Towards the Present We Go, Langobards AAR (The Steppe Wolf MOD)

[blklizard]

The False Crusade

Chapter 188 (Greece Campaign [part 8])

The Langobards army that ambushed Alexander's army was under the command of General Urs Diederich. Diederich was leading an army of thirty thousand men that was meant to reinforce the defenses in Northern Greece. He got separated with Judoc when the Gauls went through Roman territory and required a few extra days to arrive. When he heard of the bold plan thought up by Kardas and Judoc, he felt that participating in the actual battle will do more good. Thus, he, like the two leaders before him, sneaked past Florina under the cover of night and proceeded towards Kozani. He hoped to meet up with the two leaders to put down the Greek rebellion once and for all. Therefore, even Kardas and Judoc weren't aware of Diederich's arrival and they were surprised to see a friendly army in the field fighting against Alexander. Alexander may outnumber his opponent by twenty thousand but these soldiers were poorly trained and it didn't help that the Langobards launched a surprise attacking seeing their charge very effective. The professional Langobards soldiers were soon cutting through the Greek soldiers and Alexander, seeing his ranks crumbling under pressure, issued a retreat. The moment his order reached the ears of his men, they instantly routed with everyone fending for his own life. Diederich's army chased a short distance before he ordered them to halt their advances. Alexander has fled on his horse and there was no chance capturing him. The Langobards general felt that his presence was needed on the other battlefield.

When Diederich arrived at the other battlefield, he was surprised to see the Greek soldiers there routing as well. The Greek men were barely holding when they were sandwiched in the middle. The sight of Alexander's men gave them hope briefly but the rout of the reinforcements dashed all theirs hopes of coming out victorious. The outer ranks quickly crumbled and Greeks soldiers were either surrendering or fleeing. The two Greek generals were captured alive when they tried to flee and the one hundred fifty thousand army was wiped out in a single day. The Langobards suffered pretty severe casualties with nearly a quarter of their men dead and another quarter wounded. However, their losses, compared to the Greeks, seemed to be very minimal. The three reinforcing Greek armies, numbering two hundred thousand men total, were out of commission while Alexander's own fifty thousand army was reduced to two thirds its original size. The two daring ambushes and the timely arrival of reinforcements had the Greeks nearly defeated. Judoc hoped the losses would convince Alexander that he has lost and surrender would spare the lives of his men. The three leaders met and Judoc introduced Kardas and Diederich to each other. Once they went through the pleasantries, the Langobards and Gaul soldiers were given a short breather before they marched onto Kozani. Judoc once again approached the city unarmed and wished to talk to Alexander. To his disgust, Alexander has already fled the city leaving the garrison to their own fate.

When Judoc learned of the man's betrayal to his men, he hoped to convince the garrison to surrender. Surprisingly, the gates opened before he said anything with the officers who led the garrison exiting the city to offer their surrender. The Greek soldiers would have continued fighting but their leader's betrayal convinced them that everything was lost. Alexander was once seen as a true hero of Greece and, despite his many losses, the people were still willing to fight and die for him. However, their image of him shattered when he showed his true nature by abandoning those who looked up to him. The garrison in Kozani, numbered nearly thirty thousand, no longer found the will to fight for a coward. When the officers hsaw Judoc still using diplomacy to end the conflict, they were touched by their enemy's persistence in ending all bloodshed. They finally realized that Alexander has misled them and the Langobards Tzars were indeed the better choice as rulers. Thus, they agreed unanimously to open the gates and surrender. Before they did so, they told the soldiers their decision and, as expected, the soldiers supported them. With only an hour before sunset, the Langobards and Gaul armies entered the city of Kozani without anymore casualties where they got a good night rest. The three leaders decided to rest up and go after Alexander the following day. As for the prisoners, everyone but the two generals were released from captivity. Unsure about the loyalty of the generals, they felt it was best keep them locked up temporarily.

The Langobards and Gaul soldiers were well rested through the night and the surrendered Greek officers volunteered to act as guides. They, like the Gaul lesser chiefs, hoped to make up for their mistakes. After much discussion, the three leaders decided to split into three directions. Diederich would lead his thirty thousand men eastwards to pacify the eastern parts of Greece where resistance was expected to be the weakest. Kardas would lead thirty thousand men, after excluding his wounded men, southeast to remove any resistance along the way. Kardas' army would be escorted by the twenty five thousand Greek soldiers to make their journey smoother. Judoc, clearly the most diplomatic of them all, would lead his Gaul army, numbering thirty thousand men, down south where Alexander was most likely rallying supporters. The three leaders and the Greek officers agreed that Judoc's tongue might convince the garrisons to lower their weapons with the potential of concluding the war for good. The resistance was expected to be the strongest down south and Judoc, should he find himself faced with danger, was advised to back off until the three armies can meet up again. They knew that the rebellion won't be completely put down until Alexander was captured. The man has committed enough crimes and the three leaders had no intentions to letting him get away. Once their supplies were dealt with, the three forces would go their separate ways with the same objective of putting an end to the Greek revolt. Soon, another surprise would be waiting for the Judoc as he advanced southwards to the city of Trikala.

Diederich would soon learn that the intelligence gathered was correct as the local garrisons surrendered upon sighting his army. He merely used each location to stock up on some supplies while paying a fair price. His actions were well received by the locals and many of the local government bodies promised to swear allegiance to the Langobards. Diederich finished his eastern sweep in two weeks or so and turned south to meet with Kardas. Kardas had a slightly tougher time with the occasional harassment of Greek guerrilla forces. Once the local ruling class was persuaded to put down their weapons, the harassment ended and Kardas was soon joined with Diederich with the two generals ordering their men to head south to give aid to Judoc if needed. The two generals approached the city of Trikala and were surprised to see the Gaul camp outside the city. When they spoke with the lesser chiefs, they were told that Judoc has entered the city without an escort on the enemy's request and it has been a week since they last heard from their leader. The Gaul soldiers didn't even know if Judoc was dead or alive and, with him last seen entering the city, they couldn't risk an attack fearing complications if Judoc was still alive. The two generals were worried about the well-being of their friend but, for the time being, they had no choice but wait outside. They would have been kept in the dark of what transpired inside had they not capture a Greek messenger leaving the city for southern Greece.

 

[blklizard]

The False Crusade

Chapter 189 (Greece Campaign [part 9])

The Greek messenger traveled on foot hoping to evade capture but he just happened to encounter a few Langobards scouts. The scouts were armed while the messenger wasn't which saw him delivered before Kardas and Diederich. Initially, the messenger refused to say anything forcing the Langobards generals to use methods one may consider torture. Normally, they would refrain from such tactics but, with the fate of Judoc still unknown, they were rather desperate. An hour of torture later, the messenger was willing to answer any questions and Kardas immediately demanded to know the situation of his friend. The messenger explained that Alexander reached the city two days before Judoc arrived and plotted with the city officials. The officials would act as though Alexander abandoned them heading further south to recruit a new army. They wished to speak with Judoc alone and, should he bring no escorts, he would prove good faith. Judoc was too trusting and believed the enemy seeing him entering the city alone. The moment the gates closed, Judoc was seized by the guards and brought before the city officials and Alexander. He was then paraded across the street with the civilians throwing vegetables and refuse at him. By the time they arrived at the city center, Judoc was covered in vegetable scraps and other things like manure. Alexander then spoke before the people asking them to decide upon the fate of the Judoc who he proclaimed as the enemy of Greece. The people all demanded execution when one of the city officials stepped forward. Instead of searching for a peaceful solution, the city official actually suggested public torture of the enemy before they executed him. The people applauded for the idea and, for the next week, Judoc endured cruel torture before he was finally mercifully beheaded.

Kardas and Diederich were silent after hearing the messenger's story. They saw the fear in the man's eyes when he spoke which suggested that he only spoke the truth. Diederich volunteered to bring the news to the Gaul minor chiefs while Kardas pondered silently with anger surging within him. Without warning, he pulled out his weapon and beheaded the messenger. The messenger's head rolled to a corner of the tent but no one paid it any attention. All the officers present knew that such a crime demanded justice. While Kardas didn't say anything, his swift execution of the messenger confirmed his thoughts. Diederich returned with several minor chiefs behind him. The minor chiefs were about to say something but Kardas cut them off. Kardas first called forth his officers to prepare for battle. He then told the minor chiefs that they would take the city of Trikala by force. The minor chiefs needed no other persuasion as they returned to their camp to rally their warriors. The word of Judoc's horrific treatment within Trikala has already spread across the Gaul camp and the Gaul soldiers only sought blood. Kardas and Diederich worked swiftly to gather their forces as well. They didn't know the exact number of garrisons but estimated from the Gauls put the enemy at ten thousand at most. Knowing that they had the element of surprise on their side, the two Langobards generals ordered their men to prepare silently and, before the actual assault, gather in a forest where Kardas would present a speech.

"Warriors of Langobards! We stand here outside Trikala against the most vile enemy we have seen. In the past, the Magyars were fierce warriors pillaging our lands and killing innocent people. However, they were victors and had the right to the spoils of war. The Greek people are different. They don't have the honor of the people living in the plains. They would plot to harm an innocent man who sought only peace through words. I know that you all have by now learned of Judoc's fate. He was a great warrior but even greater diplomat. He would use his tongue first before unsheathing his weapon. He hoped to avoid bloodshed to save those who are misguided and innocent. He entered the city because he trusted them. Yet, he is now dead because he trusted the Greeks. The Greeks are not human but, instead, snakes. They would strike without warning and they know no honor. They attacked a defenseless man who was willing to enter the city alone. They were willing to torture the man for committing himself to the path of peace. Their people saw the violence as a sort of entertainment. We hoped to pacify these people but they have proven that such an attempt was hopeless. We can only pacify humans and not snakes. Thus, there is only one way to deal with those monsters. We must stop them from breeding and wiped them out before they continue plaguing this land. Once we enter, show no mercy! Slaughter them all including their children who will no doubt grow into snakes like their parents. Let the city be razed, its citizens be massacred and peace forever returned to the land we call Greece!"

The soldiers roared in response as bloodlust overcame every single men. Many of these soldiers looked up to Judoc and wished to avenge him. Had the city officials and Alexanders been the only ones responsible for his death, they may have seen the massacre of the civilians a crime. However, they learned that the civilians determined the fate of the Judoc making them no less innocent than his torturers and executors. Following the roar, the soldiers followed their officers and prepared for a direct assault on the city. They were ready for revenge and waited impatiently for the order to charge. The generals finally gave the order and the Langobards soldiers, including the Gauls but associated with the Langobards from now on, charged forward. The Greek garrisons heard the roar from the enemy earlier but didn't took it seriously. They then heard the war cries of soldiers and peered over the wall lazily. It took them a few seconds to respond to what was developing and the garrison was quickly calling for their men to man the walls. By then, the Langobards soldiers have already established their ladders on the wall and began scaling. The few defenders on the wall tried to fend off the enemy but they were quickly disposed by Langobards skirmishers. The infantry scaled the walls without any resistance and proceeded to capture the gates. The Greek garrison was only just arriving on the walls but, against the fierce enemy, they were cut down in seconds. The moment the gate was opened, all hope was lost for the inhabitants within the city with Langobards soldiers storming into the city.

The Langobards armies stormed into the city with only revenge on their mind. The garrison tried a last ditch effort to push back the enemy but they were outmatched. When the garrison was slaughtered, the last of the city's defenses was gone. The soldiers entered the city seeking to kill anything in sight. Children and elderly weren't spared either as the soldiers searched every building and alleyway for anyone that tried to hide. Once the household was dealt with, the building was set on fire. Corpses of civilians were strewn everywhere while the flames raged across the city. The soldiers eventually made their way to the palace and killed the guards before proceeding further. They were soon met with city officials and Alexander who knelt down on the ground begging for forgiveness. The officers leading the charge managed to hold back their men so they could bring forth the executors of Judoc before the generals. As they exited the palace, men worked quickly to set the magnificent architecture ablaze. By the time the prisoners were brought before the generals, much of the city was burnt to the ground while all the civilians were either killed or burned alive in the blaze. Kardas and Diederich felt no remorse giving the orders as they saw their actions just. They were also happy to see Alexander finally captured. They hoped to use the man to convince the remaining Greek resistance to surrender to end the rebellion for good. After that, they would announce his crimes before giving him a suitable punishment.

 

[DKM]

So much for the new Alexander "The Great." I believe Alexander "The Coward" fits much more.

 

[blklizard]

So much for the new Alexander "The Great." I believe Alexander "The Coward" fits much more.

His title was "The Liberator" but he definitely didn't even achieve that. He got overconfident thinking that his name will bring him success. Truth is, one makes a name great and never vice versa.

The False Crusade

Chapter 190 (Greece Campaign [part 10])

The capture of Alexander effectively ended the rebellion in Greece. However, many historians believe that the Massacre of Trikala served as the main deterrent of further resistance from the Greeks as it struck terror in the Greek population. The remaining city officials and garrisons, fearing similar fate, chose to surrender rather than incur the wrath of the Langobards. No one in Greece was foolish enough to think anyone can halt the Langobards advance anymore an ant can stop a moving cart. Because they didn't know the exact cause of the massacre, many speculated that the Langobards were getting frustrated with the conflict dragging on indefinitely and wanted to send a warning to all those who considered to continue resistance. Thus, the rebellion was over literally overnight seeing the Greek people swearing allegiance to the Langobards once again. When Kardas and Diederich accepted their surrender without anymore bloodshed, the Greek people were relieved that they picked the right choice. Of course, there are a few historians believing that, had Alexander escaped Trikala, he may have rallied more forces to continue resisting until nearly all the able bodied men in Greece were dead or maimed. Even if such was the case, everyone agreed that the Massacre of Trikala wouldn't be repeated since the Langobards generals were determined to end the rebellion with arms instead of tongue by then. Whatever what ifs scenarios historians can come up with, the Greek rebellion was put down with high cost of human lives and concluded on a down note.

For their uprising, the Greek people would have to pay a hefty price. Prior to the war, the Greek people were given quite a bit of autonomy seeing them grow wealthy and strong with limited Langobards government influence. They were free to construct their own standing armies and navies while passing through many laws that helped strengthen the region as a whole. However, the rebellion made the Tzar rethink his approach with the Greek people. Unsure whether the rebellion may spark anymore conflicts in the future, the Tzar ordered several standing armies to be built and stand inside the Greek region to maintain the peace so to speak. In reality, the Greek people were kept under surveillance and, should anything suspicious be spotted, immediate actions were taken. In addition, the Greek civilians were forced to pay much higher taxes that saw them receiving considerably less income prior to the rebellion. The taxes were still low compared to the Romans but high enough to severely limit the wealthy population in Greece. Finally, every Greek city must have two Langobards officials participate in local decision to ensure the "best optimal" decisions going through the administration after many of the laws passed through previously revoked. Greece would never returned to its golden age as its people threw away their privileges for ideals preached by a man called Alexander.

Alexander would endure a cruel fate for his crime in Trikala. Previously, he would have been spared since the Langobards generals viewed him as an ambitious but misguided man. Like the minor chiefs from Gaul, Alexander has made many mistakes and, while lives were lost, the Langobards were forgiving people overall. With the death of Judoc, Alexander sealed his fate and brought upon himself a horrific fate. The Greek, instead of being sent to the Langobards capital to be judged, was handed over to the Gauls who performed a horrific ritual that was never recorded. However, there were entries stating that Alexander screamed for three days and three nights before he was mercifully killed. The Gauls have ancient traditions that they have abandoned but not forgotten. Normally, they would never call upon these ancient barbaric traditions but Alexander was the exception. The man died a cruel death for not only killing Judoc but also for bringing destruction to the people of Trikala. He would only be remembered in history as the rebel leader who brought about the destruction of his people. His title, once known as "The Liberator," was changed to "The Coward." The two Langobards generals explained that Alexander passed away in the blaze that burnt down Trikala and no one would be any the wiser. As time passed by, even the Greeks forgot about him with his becaming nothing more than a name in the ancient records hidden in some library in a room sealed away long ago. His only legacy was the Massacre of Trikala but, even there, he was only briefly mentioned playing a minor part in the event.

The Tzar learned about the massacre and chose to pardon the two generals. He knew Diederich personally and knew only extreme cases would force the man to commit the crime. Still, the two generals needed some sort of punishment to remind them of their mistakes. Thus, the Tzar immediately sent the quickest messenger to Greece to relay his order. The two generals were ordered to liberate Anatolia where the third rebellion took place. There has been no information as to the progress of the rebels in Anatolia but the Tzar and his court assumed the worse. The two generals were expected to first head to Constantinople where they would liberate every town and city along the way. They would then garrison Constantinople itself until reinforcements arrive from the north. The Tzar has already ordered several armies numbering up to two hundred thousand men to assist the two generals who have lost a sizable number of their men. Kardas and Diederich were left with fifty thousand while early reports say the enemy at Anatolia numbered up to four hundred thousand at the start of the uprising. The generals were told to retreat if they were severely outnumbered and wait for reinforcements to come to their aid. The Holy Land was also an unknown as all communications with the region was severed since the rise of the rebels. Not risking the loss of two promising generals, the Tzar chose to make steady progress not giving the enemy advantage if possible.

Kardas and Diederich would say their goodbyes to the Gauls in northern Greece where they would part. The Gauls would have joined them had the messenger from the Tzar didn't specify that they were to head home. The Tzar knew the Gauls were honorable people and the rebellions were problems to be dealt by the Langobards. One may argue the Gauls were a part of Langobards by then but the rebellions did create a rift that needed time to heal. The Gauls have lost many of their brothers along the way and would only return with half the numbers that set out. Instead of traveling through Rome, they would march like the Langobards on land back home. The route to home was a long one but the Gauls felt that they paid for their sins and could return home as heroes. Kardas and Diederich proceeded to Constantinople where they expected enemy forces along the way. Their armies passed many villages and towns but the two generals were surprised to see them abandoned without a soul. This was understandable in early stages of the revolt when people were evacuated to cities for protection. However, the enemy would have at least set up garrisons or lookouts to prevent the Langobards from sneaking up on them. Puzzled, the two generals continued their way until Constantinople came into view. A huge surprise would await them at the grand metropolis connecting Anatolia to Europe.

 

[DKM]

His title was "The Liberator" but he definitely didn't even achieve that. He got overconfident thinking that his name will bring him success. Truth is, one makes a name great and never vice versa.

I knew that. I was talking about irony from me comparing him to Alexander of Macedon because he's Greek and his name is Alexander hence "the Great."

 

[blklizard]

I knew that. I was talking about irony from me comparing him to Alexander of Macedon because he's Greek and his name is Alexander hence "the Great."

I'm to blame for giving him that name .

The False Crusade

Chapter 191 (Anatolia Campaign [part 1])

The city of Constantinople wasn't always a great metropolis. The city was once called Byzantium built by the Greeks that was nothing more than a town. The town served more as a trading post situated at the only entrance to the Black Sea. The trade in the region was booming seeing the town growing into a city as more people immigrated in search of better livelihood. The city grew steadily and its growth would have continued had an invasion not take place. Around 100 AD, the Roman armies marched into the region and the city suffered extensive damage. Because the resistance of the city was so fierce, the Romans razed the city to the ground after breaking through the defenses. The great city was destroyed in a matter of few days and, for the next few decades, the location was only filled with ruins of the once magnificent city because the Romans saw no advantages in rebuilding the city. That would change following the Magyars invasion seeing many Roman territory ceded to the nomads. The Romans never expected to face such a powerful enemy but they have finally met their match. Upon losing the war, the Romans needed new countermeasures in place to ideally halt the Magyar advance. If the nomads weren't stopped, the Romans wouldn't be surprised to see the nomads striking at the heart of Italy one day.

The Magyars took many territory in the Bulgaria region threatening the Greek region. The Romans saw the strategic importance of the location where Byzantium was once built and, in a single year, a city called Constantinople was born. Many plans were made to set up multiple defensive walls around the city with large Roman forces garrisoned the city. Many Romans were immigrating to the city, some by their own choice while others were forced to leave their homes. Constantinople would be part of the new line of defenses along the Roman-Magyars border. Constantinople served the purpose of halting the Magyar advance into Roman Anatolia and the Romans could only pray that it would work. However, their major projects involving Constantinople grounded to a halt as news reached the Romans of the Langobards defeating the Magyars in successive wars. The Magyars' control of the Bulgarian region was weakening with many uprisings that the Romans no doubt funded. Soon, the Magyar presence in the region disappeared and Constantinople was no longer a focus for the Romans. The city, however, was thriving on trade like Byzantium and, despite the lack of investments after Magyars ceased to be a threat, the city grew into a metropolis boasting the largest population in the region.

The metropolis of Constantinople enjoyed centuries of peace and prosperity but it wasn't meant to last. The metropolis continued to grow in wealth and population but its defenses remained unfinished. The local officials wanted to resume the projects using their own funds and build up a standing army but the Roman government rejected their plan fearing that the officials had a hidden agenda. The unfinished defenses would soon haunt the Romans as the Langobards, in their second war, saw them overtaking the city with ease against the weak resistance. Given the vital location of the metropolis, the Langobards took the city in the peace deal (or seized forcibly from Romans who can't defend their territory). As soon as Constantinople changed owner, many of its unfinished projects were resume using the Langobards treasury and, a decade later, the metropolis was one of the best defended cities in the region. Because the Langobards were fair and just in their rule, the people living in Constantinople accepted their new officials and continued thriving. The future looked bright because, for the next few centuries, the constant expansion for the Langobards saw the metropolis far from all harm given its distance from the front lines. Peace and prosperity seemed to await Constantinople had the rebellion not take place so close with the garrison finding itself needing to fend off against a massive rebel army.

The ruling class in Anatolia has been looking at Constantinople greedily hoping to have it as their own. The metropolis was the richest city in the region and capturing it would bring lots of funds to the ruling class. Their leader, Imperial Legate Sextus Britannicus, announced their liberated nation as Nova Rome and declared their first objective as capturing Constantinople. Capturing the metropolis and installing a large garrison would effectively cut of all Langobards reinforcements from the west. Nova Rome has been secretly building a navy before the rebellion which was to be use to control the Black Sea and Aegean Sea. If everything went according to plan, the Langobards could only strike from the northeast where the Nova Roman army would be waiting. Britannicus had no illusions like Alexander and wasn't too greedy. He would be content with only Constantinople since it would put his nation in a superior position against the Langobards. In the northeast, he would build a series of forts on defensive locations that would halt Langobards advances. After the war lasted long enough, the Langobards may, after high casualties, consider a peace where the rebels keep Constantinople. Britannicus knew that progress forward needed to be steady and rushing things would bring about disaster.

The Nova Roman army set out towards Constantinople anticipating a relatively easy victory. While they did know about the strong defenses the metropolis boasted, the Nova Roman generals knew that they had the numbers advantage. In addition, they had a much larger navy than the enemy seeing them controlling both the land and sea. The dominance over those two aspects would eventually overwhelm the garrison seeing the attackers break through. Once that took place, the attacking armies would be garrisoned inside the city where they would have the simple task of fending off waves after waves of Langobards assaults. Strong walls, large numbers and naval support would guarantee the Langobards failing in retaking the city. To be on the safe side, Britannicus sent two hundred thousand soldiers along with seventy galleys to take the metropolis which was reported to only have a garrison of ten thousand men and a small navy of twenty galleys. With the massive advantage in numbers, Britannicus expected Constantinople to be his within six months. Meanwhile, he sent his forces to the northeast where many forts were being building for incoming Langobards army there. With all his plans set in motion, Britannicus held a small party in his palace toasting for the victories that would soon be his.

 

[blklizard]

The False Crusade

Chapter 192 (Anatolia Campaign [part 2])

Narkis Callis was the leader of the Constantinople garrison and he wasn't surprised to hear about an incoming attack from the rebels. The metropolis was a magnificent feat and the rebels were, after all, merely mortals. Still, he would be responsible for the defenses of the city which meant that he needed to act quickly. He first checked up on his troops and found ten thousand men all ready for battle. Next, he ordered the administration to check on food and supplies inside the city. For the last decade or so, the farms surrounding the metropolis have been achieving record yields seeing a large surplus stored within the metropolis. After a brief estimate, the administration estimated that the surplus would hold out for two years even if the population within the metropolis doubled. The people working within administration were laughing at that matter but Callis didn't laugh with them. Callis has already sent messengers to neighboring towns and villages for civilians to be evacuated to the metropolis which stood the best chance fending off the enemy. The region, like Constantinople, has been thriving from peace and the "refugees" could easily rival the metropolis population. Callis prayed that the estimates were accurate since his success on repelling enemy attacks depended on it.

Meanwhile, Callis' friend, Darion Thanos, was responsible for the navy situated at Constantinople. Since the capture of the metropolis, the local officials sent a request to the Langobards government hoping to have their own standing army and navy. Being in a valuable strategic location, the request was granted and funds were directed to building an army and navy. The army was limited to ten thousand men while the navy to twenty galleys because the officials weren't intending to use their forces in actual war. Normally, rebellions were small and the ten thousand army was more than a match. However, the rebels at Anatolia was no ordinary rebellion seeing their numbers easily surpassing two hundred thousand men and up to a hundred galleys. Neither Callis nor Thanos had time to worry about the what-ifs knowing that the rebels would arrive shortly. Thanos, upon learning the news, quickly sent word for his sailors to gather all their gear in preparation of living aboard the galleys. The sailors will unlikely have time to return home between battles and, with the fate of the metropolis at stake, they probably preferred to stay at the front lines until the enemy was dealt with. Thanos personally inspected the galleys only find them well maintained and in excellent shape. Still, he wondered how many galleys would remain after the battle, if any survived the naval engagements at all.

While Thanos inspected the galleys, Callis and his officers inspected the walls, towers and gatehouses. They found some cracks and chips and immediately ordered quick repairs. Overall, the walls remained strong despite the many storms that passed by lately. The garrison has now manned the walls with lookouts keeping an eye out for enemy forces. Around this time, civilians from neighboring villages were making their way into the metropolis which demanded Callis' attention. There were several empty plots of land that would serve as the location for refugee camps. The local population, upon hearing the news, volunteered their time and resources to build up the camps to house all the expected refugees. The refugees were welcomed to the city and were assigned to different camps. The refugees needed some time to adapt to their new setting but, with the kindness of the local inhabitants, their transition went a lot smoother. For the next few days, more refugees entered the metropolis and it soon became clear that the refugee camp couldn't house them all. Many civilians took a step further by offering rooms from their own homes which helped prevent refugees from living on the streets. Callis was relieved to see the people helping each other at times of trouble and could focus on another matter that rose up with the arrival of refugees.

One must remember that neighboring towns also have their own garrison which, with the refugees evacuated, also arrived at Constantinople. Callis was surprised to see how many soldiers were suddenly at his disposal. The neighboring towns numbered to a dozen or so and, with garrisons in each town ranging from two thousand to five thousand, the garrison in Constantinople suddenly rose by forty thousand men. The previous ten thousand garrison suddenly quintupled to fifty thousand men. This development never dawned on Callis, let alone the rebels. In addition to the new soldiers for the army, ten galleys arrived from the coastal towns seeing the defenders having thirty galleys. While it was still small compared to the rebel navy, the new additions would definitely help even the playing field a bit. The challenge Callis believed he would face was the reorganization of the army as he would let Thanos deal with the new ships. He needed the new soldiers to fight efficiently while working with his own men. That challenged proved to be non-existent because the officers of the new soldiers were trained similarly as the officers inside Constantinople seeing them integrating into the defense easily. Callis, seeing Constantinople as a separate entity from Langobards due to its autonomy, forgot about that point and made a fool of himself in the process. Luckily, the officers didn't notice with everyone too focused on the upcoming battle.

Thanos was thrilled to learn of the ten new galleys under his command. He was always saddened by the small navy at his disposal but, knowing the high maintenance associated with a large navy, never asked for more ships. With his navy now fifty percent larger, Thanos felt confident that he could hold off the enemy. The naval headquarters was located at the natural harbor formed by the Golden Horn. Thanos planned several traps for any enemy galleys venturing into the harbor while discussing the formation of his galleys with his officers. He knew they were outnumbered in numbers and letting the enemy come to them might be the advantage they need. Several ballistas were stationed along the wall facing the harbor which would provide support fire into enemy galleys. Meanwhile, the narrow Golden Horn would effectively force the enemy into a choke point where their numbers advantage was neutralized. Still, the Constantinople navy still have many challenges ahead of them with some unexpected twists added in there. Both Callis and Thanos felt they prepared for the upcoming battle the best they could with them waiting for the inevitable attack. Two weeks later, the rebel army and navy was spotted and the defenders prepared for a long siege.

 

[blklizard]

The False Crusade

Chapter 193 (Anatolia Campaign [part 3])

One Nova Roman army marching towards Constantinople was led by a man called Kaeso Caelius, or common known as General Caelius. Caelius was born from an influential family in Anatolia that claimed to be the descendents of Julius Caesar himself. Caelius had waited for this day for a long time since he was a boy. He dreamed himself of leaving behind his name in history just as Caesar did centuries ago. He, while ambitious, knew his own limitations. During his lifetime, achieving a feat similar to Caesar was practically impossible. First, the Langobards was a powerful nation that couldn't be taken down without the help of the Roman republic. Of course, the Roman republic have been friendly towards the Langobards which made the two great powers clash against each other very unlikely. Caelius was content with the mission given to him though. He knew Constantinople was a magnificent metropolis fit for even the Tzar and he envisioned himself controlling the metropolis. Once he took Constantinople, Caelius would use all his power so it remained in his hands till his death. Before that could take place, he must first defeat the garrison which seemed like the easier task. Following that, he had to fend off Langobards attacks that would no doubt be fierce. Holding the metropolis against the mighty Langobards would most definitely etch his name into the history books.

Caelius, however, had a rival with a name of Placus Panaetius. Panaetius was a promising young man from a rival family in Anatolia who sought the same glory of capturing Constantinople. Under normal circumstances, such rivalry would do the two men some good as it pushed them to be at their very best. However, they, with a hundred thousand men under their control each, were essentially competing to see who captured the metropolis first. Their rivalry would soon cost them dearly but, at the initial stages, they seemed to enjoy each other's company as they marched towards Constantinople. Both men were confident of their abilities to take the metropolis and the reality of who gains control of Constantinople following the capture hasn't dawned on either of them yet. One must note that the two men have been in Anatolia since their birth and, with the autonomy granted to their people, few even left Anatolia. The influential families were preoccupied in competing for power within Anatolia that they never cared about foreign affairs. Other parts of Langobards saw the local population participate in distant campaigns that offered them a chance to see the world. Caelius and Panaetius had no such luxury making their march towards Constantinople the furthest journey they have taken from home since their birth. They were too excited with the promise of adventure to worry about the politics involved with the capture of Constantinople.

The Nova Roman navy was under the command of Admiral Iustus. No one knew the first name of Iustus since he kept it hidden from public knowledge. Even Iustus' past was shrouded in mystery with rumors claiming he was an orphan that managed to be get married into a powerful family. His last name, Iustus, came from the family he married into which left his birth last name a mystery as well. One topic that was certain was Iustus became an admiral due to his family's influence and power and not for his abilities. Iustus was seen as an outsider in his family but his wife, the youngest daughter in the family, just happened to be the head of the family's favorite daughter which saw benefits for Iustus. Iustus wanted to accomplish great feat to silence his critics and, with word sent to his father-in-law about his vision to lead the navy, he was granted the position to lead seventy galleys in aiding the capture of Constantinople. The Admiral was delighted with his new position and immediately set out to inspect his fleet. Iustus, of course, had no knowledge of naval warfare of ships but, after sharpening his tongue in the many diplomatic conflicts within the family, he was able to get the naval officers to support him. There were some rumors that a generous fee was provided to help pave the way. Whatever methods he used, Admiral Iustus would be participating in the capture of Constantinople in a mission that was vital to Anatolis retaining its independence.

Caelius and Panaetius would arrive at Constantinople first because the fleet was delayed by a some unfavorable condition forcing the galleys to remain docked. The two generals watched the metropolis from a distance and the view was breathtaking. The two men only heard of Constantinople from stories but the stories did no justice for the true magnificence of the metropolis. Constantinople had five sets of walls that surrounded different sectors of the city. Great square towers rose up at regular intervals along the walls which only made the defense look more formidable. The outer two walls were surrounded by wide moats that were supplied by the water from the nearby strait seeing it impossible to empty the moats unless one could empty the Black Sea and Mediterranean altogether. In the outer sectors, churches were seen rising above all the buildings that were simply amazing. However, these churches were pale in comparisons with the grand churches in the inner sectors. The most magnificent architecture was the church known as the Hagia Sophia which was built soon after the Langobards took control of Constantinople. The architecture was built by the Langobards king at the time to commemorate the birth of a great metropolis that would be the jewel in the east under Langobards control. When the Langobards converted to Catholicism, the Hagia Sophia was converted into the church that would be seen by the two Nova Roman generals.

The generals weren't the only ones mesmerized by the scene before them. Their officers and soldiers looked on trying to take in the beauty before them. While all of them were saddened that war would soon affect the metropolis, many of them made a vow to rebuild the metropolis once they have achieved independence. The two generals believed that Constantinople would achieve new heights under the rule of Nova Rome. Once they finished their sightseeing, the generals got down to business by first setting up camp a fair distance from the city defenses while sending out scouts to map out the local terrain. They also sent men to scan the walls for weaknesses and estimate the defenders atop the walls. The attackers soon finished their preparations and proceeded to encircling the metropolis. The siege of Constantinople has begun seeing two hundred thousand Nova Roman soldiers up against fifty thousand garrison. The land warfare was about to take place while the Nova Roman navy needed a few more days before they could participate in the siege. The fate of Nova Rome would essentially rely on this siege alone with a victory guaranteeing its independence and a defeat spelling the end of the rebellion. Both sides have heavy responsibilities upon their shoulders and every mistake would be costly. The first clash between Nova Rome and Langobards was about to begin.

 

[DKM]

Strangely enough, I actually want the Nova Romans to win the war.

 

[blklizard]

Strangely enough, I actually want the Nova Romans to win the war.

(Guards! Throw this traitor to the mines.) Odd, I didn't think I wrote anything to make the readers sympathetic towards Nova Rome. Back to the drawing board, I guess .

The False Crusade

Chapter 194 (Anatolia Campaign [part 4])

The attackers first encircled the metropolis to prevent any messengers leaving. While the two Nova Roman generals knew messengers were likely already sent, they felt an encirclement would help with demoralizing the enemy. The attackers were eager to get the assault started but the two generals ordered their men to wait for the navy to arrive. They felt that, with the aid of the navy, the enemy would be stretched more thin resulting in less casualties. For the next two weeks, the attackers were camped around Constantinople while they waited for the navy to arrive. When the navy finally arrived, the attackers prepared for the assault they have been waiting for. The generals were dressed for battle as they stood on a hill overlooking the battlefield. Their scouts were unable to uncover any major weaknesses which was the first bad news for the attackers. During the wait, a few trebuchets were built while several catapults were brought over from Nova Rome. The generals waited patiently until they could actually see their navy progressing towards the metropolis. They sent the orders and the first wave was sent out while catapults and trebuchets began firing projectiles at the walls. The defenders, having waited a long time, were glad that they would see some action at last. The towers and walls were manned as the skirmishers prepared for the enemy to venture close enough for them to kill.

More bad news would reach the generals when the ballistas atop the towers were picking off the catapults that were getting in range to fire. The catapults were soon out of commission leaving the trebuchets the only siege weapons the attackers had. The problem was that the trebuchets were few in numbers and the generals didn't anticipate that their catapults would be removed from the battlefield so quickly. The two young generals weren't even aware of the existence of such powerful ballistas and they stated they would have handled the battle differently if they have known. The first wave of attackers were easily repelled by the garrison skirmishers and a second wave was sent out. The second wave consisted of skirmishers which the generals hoped would be enough to preoccupy the enemy long enough for their men to start filling in the moat. Knowing they had no chance of draining the moat, the generals had to resort to sending their filling out with shovels to place dirt into the moat to cover it up. It wasn't an effective method but the attackers were stuck unless they could get a breach in the walls. With breaches, the attackers could place ladders across the moats and their men could run across the ladder to reach the other end. Until a breach was created, filling in the moat was the only strategy left.

The second wave soon arrived within range of enemy skirmishers and enemy fire poured down. The infantry tried their best raising their shields to protect themselves but too much of them were exposed. The attacking skirmishers soon got in range to fire back but, against an enemy with lots of cover, their return fire yielded very little result. The attacking infantry were the first to be shot down before the skirmishers were forced back to a safer distance. Two waves were sent out and, to the generals' dismay, accomplished almost nothing. They anticipated that the garrison would be well-stocked in ammunition which meant that they simply didn't have enough men to continue these assaults. They could only hope that the navy had better luck than them and threaten another flank of the metropolis. Maybe when the defenders were forced to dispatch more men to that flank, the land forces could see more success. Unknown to the generals, their navy has already been halted in her tracks as she tried to enter the Golden Horn. The first line of defense was a chain that stretched across the entrance which stopped ships in their tracks. The first few galleys that couldn't stop in time collided with the chains seeing them change course rapidly and crash into neighboring galleys. Before the naval battles have begun, three Nova Roman galleys were already sunk and two more galleys were forced to return home for repairs.

To say Admiral Iustus was furious with the chains was an understatement. He began shouting at the garrisons and called them cowards but his voice never reached them. The Nova Roman navy was halted in its tracks and Iustus found his men expecting answers from him. Knowing that continuing the shouting would make a fool out of him, he ordered his fleet to fall back slightly as they strategized a different approach. Of course, there was no other approach as entering the Golden Horn was vital to capturing Constantinople. One of the officers stated that the chains were attached to a small fortification across from Constantinople. He claimed that, if the fortification came under their control, the chain would be lowered and the navy would have a direct access to the Golden Horn. Unlike Constantinople, the garrison at the fortification was most likely smaller and easier to capture. Iustus instantly praised the officer for his observation and promised a promotion following the siege. The idea was sound but the navy lacked the manpower to take a fortification. Iustus decided to call upon the land army for help in taking the fortification. He immediately wrote up a quick message and had the messenger deliver it straight to the two generals who were overlooking the battle. The messenger would get on another galley that docked off the coast and, on a fast horse, the messenger reached the generals.

The two generals were surprised to learn of a message from the admiral so early in the siege. They looked over the message and only just realized that the Nova Roman navy was waiting outside in the strait not contributing to the war. Caelius volunteered to take up the objective since he was unsure how to approach the metropolis from where he stood. Taking the fortification was much more feasible this early in the siege and his men needed a morale boost after the two waves failing to accomplish anything. In addition, the general was bored and wanted something to keep himself preoccupied while earning some prestige on the battlefield. Thus, Caelius led a small force of two thousand to the fortification which was nothing more than a large tower with its own set of walls. The garrisons in this fortification seemed to only number a few hundred making Caelius confident of taking the fortification before nightfall. He ordered his men to directly assault the fortification while he waited in the shade. The Nova Roman soldiers were repelled by the garrison with ease result in the general throwing a fit. He immediately called for five thousand more men and gave the strict order that they must take the fortification before midnight. The fortification garrison watched as the enemy reinforcements arrived and prepared for a bloody battle which all of them didn't expect to live through.

 

[blklizard]

The False Crusade

Chapter 195 (Anatolia Campaign [part 5])

The fortification Caelius attacked was known as the Tower of Golden Horn. The purpose of the fortification was to serve as the other end of a chain that stretched from Constantinople. During peaceful times, the chain was lowered so merchant ships can enter the Golden Horn at will. During times of war like the attack by Nova Roman forces, the chain would be raised in the last minute to intercept ships and, in the case of the rebellion, a few ships were sunk or forced to return home for repairs. The Tower of Golden Horn was a relatively new fortification seeing it only a decade old. There were many plans to expand the fortification but the plans were delayed seeing the garrison in the fortification only numbering five hundred. Before the enemy arrived, these five hundred souls volunteered to be the garrison knowing that none of them would live through the siege. They were willing to valiantly give up their life so they could hinder the enemy siege and buy time for reinforcements to arrive. Before they set out to the fortification, Callis personally sent them on their way following a feast worthy of heroes. The five hundred men waited in the fortification until the enemy navy was spotted. They waited patiently until the Nova Roman navy almost reached the chain and activated the mechanisms to pull the chain. Their efforts were rewarded when five galleys were out of commission in the early stages of the siege. They then fended off the small force under Caelius only to find themselves facing a much larger enemy force that was easily ten times their number.

The garrison in the Tower of Golden Horn prepared for a fierce assault. The earlier assault was easily fended off since the enemy underestimated them. However, this larger force brought with them ladders and was too numerous to count. The attackers soon attacked resulting in the garrison skirmishers busy cutting down their numbers. Several ladders were placed and the attacking infantry began their ascent onto the walls. Initially, the skirmishers were able to hold the enemy infantry at bay but their numbers dropped as enemy skirmishers fired back. Soon, the attackers arrived atop the walls where they were fought with fierce resistance. Little gains were made for the attackers but the garrison casualties rose steadily. Before nightfall, the garrison has been defeated without a single survivor captured. All five hundred men fought bravely and died atop the walls where they didn't retreat a single step. The Tower of Golden Horn was captured by the attackers and the chain was lowered. The Nova Roman navy could enter the Golden Horn but more surprises awaited them in the natural harbor. The defenders on the wall facing the Golden Horn used the moment to pay their respects to the garrison that has just fallen. They all made a vow to continued what the garrison started and soon moved into position as they readied their ballistas against the incoming enemy fleet.

Admiral Iustus was growing impatient as he saw the chain holding back his chance for prestige and, more importantly, respect from his new family. As soon as the chain was lowered, Iustus ordered his galleys to advance forward. His men have been restless all day and many were eager to see some action. They knew that a Langobards navy was situated in the Golden Horn where a key battle would take place. The fleet moved forward but the enemy fleet still wasn't spotted. A few of the sailors noted that fire could be seen atop the walls facing the Golden Horn. Iustus assumed that the enemy was getting prepared for battles once it got dark. However, his assumption would be the last mistake he made as flaming bolts soon rained from the skies hitting several galleys. The defenders atop the walls first set a bolt in position, light the end on fire and fired into the enemy fleet. Upon impact, the galleys burst into flames which the sailors hopelessly tried to put out. Several minutes later, half the galleys were set aflame including Iustus' galley. The Nova Roman navy was in a disarray as flame seemed to engulf the area. The galleys that weren't set on fire continued to push forward deeper into the natural harbor where the Langobards navy was patiently waiting. Because the sailors aboard those galleys were too busy avoiding the flames, they didn't notice the enemy navy until it was too late.

Thanos was watching the incredible spectacle before him. He did caught sight of the surviving galleys that were moving past the burning wrecks and ordered his skirmishers to notch their arrows or crossbows. When he gave the order, arrows rained down on the unsuspecting enemy which essentially wiped out the entire crew on deck. Thanos wanted to capture the remaining ships so that his navy would be bolstered in strength which saw his men not using fire arrows. Several volleys later, the surviving galleys were neutralized as the remaining survivors were too wounded to resist. Thanos' galleys approached the immobilized galleys where they boarded and captured a few prisoners and a dozen galleys. By then, several of the burning wrecks were already sinking leaving no trace that a battle has taken place earlier. The Nova Roman navy was eliminated and, with the captured galleys, the garrison navy was even more dangerous. Meanwhile, Caelius watched the naval battle atop the Tower of Golden Horn and was thoroughly disgusted by the poor performance of the admiral. He would then abandon the fortification altogether as he returned to join Panaetius. With the navy gone, they would have to break through the metropolis defenses by themselves. He could only hope that good news would await him once he met with Panaetius.

When the two generals met again on the hill, Caelius gave a short summary that explained their situation. He asked Panaetius if any developments were made but the general said the walls were still holding despite the constant bombardment of the trebuchets. For the remainder of the night, the trebuchets continued firing on Constantinople while the soldiers rested since no orders to assault were expected. The two generals watched the metropolis and admired its beauty more at night with the flames lighting up the magnificent architectures within Constantinople. The Nova Roman navy has become a forgotten memory as though it never existed. A single messenger was sent to the Nova Roman capital requesting a second fleet to be sent to Constantinople to aid the siege. The two generals feared that, with the city not blockaded, the morale of their enemies would remain high and thus hurting their chances of breaking through. The outer walls was going to be a tough nut to break through and that was only the first of many walls. The only good news for the attackers was that it was warm out without a sign of clouds. Many of the soldiers chose to sleep underneath the sky where they can watch the stars until they fell asleep. With no rain for the next day, the attackers could at least enjoy good weather while they waited for breaches to form.

 

[blklizard]

The False Crusade

Chapter 196 (Anatolia Campaign [part 6])

For the next few months, the attackers performed direct assaults on the metropolis with seemingly little success. The breaches they did create were too narrow for their infantry to utilize effectively while the progress in filling the moat seemed nonexistent. The two generals were getting frustrated and, unwilling to take the blame, started accusing each other for the failures. Originally, their combined assault was slowly taking a toll on the defenders who simply lacked the manpower to continue holding the breaches. Callis estimated that a few more days of concentrated assault might see the attackers break through the outer wall which could deal a serious blow to the morale of his men. The few months of fighting saw the defenders losing nearly a quarter of their men while the navy was stuck in a stalemate with the new Nova Roman navy. The enemy admiral was satisfied in sitting his galleys outside the metropolis performing a blockade. Despite many urges from the generals, the admiral responded that he would only act if the land forces made progress on the outer wall which would never take place. The accusations divided the Nova Roman forces seeing the two generals taking different approaches. Caelius continued the previous plan of attacking the breaches while Panaetius moved his camp to begin his assault elsewhere. This division would be the breather the defenders needed for the outer wall to remain in their control. Panaetius' assault from a different flank, while splitting the defenders, was a hopeless attempt as his men were to attack a flank with a wide moat and no breaches.

When Kardas and Diederich arrived, they watch Nova Roman forces still attacking Constantinople. This came as a huge surprise considering that neither generals expected the metropolis to hold against such a vast force. They looked at the battlefield that was filled with tens of thousands of corpses. Meanwhile, the remaining enemy forces were attacking separate flanks that seemed to accomplish little. With another thought, the Langobards generals ordered their men to swing around so they can strike the rear of the enemy. The cavalry force was split in half and they were the first to engage the enemy. The attackers weren't prepared for a counterattack and the rear instantly collapsed seeing the Nova Roman soldiers routing instantly. Caelius, surprised by the chaos, tried to get everything under control but his horse would be startled seeing it throwing the general off its back. Before Caelius could get up, the routing soldiers ran over him trampling him to death in the process. The most disciplined Nova Roman soldiers, seeing their general dead, shattered as well which saw Constantinople's most weakened flank rid of enemy. Meanwhile, the cavalry accomplished a similar disruption at the other flank but Panaetius would escape with some of his most loyal men. Kardas and Diederich entered the metropolis and would continue their campaign eastwards after two days of rest. With Nova Roman forces failing to take Constantinople, the Langobards victory would prove to be a major turning point in the Anatolia campaign.

The two days of rest allowed the Langobards soldiers to get refreshed for the tough advance eastwards. The Nova Roman navy, upon seeing the land forces routing, immediately withdrew back into friendly territory bearing bad news for the Nova Roman capital. When Kardas and Diederich were about to lead their troops out of Constantinople, they were stopped in their path with many of the garrison force wanting to fight alongside them. Kardas was able to convince all of them to stay behind to protect the metropolis while making plans for rebuilding their homes. The siege has taken its toll in the metropolis where the massive influx of refugees resulted in disease spreading and occasional fires. In addition, Nova Roman soldiers pillaged neighboring villages and towns for supplies seeing some razed to the ground. Neither Langobards generals were sure that the Nova Romans won't launch a surprise amphibious assault on Constantinople and preferred a strong garrison so they won't be cut off while they ventured into enemy territory. Callis agreed with the decision and helped convince the garrison force. The two generals would bid farewell to Callis and Thanos as they began their journey into enemy territory but, before they did so, they sent a fast messenger to Trier to report the extraordinary achievements of the two leaders and their brave men. In addition, the two generals spared a moment to pay respects to the five hundred men who lost their lives at the Tower of Golden Horn. Both generals knew that, if they do get a chance to see Constantinople again, it would be during their trip home which meant that the rebellions have been quelled by then.

Meanwhile, Langobards forces were engaged in the east with massive Nova Roman forces. The forts built by the Nova Romans proved to be difficult to breach and little progress was made. The rebels felt quite confident that this stalemate would continue and the Langobards would eventually agree to a white peace seeing their independence guaranteed. The Langobards generals in the region were frustrated but they kept their cool. They, like the Nova Roman forces in the region, didn't know about the development at Constantinople. Anticipating the worse, they were determined to break through enemy lines so they could march towards the enemy capital. The Langobards forces in the region number roughly three hundred thousand which, in quantity, paled against the five hundred thousand Nova Roman soldiers in the vicinity. While better trained, the Langobards soldiers still couldn't take the forts without heavy casualties. Earlier in the campaign, a few Nova Roman generals got confident seeing them foolishly attacking a Langobards army. Despite being surrounded, the Langobards force held its ground and their ambushers soon got encircled and wiped out. Since that disastrous defeat, the rebels stayed in their forts and practically halted the Langobards advance. This was quite an achievement but the rebels knew that they still had a few years before the Langobards Tzar would even consider talking at the peace table.

A few days later, the rebel navy returned to the capital, Smyrna, and a messenger was dispatched with haste to the palace where the government officials waited impatiently for news at the Constantinople front. The Nova Roman government has already been informed of the halt of Langobards advance in the east but they still didn't know if the metropolis in the west has fallen or not. The months have been agonizing with the metropolis still held out and repelling the attackers. The government considered sending more soldiers to the west to help with taking Constantinople. Such a decision would require them calling upon their reserves but, in the case with the metropolis, it seemed a necessary choice. If they captured Constantinople and garrisoned it with massive forces, their independence would be achieved as they waited out the war. With Constantinople in their control, the Langobards forces can march in from the west where Nova Rome was the least defended. Having invested plenty of soldiers in the east, a collapse in the west would be unthinkable. Of course, the unthinkable reached the government and they were instantly fearful. They learned of Langobards forces likely marching towards Smyrna just as they spoke. Seeing no other options, the reserve of one hundred thousand soldiers were called upon and they would march onwards to Smyrna to protect the capital from the Langobards. The reserve was the last line of defense for the rebels given that the forces in the east cannot be pulled out without the Langobards forces there capitalizing it. The Nova Roman government also wisely kept their generals, who were stationed in the east, in the dark.

 

[DKM]

Is it just me or do you seem to post two more chapters everytime I look back here? Anyways, it (un)fortunately seems like the beginning of the end for the rebels.

 

[blklizard]

Is it just me or do you seem to post two more chapters everytime I look back here? Anyways, it (un)fortunately seems like the beginning of the end for the rebels.

I've been increasing the frequency of updates for this AAR lately so that may explain it. The Nova Roman rebels are definitely on their last leg.

The False Crusade

Chapter 197 (Anatolia Campaign [part 7])

Calling upon the reserves did alarm the citizens living in Smyrna who wondered what was happening. The Nova Roman government tried to calm everyone down while explaining that a small detachment of Langobards forces managed to sneak past. The detachment would be reaching Smyrna in a few days but the officials claimed that the enemy wasn't a huge threat. However, the idea that an enemy detachment managed to sneak past instantly struck fear in the people who thought that God was aiding their enemy. The fear spread quickly followed by rumors that would evolve into a version claiming that a massive Langobards army under the Tzar was attacking Smyrna. The city of Smyrna was thrown into chaos with its citizens all trying to abandon the city while the officials ordered the garrison to restore order by calming the people as they kept everyone from leaving. During the chaos, a group of children were accidentally killed which sparked great outrage. The civilians began fighting back which saw the garrison between a rock and a hard place. All of the garrison had families in the city and they couldn't fight their own. Conversely, they could face punishment if they disobeyed the orders of the officials. Small fights would ensue seeing some citizens and soldiers bruised up but no further bloodshed took place. The issue involving the dead children still wasn't resolved as the fights only helped quell the anger slightly. To completely calm the crowds down, the garrison officers convinced the masses of civilians to speak with the government officials.

Demanding justice, the civilians, along with part of the garrison, marched onwards to the palace where they sought compensation for the death. The atmosphere within the palace was tense seeing the officials trying to come up with countermeasures against the invading force. During the tense discussions, the officials were suddenly told that angry mobs gathered outside adding another problem to their list. A few lesser officials exited the palace to speak with the crowd only to be beaten back by the civilians who saw them as insignificant. The wounded lesser officials returned to the meeting hall where they passed along the word of the mob. The two top officials, one of the Caelius family while the other of the Panaetius family, reluctantly agreed to speak with the crowd. To avoid a similar beating, the two officials brought with them the royal guards and stood at a safe distance as they spoke to the crowd. Seeing the two officials exiting the palace, the mob suddenly became quiet seeing two people that became their representative. One of them explained the chaos earlier and asked the two officials to give proper compensation to the families that lost a child. The two officials expected something serious only to be disappointed by the lack of seriousness of the matter. The official with a quick temper blurted out he preferred the children killed by one of their own than suffer the oppression of the enemy. The statement would make the mob out of control as many tried to grab the officials to deliver a beating. As the royal guards tried holding back the mob, the two officials scurried back inside.

However, the damage was done and the mob sought justice. Unable to get the compensation and seeing the lack of sympathy from the officials, they wanted a new government to rule over them. The royal guards did their best to hold back the crowds but they were eventually overwhelmed. The mobs soon broke through the palace gates which weren't locked after the officials scurried inside. The sudden arrival of the mobs sent the royal guards into disarray giving the mobs a chance to storm the meeting hall. The two officials have just returned to the meeting hall when the mobs entered with their makeshift weapons. Anyone that wore the clothes of officials were hauled out the room into the courtyard where they were given a severe beating. A couple of the officials were killed after their beatings while the remainder were severely wounded needing of medical attention. To further worsen the situation, the reserve of a hundred thousand soldiers only just arrived at the city gates where they learned of the mobs forming outside the palace. The soldiers marched quickly towards the palace only to find the palace gates broken through. Moving swiftly, the general discovered that the mobs formed a circle and shoved his way through. Seeing some officials dead and others badly wounded, he immediately gave orders to forcibly pacify the mob. The soldiers using force proved to urge the mobs on as the two sides were soon engaged in a battle. As more civilians die in the battle, the garrison force turned on the reserve soldiers trying to protect their own family members caught in the chaos. A grueling battle would ensue seeing Smyrna in complete chaos.

The two sides fought on for nearly a day resulting in many deaths. The garrison of ten thousand men were eventually slaughtered but they would take down nearly double their numbers of the reserve force with the help of the mobs. Despite the garrison force wiped out, new mobs were forming after many learned of the terrible slaughter that took place inside and around the palace. These mobs attacked the exhausted soldiers seeking revenge for their fallen ones. The soldiers were fighting for their lives and their desperation kept them alive. The internal conflict would last for several more days only to end by an unnatural disaster that would affect the entire city. During the fights, a small fire was created when someone threw a torch which landed into a carpet shop. The carpets were set flame quickly but no one really paid any attention. The fire slowly spread to the neighboring shops seeing it affecting a small sector. Yet, everyone was too busy fighting each other to notice the fire that only affected a few buildings. A gust would slowly form in the next hour helping the fire spread to neighboring buildings. It has been a rather dry season this year which made the wooden structures catch fire easily. Several more gusts would spread the flames even faster until the flames encompassed the entire city of Smyrna. The raging flames heated the city which the people began to notice while they fought. Slowly, the soldiers and mobs realized what was transpiring and panic instantly set in. Before them, they saw all the buildings burning brightly with the palace also ablaze. The two sides suddenly worked together to put out the flames as they rushed to nearby wells to pour water over the fire. Yet, by then, it was already too late.

The flames were mercilessly burning down the buildings. Several of the taller buildings collapsed under their weight falling onto the streets or roads effectively sealing them off. The people inside the city worked steadily to put out the fire but their water wasn't enough to stop the massive blaze that was growing by the second from all the wood acting as fuel. It soon dawned on the people that they couldn't put out the flames no matter how much effort they put. Seeing themselves unable to combat the flames, the people tried escaping as they hoped to get out the city. In the streets where fire was everywhere surrounded by smoke, there was little chance for anyone to find their way out of the city with the exception of a few very lucky survivors. Most of those that survived the earlier armed conflict would succumb to smoke inhalation or the unfortunate death of being burnt alive. When the Langobards force under Kardas and Kiederich arrive outside the city, they were shocked to see the city ablaze. They have spotted smoke earlier but they assumed that the Nova Romans were performing some ancient ritual believing it would give them success. By the time the Langobards force arrived outside the gate, it was clearly too late to save the city. They could only help the survivors who stood outside their city watching the fire with disbelief. Some suffered horrific burns whiles others were too traumatized to be responsive. Once the Langobards forces set up their camp and provided whatever aid and comfort they could give the survivors, half the city has burned down with the flames working on the remaining half. Even during this late stage, some Langobards soldiers claimed that they could still hear screams of people from within.

 

[blklizard]

The False Crusade

Chapter 198 (Anatolia Campaign [part 8])

The admiral that withdrew from Constantinople and his fleet was still in the harbor when all hell broke loose in the city. Fearing that the Langobards may have been closer to Smyrna than he first expected, the admiral immediately ordered his sailors to set sail. The sailors in the fleet never did know of the great blaze that burned the city to ashes. Instead, they sailed out of Smyrna heading north past the Bosphorus Strait. The garrison in Constantinople, upon seeing the fleet, feared that the Nova Roman army has mounted another attack seeing them rushing to man the walls. To their surprise, the enemy fleet sailed past them without slowing down. Unsure whether this was a ruse, many lookouts were posted on the walls but the Nova Roman navy would never return. The admiral has set his destination in Giresun where he hoped to alert the massive forces there of an incoming Langobards attack. The situation in the east was still tense with the Langobards forces still held at bay making hardly any progress. The lack of progress was frustrating but the Nova Roman forces, with all their preparations made before the rebellion itself, put themselves at a huge advantage basically guaranteeing their victory. However, there was an Achilles Heel in their seemingly impenetrable defense and, ironic as it was, one of their own would strike at this Achilles Heel resulting in the complete collapse of the defense.

Few weeks later, the fleet arrived at the Giresun port where the admiral met with the local city officials. The officials were very puzzled by the sudden arrival of the man given that no one informed them of reinforcements. Initially, they welcomed the admiral to their forces believing that his addition would greatly help their defenses. However, the admiral got down to business immediately explaining the incoming Langobards forces from the west. He claimed that he was forced to withdraw from Smyrna with Langobards forces already attacking the capital when he left. The news startled the officials as they figured out that the Langobards forces might be in the vicinity already given that a few weeks have passed. With this alarming news at their disposal, the officials immediately sent a messenger to the Nova Roman generals in the east requesting for reinforcements. The messenger rode day and night until he reached the generals who were, at the time, discussing about ways to further strengthen their position. The arrival of the messenger had the generals looking at each other as they tried to guess the content of the message. When the messenger finished delivering the urgent news, the generals were no longer cool and calm but, instead, starting to panic with fear clouding their minds. Believing that a large Langobards force might arrive at their rear any day now, the generals were debating how to separate their forces to deal with the new threat.

Truth was, no Langobards forces would arrive at the rear of the defenses for at least another month or so. However, the Nova Roman generals didn't know that and, in their panic, made one major mistake that would cost them everything. The admiral reported a Langobards force but he couldn't confirm the exact number. The generals assumed it would be a massive force easily numbering up to a hundred thousand which wasn't a matter to overlook. To hold off against such an army, the Nova Romans needed at least two hundred thousand men guarding their rear which lacked fortifications. To achieve their remobilization the fastest, the generals simply informed their officers of the news and gave the order to move soldiers to protect their rear. However, their lack of tact would see the news spreading across their camps like wildfire filling their soldiers with fear while dealing a severe morale blow. Previously, the morale was high as the soldiers actually saw success in halting the enemy advance. With the belief that the enemy has moved to their rear where they were the weakest, the soldiers began having doubts about their abilities to continue resisting the Langobards. A few days after the news spread, nearly a quarter of the Nova Roman forces deserted their posts and surrendered to the Langobards. The massive number of deserters severely weakened the defenses which only sparked more deserters. Half of the Nova Roman forces were gone by the end of the month leaving Nova Roman's eastern flank wide open.

The Langobards generals staging the assaults were surprised to see so many deserters in the enemy ranks. Initially, they feared this was a ruse and turned the deserters away. When massive number of deserters marched to their camps requesting surrender, the generals realized that this was the real thing. From the newly surrendered men, the generals learned that one of their forces have managed to cross the Bosphorus Strait making for the defensive line set up by the enemy. The generals were, of course, confused as they have yet to receive this news. The most recent messenger did alert them that the force was going to head straight for Smyrna first hoping to strike at the heart of Nova Rome. They didn't believe that the force could break through the capital so quickly and would be behind enemy lines already. Despite the doubts, they were convinced that the enemy believed the news which only helped them greatly. The generals put off more assaults waiting for all the enemy deserters to march to their camps. At the end of the month, the arrival of deserters only became a small trickle suggesting that the remaining Nova Roman soldiers were determined to fight to their end. With renewed hope, the Langobards attacked the fortification which, by then, was undermanned seeing the enemy forces divided between the defensive line and the new defensive line set in the rear. Seeing themselves outnumbered by a large margin, even those within the fortification surrendered without a fight. The defensive line that has held the Langobards forces at bay for so long has finally been broken through.

For the remaining week or so, the Langobards armies were basically mopping up the remaining Nova Roman forces who lost their will to keep fighting. The Nova Roman generals also surrendered seeing no chance of victory. The garrisons of local towns and cities opened the gates without resistance hoping to avoid bloodshed and the region was pacified. These forces would keep making their way westwards and southwards as trest of Smyrna was pacified steadily until Smyrna was within view. The generals weren't informed of what has transpired at the capital and were in for a shock to see only a few structures within the walls. The men under Kardas and Diederich have yet to clear out all the rubble and debris following the blaze which gave a good indication of the terrible disaster that has befallen the city. The generals spoke with the two young generals and, upon learning the horrific disaster, ordered their men to help rebuild the city. The soldiers worked to clear out the ruins while gathering whatever materials they could still use. The process of rebuilding Smyrna was slow but a small community was slowly forming. The survivors of the fire, along with the prisoners that came to Smyrna with the Langobards forces, were touched by men they once viewed as enemies. As of the moment, they saw themselves rebuilding and repopulating a city. The Nova Roman people hoped that in the near future, and for the centuries to come, they would be working side by side with the Langobards in creating a better future for all their people.

 

[blklizard]

The False Crusade

Chapter 199 (Anatolia Campaign [part 9])

The rebellion officially ended with both sides working to rebuild the city of Smyrna. It would take several decades before Smyrna could return to its former glory but the local population was confident they would succeed. The news of the two sides working together soon reached all corners of Anatolia or, as some would call it, Nova Roman region. As a result, the people no longer resisted the Langobards rule seeing cooperation to be mutually beneficial for both parties. The Langobards soldiers stationed in Anatolia was no longer viewed as oppressors but, instead, the protector of peace and prosperity. The Tzar, however, still wouldn't take the risk of returning the autonomy the region enjoyed earlier. Given that the most powerful and influential Nova Roman officials died in the great blaze, Langobards officials would take over all aspects of the region seeing them responsible for the restructuring of the local political system along with other aspects of the government. The rebellion in the region has seen surprisingly little casualties considering the armies both side fielded. The Nova Roman armies lost most of their men at the Siege of Constantinople while their armies stationed in the east mostly surrendered. As for the Langobards, they suffered some casualties in eastern Nova Rome but, overall, they were fortunate that the war didn't get drawn any longer than it already was. Other than Smyrna, the rest of Anatolia merely needed a government change seeing the cities and towns avoiding the conflict altogether.

The Tzar was relieved to learn that three major rebellions have been put down. The Gaul rebellion happened too close to home but the determined soldiers and civilians repelled the enemy. Intrigue also played a part in weakening the rebels which ultimately ended the conflict with limited casualties for both sides. Then, forces were sent to Greece where someone claiming to be the descendent of Alexander the Great looked to bring the Greek region to glory by gaining independence. The Tzar was thankful for his three vassals: Getae, Dacians and Odrysians. Without the aid of her three vassals, Langobards might be facing a more dire situation seeing that she had limitations in gathering enough men to take on the Greeks. The three vassals, however, didn't come out unscathed as they paid a heavy price for their victories. One of the kings fell in battle while the forces returned home losing at least half their men. The vassals have proven their loyalty to the Tzar and would continue enjoying their autonomy. Then, two young Langobards generals would join forces with a Gaul force in eliminating the remaining Greek rebels. Unfortunately, the Gaul leader fell into a trap seeing him tortured and killed. The cruelty of the leader's death would spark outrage of the Langobards and Gaul forces which massacred the population in Trikala while razing the city to the ground resulting in the conclusion of the Greek rebellion. The massacre has caused a rift between the two sides and many centuries would be need before the wounds can heal. Alexander met an untimely demise soon after the fall of Trikala who the Tzar assumed to have died in the fire.

Then, the brave people of Constantinople fought and defeated the Nova Roman army that was at least four times their number. The defending navy performed flawlessly seeing them crushing the enemy navy without losing a single galley. The two young generals that fought in Greece would then make their way to Smyrna where they learned of a horrific aftermath of an uprising. Meanwhile, the seemingly impregnable defense in eastern Nova Rome would be shattered by one of their own. As of the admiral, no one knew his whereabouts after the conflict. Some believed that he committed suicide while other claimed seeing his sail a single galley to Rome to defect to the Romans. The rebellion in Anatolia was crushed leaving only one rebellion left. There were reports of major uprisings in the Holy Lands but the Langobards have long lost their eyes and ears in the region. The two generals, Kardas and Diederich, were ordered to return home so they and their men can rest after their participation in two major campaigns. The Holy Lands campaign would rest on the shoulders of three generals who participated in staging the assaults on eastern Nova Rome. They were given a week of rest after pacifying much of Anatolia which the generals used to plan out new supply routes and study the maps of the region. They weren't sure what they would be expecting as they would soon enter unknown lands.

The three generals were Vanya Korda, Zelek Krylov and Rado Horak. They were all born in the Crimean region and grew up together as kids. Unlike generals like Kardas and Diederich, these generals would never expect to see combat in foreign lands. Instead, they were given the responsibility of maintaining the peace around the Black Sea. The Black Sea trade was vital to many trading ports in the region which meant that Langobards needed to protect these trade routes well. There were occasionally pirates raiding the waters which demanded the attention of the three generals. One thing to note about the three generals was that they were trained to transition to an admiral with ease making them very versatile. The Langobards fleet in the Black Sea was puny which was why Nova Rome had naval dominance in the local waters forcing the three generals to fight on land. The three generals faced very unfavorable odds as they only broke through in the late stages of the conflict. Because the lack of officers in the region near the Holy Lands, the three generals were given orders to put the down the last rebellion. For the three generals, they saw this as a chance of redemption seeing their performance in eastern Anatolia less than optimal. Having been born and raised in Crimean region for nearly all their lives, the generals would soon be facing against an enemy in a terrain called desert. Their survival would depend on how well they could adapt to this new terrain and climate which could be very unforgiving.

The three generals, however, weren't alone in their fight in the Holy Lands. Two of Langobards' vassals, Armenia and Alans, have answered the call to arms with their forces already engaged with the rebel forces but, due to the long distances, communication between the parties was limited and the three generals have yet to hear back from their allies. The Armenian force was led by the Armenian king, Tachar III Rangabe while the Alans force was led by Great Chief Abbas III Ghilzai. Armenia and Alans, like the three vassals that participated in the Greek campaign, enjoyed lots of autonomy which allowed the two nations to grow steadily as well. The two nations bordered a massive mountain range which put limitations to their food production. In the past, the local populations grew at a slow rate due to the many conflicts in the region and the relative scarcity of fertile land. Ever since the two nations became a vassal of the Langobards, more trades were made possible seeing trade caravans passing through which soon brought more income and food to the region. The two nations prospered from the overland trade as goods traveled from Russia to Africa and back. The rulers of the two nations wanted their prosperity to continue but the rebels in the Holy Lands were threatening their trade routes. Disrupted trade routes were hurting the two nations as few dared to travel to Africa. As a result, the two rulers answered the call to arms for more practical reasons of protecting their bread and butter.


A note to my readers. I will be putting the False Crusade on hold for awhile. I wish to thank everyone that has followed along so far and, starting from the next chapter, I wanted to talk about a different event in Langobards history. More details will be available in the next update and we will resume the False Crusade after that. I've been looking forward to writing about this different event and hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I will be in writing it. Thank you!

 

[DKM]

This should be interesting.

 

[blklizard]

This should be interesting.

I hope that will be the case. Let's see what I can cook up .

The Misguided Druids

Chapter 200

Ah, welcome! I expected more of you but I guess this would suffice. After all, you are the first few fortunate to hear the story I would be telling. Many of you are probably here to learn more about the great history of our nation and wondered why you were directed here. I won't bore you with details that you could learn from other history classes at school. Instead, I will tell you of the lost history involving the British Isles. Many of you probably have learned about the attack on the British Isles here. Queen Giovanna has accomplish a feat unthinkable by her predecessors as she launched a major campaign in the British Isles. Using the funds gained from war and newly conquered lands, the Langobards navy has landed upon the shores of the British Isles. A nation called Ordovices has invaded mainland Europe being unsatisfied with her rule over much of the Isles. She sought to take Utrecht which we had a claim on. It was a boundary dispute that somehow placed us as the aggressor but the conflict did give our queen am ambitious plan. Ordovices wasn't content in ceding Utrecht to us which meant that we had to invade the Isles to convince her otherwise. In a way, our story wouldn't have taken place had Ordovices not play a crucial role in starting this conflict.

Our warriors were then said to be victorious wars after wars until they unified all of the Isles under one flag. By overwhelming the locals with a massive force that outnumbered them even when they banded together, it was no wonder that we were victorious. Be rest assured that these tales you heard are indeed true though some may argue about the exact date of some events and wars. However, I must clarify here that this was only part of the story. Defeating these people only concluded the early and, as we will learn shortly, the simplest stages of the campaign. Sadly, Queen Giovanna never saw the day when her initiative bore fruit for her nation. The British Isles, on the surface to other European powers, seemed to have fallen under Langobards control The Langobards forces stationed on the Isles, though, had a much more difficult enemy awaiting them. This new enemy was called the misguided Druids by the newly conquered inhabitants. Little was known about these people at the time and, for centuries, the history of the misguided Druids was lost to us. This explains why your history books have no mentions of such a group of people. It was only by chance that some of our historians uncovered clues to their existence. By comparing some records hidden away in old, abandoned libraries and the stories passed down by the people living on the Isles, we have managed to piece together the months following the unification of the Isles that was embroiled in conflict. Our story would encompass those months as we will explore the later stages of the campaign that would ultimately unify the Isles as a whole.

Before we carry on, are there any questions? No? That's perfectly understandable. Many of you are probably skeptic of what I will tell you. Some many even criticize that the stories I tell were nothing more than fantasy. I understand that you may hold these views against me but there are enough evidence to back up these stories. Anyways, let's get to the stories and we can discuss the other issues later. Let's first begin with how our ancestors first learned of the Druids. You must note that, considering the territory the nations on British isles claimed to have, their armies were quite insignificant. On mainland Europe, similar sized nations would easily field double or even triple their numbers. Indeed, these nations have been at war with each other for many years which might explain the smaller armies that were fielded. There were, however, many were doubtful of this explanation and sought the truth. It was during these searches that the Langobards forces then noticed a few odd things. All the captured settlements were coastal with no settlements reported to have been set up further inland. This appeared logical at first glance since such practices made trading easier seeing supplies transported from settlement to settlement with more ease. Taking a closer look, the Langobards force noticed many of the settlements were overcrowded which should have resulted in further expansion inland. When the people were asked about settling the interior, they refused to even talk as many claimed it was cursed to even talk about it.

To further add to the mystery, a long extended wall was discovered to split the coastal settlements from the interior. The wall, which we will call the Wooden Wall, would basically encircle the entire Isles seeing the interior completely isolated from the coast and the outside world. Unlike the walls that surrounded the settlements, the Wooden Wall was well maintained at all points and seemed sturdy enough to even repel Langobards forces. The fact that the Wooden Wall existed puzzled the Langobards generals greatly as it aroused their curiosity. The Wooden Wall lacked any gates which seemed to be consistent with the fact that locals wanted to keep something out. The locals said no words could properly describe the something they wished to keep in. Many stated that, while they haven't seen these things for themselves, none of them wished to even catch a glimpse of it. Their ancestors have faced the monstrosities and ordered the walls built to keep themselves safe. For the century to come, all the nations were given the responsibility of maintaining a section of the Wooden Wall that bordered their land so it would continue repel the Druids. Initially, these creatures launched several raids but the Wooden Wall has held them back. A few decades before the Langobards forces arrived on the British Isles, the Druids have ceased their attacks but the locals still remained vigilant. For the Langobards forces, they had the task of uncovering what the Druids were and pacify or kill, depending on which was the easier solution, so they could properly unify the Isles.

Now that you got some background knowledge, we can begin our story. The misguided Druids stood between our nation and total unification of the Isles. With little more than stories to go on, our generals were expected to venture into the wilderness against a powerful foe. Our story would begin with two generals and brothers, Osvald Steen and Preben Steen. They would lead a Langobards force of twenty five thousand past the Wooden Wall into an untamed wilderness not knowing what awaited them. The written records of their campaign were kept by a few scribes that came along with the army. Thus, our story begins like this...

 

[DKM]

Any chance of a druid named "Myrddin Emrys" appearing?

 

[blklizard]

Any chance of a druid named "Myrddin Emrys" appearing?

I'm afraid not.

The Misguided Druids

Chapter 201

The two brother, Osvald and Preben, were ready to venture into the interior of the Isles. They have, with them, twenty five thousand men that were also eager for some action. Conquering the British Isles have proven to be an easy task making the soldiers restless and in need of some real action. None of the Langobards men believed what the locals told them as they saw the stories they heard merely as stories passed down from generation to generation so children would be kept in line. They would venture in and eliminate or pacify whatever things living in the interior before they could head home claiming they have finished their campaign. Thus, the two generals led their men to the Wooden Wall where they had to climb down the other side since there were no gates they can use. Getting twenty five thousand men to the other side of the Wooden Wall required time and, during their descent, the locals gathered on the walls watching with fear. Some of them actually prayed to their gods for the soldiers that would soon enter the untamed wilderness. The elders tried to persuade the brothers to turn back but the generals explained that, even if they weren't willing to go, they were given orders that they couldn't break unless they dared to face the consequence. What the brothers didn't explain was that they wished to keep their honor intact fearing others may see a withdraw as a cowardly act. Whatever the case, the brothers and their men were determined to venture into the interior.

The Langobards marched into the forest in columns with each columns nearly the width of the pathway. Every soldier was told to keep an eye out for anything suspicious as they ventured deeper. What caught the attentions of these men was how silent the forest was. In their home, forests usually have birds or other wildlife that make noises. Yet, the forest they entered seemed to be devoid of all life. Few minutes later, the two generals came across skeletal remains in a clearing. The remains clearly belonged to humans and there were traces of a recent fire. The two generals knelt down to examine the remains only to find some marks on them. The two brothers looked at each other coming to the same conclusion. The marks were human teeth marks but the size of these marks were considerably larger. The generals kept their findings to themselves but they knew at the time that they were facing against humanoids that feasted on other humans. They also concluded that the fire wasn't recent suggesting that the humanoids, or Druids as the locals called them, were long gone. With a few more pieces of the puzzle tucked away, the generals ordered their men to continue venturing forward. The army would encounter nothing out of the ordinary for the next few hours and, when they arrived at a clearing, the generals ordered their men to rest and eat lunch. Against an unrevealed foe, they hoped their men were ready for battle at any moment.

The lunch was going well until several screams were heard nearby. Several soldiers immediately went to investigate the screams with the generals giving orders to men to prepare for battle. The atmosphere was tense as everyone waited for the soldiers that went investigating to return. Time seemed to slow down with every soldier keeping a sharp eye on their surroundings. Out of the ten soldiers that headed out, only five return and they were all badly wounded. The generals immediately ordered their medics to care for the soldiers while they tried to extract information out of them. The survivors were being vague as they tried to recall the horror they have just seen. The generals were patient and slowly pieced together the information they gathered. According to the survivors, what attacked them were large creatures that stood on their two legs like human. Only difference was that they were nearly twice as large and their heads resembled horned creatures with strange markings. These things wielded large branches like clubs and, based on how quickly they took out the Langobards soldiers, were clearly seasoned warriors. What confirmed their findings earlier was that the survivors claimed seeing the creatures feasting on the corpses of their comrades when they arrived. Seeing their feast interrupted, the creatures attacked and the survivors barely managed to escape. The generals allowed the survivors to rest while the medics tended to them. Meanwhile, they ordered their men, who were clearly shaken to see the wounded men, to stand their ground and prepare for an attack. The generals, though, concluded that the creatures called Druids were likely smart enough not to take on their men while they were banded together. Still, their men needed some sort of reassurance and the orders did calm them down slightly.

An hour later, the army resumed its trek but no one was relaxed now. Some were starting to see truth in the stories of the locals and feared to see these Druids. The generals continued to take the lead with their eyes peeled for something. They began to notice that, the deeper they venture into the forest, the darker everything seemed to be. They could still see light in the sky but the untamed forest seemed to block out most of the night. Aside from the two sides of the path, no one in the army could see beyond that point. The forest was still silent with everyone having their shields raised anticipating an attack. The army marched for a couple more hours until it was nighttime. Given that visibility was practically zero, the generals ordered their men to set up camp and specifically gave orders for men to travel in groups of at least twelve men. Meanwhile, the generals assigned some of their elite soldiers to various parts of the camp where they would act as lookout. These elite soldiers were given the task of detecting and, in the best case scenario, kill one of those creatures. The camp remained silent for the next few hours as no one dared to speak fearing the creature coming out behind him. The generals waited in their tents waiting for the screams. Around midnight, the screams finally came and everyone was jolted into action. Soldiers immediately set up formations with everyone looking into the darkness almost daring the creatures to attack. The generals exited their tents, did a quick scan of the camp and noted that two of their elite forces were gone.