Pagiras, Temagis, and Demikas all changed their expressions simultaneously.
Pagiras was the first to shout angrily, "Antosy, you—"
"Enough, everyone!" Maitilis, the meeting host, knocked on the table and said sternly, "This is a sacred site where the tribes unite and assist one another, not a filthy place for arguments and whining. Don’t forget the oath you all swore together here!"
The meeting hall immediately fell silent.
Maitilis turned to Antosy and said seriously, "This meeting was convened at your request. I hope you state your demands properly and don’t treat the tribal alliance meeting like a child’s game, just airing grievances. Otherwise, I will exercise my authority as host and revoke your right to speak further."
Antosy felt a chill in his heart, quickly calmed his emotions, and said, "Rest assured, Maitilis, I will abide by the meeting’s rules. Everyone, do you remember what I said here years ago? The reason we’ve never been able to annihilate the Skodisqi people is because they have the support of the Dacians! And this year, the Dacians have shifted from covert support to direct involvement!
While our tribe was battling the Skodisqi people, large numbers of Dacian soldiers clad in scale armor and wielding hook scythes suddenly appeared on the battlefield. As a result, my army, completely unprepared, suffered a devastating defeat. Following their victory, the Skodisqi people, colluding with the Dacians, rapidly advanced westward and seized considerable territory. They’ve now begun to besiege Ekvedisi—"
"Ekvedisi?! You mean all the territory you’ve gained through years of attacks on the Skodisqi people is lost?!" Demikas asked in shock.
"Yes, all lost! The Dacians’ sneak attack cost me many courageous warriors!" Antosy said with grief and indignation. "Were it not for Ekvedisi’s role as our forward base in attacking the Skodisqi people for years, as well as the defensive structures I’ve meticulously built there while using it as a logistical hub, we wouldn’t have been able to temporarily resist the joint assault of the Skodisqi and Dacians. That’s why I’ve urgently come here for reinforcements, hoping you will send enough troops to help me repel them and reclaim our lost lands!"
"What Antosy says is of utmost importance! The survival of the Andizeti Tribe concerns the life and death of all the Pannonians! We must agree! We must offer the strongest support!" Though Pagiras had quarreled fiercely with Antosy earlier, he was the first to make a positive statement.
"Pagiras is right; I also support sending troops to aid the Andizeti Tribe! Regardless of whether Antosy’s request is ultimately approved, I, Ditione, will dispatch at least ten thousand reinforcements!" Demikas followed.
"I, Brochi, will send at least ten thousand warriors to support the Andizeti as well!" Even Bricks, known for his preference for leisure and aversion to war, quickly voiced his commitment.
The overwhelming support wasn’t solely due to their shared hardships and battles, or because of their united oath sworn on the Holy Land. More crucially, they could never allow the defeated Skodisqi people to revive, nor to let the nightmare of the past recur!
It must be remembered that aside from the Andizeti, the other six major tribes were home to many Skodisqi slaves. Every Pannonian leader and ordinary tribesman aware of the Skodisqi Tribe’s existence to the east would swear to the Divine to keep this secret from the slaves!
Over the past decade, Skodisqi slaves in other major Pannonian tribes have lived under a web of lies woven by the Pannonians, believing their tribes had long been destroyed. Disheartened and resigned, they had accepted their fate.
Even the rare few slaves who accidentally uncovered this secret were unable to share it with their fellow kin due to the Pannonians’ rigorous watch. Ultimately, they were discovered and executed...
But if the Skodisqi reinforcements broke Antosy’s blockade and even continued advancing west, the slaves would eventually learn their tribe still existed. Even if they didn’t seize the chance to start a rebellion, could the Pannonians continue to trust and control them? Abandoning them wasn’t feasible either, as many regions heavily depended on slave labor. If the Pannonians abandoned them, their lives would immediately fall into chaos. Transitioning would take time, but the threat of the Skodisqi loomed right before their eyes...
All the Great Chiefs expressed unanimous agreement without hesitation, including Andres, though he had his reservations. "I also support Antosy’s request. However, I cannot send troops or provide resources, as my Segestica Tribe has been weakened by a formidable enemy, suffering repeated defeats. I came here seeking aid myself."
"Ah, what enemy?! They’ve actually managed to defeat you!" Temagis asked in great surprise.
Andres sighed, his face darkening as he replied, "It’s —"
"Andres, please hold on," Maitilis interrupted, reminding him, "We’re currently discussing Antosy’s request. We’ll address your matter later."
Though displeased, Andres softened his tone since he needed help. "Alright," he responded.
Maitilis continued, "Antosy, everyone agrees to send reinforcements to assist you. Now I need to know how many enemies are attacking your territory."
"The Skodisqi people have fewer than ten thousand, while the Dacians have over ten thousand," Antosy answered.
Bricks breathed a sigh of relief, jesting, "So there are just over twenty thousand people. Antosy, your demeanor earlier scared me; I thought the Skodisqi people had joined forces with the Dacians and were leading a massive army to counterattack us!"
"I already said that I didn’t anticipate the Dacians’ involvement. Their ambush caused significant casualties among my warriors, leaving me without the necessary forces to repel their advance." Antosy raised his voice anxiously, "The real issue isn’t the enemy’s numbers, but the fact that the Dacians have sent troops! In the past, the Dacians merely supported the Skodisqi people from behind. We’ve sent envoys on multiple occasions to question them, yet they’ve evaded admitting any wrongdoing, clearly avoiding direct conflict with us. But now they’re openly deploying soldiers. This demands our utmost attention!"
Maitilis asked gravely, "What do you think is the reason for this?"
"I’m not entirely sure," Antosy gritted his teeth, "but there must be a reason for the Dacians’ sudden change in approach. I’ll send people to investigate. For now, the urgent task is not only to drive the enemy away but also to inflict heavy losses on them. Only then can we demonstrate our strength and shatter any ambitions or fantasies the Dacians might have!"
"Antosy is right!" Pagiras agreed enthusiastically. "The black panther must bare its claws to deter others from stealing its prey. Let’s unite our tribes and dispatch fifty to sixty thousand troops in one go, delivering a severe blow to the Dacians and exterminating the Skodisqi people at the same time. Otherwise, they’ll remain a constant threat!"
Several Great Chiefs expressed their agreement. When it was Demikas’s turn, he said solemnly, "I also agree. Additionally, I’d like to mention something about the Dacians. Everyone knows they occupy vast territories across the river—referring to the Danube River—with numerous tribes and larger landholdings than ours. However, they lack unity, and infighting is common among them. This makes it difficult for them to threaten other races on the Great River Plain. Instead, it’s the Boyi people and Taurisci who often attack the Dacian tribes, seizing considerable land...
Yet, last year, I heard rumors about a king emerging among the Dacian tribes. This king came from the East, seeking to unite the Dacians and end their internal conflicts... As it’s a mere rumor, I’m not sure of the current situation.