Chapter 5.14: Terror in Tjaru
As you jog off towards the fort, Iltani runs to keep up with you.
“Well, if there’s no helping it… how are you going to be of use? What skills do you have?”
“I’m handy with a sword.”
“Killed any men before?”
“Well… no.”
“Right, anything else?”
“I’m great with letters and numbers, and I also know plenty about the uses of plants. Father insisted that I learn as much as I could about civilized ways as I was to be a princess. He also made me study the precepts of some old Akkadian king that was a big influence on Sumerian military tactics.”
You stop and turn around to look at her. Giving a big sigh, you struggle to hold back your annoyance as you tell her, “That means you would have done me much more good by staying in Babylon and helping Sekhenun run the city. We definitely need talents like yours back there… I don’t really need an extra sword arm.”
Iltani’s eyes dart towards your stump.
“Look, I know you’re not stupid. You definitely understand that if there was any debt to be repaid, you would have been better off repaying it by staying in Babylon. You won’t be of any real help here. Why are you here?”
She turns red and clams up. Stepping closer to her, you put your hand on her head. She really is shorter than she seems to be. Probably her attitude has something to do with that, you think, and you ask again. “Why are you here?”
You get flashes of what led her here, as her thoughts rose to the surface. It looks like she had developed a slight crush on you ever since you volunteered to be taken hostage in her place, though she seemed too embarrassed to admit it. Apparently, she had asked Sekhenun what you looked for in a wife. Sekhenun said that she didn’t know, but she hazarded a guess that you might prefer strong women over weak ones that did nothing but stay at home, and Iltani had impulsively left Babylon with something to prove.
“Tenacious and impetuous. I thought you better than this,” you mutter. “No matter. If you are following me, listen to what I say and keep yourself out of harm’s way. You’re no good to me dead.”
That came out a bit more harshly than you wanted, but you hoped the message got through to her.
***
As you neared the fort, you notice the gate opening. You stand your ground and prepare to hail the inhabitants, but you are greeted by dozens of Egyptian soldiers fleeing wildly from the fort. They ignore your shouts as they stream past you. Iltani grabs on to your arm tightly as you make your way past the panicking soldiers and enter the fort.
The moment you cross the gate, a palpable shroud of pure fear falls upon you. This must have been what spooked the troops. Iltani’s grip on your arm tightens. Around you, both Greek and Egyptian soldiers lay whimpering on the floor. Some were attempting to get to their feet, and there were a few that were actually upright, shivering, with their weapons trembling before them. Before you could move on any further, two Egyptians fall from the walls right before you with a thud. You whisper to Iltani to move back. She nods, her eyes wide and her face pale. You could tell that she was struggling not to just curl into a ball and scream, but she manages to stay on her feet and hide behind a nearby wall.
You find yourself easily resisting the urge to flee. The terror reached down into the depths of your very being, but there it found only anger, which fed upon the fear, growing stronger with every second. You haven’t eaten in a while.
The besieged gate gives way with a loud crash as two identical looking men, one in red and one in blue, walk in with an arrogant stride. You instantly recognize them as the source of the fear. They are surprised when they see you standing in the center of the courtyard and come to a stop.
“Look, brother, there is a brave, brave soul that does not fear at all.”
“Indeed. We shall have to work up a sweat after all. You there, what is your name?”
You pause for a while before loosening the knot that bound Anbar-Shi to your back. You draw the blade and bring the hunk of dark metal ringing before you. You had patterned its current shape over Gudersu’s great sword as you had found that you preferred your one-armed balance better with such a weapon, as long as you kept swinging.
“Runi,” you answer, “Son of Osiris.”
“We are the gods Phobos and Deimos, sons of Ares.”
“Please do just lie down and die.”
They brandished their spears and come for you, one from each side. Planting your feet firmly on the ground, you draw your sword back and swing it, pivoting to put your entire strength behind the attack. It seems like they were not expecting your movements to be anywhere near as quick as theirs, as the first blow takes the red-attired twin by surprise and neatly cuts through his bronze breastplate. He screams, gurgling blood as Anbar-Shi bites into his lungs.
“Phobos!”
The blue twin – Deimos, it seems – thrusts his spear at you in anger. Predictable. Quick to anger. You had yet to complete your initial strike, and your spin allows the spear to pass by you harmlessly. Phobos – still stuck at the edge of your blade – was not so lucky; his brother’s spear buries itself deep into his abdomen as you swing his body towards Deimos. You complete your swing and throw Phobos’s body off your sword. He crashes into Deimos and the two of them tumble to the ground in a bloody heap.
“This is what passes for a god nowadays?” you sneer as you walk towards them, Anbar-Shi resting over your shoulder. “I hope your father poses more of a challenge.”
Cradling Phobos’s body, Deimos looks up and snarls angrily. “Don’t underestimate our power!” Phobos’s eyes open and stare at you, and an enormous wave of terror flows forth from the two immortals, threatening to make your knees buckle under the weight of that fear. All around you screaming erupts from the soldiers as they claw at their eyes and ears. The two begin laughing, Phobos choking up blood as he does so.
It was singularly unfortunate for the twin gods of fear and terror that your nature took such intense emotion and turned it into fuel for the fires of your rage. You take a step towards them, grinning a bloodthirsty smile.
“If that is the only party trick you have, it’s not a very good one.”
Their laughter stopped. It was their turn to scream.
***
A. You give in to their pleas of mercy and allow them to flee after cutting them up badly. They will serve as suitable warning to Ares that you are coming from him, and hopefully draw his attention away from Memphis to buy the Egyptian defenders more time.
B. You cut their heads off and put it a bag. The trauma of your violence sends them into a regenerative stupor. Then you burn their bodies and toss those down the Chasm of Runi. You will give Ares his warning by showing him the heads of his sons in person. That would be a most excellent taunt.
***
1. You take a limb or two from the twins as a snack. You’ve never tried immortal before – it could be good.
2. You don’t feed… it is not yet time to give in to your hunger.
