101. An Unconventional Civil War

Mo Fei's words finally made Kane realize the weakness in his own army. Until now they had only fought small skirmishes, and the death cavalry had displayed their full offensive power. But in a campaign involving such an enormous mass of troops, sending out seventy or eighty thousand heavily armored death riders would wear them down to the point of collapse.

Not far from the city, the Bear host stood densely packed, an endless sea of warriors. From the foot of the walls to the far side, their line disappeared into the horizon. Our small contingent, if thrown in, would not even ripple their ranks. The Bear host was probably close to eight hundred thousand—no wonder they had spent almost a year gathering.

“Do not worry. The Bears too need a worthy foe, or their decline will come sooner or later,” Mo Fei said. Kane had no such sympathy in him. “Grand Elder, do you think your Bullheaded Tribe can defeat that Bear host?”

The Bullheaded elders beside Mo Fei had not spoken since they first saw the army. They knew that restoring their old glory was unlikely. At once their faces sank; not one of them could summon any fighting spirit.
“We seem destined to return to the mountains,” the Grand Elder said blankly.

“That need not be,” Mo Fei replied. “Yet keeping your lands there is still crucial. Unless you are willing to abandon this blood feud, no one can help you.”

“We can set it aside, but will they spare us?”

“They likely fear you deep in their hearts, for all they seized through raids were things that had once been yours. So of their own instinct they keep the Bullheaded Tribe under pressure. It may not always be like this. When it changes, try to untie this knot between your peoples. I hope you and yours can lay it down. Otherwise you will live your lives in this turmoil, and that is no blessing.”

Even before his own affairs were settled, Mo Fei thought to reconcile two ancient enemies of the continent. What was he thinking? Was it possible this bear army camped beneath the city would so easily let Storm City stand?

The Bears did not challenge. Storm City had not opened its gates either. Days passed with no movement on either side.

“What is all this, Master? We cannot go out, they do not storm the city—what are we doing?” Kane paced the hall, irritated and restless.

“Calm yourself,” Mo Fei said.

“Can I calm?” Kane muttered. “At least Elder Ofu built the city so high; otherwise they might have driven us all to jump into the sea and swim back.”

“After a few more days they will leave,” Mo Fei said calmly.

“They’ll leave?” Kane gasped, and all in the hall stared at Mo Fei.

“Everyone staring at me as if I were a handsome stranger? Is that how it is?”

At this rare bit of levity, Mo Fei laughed. “Go home and sleep well. They will not besiege the city. An assault that destroys eight hundred of their own for every thousand ours is not a trade the sub-chieftain would choose. And how many men could they even bring to such a siege? His posture now is for open battle. His strength is in clan-form charges against clan formations. He is not so stupid as to fight for our land.”

“But why place that host beneath us instead of waiting until we march out?” Kane asked.

“If you already say he is performing for someone, then of course he must ring us in so we cannot leave. If we come out, we fight at once. What sort of head do you have?”

“Then you are saying they do this for display, not to attack us?”

“Do you agree?”

“This time they brought no siege machines and only disciplined infantry shield walls—proper for field battle, not for a siege. Yet they still keep us from stepping outside,” Kane went on, deep in thought.

“Stop overthinking. He is performing for those elders to see. Wait a while and those elders, seeing nothing happen, will surely come out from their den to watch. Then the sub-chieftain will behead them and withdraw. Afterward he will send men to negotiate.”

“Is it that simple?”

“How hard do you think this is?”

“Why would he openly execute those elders? He would not fear—”

“Those elders, when they hid away, had what excuse? This high city itself is a perfect pretext.”

“That too is an excuse?”

“Think on it: what cost would be needed to take this city?”
“Even if they could pay it, they might not still break in.”

“Exactly.” Mo Fei smiled. “A city that cannot be taken even at such cost—those elders will understand that? No. So they will force the young sub-chieftain to attempt a siege. Then with any flimsy pretext about squandering clan lives, he can kill them. In war, excuses like that are easy to find. Unless those old men stay away. If they come, they will die. If it were you, with your place taken from you in advance, would you enjoy it?”

“I see. Then I’ll send the brothers to rest; these past days have knotted their brows enough.”

“No. It is a small favor, but we still must render it. And for us it is not bad either. You cannot let them truly rest. Get their spirits up and fill the battlements.”

“Oh…”

“Do not stand about with dead air and weak breath. And mind this: what I say may not happen exactly as I say. If something unexpected comes, there will be enough work for us.”

“There is still the unexpected?”

“Who do you think I am? This is only my analysis from what I know. It is not certain.”

A sickening clang sounded. Foam gathered at his mouth and he collapsed to the floor.

……

Sure enough, after only ten days the Bear host withdrew slowly. They did not go far. They relocated to the nearest city to Storm City and set up camp there, keeping constant pressure on it.

“Master, they have gone.” Kane hurried in.

“Not far, I think.”

“You could tell?” Kane asked.

“Would you disband an army hard-won over that much time in a moment if you were in my place?”

“No. This bear force is no like the ones we have previously dealt with; they are disciplined and orderly. It would be a waste to send them off now.”

“But with that many troops gathered together, even the issue of where to quarter them is difficult.”

“Then you mean they may come again?” Kane grew tense.

“They may. But first it will not be this host. At most, if talks fail, this one returns then.”

“Ah, that’s it—what are they going to talk about?”

“Who can know? Perhaps they want us to leave this continent,” Mo Fei said, smiling at Kane’s expression.

“Will you truly leave?”

Mo Fei answered with a smile, but all knew he was serious. “I am not leaving.”

“Of course. If you do not leave, I will not either. At worst we can keep the gates shut and pass our days inside.”

“Send the guards' brothers to rest, but leave the watch posts covered. At any moment, carelessness could cost us dearly.”

“I understand. The men of the Death Empire know this. They will not be careless.”

“And tonight call in all our berserker infantry. We are all cavalry here—without mounts, are we truly horsemen?”

“So, you are readying for open battle?”

“Are you calling me an idiot?” Mo Fei teased, laughing as he swore. “They will send delegates soon enough. Show them our force. Let them see we are not to be toyed with. If we can make their knees weaken, even better.”

“I understand.” He turned and bolted out.

For more than ten days, Aileen and Vivian had been very compliant, following silently behind Mo Fei without once interrupting him.

“We’ve neglected you these days; do not hold it against me,” he said.

“We won’t, Brother,” Aileen said. “You are in the middle of important work. Mother said one must not get in Brother’s way.”

“Do you have anything else now?” Vivian asked.

“Are we not fighting this time?” Aileen had watched him run about all these days. If he was not going to fight, why all this activity?

“Be prepared and you can fight or not; if you are unprepared, even if you wish not to, they will force you to fight. Do you understand?”

“I understand, Brother.” Aileen folded an arm around him. She had never leaned against him so loosely in all these days.

“After this business is done, I’ll take you both to look over this continent properly one night, and then we return. Will that do?” He wrapped his arms around the two women and said it softly.

“Good!” both Vivian and Aileen nestled into him with obvious relief. “We only worry that no one knows how long we will have to stay busy.”

Mo Fei gave a rueful smile. In truth, he did not know how long he would be needed. The Bear threat had only faded for the moment, but they still kept the pressure on Storm City. Who had come for them, and for what negotiations, was still unknown. If Mo Fei were to leave this continent, a great war would inevitably erupt. For no reason beyond maintaining a check on the Bears here, he would not leave this continent.