Without hesitating a moment, both Batu and Jochibi swung their weapons. Their blades passed through the speaker's body as though it were a mirage.
The stranger threw back his head and laughed. It was a stiff and artificial cackle. "Your audacity continues to amaze me."
Eyeing each other in wary astonishment, Batu and Jochibi stepped away from the red-robed stranger.
"Who are you?" Batu demanded.
"Szass Tam, zulkir of Thay," the gaunt figure responded, his face growing serious and menacing. "I assume you are the chief of this band of savages."
"You assume incorrectly," Batu said, casually dropping his sword to a low guard. "That honor belongs to the mighty Yamun Khahan, Illustrious Emperor of All Peoples."
The zulkir looked toward the east and squinted, as if trying to see something very distant. "Yamun Khahan, you say? Who is that with him—the fool who led the first attack on our lands?"
Again, Batu and Jochibi glanced at each other in astonishment. "Does he mean Chanar?" Jochibi half-whispered.
"Chanar," Szass repeated.
No sooner had he spoken than two heavy thuds sounded next to Batu. A pair of Tuigan curses followed.
The Shou turned to his right and saw the bewildered khahan seated in the snow. His dark brow was wrinkled in anger, and his jaw hung slack in astonishment. Next to the khahan sat Chanar, equally confused and angry.
"Great Khahan!" Jochibi gasped. Sheathing his sword, the scar-faced warrior stepped around Batu, grabbed the khahan's shoulders, and pulled him to his feet.
Regaining his composure, Yamun motioned Jochibi away, then asked Batu, "How did I come to be here?"
"I brought you," replied Szass Tam.
"That will be your last mistake," Chanar growled. In one swift motion, the Tuigan khan drew his sword and leaped at the zulkir. Chanar's blade passed through Szass's body, then the khan followed. He fell face-first into the snow and lay there perplexed and cursing.
"Do all your subjects respond to strangers in this belligerent manner?" Szass asked, addressing Yamun.
"Yes," Yamun said simply. He turned to Batu. "What is your report?"
Szass Tam would not be ignored. "He has decimated an army of ten thousand gnolls, and completely wiped out the Griffin Legion," the wizard responded. "He is quite an impressive commander."
"I have many more like him," the khahan said, reluctantly granting Szass his attention.
"I doubt it," countered the zulkir, pointing at Chanar's prone form. "At least if that greedy oaf is any example."
Yamun eyed Chanar with a spiteful sneer. "He isn't."
Noting the khahan's hostility, Chanar returned to his feet and sheathed his sword. He scowled at Batu as if the Shou had personally arranged this embarrassment.
Addressing Szass Tam, the khahan asked, "Did you bring me here to talk about my generals, or do you want something?"
"Look out there," the zulkir said, pointing at the plain to the west. The gray lines were still crawling over the snow. "Nearly one hundred and ninety thousand men are marching against you, and we can summon more at a moment's notice."
"Then do it," Batu said. "Twice that number would not concern us."
The zulkir scowled at the Shou, then turned his attention back to the khahan. "Do you allow your subordinates to speak for you?"
"When they speak the truth," Yamun replied with a steady gaze. "We have nothing to fear from your pitiful nineteen tumens."
Szass Tam raised an condescending eyebrow. "Is that so?"
"Yes. At the other end of the canyon, over three hundred and fifty thousand warriors await the order to attack," the khahan proudly lied.
The zulkir glanced to the east, then turned back to Yamun. "I count ninety-seven thousand, four hundred and thirty-two, exclusive of the two thousand, seven hundred and thirty-six here with the Shou commander—somewhat less than the three hundred and fifty thousand you claim."
Yamun grimaced, then snapped, "I have no use for your counting, or your sorcery. We are traveling through your land. If you stand aside, we will take only the food and wine we need to live. If you stand in our way, not an infant will be spared our swords."
Szass listened to the threat with a patient smile, then said, "Perhaps I should show you something." The zulkir stared at the snowy plain. "This is what will be in a week's time."
Suddenly an image of the khahan's one hundred thousand Tuigan warriors appeared at the base of the hill. They were all fully armed and prepared for battle. As Batu and the others watched, a powerfully built figure in t'ie cha armor rode out in front of the army.
"Khahan!" gasped Chanar, looking from the figure back to his commander. "That's you!"
Batu shared his rival's astonishment. Even from this distance, the figure was clearly the khahan. That meant they were watching an illusion, the Shou knew, but it looked so real that he could hardly force himself to disbelieve it.
The illusory khahan lifted his sword and gave the signal to charge. Using one of the favorite Tuigan battle formations, the entire line started forward. There were two ranks of heavy, armored cavalry in front and three ranks of unarmored cavalry in the rear. The charge gained momentum, and soon the Tuigan were streaking across the plain unopposed.
All at once, the first rank of horses crashed to the ground, spilling armored men in every direction. Where no enemy had been standing, a line of pikemen appeared. They drew their swords and began hacking the unhorsed cavalry to pieces.
The second Tuigan rank charged forward. A wall of fire erupted in their path. Those that did not perish in its flames pulled up short. Moments later, several artillery legions appeared on the Tuigan flanks. Trebuchets and catapults began raining boulders down on the line.
The barbarians responded by rushing their light cavalry around to outflank the artillery. No sooner had they broken formation than several legions of gnoll longbowmen appeared on their wings. Clouds of arrows began sailing into the light cavalry.
"Enough!" the khahan growled. "This is not real!"
The illusion faded immediately. An instant later, all that remained below the hill was the snow-covered battlefield.
Batu admired the artistry that had gone into conceiving the plan. From what the Shou knew of Tuigan tactics, Szass Tam had foreseen every detail correctly. "I look forward to battling you, Zulkir," Batu said, bowing slightly. "Your plan seems bold and ingenious."
"And it will no longer work," the khahan observed gruffly.
"Yes," Jochibi agreed, a note of suspicion in his voice. "Why reveal your intentions to us?"
An icy smile creased the zulkir's thin lips. "Because I have better things to do with your army than destroy it."
"This is not your army to do anything with, stillborn kid of a sickly goat!" Chanar interjected.
"Only a fool would need to be reminded of that, Chanar!" the khahan snapped. "Now be silent. I wish to hear the zulkir's words."
"Your wisdom is as magnificent as your title, Illustrious Emperor of All Peoples," the zulkir responded, a mocking glint in his eye. "I have shown you what will be if we fight. Now, let me show you what could be."
Again, the Tuigan army appeared at the base of the hill. This time, it was spread out over a much larger area, practically the entire plain. The terrain seemed strange. There were dozens of villages scattered around a small, unwalled city. Most of the hamlets east of the city, and the city itself, were burning. The barbarians were riding toward a lake on the western side of the plain. As they traveled, they paused only long enough to loot and set fire to every settlement they crossed.