Arslan Senki

Book 3: Chapter 5 (4)

On March 10th, the Parsian army led by Hilmes fought the Temple Knights for the first time.

Zabul fortress was located half a farsang (about 2.5 km) away from the mainland road. On top of a rocky mountain and flanked by cliffs that rose up almost from the flat ground, it was impossible to climb up. Built into the interior of the rocky mountain, there was a long section of stairs and a sloping path that spiraled out to connect the entrance to the flat ground. There were two heavy iron gates that guarded the entrance.

Therefore, any attackers would have to completely surround the fortress if the troops were barricaded inside. However, Hilmes had no intention to fight a long battle from the beginning. He intended to use a ploy to lure the Temple Knights out.

When the Temple Knights saw the Parsian army waiting outside the fortress, they also noticed a banner at the front of the troops. This was the sacred banner of Yaldabaoth, a silver emblem on a black background. It was set ablaze in front of the Temple Knights, who could only watch from inside the fortress as the banner burst into flames. This was a great shock to the Lusitanians.

"Damn it! Those damn flag-burning heathens! Lets cut them to pieces!"

Once the fanatics got angry, the use of any tactics or strategy was forgotten. Beat the blasphemous heretics to hell! After Archbishop Bodin gave this order, the generals immediately put on their armor, the knights jumped on their horses, and hurried towards the exit, while the infantry quickly rushed down the steps. The two iron gates were opened, and the troops took their place on level ground.

Of course, Hilmes had been waiting for this moment.

He had divided the army into three groups, giving the left flank to Sam, the central unit to Zandeh, and himself leading the right flank. The one-eyed Kubard was to be with the left flank. Given his relationship with Sam, this was quite natural.

"You will have your moment soon. For now, simply observe."

"I'm not nearly drunk enough for this!"

The one-eyed man replied. His armor was borrowed, but nonetheless, his appearance greatly intimidated the ordinary cavalrymen.

The trumpet sounded and the battle began.

The Temple Knights raised their lances and surged forward. Their heavy cavalry's assault was more brute force than calculated movements.

The Parsian army countered this with an archery unit. However, the advance guard of the Temple Knights had even their horses clad in armor. The flying arrows did not do much damage to them, and the Temple Knights broke into the Parsian flanks.

Their defence was wide open.

A great sound dominated the whole battlefield. Both sides arrows intertwined in mid-air, while the ground was littered with blood and corpses. The armies continued to slash and stab at each other until the whole battlefield reeked of blood.

The Parsian infantry could not withstand the force of the Temple Knights, and after retreating ten or twenty paces, they half seemed to collapse and scattered to the rear. The Temple Knights pursued them. They chanted the name of Yaldabaoth and rode after them. Sand and dust flew into the sky.

At this time, the right flank, led by Hilmes,broke into the flank of the advancing Temple Knights, seemingly like a river colliding with another river.

When one of the Templars looked up, Hilmes's silver mask and lance flashed at the same time. The Paladin's body was completely penetrated by Hilmes's lance, and he died before he could make a sound. The tip of the lance that took his life continued forward and pierced the abdomen of another knight.

At this point, Hilmes dropped his lance, drew his sword, and slashed into the side of the oncoming Templar. The knight rolled out of his saddle, and his bloodied face buried into the sand.

"Now, Kubard! It's up to you!"

Sam bellowed, and the one-eyed knight, in his unfamiliar armor, nodded wordlessly.

The Lusitanian knights had broken through the central position of the Parsian army. Their horses' hooves kicked up red and grey sand as they raced toward the slope of the mountain. The two horsemen at the front leaped up to the crest of the hill, and shouted "Glory to Yaldabaoth!"

At that very moment, Kubard's great sword swung into the air.

The high-pitched sound was tinged with blood, and the heads of the two Templars flew away from their bodies. The two heads splashed on the ground and rolled down the sandy slope. The Lusitanians let out a cry of fear and anger.

Kubard kicked his horse's belly and charged into the enemy line, slashing at the Lusitanians left and right. The heavy sword in his hand swung with incredible speed, and Kubard looked like the reincarnation of a god.

After opening up a bloody path on the battlefield, Kubard turned back on his horse and jumped into the enemy lines again. With each swing of his sword, a new path of blood was cleared. Kubards strength shattered the Lusitanians shields and cut through their armor. The blood spilled on the sand was immediately absorbed into the earth.

The troops under Sam's command then launched an assault on the faltering Lusitanians.

The horses neighed and metal clashed with a sharp clang. The roar of the victors and the wails of the defeated continued to ring out as the Lusitanians were finally defeated.

The Temple Knights left behind more than two thousand bodies, and the rest fled back into the fortress. The two iron gates were firmly closed.

"It looks like they won't strike again for a while. We didn't intend for a drawn-out battle, but we have our ploy. Well done, Kubard."

Sam, whose whole body was stained red by the splattered blood of enemies, praised Kubard. Kubard put his sword back into its scabbard and was about to reply when Hilmes rode up with Zandeh and leaned over. Sharp eyes shot from within the silver mask to Kubard's face.

"You are Kubard?"

"Yeah?"

Hearing Kubard's casual reply, Zandeh glared angrily at him.

"Where are your manners? This is His Highness Hilmes, the rightful king of Pars!"

"If he is the king, then shouldn't you be addressing him as Your Majesty?

After this mockery, Zandeh shut his mouth. Kubard gazed at Hilmes' silver mask and suspicion surfaced in his right eye.

"Your Highness Hilmes, if you are truly Your Highness Hilmes, why are you hiding your face behind that mask?"

It was an extremely rude question, and the person who asked it realized his rudeness. Seeing through the anger burning on the surface of the silver mask, he smiled faintly and continued,

"I have only one eye, but I am not ashamed of it. Your Highness should be like me, right? The qualifications of a good king do not lie in the beauty of his face!"

"Kubard !"

Sam whispered. He knew that Kubard was intentionally provoking. He had always been this kind of person. No matter the status of who he spoke to, he had no manners. He had incurred the displeasure of King Andragoras on several occasions, but each time he had returned to serve at court because of the merits he had established.

"You are a friend of Sam's but you do not know how to behave. Do you mean to displease the king?"

Kubard sighed deliberately. He turned to his old friend and said in a tone that could not have been clearer,

"Oh Sam! I'm really sorry for you. However, it seems that I can't get along with this man's temperament. I have only just been set free by the Battle of Atropatene, and would like to keep that freedom. Now, this is goodbye."

"Kubard, don't be so impatient!"

Sam's voice, however, was drowned out by Hilmes's angry shout.

"Let him go, Sam. Insolence to the king should be punishable by death. But for your sake, I'll let him go this time. Just don't let me see his unpleasant face again!"

"Thank you for your magnanimity, Your Highness Hilmes. It's really a rare and valuable thing to shed blood and sweat with your fellow Parsians."

With that, Kubard dismounted and began to take off his armor. He dropped the pieces one by one on the ground as if no one was watching. He then lowered his voice and asked Sam who leaned closer,

"What are you going to do? Do you truly intend to stay with His Highness Hilmes?"

"His Highness Arslan has Daryun and Narsus by his side. If I'm not with His Highness Hilmes, doesnt that seem unfair? Rather, my power is too meager "

After his armor was removed, Kubard hung his sword at his waist and jumped on his horse once again.

"You have also worked hard. Leaving aside His Highness Hilmes, I will pray for your luck in battle. However, I am not a devout religious person, so perhaps my prayers will backfire instead."

With a faint smile and a nod to Hilmes on his horse, Kubard turned his horse around. He knew there was no use in staying here any longer.

After walking about a farsang (about five kilometers), Kubard looked back. There was no pursuer behind him, perhaps Sam had stopped them?

" Was I too impatient? That said, theres no guarantee that I will get along with Prince Arslan either!"

He took out a leather flask, lifted it to his mouth, and smiled faintly at the wind.

"Never mind that. If it doesn't work out, I'll just leave. With such a short life, there is nothing more boring than to condemn yourself to serve a monarch you don't like."

    The one-eyed man, holding a flask in one hand, began to sing loudly as he rode his horse forward. The loud singing and the sound of the horse's hooves slowly floated through the untouched wilderness toward the east.