’s fell.

  “TALON!” Ganasis shouted pulling him into cover.

  “HOW ARE THOSE ARROWS REACHING US?” Lord Heikan shouted.

  “I do not know, it must be a new kind of bow.” Talon shouted as another blanket of arrows crashed down amongst them.

  “Get some men over there; we must take out those archers.” The King shouted at General Kanyan as he pointed to the position where he wanted the men to go.

  “Sire you must leave the battlefield.” Lord Heikan shouted as he ran from his cover to the King.

  “I am staying here!” Arun shouted back.

  “Arun, one stray arrow and Zachania is without a King.” added Ganasis.

  Resentfully King Arun agreed and moments later he was escorted away back towards Fort Arun.

  Talon then ran to Ganasis and pulled him behind a tree.

  “Ganasis our men are falling like flies.”

  “So are theirs” Heikan replied hearing what Talon said and pointing out that the Zachanian’s were still causing devastating casualties with their own archers.

  “Heikan we cannot trade man for man, the Empire outnumber us.” Talon replied.

  “We must hold this line no matter what; if we retreat back then we will be over run in a matter of hours.�
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  “Then we must drive their archers back out of range.”

  “What do you suggest?” asked Ganasis.

  “We must drive them from that hill.”

  “It is dangerous Lord Talon; if we put men on that hill they will be isolated.”

  “Damn it what choice do we have.” replied Talon.

  “Do it!” Ganasis snapped back as another blanket of arrows crashed into them causing them all to jump for cover.

  Talon grabbed hold of Heikan.

  “I want four legions, bring them to that hill Heikan, I will meet you over there.”

  Lord Heikan immediately did as Talon asked and ordered Kinlan to bring forward four legions which totalled twenty four thousand men to assemble themselves where Talon wanted them.

  Talon then turned to Ganasis and smiled.

  “Wish me luck.” he said as began to arm himself.

  “Be careful Talon.”

  “I want our archers to cover us; if they break right then we could be up against the archers and that column of men there.”

  “Don’t worry we will keep you covered.”

  Talon nodded and ran towards Heikan who was preparing the men.

  “Are you coming” Talon said as he saw Lord Heikan tucking a second sword into his waistband.

  “Try stopping me!” Heikan replied smiling and tapping Talon hard on the arm just before they both started to run towards the front of the legions. Talon raised his sword when he heard the men began to cheer him and Heikan.

  ‘Zararhakzar’ they shouted.

  Seeing the legions advance some of the front line Zachanian soldiers quickly began to place wooden planks over the ditch so that Talon and his men could cross, another cheer went up as the front line soldiers saw Talon and Heikan leading the men onto the hills at the left hand side of the valley.

  Talon bit his lip as he led the charge, there was no tactics here, it was just plain attack, Talon swished his sword in a circular fashion just before he reached the Imperial archers. Then followed by Heikan and the four legions they ran into the legions of Imperial archers who were now quickly putting down their bows and reaching for their swords.