Chapter 25: The Voice in the Thorn Flames
"…"
Ramesses silently sipped a small mouthful of water—fortunately, he had grabbed the only cup beforehand, so Hikigaya hadn't burned it, leaving just this one cup in the tent.
He wasn't thirsty; he needed a moment to collect his thoughts because…
What did that guy just say?
He wants to give me Canaan?
Get lost! Canaan was mine to begin with!
"You've already lost! Muwatalli, you coward hiding in the city dare threaten me?"
"This is not a threat. My side has not yet committed all forces; reinforcements are on the way. And you?" Muwatalli replied confidently. "Your victory relied entirely on divine power. No one can withstand such power repeatedly. If the fighting continues, the victory will surely belong to me, the Hittites."
After saying this, his mouth was dry. Instinctively, he reached for the cup—only to find nothing. Realizing the water had gone along with the table, he casually traced a large circle in the air with his hand before pretending to adjust his hair, then, seeing Ramesses' gloating expression, he proposed:
"However, our peoples have long enjoyed friendly relations. Your conduct has earned my respect, so I choose friendship with you, willing to clearly define borders. Our agreement will be recorded and held by both sides, witnessing our friendship for generations."
At this point, he looked at Hikigaya, but his gaze was far more restrained than when looking at Ramesses.
"This… since you know of the Assyrians, you must also know they are trouble for both Hittites and Egyptians."
Hikigaya found Muwatalli amusing. This guy's grandfather had once allied with Assyria to attack Mitanni.
Honestly, Muwatalli was far more experienced than Ramesses. He actually wanted peace, but negotiations are always like this.
Hikigaya decided to give them a hand because he wanted to go home. He produced a previously prepared draft of the agreement.
The silver tablet treaty between Egypt and the Hittites would become famous in later generations; Hikigaya knew its outline well.
The only point not on the tablet, which the Hittites and Egyptians needed to discuss now, was the division of spheres of influence—easy to handle because Hikigaya remembered it.
Egypt would have Canaan and part of what would later be southern Syria. The Hittites would control most of Syria and the fortress city of Kadesh. In fact, Kadesh was the postwar boundary between their territories.
This was the impact of Hikigaya, the godslayer, traveling through time. Historically, this negotiation would take sixteen years—until the Hittites were weary of Assyrian harassment and lost their alliance with Babylon. In this world, it happened immediately after the Battle of Kadesh.
The two nations agreed to permanent peace, mutual support, and the return of political exiles. To cement the treaty, Ramesses would marry a Hittite princess.
Thus, the confrontation between Egypt and the Hittites ended. They became allies again—a relationship that, barring accidents, would last until the Hittite kingdom's collapse.
Subsequently, Ramesses ordered the Egyptian army to withdraw.
The retreat wasn't quick; it took even longer than the advance. Ramesses lost one-third of his forces. The Amon Legion and the Ra Legion were nearly destroyed. The remaining soldiers combined amounted to less than half a legion. Ramesses' mercenaries performed best, though like the Ptah Legion, they still suffered some losses. Only the Set Legion arrived unscathed, arriving after the Battle of Kadesh.
Ramesses had to reorganize his legions, spending an extra month to bring the five damaged legions back to Thebes.
After returning, some soldiers of the Ptah Legion were dissatisfied: all war captives were offered to the Amon Temple. Normally, soldiers wouldn't care, but this time the captives were entirely seized by the Ptah Legion, whose members had not prayed to Amon before the expedition.
Of course, the Pharaoh wouldn't notice. Offering captives to Amon was tradition.
The Amon Temple didn't care either. By the 19th Dynasty, priesthood was hereditary. The Pharaoh could no longer appoint priests. Why would powerful priests care about a group of rank-and-file soldiers? Impossible.
Besides, rules are rules. Without a god's protection summoned by the temple, could these mudfeet have won? Ridiculous.
Hikigaya observed these psychological activities but had no interest in meddling. Ramesses? He had fulfilled his obligation to the house, so from now on, Hikigaya's focus was on Moses.
Meanwhile, oblivious to being monitored by a godslayer, Moses was at home… or rather, he had just finished self-care.
Afterwards, work awaited, and Moses was a shepherd—not his own sheep, but those of his father-in-law, Jethro.
That day, Moses tended Jethro's flock. Unusually, without realizing it, he wandered far.
When he noticed, he found himself at the foot of Mount Horeb.
Immediately, he felt something was wrong. It had been a long time since he'd been disturbed by that voice, but today's anomaly made him uneasy.
He wanted to flee but couldn't get the sheep to move. They circled aimlessly, frustrating him.
When driving them past a small hill, a patch of thorn bushes suddenly burst into flame for no reason.
At first, Moses ignored it. But passing by repeatedly, seeing the flames unchanged and undamaged, he realized trouble had arrived.
This was beyond any trick a court sorcerer in Egypt could manage.
Avoidance was useless. Moses decided to face it with his own eyes.
He approached.
The flames surged. Moses seemed to see a humanoid figure swaying within.
"Moses! Moses!" a voice called from the fire. "I am here!"
Moses recognized it instantly.
Well… if you called me, I suppose I have to come. You're too powerful for me to resist.
He sighed and stepped forward.
Then he heard the voice cheer him on…
Honestly, it was a little irritating. He had been cooperative, yet the voice called him but didn't let him advance. What was the point?
The mystery was quickly resolved.
"Do not come closer. Remove the sandals from your feet, for the ground you stand on is holy."
Moses looked down.
Holy ground? Are you serious? So messy…
Until he heard the next sentence, he could no longer feign calm.
"I am the God of your father! The God of Abraham! The God of Isaac! The God of Jacob!"
Moses: "…"
He tore a strip from his robe, covered his face, and ran.
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