Another day passed, and yet there was no movement from Lord Aeos's side. The men in the camp continued with their usual daily routine, without any intention or preparation to launch a siege or an assault against Myr.
And though things remained extremely calm on the surface, with each passing moment, the undercurrent beneath was increasing. The anxiety and nervousness among the Magisters were bubbling, and they were becoming more and more frustrated and helpless. They were barely able to keep their calm and composure.
The Magisters, for the third consecutive day, had arrived on the walls of Myr and once again were staring toward the camp of Lord Aeos. And once again, they were not able to discover anything. Apart from the massive number of soldiers moving in the camp, there was nothing that they were able to see from the walls of Myr.
The sun was just about to set, and the orangish hue of the dusk had taken over the landscape surrounding Myr. The Magisters had grown tired, bored, and frustrated. A direct assault on the city and immediate defeat would have been much better for their fragile hearts than this uncertainty and the wait and watch game. The pressure on them was enormous and this idleness and lack of any activity was almost killing them.
The Magisters were just musing about climbing down from the wall when they spotted something worth noticing happening inside Lord Aeos's camp. Two men had started galloping on horses, and they were approaching towards the large wooden doors of Myr.
The men, the soldiers, on the walls stirred as a few of them immediately knocked arrows to their bows, taking aim at the incoming riders. They had entered the range of their arrows.
"Should we fell them?" One of the lower ranked commanders asked no one in particular.
"No," one of the Magisters almost snapped in irritation, looking at the commander as if he were a fool.
The remaining Magisters exchanged glances. The commander with a low brain might not have picked it up, but the Magisters, with their sharp brains, had realized that these two men were most likely coming with the purpose of negotiation, maybe carrying a proposal from Lord Aeos, or something of that nature.
They exchanged another round of glances before they descended the stairs. The smaller trapdoor within the larger gate was opened on their orders, and more than half a dozen Magisters stepped out through it.
By this time, the two men had also reached the gates of Myr and were standing just a few paces away from the Magisters. There was a staring contest between the two sides for a couple of moments before one of the riders stirred into motion and moved closer to the Magisters.
"What is the purpose of your visit?" a Magister questioned, his voice filled with fake haughtiness.
He was almost trembling inwardly, worrying about what Lord Aeos might want to say, but he still had his pride and felt he had to maintain that arrogance and sense of authority. And he could not appear to be weak in front of a mere messenger.
The man on the horse barely reacted as he reached inside his breast pocket and pulled out a scroll. He handed it over to the Magister, who caught it with a nearly shaking hand.
"A message from Lord Aeos himself," the man said after handing over the scroll.
Thereafter, he did not wait for the Magisters to even unfurl the parchment. He nudged his horse and turned back toward the camp, his partner following close behind him.
"Open it quickly!" Another Magister said, his voice thick with anxiety.
It did not need to be said. Every one of them, and even the commanders and soldiers on the walls, were extremely curious and anxious to know what Lord Aeos had sent for them. There was a palpable sense of fright as well.
The scroll was unfurled, and the message came into full view.
Magisters of Myr,
I trust you are all faring well. Since my forces have not yet attacked your city, you should all be fine, albeit in a state of tension and anxiety. But do not worry.
All of you might be wondering the same thing. Why have I not launched my assault yet? Well, I was simply giving you time to think and come to a proper understanding of what you are about to face. To make a proper note of the strength of my force.
Inwardly, you all know there is no chance the city of Myr can defend against my attack. It might be sooner or it might be later, but once I make my move, the city is destined to fall.
But then you might wonder, why am I writing now?
I write to ask for your surrender. Bloodshed is in no one's interest. War brings a great deal of devastation and destruction. Many lives are lost, many livelihoods are destroyed, and a myriad of sufferings follow in the wake of conflict. I wish to avoid this if it is possible. I do not want unnecessary bloodshed. I want to resolve things peacefully.
I would also emphasize that surrendering to me is in your favor. If you surrender, you will not be held liable or responsible for anything you have done in the past. Apart from your slaves, who will be freed, you will lose nothing. Neither your estates, nor your wealth, nor your businesses shall be forfeit. No harm will come to them. You will live your lives as you always have. Simply under my rules and regulations.
Now, finally. You have until tomorrow evening, the same time at which you received this scroll, to surrender. Open the gates for my men and all of you will be spared. Otherwise, be prepared to face my wrath.
Lord Aeos
The words on the scroll were polite. Lord Aeos had threatened them, but he had done so very politely. Despite this, the hearts of the Magisters had started to beat wildly and rapidly. They gulped a couple of times in fright as they exchanged nervous glances among each other. There was one final day remaining before Myr would come under attack.
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