SWNOVELS Chapter 19: Yashkirran
The dwarfs of Kaushmanashtoon, the wallitarfs, riding on combat gatakanaties made up the vanguard of the army. They formed a long line and marched majestically northward. Not many jartraxies, the massive flying creatures with heads resembling earthly bulls, flew over the gatakanaties, while even higher, nimble airy creatures, the yadonagrishes constantly flickered like a swarm of insects, and blocked the light of the last sun of the planet, the light of the Silenta. The army moved along the path, and all around were red rocks cutting into the sand like blades, some looked like axes, others like swords, others too square and looked like huge hammers. Archers, magicians and swordsmen followed the gatakanaties, these were the arnadacres, the sand elves, and behind them, on the karkhashes, a cavalry moved along with Yashkirran, then the azdairiks, warriors with monolids eyes and fast light swords, they saddled creatures, ashklahars that looked like earth wolves, but the size of a giant karkhash, only of ash color with a long mouth and large fangs. The wild ashklahars hunted the gatakanaties, but, of course, only in large packs, since the gatakanaties are very huge and powerful animals. However, it was the ashklahars who could gnaw through the very hard skin of the gatakanaties, which, like a shell-shield, protected the creatures from any damage.
In the rearguard was a very large infantry, consisting of isterses. The azdairiks were few, as the main army moved north on the orders of the king, led by Melkath Seydikt, but fifty days had passed since then. During this time not a single messenger returned, sent by the king, and not a single bird sent with a letter has returned with an answer, just as no messenger came from Melkath.
Yashkirran sincerely hoped that Melkath was leading an active offensive, and that the messengers were simply be intercepted by the enemy, just as birds are shot down with arrows or magic.
Beside the king on a black and grey-striped karkhash rode Numesh Fenkenish, a swarthy isters with a long braided beard, large brown eyes, a narrow nose and thin long lips hidden in a thick mustache. But he was young.
The army approached the city of Alaidaksinish, which was located relatively close to the border with Farderland. Alaidaksinish was an ancient city of sand elves. It occupied an extended territory, many clay houses lined up like soldiers in ranks, interspersed with narrow roads. The entire city was surrounded by a stepped wall, along which lone archers moved. If Yashkirran’s army had attacked the city, nothing would have saved the citizens, and once upon a time, there were thousands of archers on these walls. However, many of the sand elves from the army are now returning to their hometown. Children with long protruding ears frolicked at the gate, playing a catch-up game.
Yashkirran ordered the dwarfs with fighting gatakanaties to set up camp at a distance, and he and his cavalry decided to stop near the walls.
“Your Majesty, we shouldn’t stay too long,” Numesh said. “Some arnadacres will want to be with their family, and this may disrupt their fighting mood, as happened last time.”
“Yes, I know,” Yashkirran agreed, ” but we all knew that the way north lay through our cities! And we shouldn’t be weak. Those who defect, Numesh, will have to be caught up and executed, and I order to put their heads on pikes!”
“It will be done, Your Majesty.”
A cloud of many yadonagrishes flew over the city, making a detour, covering the flaming star, and returned from the east side of the wall.
“How will I control them if they decided to attack the elves?” The king wondered, and dismounted.
“They got along, ″ Numesh said, showing how some wallitarf with a wagon, which was harnessed to a huge gatakanati, brought thousands of creatures to the yadonagrishes. Bilkruns resemble earthly gophers, only with a flatter head and differently set eyes. Yadonagrishes grabbed them, some spat acid on the dainty, others simply picked up the bilkruns when the wallitarf threw them into the air, and yadonagrishes swallowed bilkruns in flight along with the wool.
“Indeed,” the king agreed. “Wallitarfs have always had a weakness for poisonous predators.”
A servant ran up to the king and took his karkhash away. The camp was set up, the royal tent was erected, and a procession of citizens with offerings came out of the city. Sand elves were experts in baking and cooking, they were very fond of bread and sweets. Various rolls, tortillas, pies, cakes and pastries exuded their flavor throughout the camp. “Too bad there won’t be many meat dishes. Maybe I need to go to wallitarfs and take some bilkrun as well?” thought Yashkirran.
After eating several pieces of pie with merederry, a sweet sandy berry, which grows in a desert, the king dozed off.