Outside the city, Rabka’s following looked like sands in the seashore. Kayapa’s estimate proved to be more conservative as Rabka absorbed volunteers from the nearby towns and villages, most of which are fed up with how Aramathi is being administered. The troops he had gathered numbered 30,000, many being soldiers who adhered to Bel Kabab, but the torches and lamps they carried were thrice as many, creating the illusion of an even larger force.

Taking advantage of his numerical superiority and element of surprise, Rabka knew psychological warfare would further weaken the enemy. From Pasco, it would appear that he had close to a hundred thousand followers ready to fight. From a makeshift platform of wood and nails, Rabka stood confidently with his hands on his hips. Donned in a white tunic and a black veil, the last ambassador raised his unique sword and began his speech.

“Lovers of Bel Kabab, today is the day we’re going to bring heaven on earth! With the infidel Piso in Bereta, only Pasco remains in our way to reclaim the Pure Land, the land of our ancestors! Long have we waited for this golden opportunity, the opportunity to purify the Impure Land, and thank Bel Kabab for his generosity. He has not forgotten his people, us who suffered because of impure intentions plaguing the hearts of infidels.”

“I am no lover of the sword, for those who can kill the body is nothing compared to those who can kill the soul, but they are ones who cannot be saved. My life is all for you to be an example. My beginnings are humble, just like everybody else, but Bel Kabab has raised me for a purpose, the purpose being to ride the winds of change, and so are you. Ride the winds of change, fellow lovers. Don’t ever think you’re less worthy than anybody, for Bel Kabab has made you deserving. As I am the last ambassador of this world, may this be the last battle we will ever have to fight! I’ll be with you, lovers of Bel Kabab, I’ll be fighting with you as long as I wield the Sword of God, Ziferate!”

The cries of his followers, accompanied by the string of local Aramathi music, almost drowned the background while they also raised their own weapons, many being standard issued swords and spears, but some being typical tools like sickles, picks, pitchforks, and axes they have converted for warfare.

Rabka himself can be seen with his weapon of choice, the Ziferate, gleaming when light strikes it despite the metal itself being black. The curved sword is double edged, with two blades meeting and crossing against each other across the sword’s length, almost resembling a double helix. However, Rabka’s force majeure lies not on the sword itself. A considerable number of men moved large pieces of metal nearer the city. Looking from Pasco, the head guard panicked internally when he recognized them.

“Oh no,” the harried colonel exclaimed, “Where’d they get the strength?!”

“What do you mean?”, Alus asked, “Are you talking about the experimental weapons?”

“Yes, my lord… It seems they have refitted cannons they’ve gained from our Dragon Ships to become operable on land…”

“Why did Aramathi even have Dragon Ships in the first place?! The only bodies of water the province have are a long river and a large lake!”

The pretender exquisitor refers to Lake Bitrana and River Souri. The river flows from the mountainous region in Aramathi’s north to the lake, which was formed when Aramathians decided to dam the river to expand their source of freshwater and create an aquaculture despite being a landlocked area. The southern part of Souri goes on through Kandara and splits into a delta before the sea.

“Governor Horden wanted Aramathi to be the pride of Dalreida, so he acquired Dragon Ships mainly for showcasing purposes, but…”

“You didn’t expect them to make use of decorative cannons? Then, what are we waiting for?! Let’s evacuate the walls! Now!”

“But my lord, how do you plan to engage Rabka’s forces?”

“Evacuate now! That’s an order!”

The head guard immediately stopped speaking and simply saluted before going on his way.

“Woah there,” Alus muttered to himself, “I’d sure be missing my days as exquisitor.”

The Aramathian troops quickly left the walls to converge at the city plaza, the only open area in Pasco where people of significant numbers can assemble. Alus, however, did not have any plan to share with the troops. He only figured that if the enemy plans to use their cannons, they are going for the walls first. In that regard, he was correct. When the 36 cannons have gained the range, Rabka did not wait any moment to give them the signal for attack. Shots were heard one after the other as the cannons fire at will.

The metal balls serving as their ammunition hurled to the walls, which stood no chance despite the cannons being less accurate than initially expected. A few of the shots almost collided against each other while flying to their targets, but fortunately for Rabka, all of them have hit home nonetheless. Then again, Pasco’s walls proved resilient of the first salvo. Seeing this, they quickly prepared for the next attack. Lacking training with the experimental weapons, it would take some time for them to load the cannons again.

“What’s that noise?!”, the startled Horden asked as he put on his clothes.

The sounds of cannon fire reached the palace and penetrated his ears despite the orgy’s loud music. However, Horden himself was not familiar to the sound of the experimental weapons, and as it appears, neither did anybody else with him.

“What are you talking about, my dear?”, one of the women responded, “You’ve just had too much a drink, you’re hallucinating. Let us soothe your senses a bit, governor.”

The other girls with him agreed as they start touching him passionately, but Horden was suspicious. With his head still spinning, he struggled to exit his office. Horden’s first destination was the communications room, where he tried to establish contact with the city hall to mobilize the constabulary, and then with the barracks to mobilize the military, via radio.

All he got was static. Nobody is responding, making him furious. Are they partying again, or did something bad happen as he was enjoying his own party? He rushed to his room for his sword, and then went for the palace garden to use its hidden door.

“Not so fast, Governor Horden!”

He recognized the voice behind him. However, his reflexes have been slowed down by his current condition coming out of an exhausting orgy, not to mention his increased weight. He can only feel the blade pointed near his back, but was uncertain of his own senses as well.

“Kayapa! Are you behind this treacherous action?!”, Horden exclaimed after a hiccup as he felt his hold of the sword, “The Assembly would not be pleased with your greed!”

Just then, some of the women soldiers allied with Kayapa started coming out to surround them.

“H-hey, ladies…,” Horden changed his tune, “Y-you’re not seriously helping Kayapa now, are you, my sweethearts? I mean, h-how about all the things I’ve done for you?”

One of the ex-soldiers smirked, “Oh, is that right? Like what? Having all of us deflowered?!”

Jeering followed as the ladies intimidate him with their weapons. Horden was notorious for including young women soldiers in his personal orgies, making it a requirement for females wanting to enter military service.

“Face me, Horden,” Kayapa calmly said, “and unhand your sword while you’re at it.”

The governor's hands were visibly shaking as his head began ringing. It was a checkmate through and through, but what else can he do? Without warning, he dropped his sword, and then raised his hands before slowly turning around to look at the teacher, who sheathed his sword thereafter.

With a smile, Kayapa continued, “Horden, how dare you accuse me of usurping power? It’s your disastrous administration that has brought us to this debacle! I’m sure you’ve heard something unusual to force you out of your bubble, is that correct?”

Horden’s body looked unstable, as if he was falling from drunkenness or lack of stamina.

“What do you mean trouble?”, Horden said after another hiccup, “If there’s any trouble here, it’s the Lord Exquisitor! I’m sure I had him in an accident at the border with the Cingis I...!”

“I pity you, Horden. You’ve had it all in a silver platter. Ieso placed you in a position of power. Then what? If I were half as fortunate as you are, I would’ve been church superintendent now.”

“I owe Ieso nothing, and so does my family! You followers of the Way are all troublemakers, just like your leader! If you’ve any wits before you, stop this madness now!”

“No, Horden. You’re in no position to negotiate, but you’re still useful to us in this crisis.”

“What do you mean? Kidnap for ransom?”

“Horden, I don’t have much time, understand? Rabka’s besieging the city at this very moment with most of your soldiers. If you want to save the city, or just yourself, give us access to the provincial arsenal to better equip us for urban warfare.”

“Rabka?! Impossible! I had a deal with him that I’d tolerate his religion in exchange of…!”

“Horden! Do I have to repeat myself?!”

“I don’t believe it! Not a single word!”

Kayapa then motioned his head, signaling the women to take Horden with them. Despite the govenor's protestations, they successfully dragged him to the palace’s topmost floor. From there, shock filled Horden’s face.

The people are in a state of panic, and Rabka’s cannons fired their second salvo just in time for him to see. The barrage proved successful as Pasco’s walls crumbled down to a heap. Even at the palace, their roaring charge can be heard. Easily passing over the walls, Rabka’s troops pillaged, looted, and burned everything they pass through in the city. It was a free for all as Rabka himself seemed unable to control their overall movement.

Kayapa extended his hand to the city, “There’s the Pride of the East for you!”

Still unsteady, Horden was speechless at the horrendous sight. Many of their grand infrastructure projects are being leveled. Even his golden statue, erected to be a welcoming sight for visitors, is being melted by the strength of the flames. His, his father’s, and his grandfather’s masterpiece, Pasco City, is being destroyed, remodeled if you will, by the last ambassador's dream of the Pure Land.

In the theology of Bel Kabab, the Pure Land is also known as Belebeth, the Abode of God. The belief Rabka has articulated among his followers is that before Bel Kabab shall reside with the living, they must first prepare his coming through the Purification of Fire, the destruction of infidel cities by fire. Only when they have reclaimed Aramathi, which they believed to be their ancestral land, would Bel Kabab establish the Pure Land with Rabka, the last ambassador of the world, seating with him in all glory and power as his representative. The Pure Land shall be paradise on earth, devoid of inequality, poverty, and all of humanity’s ills.

“No! No! This shouldn’t be happening! It’s all their fault! Theirs!”

Horden can only express all the rage he has at the sight of Rabka’s audacious advance, thumping as he goes. However, Kayapa does not seek to keep the blame game going. If he is to become the governor replacing Horden, he has to see a resolution of the conflict in his favor.

“Do you believe, Horden? Now, I’m only asking your help because I want to increase my chances of winning. But even without you or your men, I can manage. You should know that.”

Horden angrily looked at Kayapa, and then lunged to grab him, but he was stopped from doing any harm by the women soldiers. Kayapa looks at the mad governor confidently with eyes blazing before speaking again.

“I’m already given the blessing of the Lord Exquisitor and the Dictator Piso to take care of the situation, as the rightly elected representative of Pasco. If you don’t care for your… our people, then at least care for yourself. If you don’t give me access to the arsenal, I’d make sure you’d be severely worse off, you’ll wish you weren’t even born!”

Horden collapsed upon hearing Kayapa’s words. He then looked up to try convincing the teacher.

“S-surely you… you w-w-wouldn’t…”

“You’re a gambling man, Horden. You want to wager?”

Kayapa then looked to the city once more. The fallen governor then forgot his fear. Before him is a man who appears to be sincerely dedicated to his duty, to his people, regardless of his immigrant past. Beyond his confident and taunting face, Horden can see Kayapa to be a man of integrity pushed to the brink by politics, and in this instance, by war. His mind instantly dug all memories of dealing with Kayapa, and he saw nothing he can smear against the Assemblyman.

“A-alright, Kayapa…”

Kayapa turned back to him, “What did you say?”

“I said, I’ll help you… But promise me first…”

“Go on. I don’t have all night.”

“Please… Please spare me and my family of political revenge…”

Kayapa knelt with one knee and touched the fallen governor with both his hands.

“I don’t make promises, Horden,” Kayapa said in a mellow manner, “but as surely as Ieso is faithful and just, it is not both yes and no. Through him, it has always been yes or... yes.”

Horden’s hiccups returned, but it did not stop him from guiding the women soldiers to his arsenal, which is located underneath the palace. As for Kayapa, he went to the plaza on a chariot to meet up with Alus and the head guard. Before leaving, he placed the women in charge of delivering the additional weapons at certain supply points in the city.

“Took you long enough, Taraga,” the head guard greeted, “Did Horden soften up?”

“Heh. I think I’ll regret the compromise I gave him earlier,” Kayapa said with a pained face, “but I’m not really good at bluffing… Still, how can we save the city, exquisitor?”

Alus was staring blankly at the streets leading to the city plaza. The head guard nudged him a few times before he came back to his senses. Kayapa frowned a little.

“Lord Exquisitor,” the impatient teacher confronted Alus, “We agreed that you’d lead this unified force! Act like one! Otherwise, the deal’s off!”

“I… Well…,” the pretender exquisitor spoke while his eyes wandered away from Kayapa, “Forgive me…”

“Taraga,” the head guard entered, “Halt your vituperation. Please proceed, my lord.”

“H-how do I put this,” Alus said, “Let’s say… Er, I’m more experienced in leading small forces, as in very small, and so I’m not…”

“That’s it,” Kayapa snapped his fingers signifying he struck an idea, “Good thinking, my lord.”

“What do you mean, Taraga?”, the head guard asked.

“When I was at the palace, I saw how disorganized Rabka’s forces are. Surely they wouldn’t be so excited to use their cannons when they know their people are already inside Pasco. Their disconcerting inaccuracy would be a nuisance. Meanwhile, with even a smaller force like ours, we can lure them to ambushes near the supply points I designated. By carefully trimming down Rabka’s ragtag army and keeping casualties low on our side, we can isolate Rabka.”

The head guard was surprised, “Wait, we can do this? They’re not exactly ragtag, too.”

The teacher nodded, “Yes, but let’s make sure we only incapacitate them.”

“Taraga, do you plan to make an example out of them?”

“I may be shrewd, but I’m not a punisher. In the end, they’re still your… our people. Besides, if we take on Rabka now, we won’t survive the encounter. I estimate he’s got five thousand still with him. Not to mention cannons and the infamous Ziferate.”

The colonel puts on his helmet, which looked more like a metal pail than anything else, with a T-shaped slit for the eyes, nose, and mouth. He also handed the pretender exquisitor a metal helmet.

“Do you approve, Lord Exquisitor?”

Still looking dumbfounded, especially after Kayapa came up with a plan out of his supposed admission of not being exquisitor, Alus said as he blinked, “Ah… Uh, yeah, sure… I mean, yes.”

The colonel saluted, “You don’t have to command twice, my lord. We’re at your service.”

He then turned to Kayapa, “How about you, Taraga?”

“I’m entering the battle,” Kayapa answered, this time with peace replacing his pain.

“In that outfit of a teacher? Wear some armor for your safety. I can’t take…”

“Thank you for your concern,” the teacher interrupted, “But where is your faith? If Ieso sees me unfit to lead Aramathi, if Rabka is the rightful leader, then let me perish here. If there’s nothing else for me to do in this world, then I could at least serve him in heaven. To die is gain. To die is gain. Engrave it in your hearts.”

Sadness filled the head guard, replacing his fear of engaging the enemy. The church dispute is just one of the troubles Kayapa has to contend with. Sifting through Kayapa’s ambition is a man who seeks to prove himself worthy, not in the eyes of god, but in the confidence of people.

A man persecuted, struck, abandoned, by the very people he regarded as his own, and so he tries to put up a front of indifference. The head guard was well aware of the leadership crisis that has grappled Aramathi, as he himself has been caught up with it, and how the prevailing patronage pushed away leaders of capability.

“Taraga, god will lift us up in his own time… that I believe, but I don’t want to see you dying before that happens.”

The colonel raised his short sword in front of him to display his readiness for the battle.

Maintaining a peaceful face, Kayapa said, “You… You really want that promotion, don’t you? If you have nothing more to say, then it’s time to borrow the winds of change for once.”

Indeed, there was no more time for puns and pleasantries. Rabka’s troops are ravaging the city, and even spreading more quickly are the flames engulfing the city. Smoke rises to cover the starry sky, and the moon appeared red from the ground. Their mission does not only entail taking out the rebels, but also saving the city and its people from utter destruction.

A city of two million people groans for its suffering to end, but do Alus and his allies have the strength to aid them? How has Horden’s administration allowed the swelling of Rabka’s movement? What can be said about Rabka’s influence in the neighboring provinces, and for Dalreida as a whole?