The talts in a semicircle before the throne looked down at the ground in front of them, not at the king.
Attila gestured to his bodyguards, who stepped away from the ornate chest. They were arranged so that the full splendor of the large, artistic box would be visible to those present. The accompanying taltos went in front of those standing in a row wall on either side of the chest. He stopped and walked slowly to the chest. He touched its lid and then nodded. Twenty-four identical gaps appeared in a circular shape there, larger than two male mice. After the attendant checked the chest, he returned to the semicircle of the taltos, who looked up at him:
" The box guarding the shield is with the hunk king." So open up and protect the blood of the nation who is worthy.
The talts reached under their cloaks and then took out a beautifully crafted metal quiver. To the left of Attila, the first one opened the one he had, then said:
" Our Lord, a Hun khan, recognizes your blood from Nimrod." The Hun Empire gives one million arrows to its ten thousand cavalry, and thus to the lord of the known world, Attila.
After the taltos, in ornate attire, recited his text, he opened the ornate quiver and took out the arrow with a silvery tip, a golden cane, and a cute, silvery plumage glistening in a silvery light. He showed the arrow and handed it to the messenger, who placed it on the magnificent burgundy fabric spread out on the steps of the platform at Attila's feet.
The scene was repeated ritually twenty-four times. When the arrows were all lying at Attila's feet, Jenő remembered the beautiful drawing on the back of the chest. It was as if he had seen things like that, he thought to himself. The next moment he had no doubt: he saw these.
The king gestured to the bodyguards, who carried the chest between the attendant and the king. Attila nodded. The taltos inserted their own arrows one by one, one after the other, into the slots in the circular shape at the top of the chest. The mountains fit exactly into the gaps. After all the taltos were in place again, the attendant walked over to the twenty-four commas and pushed them down in a different order, in pairs. With both hands at the same time. The lock at the top of the crate clicked twelve times. The attendant stepped back and the top of the chest opened with a finger. Those present watched the whole thing in silent silence.
Then the twenty-four taltos, one by one, carefully removed their arrows from the top of the chest, then put them back into the ornate metal quiver, and the quails were held back in their hands. The attendant opened the chest, then took out of it twenty-four identical, brightly gleaming circular slices, which he laid on the floor and placed next to each other. The shape gave the shape of a shield, the center of which was still empty. The last piece is a golden ornament depicting a day. Twenty-four rays of the sun appeared, and in the middle was the initials of Nimrod's name written in rosé.
Attila rose from his throne and watched for a short time the pieces waiting to be assembled on the ground. He walked down his throne and then slowly walked around the beautiful objects. He had never seen anything more beautiful. The taltos, with their heads bowed, pointed the ornate quilts to the Hun king as one. The king saw where the arrows fit in the recesses formed in the circular slices.
Members of the military council looked at the whole thing with bated breath, tears rolling into the eyes of some. The taltos, and the attendant, were just waiting for the order to assemble the shield.
- It's not time yet. Attila's voice was cold and measured. - Put it back in the box. Take it to my royal chariot. Keep it there with the twenty-four taltos until I give a signal to put it together. You will be guarded by my bodyguard.
The attendant nodded and began putting the items back in the crate. The talts put away their ornate quilts, then retreated with the bodyguard and carried the covered chest. The Hun king ordered the camp to be dismantled.
