The air at the Golden Triangle outpost, on the border of the Kosanz Kingdom, was thick with the dust of eight thousand soldiers. It was a place of perpetual readiness, where the wind carried the scent of dry earth and the distant promise of conflict. Inside the command tent, Koorush, the young leader of the Zasra forces, was hunched over a map, his brow furrowed with the weight of his command. His advisor, Payam, calmly adjusted a lantern's wick, his face a still mask in the flickering light.
Their silence was broken by the urgent strides of a messenger, who announced with his presence that a long-awaited message had finally arrived. The soldier handed Payam a small bamboo tube and left. Payam popped the top open and pulled out a single, long, old leather map. As he unrolled it, a soft, satisfied smile curved his lips.
"Our time has come," Payam said, laying the map on the table with a gentle thud.
Koorush looked down at the old map of Nue-Li City. Within its faded lines, every outpost was marked, and the city's weakest points of attack were clearly identified. A satisfied smile curved his own lips as he looked up. "So, it's true," he said. "Every man has his price. If it's high enough, they'll sell their soul."
Koorush shoved the old map of Nue-Li City aside, his gaze fixed on the one that was already on the table. After a moment of consideration, he stood and moved to stand beside Payam. "You're right about one thing," he said, turning to face his advisor. "The moment Menglua heard about Nue-Li City's fall, he tightened the defenses around Suina City."
"So, who do we attack first?" Koorush asked, his hands clasped behind his back as he walked back to his chair and sat down. "Nue-Li or Zaoging?"
Payam's gaze remained fixed on the map. "If we want Hmagol's eastern general's head," he stated, his finger landing on Zaoging City with a firm tap. "We attack Zaoging."
Koorush was taken aback by the swift, unwavering answer. "Why?" he asked, a sharp crease forming between his brows.
Payam smiled. "If the Hmagol general truly lives up to her name, what would she do when civilians are caught in the crossfire?"
"I understand," Koorush said, "but the civilians being slaughtered aren't Magoli. Why would she help them?"
"That's why I said, if she lives up to her good name, she will march her soldiers to protect an enemy city," Payam countered. "Not for the lives of her enemy soldiers, but for the innocent."
"Are you gambling with our men's lives?" Koorush asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Gambling is part of war, yes," Payam said simply. "But a true strategist doesn't gamble on luck. He gambles on his prediction of the enemy. And a correct prediction is how you win a war before it even begins."
"And what if Menglu sends his men?" Koorush pressed, his concern evident. "We'll be trapped between two powerful forces."
Payam's calm remained unshaken. "The Nue-Li City map in our possession confirms it," he stated with finality. "The betrayed prince won't send his northern army to help her. They will not march. She can only ask for volunteers. And Menglu? He won't commit his soldiers to a city that is already falling."
Koorush looked down at the map, then up at Payam. "Where and when do we start?" he asked.
"According to our informer, we'll attack Zaoging's north gate," Payam replied, his finger tracing a line on the map. "Most of their troops are stationed in the south, facing Nue-Li."
Koorush's eyes lifted from the map to meet Payam's, a question he'd held since their first day in this barren land finally escaping his lips. "Why aren't we wearing armor?"
Payam looked down at Koorush, a faint smile on his lips. "You're asking me why we aren't wearing armor?"
"I'm asking you because I don't know," Koorush shot back, his frustration clear.
Payam let out a long sigh. "You are a great warrior, young lord, but you lack strategic thought."
"That's why I have you," Koorush said with a shrug. "I'm the brawn; you're the brains."
Payam's smile softened. "You need to learn these things, my lord. I won't always be here to think for you. If you ever face an urgent situation alone, I hope you can find a solution and see your way out."
Although Koorush wasn't a brilliant strategist, he fully grasped Payam's intent. "I understand," he said. "I'll work harder. But why don't we wear armor?"
Payam's smile held a chilling edge as he looked down at him. "If we were to march on Zaoging City in our armor, it would be a direct declaration of war on the Gimsong Kingdom. That would not be good for our people. However," his grin widened, "if a large band of bandits were to suddenly attack Zaoging City, that would be a different matter entirely. Our kingdom would not be held responsible."
"Furthermore," Payam continued, "I recall my conversation with Lu. King Es Ke of Payapasa wants half of Nue-Li, but our mission is to kill the eastern Hmagol general, not seize land. If word of this were to leak, Menglua's revenge would be aimed at the Kingdom of Payapasa, not us. Even if he wanted to fight, he'd have to cross three kingdoms just to stand at our border. He won't take his small army across so much hostile territory for a war he knows he can't win."
Koorush pondered, a deep crease forming between his brows. "You have a point," he conceded. "But sending eight thousand men to Zaoging would be too obvious. We can neither hide nor deny it."
A faint smile crossed Payam's face. "I learned something from the battle of Hosha City: scarecrows are excellent for deceiving an enemy." He walked back to his chair, his fingers tapping a rhythm on the table. "I think you should host a dinner banquet for General Jietang and his captains."
"Why?" Koorush asked. "We're not here to make friends."
"We need people to help bring our scarecrows to life," Payam replied simply.
Koorush's smile softened as he looked at Payam. "You have more than one contingency plan, don't you? It seems you're throwing everything you have into this."
"I have to," Payam said. "We aren't just facing a warrior; we're facing a war strategist."
Koorush's scoff was sharp, his smile fading. "Do you really think a woman could do all this? I don't believe for a second she could do this on her own."
"Never judge a person's skill by the scabbard they carry," Payam said, his voice low and firm. "A sharp sword can be hidden beneath a battered scabbard. The scabbard doesn't define skill; the sound the sword makes when it's sheathed is what matters."
Koorush scoffed. He'd never heard Payam praise an enemy like this. "You always point out your opponents' mistakes," he said. "Have you changed your mind?"
"Perhaps it's because the Battle of Hosha was my first defeat," Payam replied, a hint of steel in his voice. "I must be extra careful this time. I believe the person I'm facing is no ordinary soldier in Magoli armor."
Koorush poured himself a cup of water, his eyes still fixed on Payam as he drank. "Oh, how so?" he asked.
"When I first met her, I was surprised that a warrior like Zhi could kneel before her," Payam said, his voice low. "But her words left a lasting impression on me, and I finally understood why men would kneel. She may not be the strategist behind her victories, but someone is. And that person has shown us they can turn the tide of battle and seize advantage from the most desperate situations."
He paused, his gaze sweeping the empty tent as if the Battle of Hosha City were unfolding before him. "People said Nue-Li City was unconquerable, yet it stands no chance against the Hmagol Eastern General. And we... we were certain Hosha City would fall in seven days. Look what happened. We lost ten thousand men and... our young lord."
He let out a deep sigh. "If we want to win, I have to be two steps ahead of her this time. Luckily, fate is on our side. We have the most valuable informant."
With a loud crack, Koorush's hand slammed down on the table, sending teacups and documents rattling. An ink dish launched into the air, splashing a starburst of black ink across the map. The anger that had been simmering within him erupted, a hot wave of fury fueled by the memory of pulling the arrow from Reza's neck. His brow furrowed, and his teeth found his lower lip. "I want to capture her alive," he ground out, "and put that arrow right back in her neck."
Payam's voice remained a calm counterpoint to Koorush's fury. "My lord, this time, she will not escape. She will die, either way. It doesn't matter how she dies, as long as she is dead," he said, his words a cold, final comfort. "Our mission will be complete, and we will have our revenge for Lord Reza."
Payam smiled, a thrill of excitement coursing through him. Even if his army ultimately failed, he would have inflicted the most unforgivable pain on Chinua. He had meticulously crafted his plan so that no matter the outcome, Chinua would be dead by the end of the battle. This time, Chinua would die either on the battlefield or on the execution ground.