Montezumas huge army spread throughout Innovia, burning its cities, pillaging its farms and enslaving its people. Despite these losses Innovias army grew in size and quality so that by the time of the final battle they were outnumbered only 3 to 1.
Saggiuon tried every conceivable ploy: feint, fall back, flank, but every time his army maneuvered Montezumas overwhelming numbers simply blocked him. Slowly the battle front overran the Innovians and closed in on Saggiuon himself, placing the king and his retinue within range of Montezumas longbows. Arrows began to fall among them and found their marks among his bodyguards and couriers. They suffered their wounds and died without complaint, determined not to disturb their king. He issued orders frantically, trying to hold his dwindling forces together, but eventually Saggiuon saw that his army was out matched and the battle began to slip out of his control.
He had only one last order to give. He reached into his purple cloak and brought out a small scroll tied with white ribbon. Before he could hand it off to his last surviving messenger a bloody, crinkled hand reached out to intercept it.
Pardon me my liege. It was the old broken voice of the royal chamberlain, Abdul-Karim. His arthritic hand steadied the arrow that haeved in his chest with each effort to speak. Allow me to deliver this myself when I see Montezuma in the afterlife.
Saggiuon put his hand on the old mans forehead in an attempt to comfort his dying friend but said firmly, I have to think of our refugees.
Every Innovian is a soldier now, replied the chamberlain. As long as you yet live my king there is hope, I beg you to try and escape.
Abdul-Karim had practically raised Saggiuon, but despite their difference in age and rank Saggiuon considered the old man one of his closest friends. Seeing his life long friend so near death revealed to Saggiuon what surrender would mean for his people. He crumpled the scroll in his fist. He gave the messenger a few instructions and sent him on his way. Perhaps there was still time to deprive Montezuma of total victory.
***
On the other side of the field Montezuma saw Saggiuon, surrounded closely by his bodyguards, move to edge of the battle. He ordered his slaves to hold the royal litter higher so that he might see better. The royal slaves strained under the weight of the throne and the whips of their overseers who were determined to impress their king by the level of motivation they imparted upon their slaves. Montezuma only cursed his subjects as he strained to maintain his balance on the tottering litter. On tippy toes he could see his massive cavalry peel off from the slaughter to intercept his enemy, but his concentration was interrupted as the throne rocked violently. It steadied after a string of invectives aimed at the slavers and their miserable chattel.
***
In the throng of fighting and dying soldiers another kind of shout went up after the Aztec cavalry had departed in pursuit of the fleeing king. It was Saggiuons signal for his troops to surge forward. The messenger had told the troops to feign death or injury and let the Aztecs advance past them. When they rose now the Aztec infantry were surrounded, all order was lost as the battle front dissolved into a multitude of single combats.
Montezuma was about to recall his cavalry but his slaves, startled by what appeared to be Innovian dead returning to the battle, upset his litter and accidentally threw Montezuma to the ground. This too rippled through the confused battle. The dead fight for Innovia, Montezuma has been slain. The Aztecs paused or took a step back, but without leadership the halt became a withdrawal which quickly accelerated into a route.
***
In the distance, Ahexotl, the commander of the Aztec horse archers caught up to the fleeing Innovian king. When he ripped off the kings purple cloak it revealed a beleaguered old man with a bloody crinkled hand. Ahexotl cursed himself for being tricked and while the refugees were cut down and trampled he lead his swiftest riders back to rally the infantry and protect Montezumas litter.
***
Saggiuon himself, in the kit of a common swordsman was already headed in the same direction. He made good use of his lead as the horsemen had trouble forcing their mounts to gallop through the battle field made treacherously uneven by the heaps of fallen soldiers.
Saggiuon came upon Montezuma, sitting on the ground, wiping mud from his face, and cursing for his subjects to place him back on the throne and dress him in fresh cloths. The tantrum was cut short when he realized he was alone facing the Innovian king. Montezuma crawled backward through the mud while Saggiuon raised a sword high over his head. At the apogee of its deadly arc sunlight gleamed approvingly off the weapons steel edge. The glint helped Ahexotl find his target through the dust of the battlefield. Time nearly stopped for him. He steadied his drawn bow waiting for the horses stride to reach the point where he could fire while 50 yards away the sword began accelerating toward his king.
Montezuma screamed with fear and pain as the blood spurted across his face, its warmth accentuated by the coldness of the mud in which he huddled. But his scream was premature. The sword fell to the ground uselessly as did the body of Saggiuon the Wise One, an arrow point protruding from his chest.
As the horsemen came within range of Montezumas voice he regained his composure enough to curse their lateness. He insisted they cut off Saggiuons head but Ahexotl deflected the demand insisting, repeatedly, that the Innovian king was truly dead. He could not understand why that fact caused him such grief.
***
In the years to followed, Ahexotls rank and influence grew. He lead brilliant charges against the Japanese, he suffered grievous injury and witnessed the deaths of many brave men while carrying out Montezumas commands. As his fame grew he became one of the kings most trusted military advisors. It became his job to urge Montezuma to boldness when it was required, and to suffer the calumny when it failed. More and more he came to realized that he served not a king but a man that would sit cowering in the mud waiting for his enemy to strike him dead. Shortly after that Montezuma was deposed without struggle and Ahexotl start his own dynasty. This time a dynasty based on bravery, respect for the people, and wise leadership, a dynasty based very much on the histories that he had managed to recover from the reign of Saggiuon the Wise One.
and Creative :lame:
