Toni used her coms-ring and asked Nithey for them to situate one phalanx on the opposite side of the river and use travel-post MTP1, Mobile Travel-Post 1. She told him once the phalanx arrived to move the thousand men and blocked the move of the Athenian mercenary troops.
A messaged command and the Amazons mounted, waiting for then followed Cain and his wives out on the right flank of King Philip’s troops. Cain's large group was riding next to Prince Alexander's phalanxes and mounted Amazons. Alexander rode across to Cain and spoke at length about his father’s plans.
"Joseph, my father is going to begin his attack on the left flank, using a third of our troops. His aim is to force the Athenian phalanxes back, then after they begin to move against his push, his forces will fall back in disarray.
"He wants my two phalanxes to move in behind the Athenians as they pursue him and break them apart. Do you think it will work?"
"Assuming his third pull and equal number or even half of the opposing Athenians into the gap, then you will be left stranded. The only outcome I can see is you either getting captured or killed along with the two phalanxes you command.
"Personally, I think you are being set up to fail. Wait, let me finish, you don’t have the mobility, although the Amazons provide some, you only have three hundred mounted troops, nor do you have the numbers. We can turn the attack to our advantage though. Follow the instructions your father has given you, let us do the rest.
Move your two phalanxes as though you will follow in pushing up behind the Athenians. Your father will see you following his command, while the DreamBabes will spring the first of many surprises on the Athenians," Cain replied. As Alexander returned to his troops the mix of war horns, Athenian and Macedonian floated over the battle field. Toni looked at Cain and spoke to him.
^T^ You don’t look pleased with what Alex said to you. Is everything OK? ^
^C^ I think Philip is setting Alex up for death or capture. His two phalanxes cannot crush a third of the Athenians, let alone half of their army. If it were our troops we may have a chance, but not Alexander's troops. If I was in charge of the Athenians I would chase the fleeing Macedonians, especially their king. They will roll right over Alex's phalanxes like they aren't there.
^If I was in command of the Athenians I'd send eight phalanxes, maybe even ten. Philip must know this, should three turn back and one more move up against Alex’s rear, check mate. Alexander and his force will be pinned in place, squashed then killed between both forces.
^Once Philip’s force moves toward the Athenian lines, we will trip Jason’s traps. You take our Amazons out to the two villages on our flank and kill everyone you see in Athenian, Paeonia and Epirus uniforms. Take no prisoners. Our thousand which Nithey sent using MTP1, beyond the rivers crossing point, will keep the seven hundred mercenaries in place, stopping them from wrecking the base camp.
^I will take half of the protectors, and the rest of our wives to support Alex, while Daphne can stay here with Myrina and begin her Geomancer work. I'll leave the other half of the protectors with them both. I think Jason’s armies will inevitably get bogged down, within range of our ballista and catapults, once Daphne unleashes her surprise. ^
Cain and Toni contacted Nithey, ShezzaRA, Mogastation and Boostoff to send the other troops. Nithey commanded fifteen hundred troops, split into seven phalanx of two hundred men; with a hundred men manning a mix of six catapults and eight ballistas. ShezzaRA and Mogastation commanded three phalanxes each, together they had three thousand men. Boostoff commanded two hundred men and the majority of their ballistas and catapults.
Cain had Nithey use the MTP3 at the rear of the Athenian forces at the head of the valley. Once they began appearing they started to fortify the pass using one-foot square blocks, which Daphne created and left them camouflaged three weeks earlier, in place for such a purpose.
Daphne, also made two natural looking mounds, ten yards high and twenty yards in diameter, at either side of the rise of ground near the valley's head. Using Daphne's mounds, the forces Nithey had command over, rapidly blocked from the valley edges to the mounds; building those sections in under fifteen minutes.
Blocking the other two sections, which were wider took the longest time, especially where the fast-flowing river was located; toward the middle of the valley mouth. Within an hour the four thousand men had built a defensive wall, one hundred yards across the head of the valley, four yards tall and three deep.
They mounted Nithey’s artillery on the platforms Daphne made, standing over twelve yards above the ground, giving them a range of over two hundred yards. Nithey looked down at the wall they had built and he remembered Daphne telling him, it would use nearly all of the thirty thousand blocks, she created but would stand strong for the battle to come.
ShezzaRA and Mogastation’s phalanx troops, used the MTP2 and exited near to Cain's encampment and followed Alexander. Alexander moved his two phalanxes, slightly forward of the middle group of his father’s troops. He was surprised when several extra phalanxes and mounted Amazons appeared and followed his lead. Mogastation and ShezzaRA, placed their artillery with Boostoff in command, on the large mounds Daphne created for them, which gave them a good view of the forward Athenians.
Watching the battle with Myrina at her side, Daphne received Josephine’s observations. Once the Athenian army began its pursuit of King Philip's men, she opened the banks of the Vardari river. With the banks ruptured, all of the hidden caches of water, along with the largest water source, enlarged nearly two weeks previously; lake Thesselia.
Lesley worked out there was over one hundred and eighty million cubic yards of water in the water cache lake system. Lake Thesselia was fed by three smaller lakes five, eight and eleven miles distant.
After the banks of the Vardari river were breached, the flood water flowed across the Thessele plain, heading for the lowest path toward the sea. Unfortunately for the Athenian mercenaries they were in the path of a five-foot-high wall of water, channelled down the land Daphne created.
Knowing what to expect, Cain and his troops called out to Alexander and told him to stay on the higher ground, and stand down until the water had finished its work.
The eight Athenian phalanxes which followed King Philip’s force, were cut off from their reserves which were making haste back to the mouth of the valley, out of the path of the flooding water. Myrina informed everyone what Josephine watched.
< From Josephine’s height I can see over half of the Athenian army has been caught in the flood waters and washed away. There maybe a few hundred survivors in ones, twos and threes scattered between the battlefield and the cliff edge. The flood waters are still flowing where Daphne created a path for them, cascading over the cliff’s edge like a waterfall, dropping the Athenians three hundred feet to the beach.
Alexander waited as Cain asked, his two phalanxes bolstered by the six phalanxes of Cain’s troops. As he was surveying the battlefield, Alexander noticed what looked like several catapults and a dozen or more large wheeled bows positioned to his right.
He could see the flood waters had washed away a good half of the Athenian army, leaving the eight phalanxes chasing his father and five more ready to chase in behind Alexander when he made his move.
Sitting on his mount one of Nithey’s men rode up to Alexander, saying Cain will take care of the five phalanxes at your rear. Alexander saluted Cain, as he called his combined six phalanxes and three hundred Amazons to follow the eight phalanxes chasing his father.
Fifteen minutes later and his father’s phalanxes stopped running, then turned to face the chasing Athenians. They clashed all along the line of their facing phalanxes, there was no give on either side as the casualties built.
Alexander for th
e first and last time, used his father's war horns, calling his men into a fast jog. Six phalanxes under Alexander, crashed into the lightly-protected rears of five Athenian phalanxes. The mobile Amazons charged with their Doru into the other three phalanxes, cutting their way through to King Philip's phalanx troops.
The five Athenian phalanxes which were to have squashed the rear of Alexanders troops, came under mobile archery fire from the rear and sides. As they moved toward the small incline at the front of the Athenian phalanxes they noticed hundreds of black spots against the bright blue sky, getting closer to their position.
The first artillery barrage ever seen on European soil, blew the five phalanxes apart. Following the rolling thunder of the barrage, Amazons surrounded and killed the remainder of the mercenaries. Five thousand mercenaries died in under five minutes.
Between Philip’s and Alexanders troops, the eight Athenian phalanxes were put to the sword. As Alexander rode up to his father, he heard King Philip ask a general if that was thunder he heard. Toni heard rolling thunder coming from the far end of the battlefield, near the mouth of the valley. Nithey and his troops were defending against the five thousand Athenian troops who avoided the flood.
The sound of thunder finally petered out twenty minutes after it started, six minutes later Nithey messaged Toni telling her all the Athenians in front of their positions had been killed, down to the last player and NPC. Cain and all his wives received the same pop-up message, regarding the deaths and points after the battle.
Cain checked the lists and noticed there were two hundred and sixty-eight players thrown away by Jason. There were also mercenary NPCs and Athenians involved in the battle, thirty-eight thousand five hundred troops in total, not including the players.
After the battle, Cain had their troops, dismantle then burn the catapults and ballistae. He did not want a proliferation of weapons, which could kill hundreds with each payload they delivered. Alexander rode to Cain's location, followed by the Amazons. Alexander invited Cain and his wives to the celebration meal his father would hold once they returned to Serrena. Cain accepted though wished he could avoid the celebration.
Rather than use the travel-posts, Cain had all their troops gather at his encampment. All the looting was carried out by Nithey’s men, giving them equipment and money to fund Cain’s ongoing operations in Greece.
Chapter 42
Celebration Misdeeds
The clean-up from the battle took two days. Healing the NPCs on King Philip’s army that received serious injuries in the battle. Even using some of Sophie and Daphne's healing potions, getting the wounded stable and healed to the point where they could travel, took time. Cain told a story to Toni, Sophie, Lesley and Bethany on the first evening after the battle,
"I'm glad dead bodies here dissolve back into the game. Imagine the clean-up, the burying or burning of the dead if this was reality and not a game. I remember breaking into a small compound of people traffickers in southern Germany, where a plague had broken out a week before my team and I arrived. The smell of the blood, vomit and death was overpowering half a mile from their compound.
"There was a cloud of flies so thick, they obscured the sun when disturbed by the small drones we used. We used the drones and found only three traffickers above ground still clinging to life. We called in two air strikes to cleanse the ground and air of any lingering contamination. When a decom team went into the site a month later they found an underground bunker which was hidden and protected from the strike. The decom team had to be killed as whatever killed the people traffickers was still active and their monitoring equipment indicated the six person team had been infected.
"The military sent two robot vehicles into the bunkers and they found nine traffickers still alive in a sealed area. They carried two one hundred pound fuel air bombs and exploded them twenty yards underground. Finally the area was cleansed and given the all clear three months after we uncovered the site."
Cain woke first, the bedroom smelt of sweaty bodies and passion helped calm his mind, after waking from a dream of plague victims calling for justice. The coldness and death of his dream faded as his smile grew looking down at his naked and beautiful women, cuddled together after a night of love making. Checking his stats, he noticed the boost allocating their points had given him and his women. Taking a screen shot he posted the two images into the group message. Toni and Sophie stirred as Cain moved from the comfort of the bed.
"I think, once we find the person who gives out the quest to find the portal, we should leave the Amazons with Alexander. They will provide him with his personal guard, his companions cavalry. We may need to return at some stage and take some Amazons, especially the protectors with us to another game zone.
"I know it means leaving Myrina and Areto, but I can’t see us taking Areto with us even though she now has an EI bound to her character, which Cybele said is bound to this game zone the same as Circe, unlike Myrina, Suzanna and Violetta whose EIs are mobile," said Cain.
"I’m enjoying our time here in Greece, and our time together each night. I think it is time for us to and I definitely want to move from here, and find Toni’s friend. It could be King Philip gives us the quest after the celebration. His planning was pants don’t you think? Alex could have planned his tactics better," Bethany said.
"I’ve asked Rahab to see if there are any clues in the game code. To search for and find the portal quest Vince left. I hope it does not depend on a set of circumstances, which are hard to fulfil. I can't see Vince not leaving a quest, the trouble is we don’t know if it will be his quest coding or one of his friends.
"Though we know Vince worked with at least one other coder on the coding team, Michael Cameron Durie. Michael is the one who made the plaques in the twenty-twenty-seven zone, and the hieroglyphs pillar we found at the beginning of our journey in this zone. We all need to keep our eyes and minds open. The portal could be anywhere and the quest to find it given by anyone. Although, I don’t think Cybele or Athena will be the ones to give us the quest.
"We need to keep travelling with Alexander back to Serrena, attend the celebration King Philip is going to throw. Once in Serrena we can see if we can’t find a clue for our quest, or our next steps in the next game zone," said Toni
King Philip allowed Alexander the privilege to ride in the advanced scouts with Cain and his wives, surrounded by the Amazons. King Philip rode in a covered coach, drinking with the three generals, toasting their victory over the Athenians for the whole journey.
Travelling at the speed of the King’s coach they crawled along to Serrena, eight days after they started the journey, the walls of King Philip’s city stood proud on the horizon. Alexander told Cain, they would be in their own beds tomorrow, then there would be the celebration the day after.
Alexander was correct in his words, everyone hit their own beds later the next day, they carried King Philip from his coach. Lesley heard it was a common task for his personal servants, King Philip being too drunk to walk.
Cain was not the only one of his party who did not look forward to the celebration. Nithey and the VETS were of the same mind, knowing it presented a big target on all of their backs. One Jason could exploit, as the celebration had been proclaimed on each day of the journey.
The celebration began at midday, the day after they arrived. Alexander told Cain they were all expected to be dressed in their finest clothing. When Toni looked at the seating plan, she was fit to cut the throat of the idiot who split Cain from his wives. Sophie and Daphne agreed, someone or somebody has placed Cain at risk. They had scanned the Gamer Tags of everyone in the palace complex, the only players in attendance were themselves and the VETS.
Bethany grabbed Lesley, and they purloined a low table from their suite, having three servants drag it to the hall. Throwing the seating cushions around the table, they sat together as a group while Cain sat next to Alexander on the right hand of King Philip on the top table. King Philip's three generals who were at the battle
were seated on Philip's left hand.
Cain instinctively ditched the drinks they gave him, using a water bladder to wash the cup out into his inventory, before he took a drink of the juice Myrina prepared earlier. Myrina’s juice smelt like strong alcohol on a person’s breath, yet it had no alcohol in the drink. No alcohol helped Cain, his DreamBabes and the VETS players who attended, as they could all drink without worrying about becoming drunk.
The celebration started upon the arrival of King Philip and Prince Alexander, mountains of food were brought out by servants and laid on the low tables. King Philip had the high priest of Zeus pray, giving thanks for the victory and blessed the celebrations. King Philip, started the speeches as the sun slipped lower, hiding behind the mountains. Philip’s words were slurred as he had been drinking for at least six hours.
Alexander persuaded his father to go rest, while the celebration continued as he looked worse for wear. With Cain’s help, Alexander managed to get his father up from his cushion and walk him toward his suite of rooms. King Philip, belched loudly before he threw up over his own clothes. Cain suggested to Alexander, then together they guided the smelly drunk Philip, toward Alexander's rooms as they were nearer. Cain held Philip upright while Alexander stripped him of his clothes then dressed him in a spare night robe. Once dressed they dropped the mumbling inebriated Philip on Alexander's bed.
The celebration finally wound down with King Philip missing, most people slept where they sat and laid. Cain and his wives guided a slightly-drunk Alexander to their suite and deposited him on the empty bed. Since Cain and his wives were tired but not drunk they prepared to leave Alexander and go find the quest for the portal to the next zone.
As they walked arm-in-arm to Bounty, alarm gongs sounded and screams were heard from Alexander's suite. Arming themselves from their inventories, they ran into the corridor and headed to Alexander’s rooms. A dark running shadow headed down the corridor toward them, the shadow lunged at Cain, yelling.
Forsaken 337 BC Page 53