Sand, Rocks, and War
2555 Words
At the same time, in a desert distant away from the volcano. Five men were riding their horses at a fast pace. The five brown horses were near each other while running, each trying to be ahead.
They were heading towards three men. All of whom were excited to know who would arrive first from the men on horses. Finally, one of the men arrived at a point where he slowed down and raised his hands.
He smiled and said “This time I am the victorious,”
“Huh, I guess I won yet again,” A white man with black armor on said-he was from the three men that were waiting for the race to come to an end.
“No offense sir, but it seems that you have tasted a bit of luck here.” Another man replied with a slight smile. “No no no no,” the white man shrugged and replied, “luck comes once but I did not win once.”
“How come then you guessed the winner of the race twice in a row,” The other man asked.
The white man said “The first time, I saw the first soldier's horse to be healthy, strong and motivated and so was his rider. Hence I bid the first round on him. However, after that, I saw his sweat was like a fountain. And saw the look of revenge in his opponent's eyes. Thus I knew he was going to fight for the win with every breath."
He smiled at the man who won, and said "And that he did"
Everyone got back on their horses. All brown but one; The white man’s, it was black as the night sky.
They started running in the sand making winds as they sprint. The leading horse was the black horse. They reached a great sand wall.
The wall had a tunnel, supported by rocks and initiated with a giant steel, closed gate.
Seven men were protecting the gate: Two of whom were Knights sitting on their horses, three were soldiers, one on each side of the gate and the third in the middle, and two archers walking on top of the wall, ready to blow in the two horns at any time an invader dared to strike.
The white man approached the gate with his horse, raising his head high as he walked. His smile faded away, the guards went on their knees the moment their sights caught him.
Caelum said nothing but a look. The soldiers opened the gate. The tunnel was dark, light ended by fire.
Caelum ran with his fast horse for a few minutes, until he reached the end and light came through.
A whole city beyond the sand wall. Made of three main ingredients: Sand, water and rocks.
Nothing growing from the ground but sand and flesh. The water’s only source is the water season.
The white man reached an enormous castle. The castle had a look of a black shiny mountain with sharp black spikes.
He went off his horse and entered through the castle's main gate. The moment he entered an old bald man with white eyebrows and a bent back, rushed to him and said “ My leader the situation in Mormoda cannot be worse at the moment. The cave people had taken control. We have to send an army so they retrieve our lands” The so-called leader raised his hand ordering for silence. He took a deep breath and went on in the main hall. He sat on his throne.
A throne made of silver. It lightened the hall with its brightness, forged in its handle two swords. Behind the silver throne were three large banners.
They were colored, the color of shining silver. With a black eagle drawn on it, the eagle had golden eyes and a burning head.
The white man started talking “we can not afford yet another lost battle. We had attacked many times and failed. The problem is not in the army but in the field. They know their land better than us. They know it's caves, they know it's tunnels and they know where to eat and where to fulfill their thirst. We know nothing of this sort”
The old man started talking again “ my leader, ask forgiveness for cutting thy talk. But I just don't quite get it, are we ending the war. You leader, you, Caelum. Whom with a swing of his sword can kill thousands, thy hobby is to haunt beasts of the desert that no one would dare to even go near. You are surrendering-”
Caelum raised his voice in rage and said “watch thy mouth old man or I would have to take your beloved tongue from your throat. I can lose or surrender not. But I am offering peace."
“Now go to the council and tell them that we have lost a battle but not the war. And that we have to have a meeting. The moment the moon is in the middle of the sky and the night conquers us I want all my comrades around me”
The old man nodded and quickly walked away.
The leader enters a room where four other people sat. One had a big strong armor, he was a man at his youth. He sat with pride, his hair was black and had no facial hair. His eyes were brown and filled with vengeance. He was the army commander, Darius.
The other two men were old. They were wearing long brown cloaks. They had long white beards.
The last one was of old age but younger than the bearded men. He wore a black leather cloak with a shiny gold belt. He had a mix of blonde and white hair, his eyes were blue and filled with greed. He went with the name Richard.It was always followed by my lord, or said after lord. As that is what he was.
They stood up once they saw their leader, Caelum. He sat down and the others followed him. He started talking “So what do you think we should do with the people of Mormoda. I am not saying that we surrender, although politics can always be a better strategy to win a war.”
The man with the armor put his arms on the table and started talking “I as the head of the army thinks that we can defeat them. If we make a full attack we can demolish them in a blink of an eye.”
The leader replied with rage “ then why didn't you already, weren't you who sent our finest to fight, hence killed with no mercy.”
The head of the army said while looking at the ground “ It was only luck, my leader.”
The leader said with annoyance “It was a strategy you fool. They know their land. Every horse step of it. We know nothing and so as thy army, send as many soldiers as you wish, their ignorance will be the same.”
Richard started talking calmly “I suggest that we meet with their leaders and come to a conclusion.”
One of the old men replied “when the rock melts I will. I shall not shake a hand with those savages.” the room was filled instantly with arguments.
“Enough,” the leader roared
The leader took a deep breath and closed his eyes then said “There shall be no peace. But no war either, as I have said we shall conquer with politics. We will send a messenger saying we need a meeting where all of us can talk.”
“But worry not, I will still rule Mormoda.The land of rocks and sand will be united again. But we have to take it more strategically.”
He stood up and said “We shall make a peace period. And in it, we strike.”
“We will train a group of people. Their hobby will be hunting beasts on the ground, in water, and in the sky. Their pace will be like the wind and strength will be the strength of a rock. Yet it doesn't turn to dust. These people will have no name, no identity, and no family but their weapon. The only thing they do is what I command. We shall design and create the most powerful weapon on these lands. Their shields will be their bodies. Cover them in rocks that no sword can penetrate.”
“My leader, what is their purpose,” a man in the council asked.
“They will slit the throats of our enemies. They will take the life of the king of Mormoda leaving their army in chaos” the leader continued with a smile “and only then we shall attack every inch of these mountains. We shall destroy every cave and demolish every water source. Their land will be ours.”
Another man in the council further asked “I have no intention to doubt thy judgment, my leader, however, who shall select them and how?”
The leader said “ Bring me the strongest, brightest and most loyal from our people.Darius shall select them as the war commander, yet he has to consult Richard.This is non negotiable." He said before Darius can open his mouth.
“Now order the commanders to spread forces over the surrounding areas and I will take a force into the land of fire and beasts. This will give us a path to Mormoda other than the bridge.”
The old man said with a worried voice “But the leader, no man or army survived the land of fire and beats. We can maintain it now but the season of fire is upon us and it shall take every tree in that land.”
The leader explained “Exactly, if we conquered that land we will do the undoable and our people will gain bravery and power that with it we will break those mountains. There will be no discussion for this command”
The discussion was over and the council was dismissed.
The old man told Richard "The leader must trust you so he can give you this responsibility,"
"He has also given it to Darius. I do not see you congratulating him." Richard said.
The old man continued "perhaps," his back was bent, he raised his left finger towards Richard "yet he left the leadership to you, he told Darius to consult you, but it definitely proves that you are the leader's right hand. No matter how many armies Darius commands."
The old man and Richard stopped at one of the castle gates. Guards were waiting.
"You knew that already because if you did not then our leader's judgment was compromised." The old man finished.
Richard smiled and said while getting out. "See you another time, Oldman"
The old man smiled as well and walked a different path. Meanwhile, Darius and Caelum were talking as well.
Darius "Am I not qualified enough to do this on my own"
Caelum replied with a cold look "No".
Darius with a confused face "You told me the day I became the war commander, that we have trust between us"
"Exactly" Caelum interrupted "So trust that I have made the right choice, now go prepare the army that we will take the jungle with, we need a powerful army"
Darius went and Caelum stopped at a door then entered.
There was a man laying on bed half-naked with two fully naked women.
The man had black hair, his skin was white as Caelum while his eyes were black. He had no facial hair. He looked like Caelum just younger.
"Why don't you join me, big brother," The man said
"No, Unlike you I have dignity," Caelum said
"thy loss," Caelum’s brother said then looked at the women with a smile full of lust.
Caelum’s eyes were closed and his head was looking at the ground
"Why weren't you at the council meeting, have you not been noticed," Caelum asked while raising his head and rolling his eyes.
"This war is no joke Karman" Caelum stood closer.
Karman’s face was sorrow, he signed with his face to the girls to get out. The w****s got out and Karman wore a shiny robe, coloured with black and dark red silk. He went to a table near the bed that had a mirror, he grabbed a silver bottle decorated with cravings. He poured a red drink into an average size cup.
He drank the whole cup in one go and poured another.
"I told you, my dear brother, I want nothing to do with this war," Karman said while pouring yet another cup of wine.
"I should not have told you of what happened," Caelum said
Karman poured another cup and drank it, looking at Caelum with a look that said "Don't bother."
"When will you cover from this, you think she wanted you to have this life. She would have wished-" Caelum said
"Don't you dare," Karman raised his finger to Caelum and shook his head. He walked to the other side of the room and laid on a chair.
"I have always been there for you, and I will always be. But this is no monarchy and I shall not rule these lands forever." Caelum was on the door while he said that
"Worry not brother, I can still get wine and w****s without thy powers," Karman said with a smile. He laid on a couch with an annoying smile at his brother.
Caelum walked out and Karman’s smile faded away.
Caelum continued his walk till he reached his room. He opened the side door and entered. The room was vastly large and full of gold, silver and Hadeed decorations.
On a chair, the wife of Caelum was sitting with her eyes closed like an angel, with a maid brushing her hair. The maid was much younger, with black and curly hair, and dark skin. Her eyes were black. She wore a white dress and a golden painted ring by the chest.
Caelum’s wife turned to the maid “thanks, can you leave us please”
The maid bowed “Of course, lady Lareen” She left the brush then bowed again to Caelum “My leader” the maid left the room, closing the door.
Lareen stood up. She had blue eyes and white skin, the hair was dark. The most beautiful woman in all the Lands of rocks and sand. A gorgeous face and a perfect body, even women of much younger age are jealous of her, “How was your day love?” She gave Caelum a kiss on the lips.
Caelum took her hand and sat on the bed, he smiled “As usual, had a meeting with the council. Arguments and fighting and politics.”
“Was Karman there” her voice was soft as her skin.
Caelum “No, he would not come.”
Lareen put Caelum’s hand between her hands “Worry Not, love, all shall be fine. You told him about thy mother, right.”
Caelum took off his shirt and went under the sheets “Yes, I did. And I know not if I had made the right choice. He has been drinking viciously since.”
Lareen rested her head on his chest “He will come around, I promise you.”
“I hope,” he closed his eyes and rested his head on Lareens’s head “Anyway, I have been meaning to talk to you about, what the physician said about u.s”
Lareen sat down “Caelum, we have promised each other not to talk about it once again.”
Caelum eye veins got redder, he swallowed and his lips were shivering “I know, yet I could not sleep nor eat.”
“Love,” She touched his chin and kissed his forehead, “I told you before,”
Caelum’s voice cracked “I cannot do such a thing to you, you deserve to be a mother.”
Lareen leaned her whole body on his “If I will not be a mother of your child, then I will not be a mother at all.”
She kissed him again and put her hands on his sides. Then, she sat on his body and took off her dress.
- Writer
