[3rd POV]
{India - The Northern Region of the Gupta Empire}
The city of Taxila was a metropolis which had never known silence and calm in the last 30 years. With the huge population of the Gupta Empire and with the geographical location of Taxila being a main trading route, the city was always full of life and chaos.
But on this day, there was nothing but a deep loss of chaos in the city. It was as if the residents had completely disappeared overnight.
The metropolis city was turned into a ghost town.
*BuuuuuUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!*
The long sound of a blowhorn echoed through the city of Taxila, filling the void of silence with its long and meaningful vibration.
The blowhorn had been sounding out in the intervals of every hour since the night before. It was a command to all the residents that no one would work today and that the city would be closed.
Not only that, the blowhorn also worked as a summoning call to all the elite warriors that were in the city.
A call of behemoths.
*BuuuuuUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!*
The blowhorn was followed by an earthquake that shook not only the city but the land around it. A deep echo that sounded like giants stomping on the ground shook the land.
*Boom!*
*Boom!*
*Boom!*
*Boom!*
Then the earthshaking sound was followed by the deafening sound of elephants trumpeting in a war-like manner. The piercing sound coupled with the booming tremble of their stomps made it seem like the world was ending.
*Trumpet!!*
*Trumpet!!*
On the Assembly area and rally point of Taxila, huge elephant warriors who were adorned in the finest armour had gathered in huge bulk.
They stood at the minimum height of 18 feet and their gigantic mass along with their bulky armour gave each on of them a domineering presence that would make a lesser animal flee on sight.
Each one of them was a warrior of the highest calibre. Not only were they the species of the biggest animal on land, but they were all experienced with at least a hundred years of combat.
And now, those warriors had gathered in one place. The invisible aura built around them could have toppled Empires. Their heavy presence coupled with their war cry marked the land with a deep sense of foreboding.
They numbered barely a thousand, but they could easily take down armies a thousand times bigger than themselves.
These were the elite elephant commanders of the Guta Empire. They had come from the South, West and North of the Empire. At any other time, they would have led a troop of their own but today, they gathered as mere soldiers.
They continued stomping on the ground, spreading their presence through tremors on the earth. Then to show their enthusiasm and bloodlust, they would trumpet, shaking the sky as the earth and heaven trembled.
"All hail to the king!!!" One elephant started and the others followed.
"ALL HAIL TO THE KING!!"
"ALL HAIL TO THE KING!!"
"ALL HAIL TO THE KING!!"
As the deafening chant took over the land, the King of the Northern Empire walked down the steps leading to the rally point.
The gathered commanders went even wilder, shouting even louder.
"ALL HAIL TO THE KING!! SAMUDRAGUPTA!!"
"HAIL!!"
"HAIL!!"
Out of all the regional kings, the most respected amongst them by the elephants was Smudragutpa. Not only was he the species of the legendary mammoth, but his ideals and mindset were according to that of the elephants.
So when orders came out from the Emperor that a 1000 elite commander was needed by Samudragupta, every elephant be it from the far south to the wst corner had come to answer the summon.
To fight under the leadership of Smudragupta who was a legendary figure in their eyes was a dream come true. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as this was the first time in 30 years that Smaudraguta himself led an army.
They wondered what kind of threat had popped up for the king himself to make a move like this?
Whatever it was, it was good as dead now.
"Behold my sons!!" Samudraguta addressed the commanders as they all erupted in response.
He was dressed in armour made of ebony and gold. His stature was also bigger than any of the elephants present. While most of them topped at the height of 20 feet, Samudragupta himself was 24 feet with noticeable denser bones and bigger mass.
"Today, we shall march towards North and through the Tibetan Empire, and we shall make our way towards the new threat of unified China." Smaudraguta's powerful voice echoed through the assembly.
"YAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
So that was the aim of the gathering, the warriors thought to themselves. They were all commanders who were aware of the world politics and the military might of each Empire.
Hence they were aware of China and its unification. At one point, they also concluded that China could be a threat if it aimed to expand its Empire after the unification.
They need not be told everything as they were able to deduce the situation on their own, unlike the average soldiers.
"I know life has been peaceful this past 30 years but that ends today! SOLDIERS! Sharpen your tusks and ready your weapons, we are going to war!"
The soldiers stomped the ground and also used the end of their weapons to make a deep rumbling sound.
Samudraguta looked at everything with a smile on his face.
This was the might of the Guta Empire.
He had been given permission from the Emperor to march to China and finally invade the country with the alliance of Tibet. China had proven themselves to be a threat with their advanced weaponry and their Supreme General.
Nevertheless, the Gupta Empire would have remained neutral and peaceful even with the rise of China if it were not for their intention of taking over the world.
Or so they were told by the Emperor of Tibet.
China had shown clear signs of hostility towards every neighbouring Empires and was determined to sow chaos. They were also given undeniable proof of China's hostility, one of them being the attack on the Tibetan army stationed in Tibet which was wiped out by the Chinese.
They got other information from Tibet. They were aware of everything that happened in China. From their baloons, their new mortars, bombs cannons etc.
So China needed to be dealt with before it got even stronger.
It was an amazing turn of events for Samudraguta who had always wanted to expand the Empire and take over other lands. Finally, he would be able to fulfil his ambition.
And for the invasion of China, he was only going to take the elite warriors of the Empire. The distance between China and India was too far apart for huge armies to march. It would take too many resources and take too much time.
So a thousand elite warriors were what he decided with on the advice of the Tibetan Emperor.
There was also another reason why they needed to move quickly and in small numbers. It was to kill the Supreme General Tai Lung.
They were not stupid, there had been many attempts to take Tai Lung's life and learning from those, they knew that the best way to kill him was not with huge armies full of connon fodders but with elite warriors.
With the Tiebtan spy in China, they were aware of most of Tai Lung's power. From his ability to spit fire that could turn soldiers into ash in seconds, his ability to force weak soldiers into unconscious and his speed that can be said to be as quick as lighting.
So they have made appropriate plans.
But Tai Lung, although a threat, was only a part of Smudragupta's main objective.
"LET US MARCH!!!!"
"YAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
The thousand-strong soldiers marched out of the city and headed towards North, where the enemy resided.
Their first objective was the death of Tai Lung.
China had tried yet they failed.
Now it was the world.
Tai Lung had shown his capability to stand unfazed in front of the might of a kingdom.
But can he bear the weight of an Empire?
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[IMAGE of Solider]
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