17. Coalescing


    Salutius rather than fully going on the defensive also began picking apart the city of Gharb. He realised that Moru currency was going to be useless so he sold wood to the Chenep and Hunur nomads, acquiring Uruq gold which he promptly used on freeing slaves. Mercurius found out what Salutius was scheming and joined in. The two of them began the process they had so meticulously done on what was once the Moru kingdom. They bribed peasants and urban poor, and idols to the God of Trade, Water and Farming soon began appearing. 4000 Uruq gold was spent on freeing 4500 slaves. Mercurius and Salutius soon found out the plans of the Poltu kingdom, the local governor Karim had 5000 private soldiers, what he was doing with them was not known by Mercurius or Salutius; they imagined it was going to be used against them.


    How can he already have 5000 mercenaries hired, he surely doesn’t have infinite pockets like we do. Was he planning a civil war?


    20,000 available slaves were up for purchasing, Mercurius and Salutius darting back and forth to free as many of them as possible. Mardonius stopped Mercurius catching him in Hiru.


    “What kind of nonsense are you planning now? We need to focus on civil defence on building temples, on fortifying Yerek from the inevitable counter strike.”


    “If they come from Poltu, making Gharb weak is a good idea, it will weaken them strategically, they will not be able to invade so easily,” Mercurius explained.


    “There’s boundless desert that their armies could waltz through,” Mardonius warned, “do not underestimate them, we caught Moru off guard, but now all their attention will be on us.”


    “Fine Mardonius, I understand,” Mercurius said, “we need to strengthen the defences, but that doesn’t mean we should become too insular, the God of Trade is for all Mardonius.”


    “It certainly is,” Mardonius replied, “but don’t get too crazy, I have a fear that we might be overrun if we are too ambitious.”


    Marble was transported from Qar Sara to the various temple construction projects, other Church of Light Kingdoms already had small detachments ready to fight against Yerek. Salutius and Mercurius bribed poor peasants, and ex slaves going back to Hiru to ask for more flags. Poltu had a crimson red flag with a golden flame, Salutius thought of the day when the flags would be toppled and the flag of Yerek would be raised; green, blue and yellow raised over the various cities of Poltu. Mercurius noticed that Gharb had thriving fish markets and a thriving salt industry, the salt trade was owned by the governor generating profits he could use for administration.


    “Do we have salt flats we could use?” Mercurius asked.


    “I believe they are owned by private merchants,” Salutius said, “given our other reforms, taking those might be politically… dangerous.”


    “Right, for now let’s focus on what we were doing,” Mercurius said, pissing off too many people at the same time, is never wise.


    Spies noticed the appearing and disappearing merchants. They prowled the streets trying to catalogue the infiltration taking place.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    It seems one man is bald, and the other has short black hair. They’ve been bribing peasants, paying for slaves’ freedom and targeting the more disadvantaged. Extremely dangerous behaviour. Our governor Karim doesn’t even know his city is next on the chopping block. We should warn him.


    The spies were too late to warn Governor Karim, Karim had already mobilised his private retinue of 5000, gathering 10,000 Poltu regulars, assisted by 200 Church of Light priests.


    “We will rid the world of these infidels!” Karim said lifting a sword into the air triumphantly.


    While he did so, men rode by offering 1000 camels and 1000 horsemen.


    “Our trade has been disrupted by this new heathen ‘Republic,’ we want revenge,” the slaver said.


    He offered his sword in a horizontal way, holding scabbard in one hand, and sharp end gently balanced on his gloved hand.


    “I accept your services, Moru shall be restored I assure you,” Karim said, who knows I might even become a king of Moru, “get the baggage train ready, we ride for Mina!”


    Mercurius and Salutius returned to Mina to warn the residents of the impending attack, they had gleaned enough to know what was coming.


    “An army led by the governor is coming your way,” Mercurius said to the head of the intelligence, “make sure enough of our supporters have crossbows.”


    Men armed with crossbows and helmets, were quickly paraded on the parade ground. Many had a rudimentary understanding of war.


    “Alright! Time to practice for war!” A drill instructor said.


    Mercurius and Salutius returned to Gharb, selling Hiru’s wood for Raja coin. Slavers in the city grateful for the coin, the slaves even more grateful for the freedom. Mercurius and Salutius would teleport to locations where they thought the marching army would be sending frequent updates to Mina.


    “Can the city withstand a siege?” Salutius asked, “I fear they will surrender when fireballs start flying their way.”


    “With our powers, any city could theoretically last forever,” Mercurius said, “we can supply the city, the real question is do the slaves have the heart to fight.”


    While they argued over this fact, a semi competent commander was chosen in the defence. Arbogast an ethnic Locus, an ex slave who had been kidnapped in his childhood by slaving raiders. He was muscular and had been expected to do lots of heavy lifting as a slave, he was giving impromptu speeches on the defence of the city.


    “We must defend our newfound freedom! If the Republic is to last, we must defend with our lives as well as our pockets. Of course the Church of Light wishes to put us back in chains, we must accept the crossbow, and not let elements of the old regime cling back to power!” The speech was powerfully done, eliciting a roar from the ex slaves.


    However, while he gave rousing speeches, a mob of Church of Light supporters raised the flag of Moru, the green flag with a yellow flame and began chanting seditious chants.


    “Death to the infidels! Death to the infidels! Long live the King! Khalid, god nothing else!”


    The rebels took over a barracks, and the situation began to spiral out of control, Mercurius and Salutius came back and noted the carnage already unfolding. Fire balls were being thrown, and people particularly women were screaming. Despite the chaos, the investment in crossbows was not without benefit. Crossbow bolts were shot, hitting and killing some of the priests, and killing some of the Moru loyalists. One of the food stores was hit, wheat turning into cinders. Salutius went wide eyed and then relaxed slightly.


    “I suppose it’s not the end of the world, we can always replace food,” Salutius said, “still what a mess.”


    The newly armed and armoured men slowly whittled down and broke up the Church of Light mob, the volleys of bolts successfully defeating them. Agents still loyal to Moru, had probably incited the uprising, nonetheless their clergy were promptly expelled from the city.


    “While freedom of religion is important, we know of a Poltu invasion force coming, and we can’t risk seditious elements while defending the city!” Men armed with crossbows said, far too leniently.


    Seditious elements remained, and perhaps always would, but a tremendous test for Mina and for the Yerek republic was about to befall it. Night soon fell, but that didn’t scare the Church of Light.