Chapter 11: Assault on Mt. Sumeru

By horse, they galloped for several days on end. They moved trough the West, past the ruins of the Western Gate and along the venerable pathway that no human had ever trod. It had been a bygone era since the first human armies ever set foot into the ancient realm that belonged to the Descendants. Ever since the Tribes united and poured their collective strength into the Old War, the humans had remained on the disadvantage, holding the line at the Western Fort. Today, the scales had shifted, although in a way no one could have expected. Now, the glimmering Ziggurat was already visible in the distance to the naked eye. The thousand Knights no longer galloped; they rode slowly, their horses at a trot, patiently awaiting the orders of the four leaders that walked in front of them. They were in turn flanked by the purple titan Dauf and the two Ghosts Clare and Raphaela.

Supported by the hopes of a nation, they marched for Mt. Sumeru.

The land of the Dragons did not resemble the human world. It was almost surreal, with a pale sun that shone weakly upon the grassy plains that stretched out as far as the eye could see. At least, during this time of year; according to Dumuzi, it snowed often, and the entire land would be covered in white flakes of ice. But for now, there was nothing to the expanse except grass, dust, and a long river that stretched out for miles. But as if in mockery of this barely fertile realm, the mountain of Sumeru and the Tribe cities that lay around it loomed hundreds of thousands of feet high, a sky-piercing titan that seemed indomitable, impenetrable… divine.

In her Awakened form, Riful pointed ahead. "I see it already. That glimmering spire that shines like a beacon: it must be the Capital you are referring to, is it not?"

"Indeed," said Dumuzi. "We are almost there." He turned to look at Miria. "Forgive me, tigress," he murmured. "All this sweat and blood has been because of me and my former compatriot. Is there – "

"Uphold your end of the bargain, and there shall be no grudges borne," she replied quietly. Dumuzi stopped, slightly taken aback.

"She's like this," said Galk, his warhorse leisurely following his guidance. "It means she trusts you and she'd be brokenhearted if you turned on her."

"No one asked you," came Miria's impassive voice.

Dumuzi gave a small smile. "Let me promise you, this alliance is but prelude to the age of charity that I envision for this entire world."

"What of the many cities that lie at the base of the mountain?" muttered Raphaela. "To punch through so many areas would be most difficult, considering the population of these cites as well as the soldiers who surely guard them."

"And we do not know who amongst the Dragons are traitors against your Family, Crown Prince," said Galk. "How are we to – "

"My God," gasped one of the Knights behind him, unable to restrain himself. "Are we in Heaven?" The warriors around him also sighed in awe, as if they had come home at last. Annoyed, Galk turned to see the reason for being interrupted. And then, he understood why.

Their destination was still kilometres away, but it was now truly visible, through all the mist and fog. And by the Ancestors, it was a staggering sight.

Although they already had neared the first perimeter of the Dragon cities, which were arranged in a circular pattern that surrounded the mountain, the Ziggurat itself seemed to grow larger by the second. It was clear that their destination far outsized the collective cities that lay at the foot of the mountain. Forty-thousand feet high and fifty-thousand feet wide, the Royal Palace stood firmly upon a peak that stretched up to the sky, at least four-hundred thousand feet upwards. Built in receding tiers upon a square platform, the facings of the structure were glazed in different colors: ruby, sapphire, emerald, and gold, representing the four elements of ancient Dragon religion. The number of tiers amounted to exactly seven, and the summit no doubt held the Royal Throneroom. Made from bricks of marble, stone, lapis lazuli and other powerful minerals that might have come from Sumeru itself, the Ziggurat was a decadent masterpiece, an aesthetic orgy, a religious contradiction made in homage to the Ancestors. Glimmering sensuously, it exerted a primeval resplendence, an ancient sophistication that was at the same time wildly animalistic but psychically multifaceted.

Just like you, Miria thought, looking at Dumuzi.

"We are here," breathed Clare, her body physically staggering at the magnitude of the Palace above the mountain. She looked at the humans, who simply stared, transfixed at the monument, unable to tear their eyes away from the temple-like aura of the living building.

"The gleaming pyramid-tower on the peak… that must be the Palace above Sumeru…"

"Yes," said Dumuzi reverently. "That is the Ziggurat, built upon the sacred mountain peak on which the beloved Ancestors once walked the earth. Welcome to my home."

Raphaela also stared in awe, and Dauf whistled. "We should make a new cave in that mountain," he quipped. "It sure beats ours at home."

"… too big," pouted Riful, her face jealous.

"I… I don't believe it," whispered one of the Knights. "I've never seen such a magnificent structure…"

"Even the cities; they look like they actually lead up to the winding path around the mountain…"

Galk held up a hand, silencing the stunned voices of his troops. But even he could not resist the hypnotic, almost sacred atmosphere of the Capital. "I never thought I'd look upon the land of humanity's ancient foe in my lifetime," he murmured, as he stroked his horse's mane. "It… exceeds even the wildest fantasy I could have entertained."

Cid was less eloquent. "Holy shit."

Despite the awe of having witnessed the dwelling of the Royal Family, there was only so much time to admire the sheer magnificence of the Descendants' homeland. "Our objective is the upper-most tower," said Miria quietly, "And I assume your enemies are within the chambers up in the Palace."

"You are correct. We must ascend up the peak, and enter the Ziggurat. The Throneroom is where my father slumbers. We must reach that chamber before Pazuzu's viziers," said Dumuzi. "Access to the Palace's uppermost chambers are provided by a spiral ramp from the base to the summit. It is the same for the mountain itself – the Palace is a Dragon-constructed reflection of Sumeru. Brave humans, if you can manage to avoid the guards and charge directly up the mountain, you should have no problem other than the long time it will take to arrive at the top. I will personally fly straight up and avoid my people. I do not wish to fight a needless battle. Miria – I need you, and I can take two more with me."

"Clare, Raphaela," said Miria. "Do you mind?"

They quietly complied, allowing Dumuzi to enfold them and the former Number Six in his thick, black arms. "I will meet with you all at the top," said Dumuzi to Riful and Galk. "Be wary. My people do not understand what we have done. They will attack you on sight. For now at least, please, harm them only if absolutely necessary. If possible, ignore them and charge up the mountain."

"Then I'll advance up the spiral pathway until I reach the uppermost gates," said Galk. "Knights! Ready your horses!"

"I shall come with you, human," said Riful sweetly. "You may have strong Knights, but there's a reason why your girlfriends needed us too."

"We won't eat your guts – not yet," snapped Dauf, as the human soldiers faltered at her words.

Cid's eyes narrowed. He drew his rapier. "Come on," he snapped. "We don't have time for this. Let's rush the pyramid!" He spurred his horse on, and it sped into a gallop. "Let's get this over and done with and go home!" he cried.

His words galvanized the hesitant Knights. The thousand-strong military spurred their horses and followed Cid, their battlecry no longer a meek squeal but a mighty holler. They aimed their lances and trampled over the ancient path to the cities. The towers of the surrounding cities glimmered as if in response, and lurching forms were already raising their heads. At least twenty feet tall, they resembled giant simian apes, and their armour bespoke their intentions: they were the sentries of the Dragon cities as well as the guardians of the outer perimeter of Mt. Sumeru.

"Well, we'll just have to break that perimeter, won't we?" growled Galk. The human Army roared louder, thundering through the plains, charging towards the base of the mountain. "Penetrate past those reptilian scumbags, and take the bottom!" he bellowed, drawing his longsword. "Do not let them scatter us! Offensive formation!"

"Dauf," said Riful tersely. We'll deal with the Descendants. Carve out a path for the humans."

"Yes, dear," complied Dauf. They followed the Knights, surging directly towards the charging Dragons.

As Galk's company rumbled towards the cities, Dumuzi spread his wings. "I never thought I would attack my own home," he murmured. "But in the name of eradicating the plague within my Tribes, and in the name of restoring peace, I will gladly attack my own Palace."

And with the three women in his arms, he soared upwards, towards the chambers of the Royal Family.

Towards destiny…

*

I have never believed in the monarchy.

For decades I have strived to show the Imperial Court the foolishness of their ways. How their old, outdated practices will lead to the triumph of the humans and our destruction.

Dumuzi once understood me. He once believed in me. But his father… that bastard of an Emperor. So typical, that he would cling to the old ways. There is no end to this chaos that engulfs the land. No end… unless a new form of government is established.

One in which Emperors are no longer needed.

One in which a monarchy is irrelevant.
A new system; a systemless system. One that truly brings forth the glory of the Dragon Tribes. A system of true equality in which violence is justified to assure its birth…

But they will not listen. Then I have no choice. I will bring about a burning flame to consume the old world… and its relics… like you, Dumuzi. Like you, Your Imperial Highness. I will kill the two of you, rest assured.

Do I wish to lose to those cowards? To those old fossils in the Throneroom?

Time to win for once, fool. Time to take revenge.

It's time, Pazuzu. Time to…

Wake up!

My eye shoots open. My chest heaves, my cracked ribs twisting in pain. I gasp for air, reaching up to my mouth. It's smashed to a pulp. But of course. I was knocked senseless. By one of those Imperial pawns. Everything comes flooding back so quickly, it almost overwhelms me.

But no matter. I killed Dumuzi's beloved sister. And now it's his turn.

I'm alive. As long as I'm alive, the revolution will not die.

I smirk, cracking the sore bones in my bleeding neck.

What am I waiting for?

I have a coup d'état to carry out.

*

The cities of the Dragons were massive, dwarfing the Army that charged them – but that was not Galk's concern. The twenty-foot tall, insectoid sentries at the base of the mountain were far more worrying. They lunged at the human force, their monstrous pincers raised. "Halt!" they clicked. "In the name of the Emperor!"

"Tch! They're massive," growled Galk. "At this rate, even our lances couldn't hurt them." He shook his head. "I'll show you humanity has more than just sharp metal at its disposal. Guardians, release!" he cried, as ten hard lances from behind buried themselves in the sentries' faces. "Forward!" roared the Grand General, as the Knights in front sped into a full assault, aiming directly for the mountain path.

His troops thundered past several Dragon reinforcements, who struggled to hold back the combined onslaught of Riful and Dauf. Riful's ribbons cut a guard's halberd into smooth chunks, and Dauf's fist was more than happy to kiss the open face of another Tribe member. "Hurry!" snapped Riful, as more Dragons emerged from the walled Tribe towns. "You've got a long way to go."

The base of the mountain was a home for small Dragon hatchlings, about the size of a large carriage. The chirping infants looked curiously at the Knights as they galloped past and onto the winding hillside that hugged the colossal mountain. It was a massive stone passageway; easily accomodating a hundred soldiers to charge in a line. The thousand that Galk had brought would find no problem escaping from the first line of Dragon defence. Cid led the furious charge up the serpentine pathway, ignoring the hatchlings who squawked happily at them. The Knights encouraged their steeds to gallop at their fastest, up and around the sacred mountain. Heavy metal thunder trammelled the hard ground as a full regiment of Dragons began to make their way towards Riful and Dauf, who had been surrounded by the guards below. "Charge! Don't stop for anything!" cried Galk.

Riful calmly sliced off a Dragon's hand as she turned to Dauf. "Looks like we've given the humans the head-start they needed. We should make our way up now, too."

Dauf punched back a sentry, hurling him into a throng of his comrades. "Okay!"

And with that, Riful's mass of raven ribbons whisked her and Dauf up the mountain, past the first hurdle of the wide passage. "You might want to keep at that pace," she called out to Galk, pointing down at the amassing Dragon soldiers who, as she spoke, were already preparing to rush the mountain passage. She suddenly looked up, her eyes widening. "Aw, no way."

Galk's warhorse whinnied in fear as the sky darkened. Above Mt. Sumeru, airborne creatures were circling, their roars dimming even the deafening hooves of the Army warhorses. They had joined in the pursuit. "Shit," gritted Galk. "We've still got such a long way to go. Is this what the former Grand General had to put up with?"

"Eh?" cried Cid, drawing his rapier and spurring his horse ahead.

"Goddamned overwhelming odds," snarled Galk. "I knew attacking the centre of the Dragon Tribes with one thousand men was a crazy idea. But never mind that now. We've got to reach the top. We must make it to the Ziggurat! Trust Miria. Hang in there, men! Show them the marvels humanity is capable of! Forward!"

And with that, the Army pressed on, witnesses to the advent of a new world.