Title: "Battle for the Hindu Kush"

Author: Baliansword

Rating: T for Teen

Chapter: 1 of 9, "Speaking of Glory"

Pairings: Alexander / Hephaestion

Summary: Following the movie, what happens during and after the infamous battle for the Hindu Kush, with extra history hopefully thrown in. It shall present four different views, or angles, of this battle. It will end with Alexander's decision to return home.

Warnings: Mild language, sexual content, and violent battle scenes.

A/N: Welcome back everyone. Here I go again! I said that I would write something that was longer. This, hopefully, shall suffice.

Dedication: HavenRain, who is a fan.

H/N: This takes place during the battle for the Hindu Kush. If you are following the movie, it is the battle with the elephants.

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Alexander's View of the Battle (but not a PoV)

Bucephalus was uneasy beneath him as he looked at the men. They were ready, as ready as they had ever been. They would conquer this region as they had any other. The loud noises from the thick of the trees could not scare them. Alexander glanced to his left, and saw Hephaestion, who was wearing the new armor he'd sent for him. Hephaestion was holding tightly to the reins of his steed, glancing around at the men nearest him, shouting something out to them. Within moments, the elephants burst through the trees, and Alexander knew that glory this time would be harder to achieve. Men broke, and the horses refused to move. Even Bucephalus was unsure of the surroundings and of the large creatures that were thundering toward them.

Alexander turned his horse once more and shouted to his men. They must move forward. He watched as Hephaestion jerked his head in his direction. He was struggling with his horse, pulling and kicking hardly. Cassander had managed to get his horse closer to the other commanders and he kicked his steed as well. The horses did not feel like moving. Neither did the men.

"Move," Cassander screamed. It was the only thing that Alexander could hear over thundering hooves and cries of men and elephants alike. Alexander turned back. Things were falling apart, and he could not allow this to happen.

"Bucephalus," he whispered to the horse, which stilled at the voice of his king. Alexander petted his thick neck as his eyes scanned the area. "One more Bucephalus, one last battle before the end. There is nothing to fear. There are no shadows, for they fear you now. You are as great as I."

"Alexander," Hephaestion screamed as he fought with his own horse. Alexander either did not hear him, or did not listen. Instead, he continued to pet his own steed. Around him, the world fell away. He chose not to hear the screams of men that were being crushed beneath feet larger than their chests.

"One more, Bucephalus. We must show them, Hephaestion, show them that glory is ours. Come, my friend, show them what we are made of."

Bucephalus took a step forward. The stallion was clearly unsure. The screams around him were nothing new, but there were new scents in the air. He could smell these new beasts from the east. They were large, loud, and the stallion knew that they had the ability to injure him should he get to close. His large brown eyes scanned before him, able to see in only black and white, and still the stallion could see the blood streaming from those that had been foolish. He watched as suddenly men began to run toward him, and his faithful master. It was then that the horse began to side step, knowing what was going on, for he'd seen his share of battles before.

Alexander drew his sword as Bucephalus began to move. He did not move much at first. Instead, he merely took a few steps. Alexander shoved his sword into a man closest to them, and Bucephalus leapt forward. It was clear that the stallion was frightened; however, he would not let Alexander down. He had never done so before and was not likely to start so now.

"Alexander," Hephaestion cried out again as Alexander and Bucephalus began to charge across the open field. Still his own horse would not cooperate with him. His fears seemed to be coming true before his eyes, and there was nothing he could do. He felt helpless, and never before had he felt this worried, for never before had they been faced with this challenging of a battle. He called out for Alexander again, then, began to pray to the gods.

Some say that there was none that could interpret what Alexander was thinking at that moment. So the legends of him say, those that wrote of this battle later. Alexander did not read many of these tales. However, he knew what he was doing. As Bucephalus ran across the open field, and over those that he must, Alexander gripped a sword tighter in his hand. There was nothing mad about this. In fact, it was instead his brilliance that led him this far. As soon as Bucephalus tore across the open field, the men began to look up.

They did not then surge forward because of their brave king. In fact, it was not Alexander that they responded to. Any man could have broken through and charged this field, and they would have followed. It was not a king they followed but rather a faith and a hope that was unwavering. They surged forward upon seeing this because there was one man that dared to defy the odds. One man alone would make him a hero. However, if they all defied such odds, they all would bask in glory and splendor. No, it was not Alexander their followed, but instead a whim. They could not leave one another behind, for, in doing such they were all cowards.

Alexander was fearless in this moment, for there was nothing left to fear. Fear held a man back. Alexander made the choice to leave what held him back behind him. Bucephalus surged forward, dodging those that he must. He even knocked a few men down. It was hardest for the stallion to lunge past the elephants. The smell of them was enough to throw him. The horse went on though, for glory was known even to him.

As Alexander rode forward, Hephaestion struggled once more with his horse. There were others that struggled as well. However, the men began to surge forward with their king. Not only did this take the men of the Hindu Kush by surprise, but it captivated them. There were even those that forgot to move on they were so amused. These men from the west were going to fight them, even though they should have retreated and hoped they could run fast enough away. Slowly, the Macedonians and the rest of Alexander's imperial army began to gain ground in the back. Still, Alexander was far ahead of them. He did not fear death. In fact, he almost welcomed it, for if he had all of the world after this what would be left?

Finally, the true fight came. Bucephalus reared up and a single spear was throne. Still, even as it came, Alexander was not worried. Yet suddenly, he became very aware of where he was. He could hear the screams of the men around him. Then, Bucephalus let out a shriek as the spear pierced his chest. This very spear sunk deep into Alexander's chest as well, but he did not cry out. Instead, he fell to the ground. Even as he fell though, the battle continued around him. His mind, on the other hand, wandered elsewhere.

He remember sitting next to a large tree with his mother, who stared out at something that he could not see. Yet he could remember straining his eyes, trying to see what it was she was looking at. It had been wind, that was all. Yet back then he thought it was something else, and was crushed when she'd told him she was merely training him. Next he recalled his father, smiling at him and holding him for all to see after he'd claimed Bucephalus when no other could. Memories flashed after that in his mind. Hephaestion, he saw so vividly before him, for Hephaestion had always been his true love. There was so much he could see, even though pain vaulted through his body. Slowly, he began to become unaware of what was going on.

The screams began to fade into the background. As he lay there, men surrounded him to try to protect them, but he did not see them. Instead, he stared up at the sky. Hephaestion had finally gotten his horse to move, which, turned out to be worse for him yet. Charging forward, he'd been knocked down by the trunk of a large elephant. Alexander did not know this, for had he, he would have been devastated. He did not know that his beloved horse was dying either. Again, he saw merely the sky. Never before had he thought it so light a blue.

The mind thought many things when it knew not what else to do. The pain should have forced him to tears. Yet, no tears came. Instead, his body let go, and carried him away to memories of Hephaestion in Babylon. He could live in these memories without worry. Would his body fail him, give out, and let go of its hold to this world? Those around him wondered, but he did not. After many moments, he tried to glance down at his wounds. He found that he could not move. He could not feel his body. Well, he thought as he lay there, I can only hope that he'll know my love for him. An interesting thing to think, but not giving up, not just yet.

Men carried him across the field and at first he was unaware of this. But when he did look over he saw Bucephalus thrashing on the ground. Cassander was petting the horse's neck, and Alexander knew what would happen. Was Bucephalus too injured to go on, to get up and fight, he knew that Cassander would put the poor beast out of his misery. It was wrong. That was his horse. It should be he that condemned him to death, had he to do so. It was a decision he never wanted to reach. But this was not what disturbed him the most. They continued, and he glanced at the sky, and then a voice that he would later be unable to identify called to him. It was no one that he knew. Merely a voice.

Turning his head, he saw his beloved Hephaestion. Instantly his mind screamed at him and he wanted to get up, but found he could not. Hephaestion, for a moment, was so still that Alexander's heart gave out. The hope never left though. Just when he thought that Hephaestion was gone, and tears came to his eyes, he moved. Hephaestion lifted his eyes, and cerulean orbs met with Alexander's teary eyes. Hephaestion, oh, his beloved Hephaestion. Already Alexander knew that Hephaestion was in bad shape, perhaps worse off than him, but he already knew what Hephaestion would do before he did it. Hephaestion tried to force his lips into a smile. Yes, they had won.

It did not matter to him though, he wanted Hephaestion. He wanted to hold him. He wanted to tend to each and every one of his wounds. He knew he could not though. Instead, he collapsed once more onto the shield. It was good, too, for at that moment Hephaestion slumped to the ground once more. Screams went out. Physicians were being called for. Alexander heard none of this though, for already he slept.

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A/N: Next chapter will be what Hephaestion saw and felt during the battle. It should be up soon. Let me know what you think of this though!