5 A Little Wrestling
" Men in general are quick to believe that which they wish to be true. "
Julius Caesar
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Gaius Julius Caesar/ Year 279 AC :
Waking up was nice, the shifting of the sea was calming and had allowed me to fall asleep faster than I had anticipated. Never the less I woke up as soon as the sun had started peeking through my tents entrance.
Standing from my hammock, the medals moving around on my body. Walking towards the map, I grabbed my Gladius sheathing it. Grabbing the oval shield in my left hand I got ready to leave my tent.
I had already heard the chatter of my soldiers, the fires crackling in the background. Leaving the tent, I saw my two Praetorians guarding the entrance. Scutum and Gladius in hand, they bowed their heads towards me when they noticed my exit.
Staring at the Praetorian on my left, " Has anything eventful happened since I slept. " Walking over to a fire where most of my praetorians had gathered.
The Praetorian shook his head, " Nothing my lord. " The man with a quick voice uttered.
Their had been a incessant dinging in my ears meaning the System had wished to tell me something I turned to stare at the blue screen that appeared before me, " Dear host, A quest has been given. " Its voice of a old philosopher.
I nodded my head keen to hear what it was asking of me, " Conquer Zamettar and the city shall be transformed. The City of Athens shall take place in its stead. With a population of 100,000 thousand and 8 thousand soldiers, two thousand being Spartan's, 42 triremes wait to be yours. They will be loyal due to your wife's Athenian heritage. " Hearing it I nodded my head at the information, this means there were people or creatures that were near Zamettar.
This meant I could at least prepare for battle the closer we neared to this city, but to think it would give me another city. Although I guess if there was a chance of betrayal by the population, It had meant I would have to stay careful when I was inside the city walls.
A stray arrow would have the chance to end my life easily with no problem, one of the things I had worried about. A death to an arrow did not seem so pleasant but I do guess dying to any weapon wasn't pleasant.
The men that had cooped up around the fire spoke of stories of their adventures many had interesting to tell, mostly under the command of other generals. However one had peaked my interest, the story of a soldier that served under a man name Belisarius.
He was one of the younger troops his face clean shaven and looked much like that of a babies, he how ever spoke on how he had served under the man that had conquered much of the old Western Roman Empire territories, He had conquered the Northern African territories and was even able to conquer all the way to Rome.
Although he had faced scrutiny by many nobles and even the Emperor himself much like that of Scipio Africanus. He had still remained loyal to his Empire leading a final cavalry charge with 100 men to stop the Huns, a horde of horse archers.
The boy was unsure of what happened to him after but believed he had most likely died of old age in one his homes. This showed even my younger troops had some sort of experience, I smiled at the sky knowing that at least someone had almost brought Rome back. He might have made it possible were it not for the Scrutiny he had faced by his own people.
Grabbing a piece of bread, I had taken a bite. It was tough but made do as food. Standing up I had told those around me to get their troops ready to march once more. I was going to bring another city up from dust. Rome shall dominate in this world.
Walking over to my horse that was hitched up near my tent, I grabbed the reign. Climbing onto its back, I was ready alongside my Praetorians. The soldiers had entered their marching columns, the slaves and the pack mules in the centre, the experienced in the rear with the younger of the lot at the front.
The Legio's had also been at the front the main standards flying high next to them. An army of ten thousand men had started their march once again. The previous camp being taken down leaving only the wooden palisades standing.
The previous campfires being stomped out, the journey would be long but easy. The animals of the jungles had also been observing us far more than normal and reports of human like species had also been reported this time by a slave.
So this is what the system had meant with the battle for Zamettar. I shook my head looking at the soldiers behind me, singing their songs or making jokes amongst each other. The sky had stayed calm meaning the gods were not angry.
My eyes occasionally wondered around but always staying at the sea. It simply drew my attention as if it was waiting to be tamed and conquered. So this is what they meant with the calm before the storm. I chuckled to myself before turning my attention back to straight ahead of me.
The Days and nights had passed, stopping occasionally to set up camp only to leave as the sun rose and cover the land in its bright rays. It was seemingly going normal until our final day as we had approached the ruined city that would turn into Athens.
The rustling of the leaves had kept most of my men's eyes on the tree lines looking for any creatures preparing to enter formation as quick as possible. Suddenly something struck, a rock smashing into the side of my chainmail causing my medals to clatter. A slight pain, a slinger most likely, no man should be able to throw a rock that hard.
Staring into the tree lines I saw it, Thousands of men. They were all full of hair and seemingly scattered as my troops started to enter formation as the first rocks hit. Damn barbarians, it seems even my new life I had to encounter them once again. Their Height had towered most of our troops, something I must acknowledge them for.
We had been given a small hill to defend upon just opposite of Zamettar. My younger and least experienced troops entered the first ranks, the veterans entered the second. The archers staying atop the hills. My cavalry had been dismounted and joined the ranks. This land was too disadvantageous for the use of cavalry.
They had appeared, their bodies filled with hairs. Their balls dangling as their was no clothing to cover them, they were despicable. My men throwing jeers towards the barbarians. Their Pilums in hands ready to be thrown.
The archers already letting their arrows loose, two thousand arrows striking true. Many hitting the same man. However they still stood, a glare in their unintelligent eyes.
The trumpets sounded to commence battle, the barbarians charging brought a sigh out of me as I saw the first pilums being thrown. Sending many of the barbarians to the ground, then the clash of shield and man occurred. My men had longer flanks which had started to slowly enclose.
It was similar to that of a crocodile, it was so slow you would not realize you had already been in its grasps, the sound of the trumpets repeating had reminded me how much I missed this. I had decided it to be best to stay amongst the veterans, it would allow me best to learn of how these barbarians had fought.
They had used daggers and stone axes, their spears were primitive. It would do no damage to our armour but they had been resilient, their body was strong as I had seen one take twenty stabs before being brought down. It did not take long for the Jaws of our formation to close. The barbarians were trapped with one way to flee, surrounded in three different directions It wouldn't take long for them to start running back into the jungle they had come from.
The clashing was fierce and It seemed as if the barbarians wouldn't flee even if they had the opportunity too. Until I saw it, the first one to run. Running deep into the jungle, many that had seen him had simply started doing the same as well, until a barbarian had released a blood curdling scream. A creature running through the forest, a lizard. The size of an elephant, it had crashed through our ranks reaching the man. Men flew all around, however the creature did not live long hundreds of our heavy pilums were tossed, many impaling its soft underbelly and one had struck through piercing the eye. Sending the overgrown lizard to the ground.
The barbarians witnessing such a swift defeat of their creature ran even faster leaving the man that shouted behind and it had not been long after.
The man had been the only one to remain, his followers ran or laid dead around him. He was on his knees holding the lizard close, I had walked forward unsheathing my gladius. I grabbed another tossing it towards the mans feet. The man had been muttering until he had heard the gladius hit the earth before him, he picked it up standing before me he had bitterly spoke a language unheard of to my ears.
Dropping my oval shield, I entered my stance my sword forward. My soldiers around me, the praetorians with a pilum out ready to be thrown. The man charged, a large easily seen overhead swing which I had dodged with surprising ease, sending a stab into his side. Piercing it, blood had gushed out a smile forming under my mask.
He sent another strike, his feet kicking up dirt as he tried to slash my throat, lowering my head the gladius bounced off my mask. I sent a straight kick to the mans knees, causing him to stumble. Sending a large slash to his sword hand, It had cut through clean. The man collapsing in pain gripping his non existent wrist.
I walked forward grabbing the man by his hairs, I sent my gladius straight down the mans spine, the startling scream that had left his voice had reached all my men's ears. The man collapsing to the ground the moment I had pulled the gladius out.
We had lost around twenty men, most with a slash on their throat. Meaning we would need to invest in some protection for the jugular for it had been the most common wound among our dead.
I looked around the troops, seeing Bertramus speaking amongst his own and Hermanus was looting the dead for what they were worth. We will bury our dead once Athens has been built.
*Ding *
" System Quest: Completed
The Building of Athens has started, please wait a few seconds. A Bridge will also be built to allow your entrance into Athens. Well done, your first quest completed. 100,000 civilians fill this city and yet they only have eight thousand soldiers. Believing that you would protect them with your warrior culture and army. " A clapping resounded that seemed to only flow into my ears
The Ruins of Zamettar disappeared, a bridge appearing before us, my troops marveling at the magic the system had just done. In mere moments the once ruined city was now brimming with life, a port that was filled with life. The gates of Athens had opened revealing a force of pikemen, the man at the front was young.
The man raised his arms a smile on his face, " HAIL CAESAR! " His spear raised in the sky, the pikemen respond in similar fashion. " Now, do tell why has your force marched out to us. We are under you after all. " The man chuckled.
Hearing him I simply turned to my men, " We were exploring the lands, my wife suggested to visit Athens on the way. " I patted the man on the back, " Now, what is your name? " I inquired my eyes staring into his, my arms around his shoulder. A lie easily leaving my breath as if to say this visit was already planned.
The man simply sighed before a smile appeared on his face, " Its Pericles, My Emperor. " The man decided it was best to switch topics had started asking about my wife, " How is your wife, we have not heard from her since you married. "
Hearing him, my eyebrows raised, " Bah, we were busy. Roman politics is quite harsh compared to you Greeks. " This had caused the man to chuckle nodding at me.
He turned around, " Why do you not enter my lord, have a rest from your long journey. " Continuing his walk I turned to my men waving them to follow. " We have also made quite a few ships to transport troops. Although it seems we'll need to make more. "
The man turned back to me as he entered the gates of Athens, " Welcome to the ancient city of Athens, my Emperor. " A large grin on his face.
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Write down any bits than were bad in this chapter so I know what parts to fix later.
Damn, the romans can keep up the Brindled Men? That's crazy
Pericles? The founder of Democracy. Pretty cool
Next few chapters will do alot more worldbuilding.
