A few miles away from Petra.

"That's the last of them, sir." One of the Companions approached Hierax and pointed in the distance to where the corpse of a Ptolemaic soldier lay with about three arrows in his back. "The others are too far away for our infantry to reach them, shall I order my men to pursue?"

"No," was the young general's half-whispered reply. For a moment he seemed to ignore his adjutant, but then he continued: "Let them rest, there will be plenty of bloodshed to come."

The elder soldier could sense the tension in his voice and he approached. "My general, what ails?" and as he drew closer, it became clear what the cause of this nervousness was. The soldier followed Hierax's gaze to a spot in the blood-stained sand where, half-burried, lay the torn body of the enemy general, Paramonos Philopator.

"He was a great general." The Hetairos said, more in acknowledgment of Hierax than of the deceased.

"Far greater than I." was the disappointed reply.

"Yet he was not my general." Firmly stated the soldier. This made his young commander finally turn from the body to face his lieutenant. "And it is you, general... my general who earned victory today. It was you... it was your hand with this very sword that slew this titan." And he grabbed his general's arm and held it towards the heavens. "It was your strong arm that led us, your mighty sword that brought us victory. Glory to thee, my general!"

Hierax peered into his loyal soldier's eyes and only nodded in acknowledgment. "Bring me a messenger," he said "I must notify the Basileus."

"Aye, sir." He let go of Hierax's arm and hurried to carry out his orders. But the young general still held his arm up, and beyond the blade of his sword, just over the weapon's sharp edge he could see a shadow forming in the violent storm, a hardly discernible figure but he knew immediately what it was- Petra. The city that had caused his brothers in arms so much grief, whose armies his father had fought for years. Now, it lay within his grasp- within the reach of his sword.

"You shall bring me glory."