The Attack on Ishtanur was an allied assault led by Simon and Aelius against Zain's capital in Ulzathir. The attackers failed to seize Ishtanur and withdrew after astragons warned them of danger from the fighting at Rimvold.
Background
The allies sought to eliminate the guardians and their gods, with Zain included among their targets. The assault took place alongside Virel's attack on Rimvold, where Zain was stationed. Zain entrusted the capital's defense to Zhulkar and sent Khezriya and Qadir back with more than half of his military. Archibald supported the defense with advanced divine shield generators.
Simon's and Aelius's army first seized Zhurakûn, killing its armed resistance while leaving civilians unharmed. Its local leaders had already fled to Ishtanur.
Assault
The attackers encountered defending mages and ships of Malverand design. Troops descended from skyships under Lysander's golden barriers, while Splin shielded soldiers with starfields and drove sonic shockwaves across the battlefield. Simon rained lightning meteors onto the defenders, and Aelius attacked with plasma and the Glaive of Frost and Fire.
Zhulkar overwhelmed Vianna with cosmic and aether attacks. Aelius distracted him with his glaive, allowing Kren to catch Vianna's fall. Aelius then fought Zhulkar while Vianna and Kren pressed toward the city.
The fighting devastated the outer districts and burned the surrounding jungle. Plasma attacks broke shields, but the defenders kept replacing their divine and cosmic generators, preserving the protection around the city's heart. Khezriya directed the counter bombardment.
Withdrawal
Simon halted the assault. Splin flew west, and the army prepared its skyships while waiting for her return. Simon then demanded that the defenders lower their shields, offering to spare Ulzathir and place them under Haverloch's guard. Zhulkar and Khezriya refused. Zhulkar supported Zain as a ruler Ulzathir needed, despite knowing that Zain's claim to divinity was false.
Splin returned with Spin. Aelius sensed fear from the astragons and ordered a retreat, which Simon relayed to the army. During their withdrawal, the attackers saw Zain flying back toward Ishtanur. He arrived badly injured and collapsed before Khezriya and Zhulkar.
The defenders retained the capital after this assault. A later attack by Thalassai and Haverloch removed Zain, and Anshar became Ulzathir's emperor.