The Pinnacle Of Empire (Book 6) (36 page)

The two legions marched west at dawn the next morning, arriving at Mendenow behind the enemy as they returned from driving the Powterosians north out of Mendenow. The jubilant invaders suddenly faced attack forces front and rear. There were no city walls to hide behind and no provisions for them out in the open.

*

“Two legions from Challula and Zenobia?” the Powterosian general asked, having barely disengaged his tattered force from the Senoshesvasian attack. He’d just reassembled his men, reformed his legions, and reestablished military order.”

“Yes, General,” a messenger from the newly arrived relief force said. “King Zirkin has sent an experienced legion with an inexperienced but enthusiastic force from Challula. We’re east of Mendenow City. Our senior officer is seeing to the troops’ disposition. He’ll be here presently to confer with you to coordinate our attack on the enemy.”

“Yes, indeed,” the general said, visibly euphoric. “Not an hour ago I was uncertain what to do or if we could do anything to stop the invasion here or aid the emperor at Engwaniria. Now we have the enemy trapped between us. They’ve no defensive position; they’re exposed all around. Aide! Send word to the commanders to prepare to counter attack.”

The ranking Zenobian officer soon arrived at the general’s tent to a jubilant reception. The two commanders conferred and planned their strategy.

“We must strike immediately,” the Powterosian general said. “The Senoshesvasians are overconfident. They’ve left their defensive stronghold and are exposed and vulnerable. We can’t allow them to retreat behind the city walls again.”

“Agreed, General,” the Zenobian said. “Send a legion back with us so that we have two experienced legions between the enemy and Mendenow. Your frontal attack will send them running into us.

*

The attack began as the overconfident and unaware Senoshesvasians were dispersed collecting spoils from the previous Powterosian rout. The delay allowed the Zenobian-Challulan force to take positions, cutting off the invaders route back to the city. The ensuing attack surprised the unprepared invaders. After a brief and bloody battle, the Senoshesvasians realized their hopeless situation.

“We’ve no means to break through the enemy lines and get back to Mendenow,” a Senoshesvasian office said. “The enemy now outnumbers us two to one. There’s no relief force coming.”

“Our officers as well as men have seen the riches and freedom in Mendenow. They’re envious and losing their will to fight,” another officer said.

“They know if we return to Senoshesvas defeated, Nindax will execute our leaders and life will again be a miserable existence for the men,” the first officer said. The officers looked at each other.

“Then it’s agreed. We’ll surrender provided we’re allowed to remain in the Powterosian Empire as civilians. Good thing we were delayed in executing their surrendered legion.”

All nodded agreement. The invaders relinquished their arms.

*

“Surrendered!” the Senoshesvasian general barked. He stood wide-eyed in the command room atop Mendenow’s gate tower. “Send for Governor Hedrak.”

“Yes, General, our whole army surrendered to the Powterosian general just two miles out from the city,” a bloody junior officer said. “I barely escaped with my life from the battle, as you see. A combined Zenobian and Challulan army snuck up and cut off our way back to Mendenow City. We weren’t able to break through. The imperial army to the north had no mercy after we’d just beaten them. We were exposed and outnumbered. The others surrendered. They were afraid what Emperor Nindax would do after their defeat.”

“But you crawled back.”

The man blushed. “I have family back in Varnakak. I have to get back home.”

“What is it?” Hedrak said, rushing into the room unannounced. “What’s happened?”

“It seems you’ve backed the wrong emperor,” the general said through a contemptuous smirk.

“What’s happened?”

“My victorious army was surprised, outnumbered, and has surrendered.”

“Surrendered! How can that be? We’ve just routed Saxthor’s forces. They’ve retreated back north to Engwaniria. You said so yourself.”

“Fortunes have reversed. We’re done here in Mendenow. I was about to have my aide make preparations to abandon the city. We can travel in a small boat undetected and rendezvous with the fleet anchored up the coast. I doubt the Powterosians will pursue us now that my army has surrendered and, I understand, petitioned to remain here. You, on the other hand, will be hunted without mercy.”

“Yes, I suppose Emperor Saxthor won’t forgive me again, not after this misguided alliance. Even the empress can’t intercede for me now. I must go with you. Perhaps my family won’t be imprisoned and our estates not confiscated for my actions if I go into exile. Saxthor is merciful. He may allow my son to survive. Yes, I must go with you to Varnakak.”

“Get ready; we’ll leave within the hour. There’ll be no room for possessions. To delay would risk capture, and I’ll not chance that to save your worthless hide.”

*

When the Powterosian general marched through the open gates of Mendenow City to a jubilant throng, he found no one in charge of the city. The Senoshesvasians had fled, leaving Governor Hedrak’s shivering son alone to surrender the city.

The city elders elected a temporary governor until the emperor could appoint an official one. Subject to the emperor’s approval, the Powterosian general broke up the surrendered army. He sent them across widely scattered lands throughout Mendenow and Challula for settlement. Dispersed, they’d be no threat. The Zenobian legion marched back to Zenobia as the Powterosian army marched north to aid Saxthor in the defense of Engwaniria.

* * *

At the Abysmal Pass, Memlatec listened to Tenamektrin’s telepathic account of Senoshesvasian abuses over their stormy history. As they conversed, the flinik leader expressed a cautious but growing trust in the great wizard and his sympathetic response. Memlatec’s patience was remarkable, though he wondered if he could gain flinik and foodoo support to overthrow Varnakak. Eventually, the wizard had to broach the subject.

The Powterosian Empire doesn’t seek these mountains or the territory beyond. It’s the Senoshesvasian leader, Nindax, who invaded the Powterosian territory as he has your own in the past. He must be stopped, Memlatec thought to Tenamektrin. We need to pass this army of men through your pass to subdue the great fortress beyond, which you hate so. We need your permission to travel without hindrance. We’ll harm no flinik or foodoo if you will permit these men to pass and return unhindered.

Tenamektrin tapped antennae with his two associates and the three nodded heads then flew back into the mountains.

“What did they say?” the fortress commander asked Memlatec when he returned below.

“I don’t know yet. I suppose Tenamektrin must confer with the others.”

“Them things talks to each other. I still can’t believe it,” the commander said.

“Yes, well, you’d better believe it. Our success or failure depends on it. If the messengers from Engwaniria are correct, we don’t have long to overthrow Varnakak in order make Nindax withdraw before he conquers Engwaniria.”

The next afternoon Memlatec was having a late lunch with the commander while going over the attack plan when the lookout, pale with bulging eyes, approached. “Excuse me, Lord Memlatec, but them bugs is back across the river.”

Memlatec jumped up and limped up the tower stairs, overruling the pain in his knee.

What’s your decision? Memlatec thought.

We’ll aid your men, but should any man harm any flinik or foodoo, our help stops instantly, Tenamektrin responded. Senoshesvasians have long hunted us. They will pay now.

You said aid, Tenamektrin. What does that mean?

Call your men together and we’ll fly them over the mountains and land them on the plain before the great fortress.

Fly them over the mountains?

Assemble your men an hour after sunrise tomorrow. We flinik will pass you over the mountains.

Memlatec was stunned. He’d never anticipated that. “There are two legions at this castilyernov. How can one flinik fly a man with weapons and pack over these mountains?” Memlatec mumbled going back down the tower stairs to the commander. He repeated the instructions to the commander.

“My men won’t let one of those bugs touch ‘-em, much less fly off with them in their spiked claws,” the commander said.

“Well, you’ve got until one hour after sunrise to get them packed for the assault and to obey orders. They’ll submit to the flinik help, or in the emperor’s name, I’ll declare every single one a deserter!” Memlatec said. “We must overthrow Varnakak if we’re to get Nindax to retreat from Engwaniria and the empire. Your men mustn’t waver in accepting this unexpected help. Also, make it clear all are likely to die should one nervous soldier harm one flinik or foodoo.”

Memlatec left the commander standing dumbfounded.

In the morning, the wizard came late to his meal. When he went down to the fortress’ courtyard, the fidgeting troops came to attention, facing the river in formation at the commander’s order.

“The legions are ready to a man, Wizard Memlatec,” the commander said. He stood rigidly at attention as did the troops.

Some minutes later, there was a buzz, which grew steadily louder in minutes. Memlatec cocked his head. “They’re coming.”

“I still don’t see how bugs are going to fly an army over the mountains,” the commander dared grumble.

Are your men ready? came a thought to Memlatec, who looked across the legion formations and thought, Yes.

A hush fell over the legions as the sky darkened with a cloud of flinik that flew over the fortress walls. The flinik descended, hovering at first. Then, in lines matching the soldiers’ formations, the flinik carefully alighted, standing behind individual, frozen soldiers in the front line. Each flinik gently took his soldier in its spiked arms and flew up and out, over the walls, then the river, and on into the mountains as foodoo watched along the riverbanks.

Memlatec mounted on Tenamektrin’s back. Amid an incredible droning the two legions, line by line, flew up and over the mountains.

In no more than an hour, the flinik descended onto the plain in front of Varnakak’s great castilyernov. The legions formed up once again facing the fortress. Foodoo, hundreds of them dashed out of the Abysmal Pass, facing Varnakak’s backside, growling ferociously at the token force scrambling about on the battlements.

Can your flinik bring rocks from the mountains and drop them in front of the castilyernov? Memlatec telepathed to Tenamektrin. The flinik looked at each other. Amid a great buzz, they began flying back and forth to the mountains, picking up rocks and returning to drop them in front of the castilyernov and on its massive gate pylons.

Accompanied by Memlatec, the Powterosian commander advanced to the head of his troops. Varnakak’s commander came to the gate tower to face the Powterosians but kept glancing up at the swarm of flinik overhead, pummeling the gate.

“Surrender this fortress or we’ll put all to the sword when we take it,” the Powterosian commander said. “You must decide quickly.”

Varnakak’s commander disappeared. The flinik continued flying over the fortress dropping stones on the battlements, smashing off huge chunks of stonework. Most dropped rocks in front of the fortress. Before long, the base of a causeway began to angle up against the wall beside the fortress’ gate. A large stone smashed into a tower at the back of the citadel. It toppled over, taking two other large buildings below with it, to dust-billowing rubble below. The causeway was half way up the wall when Varnakak’s commanding officer returned to the gate tower. Without speaking, he raised a white flag. The gates to the impregnable fortress opened to the Powterosians.

“We’ve taken the enemy capital without loss of a single soldier,” the Powterosian commander said.

As imperial troops were disarming the Senoshesvasian defenders, Memlatec requested a flinik fly the enemy commander over the mountains to find and tell Nindax his capital was in enemy hands.

“Now that the tension’s released, I’m sensing a presence I’d hoped never find again,” Memlatec mumbled.

* * *

High in his basalt tower with Morphenius, Xthilleon was working on another plot when he sensed an energy probe. The sorcerer jumped up and dashed to the balcony. He heard a distant, profound buzzing even before the flinik army appeared.

“That entire army has only a low energy resonance, nothing of note, but there’s an energy behind it that’s old… primal. There’s only one presence on Powteros with such a strong energy aura. Memlatec is coming.”

“Memlatec… ain’t that the wizard you talked about in the past?” Morphenius asked.

Without response, Xthilleon went back inside. His arm’s wide sweep cleared the work table. He grabbed a dusty book on energy fields and their properties from his library and flipped it open on the table. The sorcerer scanned the table of contents with his long, dirty fingernail, flipped to a chapter, and read frantically. He spun around and, grabbing his wand, he chanted a spell making runes in the air toward the approaching army. He chanted another incantation spinning the wand around himself and Morphenius. The assistant backed away.