Chapter Fourteen: East Gate

Kittisek Khan and his forces advanced on Mazatl, the second-largest city in Hanwi. It was across the Rosh River delta from Orachon, the Capital of Nanook, and was where Kittisek Khan's palace was.

Instead of trying to traverse the fast-flowing river waters with his troops, the Great Khan elected to circumvent the river by approaching Mazatl in warships. Kittisek sent a smaller North force to cross the river and attack Mazatl. Massive warships sailed East of the city to try to make landfall, but Queen Waconi had sent ships of her own to head them off. The bulk of Kittisek Khan's forces were in warships firing on Mazatl from the Sea just to the South.

Queen Waconi constantly received intel to try to make fast decisions. Her people were under siege. Her husband, King Ohdakota, had sailed with a fleet to Anahiti in an attempt to keep Sultan Graeo'gi and his fleet from joining with Kittisek Khan. Hanwi's defense was left to the Queen. Even though forces from Ishavara and Qamata had arrived to help, Chancellor Flaero remained in Dhara. He had to remain with his people like she had to with hers.

Queen Waconi received word that forces from Nanook had crossed the river to the North and would arrive shortly. She sent her daughter Ichante to lead a group to cut them off. Apollyon, Malaika, and Chaska joined Ichante. They would be the commanders of several Hanwi calvary and infantry divisions.

When it became clear that the massive warships fighting to the east were too strong for the ships Waconi had sent, Malum was summoned to the Queen.

Malum, Massive warships have broken the lines to the East. They are landing troops on the beach as we speak. They want to cut off our retreat and attack the Mazatl from the Eastern gate. The enemy engages us on three fronts. I need you to demolish them and keep our escape routes open."

"I understand, your Highness," Malum said as he kneeled.

Even though Malum wasn't a citizen of Hanwi, the alliance between his nation and hers meant he would respect her authority. Chancellor Flaero had instructed all Ishvaran and Qamatan warriors to do so. It was to make for swifter decision-making and spare some confusion.

"Take my Son Prince Hotah, along with Sequoia, Atoc Baal, and your Ishvaran unit. Take your prisoner with as I don't have time to babysit at the moment. If you fail us, the people of this city will have little chance." The Queen warned.

"I will not fail," Malum assured her.

Malum suspected that the Queen chose him to lead over her son because of Malum's reputation for leading from the front and not at the back, like many leaders. If Malum was at the front, that meant Prince Hotah wouldn't be.

Malum couldn't blame her for doing so. Prince Hotah was next in line to the throne. If things went badly for the Kingdom of Hanwi, there had to be a backup plan.

——

Kittisek Khan's fleet had annihilated any of the Hanwi ships East of Mazatl and had free reign to bring troops to shore. Malum had led his force outside of the Eastern gate to meet his enemy.

Malum doesn't know Prince Hotah well, so he put him and Sequoia in charge of the rear guard with heavy cavalry. Sequoia, for now, would have to be trusted to watch Lady Veneno. He could only hope he was up to the challenge. If she escaped, she'd only pile on top of the mounting problems for Malum.

Malum left a unit of archers on top of the city walls to cover them if they needed to retreat back into the city. Malum hoped they wouldn't be needed.

Malum knows and has come to trust Atoc Baal in battle. That is why he chose Atoc to be by his side as they led the vanguard. A long stretch of sandy beaches is to their right, and small tree-covered hills are to his left.

Kittisek Khan's forces have a vanguard of tulwar sword-brandishing infantry supported by heavy cavalry and archers on horseback. Because Khan's forces had come to shore unopposed, it made it easy for them to get the horses to shore.

The Queen informed Malum that Noyon Koto Limau was leading the enemy forces and that he would likely have Adama Sardar, his most trusted Ijani Knight, with him. Malum didn't fear who they brought, and whoever it was came to die by his sword.

The battleground was a relatively flat area between the hills and beach, allowing the cavalry to maneuver. This would favor Kittisek Khan's forces as they had considerably more horses and men.

Malum was heavily relying on his powers to connect to make up the difference. He planned to smash their forces from the front. As soon as the enemy was in range, Malum ran towards them with his sword out. He wanted to be an example for his men and was the first to charge.

Malum was firing energy bursts that instantly killed some of the enemy soldiers and horses, but Malum was surprised when someone in the enemy ranks could block his bursts. That must be Adama Sardar, Malum thought. That would be Malum's target.

Malum unleashed Atoc Baal to use his powers to connect and work in tandem together, but the enemy had more Ijani than he expected. Malum saw up to five Ijani Knights firing energy bursts back at them. Malum had to resort to defensive measures to protect himself.

Malum couldn't block all of the bursts, so many of his men were being killed by these enemy bursts. Malum had to pull back from his charge and change tactics as his men would last long unprotected. He ordered Atoc to join him in blocking the fire from the enemy, which allowed Kittisek Khan's forces to keep advancing.

Malum retreated his forces far enough so the enemy was in the range of his archers on the city walls. This put a halt to the enemy's advance. The power to connect made it easier to block energy blasts than arrows flying at you by the hundreds.

As soon as Malum's archers seemed to have created an opportunity to attack, Kittisek Khan's forces from Nanook turned to a different tactic. Malum watched in horror as the Ijani brought captives to the front of the lines. These were Hanwi sailors and soldiers who had been caught in the ship battles to the East of the city.

The Ijani Knights were using these captives as meat shields. They were trying to dissuade Malum's archers from firing on them as they risked killing their own people.

The tactic worked, as Malum's forces seemed just as disturbed by this as he was. Malum knew he faced a foe, unlike anything he could conceive. Malum knew he had to keep his wits about him as his men would look to him for confidence. If they lost their confidence now, it would be unlikely that they'd recover it.

Malum could hear Mazatl exploding behind him. Kittisek Khan's warships were bombarding the city with large stones and boulders. Khan's massive warships could transport catapults and the extra weight of the stones. Now that Khan had eliminated the Hanwi fleet outside of Mazatl, he was unopposed and had complete freedom to maneuver his ship to attack from any angle without having to worry about attack.

Malum realized that his enemies' three-point attack would soon encircle the city; he had to do something to change the battle. He couldn't do anything to help the queen from Khan's navy at the moment, but he could change his circumstances. To do so, he'd have to have his forces hold out for the cover of night. That was a few hours away.

Malum ordered his archers to keep firing, even if it meant killing their own people. It was a decision to either save a few lives or possibly lose the city. Malum had to choose the city.

As his archers fired on his enemy, many of the Hanwi soldiers being used as meat shields were struck and killed. Only a few of the Nanook forces were hit. Malum and Atoc were firing energy blasts in coordination with the arrows, and it was doing just enough to keep the enemy from advancing. Malum knew that his enemy had superior numbers and they would not be in a hurry. This would work to Malum's advantage as he waited for the night.

For some reason, Malum was having sharp pains from his old wound where Soror Dominus had stabbed him. All of his fast movements with his sword probably had stretched the wound. This pain reminded him that he could overcome bad odds, and it renewed his resolve.

—-

Malum and his forces were able to hold out until nightfall. The Khan's forces had subsided their attacks on all three sides of Mazatl. Kittisek Khan and his leaders would have believed they had them right where they wanted and would have been confident they could rest their forces. Malum was counting on this.

With the enemy recovering until morning, Malum had caught a break as it was a cloudy night. Taking advantage of the fact that Prince Hotah knew the land well and could find their way in the dark. Malum sent Hotah, Sequoia, and a few of his best soldiers on a stealth mission.

Hotah would lead the group North to the hills and try to get behind the Nanook invaders. All of Nanook's best warriors, including their Ijani Knights, were on the front of their lines, which meant the enemy's rear guard was the most vulnerable spot to attack. It all hinged on them being able to go unnoticed by morning.

With Sequoia going with Hotah, that meant Malum was back to watching Lady Veneno for the night. Malum and the rest of the forces were set up for the night just inside the city walls, with the archers standing watch.

"It's only a matter of time before the city falls," Veneno said to Malum.

"Yeah, probably," Malum said, barely paying attention to her as he watched the shadows moving toward the Nanook camp.

"You should have escaped with the others."

Malum didn't want to correct her and inform her that they weren't escaping.

"Would you escape if you were me?" Malum asked.

"No, I don't suppose I would," Veneno admitted.

"I don't fear death; it will come for me eventually," Malum said glumly. "Besides, I didn't know you cared."

"I don't, I just." Veneno stumbled through her words. "I'm just trying to figure out what you're doing as you hold my life in your hands."

Malum sensed that she was lying and tried to cover up the fact that she had honestly asked out of concern for him. The truth be told, Veneno had softened a little since Malum saved her. It still didn't make him fully trust her.

"I won't be using you as a meat shield if that concerns you," Malum said bluntly.

"And that's why you'll probably lose this battle. Your enemy isn't as concerned by such things." She said.

"I'm aware. It isn't because I'm morally against the tactic. I'm afraid that if I used you as a shield, they wouldn't even flinch to kill you. Thus, a poor strategy."

Veneno must have agreed with his point as she remained silent. Malum and his forces had to be rested and ready come first light. If Prince Hotah were successful in his mission, Malum would have to act quickly to keep any advantage.

——-

The first rays of light peered through the darkness and showed enough in Malum's eye to wake him up. He and his foes had lasted through the night. Malum saw that Lady Veneno was still asleep next to him. Malum had tied the two of them together to keep her from sneaking off. She either didn't try hard enough, or the chains were better than he thought.

Malum unlocked the chains and began to wake his men. It wouldn't be long before the fighting resumed. Once the men were all stirred, he quickly assembled them back into battle lines and into position outside of the city. He didn't know if Prince Hotah was in his place but would have to proceed as if he were.

The forces from Nanook had been getting ready for battle with music. Malum had heard the drumming, horns, and singing coming for their camp quite early. Malum liked that his enemy was overconfident enough to prioritize such things. Malum's men didn't need songs to be motivated. They were fighting for their families and culture to survive.

The forces from Nanook weren't in a hurry, and neither was Malum. Every second of delay allowed Prince Hotah more of a chance to succeed.

The earth-rattling impact of stones hitting the city walls shattered the stale air. Kittisek Khan's warships must have been eager to resume the destruction of Mazatl. This must have been the signal for all of the enemy forces to resume as the singing and music stopped, and Nanook warriors started to form their lines across from Malum.

Malum wouldn't wait now, so he signaled his men to attack. Malum and Atoc Baal began to send energy bursts at their enemy. Once again, the Ijani Knights were able to block most of these. Malum knew that would happen, but he had something else in mind. He was trying to gain all of the attention so that part two of his plan could commence.

It all fell into place because the Ijani Knights and Nanook soldiers were caught off guard when Prince Hotah and his small group emerged from behind the enemy lines.

Prince Hotah and Sequoia had the power to connect with the O element and were using it to send energy blasts that cut through enemy flesh like a hand through water.

The Ijani Knights were at the front of the attack and in no position to counter Hotah. Malum saw Sequoia kill Noyon Koto Limau with such an energy blast. Limau was the leader of the enemy assault and was a tremendous turning point in the battle.

As Prince Hotah had detracted the Ijani, Malum had used the moment to charge forward with his Atoc. They both began an immediate duel with one of the four Ijani Knights.

Malum had chosen who he thought was the strongest, presumed to be Adama Sardar. The rest of Malum's forces, with the exception of the archers, also attacked.

The next part of Malum's plan was ready to begin. Nanook had superior numbers. Prince Hotah was to retreat further east and try to drag as many of the enemy with him as possible.

Hotah went further east because there was a unique land feature to take advantage of. The Bi Ton Ji Shoals were an extensive archipelago containing swamps and shallow water. They were covered in shrubs and beds of seagrass, making it easy for Hotah to use Guerrilla warfare tactics.

They could utilize their smaller numbers there as the terrain was difficult. For the local Hanwi, the shoals offered plenty of hiding spots for ambush. With Malum and Atoc engaging the Ijani Knights, Hotah and Sequoia would have a huge advantage.

Adama Sardar was a worthy opponent. He and Malum didn't make many movements, as it was apparent that one mistake would decide their encounter. Instead, they made slow, very deliberate movements. They matched each other's attacks with perfect defensive counters. Neither was gaining an edge.

Malum did make a mistake, but it wasn't with Adama Sardar. He had put too much focus on his duel that he didn't consider that one of the other Ijani Knights would take advantage.

Malum sensed it too late and saw the energy blast coming his way out of the corner of his eye. He knew he wouldn't be able to block it and made his peace with death.

But Malum wasn't dead. He wasn't even injured. Lady Veneno, whom he had forgotten about, was lying beneath him with a severe injury to her abdomen. Malum was dumbfounded for a second but was snapped out of his disbelief as he dodged Sardar's sword.

Malum was a whirlwind of purpose, and before he knew it, he had countered every strike of Sardar's. Sardar's hand was gushing blood as Malum had cut it off.

Atoc Baal had killed the Ijani Knight he faced off against, and before he could engage another, a call for retreat was sounded. With Prince Hotah's forces slaughtering foes in the shoals, Noyon Limau dead, and Sardar injured, the remaining two Ijani Knights saw the writing on the wall.

The Nanook forces made their way back to their ships in desperation. One moves slower in the water, and Hotah's men manage to kill many of the retreating soldiers as they move in the shallows. The ships were sailing back to rejoin the others.

Malum had succeeded in keeping the retreat route open and reduced Khan's attack to two sides. There was little time to celebrate as he saw that stones were still being hurled at the city from the sea. Mazatl was on fire and being reduced to rubble.

Malum instructed Atoc Baal to lead the men into the city and reinforce the Queen. Prince Hotah and his men would soon join them. The battle was far from over. Malum had a debt to repay.

Malum came to the side of Lady Veneno and began to use his powers to heal her stomach wound. At the very least, he wanted to stop the bleeding. Veneno had already lost consciousness, as well as a lot of blood.

Malum was giving everything to save Veneno's life; after all, she risked everything to save him. Malum was satisfied he had stopped the bleeding, but she was still unconscious. Malum scooped her up in his arms and brought her with him back inside the city.

Malum put her in a position so that he could force small amounts of water into her throat, as she needed to be replenished. He carried her back to where Atoc and the rest of his force were. He found a medic to leave Veneno with and went to the Queen.

"We have repelled the forces in the East," Malum informed her.

"For that, I am grateful." The Queen said, visibly relieved.

Malum kneeled and asked, "What are your commands?"