CHAPTER TWO: DEATH IS GLORY

We arrive at a distance where we could view the great gray walls of Golem and what we behold is far worse than we had earlier imagined–

A thick black smoke, so thick that it darkens the sun, a raging fire burning like hell is alive in it and the screams of my Neem brothers in the fire as it’s voice.

All our iron chariots and horses adds to the heat of the fire which could be felt even from our distance, the god of fire is alive now and against us.

The most terrifying thing about the whole scene for me is the look on Meizza's eyes, I see it for the very first time – Fear.

All our lives in the Crypts of Bane we have been training for war, we have been built the strongest, fiercest and fastest warriors ever known in the history of mankind! Just one Neem could destroy a whole Egyptian army, save a city, or assassinate a king and all his princes in one night. The only thing we are ever warned of is fire!

Neems fear fire, we revere and worship fire, we pray to the God of fire –Asure.

I have never seen a Neem fear. I have seen my brothers tear Lions apart with their bare hands, I have seen them murder hundred Babylonian soldiers at a go, I have seen them do many incredible things but I have never seen them scream like this! This is different, this is not a scream of war, it is a scream of fear, a cry for salvation.

We are shocked to our spines as our horses halt and we view our fifty thousand strong Neem army camped in preparation for our first full war campaign reduced to a few thousands or hundreds by the god of fire.

We were going to conquer the world with our golden army but now even the army burns.

… We then hear some vague sound from a distance and we keep silent at Meizza's signal and listen carefully; It is the sound of Elephants and drums with a war cry!

“We have been tricked and set up" our handsome Prince cries bitterly.

“...this was done by an insider, someone who knows the prophesy of the fire!” one of the horsemen say.

Neems do not talk much but this particular warrior horseman does, he continues as we listen on to his babblings.

“…only the Medes ride to war with drums and elephants. They are numerous like the sands of the earth. I hear rumors that they have formed an Alliance with the king Nebo and his son Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon”

“The Medes have strength in numbers and although nothing compared to the strength of one Neem but they swarm like bees…” The talkative goes on and on as my heart begins to sink, he seems to be Meizza's minister of information.

“…the Medes are no match for us but what if someone has disclosed the secret of the fire to them and the Babylonians ride with them to war against us? And with arrows of fire?” He asks Meizza who shuts his eyes for a moment seeming to meditate and calm himself. His level of calmness is incredible even in the middle of a raging fire.

I look at Karen’s puzzled face as my horse neighs in excitement as the sound of war drums get louder.

My heart races as I await our commander's reply. He remains silent and we follow as we feel the smooth winds of the desert brush against our faces and the sound of these winds harmonizing with the sound of the war drums causes a beautiful melody in our ears. Everything slows down even my heart beat, and for a moment there seems to be peace in the chaos until…

“…then we give them hell!” Meizza roars and his horse rises in glory.

“All our lives we trained for this day, a day that even a few of us can take down mighty elephants and large numbers of babarians and infidels. I was born and bred for this day for I am Neem! Look over there!” he directs our gaze towards Golem and the fire.

“… I never thought I would be given the honor to fight against the god of fire and a joint army of Babylonians and Medes! But here it is! my glory, our glory! We fight and die as the greatest Neems who ever lived!..” he thunders!

...and the horsemen draw their crescent shaped swords and raise it in the air towards our commander The Prince of Neems.

“You two...” Meizza points at Keren and I.

“…ride into the Crypts of Bane and escape with my baby brother, a true blood and heir to the Assyrian throne. Then ride to Persia, the land of the free and stay there with him until he is old enough to avenge our adversaries. Also write to Egypt our coward Allies and tell them of our glory! The glory of Neems!”

We both beat our chests with our fists and bow slightly as a symbol of acceptance of our task.

“…you are the weakest Razal” he continues as his crescent shaped sword points at me with his horse trotting up in excitement.

I am surprised that Meizza still remembers my name.

“…but you have the sharpest mind in literature. You can read, write and tell the times. Teach my baby brother that he be able to read like you. Tell him our story, the story of glory and victory. ”

“Karen, you teach him the ways of the Assyrians that he fights like you and has your heart!”

“Yes my lord!” Karen beats her chest and bows as I look on in utter amazement at what is happening before my eyes– the defeat of the Golem and the Neems in a battle?

“This is all a set up by someone, I think I know who and that person must pay for this fire that burns my brothers.” I say in my heart as I begin to make my own plans.

“… you trainees! Today you become true Neems, ones privileged to witness the greatest war of all times! The war against the gods and fire! Embrace your destinies as we ride into glory!” he roars and my brothers roar with him including Karen with their swords raised to the heavens.

Their eyes begin to glow amidst the thick gloominess from the smoke that embraces the sky – Their war mode and dark magic has been initiated!

They begin to ride towards the fire and Golem with their double edged crescent swords drawn and the ground trembling at their feet, the great Neems. The Babylonians and Medes never know what utter destruction is coming their way.

“Come on!” Karen says to me with her glowing gray eyes as we turn our horses and ride towards the Crypts of Bane where it all began.