15 Sound The Drum

As the afternoon sun began its descent, the scorching wind mercifully died down. After a quick lunch, Chinua and Hye stood atop the city wall. While some soldiers were being relieved from duty, the sudden, ominous sound of advancing Razaasia forces sliced through the air. Magoli and Musian soldiers on the wall snapped to attention, their gazes sharply fixed on the abandoned camp just a few hundred yards away.

Chinua and Hye knew the battle were inevitable. They had skillfully avoided bloodshed that morning, but both understood, with a heavy certainty, that when the sun rose again tomorrow, the ground before them would be thick with the blood and corpses of soldiers from all three kingdoms.

Hye took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. He looked at Chinua, his expression serious. "Today is your first battle as a defender... Your success or failure depends on the outcome of this battle, kid. How do you feel?"

"Just so-so," Chinua replied, her voice surprisingly steady.

Hearing Chinua's answer, Hye turned to face her fully, a flash of recognition in his eyes. He understood why she felt that way. Many years ago, he'd harbored similar thoughts before he first witnessed the aftermath of a battlefield—what he grimly called the "red zone." The red zone: a place filled with the bodies of friends and strangers, stained with the blood of brothers and enemies; the ultimate dump, reeking of rotting flesh and buzzing with flies. Once seen, it was a place you could never unsee.

Hye's voice dropped, solemn. "The consequences of a full-scale combat are not as pretty or heartwarming as our rescue scenes. So, you have to remember that the decisions you make affect not only you, but everyone around you, including your enemies."

"I'll keep that in mind," Chinua promised, her gaze fixed on the distant camp. "Tell me, how long until they decide to attack us?"

"If my prediction is correct, they will most likely make their move against the city before dusk," Hye stated. "They'll attack us while the sun's still in our eyes because they didn't fall into our trap this morning."

Chinua smiled, a faint, knowing curve of her lips. "You finally found your opponent." She sighed heavily. "I think since they didn't fall into your trap this morning, they're going to attack us with everything they have."

Hye turned to look at Chinua, a challenging glint in his eye. "So, are you worried now?"

"I know the decision I'm about to make this afternoon will break the hearts of many parents, but I know it has to be done," Chinua said, her voice filled with a heavy resignation.

"Do you know the flute melody I played this morning?" Hye asked, glancing at Chinua before refocusing on the abandoned camp. "It's called 'The Last Farewell,' a melody typically heard at funerals. It is sung to guide the soul of the deceased home for one final goodbye to their loved ones before their journey into the netherworld."

"I didn't know there was a song like this in Hmagol," Chinua admitted, surprised.

"It doesn't exist in Hmagol. This is the song of the Ginmiao people," Hye clarified. "I believe whoever the strategists on the Razaasia side are familiar with the customs of the Ginmiao people. If they weren't familiar, they would have attacked us this morning." He looked down at the city wall. "Anyway, if they want to attack us, it will be harder for them this time because the gate is well fortified." He sighed. "Hopefully the attack won't come until our defenses are complete."

Just as Chinua and Hye continued their conversation, the thunderous sound of horseshoes on the ground ripped through the air. Looking towards the abandoned camp, they saw the Razaasia cavalry already in position, sweeping towards Hosha City.

Hye sighed, a grim finality in his voice. "We have run out of time. Hopefully everything we've done to fortify the walls and gates will hold." He turned to the Musian soldiers standing by the drums, his voice ringing out with command. "Sound the drums!"

Grabbing their drumsticks, the Musian soldiers began to beat the drums, a booming, urgent rhythm. The sound was the signal: Magoli and Musian soldiers on the city wall snapped to their positions. Reinforcement teams dropped their working tools and hurried up the walls to their posts.

The soldiers below the city wall began to shout, their voices a rising crescendo:

"Razaasia!"

"Razaasia!"

Chinua's men, along with Hibo, quickly ascended the stairs, their eyes immediately finding the Razaasia soldiers approaching from behind the abandoned camp.

Hibo waved to the Musian soldiers. "Get in position!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the growing din.

Quickly ascending the city wall stairs, Chinua's eight subordinates reached the top to join Chinua and Hye, where they saw a menacing, dark row of black armor advancing from behind the abandoned camp.

"How many?" Chinua asked Zhi, her voice tight with urgency.

"One thousand," Zhi reported, his gaze fixed on the approaching force. "Cavalry. One thousand. One hundred soldiers per row."

"More is yet to come," Jeet said, pointing into the hazy distance. "Look." Behind the cavalry, infantry forces slowly began to emerge.

"Generally speaking, they take at least three to five thousand soldiers with them to the battlefield," Zhi added, his brow furrowed.

"We killed at least five thousand soldiers," Drystan muttered, disbelief in his tone. "These people don't care about human life, do they?"

"The most ruthless is the fiercest," Jeet replied grimly.

Hye stared at the advancing rows of soldiers for a while, noticing their formation was different from the previous battle. "I predict they're going to shoot us first," he stated, his voice calm.

Chinua pointed to the left and right sides. "They're using your tactics to deal with you. Infantries screen their archers on the flanks, with cavalry in the center, followed by their main infantry massed behind."

"This time, they mean to take the city no matter the cost," Naksh said, his voice flat.

"Act according to Hye's original plan to defend," Chinua commanded, her voice ringing with authority. "The Musian soldiers are in urgent need of weapons supplies." Turning to her left, she called out, "Captain Hibo!"

Hibo turned, seeing Chinua in the distance, her shouts barely audible amid the rising commotion. She quickly hurried to Chinua.

"The defense is proceeding according to Hye's plan," Chinua confirmed.

Hibo nodded sharply and quickly ran back to the other side of the city wall.

At this time, Mandla and Kianga arrived at the city wall to observe the situation, finding that all the prepared scarecrows had been set up on the city wall.

"I don't know what these scarecrows can do for us," Kianga said, looking at Mandla doubtfully.

"We are not in a good situation now, so I am willing to try anything that can bring hope and fighting spirit to our soldiers," Mandla said, his voice resolute. He raised his right hand, and the drums fell silent, the sudden quiet amplifying the approaching enemy. When he saw the endless rows of Razaasia soldiers, he knew in his heart that this was going to be another long battle for survival. He turned to look at Kianga, his eyes filled with a tender urgency. "Try not to die." He pulled her closer and pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Smiling through her worry, Kianga replied, "You too, my love."

As the Razaasia army marched towards Hosha City, the sound of horse hooves mingled with their determined footsteps. When they approached, a thunderous twang of bowstrings echoed through the valley, startling flocks of birds from the nearby trees. Above Hosha City, the raspy, drawn-out hiss of vultures added to the ominous sounds of impending battle.

Chinua faced her subordinates. "Everyone, get in position!"

Chinua's five men quickly rushed down the stairs to their posts, leaving Chinua, Hye, Khunbish, Naksh, and the Magoli female archers on the city wall.

A thick volley of arrows streaked across the distance, separating the Razaasia soldiers from the Magoli and Musian defenders on the city wall as they continued to strike the wall and the scarecrows.

Standing under the walls of Hosha City, the Magoli soldiers watched in horror as the volley of arrows thudded into the scarecrows, piercing and tearing them apart. They knew then that if they stood in those positions, their own flesh and blood wouldn't stand a chance against such deadly force.

"Hold those arrows!" Chinua shouted, her voice strained. She knew the sun was in their eyes at the moment, and firing arrows into the glaring light would be inaccurate and reveal their precise locations.

"Hold the arrows!" Mandla's command echoed her own.

Chinua watched as row after row of arrows rained down on the city. She knew that the longer they sat and waited, the greater the chance of losing many soldiers, even if they were hiding.

"We have to do something!" Chinua shouted, her voice bordering on desperation over the relentless rain of arrows. "We can't just sit and be a target!"

After the latest devastating round of arrows fell, Hye quickly stood up, his gaze sweeping over the advancing Razaasia soldiers. He predicted their forces were now dangerously close to the city wall. He quickly ducked down again, looked at Chinua, and gave a sharp nod.

"Naksh!" Chinua roared. "Prepare to return arrows!"

Mandla's command followed immediately: "Return arrows with the Magoli soldiers!"

Naksh turned to the Magoli archers, his voice booming. "Two arrows, followed by one!"

On the battlefield, Reza saw arrows raining down on his soldiers as they approached Hosha City wall. He turned to Payam, a confident chuckle escaping him. "They're shooting back! We have enough arrows to play with the Magoli. Let's see how long they can hold out."

"Young lord, let us remain focused, regardless of the situation, until victory is certain," Payam said, his voice a steadying presence.

"Captain Reza!" A soldier came running, breathless, towards Reza and Payam. "Report, captain!"

"Speak," Reza ordered.

"Captain, the arrows returned by Musian and Magoli soldiers are our own." He handed Reza an arrow.

Reza snatched the arrow from the soldier's hand. After a quick inspection, his eyes widened—the arrow was indeed theirs. "How did they get our arrows?" Reza demanded, his voice tinged with disbelief and anger. "Before I left, I ordered the soldiers to burn down our supply tents!"

Payam looked at the arrow in Reza's hand, and then, a slow, triumphant smile spread across his face. He finally understood: the purpose of so many scarecrows was to fish for their arrows. He suddenly broke into booming laughter.

Reza stared at Payam, a puzzled frown creasing his brow. "What in the abyss is so funny?" he demanded, annoyance creeping into his voice.

"I finally understand the reason for the scarecrows!" Payam exclaimed, still chuckling. He turned to Reza, his eyes gleaming. "Young lord, they are using those scarecrows to catch your arrows for their own benefit!"

Reza's face broke into a triumphant smile. "So, the reports about their shortage of food and weapons are indeed true!" He turned to his soldiers, his voice ringing with renewed confidence. "Just do as Payam says, and if the arrows don't drive them out, let the fire drive them out!"