John Carr - Siege of Tarr-Hostigos

Soton found himself fending off one attacker with his mace, while his armored horse reared and started walking backwards, trying to stay away from the stinging pikeheads.

Reluctantly, Soton gave the signal for retreat.

Sarmoth looked at him in surprise.

"We are taking too many casualties. Let us pull back and let the light cavalry and skirmishers harass this porcupine of Kalvan's. We have won the battle, now we must win the war."

Phidestros' victory joy turned to dust when he saw who was at the forefront of the party coming to meet him. Leading the delegation was Archpriest Roxthar, followed by Grand Master Soton, Captain-General Anaphon and Captain-General Mythross, commander of the Temple Guard. He dismissed all his aides but Kyblannos.

"Congratulations, Captain-General," Roxthar said, with a smile that would have looked more natural on a ravenous wolf. "You have done well for the One God."

Phidestros' attempt to look appropriately humble at Roxthar's words put a smile on Soton's face. "Yes, Your Holiness, we have struck a great blow for Styphon."

Roxthar nodded as if Kalvan's defeat had been preordained. "The victory is not complete as long as the Usurper still lives."

"Kalvan still lives? I heard he'd been gut-shot."

"We have no proof, only words as to whether or not the Daemon is alive. Until I see his corpse, I will believe he is alive."

"Have you seen the Daemon in the flesh, Your Holiness?"

"Of course not. But I will know him, Styphon be praised!"

"Your Holiness, there are as many rumors as truths on the battlefield. I agree that the only way to be certain Kalvan is dead is to find his body. This we will attempt to do." Phidestros left out the unspoken part of the sentence, that he would do his job best if unhampered by Archpriests, Mythross and other meddlers.

Roxthar looked at him sharply. "There are other important duties that lie ahead, such as our Holy Investigation. Hostigos overflows with every brand of heretic and infidel: all must be put to the Investigation."

Phidestros suppressed a burst of anger. Killing civilians was not the job he'd signed on for. "There are military matters that have to be undertaken first. Isn't that right, Grand Master?"

Soton nodded, but looked as if he would rather be taking his dinner with his Knights than attending to this foolishness.

"What matters are these?" Roxthar asked.

"For one," Mythross interjected, "we have to punish the western barbarians for their traitorous attack upon my Guardsmen. They must pay and pay mightily."

Phidestros stared Mythross down, forcing his gaze to the ground.

"We had already agreed that it was a mistake-"

"No, that was your conclusion, Phidestros, not mine. I want those godless swine punished!"

Phidestros gritted his teeth. "I believe the Holy Investigator will agree that it is more important to crush Kalvan than it is to punish mercenaries who have fought and died well for Styphon. As I told you before, Captain-General Mythross, I will order the Ros-Zarthani to remain in the rear to secure our supply trains. To do more would be most unwise."

"Captain-General Phidestros is following the path of Styphon," Roxthar pronounced. "You will continue to answer to him in all things military."

Mythross looked as if he'd just swallowed a crabapple, but he kept his mouth shut.

"Our duty here is clear," Roxthar continued. "Before all else, we must destroy the Daemon and his followers. To this end, I will send mounted troops of my Investigators, with Temple Guards, ahead of the Host. They will capture the Daemon's subjects before they can flee and detain them for the Investigation."

Now it was Phidestros' turn to choke. "But, but… Our first priority must be to pursue the Hostigi Army so they cannot reform and counterattack." The Hostigi had left behind a rearguard that was blocking the valley from both sides. He had sent out detachments to either flank, but it would take time before they would be able to climb the mountains on either side of the valley and force the Hostigi rearguard to abandon its position. Phidestros saw finding a way to advance the Grand Host out of this valley quickly, not harass civilians, as the first order of business.

"Destroying the Daemon's army is just part of our work," Roxthar proclaimed in a tone that brooked no argument. "The Grand Host shall have its turn. But first we must scour Hostigos of all traces of the Daemon and his corrupt teachings. Nothing else is as important to the Great God Styphon."

This is Hadron's own way to run an army, thought Phidestros. The only way he could ignore Roxthar's orders and live to tell about it would be to have his men behead Roxthar with the nearest sword and put his Investigators and Mythross' Temple Guardsmen to death. Of course, he'd have to go through Soton first, and-even if he won-well, there would go his Princedom…

"Your word is my command, Your Holiness."

Phidestros noticed that he wasn't the only soldier biting his tongue. Captain-General Anaphon was so green he looked about to spill his tripe.

"As for you, Captain-General Mythross, I order you to stop wasting heat on our allies that could be used to scorch our enemies. Round up horses for those of your men who are on foot and break them up into tens to escort my Investigators."

"Yes, Holy Investigator," Mythross replied, then left as though Kalvan's fireseed demons were scorching his hindquarters.

"Grand Captain-General, why is the rest of the Grand Host milling around here like sheep who've escaped their pens?"

"My captains are trying to reorganize the units that have become disorganized and scattered. The Hos-Ktemnos Captain-General not only managed to get himself killed for his poor generalship, but cost me a quarter of the Harphaxi Army in casualties and all the Ktemnoi cavalry!"

"How could this be? Are we not the victors?"

"Yes, but only just barely. When Marshal Zythannes' cavalry regrouped after running from Kalvan's men like curs, they discovered their commander was dead. The captains held an election and decided to return en masse to Hos-Ktemnos."

"The cowards!" Soton boomed, as though releasing all the pent up anger he had been carrying since arriving with Roxthar. "They ran from the battle like dogs and now they've put their tails between their legs and gone home! At least they didn't take the Sacred Squares with them."

Phidestros nodded in agreement; the Ktemnoi cavalry were nothing to brag about, but the Sacred Squares were the Host's best infantry. Nobody, except maybe his mistresses, would miss Zythannes.

"Styphon shall punish them in due time," Roxthar said, as though he had just received this word direct from the Palace of the Gods. "How long will it take to gain command over your army again?"

"About a half sun. There will be no moving them until the corpses are stripped and the seriously wounded given Galzar's Grace. Remember, Your Holiness, we are dealing with soldiers, not temple priests."

Roxthar's eyes grew hard. "Yes, but it is your duty to see they do Styphon's Will. Remember your place."

"The Grand Host has taken many casualties, Your Holiness: some eight to ten thousand Hos-Ktemnoi of the Sacred Squares are dead and dying from the Hostigi guns, twelve, maybe as many as fifteen, thousand of my own Harphaxi gone, and only Hadron knows how many dead mercenaries. Soton, how many of your Knights remain here on Ardros Field?"

"Too many! Two or three thousand casualties, maybe more. We have not had time for a full muster."

"Once our soldiers have stripped the dead, gathered their wits, filled their stomachs and slaked their thirst, they will be ready to drive Kalvan's army to the Great River, if need be."

"We shall drive the Daemon and his impious minions from this land," Roxthar pronounced, "water the land with their blood, strip the very flesh off their bones and feed the wolves with their leavings. We will chase the Daemon and his army to the very end of the world. They will die, all of them."