Chapter 22

A mighty army, 30,000 strong, had gathered and was now marching towards Trader Town to confront General Pol Qo, the infamous Hammer of the Jogos Nhai. Pol Qo was a formidable general, backed by a substantial number of loyalists, like many other commanders in the Emperor's service. However, his recent successes had inflated his ego, causing him to question the worthiness of his loyalty to the Emperor.

Pol Qo had earned his fearsome reputation by fearlessly defeating the Jogos Nhai, a mounted warrior race even more ferocious than the Dothraki. Bahamut understood that, in the volatile landscape of Yi Ti, the loyalty of the warriors often lay more with their respective generals than with the Emperor himself.

Bahamut's strategy aimed at either bringing the generals under his influence or removing them from the equation altogether. If his plan unfolded as intended, he hoped that even if these generals didn't pledge loyalty, their successors might. Marching out with an army of 30,000 had left the defense of Yin City vulnerable, guarded only by a meager force of 1,000 warriors, while the Emperor's army, consisting of 30,000 strong men, was en route to confront General Pol Qo and his 8,000 soldiers.

The Emperor's unconventional move had left neighboring regional princes bewildered. Many saw this as a ludicrous blunder, and it fueled doubts about the Emperor's worthiness to rule. This created an opportunity for them to plot the city's overthrow before the Emperor's army returned, believing that without the chess piece in play (the Emperor), the battle would be over.

However, they sorely underestimated Bahamut's cunning and the speed at which he operated. Allowing their guard to drop was exactly what Bahamut had wanted, and the dragons would return to Yin City at the perfect moment to defy their expectations.

Over twenty thousand forces had united, setting aside their differences for a common goal. Their plan was clear: overthrow the current Emperor and later decide who among them would ascend the throne. This pact solidified their agreement.

The dragon, along with his army of 30,000, had been away from Yin City for over three days. This information was gleaned from spies discreetly placed within the Emperor's palace.

Now, a formidable force of more than 20,000 warriors had gathered, and they were determined to launch their assault on the city walls. Their intent was to strike during the night, as there was no need to declare war; the Emperor's recent decree had already declared his position and intent. The stage was set for a dramatic showdown under the cloak of darkness.

As night shrouded the city, the alarm bells rang out from the walls, alerting the defenders to the ominous movement in the darkness. The walls were illuminated with the fiery glow, and the Emperor's forces prepared to defend their city.

However, the Emperor's meager force couldn't adequately cover the extensive city walls, making them vulnerable to a siege. The opposing army advanced, their siege engines ready to breach the sturdy iron gates, although the frame was constructed from unyielding stone.

But, to everyone's astonishment, a deafening roar echoed from the distance, and four colossal shadows emerged into view, illuminated by the moon's pale light. One of the immense figures rained down torrents of black flames upon the approaching siege engines, causing them to explode in fiery destruction. The other four looming shadows unleashed waves of flames upon the enemy forces, spreading chaos and terror among their ranks.

The night was filled with the desperate cries of men fighting for their lives, and the onlookers atop the city walls stood in stunned silence. The Emperor, too, felt his blood boil as he gazed upon the nightmarish scene, marked by fire and ashes.