The Fireseed Wars

At long last Styphon's Voice appeared, followed by a trail of black and yellow-robed Highpriests and the sparkling silver-plated armor of his new bodyguard. He had mixed feelings about Anaxthenes' Sephrax Guard; privately, he thought there were already too many Styphon's House guard units, most of whom owed very little loyalty to Styphon, and far too much to their paymasters. On the other hand, he could see that Anaxthenes needed a counter to Roxthar's alliance with Styphon's Own Guard. Moreover, he was pleased that Anaxthenes was no longer asking him to use the Order of Zarthani Knights as his own personal bodyguard.

In Archpriest Grythos the Guard had a talented, if flawed commander. Grythos had left the Order as Knight Commander when he realized that he wanted wealth more than military success. He was also atrocity-prone; very few prisoners ever survived their capture under his command. This had brought him no end of trouble with the big slaving houses, many of which were aligned with various interests in Balph. Soton had been relieved when Grythos had left the Order.

However, despite his initial reservations, Soton was heartened when Grythos became a member of the Inner Circle of Styphon's House. It was a big help, during these martial times, to finally have another Archpriest in the Inner Circle with military training and experience.

"It is good to see you looking well, Grand Master," Styphon's Voice said, as he took the center seat beside him.

"You, likewise, Your Divinity."

Anaxthenes nodded, looking down at the spectacle, with nearly half of the Temple Guardsmen now down on the ground, leaking blood and entrails. The rest were looking around in dismay, as if they had been double-crossed.

"The Hostigi swordsmen are doing well," Anaxthenes said. "They were hand-picked from over a thousand prisoners. I notice that the audience is enjoying the Temple Guardsmen's discomfort."

Of course! A spectacle as a means of political instruction. Now, everyone who's seen Temple Guardsmen pouring their guts out over the sand will no longer see them as the invincible Red Hand of Styphon. Very clever, this one!

Suddenly a handful of fully-armored halberdiers in Ktemnoi colors rushed onto the arena floor and quickly attacked the remaining Temple Guardsmen. The crowd shook the arena walls with their shouts and foot-stomping. Within moments, all the Guardsmen were dead and the surviving Hostigi were escorted out of the Arena by the halberdiers.

"Are the swordsmen prisoners, or are they mercenaries?"

"They are Hostigi soldiers that fled the battlefield and the Investigation. They were captured in Syriphlon and brought here for our entertainment. They fight well, don't they?"

"What is their reward?"

"Aren't the deaths of a score of Temple Guardsmen reward enough?" The smile on Anaxthenes' face said that it was enough for him.

"No one ever said that Styphon's Own Guard had any brains."

"That is the truth. They fought for a cask of wine and an easy victory. Of course, they hadn't expected to face real soldiers, just one of the usual bands of undernourished prisoners condemned to death in the arena. Now, the Guardsmen can throw bones in Hadron's Hall, unless Hadron chooses to toss their worthless carcasses into Regwarn."

"I don't mean to be rude, Your Divinity, but I have much to do before I return to Hos-Hostigos, and I'm curious-Why did you invite me to attend this spectacle?"

"Because I have a change of plans for you, and I didn't want it known throughout Balph before evening vespers."

Soton wished he would get to the point. Most of these temple rats believed in using a hundred words where ten would do.

Anaxthenes leaned over. "I want you to prepare an expedition to Hos-Harphax."

"Hos-Harphax! But, why? Isn't Great King Lysandros our ally in the war against the Usurper Kalvan?"

"Yes, but you're not going to Hos-Harphax to fight; it's the stepping stone for the war against Hos-Agrys. You will organize your army and prepare for the invasion of Agrys City. It does Styphon's House no good to have its allies' houses pillaged while they are off fighting the Temples' battles, as King Demistophon has done in Thaphigos."

Soton nodded, that at least made sense. But why me?

"Does Roxthar know of this?"

"Does the sparrow that flies under the temple eaves know-of course, not. He would argue and fulminate and make all kinds of threats he no longer has the ability to carry out. That is why I waited until he left before telling you."

"So, who will lead the Grand Host against the Usurper?"

"Great King Lysandros will lead the host supported by Prince Anaxon and Captain-General Phidestros, who will act as his under-captains. To lead the forces of Styphon's House, I've dispatched orders to Knight Commander Aristocles elevating him to Grand Commander of Order of Zarthani Knights and Styphon's Own Guard. These commanders own enough experience and battle savvy to pin the Daemon's defeated army to the ground and grind it into the earth."