Chapter 16.
“Vessel ahead, captain.” He knew not how long his men had been rowing, the young captain had phased out, for the first time in his life he was not spending his moments away from social interaction seething with a bitterness over his kinsmen. Each of them looked up the delta and lay eyes upon a number of fishing boats, scattered along the unending river’s banks. Many of them stopped their work and glared out upon the Athenians, much to Theleos’ pleasure. He knew the Egyptian tongue well, though was not perfectly proficient in speaking it.
“Dock your vessels! Invaders come from beyond the Pillars of Heracles, they will be quicker to murder you than to spare you!” Few of them paid heed, some of them stared with looks of fear, whilst others called back.
“What invaders do you speak of?”
“The invaders were a lie! Apep has said so himself!”
“Then why does he keep the Egyptian army behind the walls of Zau? Beach your vessels and flee, or sail with me to your capital!” As the Athenians made way between the lines of shipping boats the majority of them simply ignored him. A small number began to trail his movements out of suspicion and curiosity at Theleos’ words.
The capital of Egypt was a construction unlike anything built by man in stories Theleos had heard. Sais’ walls, which once glistened gloriously, now stood ruined. The material was similar to that which the Hellenes built their temples from, but each man who looked upon them knew it was different. Where the original foundations still stood the finished surfaces of stones were smooth and reflective, so too were a number of buildings within the walls that the king of Egypt claimed to be the work of his own people.
Sais rested at the convergence of the western central delta, its pale stone walls could be seen from hundreds of meters down and up river, though for all its magnificent splendour, the very sight of those once impeccable fortifications heralded little other than dread. Deep within the walls of the ancient city, amidst an enormous temple dedicated to Athena, the Egyptian’s cruel leader resided. The Hellenic-Egyptian treaty remained secure only through tradition, and belief that Athena had been the primary hand in the foundations of each of their nations.
As the first of the city’s white walls dawned upon Theleos’ vision he felt a new surge of terror rip through him. It was no longer worth informing the Egyptian king that a priest had died in Hellenic territory, the rumours Apep dismissed could no longer be ignored for they approached the Egyptian capital with each passing moment. How far away the captain suddenly felt from home and the safety of his warlord’s command.
The men continued rowing up river, suddenly noticing a great mass of chatter along with the clatter and commotion of a busy port town. The river delta rapidly swept out into a huge clearing of water leading up to a crudely constructed, yet enormous wooden dock. Upwards of a thousand Egyptian citizens charged back and forth across the woodwork, loading vessels and unloading them. Beyond the sturdy platforms a trampled soggy swamp lead to a wide stone pathway, that itself was paved to the wide entrance of the capital city. The rumours surrounding Apep had been no lie, the majority of people were soldiers, many stood at the walls of Sais, more patrolled the harbour ensuring workers kept to their schedules.
The dark skinned villagers paid no notice to Theleos nor his men upon approach to docking, as they paddled into the slipstream however a towering Egyptian guard caught sight of them and made haste to intercept their boarding.
“What business have you in Sais?” To Theleos’ shock he spoke Hellenic, though it was obvious he and his men were not native, to see a soldier speaking a different tongue impressed the captain.
“We come to give urgent word to the Egyptian king, a foreign navy invades the delta mouth as we speak.”
“You lie, the king of Egypt has given his word that these whispers are mere rumours.”
“We need an audience with Apep!”
“Do not speak his name!” The enormous dark skinned male stepped towards Theleos then suddenly froze. Out of sight, up river, masses of faint horns sounded aloud in the moist Egyptian air. The soldier flared his nostrils, staring at Theleos for a brief moment.
“The king of Egypt must be informed, they are coming, you need to clear your docks, they have destroyed the Athenian navy and they come for Egyptian blood!” Theleos became erratic gaining the attention of workers around him. They began to stare and whisper amongst themselves. The horns became ever louder, funnelling down the delta between the walls of trees like a wind pipe.
“What’s that sound?” The Egyptian guard stared intently at Theleos.
“It’s them.” He said and his ally began to breathe heavily, he shook his head with hesitance before looking back at the gate guards.
“Summon the king!” They turned immediately with obedience and Theleos quickly realised the man must have held some authority over this peers.
“I am Theleos, guard captain of the warlord of Rhoma.” The huge male nodded and stretched out a muscular arm.
“I am Nakhti, a prime of the king of Egypt.” Theleos nodded back at the male, clasping arms the Egyptian pulled Theleos from his landing boat and his crewmates followed. Nakhti’s rank was equal to that of the young captain’s.
“Our triremes were destroyed by rocks hurled into the sky by these people, by what means I don’t know. You should clear the dock, Nakhti.”
“I will act when my king gives word, come, should he seek an audience you may approach.” Another orchestra of horns bellowed along the delta causing all that stood to look out in fear.
“Clear the docks, Nakhti!” Sweat beads began to pebble the Egyptian’s forehead, he looked desperately at the calm Nile water. After a brief moment of hesitance he burst to life, as though his nerve had suddenly dissipated. He yelled out in his own tongue to his people.
“Clear the docks! Danger comes! Leave your possessions, into Zau, Go!” Without warning the labourers scattered, screaming and yelling, in the chaos Theleos followed the Egyptian prime towards a decaying city gateway. In their rush Nakhti made effort to shepherd his terrified citizens in between Sais’ ancient fortifications. The young captain was shocked at sight of what rested amidst the walls, lines upon lines of Egyptian warriors stood within the complex surrounding what was left of the statue of Athena. Five thousand at least, stood doing little other than absorbing livestock and resources, all for a king whose paranoia was about to be violently shaken.
Once more the invaders horns poured into the wind and the first of their boats came into sight, followed immediately by masses more. This close, Theleos could look upon their bizarre design, endless strands of some woven material was all that held the ships together. However they were built was far superior to his own people’s warships and landing boats.
“By Athena, what is this?” Nakhti spoke in his tongue though Theleos understood his words and the trouble in his voice. The invading vessels began massing in their tens, each crowded with enemy warriors. Strangely, they hesitated approaching the dock and beaching upon the land. “Prepare ranks!” The Egyptian prime’s command was ignored for an enormous uproar erupted inside Sais’ walls. His soldiers stood staring back into the vast causeway. Through the city gates and commotion Theleos glimpsed the dazzling crown of king Apep, he could hear furious insults amongst hails of joy as the crowd cast sight upon their ruler.
“Nakhti!” Theleos yelled to the dark skinned male. Hundreds of vessels now pooled into the enormous expanse of water surrounding the wooden docks, the boats began to approach the beaches and woodwork unchallenged for the disorder amidst Sais’ walls.
“Prepare ranks!” Nakhti repeated, sounding more panicked than ever. Less than fifty guards rallied to his call. Before they united to protect the city walls some great looming shadow suddenly darkened the sky from above. Theleos span about in confusion and fear for thoughts that the Egyptian army was about to suffer the same fate as his fleet. Looking up, a light as bright as the sun blinded his vision thrusting a searing heat all upon his skin. He yelled out in p
ain and leapt to his left taking cover behind the outer wall of Sais, falling awkwardly he grasped at his ears for a thundering bellow ruptured the quiet sky above the ancient Egyptian city. Louder than a hundred of his enemy’s horns of war, it rolled on showing no signs of fading.
Believing his time was finished, Theleos held tightly upon his ears and glared out towards the Nile delta. He breathed heavily with terror, watching a colossal flare of light stream out through the gates of Sais, out upon the hundreds of invading vessels, as it touched the docks the woodwork immediately combusted flaring up in smoke and fire. He struggled to see past the outbreak, watching the ray cast its way right out across the river. Any boat it touched exploded into flames and the invaders onboard jumped into the water screaming and crying out in pain. A great inferno burst forth engulfing the entirety of the murky river surface, the backlash of heat caused the perspiring captain to wince in pain and cower, huddling in a struggle to protect his face.
A great impact abruptly shook the earth and the light faded. A thick black smog engulfed the woodwork of the dock and the waters beyond. From within the walls there were horrific wails of dread and confusion. Theleos watched guards recover from their concussion and stand back in the entrance of their capital to stare with gaping mouths into the courtyard, though the captain himself dared not get up. I pray it’s you, Hephaestus.