Valerius rode heavily at the front of the army. Around him rode the strongest warriors and leaders of the Rhazgord. Just to the right of Valerius Tiamat, his daughter Kaelyra Tiamat stood tall. Her eyes locked ahead, her posture full of discipline and confidence.
To his left was Sherkhan Iskat, leader of the Iskat tribe and Corvus' future father-in-law. For Sherkhan, however, this journey was more like a pleasant ride than a preparation for battle. The man was as comfortable on the horse as if he were sitting on a throne. A small smile complemented his characteristic air of indifference but omniscience.
Next to Sherkhan rode Carek Nabuk, the leader of the Nabuk tribe. Next to Kaelyra, Mech Ogon, the notoriously stern leader of the Ogon tribe, was carefully watching the army's advance.
Following a step behind them were the highest ranking Sharazirs of the Rhazgord Army. Each of them was placed directly behind their family leader, to whom they belonged or to whom they were loyal. This order was both a display of hierarchy and a silent tradition that revealed the relationship between the leaders.
Valerius sensed Corvus' arrival. Without even turning around, he summoned him in a full and decisive voice. He pointed to his right and asked him to ride there. Normally, Corvus would not have had this privilege. But he had more than earned it with his courage and victories in recent days. Valerius' gesture not only showed his appreciation for him, but also announced that Corvus was now beginning to take his place among the great leaders of the Rhazgord. Kaelyra stepped back slightly, giving way to her cousin, but without the slightest discomfort.
Valerius's face was his usual lazy, uncaring expression. His gaze was hard, his thoughts deep. Tharvork and Draknar had swung swords at his side for years, fought shoulder to shoulder in many battles. Now they were no more. The void left by their deaths had left Valerius with a rage that would not rest until he had destroyed the Alliance of the Three Kingdoms. Moreover, enemies had infiltrated the Rhazgord lands under his protection, plotting treacherous plans in the shadows. Corvus was breathing this heavy air when suddenly a cheerful voice broke the mood:
“Do you like the horse, son-in-law!”
Sherkhan Iskat's voice echoed with a laugh that cut through the wind. He had his usual careless, amused expression on his face. But Corvus knew all too well the true nature behind this man's mask. The real source of Ilyada's erratic behavior, sudden outbursts of anger and strange mood swings was precisely this man in front of him.
Corvus bowed his head with a fake smile.
“Thank you so much for this beautiful warhorse.”
His voice was measured and calm. He had always disliked Sherkhan, but he knew that the alliance between the Rhazgord and the Iskat tribe had to be preserved. Sometimes he had to play the role that politics demanded. After a few words of praise from the other leaders, Valerius finally spoke.
The enemy forces were divided, each with their own capital. The nearest Kingdom of Laxon knew it was the first target of the Rhazgord army. They desperately begged for support from the other two countries in the alliance, but to no avail. When the people learned of the approach of the Rhazgord Army, they panicked. Villages emptied and desperate farmers and merchants flocked to the capital. The countdown to the Kingdom of Laxon had begun.
They talked about many things along the way - old battles, heroes, even the state of the army's supplies. But hardly a word was said about the battle that lay ahead. Because there was nothing to talk about. Against a small kingdom like Laxon, they didn't need strategy, long discussions or detailed plans. They just had to go and crush it.
At one point Corvus tried to talk about the Black Masked enemies. The moment he brought it up, Valerius cut him off sharply. He obviously didn't want the subject to be discussed here. Corvus nodded slightly, without questioning its meaning, and did not bring it up again.
As they continued on their way, several Iskat cavalrymen appeared on the horizon. The sun glinted off the metal armor on their horses. But what was striking was that these cavalrymen were not alone. Behind each of them hung captives, bound hand and foot. These men did not look like soldiers. They had no armor or weapons, but they were not dressed like simple peasants. Since the three cavalrymen did not speak Adler, they could not understand who these men they had captured were and decided it was best to let the commanders decide.
Valerius ran his eyes over the prisoners. Then he turned to Corvus beside him and ordered, "Translate what I say into Adler language. ” Corvus spoke in a loud voice:
"I am Corvus Tiamat. I speak for Valerius Tiamat, commander-in-chief of the Rhazgord army. Who is this?"
These men, tied face down and hanging over the backs of the horses, could not see who was speaking, but they recognized both names they heard very well. The bound men struggled to raise their heads and introduce themselves. Their voices were shaky but clear:
“We are ambassadors of the Kingdom of Laxon.”
The corner of Valerius's lips curled vaguely. When Corvus noticed the concern in the envoys' eyes, he smiled faintly. Their enemies were expecting mercy. Then one of them spoke in a tone that ignored everything that had happened, as if it had never happened:
“What is the purpose of your visit?”
Corvus's insides swelled with anger. But he gritted his teeth and calmly translated the words he had just heard, without the slightest trace of emotion on his face. Valerius nodded with a wry smile, then spoke in a booming voice:
"I have something to discuss with your king in private! That is why we are going to your capital."
The ambassadors, still trying to raise their heads, did not even dare to ask for their hands to be untied. One of them forced his head up and spoke in a shaky voice:
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"If it is the recent bad events you wish to discuss, I can assure you that our kingdom has nothing to do with them.We have nothing to do with the aggressive actions of the wild Galir and the Behemites."
He added hastily, as if he had forgotten for a moment:
"And be sure, we are considering declaring war on them for trespassing on our lands. We also assure you that we will support all your efforts to take revenge."
Valerius' response to the envoy's long and desperate explanation was a single word:
“Anything else?”
The three envoys remained silent for a moment, stunned by this unexpected response. Their eyes shifted anxiously to each other, then one of them quickly interjected:
“Of course, we are also prepared to pay a substantial compensation for the attack on you using our territory.”
These were the last words Corvus translated. But the envoys received no response. All they noticed was that their horses were slowly moving away from the Rhazgord Army. As they were tossed about with their bound bodies, they called out to the cavalry, but there was no answer. After a while the horses stopped. The cavalrymen set the messengers down hard. They carefully collected their valuables before untying their ropes. Then they quietly returned to their mission, leaving the three envoys in the middle of nowhere.
Still not fully comprehending what they had been through, the three envoys looked at each other, robbed and helpless. The place was empty, desolate and silent. Yet one of them took a deep breath and spoke with a shaky smile:
“Even in the middle of nowhere, it's better than in the Laxon capital.”
The others nodded silently and started walking towards the nearest settlement.
As the sun disappeared behind the horizon, the Rhazgord army reached Laxia, the capital of Laxon. The red sky cast shadows on the city's high walls, foreshadowing the coming storm. Preparations for the siege began quickly.
But the preparations had barely begun when the great gates of the city were suddenly thrown open.
This caused instant alarm among the Rhazgord warriors. They thought that the enemy was in the madness of attacking. With their trained reflexes, they immediately took formation, shields raised, spears thrust forward. With just one order, it was certain that it would all be over.
But it was not an army that came out of the gate. A single horseman and a second horse, carrying a fat man with his hands tied, were advancing. This rider, dressed in fine embroidered armor, approached the Rhazgord army with heavy steps. If he hadn't been accompanied by a man with his hands tied, looking haggard and miserable, Valerius would have dismissed him as any other envoy and sent him back without a word. But the fat man's condition caught his attention.
His curiosity piqued, Valerius took Corvus with him and rode towards the horseman. As they got closer, they noticed how the soldier trembled. Not just his voice, but his whole body shook with fear and anxiety.
The man took a deep breath and spoke in a shaky voice:
"I am Lakan, leader of the Laxia city guard. I have come to inform you that we will surrender if you guarantee that no civilians will be harmed. As a sign of our sincerity, we have captured the king who authorized an attack against you that we never supported, and I have brought him to you."
As he finished, he pointed to the fat man on the horse beside him, disheveled and disheveled. This man was the King of Laxon.
“I am Valerius Tiamat, and I swear on my honor that I will do no harm to anyone who is innocent.”
These words, translated by Corvus, caused Lakan to take a deep breath and a look of relief settled on his face. He knew well how attached the Rhazgordians were to the concept of honor. If Valerius had sworn on his honor, there was no going back.
Knowing this, Lakan, albeit fearfully, drew his horse closer to Valerius and extended his trembling hand. The purpose of this bold gesture was clear - to seal the treaty.
The news spread quickly through the Rhazgord army. A few seconds later, the triumphant shouts of tens of thousands of warriors filled the sky. Even the city walls shook with the power of this mighty sound. Thirty thousand civilians in Laxia, who had no chance to flee, shuddered at the deafening, wild ecstasy. But this did not affect the discipline of the warriors. The Rhazgord army began to enter the city in perfect order.
The first troops to enter quickly took control of the city gates and the city walls. The soldiers who followed gathered everyone, armed or unarmed, in the town square. The aim was to eliminate any threat that might be lurking in the city. All the while they made sure that no one was harmed.
Soon the huge Rhazgord army advanced to the most secluded corners of the city and Laxia was completely under their control. Valerius, along with Corvus and Lakan, came before the city's people, who were trembling with fear. The eyes of the civilians were filled with worry. They did not know what was going to happen, but one thing they did know was that no army they had ever seen was as terrifying as the Rhazgord.
Lakan was preparing to ask when his people would be released when suddenly he felt Baldrek's strong hand on his shoulder. In an instant he fell to his knees. Baldrek had done this at a small signal from Corvus. At that moment, Valerius took a deep breath and addressed the crowd with all his might. As his words echoed across the city square, the moment came for Corvus to step in.
"People of the Land of Laxon! I am Valerius Tiamat, this city is now under the control of the Rhazgord army!Those of you who hold the slightest rank in the Laxon army, or who are members of the royal family, step forward!"
Valerius' booming voice echoed through the square. There was a murmur from the crowd, but otherwise no movement. Valerius watched in silence for a while as people murmured and whispered to each other. But no one stepped forward, nor did anyone point to anyone else. This silence ignited a spark of anger in Valerius' eyes. He made a brief gesture to Kaelyra.
Instantly, five thousand Rhazgord warriors stepped forward, swords drawn. The metal sound of the weapons sliced through the tension in the square like a sharp knife. Step by step, they advanced towards the crowd, which trembled with fear.
Lakan began to convulse with terror at this movement. He wanted to plead for Valerius' mercy, reminding him of the agreement they had made. But his panic did him no good. As he began to cry on his knees, Valerius raised his hand. With that single gesture, the Rhazgord soldiers stopped in their tracks.
Valerius spoke again, his voice even more menacing than before. Corvus coldly translated every word:
"Those who hold the slightest rank in the Laxon army, or who belong to the royal family, step forward! Otherwise, we will hold you all responsible for this war and treat you accordingly!"
These words caused instant panic in the crowd. People looked at each other in alarm. At first no one spoke, but after a few seconds fear overcame loyalty.
“This man is an officer!”
“This is the king's nephew!”
The shouts became louder. Without hesitation, people were ratting each other out, pointing with their hands. Some, accepting the inevitable, quietly stepped forward, heads bowed. Others, however, were writhing in the shadow of betrayal, searching with their eyes for a place to flee. The Rhazgord warriors pulled the denounced men from the crowd and brought them to the king on his knees. Their numbers were growing by the moment. Corvus asked some of the higher-ranking men questions and sent those who gave him the answers he was looking for away.
Valerius ran his eyes over the crowd. When he was sure that no one was left behind, he calmly gave his final order. The warriors raised their swords. And with one blow, they ended the lives of everyone lined up next to the king. After making sure that the king was watching the scene closely, they sent him to join the men Corvus had chosen.