Fatigue showed on the king's face and he said to those around him, “Let us all pray to the Lord that He come to the aid of our brothers who are fighting on the Nile.”
6
The army woke with the dawn and started to equip and ready itself. Spies brought important intelligence: there had been movement all night long in the enemy camp. Some — who had risked pushing their way into the fields surrounding the battle ground reported that new forces, both men and chariots, had poured toward Hierakonpolis throughout the night, the stream continuing until just before dawn. Hur thought a moment, then said, “The enemy, my lord, is gathering the greater part of his forces here in order to face us — with his — whole army. This is no surprise, since, if-we penetrate the gates of Hierakonpolis, there will be nothing to delay our advance, but the walls of Glorious Thebes.”
Good news came from the Nile, the king learning that his fleet had fought desperately and that the enemy had not been able to do with it as it wished. On the contrary, its soldiers had been driven off many of those of his ships that they had been able to board and the Herdsmen's fleet had been compelled to detach itself after losing a third of its forces. The fleets had then ceased fighting for some hours. They had re-engaged in a new battle just after daybreak, with Ahmose Ebana's fleet launching the attack. The king rejoiced at this news and prepared himself for battle with high spirits.
As morning grew bright, the two armies advanced to do battle. The ranks of chariots hove into view and the Egyptians gave their famous cry of “Live like Amenhotep or die like Seqenenra!” then rushed onto the killing grounds like men possessed. They encircled the enemy in mortal clashes, giving them as good as the enemy gave them, fighting with bows, lances, and swords. King Ahmose, despite the fierceness of the battle, noticed that the center of the enemy's army was directing the battle with extreme skill, sending forces here and there with discipline and precision. He caught sight of the capable commander and it turned out to be not the governor of Hierakonpolis but Apophis himself, with his obese build, long beard, and sharp look, to whom he had given the gem-studded crown in the palace at Thebes. Ahmose undertook a number of fierce forays, fighting like a brave hero, his guard repelling the enemy's attacks. Not a horseman of the enemy's did he meet whom he did not bring down in the twinkling of an eye, till they dreaded his approach and despaired of overcoming him. As the battle wore on, fresh forces from both sides threw themselves into the field and the fighting continued at the same pitch of violence and intensity until the day was almost over. At that moment, when the troops on both sides were exhausted, a force of Herdsmen chariots, led by an intrepid man, descended on the Egyptians’ left wing and drove their attack home so hard that the exhausted resistance could do nothing to stop it and it made itself a breach through which it poured either to encircle the opposing force or to attack the infantry. Ahmose realized that this dauntless commander had waited for their fatigue to offer an appropriate opportunity and had held his men back to strike the final blow. Fearing that the man would indeed obtain his objective and strike confusion among the serried ranks of his army or massacre his infantry, he decided to lead a spearhead attack on the enemy's heart to beleaguer it, so that that formidable commander would find himself partially besieged. He did not hesitate, for the situation was dangerous and critical, but ordered his troops to attack and assaulted the center with a strong surprise maneuver that brought the fighting to a terrible peak, compelling the enemy to retreat under the fierce pressure. At the same time, Ahmose sent a force of chariots to encircle the force that was pressing on the left wing. Their commander, however, was formidably capable and adjusted his plan after he had almost managed to create the breach that he had been seeking, throwing a small force of his chariots into an attack on the enemy while he retired rapidly to his army with the rest. During this delicate operation, Ahmose was able to set eyes on the daring commander and recognized Khanzar, the great governor of the South, with his solid build and steely muscles. His mighty assault had cost the Egyptians many fallen among the flower of its charioteers. Shortly after this, the fighting came to an end and the king and his army retired to their camp, Ahmose saying in angry threat, “Khanzar, — we shall meet for sure, face to face.” At camp, his men received him — with prayers. Among them he found a new arrival, Ahmose Ebana. Drawing hope from his presence in the camp, he asked him, “What news, Commander?”
Ahmose Ebana said, “Victory, my lord. We brought defeat down upon the Herdsmen's fleet and captured four of its large ships and sank half of it, while other ships fled in a state in which they could neither be helped nor help.”
The king's face lit up and he placed a hand on the commander's shoulder, saying, “With this victory you have won half the war for Egypt. I am very proud of you.”
Ahmose Ebana blushed and he said with pleasure, “There is no doubt, my lord, that we paid a high price for this victory but we are now the undisputed masters of the Nile.”
The king said solemnly, “The enemy has inflicted heavy losses on us which I am afraid we shall not be able to replace. The one who wins this war will be the one who destroys his enemy's charioteers.”
The king fell silent for a moment, then resumed, “Our governors in the south are training soldiers and building ships and chariots. However, training charioteers takes time and the only thing that will help us in the battle that lies ahead will be our own bravery in making sure that our infantry do not face the enemy's chariots again.”
7
The army woke at daybreak once more and started to ready and equip itself. The king donned his battle dress and received his men in his tent, telling them, “I have decided to fight Khanzar in single combat.”
Hur, alarmed at the king's words, said in earnest entreaty, “My lord, one reckless blow must not be allowed to bring down our whole enterprise.”
Each one of the commanders begged the king to allow him to fight the governor of the South but Ahmose declined their offers — with thanks, saying to Hur, “No mishap can bring down our enterprise, however great, and my fall will not hold it up should I fall. My army does not want for commanders nor my country for men. I cannot forgo an opportunity to face the killer of Seqenenra, so let me fight him and pay a debt that I bear to a noble soul that watches over me from the Western World; and the Lord curse vacillators and weaklings!”
The king sent an officer to present his wish to his opponent, the man going out into the middle of the field and crying out, “Enemy, Egypt's Pharaoh wishes to fight Commander Khanzar in single combat to settle an old score.”
A man came out to him from Khanzar's corps and said, “Say to the one who calls himself Pharaoh, ‘The commander never denies an enemy the honor of dying by his sword.’ “
Ahmose mounted a fine-bred steed, put his sword in its scabbard, his lance in its holder, and urged the horse out onto the field, where he saw his enemy dashing toward him on a gray steed, haughty and proud, his body like a mighty block of granite. Little by little, they drew closer, until the heads of their two steeds were almost touching. As each looked his opponent up and down, Khanzar could not prevent his face from registering astonishment and he shouted in amazement, “Dear God! Who is this before me? Is it not Isfmis, the trader in pygmies and pearls? What a jest! Where is your trade now, trader Isfmis?”
Ahmose looked at him, quietly and serenely, then said, “Isfmis is no more, Commander Khanzar, and I have no trade now but this” and he pointed to his sword. Khanzar regained control of his emotions and asked him, “Who, then, are you?”