A Despot's Redemption

Ferric and his companions followed Shammil to the nearby town, his cousin Dalia who was on horseback rode beside him. She had just found him arriving with these strangers and still had no idea of their motives

Despite that, Dalia agreed to Shammil's decision.

Dalia shifted her gaze to the book resting on Chloe's lap. It consisted of a brown crumpled cover with golden letters patched onto its surface that read "The Art of War by Sun Tzu"

"What's it about" Dalia asked

"It's a strategy book. Since you're a tactician I thought you may find it interesting."

"Thanks for the offer. I'll look into it in my spare time."

After a few minutes of riding , the town of Alumina finally came into view. Several buildings towered above them , each with glassless windows carved into its clay exterior. Shammil grinned as the pleasant scent of spices caught his attention. It reminded him of the several meals that he shared with his mother back in his youth.

He whipped the horse's rein and rode off towards the source.

Dallia and the others followed suit.

Turning left, he passed under a giant archway and found himself in a bustling marketplace where a large array of spices ranging from sweet purple to savoury orange were available for purchase.

"How much are the tasters?" asked Shammil

"About 10 shillings, but you can take them for free. You are of royal blood after all."

Shammil shook his head

"No thanks, I'd rather pay."

He offered the vendor his coins and bought tasters for him and his companions.

"Hey Daniel" asked Dalia "Would you like some."

Daniel shook his head "I wish I could, but I can't taste anything, not as long as I'm in this android body."

"Can't you just leave it and get another one."

"No , all the others have been demolished by now and if I do leave I'll just become a wandering soul. I'll be stuck roaming around the Earth for all eternity."

30 minutes later

Shammil turned the knob and opened the large door infront of him, revealing the sultan's room. The room was several metres wide with a table covered in purple linen along with vases of colourful columns.

He took delight in the sweet scent that filled the room. It was just like the sweet purple spice that he had eaten earlier.

On either side, massive paintings lay pinned to the walls, displaying the sultan's predecessors in glittering garments and scabbards decorated with gold and diamonds.

But one caught his attention more than the others.

It depicted an armoured horseman of small stature perched atop a grassy slope.Beside him stood the Shaikiran soldiers on horseback, each raising their fists behind the backdrop of the blood red sun sinking down to the horizon. Shammil knew who he was. It was the great Sammayad the conqueror who had briefly united the Shaikiran states before him.

Shammil bowed his head and gave a soft whisper.

"Sammayad, your empire has been in shackles ever since you left this world. For years I've been fighting in your name to achieve what you did. To reunite with our fellow Shaikiirans.

But at a great cost and the price, my loved ones. But after 20 years of seperation , I have finally done it, I have finally brought back the Shaikiran empire."

"Alright then." said Shammil, " let us start the negotiation."

Shammil gave everyone the chance to find a seat beside the table. Ferric and his companions took off their backpacks and placed them near the door.

Shammil listened as Ferric explained to him about his team. He told them about his defection to the mercenaries, the Rapturians betraying him as well as encountering Daniel. Shammil nodded and shared his story as well.

He told them about the death of his father who was stricken with disease and the feud between his sons that would last for years to come.

"So you lost your mother at a young age as well." said Daniel

"Indeed," Shammil nodded "But that at the present moment is of little importance. What matters now is what Lloyd wants from us.

Ferric stood up from his seat

"Like I said before. We need your army in order to defeat Ferric and assist Pangea.

"And why should we help them? They never supported us when Sammayad passed."

"Because Ferric will attack your nation next."

Shammil turned away from his balcony and stood in front of him.

"And how can you be so sure?"

"Because I've met someone who once worked with him. He believes that you might be a threat to his regime and wants to get rid of you as quickly as possible."

"And what do you plan for us to do? Attack him? Our country has been fractured for more than 2 decades and if we take part in this war that will only lead to more instability."

"Not if you leave someone in charge while you're gone. Trust me, if you don't partake in this war then you might be the next target."

Shammil stood up and walked towards the balcony. He stretched out his hands and clutched the rails as the desert wind whipped against his blue turban. It had taken him his whole life to establish peace in his kingdom and he was not going to forsake it now.

"Dalia." Shammil said calmly "Please escort our guests to their rooms. I need some time to contemplate their proposal, but let Daniel stay.

Dalia nodded. After a while she glanced back to Shammil and closed the door, causing the noise of the slam to echo throughout the room.

Daniel picked up the scabbard beside him and once again strapped it behind his back.

"That's an impressive sword you got there. Where did you get it?" said Shammil

"Oh this? It's a kytherium blade. Sharp enough to cut through any metal."

"Any metal? Even tehranamite?."

"Only one way to find out." Daniel grinned

Shammil took Daniel on a tour through the hallways. On either side were paintings of predecessors pinned to the metallic walls beside them.

After a few minutes they encountered a door on their right. The top of it was etched in runes written in a language known only to the locals of the Shai Continent.

"Do you know what this means?" asked Daniel

"I do, it's in a different dialect but I believe it is where the armour for the sultan's bodyguards are kept.

Daniel stretched out his hand and clutched the knob. He was struck with awe. Several cases of armour were stacked up against the walls, their swords glinting in the sunlight that filled the room.

Shammil slowly walked by a few of them and knocked on their breastplates. The vibrations coursed through the entire armour giving off a sound akin to a gong striking a cymbal.

"So this is tehranamite armour."

"Indeed, now you see how durable it truly is."

Daniel grasped the katana strapped to his back and pulled it out from its scabbard. Its blade shining as white as snow in the sunlight

He tightly clutched his handle , ready for the swing and went at full strength, aiming for its breastplate. A large thud echoed throughout the room, causing Shammil to flinch.

The blade shattered on impact and its shards scattered across the room. He moved his eyes to the breastplate where a large circular dent was visible along with several cracks that branched out from it.

In just a few seconds the pieces of the breastplate began to fall out as the armour crashed down with a loud thud,

Daniel glanced back at what remained of his sword and tossed it aside

"Good thing that I only used my spare blade." he said to himself "I guess tehranamite really is the strongest metal."

Before long the door they came from opened with Ferric, Chloe and Dalia standing beside it.

"Is everything alright?" said Chloe "We heard a noise coming from this room and-"

"We're alright Chloe, my sword just broke, that's all."

"Shammil, have you thought about my plan?"

"I have Lloyd and I have decided that I will join you. Tell my second in command that he will be in charge of the town , we have to get our army prepared for another war."