Capítulo 16: Wait Your Turn
Its citizens brutally murdered, maimed, bruised, and all survivors, captured and locked up in cages like mere animals to be tortured,...
...all that is left of the once great kingdom of Bakkar, are the echoes of death and destruction.
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As the last of the citizens of Bakkar are either killed or dragged away to be locked in cages, Gorak summons his dark fortress upon the ashes of the destroyed city of Bakkar.
The Fortress of Tortures comes down through the crack in the skies gradually amidst wild thundering and lightning, as it is carefully lowered to the ground.
The Fortress building alone covers up ten times the lands covered up by the entire kingdom of Bakkar.
And as an added accessory to the Fortress, a ferocious, golden, fire breathing dragon hovers over the grounds of the Fortress, forging a jagged wall out of the once abandoned mountainous landscape surrounding the fortress.
Soon, Gorak's Fortress of Tortures is complete.
Once the work is done, the dragon disappears, like it was never there.
On Gorak's orders, his armies and minions store the captured prisoners in the Fortress, where they are to be tortured day and night.
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"My Queen, Bakkar has fallen!"
A scout reports in the throne room of Queen Delara, Queen of the ancient earthling civilisation, Angyura.
His head is bowed to the ground as he makes his report.
"Hundreds of thousands of Bakkarrians have been killed and captured by an unknown army from the skies!
As you suspected, my Queen, the strange lightning from the dark skies gutted the Kingdom in flames.
Bakkar is in ashes, burnt entirely to the ground, and in its place, what seems like an outworldly Fortress seems to have appeared out of nowhere!"
"..." Queen Delara is left speechless at this report.
Bakkar, which was the second most powerful kingdom in the West World had been utterly destroyed in mere minutes by a strange army!
What could have happened?
Had the citizens of Bakkar cursed a god, and by so doing, cursed their fate, and the fates of the entire West World to be so utterly destroyed?
More importantly, with the arrival of a formidable new conqueror in the West World, and one with armies that powerful, no one was safe.
The entire West World was in danger!
Angyura could be next!
"Gather the Council", orders Queen Delara.
This was a matter of urgency. They had to prepare for battle.
Queen Delara loved her people. She would stare down the devil to protect the good people of Angyura.
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Delara fierce warrior and Queen of Angyura, (an ancient civilisation of planet Earth), was no doubt a good Queen.
She ruled over her kingdom with great authority and respect; a wise, capable, fearsome and powerful ruler. Tenacious, gutsy and brave.
She was also extremely beautiful, graceful and skilled.
Having been raised as the only child and heir of the king and queen, at a time when women had been regarded as less capable of ruling kingdoms, Delara had fought hard to prove herself and true to her ambition, she had bested all her equals and superiors in the royal council who eyed the throne.
HER throne.
She undoubtedly claimed the throne, scheming and plotting her way to the top, and viciously teaching her challengers utter defeat from point to point.
She obviously had what it took to rule kingdoms at a time when mankind's greatest interest was conquest.
A time when the ancient civilisations of mankind squabbled amongst themselves for superiority and territory, struggling for survival as the strong prey on the weak, and great kingdoms are conquered by greater.
Even after finally becoming Queen, Delara's desire for conquest could not be quenched.
Being a seasoned warrior herself, she led her kingdom to conquer all the neighbouring territories and her kingdom grew great to become the greatest in the entire West World, its lands reaching far across the coasts, all the way down to the border rivers of the North World.
Indeed, Delara had seen her fair share of challenges, betrayals, cutthroat beaurocracies, and vicious schemes on her solo journey to the top...
...but nothing as gut wrenching as this.
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*** The Throne room, Kingdom of Angyura ***
*** Royal Council Meeting ***
"We are gathered here today to discuss the times. As you all know by now, Bakkar has fallen. We could be next.
What are your suggestions?"
Queen Delara is straightforward and direct with her question. There was no time to waste.
Courtesan 1: "My Queen, we are indeed in despicable times. We must prepare for war."
Courtesan 2: "Not to speak out of turn, but... prepare for war against an army that burned the kingdom of Bakkar to ashes in all but 15 minutes?
That would be courting death!"
Courtesan 1: (to Courtesan 2) "Do you then suggest that we sit and wait to meet our doom?"
Courtesan 3: "Surely, Angyura is strong enough to face the strange army. We have battled many strong armies... they all ultimately fall to our feet-"
"-True. But none this powerful", Queen Delara interrupts, making a valid point.
"No matter what trick was used, conquering Bakkar that quickly is evidence that this army is worth their mettle.
We cannot afford to overestimate our military might.THAT ...would be courting death.", she finishes.
Being a seasoned conqueror herself, the queen was the best judge of military might and strategies in court.
Courtesan 2: "The queen is wise!"
Honoured to see the queen supporting his opinions, the second Courtesan praises, bowing his head in the customary way of worshipping royalty.
"Indeed, the queen is wise", the other courtesans support, nodding their heads in agreement.
"However...", the queen resumes her speech.
"We cannot just sit and wait upon our doom. We must ultimately prepare for battle. Angyura must protect her citizens."
Courtesan 4: "My Queen, might I suggest a diplomatic course of action?
The strange armies like any other armies have a leader. Be he a god, a demon (as is claimed), or a man, we could attempt to curry favour with him."
Courtesan 5: "I agree, my queen. With her insurmountable reputation, Angyura has acquired many allies.
We could send a messenger with a letter, proposing an Alliance with the conqueror of Bakkar. And if that fails, we go to war."
"That sounds good."
"I agree with that."
"That makes sense."
"It's a great idea!"
Most of the courtesans in court seem to like the idea of proposing an Alliance with the strange armies.
Ultimately, allying with the powerful would make Angyura even more formidable.
"But... Suppose the plan fails.
By reaching out to the new conqueror, do we not risk making Angyura his very next target?", questions a 6th courtesan intelligibly.
"..."
The entire court goes silent as the courtesans consider this d*mning possibility.
If that happened, they will reach their doom sooner than later.
"The fact remains that Angyura, being the most powerful in these parts, will ultimately be made into a target.
It makes no difference whether we are targeted sooner or later, as either way, it is only a matter of time before destruction is at our gates."
The Queen accurately analyses Angyura's position.
"Only by attempting to ally with the strange armies do we stand a chance to alter our position.
In other words, by seeking to form an alliance, the results are simple. We are either attacked sooner, or not at all.
I say we seize this opportunity."
"Agreed."
"Agreed"
The courtesans voice their support.
"It is decided then...", the Queen formally announces her conclusions.
"...Angyura will send not one, but three messengers bearing the Western symbol of peace on horseback to the new conqueror with a letter proposing an alliance.
If there be trouble, at least one of them can escape to bring back reports.
In the meantime, we will also contact our allies and prepare to war, should the alliance attempt fail.
Fighting with the combined military power of our allies will giveus a higher chance of victory."
Thus, Angyura sent a letter proposing an Alliance with Gorak.
They will wait, hoping for their messengers to return with good news.
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*** 2 Days Later ***
*Gallop, Gallop, Gallop...*
A brown horse gallops, transporting a man to the gates of the kingdom of Angyura.
He is tied to the horse with a rope, bloody and near death.
The severed heads of two of his counterparts hang lifeless, strung on each side of the horse... it is the messengers!
Recognising them from the watchtower, Angyurian soldiers quickly deliver the message to Queen Delara.
.....
Approaching the obviously tortured and dying horseman, Delara sees her letter pinned to his shoulder with a small dagger.
It has been responded to on the backside thus:
"This will be the fate of your kingdom and every other kingdom of your pitiful world!
Wait your turn."
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