The Wrath of the Unchained

Outside the command tent, the valley buzzed with quiet activity. The sun had risen over the blood-soaked hills, casting golden rays upon the soldiers who moved slowly, stiff with exhaustion but alive. A few survivors, despite their trauma, joined in small tasks—boiling water, gathering cloth for bandages, sorting through salvaged supplies. Laughter was rare, but not absent. A young boy who had been rescued ran between the tents with a stolen soldier’s helmet too large for his head, eliciting tired chuckles. Another survivor, an old man missing most of his teeth, told terrible jokes as he tried to sharpen knives, bringing a moment of levity to a group of watching soldiers.

Inside the tent, General Mekonnen sat with Eyob, Lieutenant Hana, and the rest of his inner circle. Laid out before them were scrolls, letters, and maps, pulled from the Adal commander’s chest. They told a grim story: the Adal, in coordination with the Ottomans, intended to march even further south, spreading destruction and slavery in their wake.

"Sir, what should we do about this?" Eyob asked, his brows furrowed in concern. "If we don’t stop them here, that means other kingdoms might suffer the same fate as Abyssinia."

Mekonnen sighed deeply and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "We don’t have much of a choice right now. Our own kingdom is barely hanging on. Our focus must remain on Abyssinia and its people. Once we’ve done our part, once we’ve secured our borders and our homes, then we can turn to the others."

Eyob hesitated, then said, "You know what’s happening at the coast, right? You’re the closest to the Emperor. If the Ottomans are expanding, they’re likely doing it at sea too. Please, General, we deserve to know what’s happening."

Mekonnen looked around at the men in the tent. "If I tell you, you must not repeat this outside these walls. Understood?"

They all nodded solemnly.

"When we visited Shewa, we encountered men who moved like shadows. They’re from a kingdom called Nuri, farther south. Their prince, Khisa, came to Abyssinia seeking an alliance, but as you know, our state was dire. Still, he offered to help us—no conditions, no demands."

He leaned back. "To stop the invasion, they need control of the sea. Prince Khisa is attempting to reclaim the ports. I don’t know his full plans, but we should remain hopeful. Perhaps, with his help, we can pull this off."

Lieutenant Hana frowned. "Are we sure he’s truly on our side? We have so little to offer."

Mekonnen didn’t hesitate. "He is. He’s saved our people more than once. He did what we couldn’t, without asking for anything in return. That is worth trusting."