Looking at the enemy host in front of him Subito knew they will not retreat. Battle will last till the last one of them is dead. They had nowhere to retreat. Battle was about to take place on the border between the Land of Lorantid and Land of Moving Hills. Lorantides had gathered all of their remaining warriors in the last attempt to prevent the destruction of their empire. On the other hand majority of tribesmen joined Subito’s army. Land of Moving Hills suffered greatly in the war, population was affected by hunger and diseases spreading from a great number of unburied corpses. Only hope for many tribes was to send their warriors with Subito in search for the spoils of the war. With warriors away there was more food for women and children. Forest of Lumos axes in front of him was ominously glistening reflecting lights from fetun stones he positioned on the clan house above his army. They were already in the fog. All of Lorantides were clad in raw hide covering every part of their body except the eyes. Alma’s pumps were useless. No fire moss solution would get on enemy skin. Never mind, he would use it on prisoners after the battle. Subito rode his dog in front of his army, sudden silence fell on the warriors in front of him:

“Brothers, time of revenge had come. Tomorrow there will be no more Lorantides. Kill them same as they were killing your fathers, mothers, sons, daughter, brothers, sisters, women you loved, your friends… They tried to enslave us, free people, use the chains they tried to put on your wrists to strangle them. Show them no one will ever enslave the free will of the men. We are not the slaves! Let them hear!”

“We are not the slaves!” Warriors were shouting in ecstasy.

“They wish was to take everything we own, even our honor. Look at them, they understand their mistakes, but now it is too late… We had come to take everything they own. They are trembling in fear because they know dead is riding with us. They know there is no hope. Forward! Paint the ground with their blood. Make red carpet for brave sons of man in front of entrance to Land of Lorantid. When we finish with them even their name will disappear from memories. Forward!”

Army was already moving. He was riding in front of them waving the sword of Tir Ksai. By this time his troops already renamed his sword to Subito’s sword.

He pushed away extended axes and cut first enemy. His army was following behind him. Clash of metal was deafening. His personal guard was soon all around him pushing away enemy warriors. Soldiers were falling on both sides and land was covered with dead bodies. With surprise, he understood he would miss this. In the course of his adventure he became true warrior, addicted to danger and battle rush. Now when peace was near, he couldn’t imagine what he would do when it comes. He already had forgotten what it was like to be out of the war. His life was on the battlefields. Before the war he often fantasized about life with Miratur, about their children, but now she was dead. He loved Alma too, but not like that. His love toward her was more a reaction to her love for him, than a real love. Real love don’t come as a consequence, she don’t need anything in return in order to exist. He wondered, could he marry Alma and have children with her. He saw Melessar on the left killing Lorantid and attacking another. This was the first time in days he saw him. They were so close, but so distant at the same time. Subito always had a busy day with his big army and battle plans, and Melessar seemed to avoid him. Everything has changed, he didn’t have an old warm relationship with his sword brother, his best friend and love of his life were dead and his only other friend was his girlfriend now. He couldn’t have guessed all of this would happen when he was leaving Ulan. Would he ever come here if he knew? Five of them left Ulan and only he and Alma were still alive. Where is Alma now? He let his guardsmen in front of him and stood up on the backs of his dog. Then he saw her on the left flank waving her stone club and cheering soldiers around her. Then something caught his eyes. On the right flank knights of bloody scarf in their distinctive red clothes were deep inside of Lorantid lines. Fierce skirmish was taking place as Lorantides were trying to regain their grounds. Lines of knights were too stretched and they had to slowly retreat. Subito took his flag showing golden arrow on the red field from the hands of his standard-bearer. He was running down the lines with his personal guards behind him. Three hundred best dog riders. They hit into the already confused left wing of Lorantid host like a hammer. And it shattered like a glass. Covered with blood from head to toe, he bellowed:

“To the left!”

This time they were attacking Lorantides from the flank and right flank of human army was following them. In no time Lorantides were running from the battlefield.

“Follow them, let no one escape!”

He could see one of the Lorantid generals has regained control over his unit and was retreating in order, gathering scattered parts of other units on the way. Subito waved his banner and charged toward him, his guard cut through lines of Lorantides like a knife through the butter, same as his sword through general’s neck.

“Pitchfork!”

Cavalry moved to the flanks running parallel with Lorantides, soon circle closed and Lorantides surrendered. Now he was able to use pumps. When the last Lorantid was crushed under the boots of his army, his soldiers raised him on their shoulders and declared him the king of Lumos.

In next days they were erecting fetun towers all over Lumos and freeing Lumos people from the btari mines. All Lorantides were destroyed, including their cocoons in the depths of the mines, same cocoons that were supposed to renew their armies decimated in the war against the Lands of Moving Hills. Lorantides reproduced by dividing themselves after division parts would enwrap themselves in calcite cocoon similar to the bird’s egg only pure white in color. Subito ordered his craftsmen to glue round pieces of cocoons on plates of his own armor and of the armors of his guards. Army called these armors egg armors and named his guard egg guard. He accepted this name despite it was implying he was an egg.

***

Since battle for Tayrutown Melessar was avoiding meeting Subito in person, most of the time in the march he was at the end of the lines. There were a lot of interesting characters, mostly fat cooks and whores who were always following the army on the march. Most interesting was Arsamoria. She was member of a black skined tribe. They had come to the refuge on the mountain somwhere from the south. Legends say that in those days they were speaking strange foreign language, no one could understand. After so many years they replaced their languge with common language of the Land of Moving Hills, but have kept many customs which seemed strange to their neighbors. They rubbed their bodies with bear fat and wraped it in long strips of white cloth simillar to bandages. Over that unusual garment they would dress common tribesman clothing. She looked exotic and beautiful, especially her smile which revealed a kind heart.

Arsamoria

Somewhere in the snow, she found a couple of small birds which fell out of the nest, they didn’t even have any feathers. They were allways in a wooden box, attached to her belt. She never hesitated to put a worm in her mouths in order to grind it and feed her birds. Her eyes were lovely deep and dark. She told him she is a musician, but the war took the whole of her clan and she was forced to sustain herself. Nothing else she ever told him about her family and their deaths, but he could hear her scream in sleep every night. He never asked her either, some wounds are best left to heal. She was working as assistant to one of the cooks, fat and noisy Hull Termian who found her amongst refugees. Her duties were to carry the water, chop vegetables and wash the dishes. In her spare time she played sad, strange tunes, different from any other music you could hear in the Land of the Moving Hills. Her songs were always about the sun, his golden arms and warmth taken away by the fog. Often cook would punch her when she wouldn’t fulfill her duties carried away with music. Not since she befriended Melessar. They met first time when her cook saw Melessar waiting in line for a meal. He sent Arsamoria to deliver him a meal, “so he wouldn’t have to push around with smelly bunch” as he referred to the common soldiers. She came into his tent in her oversized tribesman robe, peeking under the big hood like a little mouse. Her birds were restless, so he asked her what she has there. “Nothing” she answered with a fear in her eyes, protecting birds with her hands. After he reassured her, she let him take a look. So he made a potion for little creatures that were covered with the rash. Afterwards he made potion for the pain she felt in her jaw as a result of the blow she has suffered. In no time she was talking dirty jokes and they were already friends. Tomorrow she came again, when he told her she don’t have to bring him lunch, she was offended and told him she likes to do it. Pretty soon she moved into his tent, he even gave her some of his old clothes. At least he didn’t have to worry about making fire or cleaning his tent anymore. He couldn’t say no to her and she wasn’t afraid to intrude. Couple of times she offered him to sleep together, but he denied. All the same she was speaking all over the place she is his special lady. She was undressing in front of him with no shame showing her breasts and skinny but nicely shaped ass. He could see every rib on her back. She was excellent at distracting him from his worries. But now when the war was over he couldn’t avoid confrontation any further. Arsamoria was softly snoring and he sat at the table to write. It wasn’t going very well and soon he was ankle deep in crumpled papers. And that annoying fly wasn’t stopping to buzz. When he finally squashed her with his palm one terrible thought struck him like a hammer:

“We are nothing more compared to him, than this fly is compared to me. And I killed it with such ease.” He fell down on his knees for a prayer:

“…Snake

World is full of snakes and it is only a matter of time before one of them bite you. When it happens, make sure she is the one which will die out of poison.

Once I was walking down the street when a beggar came to me asking for money. “Why?” I asked. “Because when god gave you the life he didn’t ask why. I will starve to death if you don’t, I am asking for life.” I took a piece of bread, spit on it and gave it to him. “Are you grateful now? God didn’t let us choose what life we will live, he just gave it. You need to live with what you have got or perish, god doesn’t care. Maybe I would give you what you have asked for, if you haven’t tried to deceive me, you snake.”