19. Siege of Mina


    Karim had a slightly smaller army than Faiz had, 17,200, the 200 were Church of Light priests, 2000 cavalry; 1000 horse, 1000 camels, 5000 mercenaries gather by Karim under suspicious circumstances and 10,000 Poltu soldiers, essentially the national military. Under a crimson banner with a golden flame they marched along a coastal road toward Mina. There were cliffs and then beaches, but nonetheless the Poltu army met no resistance as it marched across the border. The city of Mina only had 20,000 residents, and the news of local Church of Light subversion had in fact reached Karim.


    Either way I can expand my power. I can make Mina a fief, stealing from disbelievers is not a crime, especially polytheists. Not even Ahmed will dispute my conquests. Nonetheless, these people overthrew Moru. That didn’t come out of nowhere.


    Mercurius and Salutius had successfully bribed the purchasable slaves and now had moved onto the various poor workers in the city. They had successfully brought tonnes of flour into the city, this lowered food prices, free food and drink was the God of Trade way to the hearts of men, not all men could be bribed, but a bribe would at least get you listened to. Peasants in the periphery and local shopkeepers were given free goods, the dock workers, the salt workers and blacksmiths. Blacksmiths and stone workers happily lapping up the free goods, producing statues to the God of Trade, Water and Farming.


    Meanwhile Karim had been preparing his siege. Cautious by nature he simply blasted the walls with his Church of Light priests. Fireball after fireball until they grew tired of throwing fireballs. It used a lot of God Power, but the Church of Light was vast.


    “Blast the gates and make as many breaches as possible, I want that city in our hands within a week!”


    He cautiously probed the walls, palisades being put behind each and every breach.


    “Crafty pagans,” Karim whispered, “should we start the siege yet?” He muttered to himself.


    He did not, instead bombarding the walls, perhaps he would have but then a spy came up to him and revealed some information.


    “Faiz of Moru was defeated outside the city walls of Halab. Most of his army are captives now.”


    Karim was wide eyed at the information staring at the messenger with trepidation.


    “Really?” He asked in a scared voice.


    “Yes really, Faiz was stabbed in the chest, we don’t know what’s going to happen to his troops,” the spy said nodding, “Moru is dead for now, unless you wish to revive it for your own ends.”If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    “Who am I speaking to?” Karim said to the spy, “you know very well Ahmed doesn’t take kindly to sedition.”


    “Is that why you were raising your own private army, to be a loyalist?” The spy spat back.


    Karim laughed, looked down and then took a glance of anger at the spy.


    “Who are you? Are you a plotter or a spotter?” Karim said, “or both? Ah I shouldn’t discuss these things anyway, your loyalty is with the wind.”


    “Says the plotter,” the spy quickly riposted, “united to do something for the realm because of an external threat.”


    “I am a pious man,” Karim retorted.


    “Oh for sure, is that why you are currently blasting Mina’s walls, your piety?”


    “You are a very witty spy, anyone ever tell you that?” Karim laughed, “what are you doing here, really?”


    “Nothing,” the spy said, “nothing at all.”


    He then wandered off. Karim kept bombarding the walls, tasking his men to make a fortified camp, and tasking his cavalry to keep supply lines open behind him.


    “Taking a city is like making a woman cum,” he said openly and loudly, “you have to prepare.”


    People outright sighed and clutched their foreheads in embarrassment, openly shaking their heads at their commander.


    “Truly a poet,” a soldier said.


    “Think of the women you will bed when we conquer the city,” Karim said.


    This motivated the villainy of some of the soldiers, motivating their drive for conquest.


    On the other end the city of Mina fortified inner parts of the city, citizens got crossbows even women were equipped with them, bolts accumulating. The walls were now being blown up in parts, fireballs arcing the sky and hitting residential buildings.


    “At some point I think we will have to hit them back,” an ex slave said, “this is getting ridiculous.”


    Mercurius appeared and began addressing the garrison.


    “Over the next few days, we will orchestrate a revolt in Gharb, which will make the besieging army not have supplies, as you well know, the God of Farming and Water gives us infinite supplies. We can sit them out until the end of time and not lose a single bit of nutrients,” Mercurius explained, “so that’s what we’ll do.”


    The whole day was spent repairing walls and building the temples. Mercurius and Salutius continued their bribery of the citizenry of Gharb.


    Mardonius visited southern tribes on the traditional borders with Moru, he offered them food and water, many accepted, he offered statues to the God of Trade, Farming and Water, some were more hesitant than others, but Yerek had a soft power approach to these nomadic and semi nomadic people.


    “I understand many of your people were sold into slavery, and some were even selling into slavery,” Mardonius said, “our religion is against that, we freed the slaves, we will be under attack by Church of Light countries, they will attack our cities, try to take our villages, try to kill us. I know of your cavalry strength, that is why I am here, I hope that is not too shameless,” the old man said to the tribesmen.


    “We have heard of the overthrow of Moru, and the relative prosperity you bring,” a tribal elder said, “our cavalry can of course be recruited, but we want assurances of security.”


    “You are free to drink our water and eat our food,” Mardonius said, “we break bread like brothers and share our resources with you. All we is ask is your assistance in what you are good at.”


    Mardonius moved some tribes from neutrality to outright siding with Yerek, and moved hostile tribes to neutrality. The southern border rather than being a sea of hostile peoples became friendly or simply not wanting to intervene in disputes between the Republic and its many troubles. Mardonius had done his job flawlessly, Zelra meanwhile had continued the temple construction throughout the land without a hitch, moving between cities without much troubles. Another evangel to the God of Trade was probably necessary, as the worshippers grew and the needs of the masses grew too.