A few hours had passed since the fight at the inn. When Kragan was taken to Tanar, Tanar had just arrived at his mansion. Tanar saw Kragan at the door, recognized him immediately and ordered his immediate release. He made sure to treat Kragan to a nice meal afterwards. He asked him what the fight was about and if he had seen anything strange. Kragan, frowning, said angrily, "The food was shit. They attacked me for saying that, Tanar! So I did what I had to do!" 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, including Belisarius. Baldrek had come earlier and told Corvus what had happened at Tanar's house, but he had not yet reported to the other five in the room. The tent was filled with the tension of preparations for battle. Baldrek's words echoed, intensifying the heavy air of the room. Zarqa's voice was firm and determined as he told what he had learned. Then the two older warriors spoke to the people of the city, sharing what they had learned. Each was like a piece of a puzzle, each piece fitting into place.
When all the stories were put together, the picture 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. Soon after, 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 logistics for the armies of one or all of the kingdoms of Galir, Behem and Laxon. The men Corvus was trying to capture were overseeing this business and preventing any trouble. Even if the three kingdoms united, the Rhazgord army would be hard to defeat, but logistics, Tanar's possible betrayal and the absence of Sanguinar and his army 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 seriousness in his face made it clear that his decision was absolute. As they left the camp and along the way, he made sure to tell them to move as stealthily but as quickly as possible. Time was running out and every moment counted. By the end of the meeting the sun was setting, 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 mobilizing to clear out all the bandits. We will start in the west and move east! We will take them all out before morning." he said as he dismounted. His voice echoed defiantly around him. Corvus nodded, but his eyes were watching Tanar carefully.
"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 momentarily dissipated the tension inside the tent and replaced it with a different kind of unease. 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 gleam in his eye, he began to pay false compliments.
"What an honor, sir, to fight side by side with such worthy warriors," Tanar said, his voice full of flattery. But Corvus could see the true intentions behind Tanar's false demeanor. Trying to control the anger rising in him, he raised his hand in a slight gesture and motioned for him to leave. Tanar nodded and stepped back.
Corvus went to Kragan's side. Kragan had already prepared the men at his disposal 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 finish the job."
Corvus relaxed a little at Kragan's reassuring words. Even if his uneasiness had 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 setting and darkness was fast approaching.
"Don't, 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 was aware that his actions could bring a major battle prematurely. The Rhazgord army was not yet aware of the events unfolding in Bahoz and could be caught off guard if war broke out suddenly. The thought was enough to curb Kragan's anger.
Crushed under his weight, Kragan followed Tanar with his horse and a thousand warriors. His men advanced 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 armor and swords.
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After an hour of travel, Kragan stopped his horse and pointed to the valley ahead. "We head south from here," he said, his voice hard and firm.
"We'll march on the big group to the south 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 without regard for Tanar's rank. The anger in him gave his voice a slight tremor, but it did nothing to diminish his determination.
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 have already sent my best men to take care of the small groups. They'll take care of the small groups while we take care of our business."
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. But he had to suppress the suspicion rising inside him. As much as he wanted to tear Tanar apart, he knew he could not. With a grunt, he acknowledged Tanar and took the crossroads. 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 darkness of the night had already made itself felt and enveloped the surroundings. The moonlight barely found its way through the clouds above the valley, occasionally hitting the ground. The uneasiness in Kragan's heart became even more pronounced in this cold light. In it, along with his distrust of Tanar, lay the inevitability of war.
Tanar knocked on the iron door for the third time, immediately after his meeting with Kragan hours earlier. As the door opened, he was again confronted with the same bleak scene he had encountered before. Men in black masks appeared in the darkness, silent and menacing. Each one had the same mask, so he didn't know which one to turn to. The uneasiness inside him showed itself as a distinct worry on his face.
"What do you want, Tanar!" hissed one of the masked men, his voice cold and chilling. Tanar recognized 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's going to 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' idiot men... He wanted food and didn't like it, so he started a fight. Normal stuff for us Rhazgordians. But it could have been dangerous if it had escalated," Tanar replied, a defensive tone in his voice.
The masked man called 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! Don't half the bandits already work for you! Tell them to disappear for a few days!" the masked man thundered, his voice ringing with echo, magnifying the fear in Tanar.
"I have already taken care of those who work for me! But there are still too many bandits. If I don't take them all out by morning, Corvus will cause me... big trouble. So help me clear out the bandits by morning... I don't have the strength to do it..." 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 gently 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 disposal! Are you 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 desperation, Tanar wondered how he could survive this dangerous game.
Tanar felt like 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 mobilize the men, I have to pay! My coffers have been empty 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 clenched his throat. The man let go of Tanar and sat back down. Tanar collapsed, gasping for breath, coughs burning his throat. As soon as he came to, 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 it and studied 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 have your head!" and he gestured Tanar out. Tanar took a deep breath, relieved that he had narrowly escaped a great calamity, and set off for his mansion. With every step, he tried to erase the image of the cold dagger in his neck.
When the first rays of morning broke over the horizon, Kragan and Tanar had destroyed only three large bandit camps. The other six camps were empty. Tanar's men had killed every bandit, leaving behind a bloody battlefield. Kragan, on the other hand, had managed to capture most of the bandits as prisoners; their testimony would be of great use to them in the days to come. After the noise and confusion of the battle, the silence that fell was a sign of victory for both groups.
Together they returned to camp to make a final report. The rising sun had painted the sky pink, but the remnants of nightfall still hung over the camp. Kragan and Tanar marched towards Corvus, tired but full of triumph.
When they reached the center of the camp, the exhaustion of the battle 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.