Post

Uniting the Tribes ll
With the sacking of Karatum and the incorporation of the Gurhas people into the Xiyo, the army was reinvigorated. Xi Amuks ambition however, went beyond being a Xi, his will was to create an empire, stretching from the mountains to the west, the ocean to tbe east, and the forests of the north. But to fullfill this ambition he needed to control the fertile rivers and basins, and there was only one way to acquire them, conquest. Conquest on a scale never before seen in the Casua plains. So the Xi went to his messengers and he ordered, "Go across our lands, village to village, man to man, and bring them the news that their Xi is promising them land, riches and glory for them and their family in exchange for mans most sought after gift, loyalty."

It was not long before the forces had mustered, 16,000 men strong. It was with this forcen that the Xiyo assaulted the Qyro River, looting and razing and village that would not submit to the Xiyo. Merchant vessels passing through the rivers would be boarded and looted. And even villages that submited had their chiefs replaced by distinguished Xiyo soldiers or a member of the loyal local populace.

However, news of the incursion had worried the Aiol and Dytan tribes of the Syti Basin, and they together with the fleeing tribals of the Qyro united under a common banner to drive out the invaders. Together they mustered a force of 13,534 to drive out the invaders. The two armies met 45 miles east of the Styi Basin, it was 13,534 versus 15,345, 3 tribes and their leaders against 1. And when the 4 leaders met.in the center of the battlefield, (as was the custom for any major Casau battle) Xi Amuk made a shocking and seemingly suicidal challenge. He challenged the 3 leaders to Yur, a battle for leadership. If the Chiefs won, they would not only see the withdraw of all Xiyo forces but become the new rulers of Xiyo lands, with the opposite to be true in the case of Xi Amuks victory. The custom of Yur was spiritually binding, and the Casua as a deeply spiritual people, would rarely dare to go against it. The leaders laughing at Xi Amuks foolish proposal and near certain demise would of course accept, the battle would be 3 v 1, all odds in favor of the coalition.

The 4 men met again in the center field, having relayed the news to the men and took their stances. Wudan, leader of the Aiol tribe would snicker, "You are a fool if you think you have any chance of getting out of this alive". To which Xi Amuk replied, "If i cant defeat three Chiefs too cowardly to face me on their lonesome, i don't deserve the Qyro" and so the fighting began. The Coalition leaders surrounded Xi Amuk...and attacked simultaneously. However, Amuk was fast, ducking under and evading the encirclement, armed with nothing but a dagger and a Guri (a stick with a rope that tied around a rock at the end) he kept evading and fending off the coalition members. Then when they tried to do a similar encirclement, he struck. Dashing at the leader of the Dytan tribes he slammed the Guri rock into his jaw, killing him. It was at that moment that Wudan stabbed him in the side. Amuk released a yell as he fell to the ground, the Qyro leader stepling back to let Wudan finish off the foolish Xi. Wudan would revel in his victory, forcing Amuk to kneel as he went for the killing blow.......the sword would be raised and hrk it would meet its resting place in Wudans chest. Amuk had barely ducked the blow and forced the blade of the staggered Wudan into his own chest. Xi Amuk would stagger up, ripping the sword out of Wudans chest and staggering toward the third leader. The Qyro leader would take a swing with his axe at Amuk who would deflect it. Amuk would counter attack blocking the axe with one dagger and thrusting at the leader with the other. Stabbing him, he would dtsgger backwards in pain. His attempt to beg for mercy was ended as Amuk cut off his head, presenting it to the rival force. Xi Amuk was victorious.

The Qyro River was theirs