It had been several hours since the fight at the inn. When Kragan was taken to Tanar, Tanar had just arrived at his mansion. Tanar had seen Kragan at the gate, recognised him on sight and ordered his immediate release. Of course, he did not forget to treat Kragan to a nice meal afterwards. He asked about the cause of the fight and if he had seen anything strange. Kragan frowned and said angrily, "The food was shit. They attacked me for saying that, Tanar! What would you have done!" Tanar paused for a moment at Kragan's words, then smiled slightly and shrugged.
When he returned to the camp, Kragan went straight to the meeting tent. Fatigue was written all over his face, and there was a vague uneasiness in his eyes. The previous night's squad had gathered here again. Baldrek had come earlier and told Corvus what had happened in Tanar's house, but he had not yet told the other four in the room. The tent was filled with the tension of battle preparations. Baldrek's words echoed, intensifying the heavy air of the room. Zarqa's voice was firm and determined as he told what he had learnt. Then the two older warriors spoke to the people of the city, sharing what they had learnt. Each was like a piece of a puzzle, each piece fitting into place.
The picture that emerged when all the stories were put together was dark and menacing. Tanar had made arrangements so that merchants from the kingdoms of Galir, Behem and Laxon would not have their goods inspected and would not have to pay tribute on entering the city. Immediately afterwards, security at Tanar's house was increased and many inns were opened in the city. This continued for more than a month. Those who came as merchants probably used these inns as warehouses, providing the necessary logistics for the armies of one or all of the kingdoms of Galir, Behem and Laxon. The men Corvus was trying to capture also supervised this business and prevented any trouble. Even if the three kingdoms were united, the Rhazgord army would be hard to defeat, but logistics, Tanar's possible betrayal, and Sanguinar on expedition could change things.
The situation was dangerous and the worst case scenario was very possible. The air inside the tent resembled the calm before a storm. Corvus ordered Zarqa and Baldrek to leave immediately and take their information to the city of Rhazgord. The solemnity in his face suggested that his judgement was absolute. As they left the camp and along the road, he made sure to tell them to move as stealthily but as quickly as possible. Time was running out and every moment counted. At the end of the meeting, the sun was about to set, the sky was blood red and dark clouds were gathering on the horizon. Corvus' warriors were waiting for the order to clear the bandits if Tanar did not act. Everyone who came out of the tent knew they were on the brink of a battle.
Just when Corvus thought Tanar would not act, Tanar and his men appeared. Tanar's face was tense with determination. "I have come to inform you that I am personally mobilising to wipe out the bandits," he said as he dismounted. His voice echoed defiantly around him. Corvus nodded, but his eyes were scrutinising Tanar.
"How many men do you have?" Corvus asked, his voice sharp and questioning. The question alarmed Tanar a little, but he didn't show it. "No need to worry, sir, I have enough," Tanar replied, with a forced confidence in his voice. Corvus, however, was not satisfied with this vague answer. A slight flicker in Tanar's eyes did not escape Corvus' sharp gaze.
"Enough is not enough for me, Tanar! I want this resolved once and for all. Kragan and his thousand warriors will accompany you," Corvus said, an authoritative tone to his voice. These words dissipated the tension inside the tent for a moment and left a different kind of restlessness in its place. Tanar's face showed a brief look of surprise when he heard the offer, but then he nodded his head in satisfaction. An extra thousand men would greatly reduce his losses and the cost of the medicine he would have to pay. With a sly twinkle in his eye, he began to pay false compliments.
"What an honour, sir, to fight alongside such worthy warriors," Tanar said, his voice full of flattery. But Corvus could see the true intentions behind Tanar's false demeanour. Trying to control the anger rising within him, he raised his hand in a slight gesture and signalled for him to leave. Tanar nodded and stepped back.
Corvus went to Kragan's side. Kragan had already prepared the men under his command and was waiting. He had a determined look on his face, the look of a man unafraid of the approaching shadow of war. Corvus gave him a brief but meaningful look.
"Is everything ready?" Corvus asked, his voice low but determined. Kragan nodded, a determined gleam in his eyes.
"Yes, everything is ready. I don't trust Tanar, but our men will get the job done."
Corvus relaxed a little at Kragan's reassuring words. Although the uneasiness in his heart was not completely gone, he knew that war was inevitable and that they had to make every preparation for it. His eyes turned to the horizon, the sun was about to set and darkness was fast approaching.
"Don't you dare, Kragan! Don't lose your temper and do anything to Tanar! Clear out the bandits, but try to capture as many of them alive as you can!" Corvus warned, serious determination in his voice. As much as Kragan wanted to tear Tanar to pieces, he realised that his actions could start a major battle. The Rhazgord army was not yet aware of the events unfolding in Bahoz, and they could be caught unprepared if war broke out suddenly. The thought was enough to curb Kragan's anger.
Kragan followed Tanar with his horse crushed under his weight and a thousand warriors. His men marched with quiet determination. As the darkness of night slowly enveloped them, the difficulty and seriousness of their journey became more and more apparent. Each step echoed with the low rumble of metal armour and swords.
After an hour of travelling, Kragan stopped his horse and pointed to the valley ahead. "We are heading south from here," he said, his voice hard and firm. "We'll march on the last remaining large group until you've dealt with the ones in the valley. Meet us there. Then we'll divide the troops into small units to take out the smaller groups."Kragan spoke, ignoring Tanar's rank. The anger in his voice vibrated slightly, but it did nothing to diminish his resolve.
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Tanar nodded with a wry smile as he listened to Kragan's words. "Of course, Kragan! But I have good news for you!"he said, a sly satisfaction in his voice. "I've already sent my best men to take care of the small groups. They'll take care of the small groups until we're done."
Kragan frowned at Tanar's words. He wanted to ask who these men were and how they were going to find and destroy the small groups in different locations by morning. However, he had to suppress this rising suspicion. As much as he wanted to tear Tanar apart, he knew he couldn't do it. With a grunt, he acknowledged Tanar and entered the fork in the road. Under the dark shadow of the road, the confusion and anger in Kragan's mind intensified.
Kragan and his men continued on their way in silence. The night had made its darkness felt and enveloped the surroundings. The moonlight barely found its way through the clouds above the valley, occasionally hitting the ground. The restlessness in Kragan's heart was even more apparent in this cold light. In it, along with his distrust of Tanar, lay the inevitable reality of war.
Hours after his meeting with Baldrek, Tanar knocked on the iron gate for the second time. As the door opened, he was again confronted with the bleak scene he had encountered earlier. Men in black masks appeared in the darkness, silent and menacing. Each of them had the same mask, so he did not know which one to turn to. The uneasiness inside him showed itself as a clear concern on his face.
"What do you want, Tanar!" hissed one of the masked men, his voice cold and chilling. Tanar recognised the voice. He moved in the direction of the voice, but he was crushed under the deadly gaze of the masked man, not daring to look at his face. He bowed his head and began to speak, his voice shaky and worried.
"Corvus is forcing me... If I don't clear out the bandits, he'll be trouble and he won't leave. His men are starting to cause trouble at the inns. The longer they stay here, the more danger we are in," he said, his words coming out in haste and fear.
The masked man paused for a moment as he considered Tanar's words. However, he seemed to focus on Tanar's last sentence. "What happened at the inn?" he asked, his voice somewhere between curiosity and anger. He didn't seem to have heard Tanar's other words, or didn't want to.
"One of Corvus's foolish men... He ordered food and didn't like it, so he started a fight. Normal behaviour for us Rhazgordians. But it could have been dangerous if it had grown," Tanar replied, a defensive tone in his voice.
The masked man summoned one of the men with him and whispered something in his ear. Receiving the order, the man hurried out the door and disappeared into the dark streets. Tanar held his breath in the tension of this brief moment, waiting for the masked man's decision.
"So, what do you want from me, Tanar!" the masked man thundered, his voice ringing with echo, making Tanar's fear grow even greater.
"Help me clear the bandits by morning... I don't have the strength to do that..." said Tanar, his voice full of desperation.
These words enraged the masked man. Suddenly he leapt to his feet and put his dagger to Tanar's neck. As the cold metal pressed lightly against Tanar's skin, his heart began to pound with fear.
"Last time I checked, you had thousands of men, Tanar! Bahoz's entire force at your command! Are you fucking kidding me!" the masked man shouted, his voice rising in anger. Tanar felt the menacing gleam in the masked man's eyes and flinched in fear. The coldness of the dagger hung like a threat around his neck, but even colder were the masked man's misty, cruel eyes. In the grip of fear and despair, Tanar wondered how he could survive this dangerous game.
Tanar felt as if he was suffocating when the masked man put the dagger to his neck, but his flattery was as good as ever. His voice was shaky but determined. "If I mobilise the men, I must pay! My coffers have been empty ever since I played with the tribute from the merchants..." he moaned. The masked man was surprised that he could speak in such long sentences, even in the grip of the fear that tightened his throat. The man let go of Tanar and sat back down. Tanar collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath, coughs burning his throat. As soon as he recovered, he barely said, "Just take care of the small groups..." and handed the masked man the map Baldrek had brought earlier.
The masked man took the map and analysed it. The map was dazzling in its detail and accuracy. The documents contained detailed information about the bandits. The masked man was impressed by these documents, but he kept his expression stern so as not to show it.
"Okay," he replied, his voice dark and threatening. "But if Corvus and his men don't leave when this is over, I'll take your head!" and he gestured Tanar out. Tanar had narrowly escaped a great calamity, and with a sigh of relief, he set off for his mansion. With every step, he tried to shake off the image of the cold dagger in his neck.
By the time the first rays of morning hit the horizon, Kragan and Tanar had destroyed all three major camps. Tanar's men had killed every bandit, leaving behind a bloody battlefield. Kragan had managed to capture most of them. After the noise and confusion of the battle, silence fell, a sign of victory for both groups.
Together they returned to the camp to make a final report. The rising sun had coloured the sky pink, but the remnants of nightfall still hung over the camp. Kragan was tired and dishevelled. Tanar did not have a single speck of dust on him. He had obviously just been watching the fighting. Many of his soldiers were wounded. Karagan's men were tired but strong. They were unharmed because of their numerical superiority.
When they reached the centre of the camp, battle fatigue was written all over their faces. Corvus was waiting for them, his face serious and determined. As Kragan and Tanar recounted the details of their victory during the night, the cool morning air heralded the beginning of a new day.