The Fall of Everything [Rewrite]

As the city gates slowly opened, Corvus, Belisarius and a few soldiers entered. The people of the city took to the streets when they saw the banner of the Tiamats. Some bowed their heads in fear, others watched them curiously. As Corvus moved coolly through the crowd, he noticed a few people waiting in the center of the square. Tanar, Bahoz's chief, and his men had come to greet Corvus.
Tanar looked at Corvus with his usual cunning gaze, his thin build and sly posture giving him away. The fake smile on his face clearly showed his duplicity. He was the head of Bahoz's largest family and responsible for everything in this city. However, the way Tanar had ruled the city for years had always put his own interests first. Bahoz was a strategic center of the Rhazgord; all the horses of the Rhazgord army came from there, and this gave Tanar great power. Corvus had known Tanar for a long time, as Tanar regularly came to Rhazgord to report on the horses and the state of the city. He was also aware that Tanar could use this power as a threat.
Corvus watched Tanar as he sat upright on his horse. The buildings casting shadows on the narrow streets of Bahoz, and the eyes around, made everything feel dark and confused. He knew the depths of Tanar's power in this city, but the contrivance of his face did not escape Corvus' watchful eyes.
"Corvus Tiamat," Tanar began, his voice trembling with feigned respect and flattery. "Welcome to my city. How was your journey?"
Corvus slowly dismounted his horse and faced Tanar. Tanar bowed his head as usual, but Corvus could read his true intentions in his eyes. "My journey was peaceful, Tanar," he said coldly. Then he fixed his eyes on Tanar and added with a slightly wry smile, "Before you ask, I'm here to solve your bandit problem."
The smile on Tanar's face faded for a moment. The worry in his eyes was fleeting, but Corvus did not miss the brief moment. Tanar quickly recovered himself and regained his false smile. "Ah, trivial matters, sir," he said, as if the subject were not worth dwelling on. "The bandits are acting as usual, but they are under control. All is well in Bahoz too."
Corvus took a deep breath and moved towards Tanar, his steps slow. His expression remained calm, but there was a threatening tone in his voice. "So everything is all right, Tanar," he said, his eyes piercing Tanar's. He took a step closer. "If everything is fine, why are traders being attacked near Bahoz? Why is it that every time trade convoys pass through this area they are looted or pay tribute to bandits?"
Tanar's smile faded completely. There were a few seconds of silence, Tanar tried to avert his eyes from Corvus, but he could not find a way out. His words stuck, he cleared his throat and tried to say something. "Sir... these are... individual incidents. Small groups, don't worry, everything is under control."
Corvus had waited for Tanar to fall for the lie. His eyes increased the pressure on Tanar. "Are they individual?" he said, deepening his voice. "Then why are the traders afraid to come, Tanar? If it is under control, why are the roads still unsafe?"
One of Tanar's men stepped forward, his eyes blazing with anger, and raised his voice: "What do we care about merchants! We are warriors, not merchants! Protect them..."
Before he could finish, Zarqa stepped forward like a shadow and punched him hard in the jaw. It happened so fast that the man didn't even realize what had happened when he found himself on the ground. Corvus only acknowledged the gesture with a wave of his hand. The rules of the Rhazgord were simple: Everyone had to know their place, especially in the presence of the leader.
"Answer me, Tanar!" Corvus thundered. His anger was now uncontrollable. His eyes were shining with rage. In a strategically important city like Bahoz, indiscipline and rebellion had no place. He had to show his strength in the middle of the crowd and make sure the whole city knew he was the superior one.
Tanar trembled with fear as he watched his man collapse. His face grew even paler. He looked crushed under Corvus' sharp gaze, but there was little he could do.
Corvus approached Tanar once more, his voice a more threatening whisper this time. "If you cannot provide security in two days, Tanar," he said, his eyes locked on Tanar's. "Sanguinar will tighten his grip on this city. And everything under your control will be taken away, one by one!"
Tanar stared at the ground. Cold sweat poured down his face and he looked discouraged. He realized how serious Corvus was about this. This threat meant that he could lose all his power. If Sanguinar wanted it, Tanar would have no presence here.
Corvus took one last look at Tanar, never changing his stern expression. His words echoed through the city streets like a slap. "The problems in Bahoz will be solved with me, Tanar. Like I said! You have two days. You will bring me the heads of the bandits!Either you restore order in this region, or Rhazgord himself will come and do things my way."
Tanar could say nothing, his silence betraying the depth of his fear. No one gathered around him was silent either. They didn't seem to mind being scolded like children by the ruler of their city. Corvus had recognized Tanar's weakness. Tanar's leadership was now in question and Corvus would use this to his advantage.
Corvus turned away without saying another word to Tanar. Zarqa, Belisarius and the other soldiers followed him in silence. A gloom seemed to fall over the city; the echoes of Corvus' words still vibrated through the streets. The power of the Rhazgord was being felt more and more in this city.
"Did you feel it too?" said Belisarius. Corvus looked around.
"Yes. And now that you've noticed it too, I'm probably right, someone is watching us."
Zarqa's hand was on the hilt of his sword and he looked tense. "I've been feeling strange since we entered the city, so that's why." At these words, he remained vigilant until Corvus and his men left the city.
Corvus and his soldiers had already set up camp outside the city. The camp was close to Bahoz. When Corvus returned to this camp, he had a stern expression on his face.
As soon as Corvus entered the camp, he told Kragan to protect Belisarius and to increase the security of Belisarius' carriage. It was not clear who was following them and too much precaution was not good. Corvus gave a few more orders to increase security.
Meanwhile, Tanar was making his way through a secluded and dark street. It was one of the most secluded corners of the city, with cracks and moss on the walls and muddy tracks on the ground. Tanar stopped in front of an iron gate in a narrow passage. Hesitantly, he knocked a few times. Then the door opened with a creak and Tanar entered.
There were several people in the room, their faces hidden by black masks. The eyes behind the masks were focused on Tanar. A figure standing in the shadows approached Tanar with heavy steps. The figure's voice was like the hiss of a snake, insidious and dangerous.
"Why is Sanguinar's son here?" the masked man asked, his voice harsh and questioning. Tanar visibly tensed. He was clearly afraid of these men. He answered in a faint voice: "It has nothing to do with you. He has come to clean up the bandits."
The masked man hesitated for a moment, unsatisfied with this answer. His eyes roamed over Tanar, as if weighing every word. He knew that bandits had been running rampant in Bahoz for years. Most of the bandits were Tanar's men. Tanar had long used the bandits to collect tribute from merchants and fill his coffers. But it was unusual for Corvus to intervene so suddenly and forcefully. The masked man took a deep breath and spoke: "I hope so, Tanar! There must not be the slightest hitch in our plan!"
Tanar's fear was not hard to feel. These men had made promises to him, but if Tanar lost their trust, he could lose everything. The masked man turned to the other masked men in the room and ordered in a stern voice: "Watch every move of Corvus Tiamat!"
The masked men in the shadows bowed their heads and obeyed. Then, another question was raised: "What about the Prince of Adler?Why is he with Corvus?"
This question caught Tanar completely off guard. His eyes widened in surprise. He had not even noticed Belisarius. He stood in silence, not knowing what to say. It was enough to exhaust the masked man's patience. He gestured for Tanar to leave, his voice now clearly threatening. "Get the hell out. Don't ever bring me incomplete information again."
Tanar nodded helplessly and hurried away. The fear inside him was reflected in his footsteps, echoing through the dark streets of Bahoz. He went home, praying that things would not get complicated.
Zarqa, at Corvus' call, entered the tent with quick and silent steps. The air inside was thick and gloomy. Corvus was deep in thought with several maps spread out in front of him. He raised his head slightly and looked at Zarqa, calling him to join him. Pointing to a few spots on the map, he said, "Send men to investigate these places before morning. They should be back by tomorrow evening." His voice was firm and determined. His eyes carefully scanned every corner of the map as if he were forming a battle plan in his mind.
Zarqa accepted the order in silence. But Corvus noticed a slight uneasiness on Zarqa's face. Zarqa was usually cool and calm, which was why he had caught Corvus' attention. He raised his head and stared at him. "What's wrong? If I were a bandit, I would hide in one of these spots," he said. The locations he showed on the map were both strategic and perfect places to hide.
Zarqa was silent for a few seconds. Without taking his eyes off Corvus, he took a deep breath and responded. "That's not the problem..." he said, his voice lowered. Then he spoke a truth so dangerous that it broke the silence in the tent. "Someone was spying on the camp."
These words changed Corvus' expression. His brow furrowed and his gaze hardened. Zarqa's information signaled a much bigger problem than he had thought.
"When I was checking the soldiers," Zarqa said, his voice still low. "I sensed someone outside the camp. They realized I had spotted them and quickly moved away."