Chapter 2 - Windstorm

A great commotion spread like lightning throughout the tent. In the night, a resounding noise broke the silence of the desolate meadow. The precious metals entrusted to them by their Khagan had been taken by the enemy.

The tent dwellers panicked, fear haunting them all. Especially in the largest tent, there was a bloody fight between the tent guards under Nushibi's command and the paranoid tent dwellers.

Ernak, the head of the tribe, could only sit and sweat even though the wind that penetrated into the tent was so cold. Uldin and his troops, who had been assigned to stand guard nearby, had yet to show their noses to protect him.

A large fire began to blaze from the tent, clearly visible to both of them in this dark night. Heshana took immediate action to prevent the riot from spreading to the other tents.

"We're going to the big tent!" said Heshana loudly, breaking ranks with Iltas and his troops. Iltas simply gave Heshana a hand signal from a distance that meant "good luck".

Iltas and his troops had reached the torn tent where the precious metals and bodies of Irbis's dead men had been stored.

"Don't be lazy, increase security again!", he said, not yet satisfied with the performance of his men whom he had ordered to secure the situation earlier.

At that place, Iltas dismounted from his horse. He carefully examined and felt the scars caused by the deadly blow of the enemy's spear. From the look on the paramedic's face, he concluded that the enemy had attacked them suddenly from the front.

But it still seemed odd to him. If it was true that they were attacked simultaneously from the front, surely the soldiers would have been able to trace the footprints of the enemy's horses if they had fled after seizing the precious metal.

What was even more odd to him was why none of the enemy had been killed during the attack. It was as if the troops were ambushed without being able to prepare a fight and know where their opponents were.

Or were the rumors true that the Avar Army attacked like ghosts. That curiosity now turned to anger when he heard from his men that Uldin, one of the captains was fast asleep and did not want to be disturbed in his tent after drinking alcohol.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I dare not disturb Mr. Uldin," the soldier replied.

Iltas was indifferent as he covered the gaping mouth of one of the corpses, "I don't care you just drag that damn khamr drinker here!" he said after finishing as he mounted his horse.

"If you're afraid, I'll beat him up!" he snapped.

--

"Don't let them get away!" shouted Irbis followed by dozens of horsemen. They spurred their horses on, chasing after the Avar soldiers with black face coverings. Unexpectedly for Irbis, they had no less horsemanship than his men.

"Start fending off, then fire arrows!" instantly from his shout, a hail of arrows began to fly at the enemy.

However, the enemy immediately scattered nimbly trying to avoid every arrow that was shot. Then they retaliated with bows on their backs to slow down Irbis' horsemen.

Woosh!

Irbis had anticipated their movements by ordering his men to cut off their escape route. The Avar army had been trapped while before them, the great river looked even more terrifying.

Byur!

Large ripples of water roared through the air, immediately spraying the ground around the riverbank. Irbis could not understand how the Avar soldiers were still desperate to commit suicide, jumping on their horses into the freezing cold river. They swam, while leading their horses as hard as they could across the deadly river.

Irbis did not tell the riders to shoot their arrows again. "Retreat us back to the tent!" he ordered.

Only then did he realize that the troops he was chasing were not carrying any of the stolen precious metals.

They were carrying nothing, which was obvious from the horses' shoulders and saddles. The place where the horsemen of the steppe usually hooked their luggage.

Irbis' mouth unconsciously gaped wide, he had been deceived by the enemy. his estimation that the Avar army was building tents nearby was completely wrong.

In fact, now that he thought about it, it was certain to him that the Avar Army was currently fighting with the Gokturk forces to rob the tent.

"Damn!" the word spontaneously came out of his mouth as he spurred his horse back to the tent.

He thought the tent might be overwhelmed by the large number of enemies. But he didn't know that it was already too late to change the situation.

--

The chaos in the big tent was contained, though some of the tents had to be scorched by the red rooster. Ernak looked on angrily from inside the special meeting tent. The faces of the rioters whose bodies had been securely bound.

The Gokturk soldiers stared at them cynically, awaiting a decision from the Aqsaqal. Whether they would remain captive or be killed.

By this time the four war captains had gathered beside Ernak looking at the rioters. They were: Iltas, Heshana, Nushibi, and Uldin who had just woken up half drunk.

Tonight they had to make a decision and solve the problem quickly. Winter is coming soon and ice storms are certain to hit the region.

Since a week ago, Ernac had sent a letter to Ornuc, a merchant from the Magyar tribe. It was exactly tomorrow, according to the contents of the letter he replied to. His fleet of ships on the river would soon be assisting the tribe's crossing.

"How about this, Heshana you usually have the most ideas I am confused even though I have sent a letter to Ornuc, should we go south and delay the delivery of materials until spring?" asked Ernak.

"In my opinion Aqsaqal Ernak, it would be best if we continue our journey across the Volga River. I also don't agree that the rioters should be beheaded, because we were also negligent in monitoring the tents." replied Heshana while offering apple juice to her superior.

"You're crazy Heshana haha infected with that traitor born from the womb of a Rouran Mongol!"

"Duh my head hurts... I drank too much khamr again,"

"Haha that's it my friend! Your mind is ruined from tasting it," Heshana chided while patting Uldin on the shoulder.

"What did you say, wine, I want red wine. Hurry up, you're my servant Heshana!" said Uldin as he sucked his own index finger. Saliva spilled out of his finger.

"I hate drunks, but I hate people who can't keep their mouths shut the most."

"Heh, the three of you are working together to betray. Life must be paid for life, my men are like family and family will never be willing if its members are harmed, I want justice Aqsaqal!"

"My lord, think rationally!" Heshana spontaneously replied.

"Or I propose Heshana, we soldiers will pursue the enemy who escaped with our treasure to the west. We will leave the guarding of this town to the Magyars," said Iltas as he raised his hand.

"This is the first time I agree with you, Mongol boy."

"Do you want me to kill you now in front of all the Nushibis?"

"Do it if you dare, every Rouran I meet is the son of a coward!"

Unlike in the forest earlier, Iltas ignored the taunts of the Nushibi. Following his wishes would have made everyone suspicious that he was a traitor especially since it was true what Nushibi said, his father was indeed a Mongol.

The atmosphere returned to silence but the atmosphere of tension still enveloped the tent. Nushibi's words were true. There were little seeds of suspicion among the four of them.

Ernak could guess what the captains of the guard were thinking at the moment. He stroked his long beard, considering the suggestion made earlier.

"Aqsaqal!" suddenly came Irbis, forcibly opening the curtains of the tent guarded by Nushibi troops. It was actually Nushibi who ordered his men to prevent Irbis from entering.

"How dare a traitor like you come to show your nose, huh!" said Nushibi smiling sarcastically.

"Are your eyes blind Nushibi! See how I can be the traitor! You wanted to kill me when I wanted to enter the tent earlier huh!" replied Irbis like a man on a rampage while showing a scar from an arrow in his arm.

"Haha, a simple cheap trick to look like a champion, why don't you stick that arrow in your vein. You didn't look like that after meeting the enemy, did you?"

"Lord Aqsaqal should..."

"What should it be, Heshana. Just so you know, usually in folklore the one who is sweet and always giving advice, is the traitor so as not to be suspected by others." said Nushibi smiling sarcastically again. Slowly her sharp eyes looked at Heshana.

"Nushibi you're too much! I demand you get out of this tent!" snapped Ernak glaring at him.

"One moment, sir, think this through. Before we divide the troops, for our plan to run smoothly there must be no lies between us. Uldin, you may pretend to be drunk and look foolish but you write to them. Heshana, among the others here I suspect you the most."

"Hey smarty, what do you mean accusing everyone here without proof!" snapped Iltas as he clenched his fists.

"It's usually him who accuses her of being the traitor," Heshana exclaimed.

"Hoh, I knew this Mongol boy would team up with Irbis and Heshana, to stab us all in the back!"

"Where's the proof, go ask the rest of my troops!" shouted Irbis.

"Heh, I knew you couldn't show reliable evidence. In any other country where there is a reliable confession of one's own troops, of course they will defend their leader. I'm sure among the four of you there must be one or two traitors,"

Instantly those in the tent fell silent. A cold wind began to blow that night, a sign that dawn was near. The tension never subsided, fellow captains were paranoid about each other.