Epic Unearthed

by Thomas Turner

  Chapter XXI

  Confronting the Enemy

  At Katula Hill in Mantineia, Nextear’s army moves forward toward the Atlantean fortification. In order to attack, the enemy will have to march up slopes and avoid rocky terrain. The Atlantean warriors are fearful, but training and discipline holds them together. Laptos and Persephone will use their artillery to destroy as many enemies as possible, then fall back to regroup at Bardia.

  Midday, the battle begins. The enemy has completely surrounded the Atlantean army. Instead of a full frontal assault, Nextear concentrates all of his light and heavy cavalry on Laptos’ left flank. The Atlantean artillery turns and aims against the threat. At the last possible moment Laptos yells, “Fire.” Ordnances explode on the battlefield, and thousands of Nextear’s men lose their lives. The Atlanteans are able to hold their position on the first wave of attack without suffering casualties.

  After Nextear regroups his army, the second assault begins. Close to a million men and beasts run toward Laptos’ fortification. Atlantean giant crossbows and catapults scream back at their enemy. The catapults’ boulders roll through the Kyrenian and Mantineian lines. Hundreds of projectiles are fired from the Atlantean artillery, destroying entire formations of attackers. At one point, half the Atlantean projectiles are fired on a concentrated area, stopping a break-through from Nextear’s spearhead. Because of the slope of the hill, the Mantineians’ and Kyrenians’ archers are unable to use their weapons.

  Three hours later, the Mantineians feel they are on the verge of winning the battle, as they begin the third strike. The Atlanteans blaze the battlefield again. The enemy charge toward the hill, attacking all sides of the Atlantean fortification. This time Nextear’s light and heavy cavalry start to break Laptos’ lines of defense.

  Laptos says to Persephone, “It is time to go. Prepare to fire the last of the projectiles!”

  Persephone yells to her captains, “Regroup ten-thousand archers to the south side. We are retreating!”

  At the Atlantean stronghold, the fighting becomes more intense and the enemy is advancing closer to the core of the Atlantean fortification. Death is all around. The defenders are holding on. Laptos rides to the south side of the fortification where his archers and heavy cavalry are ready to fight their way out. He looks at his cavalry commander and yells, “Ride!”

  Persephone yells at her ten-thousand Atlantean archers, “Fire!”

  All Atlantean archers fire their arrows in a spearhead and move forward. The Atlantean mammoths charge under the organized firing solution, mowing through the endless sea of enemy soldiers. In an organized fashion, Laptos’ infantry and archers advance to continue the momentum of the retreat. Overhead, the last of the Atlantean projectiles are fired, exploding on the battlefield. The Atlantean warriors with mammoths and rhinos advance through the enemy. Laptos’ infantry follows behind, forming a circle outside the main fortification. The Atlantean counteroffensive and terrain make it difficult for Nextear’s warriors to regroup and counterattack. The Atlanteans have the advantage and fight for their lives, while moving toward a narrow valley.

  After the breakout, forty-thousand Atlantean infantry, four-thousand light cavalry, twenty-thousand archers, and seven-hundred heavy cavalry have survived. However, the Atlantean wounded must remain and die.

  The Atlanteans are on the run. The Kyrenians and Mantineians concentrate all their might on the original Atlantean fortification. The Atlanteans who stayed to fight will not return to Atlantis. The remainder of Laptos’ army is destroyed since they lacked a formidable number of archers and artillery. There were too many men from Kyrenia and Mantineia to withstand that kind of punishment. Some of the Atlantean warriors stayed behind so that the rest of the Atlanteans could retreat. They gave their lives for their brothers-in-arms.

  Back in the Valtearean capital, Tulless tells Quentoris, “We are being attacked. The Atlanteans took my kingdom. I hate them for that. I saw a little girl on the side of the road two months ago and I could tell she had been fed. Two years ago, the same girl would have been starving. I have seen what the Atlanteans have given my kingdom; I stand behind your empire and so do my men. We are here with you. I need your military to help protect this future Atlantean state. I have to know right now if you will retreat or stand to fight in my capital.”

  Quentoris replies, “We can’t win here. We must retreat to Atlantis to regroup, and reclaim your lands later. These civilians have to be evacuated from Sidra because there is no formable defense here.”

  Two hours past midnight, almost every man, woman, and child have been evacuated from the Valtearean capital. Under darkness of night, the civilians are rushed to port cities to leave by boat, and the Valtearean military marches toward the secondary location.

  When the Kyrenians and Mantineians arrive the next morning at the Valtearean capital, Sidra is almost completely abandoned. Nextear has won the first battle.

  Tulless’ capital is on fire, and all of the women and children have gone except for the few who refused to leave their homes. The Valtearean Army has burned everything, so the invading enemy will have to use their own provisions. Nextear is angry; he was hoping he could use the city for supplies so it would be easier to continue pursuit of his enemy.

  Nextear moves toward an old man inside the city and asks, “Where did they go?”

  The old man replies, “Our people all fled to the seaport of Clarion. The ships are taking them to Atlantis.”

  Nextear asks, “Where is the Valtearean Army?”

  The old man replies, “They went to reinforce the Atlanteans at Bardia.”

  Nextear shouts, “Bardia?”

  In anger, the Mantineian Emperor slaughters the old man. As Sidra citizens observe the killing, they quickly disperse, hoping that Nextear does not come to them with questions. Nextear orders a scouting party to find the Valtearean and Atlantean military. The Mantineian Emperor is determined to destroy the Atlanteans.