CHAPTER 7

The forces of Thebes were there within minutes of the alert being announced. They stood now lined up, spear men at the front, archers behind them, and chariots waiting on the side flanks. The Deity's men were still out on the plains, no more were arriving, but they seemed to be waiting for something. All the rebel forces seemed to be there, if Brokus had been right in saying there was six thousand was to be true. But there seemed, to Taita at least, to be MORE than that. He now stood, in his chariot, which was the inner most on the left flank. He was proud to be stood here, Jian by his side, as on his other side stood the Blues.

The Blues were the noblest and most elite of the Pharaoh's troops, and many had high rankings. A few had even been awarded the rank of "Best of a Thousand men". Their General Hafer, descended of the noble lord Kratas, was stood in the middle, eyeing the forthcoming battle with pleasure. The Blues were renowned for their brave acts in battle, and Taita had heard many stories of their singing in battle.

But now they were not singing. Their eyes, as one, had snapped up and were now watching the plain. The Deity's troops were on the march.
Taita prepared his chariot, checking that Jian had all his weapons, when a voice, a terrible yet familiar voice rose across the plain.

"Who dares challenge the ascendancy of the Deity?" The speaker was robed in black but now, with him being half way across the plain on his chariot, he was easier to distinguish. Taita led out an odd yell and shouted to the troops nearest him.

"Its Brokus!" The other troops started muttering at this. Brokus? How could it be Brokus? Brokus who had led them through victories over former rebels, Brokus who had defended Memphis against the northern invasion, Brokus who had led the armies of Egypt with their Babylonian allies to crush the Ethiopian uprising? No one quite understood. Taita's eyes roved onto the figure holding the chariots reigns, and saw with another jolt of recognition the sturdy figure of Brutus.

The rebel chariots, of which there were about one hundred, started tearing across the field, an enormous stretch of destructive force. The chariots of the Pharaoh, of which there was just fifty, started to cross the plains to meet them. These stayed tightly in two bunches, the two flanks they had started in.

Taita's flank swept quickly towards those chariots on the left-hand side of the plain, which were now forming together to bunch against the attacks. Jian notched and arrow to a bow, and loosed it quickly. It landed with a sickening sound as it buried deep into a charioteer's neck. His chariot swerved wildly to the right, taking out two more of his own chariots before topping onto its side. Taita looked up to see an arrow coming towards him, and somehow he knew, he knew it was far too late. He tried to duck but suddenly, miraculously, the arrow zipped just past the outer side of his head. Taita had no chance to marvel on this as the chariot wobbled precariously as they narrowly avoided a Deity chariot, who's charioteer, thanks to Jian, soon crumpled to the floor, his head rolling off the back of the chariot with a dull thud.

Taita looked around as he swung the chariot around the outside of the carnage of the chariot war that was currently taking place. From both sides now warriors were marching forwards, Pharaoh's troops led by the Blues, who were singing uproariously. Taita chanced a glance across the plain at the other chariot battle, and breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Pharaoh and Meren in their chariot, still alive and well.

The battle was swinging in Deity's favour. Sheer weight of chariot numbers had brought Pharaoh's chariots down to just twenty left, while Deity still had about fifty. The archers were now in range to fire at the chariots, but there were too many Pharaoh chariots to risk firing. Hafer of the Blues made an immediate decision.

"CHARIOTS WITHDRAW!" He yelled at the top of his lungs to the chariots. The Pharaoh's chariots swerved and exited smoothly from the side of the battle, The Deity's chariots were caught in the open, still trying to disentangle themselves from the mess of ruined chariots and dead bodies. Those few who were still in the open were cut down by wave after wave of arrows from Thebes' finest archers.

Taita looked up suddenly. A dark cloud had formed suddenly over the plains, and the first rains of the season started to crash down. But not on the Thebes soldiers. They stood now watching, as a storm broke on the far side of the plain. The sand under the feet of the enemy became wet and sticky, some areas rapidly turning into the deadly quicksand. A streak of lightening to the North caught Taita's eye, and along with the rest of the warriors, he looked up to the rock, which was now illuminated in many streaks of lightening.

On top of the rock stood a solitary figure, his arms raised high above his head, his voice echoing powerfully around the plains, as on the battlefield the Deity's troops were turning to the desert.

The armies stood with their eyes riveted, but Jian turned from the figure, knowing whom it was. He had realised one thing the others had not. He drew his bow, and let loose two quick shots. The arrows arched high in the air, their deadly shafts piercing through the storm. They looked like they would fall short of the mark, but a quick updraft of wind, (that everyone knew was not a natural gust), carried them to their marks. The chariot of the Deity and his son, pretenders to a false throne, Brokus and Brutus came to a halt slowly. Brokus rolled onto his back, his eyes closed in the darkness of death, his face a mask of pain. Brutus bent to his knees, his eyes fearful, his expression shocked and desperate, as Taita, son of the Pharaoh stood over him with a sword. Brutus bowed his head, and Taita put him out of his agony.

The armies of Thebes rejoiced and cheered their victory, as Taita, Jian, Meren and Pharaoh Nefer Seti of the house of Tamose stood in front. But they were not facing their armies. They were turned, their backs to the wind as the storm started to abate. They looked at the figure on the mountain. The ancient man of the desert. The legendary Magus. The Warlock. Taita had returned.

THE END

Thanks for reading! This was where I ended it for my coursework, but I may well write a sequel sometime in the future. Thanks again.