With age comes wisdom, or so it was said, but Akanai had long since determined this to be wildly inaccurate.

Just like a leopard could never change its spots, there were people in this world who would never grow wise even if they lived for ten-thousand years or more. Not so terrible a burden so long as they understood and accepted their limitations, but rarely was this the case. Especially when it came to scions of wealth and nobility, whose achievements in life usually stemmed from having been born to wealthy and influential parents. In spite of this truth, most seemed to believe that they were single-handedly responsible for any and all successes, while any failures that happened on their watch was merely due to a quirk of fate or run of bad luck. Nothing was ever their fault, but even worse was the fact that these fools were always the first to share their ‘wisdom’ to anyone who cared to listen and many who would rather not, including Akanai who could not be bothered to coddle the fragile egos of the soldiers under her command.

And no ego was more fragile than a Southern man desperate to prove himself more capable than his female commander.

There were many outspoken Officers unhappy with little Rain’s decision to appoint Akanai as his second-in-command, but most accepted that it was the best decision moving forward. Nian Zu was an able commander and Liu Xuande a brilliant tactician, but the former was too passive and defensive in mindset while the latter untested in the field of battle, much less the opera of war. There would come a day when Akanai would happily hand over the reins of command to the Imperial Scion, but he was not quite ready just yet.

Little Rain had a knack for finding the right people for the right job, one that surpassed even Akanai’s eye for talent, a fact that pained her to admit. Were it up to her, she would never have chosen Jorani to replace Rustram as commander of his retinue, or given Liu Xuande’s treatise on tactics the attention it deserved, or poured so much time, effort, and coin into Diyako’s seemingly mad schemes, yet each time, the boy’s decisions paid off in spades. While some of it could be attributed to luck and fate, much of it was due to the fact that the boy was wise enough to admit his own personal shortcomings and find people he could trust to help make up for them.

A lesson the Southern Marshal Quyen Huong had yet to learn, for the man believed himself the Mother’s gift to the Empire and therefore the most qualified commander present despite holding no military rank or achievements of his own. Despite lacking any support whatsoever aside from that of his toadies, he clearly believed Akanai was undeserving of her role and had taken it upon himself to prove it. This manifested itself in the form of an endless stream of messages delivering high-handed ‘advice’ and ‘suggestions’ to Akanai at every given opportunity. Nian Zu, Liu Xuande, Chen Hongji, and the other male members of the command cadre were largely left alone, though Akanai suspected Jeong Hyo-Lynn received more than her fair share of advice but kept quiet for political reasons. Likely so that she could thank the Southern Marshal in private and remain in his good graces instead of butting heads for no real gain like a certain demi-human Lieutenant General had chosen to do.

The Sword Saint, Jeong Hyo-Lynn they called her, and having seen her skills firsthand, Akanai could hardly disagree. This made it all the more regrettable that Lady Jeong felt the need to appear outwardly subservient to the male gender, for she was a true dragon among men. This was the way of the Empire however, because even though female Martial Warriors were in no way inferior to their male counterparts, the vast majority of the population were mere mortals who adhered to a patriarchal mindset. Thus, any man subservient to a woman was ridiculed and derided by the masses since few cared to understand and accept any perspectives that differed from their own. Even though strength was venerated above all else, women should still remain subservient to men regardless of strength, a rationale they justified by claiming all women were emotionally weak and needed protecting, Martial Warrior or otherwise.

It was frustrating to the extreme for someone in Akanai’s position, but she’d long since come to accept the fact that these issues would plague her throughout her entire career. She’d dealt with more chauvinistic commanders, peers, and underlings than she could remember, for even the people of the Saint’s Tribulations Mountains were not immune to this sort of divisive thinking, yet never before had she met a man more frustrating than Quyen Huong. Unlike most of the men she’d dealt with before, the Southern Marshal was not only unmoved by her beauty, but also competent to the extreme, meaning she could find no fault in anything he did, said, or wrote. Most of his ‘suggestions’ were things that she had already done or was going to do prior to his interference, but the end result was that it appeared as if she’d taken his advice to heart and obediently followed through. This of course only emboldened the irksome Marshal to continue his bothersome ways, which was infuriating to say the least. Had it been little Rain, he might well have burned all of the Marshal’s missives unread, but he was the Legate now and could afford to flaunt the rules. If Akanai did the same, then Huong could simply claim she’d destroyed a piece of vital military intelligence for personal reasons, an accusation which could have her drawn up on charges or even stripped of rank.

Whereas a male officer in the same position would receive a slap on the wrist. Such was life...

Thus, the only thing Akanai could do was swallow her anger and wait for Marshal Huong to overstep his bounds, but he was an experienced politician and careful to never directly criticize or countermand her given orders. Instead, every time she gave an order contrary to his advice, he would ‘quietly’ bring up his concerns with his peers while within earshot of other soldiers and officers, which sapped their confidence in her commands. Most times, she couldn’t outright explain her reasoning either because then it would reveal all her plans, and if the Enemy caught wind of her schemes then she might well lose every last soldier under her command. Nor would she explain even if she could, for he answered to her, not the other way around. Unfortunately, the Marshal’s work paid off in the end for now her soldiers could be heard muttering about the ‘imbalance’ in their forces while wondering why she’d chosen such a ‘clumsy’ and ‘unwieldy’ distribution of soldiers. More than two-thirds of her army comprised of cavalry, while the remainder were what little Rain called ‘mobile infantry’, namely foot-soldiers who possessed a dedicated means of travel. In this case, it was mostly southern Heavy Infantry being carted about on iron-reinforced ox-drawn wagons, who were surprisingly sure-footed in the Western desert sands, unlike the hardy, shaggy horses of the North who were ill-suited to the local climate.

The general consensus was that Akanai only knew how to use cavalry since she herself was famed for her quin-riders, and thus expected the Southern soldiers to hold the line and bear the brunt of the losses while her cavalry sat pretty in the shade. Concerns plucked straight from the mouth of Quyen Huong, and if he were a soldier, Akanai would have had him brought up on charges of instigation and being a detriment to morale. Unfortunately, despite the fact that the southern generals and quartermasters all hopped to obey his every command, the Marshal was still technically considered a civilian, a doting father here to ensure his son, Dienne, was adequately protected while offering advice to his soon-to-be Colonel General, Nanda Bayin, a lustful toad and loyal patsy. For all his talent and intelligence, Marshal Huong was proof that wisdom had nothing to do with age or acumen, for a wiser man would have found a way to work alongside Akanai for the betterment of the Empire instead of opposing her at every turn, and now they would all suffer for it.

Low morale and lacking confidence was a terrible combination for an army in the field, leaving Akanai no choice but to publicly humble her greatest detractor in order to regain the confidence of the Warriors under her command. A real shame, for doing so might well ruin his reputation going forward and leave him vulnerable to his foes. Much as she detested him on a personal level, he was an able commander and administrator whose prowess was more than deserving of respect, and were it not for his ingrained need for control and smug, superior attitude, she might even see him as a reliable ally. This was a man who united the Southern Province the same way she’d united the denizens of the Saint’s Tribulations Mountains, an impressive feat which must have taken a lifetime of hard work and dedication. Alas, instead of welcoming her as a kindred spirit, he saw her as an upstart woman who needed to be shown her place, and she wanted nothing more than to send him back to his Citadel in mostly one piece. Failing that, she would settle for trampling his pride in front of his peers and underlings, so to this end, she called a meeting with her General Officers to discuss their tactics moving forward after a nine day march from Meng Sha.

While she did not go as far as to invite Marshal Huong, she let it slip that her battle plans were ‘unorthodox’, which she knew would vex the control-freak of a Marshal to no end. As expected, he arrived at the meeting with Nanda Bayin in tow and took his seat without comment. Until now, Akanai had overlooked his presence in military discussions, mostly because getting rid of him would be more hassle than it was worth, and also because she would rather not have to hear his arguments parroted through Nanda Bayin’s mouth, but today was different. Yesterday, she was content to work alongside the Marshal and overlook his foibles, but tomorrow, she intended to lead this combined army of Sentinels and Southerners against the Enemy, which meant she needed to seize the reins of control today.

“Marshal Huong,” she began, meeting the man’s dark eyes as she greeted him with a nod, which to his Southern sensibilities was akin to a wild dog running up and putting its dirty paws all over his robes. To his credit, he returned the casual greeting in the same vein without giving any sign of discontent, unlike Nanda Bayin glowering from behind him at having been ignored by a ‘mere’ woman. Akanai paid neither of them any more attention however, and instead waited for the remainder of her Officers to arrive. This didn’t take long as Southerners were a no nonsense sort, which was a welcome relief from Central’s tendency to value pomp and pageantry over punctuality, no matter the circumstances. Even if the building was burning down around them, Akanai imagined the nobles of Central would engage in polite chit-chat while leaving in an orderly fashion from most to least influential.

Truth be told, aside from their views regarding her gender, Akanai rather liked the Southerners as a whole, a no-nonsense bunch who knew how to come together and put up a united front against their enemies. Their combat tactics placed heavy emphasis on teamwork and coordination over relying on the strength of any one individual in battle, which was far different from what she was accustomed to, but highly effective nonetheless. If only the Northerners could learn from this, but in the harsh, desolate lands of the North, self-reliance and individuality was not only respected, it was all but necessary given how sparse and scattered the population could be. Difficult to rely on the goodwill of your neighbours when you might not see them for months at a time once the snow made it impossible to travel, so the hardy people of the North had grown to love their fierce independence more out of necessity than actual affection.

Once all her generals were gathered, Akanai wasted no time on niceties and jumped straight into the meeting. Though this sort of thing should come as no surprise after a month under her command, several Central Officers still had the gall to appear taken aback by her lack of manners. “This is our target,” she began, ignoring the miffed looks and startled expressions as they finally registered her words and looked at the map laid out before them. “Tian Zangli.”

“Pardon, Lieutenant General,” Nanda Bayin interjected, no doubt on behalf of his Marshal. The toady played his part well, injecting her title with such dismissive scorn that she had to wonder if he’d forgotten that not only was it the second highest official rank in the Empire, he himself technically still held the same rank as his promotion had yet to receive the Emperor’s approval and was therefore unofficial. “Our target? Was our goal not to guard Colonel General Nian Zu’s flank from Defiled attack?”

“It was and still is.”

“Then how are we to protect our ally while laying siege to a city, one only marginally less fortified than Shi Bei?”

The contempt all but dripped from Nanda Bayin’s tone, and Akanai had to remind herself that this was exactly what she wanted from him, direct confrontation so that she could bash him and the Marshal both over the head with her competence. Figuratively speaking, of course, as the truth didn’t make it any less tempting to drive her fist through his face, but Akanai controlled her displeasure and refused to let it show. Losing her temper would only see her labelled as ‘volatile’ and ‘overly emotional’, as if only women were guilty of succumbing to their emotions, because a man reacting in the same manner would simply be ‘fierce’ or ‘intense’. “There is more than one way to skin a garo,” Akanai responded, using one of little Rain’s colloquial idioms which she suspected he made up as needed. “Tian Zangli is a vital city in the Enemy’s hands, one they can ill-afford to lose. Due to the nearby coal and precious metal mines, the city developed into a bustling trade and production hub which the Enemy now uses to forge their unholy weapons and armour. Thus, our goal for tomorrow is to put those factories and storage facilities to the torch and leave nothing behind, which will draw the ire and attention of the various armies marching to reinforce Shi Bei.”

“At which point you intend to tuck tail and run, I gather.” A statement clearly made with Nanda Bayin’s own words, as it was too blunt and unambiguous for Marshal Huong’s tastes, and Akanai had to work to hide her smile. “A bold gamble to stake the fate of two armies on a single roll of the dice, but what if the Enemy does not take the bait?” Pausing to take in the Marshal’s instructions, Nanda Bayin continued in a halting manner that made it clear he was merely parroting another’s words. “The Defiled are no longer the mindless foe we once knew... and will surely prioritize Shi Bei over chasing us through the desert without gain. What’s more, destroying their means to produce weapons and armour is a laudable goal, but... from all accounts, the Enemy resources have largely been spent. Is it worthwhile to go after Tian Zangli now that its forges sit cold and warehouses empty?”

“You bring up a fair point,” she began, nodding as if in agreement. “The gains from razing Tian Zangli fall well short of the risks, but only if we lack courage and conviction.” A backhanded insult which went clear over Nanda Bayin’s head, but the Marshal caught on quick enough and recognized her riposte to his patsy’s outspoken criticism. “Once Tian Zangli falls, the rest of the province is opened to us. I intend to push deep into Enemy territory and pick our target and heading according to circumstances at the time.” Pointing at each city on the map as she named them, she rattled off two dozen possible targets in a more or less reasonable order to strike, though she stressed that they would have to adapt to the Enemy movements. “We are the wolves,” she concluded, once her point was wholly made, “And the Enemy, a massive herd of bison. If we stand and fight, we will be trampled underfoot, which is destined to be our fate if we hold position and ‘guard’ Nian Zu’s flank. That is what the Enemy expects us to do, and thus they have dispatched all their nearby forces to strike us hard and fast before continuing on to Shi Bei to lift Nian Zu’s siege, but in doing so, they have left their cities weak and exposed, so we will tear into their soft underbellies and bleed them dry.”

Stopping to let her words sink in, she met Marshal Huong’s eyes and found... not admiration, but acknowledgement, at the very least. “Throughout history,” he began, speaking in a gruff, yet soft-spoken tone, “The Defiled threat has come in the form of a mobile, self-sustaining force of raiders, yet now, they have moulded themselves into an army proper. In turn, though they present a more difficult challenge to engage, they are not without weaknesses, for they have grown too large and unwieldy to sustain themselves through raiding alone. What’s more, with Imperial forces occupying the four harbours and the West’s dearth of potable water, the Enemy will have to protect their sources of water, namely the targets you picked out earlier, leaving them either unable to support Shi Bei or lacking the supplies to make the journey and arrive in fighting form.” Not exactly a compliment, but it showed he understood the logic behind her plan well enough. Exhaling slowly for effect, the Marshal smoothed his robes and steepled his hands as if faced with a difficult decision, even though technically he had no authority to accept or refuse her commands on behalf of the soldiers under her command.

Then again, Akanai very much doubted the Southern soldiers would fight on her behalf if their Marshal ordered them not to, and she could not afford to push forward without their support. Perhaps she’d gone soft in her old age, but she was possessed with the urge to offer the man a concession, or at least make an appeal to his pride rather than demand his obedience as she initially planned. Given the choice between following her commands or stubbornly refusing and consigning the entire offensive to failure Akanai was confident the Marshal would have chosen the former, for he was no despot unconcerned with the welfare of his people or the outcome of this war, yet it would cost her little to offer him a means to escape with his pride intact instead of trampling over it as she initially intended. “I specifically took command of the Southern contingent with this plan in mind, for without their super-heavy cavalry and cohesive battlefield maneuvers, we would lack the power and coordination needed to run roughshod over our targets and keep ahead of our foes nipping at our heels. Combined with my scouts to secure the path forward, I am confident we can lead the Enemy on a grand chase throughout the heart of the Western province, but if you have your doubts, I will hear them now.”

To no one’s surprise, Marshal Huong had many, and Akanai patiently worked her way through them one by one. Yes, the army had more than enough water to keep the soldiers and draft animals hydrated for extended periods of time, an entire week without resupplying in fact. Yes, if the cities proved too well-defended to attack, she was prepared with a list of alternate water sources to replenish their reserves, as well as multiple locations that could hide an entire army if need be. No, she did not intend to split the army once deep in Enemy territory, because as things stood, their force was just barely large enough to threaten the notable targets. Any smaller and they would be reduced to picking off supply caravans and raiding minor encampments, which was no real benefit at all except to reduce the Defiled numbers. Yes, she was aware the Mataram Patriarch was recently seen in the area, and if he or his traitor son dared to show their faces, she would take great delight in separating their heads from their shoulders to mount on a spear instead.

There was more to it, including a mind-boggling amount of minutiae Marshal Huong brought up just to show he’d considered it, but so too had Akanai as she paid the same amount of attention to detail as he, if not more. Her contingencies had contingencies of their own and the vast majority of her Peak Expert Sentinels had long since memorized every possible route and hidey hole in the province in preparation for this attack, so if he thought to catch her off-guard and uncover some aspect she’d overlooked, he would have to work at least ten times harder for another five hundred years. The discussion dragged on for another hour, and as much as she would like to boast that she emerged wholly unscathed, the Marshal brought up one or two good points which she made use of. It wasn’t that she’d overlooked anything, the Marshal was just more familiar with his own troops and therefore knew their limits better than she, so she would be a fool to ignore his advice regarding their use.

Once the details were all sorted, Akanai left her generals to pass the word down to their field officers before retiring to her tent for the night. The meeting had left her disgruntled and displeased, for though she’d come to an understanding with the Southern Marshal, she was not used to having her orders questioned as if she were a rank recruit so green she had moss growing behind her ears. She didn’t even get the satisfaction of putting the Marshal in his place, because while he raised no objections to her plan, some would see in-depth discussion as Akanai seeking his approval before setting out, a flaw she only realized when they were halfway through and too far gone to stop. Sensing her sour mood as she strode into the tent, her old husband put his book aside and reached into his robes for his wine gourd. “That bad eh, old wife? The Marshal put the screws to you? Need I break his kneecaps a little bit? Hardly slow him down at all, sitting in a howdah as he does.”

Stolen story; please report.

“No,” she replied, rolling her eyes while refusing his offers of wine and violence both. Absurd is what it was, for how did he expect to break someone’s kneecaps only a little? “The wine will only make you thirstier in this dry desert heat, so that best be your last gourd.”

“Last and only, dear wife, last and only.” After taking a sparing sip from the gourd, her old husband sheepishly put it away before inviting her into his embrace. Sighing as she let the veil of command slip away, Akanai perched herself on top of his lap and snuggled into his arms, happy to accept his offer of comfort and support after her frustrating meeting filled with conflict and contention. Why couldn’t more men be like her beloved Husolt, strong and confident enough to be proud of her achievements without being shamed by them? Then again, maybe they were the odd couple who didn’t fit in line with the rest, or worse, her old husband had hidden his discontent for all these years. Reaching up to run her fingers through his beard, Akanai met his eyes and ask, “Do you ever wish I was more like other women and less... demanding?”

“Less demanding? Well... mebbe a hair,” her old husband replied, and she could tell from the glint in his eye that he was mostly teasing. “More like other wives though? You mean all shy and submissive-like? Nah. Can’t stand mousy men or women, with all their ‘yes sirs’ and ‘no sirs’ and their ‘please don’t hurt me sirs’.” Flashing the handsome grin she’d long since fallen in love with, he leaned in and touched his forehead to hers, moving ever so gently as if she were made of fine porcelain. “What’s this about now, old wife? I chased ye from the village, followed ye fer fifty years on campaign, and wedded ye centuries ago without a word of complaint, and only now are ye wonderin’ if I have regrets? Well, truth is, I do. I regret it all, because I coulda saved ye centuries of pain and heartache if I’d just thrown ye over me shoulder and brought ye home instead of followin’ you off to join the army, but then ye wouldn’t be the same woman I’ve grown to love more and more with each passing day.”

Patting his cheek in a conciliatory gesture, her gaze slipped over to his ruined eye, scarred and sightless thanks to his deep-seated grudges born of hatred and resentment. Not for the injury itself, but because he took it protecting her from greedy nobles trying to claim her as a prize, a rude reception for the supposed Hero of the Empire the Imperial Herald proclaimed her to be. That was the way of the world, one in which Akanai’s achievements would always be in spite of her race and gender, as if being a demi-human and woman was some great disadvantage. It was, but only due to societal pressures rather than inborn limitations, and Akanai still dreamed of a day when women and demi-humans both were seen as equals rather than inferiors.

Unlikely that she would see such a day in her lifetime, but one could only hope.

There was no sense in apologizing, for she was not responsible for the actions of Central’s nobility, nor would her husband accept it. Instead, she drew his attention with a kiss and said, “Tomorrow, we ride to battle.”

“Mhmm.”

After allowing her old husband to steal a second kiss, Akanai continued, “It might be weeks before we make our return to Meng Sha.”

“Uh-huh.”

A third kiss left her short of breath and she had to fight to remain focused. “Are you prepared?”

“More than prepared, wiped meself down and laid out the bedroll to boot.”

“For the fighting,” Akanai specified, glowering at her amorous old beast of a husband as if she were not gripped by a similar yearning. “You avoided conflict and bloodshed for so long, I worry you are not yet ready to return to the battlefield, especially in so... eye-catching a manner.”

“Ready or not, we already here, ain’t we?” His chest rumbled with a low, hearty chuckle, but his smile never reached his eye, for it was clear he harboured similar misgivings. Most people only saw her old husband as a kindly, laid-back blacksmith, but those who knew him best were all too aware of the festering hatred just simmering beneath the surface. It didn’t take much to set him off, as evidenced by how he pummelled a boy of nineteen to death for merely speaking of dishonouring their daughter. A death well-deserved, but still too heavy-handed of a reaction for mere threats alone, and yet her old husband gave the boy no chance to do anything more than make threats. To make matters worse, the Dugu boy had been a Warrant Officer, while Husolt held no rank whatsoever, so if they’d been in any other city besides Shen Huo where little Hai could shelter them from consequences, then Akanai’s old husband might well have been sentenced to death or enslavement for the murder of a military officer. That was exactly how the Disciplinary Corps would have interpreted the facts of the case, for there would have been no argument for self defence, not when her old husband was a Peak Expert who made the first move.

Hence her decision to help young Hai hold onto his title, else she would have merely guaranteed her old friend his life. Politics were a messy affair, and she preferred to keep her hands clean, but little Rain and her old husband left her no other choice on that fateful day in Shen Huo.

Then again, Akanai could hardly blame Husolt for his over-reaction, not after she made him ignore those same provocations some fifty years back, which resulted in them being hunted and hounded across all of Central. They left so many good people behind, Warriors, heroes, and comrades who survived a harrowing battle against the Enemy and travelled south expecting to find honour and glory, but instead were rewarded with a dog’s death so far from home. Nor was that the end of it either, for the tales of this duplicitous treachery poisoned the hearts of so many who survived through it, like her old husband and little Naaran who took the Empire’s betrayal so hard. The poor boy had been so young back then, and the trip to Central filled him with such hate and vitriol that he let it poison the hearts and minds of an entire generation, the fallout from which they were still suffering from today.

But maybe, just maybe, the People would have a chance to make up for past mistakes soon enough, hopefully before little Rain woke up and discovered the truth for himself.

Now there was a conversation she was not looking forward to having, for the boy was... unpredictable at best. They kept this secret from him because they all thought it best, especially in those early years when he first arrived at the village, and by the time he was old and mature enough to hear the truth, they all found it so much easier to keep lying. A matter for another day perhaps, but it was still a quiet source of discontent, one that led Akanai down a path of questions she could not answer. Most important of which was if all this was worth it. Come tomorrow, she would lead her family, her Sentinels, her People into battle once again to fight and die for lands that were not their own and an Empire that would not honour them, so she had to wonder if it was worth it. Most certainly not if her goal was fame, honour, wealth, or glory, for she would find precious little of that. No, that was not why she fought, nor was it her reason for treading the Martial Path. Akanai fought not for the Empire itself, but for the people who made up the Empire, because even if they would never accept her for who she was, she could not turn a blind eye to their suffering. Aged and impoverished as she’d been, Old Sumila never turned away any child in need of a meal and a bed, so what would she think of the girl she raised if Akanai, a Warrior standing at the forefront of her peers and commander of no small skill, stood by and let the Enemy spread pain and suffering unhindered?

Old Sumila would be heartbroken and disappointed for certain, and Akanai would never forgive herself for being the cause of that sweet old woman’s pain.

Grabbing her husband’s beard and tugging it none too gently, she looked him in the eye and said, “Remember yourself tomorrow. Remember me, remember your children, and remember to return home to us alive. Understand?”

“Yes Chief Provost ma’am. Or should I be callin’ ye Lieutenant General instead? Don’t much like the latter, since the pup holds the same rank now. Seems strange is all.” Wincing as she tightened her grip on his beard, Husolt put on a pained expression and pouted ever so fetchingly until she pulled him close for another kiss. For the rest of the night, nothing else mattered save for the love they shared between them, and come morning, she woke in his strong embrace and wondered what she did to deserve him. Likely some horrific crime in her past life as she struggled to shake him from his sleep and deny his amorous desires once more, for there was a battle to be fought soon enough and they would both need every scrap of strength they could muster. Ordinarily, she would have her breakfast alone while leaving her husband to sleep, but today, she sent for her daughter and grand-daughter to come join them for what might well be their last meal together. Sweet Mila and beautiful Alsantset arrived together with their quins, and Akanai’s heart ached to see aged Kankin scurry out to greet his daughter, only to huff in displeasure at finding Zabu instead. It seemed Mila had grown accustomed to riding the cantankerous quin into battle, which might be for the best considering his aptitude. Atir was a fine quin, but Zabu was a specimen few could match, one who reminded Akanai of Kankin in his prime.

If only Zabu were the one on the cusp of forming his Spiritual Heart, instead of the boy’s other plump disgrace of a quin Mafu...

As they ate breakfast and made small talk, a small part of Akanai wished her whole family was here, but only in passing. There was no sense bringing children or a comatose Legate to the battlefield, and everyone else had their own responsibilities to manage. It came as quite the surprise to learn that Li-Li wanted to fight alongside the pup instead of sticking with her parents, a logical decision given her skill set, but not one Akanai expected her sweet daughter to make on her own. Li-Li was coming out of her shell more and more each day, and Akanai looked forward to the day when her daughter finally found the courage to truly be herself, a day that she hoped would not be too far in the future. All this and more she kept to herself however, for she could not afford to grow fearful or maudlin before battle. A quick hug was all she allowed herself, but somehow, it turned into a group embrace that lasted longer than intended. “Be safe, the both of you,” she whispered, running her hand through Mila’s curled ringlets and Alsantset’s long locks. “Fight well.”

Little Mila was surprised and somewhat frightened by her parting words, but she would find her courage again soon enough. Alsantset took it more in stride, for she was a mother herself and was well acclimated with the fears that came with it. A nod and a reassuring squeeze of the hand was all the girl shared, but it was more than enough for them both, while Mila helped herself to another hug which would surely have the soldiers grumbling about going into battle alongside women and children. No matter though, for Akanai would show the people of the Empire and the Defiled both that she was competent not in spite of her gender, nor because of it, but simply because this was who she was.

Warrior. Commander. Mother. Wife. Cherished labels one and all, and she would wear them proudly into battle today.

Though inhospitable to the extreme, the sandy dunes of the Western Province offered plenty of favourable terrain to fight on, and Akanai wasted no time in seizing the best battleground for herself. Within the hour, the Enemy forces arrived in droves and rushed headlong towards her, eager to close in and draw first blood, but soon they discovered they’d bitten off far more than they could chew. Lurking out of sight in the lee of a dune, close to fifteen-thousand Sentinels unleashed a storm of arrows upon the Enemy as they marched eastbound towards Shi Bei, and the chaos and carnage was spectacular to behold. Individually, Cannons and catapults were far more impressive, but in Akanai’s eyes, there was nothing more satisfying than watching wave after wave of arrows crash into the Defiled ranks as they scrambled about in search of an Enemy to fight. They would not find one, not even after their Scrying Chieftains led them towards the Sentinel position, for the quin-mounted archers simply fell back and continued their barrage unabated. Though it would be difficult to replenish any spent ammunition here in the Western Province, Akanai had been planning this attack for weeks now and had long since accepted little Rain’s offer to fund a factory dedicated solely to making arrows for the Sentinels, so they had more than enough to spare. What’s more, she also had multiple stockpiles of ammunition, food, and water hidden in various locations all across her intended route, brought there by Concealed Peak Experts a few wagons at a time. Besides, every arrow spent meant less weight for the quins to carry, which enabled them to run faster and farther with each passing day, whereas the horses, cattle, and other beasts of burden were more likely to lose strength as time went on.

Five minutes. That was how long it took to break the first army of Defiled, five minutes of massed arrow-fire delivered by her Sentinels from afar. There was no panic in their retreat, only a strategic withdrawal in the face of overwhelming odds, but the dry sands ran red with Enemy blood from the dead and dying. Not a single Imperial soldier took injury in this first exchange, but they also took no pride in so ‘cowardly’ a victory. Akanai cared not for their pride however, and set her soldiers to marching south, circling about another dune while Divinities like Machali and her husband Da Hui kept an eye on their surroundings. Of course, she didn’t count solely on the eyes of Divinities, for she knew better than most how easily distracted they became, too beholden to their animal instincts to ever know true discipline. That was the curse of the Ancestral Beast, while human instincts offered far too much faulty advice, tending more towards flight than fight in most individuals. Thus, it was of Akanai’s humble opinion that demi-humans were best suited for the Martial Path, for they possessed the best of both worlds that more or less made up for the failings they similarly inherited.

Take Machali and Da Hui for example, who tried so very hard to hold onto their marriage and partnership in spite of their instincts to do otherwise, all because they so desperately wanted to be human. While the Ancestral Grizzly was an unabashed lecher and cad, one could not deny his love for his wife, because even though he quickly forgot himself in the presence of another woman, he always came clean to his wife without beating about the bush, and even looked properly ashamed for it. Difficult as it was to look past his sordid behaviour, Akanai knew she should not judge Da Hui by the measure of a human man, or even of a demi-human, for the Divinity was far more bear than human in a manner she could never truly comprehend, the same way she could never understand why Machali kept forgiving him.

Not that she ever wanted to. If Akanai’s husband ever came back stinking of another woman, she didn’t know what she’d do, but it wouldn’t be so simple as some tears and scolding. There would be a reckoning at hand, one filled with blood and ashes, but she wasn’t certain whose blood or ashes it would be...

Putting her personal thoughts aside, Akanai returned her focus to the battle at hand. To the east in Shi Bei, Nian Zu would most likely have just begun the hostilities, taking his time as they discussed and keeping a close vigil on the Enemy movements. Marshal Huong was right to be concerned about the Enemy’s response to her plan of attack, for there was a good chance Bai Qi or Mataram YuGan would order their troops to ignore Akanai’s forces in favour of Nian Zu’s army instead, but they’d planned for such a contingency. Thankfully, the Defiled forces seemed content to simply shadow Akanai’s movements and await reinforcements which were even now diverting to cut her off, but now they were truly dancing to her tune. An hour passed without bloodshed, then two, then three as her soldiers spent the morning moving south at a steady pace. Then, without warning, she had her troops pivot and form up before dispatching the southern rhino cavalry to lead the charge against the Defiled forces shadowing their army. Though the crazed tribesmen appeared eager to do battle at first, their enthusiasm lasted for all of a second after the heavy rhinos crashed into their loose and unorganized ranks, followed by a wave of Northern heavy horsemen and gargantuan elephants that trampled over anyone still left in their path. The Defiled were mostly on foot and had to have known they would fall before a concentrated charge, but the enemy commander never expected it because doing so would expend too much stamina from Imperial beasts and Warriors alike.

Which emboldened the reinforcing Defiled army as they picked up the pace, smelling blood in the wind and hoping to catch her forces before they had time enough to rest. Which was exactly why she’d sent her Sentinels ahead to intercept them with their bows and arrows and bring the Defiled out on a merry chase across the desert. In peacetime, Tokta was her second, an able administrator who kept the wheels turning through no small effort, but in war, the pup would have been Akanai’s choice for second. In her father’s absence however, Alsantset was more than happy to pick up the slack as she led the Sentinels to rend and tear at the Enemy forces without ever giving them a chance to strike back. Like a cub playing with her food was how Machali described it, and the battle reports which slowly filtered back supported that description well.

And so, thanks to Alsantset’s efforts, the reinforcing Defiled forces were bloodied and strung out by the time Akanai’s well-rested and well-watered cavalry arrived a few hours later, having moved from one battlefield directly to the next rather than retreat to buy time to rest. The second Enemy army proved to be even less of a challenge than the first, but her day’s work was not yet finished. Moving with as much haste as she dared, she led her Warriors to the gates of Tian Zangli, where she knew a third army waited within, though from all reports, it was a skeleton force meant to keep the slave population in check rather than guard against a dedicated siege. It was almost evening by the time she arrived, and she knew at least two Defiled forces were closing in on her from the northwest and the south, meaning she would soon be pinched on three sides. So far, things had gone perfectly to plan, but Akanai’s confidence slipped as she looked to her old husband beside her and saw his soulful gaze filled with love and affection. Taking a deep breath, she found her courage and ignored the eyes of her allies around her to reach out and stroke her husband’s cheek. “You are the love of my life,” she declared, and her heart melted to see him still blush even after so many years. “I could not ask for a better husband, a better father to our children, a better partner or companion.” Grabbing his beard tightly, she pulled him close for a kiss and tried to ignore the gasps and muttering around her which set her cheeks aflame. “Go now, and return soon-after. Do not force me to chase after you.”

“Yes, dear wife,” he replied, his eyes slightly glazed and out of focus for all of a second before he found himself again. “Your dear husband don’t dare disobey.”

With a flash of his handsome grin, her husband Cloud-Stepped away from her side and out to the front of the army, where he brandished his staff and declared, “I am Husolt of the People, husband of Akanai, Father of Baatar, Sumila, and Li Song.” A Defiled Chieftain stood out to respond to what he thought was a challenge, but Akanai’s dear husband ignored him and bellowed, “If you’ve a scrap of courage and honour left to you, then step out and face me in battle. You have lived like a snake and a coward for so long, so now I offer you the honour of dying like a man.”

Already, Akanai could hear her soldiers whispering among themselves, wondering just who her husband was addressing, and most brought up the many rumours swirling about regarding various happenings during Bai Qi’s siege, but this was a matter of the People, so it was only right that they handle their own affairs. Akanai would have offered the challenge herself if not for the fact that Mataram YuGan’s exact location was still not yet confirmed. Add to this the fact that their foe emerged victorious in a battle against Gam, Lady Jeong, and two other Peak Experts, and Akanai had no choice but to send her husband to collect the exile’s head and correct the mistake they made almost a quarter-century ago.

At best, this would be an even match, meaning she’d just sent her husband out to risk his life on a coin-flip. A part of her yearned to go out and replace him, or worse, give no face and kill his opponent for him while they duelled, but truth be told, it wasn’t just her husband she was worried about. She worried what this would do to her people, to little Rain, Gerel, and all the others who might be affected by this, as well as how the Empire at large would view them once word of this spread. It was too late to back down now, however, for to her joy and dismay, an armoured form shot out from the walls of Tian Zangli and placed himself opposite her husband on the field of battle. The whispers intensified as the soldiers recognized the Enemy combatant, an amber-eyed Half Demon who took part in Bai Qi’s attack on the Central Citadel. Now those rumours were all but confirmed, for many believed there was a link between the People and this amber-eyed foe, but Akanai shut it all out of her mind, for rumours they would continue to remain so long as no one said anything for certain, and none of the People would want their shame exposed. That was not the boy she once knew, nor the man she exiled for his crimes against the People. The person she saw now was merely a monster clad in his flesh, a foul minion of the Father, no more, no less.

And yet, when he removed his helmet and flashed his insolent sneer, the memories came flooding back in an unwelcome rush which set her to trembling from head to toe with grief and despair.

“Divine Blacksmith,” the monster greeted, speaking the language of the People flawlessly despite having been exiled for so long. “Pray tell, why is it you who stands here before me today? Can it be that my father is busy with other affairs? If only he showed so much concern for his own son, then perhaps matters might not have come this far.”

Rather than answer and engage the monster in dialogue, Akanai’s husband hefted his staff overhead and flashed into battle. The skies thundered as they traded blows faster than most eyes could follow, but rather than focus on the fight, Akanai was doing everything in her power not to look towards her Sentinels for fear of seeing her daughter or grand-daughter’s questioning gaze. Both girls were clever enough to put the pieces together soon enough, especially Alsantset who’d been seven or eight when it all took place, so all Akanai could do was pray that her husband would soon strike the monster dead, if only to make a difficult conversation in the future just a tiny bit easier.

A cowardly way to go about it, but what other choice did she have? Families were a tricky thing, and even after four-hundred plus years of age, Akanai was not yet wise enough to come up with a better answer than this.

Kill the exile.

Hide their shame.

The rest... the rest she would deal with in time.

Chapter Meme