Ice walls of the newly built town named Tayrutown after his founder were white against gray fog beneath them. Town was in southwestern Beni below a cliff on a big stone outcrop just above the level of fog, made of ice blocks and wooden logs. Only way to get into town was from the cliff towering above it using rope ladders or two big elevators which were disassembled at the moment. Streets were crowded, even during night. Receiving news about fall of Urusda, Tayru ordered all of his supporters to retreat to his town. He had feared his own subjects will turn against him as soon as Subito crosses the borders of his state. He was not wrong, Subito has taken both Ang and Beni without any resistance, people were joining his armies which were about to attack their king. There were not enough places in city to settle all of Tayru supporters, so many of them were erecting tents near the city gate. On a terrace in central tower of the city fortress behind the polished ice table Tayru was sitting and drinking boiling wine mixed with honey. His chair was made of wood covered with bear skin. Another bear skin was covering his laps keeping the chill away. Deeply in his thoughts, he was watching the fog swirling below the city walls. Then he looked up smiling. Above the city was net made of chains slightly elevated toward the stone wall below the cliff and falling toward a fog. First thing his enemy attempted was to push rocks over the edge of the cliff on the town. But the net was blocking all of the rocks sending them down the slope and into the fog. Second line of his city defense was a cliff above it. It was known as Cliff of dead birds. Rocks here were emitting some kind of strange magnetic field, which was confusing flying creatures, sending them to collide with rock face above the city. Same thing happened when his enemy tried to deploy their troops using Ulan Brigs. Two of those creatures were crushed together with houses and soldiers they were carrying. Sliding down the net they finished in the fog below his city. Siege has lasted already over the month, but if they hoped, hunger will defeat him, they were utterly wrong. He gathered enough food in city storehouses to last him for years. In fact, they were the ones who should be worried about hunger – they had the army made of rebels who didn’t have a lot of food to begin with and they couldn’t resupply because he took all food he could find and stocked it in his city. His enemy is probably starving right now. Few days ago, he sent them peace proposition demanding Ang and Beni back for his promise he would not cooperate with Lorantides anymore. In the answer they offered him to keep his city as a lord under his brother’s rule. He had to laugh, but their readiness to negotiate was a good sign. It meant they were desperate. If he gives them some more time to reconsider, they would have to accept his proposition. Today his brother personally sent him a newest proposition. Letter started with pathetic plead for avoiding of further bloodshed and even more pathetic call for peace amongst brothers. He was offering division of kingdom between two of them “like in old times”. Each tribe would get to choose in which kingdom to live. Tayru chuckled, he could count on the support of a mere fifth of the Beni tribes. He wrote “I think I will wait some more” on the document and sent messenger back. Remembering look on the messenger’s face, he laughed again. He was scratching ice terrace with his boot calculating incomes from taxes of both Ang and Beni. Under his smiling mustache redness of his cheeks was spreading on his neck showing his love for drink. On his head was a golden band engraved with crests of both kingdoms. His eyes were gray and glistening. He was wearing purple silk shirt and pants rolled above the yellow deer skin boots. The sleeves of his shirts were adorned with scenes from hunt done in silver thread. Around his shoulders was a short fur cape attached to shirt with golden needles on both sides of his neck. He was intentionally clad differently from others tribesmen following his philosophy “new kingdom new ways”. Many of his followers were following his lead. Sudden thundering sound startled him, next thing he knew his chair was knocked over and he was on the floor next to it cursing. Pain in his chests was excruciating, rubbing the painful area he stood up. In front of him was big net made of chains hanging from the top of the tower, he bellowed:

“Guard…!” Clumsy young boy runs out of the tower still dressing his coat.

“I want heads of those who were responsible for attaching this net to the cliff.”

Sudden whiz and another crashing sound made him panicking. And then another. He jumped holding to the fallen net and looking over his city. In front of his eyes big stone boulder hit one of the buildings crushing it down. At the top of the cliff he could see movement of siege machines who were bombing his city with rocks. He ran inside of the tower:

“Send somebody to attach goddamn net back, or we will all be buried under…” He was cut in the middle of the sentence by arriving guard

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Enemy is in the city.”

“How is this possible? What are you waiting for? Everybody attack them!”

But it was too late. Subito was riding down the city streets atop of his lizard, burning and killing everything on his way. Thousand lizards he sent to be bought in Sulutapi land has arrived this morning. Only on the insistence of Beni king peace proposition was sent to his brother as the last chance to save his life. After arrogant answer they received their plan could be set in motion. Lizards had no problems to move over vertical and almost completely smooth rocks of the cliff wall. In no time they have detached chain net, leaving the city open for stone bombing. Not losing any time lizard riders descended into the city, killing and burning. At the same time rest of the soldiers were descending to the city using rope ladders hanging from the cliff. City guards unprepared for attack were giving almost none resistance. In no time Subito was under the city fortress. Without hesitation, his lizard propped himself on hind legs and attached sharp clutches to the icy wall. Next moment he was already walking up the wall. Subito used wicker round shield to protect himself and his animal from arrows, boiling oil and stones which rained on them from atop the fortress walls. Few dozens of riders were killed, but when the first of them got over the walls, battle was quickly over. Seeing lizards are biting their comrades in half, fortress defenders fled in terror. Subito sat in the chair Tayru was using not long ago propping his legs on the table. Below him were burning ruins of Tayrutown, after the battle is finished, he would order his soldiers to rebuild the city and give it to Beni king for a new capital. But first he needs to deal with traitors. He could feel chair was still warm.

***

„The man you called wolf is dead. Since that is the meaning of your false king’s name in old language. False king and the false wolf he was. If your squidy friends haven’t killed my friend Lillium she would explain it much better to you. She had a thing for the meaning of the names. Well, true wolves have arrived!”

Clerk was trying to wriggle out of his firm grip, but his efforts were futile. His hat fell in the dirt as Subito grabbed his hair, pulling his head backwards. Taste of blood was tick, salty and red as old man’s larynx crunched under his teeth. The sound made every hair on his body stand up in ecstasy, he was high on battle madness. He could hear his heart pounding and his blood flowing in his veins. Life was leaving those green eyes, as fires in them were slowly extinguished. Subito looked him in the eyes to catch that precious moment when all hopes are gone and man is surrendering to his fate and his death. He gave old man one last smile and dumped his limp body into the dirt. Soldiers and citizens watched in terror without a sound, they were all like hypnotized, nobody moved, even the wind has stopped.

“Roll others like him, who served the false king and helped him to get the crown in tar, burn them and catapult into the fog. Let nothingness eat their bodies and every memory of them.” Cry and screams made him smile again. “When wolfs walk into the sheepfold, sheep scream too, almost like a human.”

He threw some spirit mushrooms in a fire and inhaled the smoke to calm down a little bit. When he raised his eyes up clerk was impaled on the top of the pointy tower of the burning wooden building. Subito whispered toward him:

“This is all of the mercy you will get – not to be buried in the fog, now it is the time to let those bastards Lorantides learn to whom Lumos belongs to. It is written right here on my scythe. It is the last thing they will read.”

Another battle in the row he had won. All of tribesmen were free again, and few Lorantides who managed to survive were running away with their tails between their legs. Those Lorantides who weren’t fast enough to escape were executed. Firstly he ordered his soldiers to bring captured king Tayru. Then he presented his curved skinning blade: “I hate the noise” he pointed out cutting off poor bastard’s tongue. Next was the skin, stripe by stripe he skinned mumbling man, making sure he doesn’t hurt any major blood vessels. After removing last stripes of skin he sprayed some salted water on naked flesh. Addressing the rest of captured soldiers he said: “He will live at least a week, but he will pray for death million times, before his wish is granted. I am feeling lazy here is the knife, rest of you should accept gifts of death before I make you pray for it same as your friend here.” He stabbed knife’s handle in the ground and left soldiers to execute themselves. On the broad strip of skin he took of the backs of death king, he made the banner, it was red as blood. In the middle of it was golden arrow, representing meaning of Miratur’s name which was destiny arrow.

Melessar couldn’t handle anymore, falling on his knees in snow covered with ashes he was throwing up. Then he stood up and walked away praying:

“…Killing yourself

Once one of my best students asked me: “If we all are part of Singularity, isn’t it true that by killing others you also kill a part of yourself?” I answered: “Yes, but if your teeth hurt, you pull him out. Parts can be killed, but Singularity can't.” Life is a fight. In order to prevail, first thing you must do is to defeat yourself.