Stories Thread

[Βελισάριος]

A few miles away from Petra.

"That's the last of them, sir." One of the Companions approached Hierax and pointed in the distance to where the corpse of a Ptolemaic soldier lay with about three arrows in his back. "The others are too far away for our infantry to reach them, shall I order my men to pursue?"

"No," was the young general's half-whispered reply. For a moment he seemed to ignore his adjutant, but then he continued: "Let them rest, there will be plenty of bloodshed to come."

The elder soldier could sense the tension in his voice and he approached. "My general, what ails?" and as he drew closer, it became clear what the cause of this nervousness was. The soldier followed Hierax's gaze to a spot in the blood-stained sand where, half-burried, lay the torn body of the enemy general, Paramonos Philopator.

"He was a great general." The Hetairos said, more in acknowledgment of Hierax than of the deceased.

"Far greater than I." was the disappointed reply.

"Yet he was not my general." Firmly stated the soldier. This made his young commander finally turn from the body to face his lieutenant. "And it is you, general... my general who earned victory today. It was you... it was your hand with this very sword that slew this titan." And he grabbed his general's arm and held it towards the heavens. "It was your strong arm that led us, your mighty sword that brought us victory. Glory to thee, my general!"

Hierax peered into his loyal soldier's eyes and only nodded in acknowledgment. "Bring me a messenger," he said "I must notify the Basileus."

"Aye, sir." He let go of Hierax's arm and hurried to carry out his orders. But the young general still held his arm up, and beyond the blade of his sword, just over the weapon's sharp edge he could see a shadow forming in the violent storm, a hardly discernible figure but he knew immediately what it was- Petra. The city that had caused his brothers in arms so much grief, whose armies his father had fought for years. Now, it lay within his grasp- within the reach of his sword.

"You shall bring me glory."

[Cultured Drizzt fan]

Home:
Patrokles stands outside of his tent surveying the great army before him, Hyllos stood at his back
"You know Patrokles; you never told me where you came from either."
Patrokles looked back smiling "your right Hyllos, My father is from Macedonia, and a military man who had served the arche for much of his life, he was always on the road. My mother is a native, from" Patrokles smirked "Babylon, Ironic isn’t it Hyllos. I spent the first 10 years of my life in Babylon, and I have to agree with your parents, it is the best city in the world, I will always remember it fondly as my home."
Hyllos laughed, “This wouldn’t happen to be the reason it was so hard to get you out of that dusty desk in Babylon would it?”
Patrokles laughed as well, “perhaps it was Hyllos, and perhaps it was. In fact, I wouldn’t mind heading back their,” Patrokles smirked at bit mischievously. “Once the Phalavan campaign is over we will see it again Hyllos, I can promise that.”
Patrokles sighed Hyllos frowned and looked over “what’s wrong?”
“I was just thinking how much about me has changed since I started serving the arche as a general, but enough of that, keep the men in line while I am at the council. And Hyllos”
“yes?”
“Send A messenger to Liatus, ask him to await us in Babylon, I need to talk to him on my way to the council.”

[Iskander 3.1]

Siles Laodikeias Lydikes gathered up his belongings. He took one last look around the great estate where he had lived most of his life, knowing that when he returned everything would be different. It was dark in Selukeia, and though he knew the gaurds wouldn't think anything of the young noble being out, he knew that his dear mother would worry if she caught him.
Forgive me, he thought.

His body guards, all of them young and naive, picked because they admired the Strategos and not because they had much forethought as to what their actions might result in, met him outside the town gates. The gates were open, of course. Why shouldn't they be?

Siles Laodikeias Lydikes was headed for Arbela.

The horses hooves shook the earth, a premonition for what was to come.

[Celtic_Punk]

Memphis, Governor's Palace


"Well Achaikos, it seems we have got unfinished business with Ptolemy. He won't let us go now that ya killed his heir. We head West. I will see about leading an army to finish Ptolemy off. Cunobelinus sighs I fear that we will not stop fighting even after we defeat Ptolemy. Further West there is another Empire.. Carthage. My people have traded with Carthage for many years... They are a powerful people, The Gods watch over them. But they are also a very distrustful people, our proximity to them will perhaps offend them. The King may lead us into another brutal war. Many will perish in the desert... We must see to it that We maintain good relations with Carthage. I will make note of this at the next council meeting."
"Sounds good. Still what about your City?"
"Memphis? yes what about it?"
"Don't you think leaving to campaign often would be irresponsible?"
"Sticking my nose in the maths is irresponsible. Leaving is a load off the delegates' backs! And I've been itching to get out in the wild again. I was born in the wild!" The Celt smiles wide.
"Well there would be no better choice than you to lead this... or any campaign. You saved this city with no help from the the King's army at all!"
Cunbelinus frowns
"This is true, brother... His army was well within marching distance. Hmmm, there must be a good reason why he didn't send help... I've fought alongside him before... I wouldn't think he abandoned me. This matter should be discussed with him later privately maybe...Cunobelinus scratches his beard.OH! My wife wants you to take my boy to the shops later, he needs to find a new cloak and boots to campaign with us soon!"

[Cultured Drizzt fan]

Insurrection:
Patrokles stood in front of the walls of Babylon, his face a blank slate as he stared at Liatus. “I can send someone else; it doesn’t have to be you Liatus.”
Liatus laughs, “we both know you can’t JUST send a messenger, it has to be someone a bit higher up on the food chain than that, and guess what that’s me!”
“Liatus, thank you.”
“For what?”
“For not thinking I am bat**** crazy.”
Liatus laughs harder and saddles his horse “I believe in what you have done Patrokles, always remember that”, and he marches off into the rising sun.
Patrokles stood there for a long time before quietly slipping into the city, where he went to the home of Hyllos, to perform a deed as dangerous as Liatus’s.
“Patrokles, I am surprised you are here. Why?”
“Hyllos, I would rather you heard our plan from me, and not from the soldiers tomorrow.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“you have noticed my meetings with Hermokrates Parthikos, Epikrates Tabaiou, and Siles Laodikeias I assume?”
“Of course.”
“Well I am about to tell you are meetings purpose. We are seceding from the arche with the cities of Mesopotamia. You were right Hyllos, the arche is too large, to corrupt, and this is the answer to that.”
Hyllos’s mouth drops and he reflexively takes a step back “Patrokles…. You can’t…. You have spent a good part of your life fighting rebels…. I don’t understand…”
Patrokles grimaces “ Hyllos, you once asked me what my purpose in life is, and I think I have found it. It is to fight the corruption that premates the arche, and to create something better. That is what’s going to happen. That is my purpose.”
Hyllos cocks his head to the side “maybe you are right Patrokles, but if you go through with this you have a very good chance of hanging. You know this.”
“Then perhaps I need a bodyguard?”
Hyllos laughs, “Maybe you are right. Though why you need two is beyond me!”
“Good to see you are back with us Hyllos.”
“Perhaps I never left!”

and moments after, the flag was raised throughout the cities of mesopatamia

[Cultured Drizzt fan]

Justification?

Patrokles gazed back to the east, his thoughts squarely on the messenger he had received from Babylon, the city was in a riot, Eprikrates was keeping things under control, but only just.... it pained him he could not be there, but he had to trust in his new co-king.
"Hyllos, I am starting To work through what I have done, and I feel as though this may be a inescapable conclusion. I am greedy..."
Hyllos frowns "we are all greedy Patrokles, we all look out primarily for ourselves, I knew from the start this was never about Sarpedons supposed corruption. That is something only the foolish would believe, the naive. But you know what, I am still here, and I am still by your side. do you know why Patrokles?"
"I assume because you are getting paid Hyllos, that is normally why bodyguards stick around." Hyllos laughs his head shaking
"No Patrokles, it was never about the money, its for two reasons, and two reasons only. 1. you are my friend Patrokles, and I would follow you to the gates of Hell and back. and 2. I believe even if your motives weren't entirely pure, you can still accomplish what you said. you can create something better, something greater, and something lasting. I think that with your help Babylon can rise to new heights, and I have a feeling its in part due to you. for a century your name will go down in infamy, you will be despised for this. but you know what, that wont matter because if you succeed the good will out way the bad and soon enough the historians will be writing your praise. The ends justify the means my friend, the evil you have done will be pale in comparison to the good. I have to believe that."

Patrokles face grimaces, "obviously The people of Babylon don't agree, they are in revolt already, the praise that swept their lips earlier lost in a shower of hate...."

"bahh, the common people are never happy, they are a fickle lot, but soon enough they will follow you. just give it time."

Patrokles laughs aloud, "I am amazed Hyllos,"
"why?"
"never did I think my best friend would turn out to be such a philosopher!"
They both share a laugh, but their gaze inevitably shifts west.
"do you think Sarpedon is getting ready as we speak?" Hyllos asks.
"perhaps, perhaps not. I cant know. you know If I saw him right now I would have only one question Hyllos..."
"what Patrokles?"
"I would ask him where the hell my brother was!" Patrokles face hardened.
"I personally would ask him why in the world he was trying to fight with the toughest Babylonian in the Arche." Hyllos says smirking.
" I wouldn't say the strongest Hyllos, but I am up there." Patrokles responded grinning
"no no no, not you I am sure he could flatten you like a child, I was of course speaking about myself!" Hyllos Smiles and both share a laugh, still staring west.

[Cultured Drizzt fan]

The bowels of Antioch
It was a small nondescript place, but it served Liatus needs well enough. he worriedly wrote his latest letter, he hoped his next messenger would manage to get to Babylon. it had been quite a few months since he had given his message to the royal council. and after he had been let go by Sarpedon (quite a surprise that!) instead of making his back to Patrokles he had decided to stay behind in Antioch, where he hoped he would be able to better help his brother. that was his mistake, he had manged to get a small ring of men around him, but every attempt he had made to send a messenger to his brother had failed, Sarpedons guard was just to good at the moment. He sighed, now he had no idea what was going on, he had heard the rumors, but it would have been better to be back at Patrokles side, Patrokles was just south of Edessa, his army with him. He might be there trying to capture a bit more land for his kingdom, but maybe not, that was the frustrating part, he was totally out of the loop. He finished his letter, handing it off to his newest messenger, he ran off to Edessa . he wished he could make the journey for himself.... but it was far to dangerous, Sarpedon may have given him his freedom, but the city watch was still looking for him after his little "circle" was uncovered. In all he had made a mistake, and there was only one thing he was thinking, His brother had no idea where he was, and that could end badly.... Patrokles may assume Sarpedon was far less lenient then he was, and Liatus hoped that wouldn’t lead to any hasty decisions.