Long ago, two armies appeared on the borders of Usta, each determined to fight for her riches. One army was led by General Jabess of Ovron, and the other army was led by General Roonda of Baruna. And Ovron had brought his sorcerers and his best beserkers, and Roonda had brought his phalanxes, and the two armies did poise for battle on the edge of the city.
Just as it came to pass that General Jabess raised his horn to signal the armies to attack, and just as General Roonda raised his bronze sword to announce the armies to charge, there came a mighty wind blowing, and all the trees shivered, and all the ground shook.
Behold, for from the city came the figure of Chamandra the Immortal, he who speaks for the gods themselves, and Chamandra came between the two armies and said: “Why do you make war in the land of Usta? Why do you destroy her prosperity? Why do you waylay her merchants and seize her goods?”
General Jabess said, “The people of Usta must be made to follow the laws of Ovron, for we have sworn to protect the people from the demons of Beyond. The heretic and devil-appeaser, General Roonda, stands in our way.”
Then General Roonda said, “The people of Usta are part of our Great Circle, and without them our people are lessened. The wealth of Usta must be brought into the Circle for its own protection, and the fanatic and tyrant General Jabess mocks us with his presence.”
“But why is it yours to protect, General Jabess? And why is it yours, General Roonda?” Chamandra asked them. “The city of Usta belongs to itself.”
The two mightiest generals stood before one another, neither willing to give way, but neither with the proof of property that entitled him to rule over Usta.
“Then through me,” said Chamandra, “the gods declare this: he who raises a sword or casts a spell or takes so much as a trinket of Usta for his own shall be swept away into the sea. The gods have spoken.”
But that night, when the moon rose, General Roonda did stealthily creep into the town of Usta with his phalanxes, hoping that the gods did not see. And General Jabess, too, had with spells of invisibility crept into the town, also to seize it for his own. And they saw one another, and immediately they ordered their armies into the fray.
Even as they did so, a terrible wave rose from the ocean and crashed down into the very center of Usta, washing away all sign of both armies, and cleansing the streets even of their blood and bones. All the armies and their retainers and donkeys and dogs of war were swept into the boiling sea.
And ever since that day, none has dared make war on Usta, or waylay her merchants on the roads, or steal the least of her trinkets, lest they answer to the gods.
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