Herald of Steel

“Commander our right-wing claims to have destroyed the Cantagenan left wing.” A runner reported to Manuk

“So soon? Are you sure?” Kefka asked from the side.

He was more expressing his surprise and disbelief rather than doubting the runner.

“The details are still not yet clear but Captain Nulafzam has personally told me.” The runner explained, thinking Kefka was doubting his integrity.

“Hmm, that’s…” Just as Manuk was about to comment, another runner interrupted him.

“Report, our left wing has broken through the enemy’s right wing!”

“What?” Manuk let out a gasp of astonishment.

He did assume the Cantagenan would eventually be defeated, but how could both their wings be broken so soon?

Could it be a trap?

“This fog is obscuring our vision. Maybe our troops only defeated the vanguard and thought they smashed through the entire wing.” Kefka came up with a plausible explanation.

“Hmmm, maybe you are right.” Manuk nodded.

Then he ordered, “Both of you go again. Confirm the details with your own eyes and then report back.”

“Remember to report back only what you see, not what Nulafzam or Akashy tells you.” He again emphasized.

“Yes, sir.” The two runners answered in unison and then quickly run off in opposite directions.

“Archpriest, this fog, what do you think, is it a blessing or a curse from the gods?” Kefka asked in a surprisingly teasing tone.

It was well known within Adhania’s inner circle the disdain Kefka had for the gods or anything related to religion.

The only reason he hadn’t been branded a heretic and burned at the stake was because he knew when to stay his tongue and when to wag it, and the even bigger reason was because he was the king’s uncle, sharing the same father but different mother with Amenferaft’s father.

“Hmmm” Manuk hummed a reply as he traced his chin and seriously surveyed the encroaching fog trying to submerge everything.

Visibility was rapidly deteriorating and he expected to soon get reports about units having difficulty maintaining proper lines of communication.

“Has Ramuh descended on this mortal plan?” Manuk seriously thought of the possibility.

In their religious scripture called the Takqa, it was said that Ramuh rode on a misty cloud, wielding a lightning staff in one hand and an orb in the other.

In actuality, the real reason behind the fog was the scorching afternoon sun and the freezing rainfall afterward.

The chilling rain cooled the blisteringly hot ground, causing it to release heat that warmed the air around it, making it less dense and causing it to rise up.

As this hot air rose through the rain, it absorbed some of its moisture and pushed the colder denser air down.

As time passed and more and more rain continued to fall, the ground got cooler and cooler, until all its heat was taken by the warm, moist air above and now the colder, denser air resided near the ground. 𝙚𝙙𝙣𝒐𝙫𝙚𝙡.𝙤𝙧𝒈

But this warm, moist air above and the colder, denser air near the ground did not simply sit still.

Soon due to convection, they began to mix, and upon coming into contact with the colder air, the moisture in the warm air began to condense into tiny water droplets suspended in air, a phenomenon we call fog

And since the fighting was occurring at the foot of the hill, all the fog began to roll in there, slowly creating almost a white cage around the soldiers.

But Manuk did not know this.

Limited by his dogma and the knowledge of his time, he had no idea of the complex science behind the creation of fog and believed it to be another one of Ramuh’s divine interventions.

“Blessing.” He replied with a big grin.

“Then how will our soldiers fight in this condition?” Kefka asked impatiently.

He seriously did not want to ask this zealot why he said it was a blessing so he just pointed out the difficulty soldiers soon would face

“The soldiers can fight. They just need to swing their swords in one direction.” Manuk answered straightforwardly.

“What?” Kefka asked totally confused.

It had to be pointed out that both Kefka and Manuk were civilian ministers who were thrust into military commander positions in this dark time to need because there was no one better or more trusted by Amenheratf.

Although both men had campaigned before and seen up close how battles were prepared and commanded, they had never actually fought or led any unit until today.

Before today Manuk’s duty as the archpriest was to bless the soldiers before battle.

Kefka was Amenheraft’s spymaster, who would advise commanders and generals on the number of enemy forces, the nature, and habits of the opposing generals, the situation in the enemy’s country, etc.

Thus, although close to the front lines, they would not actively take part in the fighting.

That was until today when both men were thrust into the fiery crucible of battle.

And though Kefka’s performance here was not bad by means, it was Manuk who distinguished himself as a once-in-a-hundred-years genius.

As such, seeing Kefka, the plotter and manipulator so confused brought quite a bit of satisfaction to him, and thinking of Ramuh’s recent descent he was in a cheerful mood.

So he decided to indulge his colleague a bit.

He explained, “Our plan was that once the approaching Cantagenans were detected, eight thousand of our heavy infantry at the back of the cauldron would disengage and split into two flanks of equal strength and proceed along the edge of the woods to attack the enemy’s flanks and reinforce the slingers.”

“And let it be known that I objected to it. There is no way our soldiers can march through the mud and intercept the Cantagenan army before they destroy our slingers and open the cauldron.” Kefka reminded.

“And I have already told you that I have personally looked at it. The woods are a bit higher than the field and it is connected to the field by a slant. The water will drain quickly and because that part has not been trampled by tens of thousands of soldiers, our soldiers can march much faster through the drier ground. It can be done.”

“Well, the Cantagenans seemed to have anticipated your strategy and sent their flanks to intercept you.”Kefka somewhat gloated.

“And the reports say we destroyed them.” Manuk countered.

“So, what, we still haven’t reinforced our slingers.” Kefka shrugged.

“The cauldron is still holding. We have yet to get any reports of any breakthrough.” Manuk reminded.

But just as Manuk finished his sentence, a worried runner came to him and said, “Sir, the slingers can’t hold their positions much longer. Please allow them to retreat.”

“I knew this would have happened. I told you we should have closed that cauldron when we had the chance. Now because of your greed, we will lose both.” Kefka almost launched himself into a screed.

“It’s nothing too serious. I have anticipated this and already have a plan.” Manuk coolly answered.

Though in reality, he was rapidly turning the gears in his head to think of a solution because he did indeed not in this possibility into consideration.

He forgot to take into account that the Cantagenans might split their forces and form wings to stop any relief attempts of the slingers.

Then Manuk quickly made up his mind and gave his first order to two nearby runners. “You two go and urge the two flanks to march with haste. If they are engaged with the enemy flanks, try to have some rear units break off and attempt to relieve the slinger.”

He then turned to the runner who gave him the news and said, “Go and inform His Majesty to order the remaining six thousand infantry to slowly open a small path at the back cauldron, allowing the trapped soldiers to pass through there..”

“What? Manuk, did you suffer brain damage” Kefka cut off Manuk and cried out in terror. He even began to suspect if Manuk had turned traitor.

“Let me finish.” Manuk icily shot back.

Then he turned his head back to the runner and said, “Tell His Majesty that opening a gap will break the soldiers’ morale in the cauldron, and instead of fighting to the death, they will run through the exit thinking it’s their allies that have opened the gap. But in reality, they will run not towards the Cantagenan army but be funneled through a corridor guarded by our eight thousand infantry into our camp. We can then butcher them in the ‘corridor’ like sheep.” Manuk finished his explanation.

“Yes, commander!” The runner performed a perfect salute after receiving the order and explanation and quickly ran off.

Manuk then simply turned to look at Kefka with a smug shine in his eyes.

“Hmph, your talents are wasted in that temple.” Kefka jealously grumbled.

He also understood now why Manuk said that his soldiers would have to only strike in one direction.

With all the Cantagenans being funneled through a narrow corridor, the soldiers will recognize anyone in front of them as an enemy and anyone besides them allies.

Genius!

And though Kefka didn’t know it, It had to be pointed out that Manuk had thought of the entire strategy on the spot!

Years later, some historians would claim that in the ‘Battle of the Two valleys’, the Cantagenan’s biggest obstacle wasn’t the lightning strike or their general dying or the fog, but Manuk!