Chapter 1 - Winter Arrival

October 1, 586, Volga River

Rows of camps were built in long rows near the banks of the Volga River. 500 Gokturk heavy cavalry were deployed to guard the camp's security. The oil from the tent lanterns shone brightly, it's light illuminate the dark night of new moon.

This night was different from the previous ones. The wind was so cold that as if it penetrate into the bone. Sign that the fall season was coming to an end and winter would soon arrive greet them with harsh welcome.

The large caravan had to quickly transport goods into the Western Magyar Region before they were caught in an hail. It's natural disasters that almost annually hit the Northern regions of the Gokturk Kingdom included the region they were currently traveling through.

This was the first official expedition formed directly by the Khan (the highest title for the king) of Gokturk, Ishbara. As a follow-up to the development of the territory inhabited by the Magyars.

The caravan brought with them the goods and materials necessary to build a city. The western region of the Magyars are mostly lowlands filled with grasslands.

Such areas were ideal for breeding horses or other livestock. Ishbara at the suggestion of Maniach, a Sogdian Minister, planned also to build a new frontier line.

In recent years, due to successive attacks from the Avar Kingdom, the Gokturk region, especially on the border, had become a war zone. The Magyars themselves who were under the rule of the Turks suffered terribly from the Avar attacks.

The kingdom sometimes even attacked into the heart of the tribe's village centers in the Ural Mountains. The Avars were actually the remnants of the descendants of the Rouran, Gokturk's sworn enemy who had not been completely eliminated.

The Avars must be destroyed by the Gokturk, who claim to be the sole rulers of the steppe lands. Strengthening the borders to repel their every attack is the first step to take.

--

A small light was visible through the trees, a man with narrowed eyes, a shaved mustache and a long, well-kept beard was sitting casually in front of a campfire.

Accompanied by his horse, the man whose neck was covered by a thick cloth was contemplating while burning the fish he had fished with his friend earlier that afternoon.

His eyes glanced back, "Fire, I wonder why Persians worship fire," he said. An ordinary person usuallu might not be able to hear the horse's hooves coming slowly towards him, the rider just smiled and looked at him.

Despite being 35 years old, Iltas felt that as if his hearing was getting sharper. Heshana dismounted, laughing incoherently before sitting down to stare at the fireplace. "Your hearing is getting sharper eh, but your thinking is rather becoming obtuse you know?" said Heshana.

For Heshana, the topic was rather stupid, she had heard it over and over again. But for Iltas, he wanted to know the truth. But as long as he lived, the question he longed for an answer to had never been found.

"Iltas, how long are you going to brood philosophically longing for that obscure truth? You'd better think about your daughter, who she will marry. She will be 16 years old tomorrow. Instead of you talking about that obscure Magi, I have an acquaintance who might want to marry your daughter. Come on, it's natural for me to worry about your son, I already consider him as my own son,"

"Then why are you here, shouldn't you be watching from that small hill?"

"Haha why are we watching, we are leading 100 Iltas. The respected knights of the Kyrgyz Tribe, that's the job of our young men. Relax, there is no trace of the enemy during the journey these few days"

"Oh I see... that's good"

"It seems you still doubt me my friend, my calculations are rarely wrong Iltas."

"It could be that your calculations are getting duller, right Heshana?" while patting his shoulder and then offering the fish that he had burned.

"Oh... I'm curious about the taste of fish in the Volga River. Iltas I know you must be thinking that the banks of the river are prone to attack right, why not build a camp in the forest hehe we won't be attacked I can guarantee it."

"No one knows Heshana, but hopefully Heshana's famous prediction is just like your other predictions. I hope this time everything can go smoothly."

"Don't underestimate me Iltas, you yourself have witnessed my military tactics for 20 years. If only military positions weren't influenced by heredity, both of us would have become commanders. Thinking about it already makes me upset,"

Heshana took a new fish, pierced the mouth of the fish with a wooden branch as she flipped it over the hearth. Salt was also sprinkled on the fish to add to its delicious flavor.

"Fire is important for life, but the comparison between the sky or fire, of course our ancestors already knew it." Heshana said while enjoying the delicious grilled fish.

"You mean, the blue sky is stronger than fire so the sky has more right to be worshipped?" asked Iltas deliberately doubting Heshana's words earlier.

"Of course it can be what fire is, the Persians worship only fire not the sun. Our God is stronger above the sky, shading and enveloping the earth along with his wife who guards the earth, Umay. Haha even small children know Iltas,"

"Heshana you think like a child for believing that. If Tengri the father is the sky and Umay is the earth then why is their son not a god, then who is our god?"

"Don't say nonsense Iltas, if the spirits of nature above the trees hear you we could be harmed later," chirped Heshana as she walked away.

Hoof!

They both looked straight at the source of the sound. They could faintly hear the hoofbeats of a horse approaching them. The sound grew louder and there began to appear in the darkness, a speck of light produced by the lantern he held.

The horseman dismounted, looking at the two of them with a sickening gaze. He was Nushibi, the captain of the Uyghur tribe. Now Iltas and Heshana started to stand up and returned the sickening stare.

Nushibi was the most hated of the five captains who led the tribe's escort.

"Why are you two here, relaxing when the others are working!"

"Ho... I deliberately chose this place so that I can be free to easily supervise the men and other parts. How dare you yell at us, you insignificant little tribe," Iltas stared sarcastically.

"What do you mean by carrying the name of the tribe!"

"It's true that it's not important, it's even oppressed by other bigger tribes haha."

Slam!

Instantly Nushibi's fists and kicks shot at Iltas' face, but Iltas was able to avoid them and when Iltas shot back his fist. The fist was parried by Heshana, who swiftly broke them up.

"Come on you guys don't fight, if we fight now then the enemy can easily attack us." said Heshana glancing at the two of them tensely.

"Haha how could the enemy know, unless there is a traitor among us. I'm sure you must be secretly working with Avar to hamper the other captains, right Nushibi," said Iltas sarcastically.

"You're the traitor, standing guard in a distant place with the excuse of watching. Haha you Mongol slave, your mother is a Mongol hahaha!" shouted Nushibi still not satisfied with the short fight.

"Please stop you two!"

Suddenly heard more footsteps, Iltas' men immediately faced him. Cold sweat pouring down their faces, Iltas could guess what they wanted to say.

"So where are the enemy tents, how many are there. Tell the other Gokturk captains immediately!"

"That's not it captain, one of us saw horsemen dressed in all black sneaking into the area that captain Irbis was watching!" his soldiers insisted.

"How come, why hasn't Irbis reported in yet! Wake everyone up!"

"Yes!" they replied in unison

"Haha, don't play dumb Iltas. Later, I will expose your treachery! You and Irbis, you Mongol children." said Nushibi smiling sarcastically as he patted Iltas on the shoulder, then mounted his horse and left immediately.

Following his soldiers, Nushibi was sure there must be a traitor among them. The plan that the enemy had devised was so neat, that it could escape the scrutiny of Irbis, who was known to be the most meticulous in his calculations among them.

As directed by Iltas, all the tent dwellers were awakened by his men but it was too late.

As the tent dwellers lit their torches, they headed towards the enemy attack site. From behind the torn tent that looked like an ordinary tent from the outside, all the precious metals had disappeared.

Not only were they able to sneak in, the enemy seemed to disappear like a ghost. Then their gaze immediately fell on the dozens of Irbis' men who were lying stiff and covered in lifeless blood from the enemy's spear attacks.