The initial raid was successful and we’d managed to deal a significant blow to our foes, morale as well as take a decent number of prisoners as well.
The legions had retreated after less than an hour of fighting and the greecians had resisted heavily to pursue our forces as we fell back.
This was but the first blow to give our enemy a bloody nose but it would not be the last.
We would give our n a short rest as they camped in the darkness of the grasslands, while others would slowly slip around in the darkness.
The greecians would certainly be posting more sentries towards the front of their camp wary about another night raid, so our cohorts would move to strike at their weakened rear, and then when the guard was down looking back we’d once more attack from the front.
The greecian army will be killed off by a death of a thousand tiny cuts, as their strength and will to fight drops minute by minute.
The legionairres however were raring to go, their training was prepared them to fight for hours on end so to break every so often was new to them, but with their discipline they obeyed the orders of their commanders and generals.
The forces of romanus would beco spectres of the night.
The greecian who managed to escape here today would forever spread fear within their ranks as they tell story about the nightmare forces they were fighting against.
Ti and again our legions attacked their encampnt chipping away at their manpower, their reasources, and their sanity.
By the ti dawn was breaking we had pulled back our forces and from our fortified position, the dawns first light gave way to our view of the devastated Greecian camp.
While it had only been partially constructed before night fell, now it looked from a distance to be an abandoned camp, as the pike wall was all but collapsed, burn marks scorched the earth as tents and wagons had been burned during out raids.
Our own n were happily resting, many with smiles on their faces.
We had captured thousands in the night, hundreds were slain, and best of all we’d managed to steal a good deal of supplies by capturing whole carts full of weapons, and food stocks.
The newly captured we’re enslaved as prisioners of war and sent to reside with their fellow pow’s given als and rest, before being put to work alongside the other prisioners.
Our recently arrive companions anwhile awoke to the sight of a practically defeated enemy.
King Leonidas was impressed at our efficiency though he did still sneer at our apparent lack of honor for a straight up fight...
Oh well this is not Sparta’s war any longer, this now is the conquest of the Greecians by the Romanus army.
So after dealing with the Spartan’s complaints for a while the whole of our Legions assembled and began our march into the field of battle.
Once more our superior fortification was emptied of almost all but the prisioners who thanks to the slavery binding could not rebel against their masters.
This allowed us to lead our backs to them, as the rank and file ford up, the Spartan contingent joined us, due to their own limited number the King had joined at the rear of the formation.
Once our full lines had ford up, the horns blew out signaling our advance.
In the distance the sentries and surviving mbers of the Greecian arny were scrmbling.
Many had been unable to sleep throughout the night due to our repeated attacks, others were only just now getting to sleep now that the safety of the sun’s light had co up, only to have this belief shattered by the calling of our horns.
Our pace was not fast, just a standard walking pace, but each step closer was like the footsteps of hell approaching to our enemy.
From the distance we could plainly see many had taken up the call of cowardice and began running in a rout before the days first battle could even begin.
Weak minded fools.
Our battle lines ca to a half so hundred yards from the enemy encampnt.
Following their own custom the legions sent forth approximately 100 of our strongest fighters who walked to the mid point standing in direct challenge against the enemy force.
The Greecian’s who were ard within their camp appeared to be confused they had been harrased by an honorless foe throughout the night but now they faced off against an honorable army...
Could it be they were under attack by mulitple armies?
Julius’s legions were all infantry, and his co-commander Yuri was once more missing from the field of battle, she had been given a mission behind enemy lines, as Julius had theorized that many in the enemy camp would choose to retreat back to the captured city rather than face this new foe disadvantaged as they were.
In doing so the limited cavalry would get their greatest chance to once more lower the enemies numbers, and possibly even increase the number of their slave captives.
On the greecian front however not one man stepped from their camp to face this new threat.
Instead Julius from atop his horse rode slowly through his Legion’s lines as they moved in sequence out of his path, Leonidas and his spartans followed closely behind.
He continued on until he’d passed his own standing advanced guard coming closer to the enemy camp, from this distance he could see the look of pain, horror, and exhasution upon the trembling forces.
"My na is Julius Aquitania, Supre General of the Armies of Romanus, Ally to the Spartan Kingdom, send out you’re champions per the traditions of your ancesstors, disgrace my n further and we shall be forced to treat you all as Heathens."
Heathens, just like refering to Visigoth’s as bird eaters was a hidden phrase from the ga that would rile up all the peoples of the Greecian peninsula.
Many in the camp looked ready to charge out and accept the challenge, however they were stopped by the others, it was not until an old man with white hair and a beard that reached his chest walked out wearing a flowing set of clothes did the animostiy in the air finally cease.
The man walked alone to et Julius who still was atop his horse surrounded by the spartans with King Leonidas standing to his right.
The man stopped when he was only a short distance away, first his eyes landed on Julius but a mont later they wandered to the King.
To have a king walk while another rode?
His face spoke out at how he was confused, had the spartan kingdom beco subservient to another nation in exchange for their help in repelling the allied invaision?
"King Leonidas."
The old man offered up a bow and greeting to the Spartan King.
"XXXXX, fancy seeing you here."
The king responded to the greeting, neither side seed to want to recognize my presence.
However after their own conversation ca to an end the old man’s eyes turned to look back at once more.
"General Julius? Our na is XXXXX we serve as the commander of the Argosian army you see before you."
I left a pause after he spoke to allow his words to sink in, before i focused on him and replied.
"Are you the chosen champion for your people then?"
"Champion? Oh no surely not General. Perhaps you are not aware but our forces have already been fighting for their lives all night and as such are not ready to take to the field so soon."
"Oh? So what? You request my n to stand down and wait till you’ve all had your rest so a true battle can take place? If so then i must refuse, where is the honor in such a battle, for the invading forces to be making such demands must an you have sothing to offer in exchange yes?"
The old man paled at my words for he knew i was right, the allies had been the agressors, and now they ca begging practically on their knees for respite to recover, worse yet because he had nothing to offer this young commander in exchange for such a break in hostilities.
"No... er you see."
So a fight on the fields it shall be, if you’re champions do not co out within 15 minutes we shall take it as a slight on the rules of engagent per the customs of the greecian peoples and my army shall attack in full force instead.
"Gulp... as you wish i shall inform my people."
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