Emperor Tannoth and the Mekaian army came to a halt. They had travelled upriver along the Mekong for several days, and had finally reached their destination.
The wooden palisade surrounding the village was the only thing between them and their goal.
In his mighty voice, Emperor Tannoth shouted to the people behind the gates.
"We, the honourable and mighty Mekaia, have come! If you are wise, join us now! If you are brave, come out and fight!"
The Mekaian army roared, ready for whatever came.
The wooden gate of the wall swung open. From it emerged several hundred warriors, lead by a tall young man, with two short blades at his sides. He walked straight towards Tannoth.
"Once more, the gods must test us." he said to no one in particular, "The mindless barbarians attack us from east and west, and now from the south. But we still stand adamant. What will you do, Mekaian? Besiege us and slaughter our families? Arrive on the pretext of peace perhaps?"
"We have come simply to offer you this. We will protect your city as one of our own if your people will swear loyalty to the throne in Karau Thau. If you don't, your people and city will be brought under our control by force."
The young man shook his head, smiling sarcastically.
"Just like the last ones." he said, "We are stronger than you believe. And wiser. If you are as brave and honourable as you claim, you do not need your army."
"Then neither do you..."
"Faran."
"Very well." Tannoth waved his army off. They backed away, surprised by this turn of events.
"If I win," said Faran, drawing his two blades, "Your people will never challenge us again, and you will never advance north of here. You will also send us one hundred soldiers every year to defend against the barbarians."
"Agreed." replied Tannoth, "And if you lose, your people will swear eternal loyalty to Mekaia."
"Agreed."
Tannoth pulled a massive object off his back. It was a massive axelike weapon, but the axeblade extended from the very tip of the meter-long wooden pole to halfway down it. Spinning it expertly, he faced his opponent. The two armies formed a circle around the two duelists.
Faran made the first move. Leaping at his enemy, he slashed downwards with both blades. Tannoth dropped his weapon and rolled out of the way. Instantly picking up his axe again, he swung upwards at Faran, recovering from his missed blow. Faran leapt backwards, falling onto his back but avoiding death. Tannoth swung his blade around for a second blow. Faran continued pushing himself backwards. Tannoth shouted triumphantly, seeing victory. So did his army. He swung his axe downwards. Faran desperately raised his blades to stop the blow.
One blade contacted the axe's shaft, splitting it in two. The other deflected the axe head away from Faran's neck- into his left arm. He shouted in pain. Tannoth shouted in surprise.
The Emperor of Mekaia regained his composure, and dropped down to push the blade further into his enemy's arm. But Faran was quicker. Pulling away from the broken but still deadly weapon, he readied his blades again. The defending army cheered. Tannoth picked up the blade of his broken weapon. He was partly disarmed, but Faran was hurt. Things were still even.
Faran dropped his left blade. His left arm had now lost all feeling. But his right was still strong. He lunged at Tannoth again. The Emperor of Mekaia swung down his axe-
And met Faran's blade. The two weapons stood motionless for a split second. Then Tannoth's axehead split in half. Shards flew into both combatants. Faran pulled back then leapt forward in another assault. Tannoth flung a shard of his axe. It hit Faran in the chest. He collapsed.
Tannoth picked up the largest piece of his broken axe and advanced on the fallen man. Standing above him he looked downwards.
Faran coughed weakly. Tears mixed with blood on his face.
"I- have failed. My people will be slaves. Put me out of my misery now."
Tannoth stayed his blade.
"You have fought well. Your people, if you are any example of them, are strong, much like ours. It would be foolish of me to crush such talent. Your people are now citizens of Mekaia, but never slaves. You have not lost Faran. You have shown me the power of your people. They will be respected the same as every other Mekaian citizen. It was your skill in battle that has shown me what the power of our nations union in could be. Rise Faran. You may still lead your proud people, though they will be citizens of my nation.
Faran looked up. This was better than any fate for his people could have hoped for, considering that he had lost.
"Yes. Your offer is very gracious. I accept."
Faran bowed to his new Emperor. The pain from his wounds was not as bad as it had once been. He would survive.
Tannoth's hand gripped his shoulder and pulled him up. He smiled at the man he had just minutes before been fighting with to the death.
"Our skilled medics can help close your wounds. But beyond that, I can help your people accomplish what they have wished to do for generations. We are now going to destroy the barbarians to the east and west together.
Faran felt strength return to him.
"Yes." he said with decision, "Our two nations as one. Finally we can destroy their pillaging of society! When do we start?"
"Tomorrow. Will you be ready by then?"
"Definitely."
And so, Mekaia had united the first city state of the Mekong river. The first of many more to come.
The wooden palisade surrounding the village was the only thing between them and their goal.
In his mighty voice, Emperor Tannoth shouted to the people behind the gates.
"We, the honourable and mighty Mekaia, have come! If you are wise, join us now! If you are brave, come out and fight!"
The Mekaian army roared, ready for whatever came.
The wooden gate of the wall swung open. From it emerged several hundred warriors, lead by a tall young man, with two short blades at his sides. He walked straight towards Tannoth.
"Once more, the gods must test us." he said to no one in particular, "The mindless barbarians attack us from east and west, and now from the south. But we still stand adamant. What will you do, Mekaian? Besiege us and slaughter our families? Arrive on the pretext of peace perhaps?"
"We have come simply to offer you this. We will protect your city as one of our own if your people will swear loyalty to the throne in Karau Thau. If you don't, your people and city will be brought under our control by force."
The young man shook his head, smiling sarcastically.
"Just like the last ones." he said, "We are stronger than you believe. And wiser. If you are as brave and honourable as you claim, you do not need your army."
"Then neither do you..."
"Faran."
"Very well." Tannoth waved his army off. They backed away, surprised by this turn of events.
"If I win," said Faran, drawing his two blades, "Your people will never challenge us again, and you will never advance north of here. You will also send us one hundred soldiers every year to defend against the barbarians."
"Agreed." replied Tannoth, "And if you lose, your people will swear eternal loyalty to Mekaia."
"Agreed."
Tannoth pulled a massive object off his back. It was a massive axelike weapon, but the axeblade extended from the very tip of the meter-long wooden pole to halfway down it. Spinning it expertly, he faced his opponent. The two armies formed a circle around the two duelists.
Faran made the first move. Leaping at his enemy, he slashed downwards with both blades. Tannoth dropped his weapon and rolled out of the way. Instantly picking up his axe again, he swung upwards at Faran, recovering from his missed blow. Faran leapt backwards, falling onto his back but avoiding death. Tannoth swung his blade around for a second blow. Faran continued pushing himself backwards. Tannoth shouted triumphantly, seeing victory. So did his army. He swung his axe downwards. Faran desperately raised his blades to stop the blow.
One blade contacted the axe's shaft, splitting it in two. The other deflected the axe head away from Faran's neck- into his left arm. He shouted in pain. Tannoth shouted in surprise.
The Emperor of Mekaia regained his composure, and dropped down to push the blade further into his enemy's arm. But Faran was quicker. Pulling away from the broken but still deadly weapon, he readied his blades again. The defending army cheered. Tannoth picked up the blade of his broken weapon. He was partly disarmed, but Faran was hurt. Things were still even.
Faran dropped his left blade. His left arm had now lost all feeling. But his right was still strong. He lunged at Tannoth again. The Emperor of Mekaia swung down his axe-
And met Faran's blade. The two weapons stood motionless for a split second. Then Tannoth's axehead split in half. Shards flew into both combatants. Faran pulled back then leapt forward in another assault. Tannoth flung a shard of his axe. It hit Faran in the chest. He collapsed.
Tannoth picked up the largest piece of his broken axe and advanced on the fallen man. Standing above him he looked downwards.
Faran coughed weakly. Tears mixed with blood on his face.
"I- have failed. My people will be slaves. Put me out of my misery now."
Tannoth stayed his blade.
"You have fought well. Your people, if you are any example of them, are strong, much like ours. It would be foolish of me to crush such talent. Your people are now citizens of Mekaia, but never slaves. You have not lost Faran. You have shown me the power of your people. They will be respected the same as every other Mekaian citizen. It was your skill in battle that has shown me what the power of our nations union in could be. Rise Faran. You may still lead your proud people, though they will be citizens of my nation.
Faran looked up. This was better than any fate for his people could have hoped for, considering that he had lost.
"Yes. Your offer is very gracious. I accept."
Faran bowed to his new Emperor. The pain from his wounds was not as bad as it had once been. He would survive.
Tannoth's hand gripped his shoulder and pulled him up. He smiled at the man he had just minutes before been fighting with to the death.
"Our skilled medics can help close your wounds. But beyond that, I can help your people accomplish what they have wished to do for generations. We are now going to destroy the barbarians to the east and west together.
Faran felt strength return to him.
"Yes." he said with decision, "Our two nations as one. Finally we can destroy their pillaging of society! When do we start?"
"Tomorrow. Will you be ready by then?"
"Definitely."
And so, Mekaia had united the first city state of the Mekong river. The first of many more to come.
