The day of reckoning had finally arrived. Standing on the walls of Yunkai, the Wise Masters, who would be leading the battle, could see the 8,000 n positioned so distance away from them.
The past few days had been filled with anxiety and tension for the Wise Masters.
Whenever they passed through the streets of the city, it seed as if the populace might tear them apart. Over the course of seven days, the people's gazes had turned completely hostile. No one had any doubt left in their mind that the forces of Lord Aeos would be given a hero's welco in the city.
Not only that, their trust in their servants had also eroded. They no longer knew which of their servants or slaves they could trust.
Revolution. This was what the general population had been waiting for, and now it stood at their gates.
Whatever little ti they had in the past seven days, they had failed to use wisely. The Wise Masters were a divided front, each with his own personal interests to protect. Most of the seven days had been spent in bickering and infighting.
No one was able to agree on a unified strategy. It was not a re difference of opinion. Even in such precarious tis, they were busy insulting and undermining their rival Wise Masters.
Moreover, while there had been no direct suggestions, indirect references to surrendering to Lord Aeos had already surfaced, growing most intense in the final days. But that was not an option. Never had been.
Not all Wise Masters were willing to give up the way of life they were accustod to. They needed slaves, not rely for comfort. After all, even servants permitted under Lord Aeos' rule could provide the sa ease.
They needed slaves for the intoxicating feeling of owning another human being, of having complete power over soone's life and death. That feeling was like a drug to them, one they could not live without.
Another factor was that they could not maintain private forces. Technically, in Astapor, a rchant was allowed to keep a small number of n under his personal command, just enough to protect him and his goods during trade journeys.
But this was not sothing they could accept. They were used to having small militias under their control. Even if it was just nominal and collective, they felt themselves as kings ruling a territory. And they would have no such status under Lord Aeos.
After much haggling, the Wise Masters had managed to put forth sothing resembling a strategy, but then ca the real obstacle.
No Wise Master was willing to commit all his soldiers to a unified war effort.
Given the way the populace had been looking at them, and the doubt festering in the minds of the city, they wanted to keep a large portion of their n in their mansions for protection. At most, most of them were willing to commit 60% of their n, while the rest stayed at ho guarding their estates.
It was not that they did not fear these soldiers might betray them. But what other choice did they have? These were the only n they could still trust.
And thus, a war awaited on their gates. And their only hope of a proper resistance was as long as the gates were not breached.
.
.
.
Freydron, with an army of 8,000 n behind him, could see the walls of Yunkai and the soldiers perched atop them. There were around 500 n stationed on the section of the walls directly in front of him.
These 500 were free n soldiers, each ard with a bow. For now, he had judged accurately and had positioned himself and his army just outside the range of the arrows. The archers were to not co into play unless he marched forwards.
Even then, Freydron was not overly concerned about arrows raining down on his army. His n had shields and were well trained in their use.
Beyond the walls, he could see nearly a dozen pyramids rising against the skyline. They were symbols of the nobility and wealth these rich n possessed.
Although the pyramids of Yunkai were not as tall as those of ereen, they were still imposing enough.
Seated and standing on these pyramids were the majority of the Wise Masters, their necks craned and eyes wide as they tried to make out the army that would soon be invading their city.
Quite a number of servants and slaves were present as well, ready to fulfil their masters' needs. A large contingent of soldiers stood at attention to guard against any sudden ambush.
Though the Wise Masters still wore their usual expressions of arrogance and smugness, anxiety was slowly creeping onto their faces.
Realizing that the ti had co, Freydron raised his hands and beckoned for them to be brought forward.
The soldiers behind him parted as three large catapults were drawn up to the front. The Wise Masters on the walls looked on in confusion, wondering what he intended to do.
The catapults were sizable, but not large enough to hurl stones at the walls from that distance. They were not catapults to be used in a seize.
Freydron remained impassive, his gaze fixed on the city before him. Three of his n loaded three wooden barrels into the catapults.
The levers were pulled, and the barrels launched toward the city.
They sailed over the walls and hurtled toward the pyramids. The Wise Masters watching from atop their pyramids were horrified, unsure of what the barrels contained.
The barrels struck the sides of the pyramids and shattered. Then, sothing unexpected happened: their contents spilled out. These were collars. The collars of slaves.
The eyes of the Wise Masters widened in shock at the sight of the collars. They did not need to think twice to understand the symbolic ssage behind them. Freedom for the slaves.
The slaves, too, had their eyes widen slightly as they took in the sight of the collars scattered across the ground, the very mark of their bondage.
Until now, they had only heard stories and rumours about the freedom and liberty that had co to slaves of Astapor, but now the ssage was laid bare before them.
Many of the slaves' hands moved instinctively to touch the collars around their own necks, so similar to the ones now lying broken on the floors, the sa collars that bound them to a life of servitude.
anwhile, the hands of the Wise Masters tightened even more firmly around the whips they used to control their slaves. But for now, things remained calm. At least for now.
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