Dom sat around the campfire beside the Bellona, the day had been very long. Leotychides had complained, pushed, countered and then eventually agreed to Artemisia and Zhou Yu's plan. Xanthippus had been easier to persuade, whilst the other Captains followed their own chosen leaders decisions.
They had agreed to depart before first light, the fleet would be pushed out to see and would travel north east towards Samos to meet the Persian Fleet. A Liburna had been dispatched from Dom's fleet towards the meeting point where Astrid, Kai and their small fleet should be waiting to update them and confirm the situation. The Liburna would then head east in the morning to meet up with the larger fleet to confirm that everything was prepared. If the Liburna didn't return, then they would assume that Astrid and Kai had failed, and would change their attack lines from the three triangles they planned, in to a wider line.
Everyone was currently dealing with their own fleets and preparation for the upcoming conflict. The sound of shouts could be heard across the coast as the different Hoplite Marines from the fleet were training in combat, whilst the rowers rested themselves. Dom's own fleet was doing the same thing, however the majority of his forces were warriors themselves and were giving tips and sharing knowledge with the other Player ships crews.
Dom was in conversation with Crassus, Artemisia, Gan Ning and Zhou Yu. They weren't talking about the upcoming battle, but instead about some of their ideas for the Kingdom's forming when they returned and the hopeful positive news with the negotiations with the San. Crassus was discussing the different denominations of coins and how they could better manage them, when one of their camps scouts ran to them, informing them of the arrival of one of the other Admirals to their camp.
Dom turned and saw the sight of Xanthippus arriving, beside him were four of his men acting as guards. Dom looked towards Artemisia who nodded at him, the time had come to let Xanthippus meet some fellow lost Athenians.
.....
Ling Tong sat on the back of a white horse with a black mane, his normal armour was stored in a satchel that was strapped to the horses saddle, whilst the armour he currently wore was that of one of the Persian's that had been killed earlier. Beside him rode Megabyzus, his shoulder strapped up tightly with some material that had been gathered.
Since they had captured Megabyzus and questioned him, he seemed to have become more and more forward with his words. Originally he was trying to protect his own life, but knowing they intended to capture his cousin, he used his knowledge to agree a deal where they would not kill Masistius. With his knowledge of the raiding parties directions and meeting times, they had raided another three. They had freed over two hundred Hoplite, whilst killing over eighty enemy Riders and taking their clothes and armour for their own disguises.
None of the other commanders had been as lucky as Megabyzus, their usefulness was much smaller and the risk of betrayal was higher if they kept more alive. Megabyzus has realised how lucky he was to be alive, and Ling Tong had constantly told him about the wonders of Riverside and the other cities in the Lazarus Kingdom as they travelled.
"We are nearly there." Myron the Hoplite said to him as he returned from scouting ahead of the formation, also dressed in the Persian Cavalry Armour.
Centurion Phillip had left earlier with his small unit, as well as some of the Spartans, including Alpheus, Maron and Dieneces. Joining them were some of the Wu Dang Archers who would be great scouts in the wider terrain. Originally the Wu Dang Archers were supposed to remain with Ling Tong as he pushed north, but Alpheus argued that Pausanias could do with their skills. They had taken around twenty horses and were pushing at full speed towards the location of Plataea with their original missions still intact, even if they had more to do now to keep things on track.
Ling Tong's current unit was his remaining Hoplite, Slingers and half of the Archers that had remained. The rest of his forces were the healthiest of the freed Hoplite, dressed in the same captured armour as him. Between them the rest of the Freed Hoplite pushed the carts as they had originally, still chained, however loose enough that they could slip them when needed. Inside the Carts, as well as supplies, were hidden spears and swords, not enough for all of them, but enough to create enough chaos and grab more weapons as the battle progressed.
"Will we not be suspected?" Ling Tong as Megabyzus beside him, a linger of doubt in his mind that multiple groups would reconvene together.
"If I wasn't with you, then possibly." Megabyzus replied honestly, the pain in his shoulder excruciating. "However, with the amount of supplies are bringing, that will give them enough confusion to allow us close enough to attack."
"How many enemies will we be facing?" Ling Tong asked, having already been told twice before, but wanted to check Megabyzus's story once again.
"You have destroyed four scout parties, there should be another two on the way back. If we return before them, then no more than sixty Cavalry and eighty Infantry will be with Masistius, any more and it wouldn't be a well hidden ambush force to cut of enemy supply lines." Megabyzus replied seriously as he looked forwards. "Masistius will want to return soon, before the Greek's begin searching for us, this is the right time to attack."
"I will trust you, if everything you have said is true, not only will I spare your cousin, I will also bring you home with us after the battle." Ling Tong offered him, whilst he would need Dom's approval, he felt that Megabyzus could bring some Cavalry command skills with him as a lieutenant. He was clearly not totally loyal to his kingdom, but many wouldn't be in his situation. However, he was loyal to his family and Ling Tong respected that after the death of his own father.
"They should be round this next bend." Megabyzus commented, not replying to Ling Tong's statement, but his stress levels were definitely seeming to rise as they approached their destination.
"Prepare yourselves." Ling Tong barked, as the Hoplite Myron brought his horse to the other side of Megabyzus, so he and Ling Tong looked like his guards. He turned towards the Archers that were with him, currently walking alongside the carts with the Slingers. He nodded his head, and they quickly ran in to the forest to the north of them, disappearing in to the darkness to be his cover. He had given them their own orders and targets based on his conversations with Megabyzus who was already too involved to be able to back out now.
As they came around the bend, a small camp was being packed away by some lightly armoured infantry, whilst some men stood near horses and chatted. There was a small guard stationed around the edges, with two Cavalrymen spotting the arrival of Megabyzus and pointing in his direction.
Ling Tong hoped for the camp to stay relaxed, but Masistius wasn't one of the best Commander's in Mardonius's army for no reason and the rest of his men began mounting horses or preparing weapons in case it was an enemy approaching and not an ally.
"It's me." Megabyzus shouted loudly, his voice echoing slightly in the wooded area. The reaction was instant as weapons were lowered and some relaxation returned to the faces in the camp. Megabyzus was popular in the camp, a Captain under his cousin Masistius, known for drinking late in to the night with the rest of the Cavalry.
"About time Cousin!" A voice shouted back joyfully, as a group of Cavalry that was further in the camp hadn't put their weapons down and approached. Ling Tong looked at the leader of the approaching Cavalry, he was tall and under his helmet he was clearly an attractive man. His horse was well trained and the respect of those around him clear to see.
"It looks like I am first back!" Megabyzus replied with a light laugh, trying to hide the pain in his shoulder and the worry in his heart. Masistius however seemed unaware of the danger that approached them at first. He approached at a casual speed, until his eyes laid on his cousin properly and the two men beside him. Something that Ling Tong hadn't considered was that whilst a lot of the commanders in the Persian forces took their men lightly, Masistius wasn't one of them. He had chosen most of those being used in these attacks, and had made it a clear goal to remember their names and faces.
"Cousin, what is going on?" Masistius asked as his hand reached for his sword at his waist, his own men noticing their commanders reaction. Ling Tong watched as Masistius looked behind Megabyzus and the sixty riders behind him, more than he expected.
"I'm sorry." Megabyzus replied quietly, knowing he had been caught as Ling Tong pointed his own sword forwards.
"Attack!" Ling Tong ordered, much earlier than he had intended. He had wanted to be amongst the camp, allowing his Cavalry to attack quickly and unopposed. Instead they were still away from the camp, close enough to take down the leadership but they would have to battle the enemies. He looked towards Masistius as the sound of slings could be heard in the distance. "Maybe it isn't too bad after all."
Arrows suddenly flew towards the camp, with stones soon following, all taking down Cavalry, as the Sixty Cavalry behind Ling Tong charged forwards. The Freed Hoplite pulled the weapons they had from the carts, whist the rest followed, ready to grab any they could from fallen enemies.
Ling Tong himself charged towards Masistius, but was disappointed when an Arrow hit the enemy Commander in the arm and he fell from his horse. Ling Tong looked at Myron and gave him a signal with his eyes to capture the enemies fallen commander, as he instead struck at the another enemy Persian Cavalryman who was behind Masistius.
His enemy dodge the swinging blade, following up with his own attack, which Ling Tong parried. As the enemy went for a second attack, Ling Tong swung his sword low towards the enemies thigh. Ling Tong was a strong Warrior, powerful on the water and land, either on foot or horse. He was also from nearly seven hundred years in the future, in an advanced part of the world, and had trained since childhood to be a Warrior. He soon dispatched his enemy, before looking further ahead where the rest of his forces struck at the exposed camp.
The skirmish was quickly won, within five minutes the enemies had either been killed, captured or were fleeing. Masistius was tied up with his shoulder being treated, whilst the Freed Hoplite were busy arming themselves with the fallen enemies weapons and armour.
"We should send Masistius's armour to Pausanias." Megabyzus commented from beside Ling Tong, both looking down at Megabyzus's capured cousin. "He can use it to create a morale drop in our forces."
"With the fleeing Persians reporting that their Commander had been hit by an Arrow and fallen from his horse in a Battle, as well as seeing his armour, it will have that effect." Myron the Hoplite agreed.
"His head would be better." Ling Tong commented as he exhaled heavily, knowing he had to stick to his agreed promise, whilst Masistius sat there in silence listening to the conversation. "Fine, send the armour. I won't kill your cousin as promised."
"It will be done!" Megabyzus replied, before ordering some of the freed Hoplite to strip his cousin. Ling Tong looked at the injured Persian now followed his orders, accepting that he was now part of Ling Tong's forces and not that of the Greeks or Persians.
"Traitor." Masistius spat, as a Slinger began removing the arrow from his shoulder.
"I have just saved both of our lives." Megabyzus replied seriously, causing the anger in his cousin's eyes to drop a little.