Chapter 750

Chapter 750

With age comes wisdom, or so it was said, but Akanai had long since determined this to be wildly inaccurate.

Just like a leopard could never change its spots, there were people in this world who would never grow wise even if they lived for ten-thousand years or more. Not so terrible a burden so long as they understood and accepted their limitations, but rarely was this the case. Especially when it came to scions of wealth and nobility, whose achievements in life usually stemmed from having been born to wealthy and influential parents. In spite of this truth, most seemed to believe that they were single-handedly responsible for any and all successes, while any failures that happened on their watch was merely due to a quirk of fate or run of bad luck. Nothing was ever their fault, but even worse was the fact that these fools were always the first to share their wisdom to anyone who cared to listen and many who would rather not, including Akanai who could not be bothered to coddle the fragile egos of the soldiers under her command.

And no ego was more fragile than a Southern man desperate to prove himself more capable than his female commander.

There were many outspoken Officers unhappy with little Rains decision to appoint Akanai as his second-in-command, but most accepted that it was the best decision moving forward. Nian Zu was an able commander and Liu Xuande a brilliant tactician, but the former was too passive and defensive in mindset while the latter untested in the field of battle, much less the opera of war. There would come a day when Akanai would happily hand over the reins of command to the Imperial Scion, but he was not quite ready just yet.

Little Rain had a knack for finding the right people for the right job, one that surpassed even Akanais eye for talent, a fact that pained her to admit. Were it up to her, she would never have chosen Jorani to replace Rustram as commander of his retinue, or given Liu Xuandes treatise on tactics the attention it deserved, or poured so much time, effort, and coin into Diyakos seemingly mad schemes, yet each time, the boys decisions paid off in spades. While some of it could be attributed to luck and fate, much of it was due to the fact that the boy was wise enough to admit his own personal shortcomings and find people he could trust to help make up for them.

A lesson the Southern Marshal Quyen Huong had yet to learn, for the man believed himself the Mothers gift to the Empire and therefore the most qualified commander present despite holding no military rank or achievements of his own. Despite lacking any support whatsoever aside from that of his toadies, he clearly believed Akanai was undeserving of her role and had taken it upon himself to prove it. This manifested itself in the form of an endless stream of messages delivering high-handed advice and suggestions to Akanai at every given opportunity. Nian Zu, Liu Xuande, Chen Hongji, and the other male members of the command cadre were largely left alone, though Akanai suspected Jeong Hyo-Lynn received more than her fair share of advice but kept quiet for political reasons. Likely so that she could thank the Southern Marshal in private and remain in his good graces instead of butting heads for no real gain like a certain demi-human Lieutenant General had chosen to do.

The Sword Saint, Jeong Hyo-Lynn they called her, and having seen her skills firsthand, Akanai could hardly disagree. This made it all the more regrettable that Lady Jeong felt the need to appear outwardly subservient to the male gender, for she was a true dragon among men. This was the way of the Empire however, because even though female Martial Warriors were in no way inferior to their male counterparts, the vast majority of the population were mere mortals who adhered to a patriarchal mindset. Thus, any man subservient to a woman was ridiculed and derided by the masses since few cared to understand and accept any perspectives that differed from their own. Even though strength was venerated above all else, women should still remain subservient to men regardless of strength, a rationale they justified by claiming all women were emotionally weak and needed protecting, Martial Warrior or otherwise.

It was frustrating to the extreme for someone in Akanais position, but shed long since come to accept the fact that these issues would plague her throughout her entire career. Shed dealt with more chauvinistic commanders, peers, and underlings than she could remember, for even the people of the Saints Tribulations Mountains were not immune to this sort of divisive thinking, yet never before had she met a man more frustrating than Quyen Huong. Unlike most of the men shed dealt with before, the Southern Marshal was not only unmoved by her beauty, but also competent to the extreme, meaning she could find no fault in anything he did, said, or wrote. Most of his suggestions were things that she had already done or was going to do prior to his interference, but the end result was that it appeared as if shed taken his advice to heart and obediently followed through. This of course only emboldened the irksome Marshal to continue his bothersome ways, which was infuriating to say the least. Had it been little Rain, he might well have burned all of the Marshals missives unread, but he was the Legate now and could afford to flaunt the rules. If Akanai did the same, then Huong could simply claim shed destroyed a piece of vital military intelligence for personal reasons, an accusation which could have her drawn up on charges or even stripped of rank.

Whereas a male officer in the same position would receive a slap on the wrist. Such was life...

Thus, the only thing Akanai could do was swallow her anger and wait for Marshal Huong to overstep his bounds, but he was an experienced politician and careful to never directly criticize or countermand her given orders. Instead, every time she gave an order contrary to his advice, he would quietly bring up his concerns with his peers while within earshot of other soldiers and officers, which sapped their confidence in her commands. Most times, she couldnt outright explain her reasoning either because then it would reveal all her plans, and if the Enemy caught wind of her schemes then she might well lose every last soldier under her command. Nor would she explain even if she could, for he answered to her, not the other way around. Unfortunately, the Marshals work paid off in the end for now her soldiers could be heard muttering about the imbalance in their forces while wondering why shed chosen such a clumsy and unwieldy distribution of soldiers. More than two-thirds of her army comprised of cavalry, while the remainder were what little Rain called mobile infantry, namely foot-soldiers who possessed a dedicated means of travel. In this case, it was mostly southern Heavy Infantry being carted about on iron-reinforced ox-drawn wagons, who were surprisingly sure-footed in the Western desert sands, unlike the hardy, shaggy horses of the North who were ill-suited to the local climate.

The general consensus was that Akanai only knew how to use cavalry since she herself was famed for her quin-riders, and thus expected the Southern soldiers to hold the line and bear the brunt of the losses while her cavalry sat pretty in the shade. Concerns plucked straight from the mouth of Quyen Huong, and if he were a soldier, Akanai would have had him brought up on charges of instigation and being a detriment to morale. Unfortunately, despite the fact that the southern generals and quartermasters all hopped to obey his every command, the Marshal was still technically considered a civilian, a doting father here to ensure his son, Dienne, was adequately protected while offering advice to his soon-to-be Colonel General, Nanda Bayin, a lustful toad and loyal patsy. For all his talent and intelligence, Marshal Huong was proof that wisdom had nothing to do with age or acumen, for a wiser man would have found a way to work alongside Akanai for the betterment of the Empire instead of opposing her at every turn, and now they would all suffer for it.

Low morale and lacking confidence was a terrible combination for an army in the field, leaving Akanai no choice but to publicly humble her greatest detractor in order to regain the confidence of the Warriors under her command. A real shame, for doing so might well ruin his reputation going forward and leave him vulnerable to his foes. Much as she detested him on a personal level, he was an able commander and administrator whose prowess was more than deserving of respect, and were it not for his ingrained need for control and smug, superior attitude, she might even see him as a reliable ally. This was a man who united the Southern Province the same way shed united the denizens of the Saints Tribulations Mountains, an impressive feat which must have taken a lifetime of hard work and dedication. Alas, instead of welcoming her as a kindred spirit, he saw her as an upstart woman who needed to be shown her place, and she wanted nothing more than to send him back to his Citadel in mostly one piece. Failing that, she would settle for trampling his pride in front of his peers and underlings, so to this end, she called a meeting with her General Officers to discuss their tactics moving forward after a nine day march from Meng Sha.

While she did not go as far as to invite Marshal Huong, she let it slip that her battle plans were unorthodox, which she knew would vex the control-freak of a Marshal to no end. As expected, he arrived at the meeting with Nanda Bayin in tow and took his seat without comment. Until now, Akanai had overlooked his presence in military discussions, mostly because getting rid of him would be more hassle than it was worth, and also because she would rather not have to hear his arguments parroted through Nanda Bayins mouth, but today was different. Yesterday, she was content to work alongside the Marshal and overlook his foibles, but tomorrow, she intended to lead this combined army of Sentinels and Southerners against the Enemy, which meant she needed to seize the reins of control today.

Marshal Huong, she began, meeting the mans dark eyes as she greeted him with a nod, which to his Southern sensibilities was akin to a wild dog running up and putting its dirty paws all over his robes. To his credit, he returned the casual greeting in the same vein without giving any sign of discontent, unlike Nanda Bayin glowering from behind him at having been ignored by a mere woman. Akanai paid neither of them any more attention however, and instead waited for the remainder of her Officers to arrive. This didnt take long as Southerners were a no nonsense sort, which was a welcome relief from Centrals tendency to value pomp and pageantry over punctuality, no matter the circumstances. Even if the building was burning down around them, Akanai imagined the nobles of Central would engage in polite chit-chat while leaving in an orderly fashion from most to least influential.

Truth be told, aside from their views regarding her gender, Akanai rather liked the Southerners as a whole, a no-nonsense bunch who knew how to come together and put up a united front against their enemies. Their combat tactics placed heavy emphasis on teamwork and coordination over relying on the strength of any one individual in battle, which was far different from what she was accustomed to, but highly effective nonetheless. If only the Northerners could learn from this, but in the harsh, desolate lands of the North, self-reliance and individuality was not only respected, it was all but necessary given how sparse and scattered the population could be. Difficult to rely on the goodwill of your neighbours when you might not see them for months at a time once the snow made it impossible to travel, so the hardy people of the North had grown to love their fierce independence more out of necessity than actual affection.

Once all her generals were gathered, Akanai wasted no time on niceties and jumped straight into the meeting. Though this sort of thing should come as no surprise after a month under her command, several Central Officers still had the gall to appear taken aback by her lack of manners. This is our target, she began, ignoring the miffed looks and startled expressions as they finally registered her words and looked at the map laid out before them. Tian Zangli.

Pardon, Lieutenant General, Nanda Bayin interjected, no doubt on behalf of his Marshal. The toady played his part well, injecting her title with such dismissive scorn that she had to wonder if hed forgotten that not only was it the second highest official rank in the Empire, he himself technically still held the same rank as his promotion had yet to receive the Emperors approval and was therefore unofficial. Our target? Was our goal not to guard Colonel General Nian Zus flank from Defiled attack?

It was and still is.

Then how are we to protect our ally while laying siege to a city, one only marginally less fortified than Shi Bei?

The contempt all but dripped from Nanda Bayins tone, and Akanai had to remind herself that this was exactly what she wanted from him, direct confrontation so that she could bash him and the Marshal both over the head with her competence. Figuratively speaking, of course, as the truth didnt make it any less tempting to drive her fist through his face, but Akanai controlled her displeasure and refused to let it show. Losing her temper would only see her labelled as volatile and overly emotional, as if only women were guilty of succumbing to their emotions, because a man reacting in the same manner would simply be fierce or intense. There is more than one way to skin a garo, Akanai responded, using one of little Rains colloquial idioms which she suspected he made up as needed. Tian Zangli is a vital city in the Enemys hands, one they can ill-afford to lose. Due to the nearby coal and precious metal mines, the city developed into a bustling trade and production hub which the Enemy now uses to forge their unholy weapons and armour. Thus, our goal for tomorrow is to put those factories and storage facilities to the torch and leave nothing behind, which will draw the ire and attention of the various armies marching to reinforce Shi Bei.

At which point you intend to tuck tail and run, I gather. A statement clearly made with Nanda Bayins own words, as it was too blunt and unambiguous for Marshal Huongs tastes, and Akanai had to work to hide her smile. A bold gamble to stake the fate of two armies on a single roll of the dice, but what if the Enemy does not take the bait? Pausing to take in the Marshals instructions, Nanda Bayin continued in a halting manner that made it clear he was merely parroting anothers words. The Defiled are no longer the mindless foe we once knew... and will surely prioritize Shi Bei over chasing us through the desert without gain. Whats more, destroying their means to produce weapons and armour is a laudable goal, but... from all accounts, the Enemy resources have largely been spent. Is it worthwhile to go after Tian Zangli now that its forges sit cold and warehouses empty?

You bring up a fair point, she began, nodding as if in agreement. The gains from razing Tian Zangli fall well short of the risks, but only if we lack courage and conviction. A backhanded insult which went clear over Nanda Bayins head, but the Marshal caught on quick enough and recognized her riposte to his patsys outspoken criticism. Once Tian Zangli falls, the rest of the province is opened to us. I intend to push deep into Enemy territory and pick our target and heading according to circumstances at the time. Pointing at each city on the map as she named them, she rattled off two dozen possible targets in a more or less reasonable order to strike, though she stressed that they would have to adapt to the Enemy movements. We are the wolves, she concluded, once her point was wholly made, And the Enemy, a massive herd of bison. If we stand and fight, we will be trampled underfoot, which is destined to be our fate if we hold position and guard Nian Zus flank. That is what the Enemy expects us to do, and thus they have dispatched all their nearby forces to strike us hard and fast before continuing on to Shi Bei to lift Nian Zus siege, but in doing so, they have left their cities weak and exposed, so we will tear into their soft underbellies and bleed them dry.

Stopping to let her words sink in, she met Marshal Huongs eyes and found... not admiration, but acknowledgement, at the very least. Throughout history, he began, speaking in a gruff, yet soft-spoken tone, The Defiled threat has come in the form of a mobile, self-sustaining force of raiders, yet now, they have moulded themselves into an army proper. In turn, though they present a more difficult challenge to engage, they are not without weaknesses, for they have grown too large and unwieldy to sustain themselves through raiding alone. Whats more, with Imperial forces occupying the four harbours and the Wests dearth of potable water, the Enemy will have to protect their sources of water, namely the targets you picked out earlier, leaving them either unable to support Shi Bei or lacking the supplies to make the journey and arrive in fighting form. Not exactly a compliment, but it showed he understood the logic behind her plan well enough. Exhaling slowly for effect, the Marshal smoothed his robes and steepled his hands as if faced with a difficult decision, even though technically he had no authority to accept or refuse her commands on behalf of the soldiers under her command.

If only Zabu were the one on the cusp of forming his Spiritual Heart, instead of the boys other plump disgrace of a quin Mafu...

As they ate breakfast and made small talk, a small part of Akanai wished her whole family was here, but only in passing. There was no sense bringing children or a comatose Legate to the battlefield, and everyone else had their own responsibilities to manage. It came as quite the surprise to learn that Li-Li wanted to fight alongside the pup instead of sticking with her parents, a logical decision given her skill set, but not one Akanai expected her sweet daughter to make on her own. Li-Li was coming out of her shell more and more each day, and Akanai looked forward to the day when her daughter finally found the courage to truly be herself, a day that she hoped would not be too far in the future. All this and more she kept to herself however, for she could not afford to grow fearful or maudlin before battle. A quick hug was all she allowed herself, but somehow, it turned into a group embrace that lasted longer than intended. Be safe, the both of you, she whispered, running her hand through Milas curled ringlets and Alsantsets long locks. Fight well.

Little Mila was surprised and somewhat frightened by her parting words, but she would find her courage again soon enough. Alsantset took it more in stride, for she was a mother herself and was well acclimated with the fears that came with it. A nod and a reassuring squeeze of the hand was all the girl shared, but it was more than enough for them both, while Mila helped herself to another hug which would surely have the soldiers grumbling about going into battle alongside women and children. No matter though, for Akanai would show the people of the Empire and the Defiled both that she was competent not in spite of her gender, nor because of it, but simply because this was who she was.

Warrior. Commander. Mother. Wife. Cherished labels one and all, and she would wear them proudly into battle today.

Though inhospitable to the extreme, the sandy dunes of the Western Province offered plenty of favourable terrain to fight on, and Akanai wasted no time in seizing the best battleground for herself. Within the hour, the Enemy forces arrived in droves and rushed headlong towards her, eager to close in and draw first blood, but soon they discovered theyd bitten off far more than they could chew. Lurking out of sight in the lee of a dune, close to fifteen-thousand Sentinels unleashed a storm of arrows upon the Enemy as they marched eastbound towards Shi Bei, and the chaos and carnage was spectacular to behold. Individually, Cannons and catapults were far more impressive, but in Akanais eyes, there was nothing more satisfying than watching wave after wave of arrows crash into the Defiled ranks as they scrambled about in search of an Enemy to fight. They would not find one, not even after their Scrying Chieftains led them towards the Sentinel position, for the quin-mounted archers simply fell back and continued their barrage unabated. Though it would be difficult to replenish any spent ammunition here in the Western Province, Akanai had been planning this attack for weeks now and had long since accepted little Rains offer to fund a factory dedicated solely to making arrows for the Sentinels, so they had more than enough to spare. Whats more, she also had multiple stockpiles of ammunition, food, and water hidden in various locations all across her intended route, brought there by Concealed Peak Experts a few wagons at a time. Besides, every arrow spent meant less weight for the quins to carry, which enabled them to run faster and farther with each passing day, whereas the horses, cattle, and other beasts of burden were more likely to lose strength as time went on.

Five minutes. That was how long it took to break the first army of Defiled, five minutes of massed arrow-fire delivered by her Sentinels from afar. There was no panic in their retreat, only a strategic withdrawal in the face of overwhelming odds, but the dry sands ran red with Enemy blood from the dead and dying. Not a single Imperial soldier took injury in this first exchange, but they also took no pride in so cowardly a victory. Akanai cared not for their pride however, and set her soldiers to marching south, circling about another dune while Divinities like Machali and her husband Da Hui kept an eye on their surroundings. Of course, she didnt count solely on the eyes of Divinities, for she knew better than most how easily distracted they became, too beholden to their animal instincts to ever know true discipline. That was the curse of the Ancestral Beast, while human instincts offered far too much faulty advice, tending more towards flight than fight in most individuals. Thus, it was of Akanais humble opinion that demi-humans were best suited for the Martial Path, for they possessed the best of both worlds that more or less made up for the failings they similarly inherited.

Take Machali and Da Hui for example, who tried so very hard to hold onto their marriage and partnership in spite of their instincts to do otherwise, all because they so desperately wanted to be human. While the Ancestral Grizzly was an unabashed lecher and cad, one could not deny his love for his wife, because even though he quickly forgot himself in the presence of another woman, he always came clean to his wife without beating about the bush, and even looked properly ashamed for it. Difficult as it was to look past his sordid behaviour, Akanai knew she should not judge Da Hui by the measure of a human man, or even of a demi-human, for the Divinity was far more bear than human in a manner she could never truly comprehend, the same way she could never understand why Machali kept forgiving him.

Not that she ever wanted to. If Akanais husband ever came back stinking of another woman, she didnt know what shed do, but it wouldnt be so simple as some tears and scolding. There would be a reckoning at hand, one filled with blood and ashes, but she wasnt certain whose blood or ashes it would be...

Putting her personal thoughts aside, Akanai returned her focus to the battle at hand. To the east in Shi Bei, Nian Zu would most likely have just begun the hostilities, taking his time as they discussed and keeping a close vigil on the Enemy movements. Marshal Huong was right to be concerned about the Enemys response to her plan of attack, for there was a good chance Bai Qi or Mataram YuGan would order their troops to ignore Akanais forces in favour of Nian Zus army instead, but theyd planned for such a contingency. Thankfully, the Defiled forces seemed content to simply shadow Akanais movements and await reinforcements which were even now diverting to cut her off, but now they were truly dancing to her tune. An hour passed without bloodshed, then two, then three as her soldiers spent the morning moving south at a steady pace. Then, without warning, she had her troops pivot and form up before dispatching the southern rhino cavalry to lead the charge against the Defiled forces shadowing their army. Though the crazed tribesmen appeared eager to do battle at first, their enthusiasm lasted for all of a second after the heavy rhinos crashed into their loose and unorganized ranks, followed by a wave of Northern heavy horsemen and gargantuan elephants that trampled over anyone still left in their path. The Defiled were mostly on foot and had to have known they would fall before a concentrated charge, but the enemy commander never expected it because doing so would expend too much stamina from Imperial beasts and Warriors alike.

Which emboldened the reinforcing Defiled army as they picked up the pace, smelling blood in the wind and hoping to catch her forces before they had time enough to rest. Which was exactly why shed sent her Sentinels ahead to intercept them with their bows and arrows and bring the Defiled out on a merry chase across the desert. In peacetime, Tokta was her second, an able administrator who kept the wheels turning through no small effort, but in war, the pup would have been Akanais choice for second. In her fathers absence however, Alsantset was more than happy to pick up the slack as she led the Sentinels to rend and tear at the Enemy forces without ever giving them a chance to strike back. Like a cub playing with her food was how Machali described it, and the battle reports which slowly filtered back supported that description well.

And so, thanks to Alsantsets efforts, the reinforcing Defiled forces were bloodied and strung out by the time Akanais well-rested and well-watered cavalry arrived a few hours later, having moved from one battlefield directly to the next rather than retreat to buy time to rest. The second Enemy army proved to be even less of a challenge than the first, but her days work was not yet finished. Moving with as much haste as she dared, she led her Warriors to the gates of Tian Zangli, where she knew a third army waited within, though from all reports, it was a skeleton force meant to keep the slave population in check rather than guard against a dedicated siege. It was almost evening by the time she arrived, and she knew at least two Defiled forces were closing in on her from the northwest and the south, meaning she would soon be pinched on three sides. So far, things had gone perfectly to plan, but Akanais confidence slipped as she looked to her old husband beside her and saw his soulful gaze filled with love and affection. Taking a deep breath, she found her courage and ignored the eyes of her allies around her to reach out and stroke her husbands cheek. You are the love of my life, she declared, and her heart melted to see him still blush even after so many years. I could not ask for a better husband, a better father to our children, a better partner or companion. Grabbing his beard tightly, she pulled him close for a kiss and tried to ignore the gasps and muttering around her which set her cheeks aflame. Go now, and return soon-after. Do not force me to chase after you.

Yes, dear wife, he replied, his eyes slightly glazed and out of focus for all of a second before he found himself again. Your dear husband dont dare disobey.

With a flash of his handsome grin, her husband Cloud-Stepped away from her side and out to the front of the army, where he brandished his staff and declared, I am Husolt of the People, husband of Akanai, Father of Baatar, Sumila, and Li Song. A Defiled Chieftain stood out to respond to what he thought was a challenge, but Akanais dear husband ignored him and bellowed, If youve a scrap of courage and honour left to you, then step out and face me in battle. You have lived like a snake and a coward for so long, so now I offer you the honour of dying like a man.

Already, Akanai could hear her soldiers whispering among themselves, wondering just who her husband was addressing, and most brought up the many rumours swirling about regarding various happenings during Bai Qis siege, but this was a matter of the People, so it was only right that they handle their own affairs. Akanai would have offered the challenge herself if not for the fact that Mataram YuGans exact location was still not yet confirmed. Add to this the fact that their foe emerged victorious in a battle against Gam, Lady Jeong, and two other Peak Experts, and Akanai had no choice but to send her husband to collect the exiles head and correct the mistake they made almost a quarter-century ago.

At best, this would be an even match, meaning shed just sent her husband out to risk his life on a coin-flip. A part of her yearned to go out and replace him, or worse, give no face and kill his opponent for him while they duelled, but truth be told, it wasnt just her husband she was worried about. She worried what this would do to her people, to little Rain, Gerel, and all the others who might be affected by this, as well as how the Empire at large would view them once word of this spread. It was too late to back down now, however, for to her joy and dismay, an armoured form shot out from the walls of Tian Zangli and placed himself opposite her husband on the field of battle. The whispers intensified as the soldiers recognized the Enemy combatant, an amber-eyed Half Demon who took part in Bai Qis attack on the Central Citadel. Now those rumours were all but confirmed, for many believed there was a link between the People and this amber-eyed foe, but Akanai shut it all out of her mind, for rumours they would continue to remain so long as no one said anything for certain, and none of the People would want their shame exposed. That was not the boy she once knew, nor the man she exiled for his crimes against the People. The person she saw now was merely a monster clad in his flesh, a foul minion of the Father, no more, no less.

And yet, when he removed his helmet and flashed his insolent sneer, the memories came flooding back in an unwelcome rush which set her to trembling from head to toe with grief and despair.

Divine Blacksmith, the monster greeted, speaking the language of the People flawlessly despite having been exiled for so long. Pray tell, why is it you who stands here before me today? Can it be that my father is busy with other affairs? If only he showed so much concern for his own son, then perhaps matters might not have come this far.

Rather than answer and engage the monster in dialogue, Akanais husband hefted his staff overhead and flashed into battle. The skies thundered as they traded blows faster than most eyes could follow, but rather than focus on the fight, Akanai was doing everything in her power not to look towards her Sentinels for fear of seeing her daughter or grand-daughters questioning gaze. Both girls were clever enough to put the pieces together soon enough, especially Alsantset whod been seven or eight when it all took place, so all Akanai could do was pray that her husband would soon strike the monster dead, if only to make a difficult conversation in the future just a tiny bit easier.

A cowardly way to go about it, but what other choice did she have? Families were a tricky thing, and even after four-hundred plus years of age, Akanai was not yet wise enough to come up with a better answer than this.

Kill the exile.

Hide their shame.

The rest... the rest she would deal with in time.

Chapter Meme