PreviousI'm back! Again sorry about the hiatus, but if its any consolation we managed to revise and re-submit the paper on time!
You decide to rally the forces of the forest and at least slow the advancing army. You call out to the woodland creatures, making them voracious, showing them where they might find food. They gather beneath your call and are directed by your arm. Rodents of every kind swarm through the ranks. The soldiers march on but many are perturbed. The animals ignore them and make their way to the guarded supply carts. They begin leaping onto the carts and breaking into the covered containers of food. Instantly all is commotion.
The march is temporarily halted. Satisfied you turn to leave, when you spot a winged man with horse hooves land gently some feet away. He does not notice you and instead makes his way through the panicking men, his eyes fixed on a distant point. You follow his eyes to a man seated on a palanquin carried by four men. On the seated man's forehead is a crown of gold. Every movement and fiber of this man exudes a regal quality. He seems almost indifferent to the panic surrounding him, but you can sense some deep sadness in him. You know who he is without ever having seen him before, without knowing his name.
"Akhentef!"
"Who dares address our lord directly?" A short, aged man, seated on a similar palanquin a feet away, retorts.
"Peace Mose. It is a messenger from the gods. And to them, our mortal titles signify nothing. Is that not so, Djedi?"
"It is so Akhentef."
"I trust Tef has accepted my...sacrifice?"
"Your sacrifice pleases him."
"That is well. Then...he has agreed to my request?"
"His blessing is upon you. You shall not fail." Akhentef nods and folds his arms in prayer. "He wanted me to give you this" The hooved man takes out an armlet of unmarked bronze. Akhentef taps the side of his palanquin and the servants lower it for him to descend. He takes the armlet from the messenger, admires it, then slips it onto his arm. "A gift, for your devotion. For as Tef takes, so too does he give." Akhentef nods again. The hooved man turns, you notice his eyes catching you hovering above the scene. He smiles a little, then he begins to run away from the men at incredible speed, you then see him a moment later flapping his enormous wings and taking flight. You turn back toward Akhentef. He has mounted his Palanquin again. He raises the arm with the armlet and speaks out to his men. His voice carries clearly through the commotion.
"Enough!" Instantly all the men are silent and obedient. "Let us halt the march and slaughter these pests. We have a ways to march yet." The men, still silent, are no longer panicked. They begin to slaughter the invading rodents systematically, moving the other carts away from the ones already spoiled to prevent the pests from spreading, then setting fire to the carts that are infested. Within 20 minutes your efforts are neutralized and Akhentef resumes the march.
You go back to Eve and the soldiers. She has gathered her men and their horses. The rest of the men are packing up their tents and arming themselves. You head toward the general's tent. You recognize several of the captains and lieutenants. They are huddled over a map of the surrounding terrain. You see Gezaru standing amid the captains; his face is grim.
"...then its settled. We have no other choice." Ilkid sighs pinches the base of his nose.
"Sir, this is cowardice." Gezaru speaks and the others recoil at these words.
"Insolent brat-" One of the lieutenants steps toward Gezaru. Ilkid holds up a hand.
"If you have something else, I'd like to hear it." Ilkid says. Gezaru remains silent. Ilkid's voice softens. "War is not fair Lieutenant."
"We can run. We can all run."
"We'll be caught and slaughtered. There aren't enough horses."
"We can't just let the men be decoys sir!"
"Enough! its the only way we conserve our essential forces. A necessary sacrifice. Against a force of this magnitude we must give up some flesh to spare the bone."
"I want to stay. I will stay. I can't leave my men."
"You will do no such thing lieutenant. You will give your men the orders. Then you will fall in with us and retreat. That's final." Again Ilkid's voice softens. "Look Gezaru, we need able leaders like you. You stay here and what happens? Hmm? You get slaughtered with the rest of your men. You accomplish nothing."
"At least I don't flee into the darkness. At least I maintain my honor."
"Hmph. Spoken like a true Madu. Nevertheless there is a time for bravery and a time for prudence. There is no glory in suicide. You
will fall in. And that's final." There is a tense silence. "Dismissed." The men salute and leave the tent. Gezaru follows after them.
The sun begins to set in the horizon. The sky reddens. Out of the coming dark a figure materializes in the air. It's George. He steps toward you.
"Its time, Arlore of the Rabbits. The council meets. Will you help me as you promised?"
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