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Chapter I: The Third Mongolian-Apache War
Part I
Fifty-seven years of age is a long time to live for many people. Geronimo knew this when he died. Returning to the world and going on to live thousands upon thousands of more years, on the other hand, was something else. At 9,452 years old, Geronimo has seen his fair share of death as people died one after another hunting dangerous game for meat, illness, accidents, savages, and the like. There is a great game being played out and Geronimo knows how it works, unlike the other Immortals. Grigori Potemkin knew about the game as well and swore the Immortal's Oath to Geronimo to avoid death in single combat.
However, there is a man not too far away who calls himself Kublai Khan. For thousands of years, Geronimo had tried his best to kill the Immortal leader of the Mongolians, who now has three vassals of his own. The first war was less of a war and more of a glorified single battle in which the Mongolians destroyed Geronimo's army and hunted down the survivors. Unable to capitalize on the victory (since Silver City was far from the Mongolian borders thousands of years ago), a white peace was signed.
Geronimo tried again just four centuries ago and that ended just as bad as the last war. An army was sent against one of Mongolia's border cities and the Mongolians took the bait. Hundreds of his own soldiers died but Geronimo, with his vassal, led a second army in secret through the untamed lands to lay siege against Beshabalik. Geronimo didn't expect the feigning army to be destroyed so quickly and completely and Kublai Khan didn't expect a city of his to be besieged and so, a white peace was signed. Geronimo looked at his soldiers, the new Tomahawk Warriors with their fearsome throwing axes, the Atls-atls (spearthrowers), and the sheer number of troops at his disposal with contempt. These troops were good troops and well-armed but the Mongolians had grown very powerful and far more numerous. Geronimo started to realize that the Apache will not be the ones to finish off the Khan. At least, not alone. Peace would reign...if the Khan didn't decide that it was his turn to start a war.
The messenger, pale-faced, recited the message the border garrison had sent him to Silver City with. The Mongolians had crossed the border in force on the backs of gigantic fearsome animals and in high numbers of foot soldiers. An unspecified, but high, number of troops in the troop train carried hand rams, useful for battering down defenses.
"What message should I bring back to my commander?" The messenger asked.
Geronimo, standing outside the palace gates with the messenger, said "Tell your commander to hold Tucson to the best of his ability while I and Grigori organize the army." Unlike the Mongolians, Geronimo could use a larger percentage of his manpower since the fighting is on his turf. Not to mention that informants say that the Khan is wary of an attack by the French. The messenger bowed and ran northwest along a path that led to Tucson.
Grigori Potemkin asked, "The Mongolians caught us at a bad time. Most of our force is here or around Silver City! Unless I'm greatly overestimating the Mongolians, they have sent somewhere between forty and fifty units after us, including elephant riders. Tucson has only has two units, including a unit of tamed dogs.
Geronimo looked warily at Grigori, "I know this. The hand rams they brought aren't for Tucson, Grigori. Those hand rams are for Silver City. Tucson and Benson don't have much in the way of fortifications and aren't anything sheer numbers can't bring down. Silver City is a different story. Inform the army that we're preparing a defense for Silver City. Tucson connects Silver City with Benson and when Tucson falls, which it may in the next few days, Benson will fall soon after. We could try attacking them in the forests between Silver City and Tucson once they start marching this direction but that would negate our advantage of fortification and numbers. We do not have a lot of time, Grigori, so get started on the preparations."
Grigori bowed and like the messenger disappeared into the mass of people that entrusted Geronimo with their protection and prosperity. It would take six days of marching to reach Silver City from Tucson. In six days, Silver City will be damn near impenetrable which is far more than can be said about Benson, which is about six days marching from Tucson as well. Geronimo hoped against hope that the Mongolians would just march their entire army on Benson for that would give his own army nearly two weeks to prepare. Realistically, they'll send a chunk of their forces to Benson and start besieging Silver City at the same time.
Geronimo has lived for over 3,449,980 days, yet the next dozen will make or break him...and his people.
***
"Get moving! Every second you idiots waste taking a breather is more length to the rope the Mongolians will use to hang you all after this is over!" Grigori shouted. The troops worked their asses off, and that is the truth. The redundant defenses of palisades and wooden towers will be helpful, Grigori hoped. Thick...wooden palisades. Tucson and Benson have palisades, probably, but Silver City's are the best in the Apache Territories. It helps that the defense will be boosted by 36 Apache units, including the venerable Tomahawk Warriors.
Grigori had to be careful. Geronimo and the Khan are "true" Immortals. Grigori is one of the "unaging" Immortals. Only a true Immortal can kill a true Immortal but anybody with a decapitating device can kill Grigori. True Immortals have senses that tell them there are other Immortals about, Grigori does not. All Grigori knew was how to kill with a tomahawk and, more relevant, the Immortal's Oath which pegs him to Geronimo which is a lot better than the Apache hacking his head off.
Soldiers made sure they had spears as well. The Atls-atls were spearthrowing men which relied on the fact that the enemy is usually massed and spearthrowers usually throw fast and loose into masses of unarmored warriors. The defense of Silver City should be easy.
Should.
***
Temujin spat over the side of the of the litter built on the back of a very large, very tame elephant. "We're on Apache land now."
The other elephant rider in the litter replied, "For now." The 160 elephants of the army led by Kublai Khan himself moved slowly, but surely, through the dense forest. Trees snapped underneath the weight of elephants whenever trees could not be avoided but Temujin would be a liar and a shame to his father if he said the trees were insignificant. The army will reach Tucson is less than two days. "What do you think we would do with Tucson?"
Temujin shrugged, "Burn it? From the stories the old people go on about, no one ever took territory in wars before so I guess that means we'll be burning Tucson. From there? I can't say." The elephants and the rest of the army were passing through under a canopy thick enough to turn the flow of light into a mere trickle. To be honest, elephants can smell pretty damn awful when massed like this. Or maybe it is the even larger mass of people armed with stone axes, stone spears, and throwing spears. The elephant riders used a very long stone spear for their work and have throwing spears just in case. Near the center of the train was the healers and their wares which, importantly, included vast amounts of poison with which the weapons were tipped with before battle. The poison can poison a weapon for a long time but it makes a skin-breaking hit far more likely to kill. Though, the stone axemen and macemen were probably more likely to break something than pierce.
The sound of thousands of marching men and nearly two hundred elephants is a sound that any sane defender would try to avoid, but the Apache are as stubborn as they are aggressive. Temujin didn't put a lot of weight on the stories of old people, but one of the things that many stories had in common was the fact the Apache started both wars. Geronimo, clearly, is not a nice neighbor and what better way for the Khan to let Geronimo that he's a bad neighbor but sending a friendly complaint in the form of fifty units storming across the border?
A soldier threw a punch at another and soon, the two soldiers were surrounded by soldiers watching the spectacle. Temujin sighed and grabbed the reins of the elephant to stop it. One of those men would be dead soon, and probably for no better reason than one had laid with the other's wife. If someone had to die every time that happened, a lot of old men and young boy back home will be dead once the soldiers return home. Temujin knew a lot of the soldiers fighting personally but that is bound to happen when most of the soldiers come from the capital. The new cities, try as they might, just aren't up to snuff compared to the capital.
Few things are.
***
Part I
Fifty-seven years of age is a long time to live for many people. Geronimo knew this when he died. Returning to the world and going on to live thousands upon thousands of more years, on the other hand, was something else. At 9,452 years old, Geronimo has seen his fair share of death as people died one after another hunting dangerous game for meat, illness, accidents, savages, and the like. There is a great game being played out and Geronimo knows how it works, unlike the other Immortals. Grigori Potemkin knew about the game as well and swore the Immortal's Oath to Geronimo to avoid death in single combat.
However, there is a man not too far away who calls himself Kublai Khan. For thousands of years, Geronimo had tried his best to kill the Immortal leader of the Mongolians, who now has three vassals of his own. The first war was less of a war and more of a glorified single battle in which the Mongolians destroyed Geronimo's army and hunted down the survivors. Unable to capitalize on the victory (since Silver City was far from the Mongolian borders thousands of years ago), a white peace was signed.
Geronimo tried again just four centuries ago and that ended just as bad as the last war. An army was sent against one of Mongolia's border cities and the Mongolians took the bait. Hundreds of his own soldiers died but Geronimo, with his vassal, led a second army in secret through the untamed lands to lay siege against Beshabalik. Geronimo didn't expect the feigning army to be destroyed so quickly and completely and Kublai Khan didn't expect a city of his to be besieged and so, a white peace was signed. Geronimo looked at his soldiers, the new Tomahawk Warriors with their fearsome throwing axes, the Atls-atls (spearthrowers), and the sheer number of troops at his disposal with contempt. These troops were good troops and well-armed but the Mongolians had grown very powerful and far more numerous. Geronimo started to realize that the Apache will not be the ones to finish off the Khan. At least, not alone. Peace would reign...if the Khan didn't decide that it was his turn to start a war.
The messenger, pale-faced, recited the message the border garrison had sent him to Silver City with. The Mongolians had crossed the border in force on the backs of gigantic fearsome animals and in high numbers of foot soldiers. An unspecified, but high, number of troops in the troop train carried hand rams, useful for battering down defenses.
"What message should I bring back to my commander?" The messenger asked.
Geronimo, standing outside the palace gates with the messenger, said "Tell your commander to hold Tucson to the best of his ability while I and Grigori organize the army." Unlike the Mongolians, Geronimo could use a larger percentage of his manpower since the fighting is on his turf. Not to mention that informants say that the Khan is wary of an attack by the French. The messenger bowed and ran northwest along a path that led to Tucson.
Grigori Potemkin asked, "The Mongolians caught us at a bad time. Most of our force is here or around Silver City! Unless I'm greatly overestimating the Mongolians, they have sent somewhere between forty and fifty units after us, including elephant riders. Tucson has only has two units, including a unit of tamed dogs.
Geronimo looked warily at Grigori, "I know this. The hand rams they brought aren't for Tucson, Grigori. Those hand rams are for Silver City. Tucson and Benson don't have much in the way of fortifications and aren't anything sheer numbers can't bring down. Silver City is a different story. Inform the army that we're preparing a defense for Silver City. Tucson connects Silver City with Benson and when Tucson falls, which it may in the next few days, Benson will fall soon after. We could try attacking them in the forests between Silver City and Tucson once they start marching this direction but that would negate our advantage of fortification and numbers. We do not have a lot of time, Grigori, so get started on the preparations."
Grigori bowed and like the messenger disappeared into the mass of people that entrusted Geronimo with their protection and prosperity. It would take six days of marching to reach Silver City from Tucson. In six days, Silver City will be damn near impenetrable which is far more than can be said about Benson, which is about six days marching from Tucson as well. Geronimo hoped against hope that the Mongolians would just march their entire army on Benson for that would give his own army nearly two weeks to prepare. Realistically, they'll send a chunk of their forces to Benson and start besieging Silver City at the same time.
Geronimo has lived for over 3,449,980 days, yet the next dozen will make or break him...and his people.
Spoiler :
***
"Get moving! Every second you idiots waste taking a breather is more length to the rope the Mongolians will use to hang you all after this is over!" Grigori shouted. The troops worked their asses off, and that is the truth. The redundant defenses of palisades and wooden towers will be helpful, Grigori hoped. Thick...wooden palisades. Tucson and Benson have palisades, probably, but Silver City's are the best in the Apache Territories. It helps that the defense will be boosted by 36 Apache units, including the venerable Tomahawk Warriors.
Grigori had to be careful. Geronimo and the Khan are "true" Immortals. Grigori is one of the "unaging" Immortals. Only a true Immortal can kill a true Immortal but anybody with a decapitating device can kill Grigori. True Immortals have senses that tell them there are other Immortals about, Grigori does not. All Grigori knew was how to kill with a tomahawk and, more relevant, the Immortal's Oath which pegs him to Geronimo which is a lot better than the Apache hacking his head off.
Soldiers made sure they had spears as well. The Atls-atls were spearthrowing men which relied on the fact that the enemy is usually massed and spearthrowers usually throw fast and loose into masses of unarmored warriors. The defense of Silver City should be easy.
Should.
***
Temujin spat over the side of the of the litter built on the back of a very large, very tame elephant. "We're on Apache land now."
The other elephant rider in the litter replied, "For now." The 160 elephants of the army led by Kublai Khan himself moved slowly, but surely, through the dense forest. Trees snapped underneath the weight of elephants whenever trees could not be avoided but Temujin would be a liar and a shame to his father if he said the trees were insignificant. The army will reach Tucson is less than two days. "What do you think we would do with Tucson?"
Temujin shrugged, "Burn it? From the stories the old people go on about, no one ever took territory in wars before so I guess that means we'll be burning Tucson. From there? I can't say." The elephants and the rest of the army were passing through under a canopy thick enough to turn the flow of light into a mere trickle. To be honest, elephants can smell pretty damn awful when massed like this. Or maybe it is the even larger mass of people armed with stone axes, stone spears, and throwing spears. The elephant riders used a very long stone spear for their work and have throwing spears just in case. Near the center of the train was the healers and their wares which, importantly, included vast amounts of poison with which the weapons were tipped with before battle. The poison can poison a weapon for a long time but it makes a skin-breaking hit far more likely to kill. Though, the stone axemen and macemen were probably more likely to break something than pierce.
The sound of thousands of marching men and nearly two hundred elephants is a sound that any sane defender would try to avoid, but the Apache are as stubborn as they are aggressive. Temujin didn't put a lot of weight on the stories of old people, but one of the things that many stories had in common was the fact the Apache started both wars. Geronimo, clearly, is not a nice neighbor and what better way for the Khan to let Geronimo that he's a bad neighbor but sending a friendly complaint in the form of fifty units storming across the border?
A soldier threw a punch at another and soon, the two soldiers were surrounded by soldiers watching the spectacle. Temujin sighed and grabbed the reins of the elephant to stop it. One of those men would be dead soon, and probably for no better reason than one had laid with the other's wife. If someone had to die every time that happened, a lot of old men and young boy back home will be dead once the soldiers return home. Temujin knew a lot of the soldiers fighting personally but that is bound to happen when most of the soldiers come from the capital. The new cities, try as they might, just aren't up to snuff compared to the capital.
Few things are.
Spoiler :
***
