A rider’s feet released themselves from the stirrups and his steed was brought to a halt. A stable boy took his reins and calmed the horse whose body had been abused to make a rushed journey of a hundred leagues. The soldier dismounted and hurried, striding along a path that winded around the embankment of a river ridge. On the day of a new moon when the night was unusually dark, he took care not to trip over his own feet and the pebbles scattered across the gravel ground. But he could not ignore what busied his eyes which turned to his left. The torches of captains and campfires across an encampment hid behind the levee he marched along, its light radiant, turning the sky into an evening tint. It was an hour to midnight, yet the army was alert, on guard and prepared for something that he did not know. Formed up in their ranks, they stilled themselves before their commanders pacing about, maintaining order and discipline in the impatient troops awaiting their next orders. But in boredom, as their soldiers were silent, officers conversed among themselves, unafraid that they would spoil the tranquility to the rider’s right. Opposing the light, there was darkness. The currents of the river were heard but its ripples and waves were unseen. Without the light that Luna provided, the black canvas like that of an abyss stretched into the distance. Unable to judge the width of the waters, he marched nearer the side of the camp at double time. Then, as he was about to return his sight ahead, he spotted a faint glitter, silver in color, riding the soft currents. Trails of bubbles and foam sailed towards the opposite bank where a small patrol of Aelon soldiers marched, unaware. The soldier squinted, but it was difficult to make out, in detail, whatever it was that sailed. It was when he realized, catching sight of the shape of an object that led a white trail behind, his eyes were agape. However, he was distracted by another matter. On arriving at his destination, the sound of rattling armor and armaments startled him. Ahead, two spears were crossed over, barring him from entry. Scrambling to find his seal, he displayed the mark of a messenger and the guards lifted their blockade. The rider weaved past them, expecting more checkpoints, only to be met by his recipient alone.
There, musing, stood with his hands held together behind his back, a colonel stared into the horizon where the earth ceased and the stars began. A squire beside him was wary not to interrupt his thoughts, bearing his humble, plain-appearing glaive in his commander’s stead. The messenger kneeled by the colonel and unburdened himself of a scroll, sealed in blue wax, which he extended it out for its recipient to acknowledge. Noticing him, he relieved the rider of his mission by accepting his message. The messenger rose and bowed with an arm flat over his stomach when the colonel gestured with his eyes alone, dismissing him. Retreating with his order fulfilled, the messenger removed himself from the colonel’s presence and slid down the levee into the camp where he was promised a bed and a hot meal. Holding the scroll in his hands, he returned faced ahead, in anticipation. He waited as if he knew when the perfect moment to reveal his orders was, but his demeanor told that he had known of the missive’s contents before the rider had even come. The seal was broken and the colonel unrolled the parchment. His mind read quicker than his eyes could meet the word, and though it was apparent he had received nothing of particular value aside from its words reinforcing what he had already expected, he scanned every sentence to the last. All that was left was the motion that was to beckon the order.
Eos tore the letter into unretrievable pieces and tossed it over the ridge. “Aurelius…” He spoke as if he was beside him. “If you wish to wager, then let us wager.”
When he looked to his side, his squire snapped to attention and marched forth. His glaive was returned to its rightful liege and the boy withdrew. The colonel knelt and pressed his head against the cold shaft of his companion of killing, mumbling a few words of prayer in an ancient language that few understood. It was short, but he was certain the gods have heard it when the heavens unleashed a gust of wind in response. Assured that his voice has become the will of the sky, he stood and raised his glaive. His troops who had long anticipated his command lifted their heads. A captain revealed himself out of their ranks with a bow in his a hand and a single arrow in the other. But it was all he needed. When he reached an empty space where none could intervene, he nocked his arrow onto the bowstring and drew, pointing its tip at the lightless sky. Needing no true aim, the captain released his fingers and the missile was projected upward in an arc. A shrill whistle accompanied its flight which echoed through the air. Everything and everyone who had heard its cry looked up but they saw nothing but stars. When the isolated noise ceased, the colonel swung his glaive downward, and before him, a row of torches burned on the opposite shore. The clamor of a vast army charged uphill, out of hiding, hiking over the ridge and rushing downhill. They boarded makeshift rafts which appeared as if out of thin air and the enemy patrol turned their attention towards the horde that had summited into view. Dismayed by the scene of a river fleet that had not been there the day before, the Aelon were distracted by the distant banners when a spray of gunfire pelted at them from the darkness. Right before their eyes, the Confederates had long landed, in the hundreds, then the thousands. They could only flee, but were then slaughtered by volleys of lead scything at their backs. An orderly assault across the river began and the colonel watched on. Eos did not join his men until he was sure that every inch of earth beneath his eyes had been conquered.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qGZleAG0v
