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

[blklizard]

Defense of Texas

Chapter 558

Kwahu supported one of his comrades as they made their way to the nearest hospital where the wounded were being treated. Kwahu had been fighting for three days straight with no sleep but he still carried on. The news of his people being nearly wiped out gave him strength to keep moving despite his body and mind complaining. The young native was relieved that they got a short breather after fierce fighting the last few days. He saw, with his own eyes, the many deaths around him as those close and distant to him collapse and die. Kwahu, like many other natives who joined the military, anticipated adventure and fun but they were in for a rude awakening. Yet, none of them had any regrets with their decision. Even though their loyalty stayed with their tribes, there was a sense of belonging with the empire that controlled much of North America. To fight and die for the empire was the way a warriors would prefer to die. Kwahu was suddenly interrupted from his thoughts when two medics approached him.

"We'll take him from here," said one of them. "You get some rest."

"I'm fine," replied Kwahu earning a smile from the medic.

"Don't try to play hero. I bet you'll be asleep the moment you lay on a bed. Take my advice and get some rest. The enemy might return soon and you won't get a chance to sleep by then."

Kwahu nodded to show he understood. He then made his way to the barracks where he was assigned. When he entered the barracks, he could hear snoring from those who were already in their beds. As Kwahu approached his room, he couldn't help but notice the silence. His roommates were either dead or wounded, mostly dead. He would be alone in the room until the enemy returned. Then, he'd return to the walls to fight with others to repel the waves of enemy assaults. Kwahu laid down on his bed and, as expected by the medic, he fell asleep. He would have preferred a dreamless sleep but he had no luck.

In his dream, Kwahu was given a short break to return home. He eagerly looked forward to spending time with his family again. Yet, he noticed smoke in the distance as he closed in on his village. He ran and ran until he stopped outside the village. The entire settlement was being burned to the ground and Kwahu could hear the screams of people trapped inside the houses. He wanted to go help them but his feet refused to move. Then, he heard the war cries of the enemy who charged directly at him. One of them crashed right into him and started screaming at him. He didn't understand what the person was saying but, after a short while, he opened his eyes to see one of his comrades shaking him and telling him to wake up.

"What happened?" asked Kwahu.

"They're back."

Without asking who, Kwahu quickly gathered his weapons and headed to the walls.

 

[blklizard]

Defense of Texas

Chapter 559

The UnSA Emperor, Ricardo, would have preferred more time to prepare for a conflict with the Langobards. He understood that, at the time, the Langobards was a much more dangerous threat than Rome. Thus, speed was vital to their success. While he only had a rough plan, it was a sound plan that earned the approval of many of his generals. The consensus was that North America, being a distant continent from Asia and Europe, couldn't be reinforced in a short time. With the belief that the continent was also quite poorly defended, Ricardo had confidence that the Langobards' military might was inferior to that of the UnSA military, Thus, a concentrated attack that targeted the main Langobards settlements in North America would be the most ideal as it weakened the Langobards' control over the continent. To cut off the Langobards from reinforcing the continent, the UnSA forces must capture the coast where they ships were lying in wait. If the Langobards government in Europe wasn't informed about the invasion until it was too late, then it could do little to prevent the UnSA from taking control of all of the New World. The plan was sound but there was one major flaw in its design. Ricardo and his advisers failed to take into account of Tecolotl who was the wildcard. As Jorge explained, the man, while powerful and influential in Central America, was grieving the loss of his loved ones. Such grief turned him in an avenger with the sole purpose of achieving revenge at all cost, even at the cost of his life. Therefore, he made the decision that seemed the most logical to him at the time which was to launch an attack on the Langobards. His hatred for Europeans saw him start the war before his empire was fully prepared and that would be the undoing of him.

The psyche of Tecolotl was quite unpredictable at the time. As mentioned above, his hatred of Europeans was why he started the war in the first place. The Asians who aligned themselves with the Langobards would be considered as enemies as well but there was no reason to harm the natives. The natives in Langobards North America were each given a generous plot of land where they could live as their ancestors did. They had very limited participation in Langobards politics as they were given autonomy in most of their decisions. Tecolotl and his men didn't know that but they entered Langobards territory with the belief that the Langobards, like the Romans, suppressed the natives and treated them like slaves. Thus, it made sense that the UnSA forces should be working to ally themselves with the natives to create a more unified New World. A harmless hunting trip saw the destruction of not one but two tribes with only a few dozen survivors reaching the safety of San Antonio. The UnSA forces suddenly harmed those they pledged to liberate and protect which further weakened their position during their invasion. There were natives who were discontent about Langobards rule and had considered revolting if they were certain it could succeed. They would have preferred to fight alongside with the invaders but they grew hesitant once they learned of the destruction of the two tribes. Two tribes that didn't threaten the UnSA forces in any way had their people massacred. What could guarantee that other tribes didn't suffer the same fate? By the time Tecolotl realized the mistake he made, it was already too late as the deed was done. Those who were massacred cannot be brought back from the dead and the image of UnSA soldiers being bloodthirsty monsters became widely accepted in North America.

The first siege of San Antonio was the first major engagement between the two empires. The twenty thousand garrison was manning the walls as they watched the UnSA forces approach them. Estimates put the attacking forces at roughly thirty thousand men but there could be a lot more. The only blessing the Langobards had was the absence of cannons which could make quick work of the town walls. The walls were built to keep out natives but they weren't strong enough to handle cannon barrages. On the topic of firearms, the UnSA soldiers carried very few of those since the Romans stationed in South America didn't exactly carried many themselves. The defenders were a different story as a fifth of them carried their own firearms which were improvements of those used during the Battle of Ulagchi. These firearms were equipped with mechanisms known today as matchlock boasting better accuracy and reload time. The UnSA soldiers, while wearing the newest armor Romans had, couldn't stand against the onslaught of the volleys. The only saving grace for the UnSA soldiers was that only a small portion of the Langobards had the weapon and, when they die, there were no replacements who could operate the weapon. Firearms were still a relatively new weapon so it didn't become mainstream in the Langobards military until a few decades later. The first siege ended in the defeat of the attackers while the defender lost about a tenth of their fighting force. The general leading the attackers did a temporary withdraw so he could regroup with Tecolotl who commanded the main UnSA army. Once combined, it was rumored that the UnSA commanded a large force of up to sixty thousand men. In hindsight, the request for reinforcements from the governor was indeed a good move.

 

[blklizard]

Defense of Texas

Chapter 560

"Did something come up?" asked General Ting as he entered the room with General Himma. "I doubt you would summon both of us unless we have something dire."

The two generals arrived as quickly as they could. The men who fetched them stated that something serious happened and the two generals were needed. Neither men heard about any hostile forces in the region so they could only assume that conflicts arose in other parts of North America. They were both surprised since they had the impression that the natives and the colonists were getting along.

"You have reasons be worried," said Sator who handed over a piece of document one of his advisers just wrote up.

The two generals quickly read through the document and frowns formed on their faces. Once they were finished, Ting returned the document with a shake to his head. They looked to the governor for further instruction but Sator seemed distracted. There was a short stretch of silence before someone decided to break the silence.

"This is serious," said General Himma. " When do we leave?"

"Earlier the better," replied the governor. "We don't know if the enemy had attacked yet or if San Antonio had fallen already."

"I've noticed you said enemy," interrupted Ting. "Are you saying that they aren't Romans as suggested in the document?"

"I don't know," said Sator honestly. "We only know that they wear Roman armor but that doesn't necessary mean they are Romans. I find it odd that they would dedicate that many soldiers in the New World when the main battleground would be Europe. From what I heard, Rome is still recovering from their inflation and Peasant's War. I find it difficult to think they would challenge our empire in their condition. We still cannot ignore this threat from the south and, should we get any captives, we might gather more intelligence on this enemy."

"How many men will we take with us?" asked Himma who was eager to leave.

"Take your entire army of twelve thousand men. We need make sure we have enough men at the front lines to halt enemy advance. Our capital is far enough in the rear that they shouldn't reach us anytime soon. Meanwhile, we will be getting messengers to other parts of North America to get reinforcements to back you two up. Understood?"

The generals nodded and were dismissed. The battle for Texas would soon enter its final stages.

 

[blklizard]

Defense of Texas

Chapter 561

Tecolotl watched San Antonio from afar with tears in his eyes. He didn't expect such fierce resistance from the Langobards as his side suffered heavy casualties and the town remained in enemy hands. The town was completely encircled so no Langobards could flee for their life and, for the moment, there was a brief intermission where UnSA soldiers were busy burying their dead. The morale of his soldiers remained high but Tecolotl was starting to second guess his decision to attack, especially when he didn't get permission from the UnSA emperor. They hadn't exactly lose any major battles yet but the casualties they were suffering hindered their ability to continue their push further north. San Antonio was their first obstacle and they were already halted in their tracks. With the Langobards aware of their presence, they couldn't sneak around and target weaker settlements.

"Are you alright, uncle?"

Tecolotl turned around to see Ollin wearing Roman armor. He wished he could see the sight of his nephew growing up before his eyes on a different occasion. He quickly wiped away the tears in his eyes and forced a smile.

"I am grieving for those who lost their lives to the conflict thus far." Seeing a hint of doubt on Ollin's face, Tecolotl burst out laughing. "We will win, boy. Don't give up hope on us just yet. That town will be ours and the Langobards resistance will crumble with its fall. I seriously believe that the Langobards gathered all their forces in that town so a victory here will spell the end of their occupation of North America" The words helped bring out a smile on Ollin's face which brought much needed comfort for Tecolotl. "Remember, boy. We are fighting for more than a simple victory. We have an empire to build so the natives of the New World could have a brighter future. Don't ever forget that because such a resolve gives you the strength you need to overcome any obstacles that stand in your way."

Tecolotl then dismissed Ollin so he could be alone once again. Ollin's smile helped improve his mood ever so slightly but he was still very much depressed. When he was saying the words, the man couldn't help but question himself whether he believed it or not. For the next few minutes, Tecolotl watched as his soldiers finished with their burials and return to their positions for another attack. The other generals were giving speeches to rally their men in hopes of taking San Antonio in the next few waves. The future of the New World would rest on the outcome of the Battle of San Antonio.

 

[blklizard]

Defense of Texas

Chapter 562

"Hold them back!" shouted the captain as he directed the men in his battalion. "Remember what you are fighting to protect. Hold them back!"

Kwahu and a few others were busy fighting close quarters with a few enemy soldiers who managed to scale the ladders. He was focused on his enemy but he could still hear the voice of his captain who was trying to rally the men. Kwahu quickly assessed the situation before him which didn't look too good. There was one enemy soldiers before him and several others making their way up the ladder. The odds would quickly turn in the favor of the enemy if he let it dragged on so he took the initiative and attacked. The enemy held out his shield which Kawhu bashed with his weapon. The blow knocked the enemy slightly off balance allowing Kwahu to draw blood from his enemy. He quickly took advantage of the wounded enemy by bashing down on the helmet. The helmet might have absorbed most of the blow but the soldiers was dazed for a few seconds. The few seconds was what Kwahu to behead the soldiers. He then turned his attention to the ladder where enemy soldiers were scaling steadily.

"Knock off the ladders! We cannot let them get a foothold on our walls!"

Kwahu turned just in time to see an arrow penetrating through the captain's arrow into his chest. He watched as the captain refused to collapse with his hands pushing against the battlement to support himself. Then, he turned his attention back to the ladder. Kwahu quickly looked around him amongst the bodies for metal poles designed to push ladders off the wall and found one nearby. Normally, this was difficult during the heat of battle since enemy skirmish fire easily interrupted such an attempt. With the large portion of enemy skirmishers killed or dispersed during the earlier waves, Kwahu could do so without any interference. The few unfortunate souls could do little as their ladder tilted enough to fall sideways. During the process, the ladders collided with nearby ladders resulting in a domino effect. This was only a small victory as the enemy withdraw to prepare new waves. The defenders took the opportunity to sit down and rest while a few remained on the lookout. Kwahu just sat down when he heard an argument nearby.

"I'm not going back. My spot is here with the soldiers."

"Captain, you are wounded. We need you to be tended to."

"If I die today on the walls, then so be it. I will not be seen as withdrawing from the battlefield."

"Captain, please!"

"Go to your position! They are launching another attack."

Kwahu stood up and saw that the captain wasn't kidding around. Another wave was heading in their direction so Kwahu quickly grabbed his bow and arrow.

 

[blklizard]

Defense of Texas

Chapter 563

Admiral Gang was inspecting the supplies that recently arrived from the northeast. This was the first batch not from the Old World so he had doubts about the quality of the supplies. After thorough inspection, Gang was impressed with the local production. Such a development helped wean off Seattle's dependence on supply ships from the Old World which were not only lengthy but also expensive. With his inspections finished, he was about to take a nap in his quarters when he was told that a messenger just arrived from the capital. The news of a messenger from the governor himself was enough to pump adrenaline into the admiral's system. The man was hoping for some sort of adventure and hoped the messenger had orders. When they met, the messenger quickly exchanged pleasantries.

"I need a fast ship to take me to the Old World, admiral."

Gang couldn't help but show his disappointment. He only wanted a short adventure along the coast of the New World so he wasn't in any particular mood of traveling across the Pacific.

"I could get one ready in an hour. If you don't mind me asking, what's so urgent for you to get to the Old World?"

"I don't think it matters if I share with you what I know. You will eventually be notified so I might as well give you a heads up first. We've been attacked in the south by unidentified forces. This could be a war so we are requesting reinforcements from the governor of East Asia."

"A war? Won't our men require naval support then?" asked Gang excitedly.

"I would think so. Soldiers are being deployed to reinforce San Antonio as we speak. No one foresaw this situation so it's getting quite hectic in the capital. Our governor isn't too thrilled to learn about hostile forces within our border so he ordered our men to oust the invaders. If you want to contribute, I'd suggest you travel down the west coast."

"I see."

The admiral then turned around to speak with his officers. He assigned two officers to prepare the ship for the messenger while the remaining officers were given orders to prepare for war. There was a fair distance to cover between Seattle and the Mexican region. At the time, the waters along Mexico was largely uncharted as the governors didn't direct any funds to their exploration. North America was already a handful so there was little point exploring regions the empire wasn't going to colonize anytime soon. In hindsight, this seemed like a mistake as such information could give the Langobards a major edge in transporting troops and providing naval support. Gang realized this slight shortcoming so he ordered a few fast ships to patrol the waters to chart it out for the larger vessels which would soon follow.

 

[blklizard]

Defense of Texas

Chapter 564

General Ting and Himma were quickly summoned by Governor Sator. The two generals were supposed to command the defenses of Minneapolis and fend off any threat which included natives attacks, rebellions and any other hostile forces. Despite being assigned for purely defensive purposes, the two generals were trained to be competent in launching offensives as well as any other general. By the time they arrived to see the governor, Sator had already prepared a document outlying what has transpired in Texas along with orders for the majority of Langobards forces in North America to reinforce San Antonio and/or halt enemy advances in the Texas region. Because the messenger from San Antonio only arrived recently, the governor and all those within Minneapolis were in the dark about the fate of the capital of Texas. Ideally, San Antonio could remain standing until reinforcements arrived since no one dared to think what might happen if the defenders were defeated. Seeing how two tribes were nearly wiped out, it seemed very possible for a massacre to happen at the town with all of its inhabitants killed or captured. Praying for an ideal situation, the governor ordered the two generals to head out at once. They were expected to take their entire army of twelve thousand men each resulting in a combined force of twenty four thousand men. There must be an emphasis that these twenty four thousand men were professional soldiers who went through the toughest training. Unlike the ten thousand soldiers in San Antonio who weren't considered militias, the soldiers under the generals were amongst the best capable of fighting in all terrains and conditions. They were amongst the few armies that were transported directly from East Asia to not only bolster the defenses but also aid in training soldiers capable of dealing with basic threats like rebels.

As a result, the main portion of Langobards' fighting force in North America were ill-prepared for actual wars which demanded better trained soldiers. Luckily for the Langobards, the UnSA soldiers weren't exactly the same caliber as the best Roman soldiers. They might wear Roman armor and wield Roman armaments but they simply lacked the training to be on par. Some might even argue that their training and experience were somewhat on par with the majority of the Langobards soldiers in North America. This was a blessing in disguise because, otherwise, San Antonio would have fallen on the first two days. The UnSA soldiers were suffering heavy casualties but, having already began the siege, their leader, Tecolotl, wasn't prepared to simply withdraw. Historians argue that a withdraw at this point might have been wise. Even though his men might take a morale hit, Tecolotl would ensure that more of his men could fight another day against what the Langobards could field. The UnSA general did show signs of doubt but he refused to give up and swallow his pride. Of course, the siege was having a major impact on the defenders as well as the garrison was shrinking wave after wave. This was a battle of attrition that the defenders couldn't win but they didn't exactly have any alternatives. They either kept fighting or let the enemy capture or kill them. At least with the former, the Langobards soldiers could die like heroes and have no regrets. What the UnSA did correctly was their constant attacks on the town. They kept reserves that were sent into battle once the previous wave failed. This way, their men were relatively fresh while the fatigue of the enemy was mounting. It became only a matter of time before fatigue rendered the defenders helpless and the town would fall.

While Langobards land forces were either being alerted of the invasion or making their way to Texas, one lone messenger was sent to Seattle to deliver an important letter to the governor of East Asia by riding on a ship there. Governor Sator was still uncertain whether these were the Romans or not. If they were, then the scale of the war would encompass the entire known world. Not only was the messenger delivering an important message to the Old World but he also served as an information gatherer by learning what he could that might shed light to the conflict that engulfed Texas. A war with Rome would see great bloodshed in Europe but, if that was absent, then the messenger could learn why the hostile forces were wearing Roman armor and using Roman armaments. It was vital that the Langobards confirm who their enemy was and wasn't so they could take proper approach to the conflict at hand. The last thing the Langobards wanted was to start a war with Rome when those attack Texas were part of a different nation. Oddly enough, the conflict meant that Langobards had to begin exploration of Central and South America. The empire needed to find the nation they were at war with and the extent of that nation. If this was part of Rome, the Langobards needed to know how much land the Romans controlled in the south and how many men they could field. These were all vital intelligence that could make a huge difference in the conflict's outcome. Admiral Gang was commanding the fleet that patrolled the coast of Western North America so he had duties to keep those waters safe from any threat. Thus, he would be the key to the Langobards' fight for control of the waters west of Central and South America.

 

[blklizard]

Defense of Texas

Chapter 565

Ting and Himma finally arrived in the outskirts of San Antonio. They pushed their soldiers to move quickly and they were rewarded by the sight of the Langobards flags that still remained on the town gates. Seeing small UnSA forces standing between them and the town, Himma gave the orders to his men to charge and broke through the encirclement with little difficulty. Faced with such a large force, the UnSA soldiers were quickly shattered seeing only a few fleeing with their lives. While Himma continued moving towards the town, Ting led his men along the perimeter to disrupt the attackers and break the encirclement. Himma and his men soon arrived at a gatehouse where the defenders saw, to their relief, the sight of reinforcements. The gate was quickly opened allowing half of the reinforcements to enter the town to assist the defense of the walls. Meanwhile, Ting and his soldiers were creating havoc on the unsuspecting UnSA soldiers who routed upon seeing enemy forces mounting a counterattack.

At the side that was pressured by the main bulk of enemy forces, the defenders, few in numbers by then, were still fighting a losing battle to stop the enemy from controlling the gatehouse. Portions of the walls were already captured by the enemy which saw the UnSA soldiers only a step away from defeating the garrison and capturing the town. The remaining garrison quickly withdraw to the gatehouse where they intended on making their final stand. With each Langobards soldier that fell in battle, the UnSA inched closer to controlling the gatehouse. Then, Himma and his men arrived in a timely manner along the walls and wasted no time attacking the UnSA soldiers on the walls. The attackers suddenly found themselves not only outnumbered but outmatched. All their gains made in the last hour or so were lost in a matter of minutes. The wave was repelled and the gates still remained in Langobards control. Himma paused on the gatehouse as he watched from afar Ting's forces charge down enemy soldiers.

Tecolotl and his men weren't prepared for enemy reinforcements which resulted in a hasty retreat. Some portion of their forces routed when they saw Ting and his men bearing down upon them. The main core of the UnSA army remained intact and soon returned to friendly territory. Tecolotl was frustrated with the fact that the town was almost his and the sacrifices of his men were in vain with the arrival of enemy reinforcements. The generals also had some of his officers keep a close tab on their losses and their numbers didn't look too impressive. Historians learned that, while the defenders had fifteen thousand casualties and nine thousand wounded, the attackers lost roughly double that number with a portion of it due to Ting's counterattack. This was a great blow not only to the morale of the UnSA but also to the num ber of men since it would be difficult to recover from. The general had dedicated the majority of the fighting forces in Central America in this campaign but, after the first key battle, he already lost half his fighting force gaining little, if anything.

 

[blklizard]

Defense of Texas

Chapter 566

A few medic tended to Kwahu's injuries the best he could. Kwahu's right hand was already amputated earlier to prevent infections from killing the young man. After some hard work from the medics, Kwahu's condition was finally stabilized seeing him transported to the barracks where he rested for the next few days. Ting and Himma quickly utilized the barracks to rest their men while maintaining basic defenses for any possible future assaults. Due to the high casualties the garrison suffered, the barracks were empty enough to accommodate the reinforcements. The reinforcing soldiers generally stayed away from a wing that was used by the seriously wounded soldiers. They spent the next few days burying the dead and temporarily rebuild the fortification to better defend the town if another assault occurred. Kwahu eventually got well enough to get out of bed and walked on his own strength to the courtyard. When he left the wing, he saw the rooms were filled with unfamiliar faces. The room he and his roommates used to occupy had new occupants.

"What are you doing?"

Kwahu turned around seeing one of the medics walking towards him.

"I'm just getting a little air," he replied. "I don't like staying inside the stuffy room all day, especially not with the other wounded men who seemed so much worse off than me."

"I don't care about your excuses," the medic said firmly. "You need time to heal your wounds before we could let you go home."

"I no longer have a home. My tribe was one of the tribes they attacked."

The medic looked at Kwahu with sympathy. "I can understand your pain but your people are still in the town. Once you get well, I can lead you to their new home. They lost much but they were willing to rebuild their life one bit at a time."

"Really?" asked Kwahu who suddenly found a glimmer of hope. "My people still exists then."

"As long as there are survivors, there is hope for your people. Don't give up so easily. You have contributed your share for the empire. It's time for others to take up the torch. Those who attacked the empire will pay with their blood. No one spills the blood of Langobards without paying the price."

"But we are the natives."

"You live in the empire which makes you part of the empire. There is no longer you and us. There is only we. Look around you." The medic gestured to the soldiers in the rooms. "They will continue the fight to protect the empire and its people. Just as you did when you fought with others on the walls to protect the people living in San Antonio."

 

[blklizard]

Defense of Texas

Chapter 567

As promised, the medic became Kwahu's guide once he was well enough to leave the wing. They walked through the streets where the atmosphere was still tense from the previous siege. The UnSA forces might not have attacked since then but everyone was still on edge. Following the medic, Kwahu soon arrived at a small sector where he heard children playing and laughing. He hesitated about going inside which saw the medic giving him a friendly nudge. When Kwahu entered, he looked around at the children who seemed oblivious about what was happening around them. They reminded him of his childhood when he played with his siblings and friends in the village. The memories of the village and the people within it brought tears to his eyes. Just as he thought he was about to cry, Kwahu caught sight of a friend of his exiting a house.

"Minok!" Kwahu shouted before he could stop himself.

Minok turned to see who was calling his name and his eyes stopped at the doorway. He glanced at the figure unable to recognize Kwahu at first. Minok then approached the doorway and, once he was closer, he hazarded a guess.

"Kwahu? Is that really you?"

Kwahu nodded and ran towards MInok as the two of them embraced. Neither of them could contain their emotions as they cried to their heart's content. The others in the courtyard, including the children, stopped what they were doing and watched with joy at the reunion. Few minutes later, they finally ended their embrace.

"Your arm, Kwahu."

"They cut it off because it was too mangled. I got lucky because there were others experiencing far worse fate than me. How are you doing? You must have been through a lot."

"I saw the smoke that signaled the burning down of our village. I've also saw the carnage committed by those from the south. I'll never forget about these experiences. I wish I could but they will haunt me for the rest of my life."

"Nothing good?" asked Kwahu hopefully.

"I've got a gorgeous wife. Her name is Imala and she's part of the other tribe. Our marriage symbolized the new bond our two tribes share. Whatever rivalry or hate we had for one another was wiped clean after the tragedies. We hope to rebuild our people to be stronger. Only unified can we better stand against our enemies. Your return means that we have another member to help us rebuild."

"I like the sound of that."

 

[blklizard]

Defense of Texas

Chapter 568

Ting stood on a hill just outside his camp. He breathed in the air enjoying the outdoors. It has been a few days since he left San Antonio but he had no regrets leaving the town. Reinforcements arrived elsewhere seeing a new garrison formed. With offense being the best defense, the two Langobards generals agreed that going on the offensive was the best option available to them.

"What are you looking at?" asked a man approaching him from the rear.

Ting turned around to see who interrupted his train of thoughts. He watched as Himma, with a smile, walked towards him until they stood side by side.

"What are you so happy about?" Ting asked with curiosity.

"I was never one happy about being cooped up in a town or city with nothing to do. I prefer the outdoors."

"We are fortunate San Antonio is recovering rather well. The wounds from the losses of loved ones to the siege will take time to heal but they will get through. The UnSA will pay for their unprovoked aggression."

"What the prisoners told me had me thinking."

"About what?" asked Ting in puzzlement. "You don't think they are telling the truth? That's possible but unlikely. We have the intelligence we need to begin our campaign into enemy territory unless, of course, you are second guessing yourself about this campaign."

"No, I am willing to move forward. I just think it's possible their people did indeed suffer under the Romans. We heard accounts of Roman brutality so I'm not surprised one bit."

"If the Romans caused them pain, why are they hostile towards us? That doesn't make much sense, does it?"

"They might group us with the Romans. I think we need think carefully about our approach towards their civilians."

"Don't worry, we will spare the civilians. Our conflict is with their soldiers who shed the blood of our countrymen. The civilians are innocent unless they wield a weapon and pose a threat to us. We will need to move quickly before the main UnSA army arrives from the east. We need to capture the stronghold so we can halt all enemy advances until our reinforcements arrive from the Old World."

"Are you afraid?"

"A little, you?"

"I'm human as well."

 

[Michaelangelo]

Five updates a day, hmmm?

I see what you mean about them botching it in more ways than one. Good thing the Langobards had reinforcements nearby to end the siege.

I find it interesting that they use the names for cities from our timeline. Didn't feel like coming up with your own city names?

 

[blklizard]

Five updates a day, hmmm?

I see what you mean about them botching it in more ways than one. Good thing the Langobards had reinforcements nearby to end the siege.

I find it interesting that they use the names for cities from our timeline. Didn't feel like coming up with your own city names?

I said at least five updates a day. Since today's a holiday, I've decided to increase that limit . I enjoy it since it's not like extra work. Oh ya, this will be the last update today .

The Langobards didn't have a Peasant's War so they didn't have to recall any friendly troops. The UnSA didn't take that into account and, of course, a rogue general doesn't help.

I'm already pretty bad with name creation so you don't want me to get started. I'm also lazy with paint so I'm not in the mood of making maps showing where the cities and towns are.

Defense of Texas

Chapter 569

The arrival of the armies under Ting and Himma helped lift the Siege of San Antonio. Ting's army also caused greater casualties to the routing UnSA forces further weakening the enemy and paving a way for easier conquest into enemy territory, at least into the Mexican region. The garrison lost much of its fighting force with only a few dozen survivors including Kwahu. Kwahu might have lost an arm but several others lost more than one limb and a few of them were even blinded in the process. What they had in common was the scarring they got from what they saw. What they saw during and after combat would haunt them for the remainder of their lives. As mentioned earlier, the defenders had fifteen thousand casualties and nine thousand wounded. Note that the garrison only had twenty thousand men with half composed of militia. The extra four thousand were civilians who took up arms to aid the garrison in defending their home. Greater portion of the civilians who participated in the armed conflict were wounded and those that lost their lives were remembered as the heroes who protected San Antonio. The reinforcements helped bury the dead and dedicated special graves for those who lost their lives. These graves remain today in downtown San Antonio where the brave souls who fought for their home would be remembered forever. San Antonio also became the home of the survivors from the two tribes that suffered the most from the invasion. The survivors slowly got integrated into the populace but they ensured the traditions of their people lived on. Ironically, the conflict brought the people of the two tribes closer together as it erased the rivalry and hatred between them. While conflict could break apart bonds, it could also form them between those who suffered similar fates at its hands.

The UnSA eventually returned into friendly territory in great shame. They expected some success but their failure to take the town and their heavy casualties meant their campaign was a complete disaster. Historians estimate that they lost around thirty five thousand men. Five thousand was lost in the earlier engagement and the thirty thousand was once Tecolotl commanded the siege. Considering that the UnSA dedicated all of its Central American forces in the campaign, their losses were exceptionally costly. Replacing these losses was rather difficult since those who remained in Central America were either female, young or elderly. This, of course, didn't take into account the morale blow the UnSA soldiers suffered from their defeat. The hype from the creation of a new empire and the promise of a brighter future were suddenly replaced by a dose of reality. The Romans were defeated because they had very little influence in the region. Their lack of presence was why they hired locals in militias and armed forces which ultimately saw the rebellion to be a success. Fighting against underwhelming forces who were unprepared, the UnSA definitely had the upper edge. When faced against equally experienced soldiers who had much more to fight for, the UnSA soldiers learned that they were outmatched in many categories. Then, the fight against professional Langobards soldiers made them realize the gap between them. The defeat, sudden dose of reality and the realization of strength difference all played a role in greatly demoralize the UnSA forces in Central America resulting in them lacking the will to continue resisting the Langobards. Their early exit to the war would be the first sign of the decline for the UnSA.

Ting and Himma took command of the defenses of San Antonio until more reinforcements arrived from other parts of North America. The news of Langobards blood being shed by unidentified enemies had soldiers rallying to the call. Not only did official Langobards soldiers arrive but many tribes offered what warriors they had for the cause. It was an incredible sight to see the colonists and natives working together to fight a common enemy which further solidified the bond between the two groups. The two generals waited until the garrison of San Antonio rose to at least thirty thousand and the town was in good hands before they began their journey southwest towards UnSA territory. Based on what intelligence they gathered from the prisoners, the two generals learned that there was one stronghold that might serve them well. The stronghold was in a position that couldn't be ignored by the enemy and, if it was in their control, they could better repel whatever UnSA could throw at them. Upon learning that UnSA reinforcements might be arriving soon at the front lines, the generals knew they had little time to prepare. They made a crude map with what information they had and began their journey at once. San Antonio, while a large town, simply lacked the fortification to withstand a large assault, especially one against large enemy forces. Neither generals thought it was wise to take their chances with San Antonio and it was by chance they learned about the stronghold during the interrogation. Of course, the attack on the stronghold was a serious gamble. The two generals commanded the best soldiers the Langobards had in North America so, if they were defeated, the chances of the Langobards defending its southern North America border would be nonexistent. With much burden on their shoulders, the generals took the gamble.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Oh dear lord, I'm going to drown in updates then.

I'm not saying using the original names is a bad thing, I was just wondering why they were the same. I certainly can't blame anyone for it since I am absolutely terrible at coming up with names. I usually use name generators for characters since otherwise they'd all be named George, Peter, Fred, etc.

It seems that the invasion has had the unintended side effect of uniting the population of North America. The UnSA really botched it now.

 

[blklizard]

Oh dear lord, I'm going to drown in updates then.

I'm not saying using the original names is a bad thing, I was just wondering why they were the same. I certainly can't blame anyone for it since I am absolutely terrible at coming up with names. I usually use name generators for characters since otherwise they'd all be named George, Peter, Fred, etc.

It seems that the invasion has had the unintended side effect of uniting the population of North America. The UnSA really botched it now.

On the bright side, you won't be running out of materials to read .

I use name generators as well and it has been working out keeping my character names more or less unique.

The situation in the New World isn't going the way of the UnSA. They weren't finished yet though.

I will be continuing my table of contents here. Apparently, the other one is too long to edit .

Table of Contents (Part 4):

Birth of United South America (Part 1)
-Chapter 500 -Chapter 501 -Chapter 502 -Chapter 503 -Chapter 504

The Roman Expedition (Part 1)
-Chapter 505 -Chapter 506 -Chapter 507 -Chapter 508 -Chapter 509
-Chapter 510 -Chapter 511 -Chapter 512 -Chapter 513 -Chapter 514
-Chapter 515 -Chapter 516 -Chapter 517 -Chapter 518 -Chapter 519

Birth of United South America (Part 2)
-Chapter 520 -Chapter 521 -Chapter 522 -Chapter 523 -Chapter 524

The Roman Expedition (Part 2)
-Chapter 525 -Chapter 526 -Chapter 527 -Chapter 528 -Chapter 529

Fall of the Incan Empire
-Chapter 530 -Chapter 531 -Chapter 532 -Chapter 533 -Chapter 534
-Chapter 535 -Chapter 536 -Chapter 537 -Chapter 538 -Chapter 539

The Price Revolution
-Chapter 540 -Chapter 541 -Chapter 542 -Chapter 543 -Chapter 544

Roman Peasant's War
-Chapter 545 -Chapter 546 -Chapter 547 -Chapter 548 -Chapter 549

Defense of Texas
-Chapter 550 -Chapter 551 -Chapter 552 -Chapter 553 -Chapter 554
-Chapter 555 -Chapter 556 -Chapter 557 -Chapter 558 -Chapter 559
-Chapter 560 -Chapter 561 -Chapter 562 -Chapter 563 -Chapter 564
-Chapter 565 -Chapter 566 -Chapter 567 -Chapter 568 -Chapter 569

The Betrayal
-Chapter 570 -Chapter 571 -Chapter 572 -Chapter 573 -Chapter 574

Battle of Tenochtitlán (Part 1)
-Chapter 575 -Chapter 576 -Chapter 577 -Chapter 578 -Chapter 579

Battle for Gulf of California
-Chapter 580 -Chapter 581 -Chapter 582 -Chapter 583 -Chapter 584

Battle of Tenochtitlán (Part 2)
-Chapter 585 -Chapter 586 -Chapter 587 -Chapter 588 -Chapter 589

Integration of South America
-Chapter 590 -Chapter 591 -Chapter 592 -Chapter 593 -Chapter 594
-Chapter 595 -Chapter 596 -Chapter 597 -Chapter 598 -Chapter 599

Langobards-Romans Revolutionary War
-Chapter 600

Industrial Revolution
-Chapter 601 -Chapter 602 -Chapter 603 -Chapter 604 -Chapter 605
-Chapter 606 -Chapter 607 -Chapter 608 -Chapter 609

Langobards Multi-Transcontinental Railroad
-Chapter 610 -Chapter 611 -Chapter 612 -Chapter 613 -Chapter 614
-Chapter 615

Langobards Space Program
-Chapter 616 -Chapter 617 -Chapter 618 -Chapter 619 -Chapter 620

Armageddon
-Chapter 621 -Chapter 622 -Chapter 623 -Chapter 624 -Chapter 625
-Chapter 626 -Chapter 627 -Chapter 628 -Chapter 629 -Chapter 630

A New Beginning (Part 1)
-Chapter 631 -Chapter 632 -Chapter 633 -Chapter 634 -Chapter 635

The Second Peasant's War
-Chapter 636 -Chapter 637 -Chapter 638 -Chapter 639 -Chapter 640
-Chapter 641 -Chapter 642 -Chapter 643 -Chapter 644 -Chapter 645

A New Beginning (Part 2)
-Chapter 646 -Chapter 647 -Chapter 648 -Chapter 649 -Chapter 650
-Chapter 651 -Chapter 652 -Chapter 653 -Chapter 654 -Chapter 655

Liberation of Iberia
-Chapter 656 -Chapter 657 -Chapter 658 -Chapter 659 -Chapter 660

Democratic Republic of Rome
-Chapter 661 -Chapter 662 -Chapter 663 -Chapter 664 -Chapter 665

Lunar Base Expansion
-Chapter 666 -Chapter 667 -Chapter 668 -Chapter 669 -Chapter 670
-Chapter 671 -Chapter 672 -Chapter 673 -Chapter 674 -Chapter 675
-Chapter 676 -Chapter 677 -Chapter 678 -Chapter 679 -Chapter 680

Birth of Fusion Reactors
-Chapter 681 -Chapter 682 -Chapter 683 -Chapter 684 -Chapter 685
-Chapter 686 -Chapter 687 -Chapter 688 -Chapter 689 -Chapter 690

Birth of Probe 7.1
-Chapter 691 -Chapter 692 -Chapter 693 -Chapter 694 -Chapter 695
-Chapter 696 -Chapter 697 -Chapter 698 -Chapter 699

Impact of the Armageddon
-Chapter 700

Solar Panels Improvements
-Chapter 701 -Chapter 702 -Chapter 703 -Chapter 704 -Chapter 705
-Chapter 706 -Chapter 707 -Chapter 708 -Chapter 709 -Chapter 710

Mars Exploration
-Chapter 711 -Chapter 712 -Chapter 713 -Chapter 714 -Chapter 715
-Chapter 716 -Chapter 717 -Chapter 718 -Chapter 719 -Chapter 720

Memory (Part 1)
-Chapter 721 -Chapter 722 -Chapter 723 -Chapter 724 -Chapter 725
-Chapter 726 -Chapter 727 -Chapter 728 -Chapter 729 -Chapter 730

Clothes Making
-Chapter 731 -Chapter 732 -Chapter 733 -Chapter 734 -Chapter 735

The Lunar Coup
-Chapter 736 -Chapter 737 -Chapter 738 -Chapter 739 -Chapter 740
-Chapter 741 -Chapter 742 -Chapter 743 -Chapter 744 -Chapter 745

Hope (Part 1)
-Chapter 746 -Chapter 747 -Chapter 748 -Chapter 749 -Chapter 750

 

[Michaelangelo]

It's actually possible to make a post so long that you can no longer edit it? Impressive.

 

[blklizard]

It's actually possible to make a post so long that you can no longer edit it? Impressive.

When you have 500+ chapters of links, it does that to you. Sadly, I have to relink everything myself but I'm in no real hurry unless there's actually new readers requesting them. Still tedious though.

The Betrayal

Chapter 570

Necalli met with his most trusted men in an abandoned mine. The location was once believed to be rich in silver but digging revealed that this wasn't the case. The owner simply abandoned the mine ever since which was convenient for Necalli's group who needed a base to operate from. They are all paranoid about who might be listening in on their conversations within the stronghold so they searched and discovered this location. Being far from the stronghold, they could talk about their plans freely without worrying about anyone eavesdropping. Unwelcome guests would find a nasty surprise the moment they enter the mine. This meeting was organized last minute seeing the group members arriving hastily. Necalli, the leader, said it was urgent they met together for the future of their people was at stake.

"Have you heard?" asked Necalli in a quiet voice once everyone was present. "The fool, Tecolotl, suffered a major defeat. He is completely worthless even when he has the best of everything."

"To think Ricardo picked him as the leader of Central America. I hope the emperor realizes his mistake now." The man turned to Necalli. "This is your chance to shine, my friend. He will promote you to head the defenses of Central America. You can finally make your family proud by accomplishing what Tecolotl failed."

Necalli shook his head. "No, my friend. I won't be the scapegoat for this empire. We have already antagonized the Langobards so they will retaliate. I have no intention of being blamed for Tecolotl's mistakes."

"What are you suggesting, friend?"

"If Ricardo picked me as the leader in the first place, we wouldn't be having this conversation. We wouldn't be in this mess either. The emperor made a grave mistake but we, the people of Central America, won't be sacrificing anymore for the empire. Let's face it, the Langobards will be victorious in the long run. I'd rather be with the victors than the eventual loser."

"Are you saying..."

"I intend on defecting to the Langobards. If I live, I can ensure that my people are spared a catastrophe." Necalli then scanned the men before him. "You might disagree and you each have a weapon. You may strike me down but, in doing so, you doom our people. Now, any objections?"

The other members looked at each other and were quietly discussing amongst themselves. What Necalli said was logical so they were all aboard minutes later. Necalli, with everyone supporting him, quickly laid out the plans so they could get to work at once.

 

[blklizard]

The Betrayal

Chapter 571


Tecolotl and his defeated soldiers finally returned to Tenochtitlán after their long trek home. The news of their defeat had reach all part of Central America seeing no one welcoming the soldiers home. The civilians generally stayed away from the main road so they could avoid the shameful soldiers altogether. Tenochtitlán was once the Aztec capital and it boasted a population of a few hundred thousand making it one of the largest cities in the New World. The arrival of Romans saw disease ravage the empire resulting in the near collapse of Tenochtitlán. The population in the city rebounded slightly until the Romans arrived in search of silver. Discovery of rich silver veins saw the Romans using the city as their base of operation and, for the next few centuries, Tenochtitlán was transformed from a city to a great stronghold. Thick walls were built around the city while massive infrastructure porject took place. When Tecolotl began his campaign into Langobards territory, Tenochtitlán became a seemingly impregnable fortress that could hold out indefinitely against any enemies. Thus, the people of Central America made this stronghold the capital of Central America.

Tecolotl was somewhat glad to return home. He might have suffered a major defeat but he just needed a few victories to give his men back their confidence. As he made his way through the palace to his room, the man was too preoccupied with his thoughts to notice how quiet it was. Just as he turned around a corner, someone stabbed him multiple times with a dagger.

"Capture him!" shouted someone in the distance.

The assailant quickly dashed away to flee leaving Tecolotl to bleed. Tecolotl had collapsed onto the ground struggling to breathe. His hands were on the wounds that were spewing blood without pause. No one came to his aid until he was half dead. It didn't help that the soldiers who came to him were no medics so they couldn't do anything as they watched Tecolotl eventually die from blood loss. By the time medics arrived onto the scene, Tecolotl had already stopped breathing and was beyond rescuing.

The news of Tecolotl's death came as a major surprise for everyone in Central America. Despite the major defeat, he was still a likable figure who didn't deserve the fate he got. Hoping to capture the one responsible, the officials in Tenochtitlán assigned Necalli to investigate. Necalli promised to use all the resources at his disposal to track down the killer and bring justice to their fallen leader. With his rise to power, Necalli would begin a new chapter for Central America when his people distance themselves from the UnSA and plotted their own future.

 

[blklizard]

The Betrayal

Chapter 572

A large crowd gathered outside the palace once they were informed that Necalli, the new leader, had captured the one responsible for Tecolotl's death. He also learned about who planned out the plot and ordered the execution of the former leader. Necalli claimed that he couldn't hide what he just learned from the general populace and wished to share it with everyone. Of course, he got permission from the other officials when he gave them a brief summary of his findings. The officials were shocked by what they just heard but they had no reason to doubt Necalli. Necalli, while not as popular as Tecolotl, was still an influential person known to put his people first. His approaches might differ from that of Tecolotl but no one questioned his loyalty. Once a large crowd assembled, Necalli stepped forward for his speech.

"People of Central America! We are here partly to grieve for our fallen leader, Tecolotl. He was a great man who put his people first. He sadly encountered failure in his recent campaign but that still doesn't mean he deserved the fate of being assassinated. I am proud to say that the assailant was captured and, through interrogation, I've learned who hired him. I was shocked by what this assassin revealed to me and I'm still in shock. I never thought that we would be betrayed. We fought and we lost family and friends. Yet, we have been betrayed by those we thought were our allies. The UnSA had been acting like our friends on the surface but they had been plotting our downfall from the very beginning. They never cared about the fate of our people. We were meant to be fodder so they could reap the benefits.

Yes, the UnSA sent assassins to kill our great leader! They silenced our great leader because they cannot tolerate failure. They hoped to blame it on the Langobards but they didn't count on one thing. We captured the assailant before they could silence him as well. We learned the cruel reality of the supposed ally we made. The UnSA doesn't care about our people. They only care about theirs. If they had to sacrifice all of our people to get the New World, they would do it. They are wolves in sheep's clothing. They befriend us so they could use us. We cannot let this continue. The Langobards are attacking because the UnSA antagonized them. Once the Langobards forces arrive, we would be the first to suffer. No! I refuse to let our men die so those monsters could keep living. Let us join the Langobards to defeat those monsters. Let us decide on our own fate. Let the people of Central America control their own future!"

 

[blklizard]

The Betrayal

Chapter 573

General Ting and Himma finally arrived outside Tenochtitlán. The two generals found it odd that they didn't encounter any resistance on their way to the stronghold. They knew they won a major victory at the Siege of San Antonio but the enemy should still have soldiers around to defend their settlements. The idea of arriving at the stronghold without a hitch had the two generals wondering if they entered a trap. They watched as the men on the stronghold walls quickly moved into position as though prepared for a fight. Then, the gate unexpectedly opened with a large number of unarmed men heading towards the generals. The generals, as a show of respect, dismounted from their horses and met with the enemy envoy while their guards followed close behind. The two parties met halfway.

"Hello, Langobards. I am Necalli and I am the new leader of the Central American people."

Necalli was speaking in Latin but, fortunately for the Langobards, there were a few officers who could serve as translators.

"I am General Ting from the Langobards," said Ting. "This is General Himma. What business do you have with us?"

"Our former leader, Tecolotl, was recently assassinated by the UnSA. I want to emphasize that the UnSA are your enemies and we, the people of Central America, aren't. I hope we can come to an agreement where you wish no harm to my harm and we could aid you in the fight against a common enemy."

"How can we trust you?" asked Himma.

"Do we not greet you without weapons? If you don't trust us, then kill us right this moment. You will antagonize my people and find your path to victory a lot more difficult. You alternative is to view us as allies so we could fight the atrocity in South America together."

"We just spilled the blood of your countrymen. Do you not hate us?"

"It was a plot by the UnSA elites. They want us to spill the blood of the other side so they could reap the benefits with few losses. We don't want to be their puppet any longer as we have seen the light. I hope we can be friends and create a better future for all of us."

The two generals, after a brief hesitation, decided to trust Necalli and his people. Thus, the pact between the Langobards and the people of Central America was formed.