Sea of Dekatos

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

“In the writings of all men can be heard faint echoes of their beliefs and values.”

-- Sento of Yang

Fangshao stood before the rest of the Nobles. They were in the Arkhaios base, only an hour’s flying time from the sea of the soft skins, assembled to discuss the course of the war. A very few minor Nobles were still in the crystal pyramid, surrounded by hunting groups, seeing to the administration of the upper sea. All others were here, eager to be in on the kill, knowing that secret alliances and plots among the Nobles were being played out. 

“Our ammunition runs low,” said Fangshao. “Arrows are of little effect against soft skins when they cower beneath their shields. I myself have tried to crush their chariots with metal spheres; they move fast and are difficult to hit. We will need a thousand more spheres to even begin the task.”

“You fought alone,” replied Vardonus, his main rival among the greater Nobles. “When I lead us into battle, we will attack in formation, dropping our spheres at the sound of a horn. The resulting pattern of spheres will blanket the battlefield.”

“It won’t work,” said Fangshao. “Their chariots will disperse. I’ve seen how fast they move. They won’t ride in a straight line and wait to be destroyed. My point, however, is that we will run out of spheres soon.”

“More Benthics,” said Vardonus, “have been raised from your old proving grounds, Fangshao, and placed on land to work the forges and furnaces.” It was a clever barb and a personal insult. 

“Yes,” replied Fangshao. “I, however, understand the nature of warfare. The enemy will rebuild their chariots as fast as we destroy them. They are great builders, and will struggle against us to their utmost.”

“Over time, we will decimate their ranks, killing any that move when we are about.” Vardonus spoke to the assembled group, raising his voice, knowing full well that his comments would influence their decisions. “As their population dwindles under our assaults, we will build a vast Arkhaios pit outside the southern sea, much closer than our current one. From there we can raid them continuously, whittling away at them until they surrender.”

“They show little sign of surrender,” said Fangshao. “Instead they stand and fight, lifting their bows to the sky when they should be kneeling.”

“Well said, for a Noble with muck on his fins,” replied Vardonus. “Have you forgotten that our Enhancers produce more Arkhaios as we speak? Another of the green Arkhaios is swollen with young.”

“It will be years before they are fully grown and capable of flight. The soft skins will have hatched a new generation of their own kind by then, and they breed far faster than the Arkhaios.”

Vardonus folded his arms over his metal chest plate. “What do you suggest? An invasion, before we are ready?”

“No,” said Fangshao. “We must not meet their chariot army in battle. We should topple their cities and ruin their crops first.”

“We cannot wait a lifetime to starve them out of their great cities. When the time comes, a small army of Benthics must rise out of the sea and draw forth their chariot army. While the Benthics pin them down, the Arkhaios will cast a great net upon them, one so large that several green reptiles will be required to carry it aloft.”

“It will not work,” replied Fangshao. “Certainly, if the net did not unfold it would be useless.”

“The Arkhaios would stretch it out before releasing it,” said Vardonus.

“Then the soft skins would draw their swords and cut their way out of it.”

“What of their chariots?”