John Carr - Siege of Tarr-Hostigos

The sight of six of the white-robed priests, with Styphon's black sun-wheel on their chests, following behind the Temple Guard and a squad of soldiers in the red and yellow colors of Hos-Harphax, holding a banner with a green hawk, sent him scurrying back into the stable and hunting for cover. Styphon's Investigators! Rumors had filled the streets of Crynn for days about Styphon's Holy Investigation and the terrible tortures undergone by those Hostigi unfortunate enough to be taken prisoner and Investigated. As he exited the back of the stable, the boy saw the town's highpriest of Dralm dragged behind a horse with a rope around his chest, his blue robes slashed and blood running down his blonde beard.

He'd been a lot younger when the Hostigi army had advanced through Beshta over two winters ago, but it had been a far different invasion. Great King Kalvan's soldiers had left the townspeople alone, only killing soldiers of the old regime and Styphon's false priests. The rumors said the Grand Host had come to scour the subjects of Hos-Hostigos from the very earth.

He hid under some hay behind a broken windmill blade at the northernmost corner of the stable. Outside he heard more shots and screams.

After about a candle's wait, he heard the screech of hinges and a big bang, as the front doors were forced open. "I saw one of the Daemon's mice run in here," said a voice.

Through the blade Gryos saw a big soldier in leather armor, wearing a yellow and red sash and a green helmet, pick up a pitchfork and begin to punch half-heartedly through the piles of hay. "This is a waste of time. I'm a soldier, not a child murderer."

A tall beardless priest in white robes was laughing. "You're just pissed because you got the short straw for the maidens. These Hostigi are well fed, but not for long. Your commander has given you first rights, but when you're through they will all belong to the Investigation-Styphon help the lot of them!"

The big trooper turned around and spat a wad of tobacco on the floor. "Shut your gab-hole priest, before I shut it for you!"

"You are here to aid Styphon's Work, not give orders! The Investigation did not begin in Hostigos, nor will it end there."

"It will end here for you!" The soldier slammed the pitchfork into the priest's stomach, staining his white bedsheet red. The Styphoni fell to the ground twitching and writhing, with the pitchfork standing upright. The Harphaxi soldier yanked the tines out and stuck it into the hard packed earth floor, as easy as sticking it into a block of butter. Then he pulled out a knife and slit the priest's throat.

Next the soldier removed a long pistol from the yellow and red sash around his middle and in about five strides stood over the stableboy's hiding place, aiming the pistol at his head.

"Boy, come out now-and with your hands open."

The stableboy slowly pushed the hay aside and moved from behind the windmill blade. He was shaking like a leaf in a stiff wind.

The soldier stuck the pistol back into his sash. "Don't be afraid of me, boy, I'm saving your life. I'm a Green Hawk and our company still obeys Galzar's laws. It's these dung worshippers of Styphon that you need to be scared of. I've been watching them torture women and children for days now and I've had it up to here." He held his hand way over his head.

"I don't think the Grand Captain-General knows what's happening in these small towns and villages. But, you and me, we're going to tell him."

The boy nodded.

"Now, help me hide this miserable piece of crow bait in the back of the barn."

The rain had finally let up and beams of golden sunlight were lancing through the trees of their makeshift council site. For an army on the move, it was not an unusual place to hold a Council of War-the nearest hall was five miles away and in ruins. The arching trees overhead gave it the interior spaciousness of a cathedral. Instead of a Catholic bishop or priest giving the sermon, it was Uncle Wolf Tharses, who was wearing his official uniform, a wolf's head hood and wolfskin cape over a mail hauberk.

His usually open and placid face was a mask of fury. "It is wrong, what the Styphoni are doing in Beshta, wrong in the eyes of Galzar Wolfhead, the God of War, and wrong in the name of all the other true gods. War is to be fought among men, not helpless women and children." There was a chorus of agreement from the assembled princes and commanders of the Army of Hos-Hostigos.

This is all true, thought Kalvan, but where were Galzar's priests from Hos-Ktemnos and Hos-Bletha? On the other side, saying most of the same things about Kalvan and Hos-Hostigos, he answered himself cynically.

"Galzar is Judge of Princes and the Wargod will judge both the devil-worshipping Styphoni and the bootlicking Harphaxi, who use Styphon's gold to wage this unjust war against the subjects and people of Hos-Hostigos. It is the field of battle, not the nursery, that is the courtroom of Galzar. Styphon's House has not only declared war against Hos-Hostigos, but also the Palace of the Gods. I have sent Rynnos, Highpriest of Xyphos Town, to Galzar's High Temple in Agrys City to seek a Ban of Galzar on all the armies of Styphon's House!"

That, here-and-now, was an unprecedented declaration of war upon Styphon's House by the only other temple in the Six Kingdoms that had any teeth. Under the Ban of Galzar, any mercenaries fighting for Styphon's House would have to renounce their colors and retire from the field of battle. Kalvan wasn't sure just how many mercenaries were included in the Grand Host, but it had to be a quarter to a third of their force. The only problem was no single highpriest of Galzar could declare the Ban; it had to be decided upon by the Temple Highpriests. It might be a month or two before Rynnos traveled to Agrys City, presented their case against Styphon's House, the case was adjudicated and word sent to all the Six Kingdoms.

Of course, Styphon's House would renounce it and say it was a vicious smear campaign against Styphon's House by the Daemon Kalvan and Tharses himself would have to appear before the High Temple, with his witnesses, and the whole thing would drag on until the war was over, or until no one cared anymore. No one was more concerned about their virtue than the schoolyard bully, and Styphon's House was the Great King of all bullies!

"This is a war against all the gods, by the foul brood of the false god Styphon. When we destroy the army of Styphon, we shall not only kill his evil spawn, but also save our lands from this vile plague that threatens all of the Six Kingdoms. Kill the False Styphoni!"

There was a chorus of "Down Styphon!" and the meeting began to break up. Kalvan motioned Prince Ptosphes over.

"Prince, I have a favor to ask."

Ptosphes' face looked drawn and his color was bad. Camping out in the night air after riding eight to ten hours, day after day, was taking its toll. "Anything you ask that is mine to give is yours, Your Majesty."

Kalvan prepared himself for an explosion. "I want you to return to Tarr-Hostigos. Wait, let me explain, before you speak! It's been over a day now and we still haven't heard back from Colonel Verkan or any of the other Mobile Force. We have too much territory to protect and not enough men to cover it all. I believe we can still beat the Styphoni, but it could be close, very close."

Ptosphes nodded tiredly, not even trying to interrupt.

Kalvan wasn't sure whether if that was a good, or bad, sign. "In case- and I'm only trying to prepare for the worst possible outcome-should we lose the upcoming battle I want someone back at Tarr-Hostigos that I can not only trust but depend on. Harmakros is still at the castle, but he's in no condition to act as the commander of our rearguard. And I need someone to keep an eye on the Princess."