Three days later...
Hin, accompanied by his guards, rode along the path, passing countless caravans of refugees. Those who saw the large mounted troop of warriors, bowed their heads in the land.
"Lord Abbot, we're getting close." Hin nodded, over the past few days they had all been preparing for the storm without sparing themselves, and today would be the final step. A final war council, with the heads of Kali and Kim and his counterpart in the dangerous religious cause.
'I can't wait to see my old friend Niro again,' thought Hin galloping at full pelt. And on the horizon, the towers of the Firefish capital of Aquino, the jewel of the Kingdom of Haro, and the largest port for that matter, were beginning to show.
As he approached the gates, Hin was greeted by two soldiers, who recognised him as the abbot, bowed and let him through the crowded gates. As he struggled to squeeze through the crowd, the abbot looked round the crowd with a detached look. The refugees were pouring out of the city in a torrent of people, poor and rich, men and women, old and still children.
But they all had one thing in common - faces grey as rain clouds and leaden stares directed at the paving stones broken by hundreds of thousands of feet and hooves.
Hin tried not to look at them, ashamed in his heart, for it was with his consent that all the coastal towns were being forcibly evicted inland. The abbot not to look, but his eyes were fixed on a little girl who was walking with her mother and crying uncontrollably.
Each of her tears, like a sharp spearhead, wounded Hin's heart, and he could not bear the agony any longer, and looked away ashamedly. 'Chorus - reward these people according to their merits, bless the righteous and forgive the sinful, for it is not their fault for this trouble.'
He was so engrossed in reciting the mantras that he didn't even notice when they reached the palace.
"Welcome, Mr Hin, to our humble abode." He came to his senses and shook his head, waking up to reality.
"Well, not so humble." The abbot smiled slightly, concentrating on his companion, a man in pale red lamellar armour with a symbol of two swimming fish on his shoulder.
"A legacy of bygone eras." The warrior answered the claim and continued. - They are waiting for you, but if you are tired you can rest from the road?
"No, lead the way, time is of the essence." The warrior nodded and, accompanied by his monks and Kimo's warriors, followed inside. 'I can't even remember the last time I was here, castle haven't changed much in years.' Hin's remark was true, but only part of the palace had already been stripped of all the trimmings, banners, and anything else of any value.
Passing through corridor after corridor, the warrior led him to a massive door. "Abbot of the Southern Lands, Hin has arrived." The accompanying warrior reported in one breath.
The abbot took a quick glance around the room, finding one empty seat he hurried to take it. Placing his hands on the massive round table, he said.
"How long have you been waiting for me?"
"No, I arrived only a few hours ago, but you, my friend, have always been a little slow, so I'm a little surprised to see you here so soon."
"It's good to see you too Niro," Both men nodded to each other, and then Hin turned towards the two figures sitting at the table.
"It is good to see you Mrs Janko and you Mr Walt in good health."
"Likewise." A woman of about thirty-five said with a smile, her youth was fading, but her beauty was pleasing to any man's eyes. Her long braid lay on her shoulder, complementing her sharp cheekbones and blue eyes.
"Likewise." A man who had bravely passed his fourth decade answered, his face expressing humility and confidence in his abilities. Wrinkled face and dark hair with flecks of grey, gave him an aura of maturity and experience.
"Now that everyone is here, let's get started." Niro suggested, looking at the crowd with interest.
"And what are we going to discuss, we've been drowning in each other's correspondence for months, there are no fools here, everyone understands the seriousness of the situation, so what else do we have to talk about?" Walt said, and rubbed his slightly red eyes with a tired sigh.
"Walt, I don't remember, how long ago did you become such a boring old man?" With a slight wink, Yanko asked.
"You forgot to ask the pierced foregirl," Walt exclaimed angrily. He clearly didn't like the company here, and Yanko in particular, which he wasn't going to hide.
"Come on, we are allies, and if you are so tired, after the council my maids can comfort you, and if you ask very well I can do it personally, hee, hee." Answered him Yanko, with undisguised pleasure.
"Enough, let's go over the points. First - Everything is ready according to the plan, or has anyone had difficulties?" Niro shouted menacingly.
"Yes, yes and yes." That was his answer, everyone present already had this plan in their hearts, and no one wanted to discuss it for the hundredth time.
"I propose another topic, about us everything is clear, but the enemy is covered with the fog of war, maybe someone has useful information." Hin asked, and stared at the interlocutors.
"I have heard that the fleet of the Webian Trading Company is huge, and its ships are incredible and almost fly over the ocean waves." Said Yanko.
"And if we exclude the stupid rumours." synchronously said the two abbots, Walt just sighed dejectedly and leaned his hand to his face thinking 'Bitch, where did I go?'.
"Their composition is heterogeneous: second-rate military, poor people recruited for a couple of coppers, warriors of conquered nations, traders. In general, all sorts of rabble, and about their morale can not be unnecessary to talk, it is simply not." Yanko said with a wide smile on her face, fanning herself.
"Our forces are no better, yesterday's peasants, peasants, monks, impoverished nobles that fight almost naked - all from different provinces and they do not like each other, and that's an understatement, and who has a higher morale I would argue." Walt objected.
"I do not agree with your conclusion, we do not eat our bread for nothing." Said Hin, glancing at Niro, who nodded approvingly.
"You, are still air merchants, I personally prefer to operate only with facts, and I'll tell you what: their weapons are better, their ships are better and so much so that I don't even want to imagine this value, we in our turn are bigger and we fight on our own land. So I think the balance of forces is about equal, but I'm worried about the other thing, what will Tun do and what the hell is that upstart Hito doing?" Walt summed up and gave everyone present a stern look.
"Don't be so alarmist and pessimistic, Chorus remembers, worse things have happened." Yanko objected to him. The man's face turned crimson with rage in a couple of moments, not hiding his emotions he shouted.
"Bitch, if we lose I'll find you and fuck you in the mouth until you choke, you fucking optimist."
"I'll look forward to it." Janko replied and playfully shot her eyes in Walt's direction, causing him an even greater burning sensation below his back.
"I will answer the first question, Toon is sitting in the capital drowning in wine and whores, the Chorus himself will come down to help us before that degenerate does anything." Niro said quietly but firmly.
"I have slightly different information." My scouts report that there's a large band of mercenaries, about three thousand mounted men, gathering on the border with the Mena Clan. - Walt objected, glaring at the monk with a callous gaze.
"I'm sure Lin is behind it, and that whore Arisa has her hand in it, the queen is smarter than her husband, and she won't miss her chance." Said Yanko, looking at Walt with interest, the man's anger made her interested and pleased.
"And who told you that this horde will not stab us in the back when we are bogged down in fighting." Walt continued.
"I'd love to see it go through the lands of Ason." Hin was adamant, Ason was his friend, and more importantly a brave and intelligent warrior, and he would not allow him to be doubted.
"And Hito is the problem, that stupid kid refused to ally with us, stupid animal, if he thinks his stolen overseas stuff is going to help him, he's sorely mistaken, but fuck him and his rabble. His clan is the weak link, if he falls our flanks are open and we can't do shit about it."
"We've got Ason with a mobilised army, and I'll be honest, if Umi's clan disappears, I won't be upset." Seeing the approval in the eyes of his companions, Niro continued.
"Gossip is a good thing, but we have gathered this council for another reason, I am happy to inform you that Horus has given us his messenger, and our plan is entering its final stage."
"Very interesting, and how handsome, he is, I hope?" Yanko asked excitedly. Walt only shook his head, showing his interest and added.
"I don't give a shit what he looks like, you'd better tell me what kind of man he is, because my great-grandfather told me about one messenger, such a lowlife our world has never seen, I hope this one will be better." Walt spoke with hope in his voice and eyes.
"I understand yours hopes and fears, and I have something to say to you." Min said with a smile, and began his long and very detailed story.