"What’s going on?" Neonsis demanded, his voice sharp with confusion.
Before anyone could answer, the door burst open with a resounding bang. A guard stord in, his face alight with excitent. "Report, generals! The scouts have returned! They say... they say... the rcenaries have won! The Lucanian coalition has been defeated!!"
"Is this true?!" The generals exclaid in unison, their disbelief mirrored in their wide eyes.
"Yes!" the guard affird, his voice trembling with exhilaration. "The scouts went to the battlefield—the Great Riverbank—where the rcenaries fought the Lucanians. They said the entire area is littered with the corpses of Lucanians!"
"Incredible... Absolutely incredible..." Neonsis murmured, as if speaking in a dream.
"How did they do it?!" Kunogorata asked, his voice betraying both astonishnt and lingering fear. He had fought the Lucanians only yesterday and could still feel the tremor of their relentless assaults. That the vastly outnumbered rcenaries had triumphed seed nothing short of a miracle.
"What kind of man is Juleios?" Anxitanos wondered aloud, his curiosity piqued by the enigmatic leader who had accomplished this near-impossible feat.
Polyxius’s thoughts turned to the young man he had seen aboard Bourkos’s ship—the sa man whose unassuming deanor had seed so harmless. Never in his wildest imagination had he thought that Juleios, with his easy smile, would shatter the Lucanian coalition and save Thurii from certain doom.
"They say he’s favored by Hades," Bourkos interjected proudly, breaking his silence. The generals had criticized him harshly for his blind faith in the rcenaries, yet now his heart surged with vindication. "The rcenaries call him a miracle worker. On their way back from Persia..." Bourkos recounted Juleios’s deeds with fervor, the tales flowing like a hymn to the man’s genius.
But the generals did not scoff at the seemingly absurd legends, nor did they et Bourkos’s triumphant gaze. Instead, they rose swiftly, striding toward the hall’s exit.
Outside the city hall, the square overflowed with people. Won, children, and elders—clad in mourning black and weighed down by grief just hours earlier—now erupted into jubilant cheers. The oppressive shadow that had hung over Thurii vanished as tears of joy streaked their faces.
The scouts brought more than news of victory. They carried a ssage from Juleios: Thurii must send workers to clear the battlefield and bury the corpses to prevent disease.
Ever cautious, the generals decided to verify the battlefield’s condition. Neonsis himself led the inspection team.
When they arrived at the Great Riverbank, a horrific sight awaited them. The marshes and river waters had turned red, the landscape transford into a scene from the underworld. Stripped corpses of Lucanian warriors lay strewn across the blood-soaked earth, their vacant eyes staring into eternity.
"This... This is a terrifying miracle," Neonsis murmured, his voice trembling as he surveyed the carnage. "A terrifying favorite of Hades..."
To express their gratitude to Juleios and the other leaders—Archita, Drakos, Adrianus, and Sesta—the council prepared a formal invitation. They decided to host a victory celebration in Thurii and sent Bourkos and Anxitanos to the rcenary camp bearing gifts: 100 jars of wine and 50 jars of olive oil.
When they arrived at the camp, their excitent was quickly stymied by the guards. "The leaders and soldiers are resting," one said firmly. "They’ve been ordered not to be disturbed. We cannot let you in."
Bourkos pleaded, invoking his past visits and the council’s goodwill, but the guards were unyielding. The camp was eerily silent, the stillness a testant to the discipline of the rcenaries. Left with no choice, the group returned to Thurii empty-handed.
Hoping for a different outco, they sought out Archetus, the Tarantine commander.
Archetus received them warmly, but when they explained their purpose, his expression turned uneasy. "This victory belongs entirely to Juleios. His strategy was the key. The Tarantine reinforcents played only a supporting role. If Juleios refuses, I wouldn’t dare go alone—it would be disgraceful!"
Reluctantly, the delegation resolved to try again the next day.
Inside the rcenary camp, while most soldiers rested, the officers and commanders gathered in Juleios’s large tent.
After hearing a report about Thurii’s invitation, Davos chuckled. "Thurii treated us like thieves, and now they want to celebrate us? A bit late for that, don’t you think?"
"Exactly!" Amintas added with a sneer. "We didn’t annihilate the Lucanians for them."
Olivers leaned forward with a mischievous grin. "Still, it’s a pity to miss their celebration. Who knows how many beautiful Thurian maidens are eagerly waiting for our leader to attend!"
Laughter rippled through the room as Juleios raised an eyebrow, amused. "Shall I send you in my place, Olivers?"
"Not !" Olivers said, shaking his head dramatically. "They invited the great Juleios, slayer of Lucanians, not so nobody like !" His exaggerated performance drew another round of laughter.
Philesius, sobering the mood, interjected. "Leader, we should maintain good relations with Thurii. They’ll be our neighbors."
Juleios nodded, his focus sharpening. "How is Drakos?" he asked, turning to Adrianus and Sesta.
"Under Helpus’s care, he’s recovering well. He even reminded us to follow your orders," Sesta replied gratefully.
Juleios acknowledged the sentint, his tone firm. "Good. Drakos’s leadership was critical. Without him holding the northern line, we might have lost everything." His gaze swept across the room. "Now, let’s go over tonight’s plan."
The room fell silent as Juleios pointed to a detailed model of Andolara on the table.
"At two o’clock tonight, we will break camp and march toward Andolara. Once we cross the Sisno River..." He looked to Xilos. "Ensure the wall we built is put to use. Your training must not be in vain."
"Understood, leader!" Xilos replied confidently.
Juleios continued, "If the enemy discovers us and the surprise attack fails, Kapus, Antonios, and Alexis, your units will carry ladders and battering rams for a direct assault."
"Yes!" the three commanders replied in unison.
"Amintas," Juleios said, his tone lighter, "you’ll lead the charge once the gates are open."
"Finally!" Amintas grinned, cracking his knuckles.
"Once inside, all units will follow the plan. Guided by locals, you’ll take the summit—the Senate, the square, and the temple. These are the likely strongholds of the Lucanians. We must secure them quickly. Is that clear?"
"Clear!!!" the officers roared.
Juleios’s voice grew solemn. "Tomorrow, Thurii might ask us to retake Andolara for them, or the Lucanians may flee. Tonight is our only chance to claim the city as our own. To make it truly ours, we must succeed—no matter what."
The officers saluted, the weight of his words settling over them like armor.
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