25. Surprise


    Ahmed’s spies, what little of them remained, relayed to him the defeat of the Uruq army, and the arrival of another. General Marwan’s march, and the news that even armies from the Raja states were going to arrive within a month. 3000 of Gisco’s camels had now come to Utbah, who used them to reinforce his army to 12,000. Fully watered and fed within the confines of Nichomachus’s ingenious southern desert strategy, buying the loyalty of countless villages with endless food and water. Nichomachus inspired by his success in the south with Tolra and Kostor, the two cities founded on catering to the nomad population, he decided he would another, this time on the Poltu side of the border; the new city of Gatula had its own resident evangel to the God of Water and Farming, providing water and food to the local nomadic population. With so many converts, providing another evangel was not difficult at all, and provided even more loyalty to the various pastoralist peoples of the area. Horses, camels and livestock of all kinds were taken to this newfound oasis. Many oases further south having dried up, this new permanent one was a boon, the new faith grew rapidly and cemented loyalty, and with that came recruits for Gisco and Utbah.


    Four days had passed, and Ahmed heard the news that the governor of Wersh: Yezid, had in fact for all intents and purposes defected to Amoreb. Amoreb flags flew over his administrative centres, even the tribes that cemented Poltu control quickly switched allegiances to the neighbouring power. Ahmed read letter after letter of his spies, clasping his head in worry. A middle aged man, he had no idea what to do. Still other Church of Light generals traipsed around his palace halls.


    In the past sandwiched between two Church of Light countries, our conflicts happened but were marginal, one had to forge claims to territory, and now with this new threat, this God of Trade,my neighbours openly steal my lands.


    Nichomachus extended his operations to the Wersh region, but they were quite openly pro Amoreb, some men even trying to attack Nichomachus for offering gifts.


    To think they would resist bribes so forcefully.


    It would be Utbah with 12,000 men who would face Marwan’s army from Jira. It was said that Jira was where the Church of Light emanated from, destroying Byz’s control of the east, and slowly taxing the Church of Truth’s followers into converting. Their army had come to assist the faithful in purging this infidel threat, their army was massive. Utbah sent emissaries to some of the tribes of Wersh, and they told them quite openly what their objection to Yerek was.


    “You cannot beat the Church of Light, sure, you have had your successes, no doubt, but there are armies are boundless,” the tribal elder said, “you will be beaten, and for what then would we rise up against them?”


    “So if we beat them in battle you will join us?” Utbah said brazenly, brown eyes opening in excitement, “I already have you know?”


    “More will come, we are right here on the border, from Yasir and Isra they will send more armies, and more armies after that,” the elder explained, “Wersh will be a protectorate of Amoreb.”If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Utbah could not talk to them anymore, he and his emissaries left the hostile villages and went to seek out battle, to seek out a settlement with these doubting tribes.


    To cover them in plate, and to get tired quickly, or to don no armour arrive and then be easy to kill. This question has no easy answer. Utbah thought.


    Marwan was marching along the coastal road, the hostile tribes sent messages to Wersh and to the Church of Light cause, but no one expected Utbah’s actions. He arrived fully clad in armour, and his soldiers 12,000 would arrive from the desert some two days later, only the scouts were not covered in plate, patrolling on the flanks and ahead to find the enemy.


    “They are not too far from here,” one of Utbah’s spies informed him.


    “We must paralyse their camel riders, that’s what I’m most afraid of. The rest we can chew down on, we will kill their momentum.”


    Utbah looked with his brown eyes at his army, a likewise swarthy group of people.


    Thank you Gisco for the camels, I will send you some horse when I get the chance. He grinned, thinking of the western commander.


    “Our goal is to shatter them! Today Marwan discovers our resolve!” He said, clasping one fist in an open gauntleted fist.


    Camel knights cantered across the battlefield, enemy scouts whistled in desperation, but they were too late, Utbah had arrived. Taking the front out in an initial charge, the enemy camels were lightly armoured to Utbah’s delight. The Church of Light priests were caught in the charge, and theability of spearmen to react was far, far too late. 2000 enemy camel riders were dead, the rest not faring too much better, their lances having nowhere to manoeuvre and were quickly swatted down by heavy maces that smashed the bones of the attacked. Marwan like Omar and Mansur before him tried to organise his infantry, unlike the earlier commanders he had retreated to his infantry he attempted to rally, but Utbah really was coming for the mobile units that could chase him. It would take 15 minutes, but Marwan’s cavalry were totally destroyed, Utbah’s men suffering 500 casualties. Some 3000 infantry had died. The rest were forming up, but Utbah smashed into them too. The result was a maw, for Utbah’s men got the better of Marwan’s but there were some casualties to compensate for charging into spears. Marwan had managed to retreat, but his army bereft of leadership was slaughtered. Perhaps 1000 men had managed to sneak away, Jira’s black banners with golden flames littered the battlefield. Some men covered in the uniform, adorned in crimson, the black was blacker now, the dead were put out of their miseries by blade, and unfortunate ones were feasted on by the carrion bird. The squawking echoing across the battlefield.


    “2000 dead sir,” one of Utbah’s lieutenants said, “given our adversaries.”


    “We did well,” Utbah completed the man’s sentence, he wore a pained look, “but how many more victories can we win like that? If it is true what those tribesmen say, one day we will have no one left to win victory.”


    “The Church of Light can’t intimidate people with numbers alone,” his lieutenant assured him, “the God of Trade had only three followers, and yet look at it now.”


    “They could say the same could they not?”


    “Their prophet killed people to establish his religion, our evangels fed them, traded with the world,” the man said, “these two things are not the same.”


    “We fight for him now,” Utbah said, “so we are not too different from their prophet.”


    “Humanity is cursed with violence,” the lieutenant said, “we defend the Republic.”


    “We fight for the Republic,” Utbah said, “no doubt it brings great prosperity to our people. But it is a hefty burden.”


    “Utbah, your name will be spoken with the likes of Mercurius, no doubt.”


    I wonder about that.


    Utbah flicked the blood off his mace. Then took his helmet off. Then he addressed his army.


    “Today we have won a great victory! Jira has lost. The Church of Light can send all the armies they wish, we will crush them! We will secure Yerek. For the Republic! For the Three!”


    His words resonated with his men, who immediately cheered, their cries reverberating across the battlefield.


    They went southwards, and were immediately met with reinforcements.