The next morning's sun cast its golden rays upon the towering peaks of Behistun. Little Kourosh summoned Arash, his elite soldier and military pillar. In the pleasant silence of the dawn, they both ascended the winding mountain paths. Kourosh's small steps were accompanied by Arash's agility, and both, in perfect harmony with nature, advanced towards the summit. This ascent was not only a physical exercise but also a symbol of Kourosh's firm resolve to reach the pinnacle of power and glory; a power whose seeds were being planted in the solitude of this very mountain, rooted in his ideals for building a just and magnificent empire.
Finally, after an hour of climbing, they reached a peak overlooking the vast plains of Behistun. A cool wind was blowing, making Kourosh's hair dance. The plain stretched beneath their feet like a vast green carpet, and the rivers shone in it like silver veins. This grand vista reminded Kourosh of the vastness of his future empire. He turned to Arash, his gaze full of anticipation and pride. "Arash, my hidden sword, what has been achieved in these five years? How much has the army whose seeds we planted in this plain grown?"
Arash, with a firm stature and eyes shining with loyalty and pride, gave a short bow and began to report: "My lord, by your command and with the help of your noble father, Cambyses, the seeds planted have borne fruit, and your hidden sword has now reached hundreds of young Persian and Median men. We have established your military training cores, the ones you described in your book, among the warrior tribes and even some Median villages that are dissatisfied with Astyages. These young men, with unparalleled motivation, have received training that no other army of this era is capable of providing."
Arash continued with passion and fervor, "We have trained them according to the methods you taught us for the Immortal Guard; from the iron discipline and Roman battle formations to the clever tactics of Sun Tzu and the principles of psychological warfare that you have drawn from Eastern and Western wisdom. They have reached the pinnacle not only in individual combat skills but also in teamwork and coordination." He added with emphasis, "Most importantly, my lord, all these hundreds of men have become fluent in your New Persian language. They can now read and write commands, which has increased the speed and accuracy of communication among the forces to an unprecedented degree."
Arash then pointed to another aspect of the progress that Kourosh had particularly emphasized over these five years: "My lord, by your command, we not only focused on training the soldiers but also improved blacksmithing and the production of equipment. Five years ago, you commanded me to gather a group of the best blacksmiths and send them to search for iron mines in the Zagros Mountains and the plains around Behistun. These efforts paid off, and we were able to discover rich veins of iron that have now become the basis for our weapon production."
He continued, "By your command, we trained the blacksmiths in the new methods of smelting and shaping metals that we learned from your teachings. The new swords and armors, lighter, sharper, and more durable than anything seen before, are now at the disposal of our forces. Also, at your request, we designed large, curved shields that have greater resistance to enemy arrows and are used in the defensive formations you described in your book."
Arash also mentioned the challenges: "Of course, maintaining the secrecy of these training sessions and activities has not been an easy task. We have established our training camps and blacksmithing workshops in remote mountainous and desert areas, where they remain hidden from the eyes of Astyages's spies. The financial resources, which Aban provides well, have allowed us to provide the necessary initial equipment, sufficient food, and materials for these forces and workshops. Even at times when access to raw iron was scarce, you ordered us to use recycled metals so that no opportunity would be lost."
Kourosh looked at the vast plain beneath them with satisfaction. He saw that the seeds of the Immortal Guard, the Guardians of the Homeland, and the Construction Corps that he had mentioned in his book were sprouting. These hundreds of men were only the beginning, but they formed the core of a force that, in the future, would not only defend his empire but also play a vital role in its construction and the improvement of people's lives. This hidden army, with its advanced weapons and unparalleled training, had now become Kourosh's powerful arm in realizing his thousand-year dream.
Arash said with confidence, "The loyalty of these young men to you, my lord, is boundless. They believe that you are a messenger from Ahura Mazda to establish justice in this land and to build an empire that will be a leader of its time, not only in war but also in peace and prosperity." Kourosh smiled and gazed at the horizon, where his dreams were taking shape.