6. Offensive

The Cahov Demons had taken the city of Sumar and pressed the Urir Earth Demons to help the invasion from the south.

“Urir can control Fortus.”

“How generous ambassador,” Amalkur the high priest said, “you offer us one city, that is very well defended.”

It was a different ambassador, as it turned out Cahov had designs for the entire continent, for the entire world. They already sent a fleet toward the perilous sea in the west; troops awaited to attack Arar and Lin and Ilar. The ambassador in question pursed his lips and tutted, the smell of sulphur.

“I hate how you Earth Demons have become so cautious and bookish, you are against everything Demons stand for.”

“Ah yes we are grounded and reasonable…” Amalkur said aloud, perhaps taking things too far, “and you are ambitious. You will not get our aid. Sorry. The prize of Fortus is all yours to take.”

The mocking voice was followed by a slam by the Cahov ambassador.

“You will regret this!”

Amalkur shut off the transmission, and then sat down; he was a skinny orange coloured gentleman, his eyes shared his kinsmen’s for being rugged like any other earth Demon. They could portal just as much as the Cahov, and yet they focused on defending themselves.

“Regret?” Amalkur whispered, “Ibal, do you know why we came to these lands?”

“No sir,” the other orange Demon answered honestly.

“Fleeing their tyranny.”

“Their sir?” Ibal asked.

Amalkur stared at his servant to be a little more understanding, and the servant nodded. Amalkur stared ahead of him, not looking at Ibal, before speaking. Ibal looked at Amalkur with captivation, wanting to hear this story.

"Perhaps it should be taught more, the kings always wanted us to be closer to the Cahov, to our fellow Demons. But like Humans or anything, different ideas, makes different societies. We can always create our own destiny. Don’t you think?” Amalkur explained carefully, staring down as he did so.

“Earth Demons are grounded, cautious and perhaps even stubborn. Did our society make us like that, or were Earth Demons always like that?” Ibal asked, “we have always been different, isn’t that why we separated from the Fire Demons.”

“There is always a choice Ibal. Always…” Amalkur said softly.

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“And yet so many don’t choose.”

“And yet so many don’t,” Amalkur repeated.

They both sat down wistfully, a butler brought tea. The butler was dressed smartly, a tight dark orange robe befitting an Uriri official, laced with perfume, a pampered servant by all accounts.

“The King has formally abdicated,” the butler said, “the monarchy is abolished.”

“I thought he would be a bit more subtle about this,” Amalkur muttered, “but fine as he wishes.”

“What do you plan to do with him?”

“He can retire and live a peaceful life, now the priests of Urir will rule,” Amalkur said, he tapped the tabletops after what he said, shaking in his voice.

Amalkur sat on the polished marble temple steps, looking down at the city. The temple was shaped like a pyramid with steps on all four sides leading to a flat top. Amalkur unlike his temple was humble, his actual living space was a simple place; a small house with few furnishings, simple amenities to cook and wash. He went down the stairs, and soon into a public street, he knew the consequences of what he was about to do. Different shades of orange all the way to almost brown, that was the ethnic composition of Earth Demons.

“The high priest is here?” Was the murmured hubbub that many repeated.

Amalkur alongside other Uriri priests stood on a platform to address the market crowd. Amalkur stared at the citizens before him, now his citizens. Parents held their children, regular citizens ate pretzels, artisans worked on their goods.

“Great citizens of Demona, for many years the King wanted to protect you from the truth. The truth of our origin,” confused faces absorbed the voice of the high priest, nearly drowning him out. Other priests calmed the masses as all paid attention now, “he was not a bad man, we left because they were controlling, ever expansionist and maniacal. Cahov, our fire Demon cousins, they want war and conquest. So we fled to these lands, fortified ourselves and waited. Cahov did not come. Until now.”

“The King betrayed us!” A voice bellowed from the crowd.

“No he did not,” Amalkur said graciously and angrily, “we didn’t tell people so they wouldn’t be scared. And yet we prepared anyway. Hatred is often a pointless emotion, but fear, well fear can be extremely rational. I’m not telling you this to be scared. Urir is preparing for defence. Many eons ago we fled the Cahov, but they are back, and who knows what they’ll do. I will fight. But what about all of you, will you fight with me?”

It was soft spoken, but it echoed in all the spectators heads, one man on a lizard was the first to scream for Urir, but soon it spread to another and then like one big infection everyone was shouting for Urir. Amalkur wiped tears from what his words had created.

“They can beat me. They can beat you,” Amalkur said pointing at a soldier, “but they can’t beat all of us! As one spirit, we can fight!” Amalkur paused, a loud silence pervaded as his words sinked in, “we will make them bleed for every town, for every fortress, for every house, we can make them bleed for every pebble! You, all of you, have the power to punish them for ever setting foot in our country! Every centimetre is a battlefield. We will chase them away with whatever we have, and they will be so tired of us that they will beg us to let them leave. You have that power! You all have that power! Fight and keep fighting, and don’t stop! And Cahov. No. The entire world wouldn’t be able to invade Urir! You have that power!” The last words were said in a tremble, but it was the spectators who trembled in delight.

For a brief second, there was silence. Tears welled up in every eye. The crowd had a current running through it, roaring electrically. The whole thing had been recorded, soldiers and agents themselves moved to tears, moved beyond emotions. The local market vibrated. Amalkur walked down from the platform and was immediately talked to by a soldier.

“There is a large battle at Fortus. A spy has shared his vision with us.”

“Not here,” Amalkur said, “let’s not scare the people.”