Chapter 71: Hamilcar's Expedition 3

Like the eerie silence before a storm, the tent grew unnaturally quiet that caused poor Komak collapse shakingly on his knees with his head pressed painfully on the ground, desperately hoping to weather the devastating storm about to descend upon them.

Yet to his and all the gathered Patriarchs' confusion, instead of an eruption of thunderous words and chilling promises of an unsightly end, a hearty and jovial laughter like a spring's breeze swept through the gathered military officers, and even Hamilcar himself couldn't hide the chuckle that escaped his throat.

A look of utter confusion passed through the faces of all the gathered Patriarchs, especially those who supported Gallick's earlier words, but before they could ask what was so funny, Hamilcar's voice cut through the cacophonous sounds of the still laughing officers "Gallick of the Olgan Clan was it?"

Though bewildered by the sudden question, Gallick still replied "Yes, indeed."

"Tell me, how old are you?" Hamilcar asked again, completely disregarding the still laughing officers, who were now clutching their sides in pain.

"...Twenty six." He replied, with an increasing sense of unease.

"A shame." Hamilcar cryptically replied, before slowly rising from his seat, causing the previously laughing officers to instantly be silent, while shocking the Patriarchs with his massive stature that easily dominated the space, despite the simple robes he wore, as he declared "Your words have been heard, but I can not act on them without his majesty's agreement, so for now you may return to your respective clans until my master's reply arrives."

Then the curtains that functioned as the tent's entrance flapped open, with the guards signaling them to leave.

Although surprised by the speed with which the negotiations ended, originally believing they would stay for a few hours at least, they non the less felt extremely satisfied with it's conclusion, especially Gallick, who left with a noticeably large grin plastered across his features, believing his gamble to not only have met, but even exceeded his expectations.

***

After being escorted out of the still incomplete fortress and reaching their chariots and guards, Gallick who was eager to return to his clan and bring the news that his plan had worked to the clan elders who still continued to hold reservations against his rule, even after nearly a decade, was suddenly tapped on his shoulder from behind.

Turning to meet the owner of the hand, he saw his old friend Barrafin, the Patriarch of the Dulgon Clan, a middle grade clan like Gallick's but slightly weaker, as well as the other patriarchs who supported him inside the tent, standing behind him with an anxious look on his strong features.

Barrafin and Gallick were both men in their late twenties with Barrafin being Gallick's senior in only three years. Both men had been friends for as long as they can remember, as their clans were not only very close to each other geographically but also politically and economically, with Gallick's own sister even married to Barrafin.

But despite the seeming harmony between the two, all was not well. And it all began nine years ago, when Gallick's and Barrafin's fathers were suddenly assassinated by their clans' most hated rival, the large grade Tamarthul Clan, that the rift between the two began to form.

Seeing his rapidly fading figure, the other Patriarchs could do nothing anymore and bid each other farewell, desiding to deal with this matter later, leaving Barrafin alone, staring at Gallick's back, as he muttered "You've always been a greedy man dear friend, but one should know their limits, lest they fail to reach the stars and fall to their doom." Sighing, he could only say "You better know what you're doing.

I don't want to see my wife crying."

***

Back inside Hamilcar's tent, Kumak was still shivering on the floor, sweating bullets, as he cursed the day he approached those fools, but his thoughts were suddenly cut by Hamilcar's booming voice, which carried a tinge of his earlier happiness "Stand up Kumak." Which terrified him to no end.

Uttering stutteringly yet speedily, while still in the same position "M-My lord, I had no idea they would say such words! If I had, I never even would've..."

His words were cut short by Hamilcar's stern words "I said stand up."

Rising on wobbling knees and a sickly pale face, Kumak met the eyes of the ancient demon, expecting to see infernal rage, but instead he saw nothing but cold indifference intertwined with slight happiness.

Yet before he could vocalize his chaotic thoughts, Hamilcar said "You have nothing to fear Kumak, as you did nothing wrong. If anything you made our job easier."

"Huh?" Was all Kumak could say in reply, his muddled mind no longer capable of computing the constantly changing situation.

Deciding to ease the poor man's anxiety and confusion, and also recognizing this man's talents that would prove essential in the coming conflict, Hamilcar explained "His imperial majesty has decided to employ a Carrot and Stick policy for the early and middle stages of this campaign.

And you Kumak Takal as well as the other diplomats scattered across these lands who have yet to join us, will act as the carrot, while I the stick."

"Wait, so that means!" Kumak exclaimed.

"Indeed." Hamilcar affirmed.

"We were having a difficult time choosing the target of our metaphorical stick, since striking the wrong target would lead to more harm than good, but now you have delivered to us the perfect candidate to efficiently show these natives that it is our ire they should fear, not anyone else's." Hamilcar finished with a burst of aura that leapt out of his, wreathing them in blood red fire.

And that night a force of twenty one thousand men, led by Hamilcar himself, set out from the incomplete Emperor's Reach Fortress to deliver his imperial majesty's decree to all the Murathicus tribes, stamped with a tidal wave of Olgan blood.