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Thread: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

  1. #61

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Chapter 24: Unexpected Surprises Part 1
    Summer 248 BC Elymais, Green-Shade Hall, the Seat of Archimenes

    The gates swung open for the lone Galatian rider. Even before he dismounted, Archimenes could see there was something wrong. The man's expression said it all.
    "My Lord!"
    "What has happened?" asked Archimenes calmly.
    "Our company has been destroyed!"

    Archimenes took a deep breath. He had suspected as much from the scout's hasty arrival.
    "How?"
    "Lord Vanara caught us between his infantry and cavalry and we were ripped to shreds."
    "Infantry?" asked Archimenes, frowning.
    "Yes my Lord. Vanara's forces number 10 000 or more, not just just the 1 500 horsemen we expected. I saw a large number of mercenary companies marching with him before they were upon us. The Hounds of Elissa split into 3 groups and slowly drove us into the arms of their infantry. We were crushed. Not more than a quarter of our men survived."
    "When did this occur?"
    "Two days ago my Lord. Vanara's army will be here by tomorrow morning."

    Archimenes slowly turned around. The eyes of 300 soldiers were on him. They had all heard. He started to speak.

    "It seems we are alone now. The odds look poor, 300 against 10 000. If anyone has any second thoughts and wishes to leave. They may do so now.."

    He waited. No one made a move. Archimenes continued.

    "My comrades of the Black Guard. Your devotion brings strength to my own heart. I say this: We are outnumbered...but not outmatched! I would rather fight beside you than a hundred thousand mercenaries. Tomorrow we may die, but we won't die without a fight! We will make them pay tenfold for every drop of our own blood! WHAT ARE OUR VOWS?!"

    The Black Guard replied in unison,"NO RETREAT! NO SURRENDER! NO MATTER WHAT!..."
    Last edited by seleucid empire; 10-18-2012 at 08:38.

  2. #62

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Chapter 25: Unexpected Surprises Part 2
    Summer 248 BC Elymais, Green-Shade Hall, the Seat of Archimenes

    Mardonious watched from the ramparts as Vanara's army deployed. Men marching in large blocks assembled just out of arrow range and engineers were pushing forward the catapults. Around him stood the black guards wearing heavy plate mail covering suits of chain mail. Their aspis shields protected a good portion of their body and they were armed with a unique xiphos that was nearly a metre long. Heavy infantry in truth.

    A rider from the besieging army approached the walls.
    "Defenders! Lord Vanara offers you a choice. Give up Archimenes and you will all be allowed to return to the Black Citadel unharmed. If you refuse you will all be dead by noon."

    Mardonious drew back his bow and launched an arrow at the messenger's horse. The horse toppled and flung the messenger from its back. The Black Guards roared with laughter and a few came up to pat Mardonious on the back.

    Archimenes emerged from the hall wearing only a light metal cuirass. He was however, armed to the teeth. On each hip rested a curved kopis sword. His aspis shield was strapped to his back and he carried a spear in one hand and a long xiphos in the other.

    Mardonious sighed.
    He knows that the deaths of these men will be on his head. Thus he will fight the hardest of them all.

    "You have enough weapons on you to arm a garrison." said Mardonious light heartedly.
    "Finally some humour from you. I thought I would never see the day." growled Archimenes, "Mardonious, I don't want you on the walls."
    "Why not?"
    "As soon as the enemy come over the walls, you will get yourself killed. Besides, the black guard can double up as archers. It is part of their training. I want you to support us from the courtyard. I have assembled every peasant willing to fight and given them bows. You can use them to cover our escape if we need to fall back from the walls or you can use them to relieve some pressure if a part of the wall gets overrun."
    "Fine."

    The catapults began to launch their projectiles. Under the cover of the barrage, the Mercenaries began to move up towards the walls, hastily assembled ladders in their hands. The Black Guard drew their bows and fired a volley. Almost every shaft found a target. Scores of lightly armed mercenaries dropped. The mercenaries quickened their pace and lifted their ladders onto the walls. The Black Guard dropped their bows as the mercenaries began to climb. The first mercenary over the walls was dispatched by Archimenes, who thrust a spear into the man's gut. More ladders reached the walls and soon the wall was crowded with men fighting. Mardonious watched as Archimenes killed one man after another. A large mercenary champion appeared over the walls and killed three Black Guards before Archimenes launched his spear at him. It went straight into the giant's chest and he toppled, dead, from the walls. A cry of dismay was heard from the mercenaries below.

    The Black Guards cut down entire companies of mercenaries but there were too many. Eventually, the attackers got a foothold and more of their brethren poured into the gap. The Black Guards still had 250 men left standing but more and more gaps appeared. Mardonious looked over at Archimenes and gasped. His squad lay dead around him and he was defending an entire stretch of the wall by himself. His xiphos had been discarded and now he fought with a kopis in each hand. Thirty mercenaries closed in on him from both sides. He spun, one kopis cutting into an opponent's neck and the other beating away a spear thrust to his back. He continued his sword dance, twirling, ducking, sliding, jumping and spinning, his hands and body were blurs of movement.

    He fights with the Speed and Grace of Achilles. He fights like Ares himself,thought Mardonious.

    The mercenaries were helpless against his inhuman speed and strength. They continued to swarm over the walls..and they continued to die. Mardonious watched, amazed as Archimenes swiftly cut down more than a hundred mercenaries. But more came. Mardonious ordered his archers to fire at a knot of the enemy who had gained another foothold on the walls. The Black Guards were down to 200 men now and they began to fall faster as more gaps opened up for the enemy. The tide of enemies near Archimenes' section of the wall slowed, and then eventually stopped. The Mercenaries were now afraid to approach him.

    A captain of the mercenaries climbed onto the central ramparts. His men surrounded a group of Black Guards. Archimenes spotted the captain and fought his way through to him. With a scissoring motion of his Kopis's, the captain's head fell off, splattering his troops with gore. The frightened men panicked and were cut down without mercy. Archimenes was covered in blood now, a red apparation, a demon, frightening to behold. The assault had been repelled. Mardonious walked up to the ramparts. The stairs were slick with blood and bits of limbs and the defenders were now in the process of throwing bodies over the side of the walls.

    Perhaps 3 000 mercenaries dead and 150 Black Guards left standing, concluded Mardonious. They will attack again, very soon so we will not have time to recover. Oh Gods, We won't be able to stop them this time..

    *****

    "Useless bastards!" screamed Vanara. Ennychos had never seen his master's temper flare so high.
    “My Lord, you must calm down.” said Captain Gorgios
    “Calm down?! No, I am furious! Your men are useless Gorgios.”
    “They are veterans of the Asia Minor and Greek Wars.”
    “Yet they failed to take a fortress when they outnumbered the defenders 10 to 1.”
    “Those are Black Guard Infantry, some of the best infantry in the empire. My men were medium infantry.”
    “Sheer numbers should have done the job, unless your men are nothing more than peasants in armour.”
    “My men refuse to go near the east section of the wall. I questioned one of the men who survived from the last repelled attack and he claims to have seen a man covered in blood, wielding two kopis’s, twirling and slashing a bloody path through my mercenaries. This man cut his way through hundreds of men effortlessly. He fights with a style and grace that my men have never seen before and many say he moves like Achilles himself.”
    “That must be Archimenes, I have heard stories of his prowess in battle…yet…hundreds of men....the speed of Achilles? I find that hard to believe.”
    “It matters not my Lord, we still have 7 000 men left. This next assault, I will place my heaviest infantry at the head. The Black Guard are still tired form the last assault. We will overwhelm them.”

    *****

    The rows of men moved closer. This time, Mardonious noticed that most of the mercenaries were heavy infantry. They would not be able to hold this time. He turned his head to look at Archimenes. The warrior was a truly frightening visage with his blood soaked face. All the surviving defenders were looking at him in fear and wonder.
    “My men…” rasped Archimenes, “Our time is near. What are our vows?”
    “No retreat…” said one man.
    “No surrender…” said another.
    “No matter what!” cried the rest in unison. But it all sounded weak to Mardonious.
    The Heavy infantry reached the walls and climbed up the ladders. A furious struggle began as the heavy infantry quickly gained the advantage against the tired defenders. However, Archimenes fought just as vigorously before. Wherever he stood, the men held. He was their standard, not made of silk or cloth but of flesh and blood.

    But they were slowly falling. Soon, only 30 defenders remained, a tight knot of men fighting beside Archimenes. A group of mercenaries reached the gate and opened it. But no one came in. Mardonious gave the signal and from their hiding places, the peasants charged out, swamping the few mercenaries with pitchforks and arrows. They closed the gates and joined the fight on the walls.

    What was going on, why did the enemy not rush through the gates?

    When the last mercenary was cut down, Mardonious looked over the walls. To the East, a large group of horse-archers had appeared and were loosing arrows into the midst of Vanara's army. The heavy infantry who were attacking the walls had withdrawn and now stood facing the endless onslaught of arrows. The Elissan Guard moved to counter this new threat but were cut to pieces when a regiment of companion cavalry appeared and counter-charged. Vanara's infantry moved in to help their decimated cavalry but from behind them, another unit of companions crashed into their ranks, causing mass confusion. A third, larger group of companions now rode towards them to finish the encirclement. At the sight of these, the remaining defenders cheered.

    "The Black Guard Cavalry! Alexandros has come!!"

    *****

    Mardonious and Archimenes rode side by side towards the victorious army. Behind them trailed what was left of the defenders. A hastily rigged tent stood in the middle of the battlefield and when the two men approached, the guards stepped aside without a word. They entered and when they saw the tall, broad shouldered man with a crown on his head, they immediately dropped to their knees.

    "You may rise." said Antiochus.
    "Ahh Archimenes my friend!" said Alexandros the Black."I am very surprised to see you here."
    "My Lord...How did you know we were in trouble?"
    "I didn't. We were on our way to Seleukeia when we heard news of a large army in the area. We suspected it might be the queens."
    "Th-The Queens army?"

    Alexandros' face grew serious."Yes, alas, I'm afraid we have another war to fight..."


    End of Act I: The Gardens of Paradise
    Last edited by seleucid empire; 10-18-2012 at 12:44.

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  3. #63

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    next act coming after the 9th

  4. #64

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Intermission: The Great Generals of the 1st Era

    It is almost impossible to bring up the subject of the 'First Golden Era' without first discussing the rise to power of the empire. Instrumental to these efforts were the great generals of the first era, who burned their names into the pages of history forever.

    Emperor Antiochus II 'Theos'



    The Emperor of the first era and the greatest general the world had seen since Alexandros Megas. He not only reunited Alexandro's empire, he also expanded it to twice the previous size, creating the largest empire the world had ever known. What is even more astonishing is the fact that he was not only a military genius, he was also a legendary administrator, reformer and a master of politics.

    By reforming the army, he created the finest command structure in the world and increased training requirements for all troops, forcing generals to drill their troops to absolute perfection. In the political arena, he was a formidable opponent, often outmanoeuvring lords who wished to place him in an ill or compromising position. Like Alexandros Megas he was adept at winning the friendships of conquered peoples. In fact most historians agreed that the only reason it took him 20 years to create his empire while Alexandros only took 8 was because of the advancements in warfare. Troops could now be raised faster and were equipped in better equipment than before. Instead of a few large armies in his path, Antiochus II had to fight through several hundred.

    He astonished the world by showing what a single man could accomplish. He was truly the most powerful man in the world and his achievements in all areas of rule would not be matched by any single person for nearly a thousand years.


    Alexandros the Black



    Alexandros the Black, cousin to King Antiochus was one of Antiochus' key generals. He was Lord commander of the Imperial armies, meaning he could overrule any general or High General on military matters except for the Emperor himself. Became Infamous for showing calculated brutality against particularly stubborn enemies and earned the Epithet of 'The Black'. He was very military minded and probably the second greatest general of the era, although some historians argue otherwise

    Sarpedon



    The Younger Brother of Antiochus, and Lord of the Sphere of Shadow. He was possibly the most feared man in all of the history of the Empire. Most people remember him as the dark spy master but it is known that he was also a great tactician and some say he was an even better general than Alexandros the Black due to his subtlety and extreme intelligence (matched only by Antiochus). He commanded his most famous battles in Asia Minor and Greece, laying low several armies despite a severe numerical disadvantage. Most famous of all was the Battle of Sinope, where his small army of 10 000 men was trapped between two huge Pontic forces. Sarpedon managed to outmanoeuvre and destroy both forces, killing 70 000 men and ending the Pontic Kingdom in a victory that was believed to have been "impossible".

    Although master of the most dangerous organisation in the Empire, he was utterly loyal to his brother the Emperor and never attempted to take the throne.

    High General Euphorion



    High General Euphorion would eventually become known as the Scourge of Arabia. He butchered millions of Arabians in his war against the Sabaen Federation and turned South Arabia from a thriving civilisation of 2 million people to an empty land of less than 100 000.

    High General Epikrates 'the Stubborn'



    Disliked by the nobility but well liked by the soldiers serving directly under his command. He was known for his legendary stubborness, his utter lack of mercy, his unwavering sense of justice and punishment and he was often at odds with other nobles because of this. A very competent general who was particularly skilled at catching and destroying nomad armies (an impressive feat). Fought his first wars in Armenia before fighting in the north. He then returned to Armenia and guarded it until the fall of the North, when he was forced to march north again.

    Although he was an unimaginative general, his victories were important and contributed greatly to the rise of the empire.

    High General Apolloniketes



    Perhaps the least well known of the great generals, Apolloniketes' rise to power are akin to legends of old. Abandoned in the Hykranian hills at the age of 8, he survived and eventually reached the minimal age for service into the army (12 at the time), his only chance of creating a better life. He quickly rose through the ranks and became a legion general at the age of 16 (the youngest in history), leading a legion of the 11th army through India. Despite successfully conquering the Indian cities, the 11th suffered horrendous casualties. The price of the conquest were the lives of 70 000 mercenaries. Only Apolloniketes legion survived intact and he was noticed by the King immediately, who promoted him to high general, sending him to Macedonia to stem the tide of the Romans in the first Roman-Seleucid War. In the war he led the rag tag forces of the Regional Macedonian army to no less than 6 great victories over the superior Roman forces. Eventually his rag tag army was recognised as an imperial army and named the 6th, the defenders of the west.

    "The Imperial Histories of Mardonious, Volume 4"
    Last edited by seleucid empire; 11-09-2012 at 04:12.

  5. #65

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    ACT II: The River of Flames

    Prologue: Fall of Ancient Heroes
    Summer 1300 BC, the Entrance to Hades



    The bare earth around the river was scorched black by heat. Rocks cracked and released hot vapours into the air, covering the entire basin with sulphurous fog. Within the fog, a woman walked unseen, slowly making her way to the edge of the river. Her face was a vision of beauty and youth, with an inhuman perfection. She wove her way between the rocks barefooted, seemingly unaffected by the burning ground and in her hands was a bundle of cloth, wrapped around her most precious possession. She made her way to the edge of the river, a river whose surface was alive with flames. The Styx.

    She stopped, cocking her head, and listened for a moment. Then she cursed. The outlines of other shapes appeared in the fog making their way towards the woman.

    "Thetis!" the first horsemen called out. The fog parted before the riders, revealing a young man and his companions. "My Love! What are you doing here?"
    "Leave me be Peleus. I am doing what is best for our son." replied Thetis. At that moment, the bundle in her arms stirred, and the baby inside began to cry.
    "Wha-? This is the Styx! Are you planning to walk into the river of flame with our child?!"
    "I am a water nymph. No waters of any rivers or oceans will oppose me or my son, who is of my blood. Not even the Styx."
    "But why?"
    "Because I have had a vision...which told me that one day, Apollo's arrow will pierce the bloodline of Peleus.."

    She turned around before Peleus could reply and waded into the river. Two of Peleus' Myrmidons dismounted and made their way closer, stopping at the edge of the Styx. Thetis kept walking until the water reached her hips. Unwrapping the bundle, she stared at the face of her son. Her mortal son. She hesitated for a second longer, then she lowered the baby into the water holding him by the heels...
    Last edited by seleucid empire; 11-10-2012 at 05:40.

  6. #66

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Chapter 1: Crucible of Dreams
    Summer 248 BC Seleukeia

    His dreams brought him back to that fateful day, when everything changed. The day his life had plunged into darkness. Up until that moment he had been so sure of his path. An honourable path....or so he thought. That mirage had died along with the Baktrian girl, raped, tortured and murdered in front of his eyes. It had not been the first time he had seen slaughter of innocent women or children but this time it had been different. While his comrades had been raping her, she had descended into unconsciousness. But as Archimenes watched, she woke up and her eyes wandered, ignoring the jeering faces of Archimenes' companions until they settled on him.

    When her eyes met his, he recoiled. Those eyes were full of accusations and he was suddenly filled with shame. It was true he had refused to join in and it was true that he alone among his companions found no joy in the suffering of the girl, but those eyes filled him with guilt nonetheless and Archimenes had understood the word-less message the girl had given him.

    "Do you think you are so honourable warrior? Free of guilt just because you did not join them? By not helping me, but not standing up to these men, you are just as guilty as all of them.
    "This..this is the fate...of the conquered." he tried to tell her.
    "You know it is wrong. You can help me. They will listen to you, because they know you are the best of them. They know you can kill them all."
    "No...I can't they are my friends...This is the normal way. I cant deny them what they desire. I do not have that kind of influence.."
    "You are weak warrior, to not stand up to something you believe... something you know is wrong.."

    The girl's mocking laughter rang through his head...

    Archimenes woke up shivering, covered in sweat just as Mardonious rushed into the room.

    "Archimenes! Are you alright? We heard moaning and shouting."
    "Just a dream Mardonious, just a dream..."
    Last edited by seleucid empire; 11-12-2012 at 08:35.

  7. #67

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Is anyone still reading this? If not ill stop posting here..

  8. #68
    (>^_^;)> move it! Member Hotseat_User's Avatar
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    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    i'm in every now and then.
    orationes tuas ego laudare soleo, imitari neque possim, si velim, nec velim fortasse, si possim. [M. T. C.]

  9. #69

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Quote Originally Posted by seleucid empire View Post
    Is anyone still reading this? If not ill stop posting here..
    Hi SE. Yeah, I take a gander from time to time, although I must confess I'm not an avid reader. Mostly looking for tips, hints, or indications from gameplay that can be used in my own campaigns.

    It's evident you're a talented, inventive writer with a knack for character development. Would that I could fully appreciate your skills, but alas the most I can be is an amateur critic, and a poor one at that.

    Have you considered putting your AAR's into book form? There's a fair amount of ancient historical fiction out there, including McCullough's Rome series, a trilogy on Alexander by an Italian whose name escapes me, Pressfield's Gates of Fire and Tides of War, etc. You're certainly better than McCullough, at least as good as the Italian guy, and within shouting distance of Pressfield IMHO. Why not whip up a manuscript and try your luck with a publisher or--even better--a literary agent? Cheers and happy writing!

  10. #70

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Quote Originally Posted by Jive View Post
    Hi SE. Yeah, I take a gander from time to time, although I must confess I'm not an avid reader. Mostly looking for tips, hints, or indications from gameplay that can be used in my own campaigns.

    It's evident you're a talented, inventive writer with a knack for character development. Would that I could fully appreciate your skills, but alas the most I can be is an amateur critic, and a poor one at that.

    Have you considered putting your AAR's into book form? There's a fair amount of ancient historical fiction out there, including McCullough's Rome series, a trilogy on Alexander by an Italian whose name escapes me, Pressfield's Gates of Fire and Tides of War, etc. You're certainly better than McCullough, at least as good as the Italian guy, and within shouting distance of Pressfield IMHO. Why not whip up a manuscript and try your luck with a publisher or--even better--a literary agent? Cheers and happy writing!
    well this has certainly helped me decide to continue this aar.

    As for getting my work published. I doubt it. I am nowhere near as good as even the worst professional writer. When I read over my aars I notice a staggering amount of sentences and paragraphs that dont fit well together and dont roll off the tongue well

    I cannot write long chapters very well and tend to choke when I am describing the physical characteristics of a character.

    I take the easy way out and build my characters through dialogue but when I really need to describe the appearance of characters, it takes me forever to write a single sentence.

    But thanks for the encouragement anyway :)
    Last edited by seleucid empire; 11-13-2012 at 10:13.

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    Jive 


  11. #71

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Chapter 2: The Stone Grave
    Summer 248 BC Armenia

    The trio had been on the run for weeks. Ever since their escape from the disaster at Green-Shade Hall, Ennychos, Abibaal and Lord Vanara had been hunted ceaselessly by the steppe barbarian auxiliaries of the Emperor. Hiding by day and moving by night, they had lived like animals among the Caucasian Ranges. Abibaal signalled for them to stop and make camp. Ennychos bent over, slowly unhooking his master's arms from around his shoulders and lowered him to the ground. Vanara was a sickly pale colour and Ennychos feared that this night would be his master's last in this world. Vanara had been injured by an arrow during his escape, a wound which slowly began to fester. Hunted by the steppe warriors, they were not able to stop in towns to receive medicinal aid and were now making a desperate trek through the Caucasian ranges to the safety of the Queen's territory. It had been five days since Vanara became too weak to walk and Ennychos had dutifully carried him since then. It seemed now that it was all in vain.

    Vanara's eyes fluttered open.
    "Ennychos my faithful servant..."
    "Master?"
    "Where are we?"
    "We have made it my lord, we are in the Queen's land. We will find help soon.." Ennychos lied, tears streaming down his face.
    "You are terrible liar." said Vanara weakly, a soft smile on his lips.
    "No..my Lord..it...is the truth..." blubbered Ennychos, unable to control his flood of tears.
    "Listen to me, my old friend. Whatever I may have called you, however badly I have treated you at times, know that you were the one man I could truly trust."

    Ennychos could not muster a response and continued to weep. Vanara spoke again.

    "Now is not the time for crying Ennychos. My death is only the beginning. Save my family Ennychos, my daughters, my nephews and nieces. Save them. Take them far away from this empire of ashes. Build them a life in a far away land; Iberia, the Emerald Isles. Somewhere peaceful, somewhere that has not been destroyed by war. That is my last request."
    "I will do as you say."
    "Thank you..."

    With a satisfied smile on his face, Vanara, Lord of Phoenicia, drew his last breath... and died.

    Abibaal returned from scouting the area to find Ennychos weeping over the body of his master.
    "It is finished then." said Abibaal "We will travel a lot faster now without him slowing us down."
    "SHUT UP YOU BASTARD!"

    Abibaals eyes flashed in anger and he grabbed Ennychos by the throat.
    "I'm going to teach you a lesson Eunuch. I have missed your flesh far too much in the last months."

    He slapped Ennychos across the face, knocking him over and pulled down his trousers. Ennychos fought against him to no avail. Abibaal was simply too strong for him. As he was flung to the ground he reached out with his hand, and came across a rock. He turned, throwing the rock at Abibaal's head with all his strength. The captain screamed in rage and stumbled backwards giving Ennychos enough time to grope around and find another object: the sword of Vanara. He unsheathed it and charged at Abibaal. The blade slid quietly into the captain's ribs.

    Abibaal's screams of rage cut off into a terrible choking sound as blood filled his lungs. Ennychos kicked him in the leg and the captain fell over. Ennychos walked up slowly, the sword trembling in his hands. He stood over the dying captain and raised the sword above his head. The sword came down, stabbing the captain through the hand. Abibaal made gurgling noise.

    "Feel these hands Ennychos, they are my instruments of pain." said Ennychos tonelessly, repeating the words Abibaal had said to him the last time he was forced into humiliation.
    "Feel my **** Ennychos, it will be the only pleasure you will ever receive." chanted Ennychos, slicing off Abibaal's manhood.
    "FEEL MY LIPS ENNYCHOS, THE ONLY WARMTH YOU WILL EVER KNOW!" screamed Ennychos, stabbing at the captain's face.
    "DO YOU FEEL PLEASURE? ARE YOU NOT GRATEFUL FOR MY COMPANY ENNYCHOS?!" he continued to scream, stabbing at the captain until he resemble a hunk of butchered meat.

    Ennychos left Abibaal's corpse to the wild animals and returned to the body of his master. He picked at the dirt with the sword throughout the night, until he had made a hole large enough for Vanara's body. He gently placed his master's body into the hole, cradling his head on a pillow of rock and then filled the grave with his bare hands. Finding a suitable rock, he began to slowly chip at it with the sword. By early afternoon, his handiwork was done. Roughly carved letters spelling the words: HERE LIES VANARA, LORD OF PHOENICA, A MAN WHO WAS BORN TO BE A KING BUT BORN IN AN UNFAIR AGE. HE NOW LIES FOREVER UNTROUBLED IN THIS TOMB OF STONE.

    Picking up whatever supplies he had left, he took one last look at the grave. A single tear rolled down his face. Then, he turned around and continued on his path, leaving his master behind him...

  12. #72

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Chapter 3: Fires of Ubar
    Summer 248 BC Zafur

    Death has always been a part of war. No matter how kind hearted the conqueror, how noble the generals, war will always breed death. Out of necessity. The tools used to deliver death are the common soldiers and while some of those men will live with a guilty conscience for all of their lives, others will find ways to forget. That was the hard truth of war. That was also the reason Captain Planck was neither surprised nor angry when he discovered his new recruit Reudon drunk and sprawled on top of his capsized tent. He bent down and picked up the empty jar on the ground and sniffed it. Ghost Wine. Not Good..

    "Shit! Lizard! Babak! Get your lazy asses over here!" shouted Planck.
    "Awww crap" exclaimed Lizard when he saw Reudon.
    "Help me get his tent set up and get him inside before the High General sees. Where the **** did he get that Ghost Wine anyway?"

    Lizard and Babak exchanged looks. A gesture that did not go unnoticed by the captain.

    "For ****s sake, this is exactly how we Flame Breakers get our reputation. The other battalions seem to think we are a bunch of rough necked hooligans who beat each other up all the time and charge into the thickest part of battle like insane men. On top of that, they now believe we have a hidden stash of ghost wine up our asses."

    "That's exactly what we are captain. Besides we only sold it too him cause of what he saw. To see slaughter on that scale would break any new recruit. What was the general doing anyway? To slaughter Two hundred Thousand civilians? Two hundred Thousand! How on earth is the general going to win the support of these people when he kills all of them? And what was he thinking, moving the army out of Ubar without leaving a garrison and letting that Bedouin tribe take over? Those men have probably cut down the rest of the civilians and burned the city to the ground by now!"

    "I don't think the general wants to win them over Lizard... He doesn't want to conquer Arabia just yet. He wants to break it first, to destroy it's people completely. We will have a lot more blood on our hands soon..." said Babak.

    "Best not to think about it" said Planck quietly.

    At this, the three soldiers simultaneously turned their heads to the north. A distant spark of light lit the night horizon. Lizard broke the silence.



    "We've been marching for 3 weeks." he said.
    "Yes." replied Planck
    "We can still see the flames. Ubar is still burning."
    "Yes."
    "So what Babak says is true. We are not here to destroy a nation, we are here to destroy a peoples. We are here to commit the greatest genocide ever seen in history.."
    "Yes Lizard," sighed Planck "I know..."
    Last edited by seleucid empire; 11-13-2012 at 15:41.

  13. #73
    Arrogant Ashigaru Moderator Ludens's Avatar
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    Lightbulb Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Quote Originally Posted by seleucid empire View Post
    As for getting my work published. I doubt it.
    If you do decide to publish this, drop me a PM. The publishing industry is a very confusing place for newcomers, and there are a couple of scammers about as well, so it's not a good idea to Google "find a publisher" and go with the first link. I am no expert myself, but I can point you to the websites of people that are.
    Looking for a good read? Visit the Library!

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  14. #74

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Quote Originally Posted by seleucid empire View Post
    well this has certainly helped me decide to continue this aar.

    As for getting my work published. I doubt it. I am nowhere near as good as even the worst professional writer. When I read over my aars I notice a staggering amount of sentences and paragraphs that dont fit well together and dont roll off the tongue well

    I cannot write long chapters very well and tend to choke when I am describing the physical characteristics of a character.

    I take the easy way out and build my characters through dialogue but when I really need to describe the appearance of characters, it takes me forever to write a single sentence.

    But thanks for the encouragement anyway :)
    You're welcome SE. Sure it needs some polishing but since you're writing this "on the wing" it's to be expected. The very fact you realize certain weaknesses means you can analyze yourself objectively without cringing. That's an essential element for self-improvement and adaptability.

    Ludens' advice is well taken. Don't have any experience myself--except for a rejection slip from Sports Illustrated decades ago--but I've heard from a published author (Richard Hoyt) concerning some of the scams. Unfortunately Hoyt and I have had a falling-out owing to our mutually opinionated natures, so I can't do a follow-up with him. However if you contact him yourself via Facebook and mention me (Jive) as a reference he should know who you're talking about. I don't think he'll hold that against you!

    Anyway you should know the odds are against you, but if you manage to break through it would be an immensely satisfying achievement, n'est-ce pas? So have fun and good luck, whatever you decide.

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  15. #75

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Chapter 4: Dusts of Sabata
    Summer 248 BC Sabata



    The army had kept up an astounding pace, covering the 300 leagues between Ubar and Sabata in 4 weeks. The defenders in the city had clearly not been expecting them for some time and now 30 000 soldiers of the 5th were at the gates. Whatever reinforcements the Sabaen's had expected were now too late to save the city.

    "We attack tomorrow on the High General's orders." announced Planck to Lizard.
    "First in again?" asked Lizard.
    "Yes, we will spearhead the assault, followed by the Babylonian battalions."
    "Sir..about what we discussed last week...This city, is one of the Sabaen's core cities. There will be even more people living here than in Ubar. I'm worried...Reudon..."
    "I will order him to stay in his tent for the duration of the assault...and the aftermath..."

    Both soldiers glanced over at the recruit. Reudon had a bowl of stew in his lap and was spooning it into his mouth like a machine, not even noticing the bits of meat and gravy that fell out of his mouth and onto the front of his tunic. His eyes were staring off into the distance, and Lizard knew immediately that those eyes did not take in a thing.

    "He's truly broken." whispered Lizard.

    Reudon looked down into his bowl.

    "Cap'n." said Reudon suddenly.
    "Yes recruit?" replied Planck.
    "There's something green in my stew sir."
    "Those are vegetables.."

    Lizard began to weep, weeping for another mind, destroyed by war....
    Last edited by seleucid empire; 11-14-2012 at 04:54.

  16. #76

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Taking Sabean cities is easy; holding on to them is another story altogether.

    And if you're Pahlava, taking just about any city--Seleucid, Ptolemoid, whatever--presents its problems. Been kicked out of settlements by civil revolt maybe 20 times so far, and it looks like Ankyra's next. Public order stands at 0% at the moment, and there's nothing to be done except hope the masses' rage flames out after taking on my troopies in street warfare.

    Enslaving doesn't seem to make much difference either. Cities with only 2,000 or so remaining will still rise up, even with maybe 500 guys in the garrison. Life ain't always easy in the EB world!
    Last edited by Jive; 11-15-2012 at 07:48. Reason: addition

  17. #77

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Quote Originally Posted by Jive View Post
    Taking Sabean cities is easy; holding on to them is another story altogether.
    so true, in my actual campaign I have destroyed the saba already and conquered maryab at least 4 times before moving my army out.

    So I left a single unit of arabian slinger mercs in the city and roleplayed the rioting as the "Bedouin tribe" wrecking the city

  18. #78

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    A rating of 3. Ouch

  19. #79

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    SE,my friend,I don't post much in this forum but I must say:this is the most amazing AAR I've ever seen.
    I've been reading every line and was immediatley hooked to the story,imagining every sentense in my head as a movie.
    The amount of details,the plot,the characters...its just unbeliveable!

    Please don't stop writing,I'm sure there are many silent voices as I were that read the AAR and can't wait till the next post.

    Hope to see the next chapter soon,can't wait!
    Last edited by eliad91; 11-24-2012 at 21:12.
    Alea iacta est(The die is cast)-Gaius Julius Caesar

  20. #80

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Quote Originally Posted by seleucid empire View Post
    A rating of 3. Ouch
    Dunno about the other two, but when I gave you an "8" just now your average went from 8 to 7 . Go figure. Anyway enjoy your writing and keep on truckin'.

  21. #81

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Chapter 5: The Shadow of Achilles
    Summer 248 BC Seleukeia

    Archimenes woke up late during the day, most of his night's sleep having been denied by his nightmares. He dressed with no hurry, afterwards making his way into the kitchen and pouring himself a drink. He turned around to find a young stranger sitting on a chair, staring wide eyed at him. Archimenes blinked.

    "Who in Hades' name are you?" asked Archimenes.
    "I'm your new aide sir." replied the man
    "Wha-? I don't need an aide! I'm not an old man.."
    "Every Battalion Commander gets one sir. I am to be yours."

    Archimenes choked on his drink.

    "Battalion commander?!"
    "Yes sir, the Generals agreed to give you that rank this morning, so here I am."
    "I-I..why?"
    "Because of your exploits sir. Is it true you killed five hundred men single handedly and Green-Shade hall?" asked the man with some excitement.
    "I don't know..wasn't counting" grumbled Archimenes, "and I would rather not be reminded of that battle."
    "Is it also true you are Achilles reborn?!!"

    Archimenes scowled. Ever since the surviving Black Guards from the battle of Green-Shade Hall had been enlisted in the Royal army, ridiculous rumours had arisen and spread through the entire force. Some soldiers believed that Archimenes was a demi-God. The majority of them believed that the ancient spirit of Achilles lived in Archimenes. It had become uncomfortable for him to see both recruits and the hardened veterans of the Royal army giving him looks of awe every time he passed one of them. What was worse was the generals seemed to encourage the Rumors, especially Sarpedon.

    Whatever game he is playing, I will have no part of it. thought Archimenes.

    "No, I am not Achilles reborn..What is your name soldier?"
    "Patroclus sir!" said the soldier, beaming.

    Archimenes groaned.Well thats just ****ing great. Now I'll never get rid of those rumors. Why the **** did I have to receive an aide named Patroclus, out of all the other men in the army?! Unless of course....

    "Who sent you to be my aid?"
    "Lord Sarpedon."

    Archimenes cursed. What was that man playing at?...

  22. #82

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Quote Originally Posted by Jive View Post
    Dunno about the other two, but when I gave you an "8" just now your average went from 8 to 7 . Go figure. Anyway enjoy your writing and keep on truckin'.
    thanks for that

    I admit to getting a bit touchy about getting a 3 since I have put in quite a bit of effort and I have had to refrain from actually playing my campaign until I write up to that portion. I know my writing isn't great but 3 was a bit of a nasty surprise tbh.
    Last edited by seleucid empire; 11-25-2012 at 12:05.

  23. #83

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Quote Originally Posted by eliad91 View Post
    SE,my friend,I don't post much in this forum but I must say:this is the most amazing AAR I've ever seen.
    I've been reading every line and was immediatley hooked to the story,imagining every sentense in my head as a movie.
    The amount of details,the plot,the characters...its just unbeliveable!

    Please don't stop writing,I'm sure there are many silent voices as I were that read the AAR and can't wait till the next post.

    Hope to see the next chapter soon,can't wait!
    Thank you!

    If you like this AAR, you should get your hands on a copy of 'The Malazan Book of the Fallen' series

    No one can write more interesting plots of characters than him. In fact my AAR style is based on his books although the plot is different of course

  24. #84
    Member Member Vlad-Tudor's Avatar
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    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Damn, you really are a story teller. Nice AAR beautifully written. Pity I don't like the grey death machine that much, though. I will just leave books aside, this is much better read.
    You really do a great thing with this work, thanks! :)

  25. #85

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Chapter 6: Council
    Summer 248 BC Seleukeia

    The war council had gone on for the better part of the morning and afternoon before Sarpedon finally appeared. The commanders crowded around the map table looked up as one when he entered.

    "Where have you been?" demanded Alexandros.
    "I have been meeting with my agents, who bring several important pieces of information." replied Sarpedon coolly.
    "And?" asked Antiochus.
    "It appears the queen has found new allies, or rather, the Lord Chancellor has. A Carthaginian fleet landed in Tyre with 30 000 Carthaginian warriors to reinforce her armies."
    "That brings her forces up to 120 000 men if your previous intelligence is correct." said Alexandros
    "My information is always correct." snapped Sarpedon, "There is more. The Lord chancellor is playing a rather dangerous game right now. He has located a Roman spy and turned him into a double agent. He sent the double agent back to Rome to "report" to the senate of our civil war. The Chancellor hopes to manipulate the Romans into attacking Macedonia and ultimately attack Ephesus, where the crown prince and his loyalists are holding out."
    "And have the Romans attacked?" asked Antiochus
    "No, but they have amassed 25 legions and their auxiliaries near the Illyrian-Roman Border."



    "So the Lord Chancellor and the Queen are willing to lose Macedonia and Asia Minor in order to succeed in their coup." muttered Alexandros with disgust.
    "They may never reach our borders. There have been some....strange developments."
    "The Illyrians?"
    "Yes, it appears the old Epirote nobility no longer controls the kingdom of Illyria. Their position has been usurped by a council of some kind and their mysterious leader. These new rulers have cancelled the Military access treaty with the Romans and now there is a rather tense situation between the two Kingdoms. They have in turn, offered us a ceasefire but nothing more. It seems that these new rulers want nothing to do with us or the Romans."
    "That is...interesting...but what's to stop the Romans from simply marching their legions through Illyria anyway, or worse, conquering Illyria and thus gaining a new and closer base to attack us from."
    "Well, whoever these new rulers are, they have an army of 100 000 blocking the Romans."
    "What?! Since when has Illyria ever had that kind of manpower?"
    "The Illyrian Kingdom is experiencing a kind of rapid growth that should be completely impossible. Some of my agents report that their capital of Dalminion can now rival Syracuse whereas seven months ago it was a collection of hovels. Whatever it is, its not normal. Even the Romans are hesitating. We should keep a closer eye on that Kingdom in the future."

    "Yes, we should... For now though, we need to discuss the state of our own troops. Alexandros?"
    "Cousin, we have 33 000 men of the Royal army, 6 000 auxiliaries and 4 000 new recruits. We have sent messages to the east calling for the 7th, 8th and 9th army. With them, we can expect our forces to number around 100 000"
    "The 7th, 8th and 9th have been disbanded, how long will it take for them to muster their men and march here?"
    "At least half a year cousin."
    "And where is the queen now?" asked Antiochus, turning to Sarpedon.
    "She is still in Egypt, recruiting ever more men to her cause." he replied
    "She is a fool, if she marched against us now with the 120 000 she has already, we might have no chance at all." said Alexandros
    "She fears us, and will not feel safe until she has gathered every single man available to her cause. She doesn't seem to realise that numbers have never meant much to the three of us. On top of that, we are the most experienced generals in the realm and the commanders she has available to her are pathetic generals."
    "I hope you're right Sarpedon, for all of our sakes..."

  26. #86

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Chapter 7: Hubris Part 1
    Summer 248 BC Pannonia Illyrica

    Senator Lucius Cornelius felt his smugness dissipate when he saw the size of the Illyrian army approaching. Row upon rows of men, stretching to the horizon on every side. Still, he was not too worried. His legions were disciplined, well armed and most importantly, they were made up of true Romans. Men who had been undefeated in against every enemy. Well almost...Every enemy except those damn Seleukids...

    The odds were in his favour. One hundred thousand disciplined legionaries and thirty thousand Auxiliaries against ninety thousand barbarians from a nation that had never even bested the Epirotes or Macedonians. They stand no chance against us today thought Lucius, reassuring himself. But his hands began to twitch nervously, a feeling that was completely unwarranted given the circumstances.

    "Senator, a small detachment of Illyrians are riding up towards us." reported his tribune.
    "Very well, we will go and meet them."

    A guard of 30 men was quickly assembled and the company set out to meet the opposing party in the kill zone between he armies. The foremost figure of the Illyrian party was dressed in a strange garb, more akin to a temple priest's robes than a battle uniform.

    "Greetings general of Roma, I am Pactius, 3rd Septum of the New Illyrian Kingdom, Priest of the twin goddesses of Maniae and Lyssa, the queens of madness."
    "I am Lucius Cornelius, Senator, Legate, and commander of this expedition."
    "What is the purpose of your visit here senator, and oh my...with such a large force too?"
    "Enough games Illyrian, you know why I am here. I do not wish you or your kingdom any harm. My targets are the Seleukid holdings in Macedonia. I only need to cross your lands to get there and we will trouble you no more."
    "Ahh, yes but we have already sent emissaries to Rome have we not? We cannot allow another nation to cross our borders out of nothing more than greed."
    "Have you gone mad?! How dare you insult Rome."
    "Alas I am not blessed by the twin goddess with Madness."
    "Yo-You insolent fool! If you do not allow us passage, we will crush your forces today along with your tiny kingdom."
    "That is yet to be seen."
    "Look around you Septum. I have brought 22 legions here. What do you have? Ninety thousand barbarian warriors? We will sweep your forces aside without breaking a sweat."
    "It is clear these negotiations are over.. I suggest we use swords to decide what words cannot."

    With that Pactius and his party rode away. Lucius turned his bodyguard around and rode up to his own lines fuming.

    "Tribunes! Prepare your men to attack!"





    Lucius watched as the Illyrians quickly marched into formation. He smirked when he saw how disorderly the Illyrians seemed. However, when they were finished manoeuvring, their formations were perfect. Lucius hestiated, and then gave the order for the march. Fourty Thousand hastati moved forward as one, behind them, forty thousand Principes followed by twenty thousand Triarii, the backbone of the legion. On the flanks were the Greek and Gallic heavy auxiliaries, 15 000 on each wing. As they approached, the details of the Illyrian army became clearer and his Tribune Marcus Levitus groaned.

    "What is it Marcus?" asked Lucius.
    "Look there...Agrianian assault infantry..." said Marcus pointing.



    "Yes, so?"
    "Fought against them when I was just a lad and Pyrrhos was rampaging in Italy. They were the toughest and most vicious group of warriors I have ever met."
    "All barbarians fight like that."
    "But these are different sir. They have a measure of control and combined with a barbarians skill in fighting they are a formidable force. If I remember correctly, they were also very quick and were able to run rings around the legions"
    "Well, that doesn't seem to be a problem. There is no way that they can run around our lines today. It is too long. Even if they did, they will be too tired to lift their swords."
    "They use axes general..."

  27. #87

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Chapter 8: Hubris Part 2
    Summer 248 BC Pannonia Illyrica

    The Illyrians were only a few score metres from the front lines now and close enough for Lucius to hear the enemy make a most dreadful noise. From the throats of ninety thousand Illyrians, came the sound....of laughter. Not a mocking laughter but a hysterical one. The sounds of mad and twisted men. From his own lines he heard only silence, a weak challenge to the enemy's psychological assault.

    The Illyrians stopped marching and screaming, standing thirty paces away from the main lines, within javelin range.

    What in Pluto's Kingdom are they planning? wondered Lucius.

    "Ready Pillae!" barked Marcus, who had ridden up behind the lines of hastati.

    "Aim!"

    "Throw!"

    Forty Thousand Javelins flew and before they struck their targets, most of the hastati had their second pilla ready.

    "Ready!"

    "Aim"

    "Throw!"

    To his dismay, Lucius saw that few of the Illyrians had gone down. He squinted to get a better look and then his eyes widened in shock. The Illyrians in the front lines were studded with javelins. Some men had up to a dozen javelins embedded in their bodies. But they still stood. The confident faces of the Hastati turned into expressions of pure horror.

    Oh.

    "Marcus! Sound the horn for a fighting retreat!" screamed Lucius but Marcus just sat there, staring dumbfounded at the Illyrians.

    As if responding to some silent command, the Illyrians began to scream again and they rushed forward all at once in a huge wave. The Lines clashed, and the screams of his own men filled the air, mixing with the bestial sounds of the Illyrians...a morbid chorus of madness and terror. The front rows of Hastati stabbed repeatedly at their opponents but very few fell. The madness continued to shine in their eyes even after limbs were cut off.

    These Illyrians...are no longer men at all..

    An aide rode over to the general.

    "Commander! The right wing has been outflanked! What are your orders?!"



    "I...I...don't know..." stammered Lucius.

    From the left wing the same cry for help arrived. Soon, even the centre was buckling under the pressure of these madmen, men who felt no pain and continued fighting until their blood had leaked completely.

    "General..I think its time to make amends for these men...for leading them here to this hell..." said a voice next to him. Lucius turned around and saw Marcus' grim face beside him.
    "Yes.." said Lucius slowly."We must save as many as we can...Marcus, sound the retreat."

    He unsheathed his sword and urged his horse onwards. Nine hundred horsemen followed, riding into certain death. Marcus blew three sharp notes from his horn and then rode after Lucius. The centre disengaged at the sound of the horn and the Illyrians raced after them. Lucius' cavalry crashed into the Illyrians just as they were about to overtake the legionaries. The leading Illyrians vanished under hooves, the sounds of bone crunching and spears puncturing chests. Their momentum carried them far into the Illyrian masses, where a newly formed line halted their charge. Bogged down and surrounded, they fought desperately, in a fight they were never meant to win. Lucius looked back and saw two battered legions retreating off the battlefield.

    Oh Gods, so few...2 badly mauled Legions...out of 22. Jupiter forgive me...

    He turned his head back around just in time to see an Agrianian javelin enter his chest...

    Last edited by seleucid empire; 11-27-2012 at 07:31.

  28. #88

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    just a question, and this may affect where my story goes. Which of the storylines do you enjoy the most?

    - Archimenes, Mardonious
    - Helioketes
    - Alexandros, Antiochus and Sarpedon
    - The Flame Breakers
    - High General Epikrates

  29. #89

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Quote Originally Posted by seleucid empire View Post
    just a question, and this may affect where my story goes. Which of the storylines do you enjoy the most?

    - Archimenes, Mardonious
    - Helioketes
    - Alexandros, Antiochus and Sarpedon
    - The Flame Breakers
    - High General Epikrates
    I loved the story of Helioketes and the tales of the civil war with the 3 generals.
    Alea iacta est(The die is cast)-Gaius Julius Caesar

  30. #90

    Default Re: EMPIRE: Song of Peace and War

    Chapter 9: Dance of Blades
    Summer 248 BC Seleukeia

    When Mardonious arrived at the training fields, he saw most of Archimenes' recruits sprawled out on the ground. The captains and sergeants were barking orders at the unresponsive recruits while Archimenes himself was standing silently, his face darkening.

    "How am I supposed to turn these recruits into soldiers. We've only been training for an hour and they can't move!" exclaimed Archimenes.
    "You need to inspire them, to draw out their hidden strength." replied Mardonious
    "How?"
    "Try using a speech."
    "Ah, a speech. I wrote one, but I have not said it yet." replied Archimenes handing Mardoinous a slip of parchment.

    Soldiers of the Seleucid Empire. Let these trials be a lesson on the harshness of life. If you do not succeed in the training grounds, you will be the first to die on the battlefields!

    "By the 12 Olympians!" exclaimed Mardonious
    "What?"
    "That is the worst speech I have ever seen. You're supposed to inspire them, not make them desert!"

    Archimenes scowled at this, made to say something, then promptly shut his mouth. It took Mardonious a moment to realise that Archimenes was looking at something behind him. He turned around and saw a man standing at the edge of the training field dressed in a distinct silver armour. Mardonious recognized him immediately: Abbadion, Blade of the Emperor, the bodyguard of the most powerful man in the world.

    Although Neoptolemus of Karia was officially recognized as the greatest warrior in the empire, few men in the royal army believed it. Those who had seen Abbadion fight were forever humbled and if the two warriors should ever meet, no one doubted that Abbadion would be the one who walked away in the end. No one knew where Abbadion had come from, who he had been trained by or how old the man was. They only knew that by the time he reached adulthood, his skill in the sword was unmatched. So the question now was: What was he doing here?

    "Greetings Blade of the Emperor. May I ask what the purpose of your visit is?" asked Archimenes
    "I am here to check up on this battalion. I must say I am appalled to see your incompetence in dealing with these recruits."

    He's trying to bait Archimenes, thought Mardonious. He opened his mouth to warn his friend but saw from his friend's expression that Archimenes already knew.

    "I am sorry to disappoint you." replied Archimenes reaching for his sword.
    "You have not disappointed me yet." said Abbadion, drawing his own. It was made of fine Galatian steel and was the same length as a two handed Gallic sword but it was curved, a foreign style of swords that Mardonious had never seen before.

    All the recruits were watching the two men now, and silence hung over the entire field. The two men closed on each other in a blur, too fast for Mardonious to follow. For the spectators, the duel resembled two whirlwinds battering each other and breaking apart in a repeated succession.

    A dance that would awe the Gods themselves..

    Suddenly, the two men broke apart. Abbadion was the first to sheath his sword. Mardonious saw a small cut on Archimene's face while Abbadion was completely untouched.

    "I have never faced a man who has lasted so long against me. You are the best I have ever fought Lord Archimenes." said Abbadion, who then turned around and departed the field without another word.

    "He was so fast..." stammered Archimenes, sinking to his knees.
    "Look at the recruits!" exclaimed one of the captains.

    Archimenes and Mardonious turned their gazes towards the recruits and saw them standing in lines, a new spark of life in their eyes.

    Well done Abbadion, thought Mardonious,well done....



    (Abbadion)

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