Shibbyman
Chieftain
Sounds good so far. When does the next chapter come out?
The Greeks a History
- Thread starter Dnomal
- Start date
Part XI - The battle for Athens
From a distance they were nothing but a cloud, dust, men and horses, all racing to Athens, the eternal city, home of the greeks, and the greatest city in the world. As the old saying went, "civilisation grown and floursihed before it even began in other nations".
The cavalrymen following Elias, the greatest general of the day, had never seen Athens, they were provincials to whom city walls alone seemed amazing. So when Elias lead his men nearer to Athens he was tempted to give them a moment to soak in the experience, the great hanging gardens, the Great Library, and so many more, but when they saw the Pyramids they were truely awed, the greatest monuments ever conceived, even now, so many centuries after their completion they were the greatest, largest and talling structures ever built.
Elias awoke from his day dream...
He held onto the horse's rough hair, and twirled round to adress his soldiers, most of whom could do nothnig but stare at the Great city.
"Wake up men! Those Indian invaders want to take that city! They want to take every building, scorch every shrine, and kill every greek!
Will you let those bastards do that!"
Already their blood was boiling, he could see something stirring within them, a great power, inner strength and determination.
"Well will you?"
The roar was deafening, and every man looked like an ancient hero, a war god.
"Come on!!!!"
Four thousand men, and the hopes of two million Athenians rode across the field towards the Indian army.
Elias was deafeaned by the sounds, the galloping of the hoves, the war cries of the men, he could barely hear his own voice when he shouted.
"Fire at will men! No mercy, and no prisoners."
The Indian army was taken completly by surprise, suddenyl four thousand Greeks each with manic fury galloping towards them. A volley of arrows flew up into the air, they fell upon the earth with the anger their owners had wished for them.
Before the eternal city Elias crashed into the Indian barbarians, procedure was to circle and shoot, circle and choot, but he didn't care, the men didn't care, they wanted blood, they;d trapped across the old homeland and seen the ruins of farms, of people, the raped women, the murdered men, the stolen children.
Elias stabbed with his spear down on a small Indian soldier, the spear struck in his neck, and within an instant blood squirted everywhere, hitting Greek and Indian alike. Another stab from a spear got an arm, another a leg, more and more fell, then Elias's Spear broke, he pulled out his sword, panting from his extersions and slashed at faces, cutting through eyes and nose, mouths and necks all the same. Blood seeped and poured, some screamed and fell, others simply died.
The Indian army before Athens had been annhilated, and Athens was safe from the invaders, Athens, Greece and the Empire were all secure, and Elias swore before mighty Zeus himself, India would pay, she would face a greek vengence that would make even the mighty gods tremble in fear.
From a distance they were nothing but a cloud, dust, men and horses, all racing to Athens, the eternal city, home of the greeks, and the greatest city in the world. As the old saying went, "civilisation grown and floursihed before it even began in other nations".
The cavalrymen following Elias, the greatest general of the day, had never seen Athens, they were provincials to whom city walls alone seemed amazing. So when Elias lead his men nearer to Athens he was tempted to give them a moment to soak in the experience, the great hanging gardens, the Great Library, and so many more, but when they saw the Pyramids they were truely awed, the greatest monuments ever conceived, even now, so many centuries after their completion they were the greatest, largest and talling structures ever built.
Elias awoke from his day dream...
He held onto the horse's rough hair, and twirled round to adress his soldiers, most of whom could do nothnig but stare at the Great city.
"Wake up men! Those Indian invaders want to take that city! They want to take every building, scorch every shrine, and kill every greek!
Will you let those bastards do that!"
Already their blood was boiling, he could see something stirring within them, a great power, inner strength and determination.
"Well will you?"
The roar was deafening, and every man looked like an ancient hero, a war god.
"Come on!!!!"
Four thousand men, and the hopes of two million Athenians rode across the field towards the Indian army.
Elias was deafeaned by the sounds, the galloping of the hoves, the war cries of the men, he could barely hear his own voice when he shouted.
"Fire at will men! No mercy, and no prisoners."
The Indian army was taken completly by surprise, suddenyl four thousand Greeks each with manic fury galloping towards them. A volley of arrows flew up into the air, they fell upon the earth with the anger their owners had wished for them.
Before the eternal city Elias crashed into the Indian barbarians, procedure was to circle and shoot, circle and choot, but he didn't care, the men didn't care, they wanted blood, they;d trapped across the old homeland and seen the ruins of farms, of people, the raped women, the murdered men, the stolen children.
Elias stabbed with his spear down on a small Indian soldier, the spear struck in his neck, and within an instant blood squirted everywhere, hitting Greek and Indian alike. Another stab from a spear got an arm, another a leg, more and more fell, then Elias's Spear broke, he pulled out his sword, panting from his extersions and slashed at faces, cutting through eyes and nose, mouths and necks all the same. Blood seeped and poured, some screamed and fell, others simply died.
The Indian army before Athens had been annhilated, and Athens was safe from the invaders, Athens, Greece and the Empire were all secure, and Elias swore before mighty Zeus himself, India would pay, she would face a greek vengence that would make even the mighty gods tremble in fear.
Part XII - The Ultimate Betrayl
"Citizens, Athenians, good people of Greece! I present to you the head of the Indian warlord, mastermind of the barbaric invasion of our land, slaughterer of our people."
A mighty cheer went up around the stand, every Athenian worth his salt was cheering a mighty cheer, thankfull of the deliverance from Elias, for in their eyes, it was Elias, not the Army, or the Gods who had saved them from the Indian menace....
"Elias! Elias! Elias!"
Elias's generals stood prowdly behind him, and his men felt like titans on earth, it was their day as much as Elias's, they knew it, and Elias knew it, even if the people forgot it.
"My countrymen, it is the army, the brave 9th Army that deserves the credit, as do you glorius people! Rulers of the world!"
The roar from the crowd doubled, there was no coherance now, only joy form the rich and poor alike, later in their lives people would prowdly say, "I was there, i saw Elias and his speech".
A bell ring signified the ending of this great moment, and the cry came out, for Elias it was worse than war, worse than death.
"Peace! Peace! Peace! The Senate has declared peace."
------
Senate House - Following Day
"PEACE!"
Elias burst into the Senate house in a wild fury, his aids followed him cautiously.
"The Army has won on land, the navy has won at sea, and I have the largest army ever assembled ready to smash the Indian bastards once and for all, and you! You . .. .. .. .ing bastards make Peace! How dare you, how dare you defy the gods, this is their will, to exterminate the Indians once and for all!"
"Silence Elias, your speeches may be tolerated on the streets, but not in this highest most sacred court." The Speaker was old, but truely strong, his voice held authority and honour, a privelage handed down to him from his family no doubt courtesy of expensive scolars and philisophers in his youth.
"How could you do this?" Elias's anger would not be tempered, he had been betrayed, by people he and his men had fought to protect.
The First Speaker lifted himself from his seat:
"Elias that is enough! The empire is in disarray in Teotichuan there are rumours of rebellion, the Spanish are performing "maneuvars" on our border, and a million civilians may starve by the end of the month in Athens alone."
Elias tried to interrupt but found himself shouted over.
"Greece must re-equip the army and re-build our infastructure, we cannot affor war, at least not now."
Elias had heard enough, he turned on his heel, his cloak swirling around him he stormed out, much to the disarray of the Senators.
"Tiberuis" Elias turned to his chief aid, knowledgable in the ways of the world, cynical say some, to others wise.
"Yes Elias"
"Explain what just happened there?"
"Politics Sir, you are to successful, the Senate fears you, your public support is to great."
"Cowards, why not just..."
Elias would not finish his sentence, a long silver dagger would pierce his skin. Elias looked up and saw an assasin escaping from the hall. Elias totterred and fell, shock and the wound humbled him, he fell on his back, looking up at the panic above him, screaming and shouting.
Elias's blood spread across the floor, and Elias panted, breathing shallowly, and restlessly...
Elias's assasin was cut down a few feet away, his name, his identity, his motive died with him, Elias's men were in no mood for mercy...
"Citizens, Athenians, good people of Greece! I present to you the head of the Indian warlord, mastermind of the barbaric invasion of our land, slaughterer of our people."
A mighty cheer went up around the stand, every Athenian worth his salt was cheering a mighty cheer, thankfull of the deliverance from Elias, for in their eyes, it was Elias, not the Army, or the Gods who had saved them from the Indian menace....
"Elias! Elias! Elias!"
Elias's generals stood prowdly behind him, and his men felt like titans on earth, it was their day as much as Elias's, they knew it, and Elias knew it, even if the people forgot it.
"My countrymen, it is the army, the brave 9th Army that deserves the credit, as do you glorius people! Rulers of the world!"
The roar from the crowd doubled, there was no coherance now, only joy form the rich and poor alike, later in their lives people would prowdly say, "I was there, i saw Elias and his speech".
A bell ring signified the ending of this great moment, and the cry came out, for Elias it was worse than war, worse than death.
"Peace! Peace! Peace! The Senate has declared peace."
------
Senate House - Following Day
"PEACE!"
Elias burst into the Senate house in a wild fury, his aids followed him cautiously.
"The Army has won on land, the navy has won at sea, and I have the largest army ever assembled ready to smash the Indian bastards once and for all, and you! You . .. .. .. .ing bastards make Peace! How dare you, how dare you defy the gods, this is their will, to exterminate the Indians once and for all!"
"Silence Elias, your speeches may be tolerated on the streets, but not in this highest most sacred court." The Speaker was old, but truely strong, his voice held authority and honour, a privelage handed down to him from his family no doubt courtesy of expensive scolars and philisophers in his youth.
"How could you do this?" Elias's anger would not be tempered, he had been betrayed, by people he and his men had fought to protect.
The First Speaker lifted himself from his seat:
"Elias that is enough! The empire is in disarray in Teotichuan there are rumours of rebellion, the Spanish are performing "maneuvars" on our border, and a million civilians may starve by the end of the month in Athens alone."
Elias tried to interrupt but found himself shouted over.
"Greece must re-equip the army and re-build our infastructure, we cannot affor war, at least not now."
Elias had heard enough, he turned on his heel, his cloak swirling around him he stormed out, much to the disarray of the Senators.
"Tiberuis" Elias turned to his chief aid, knowledgable in the ways of the world, cynical say some, to others wise.
"Yes Elias"
"Explain what just happened there?"
"Politics Sir, you are to successful, the Senate fears you, your public support is to great."
"Cowards, why not just..."
Elias would not finish his sentence, a long silver dagger would pierce his skin. Elias looked up and saw an assasin escaping from the hall. Elias totterred and fell, shock and the wound humbled him, he fell on his back, looking up at the panic above him, screaming and shouting.
Elias's blood spread across the floor, and Elias panted, breathing shallowly, and restlessly...
Elias's assasin was cut down a few feet away, his name, his identity, his motive died with him, Elias's men were in no mood for mercy...
Part XIII - Recovery
Elias would survive the attempt on his life, but he would be forever changed his anger at the Indians would change to fury, and fury to his obsession; to wipe out the Indian civilisation forever.
Meanwhile Greece would also change, whispers of rebellion in the East would be put down ruthlessly, while the Greeks would assemble a new "Eastern Army", to discourage any Spanish thoughts of war. Athen's population would grow to it's pre-war levels, meanwhile the cities in the west were transformed into great shipyards, building a vast navy, the Greeks swore no Indian navy would rule Greek seas again. While acorss Greece more and more men enrolled in the army, Greece's army doubled in just two deacades, it's navy would quadruple.
----
However the Greek move to militarism was not seen favourably outside of Greek lands, to the South the Carthaginians had been spreading themselves further and further, and through peaceful colonisation (and the lack of any neighbouring civilisation to challenge them), established a sizeable empire of their own, and they had ambitions of thier own.
Therefore it was of a great surprise when the Carthaginians sent a diplomatic delegation to Athens, to discuss their leader's plans for a joint invasion of India....
Elias would survive the attempt on his life, but he would be forever changed his anger at the Indians would change to fury, and fury to his obsession; to wipe out the Indian civilisation forever.
Meanwhile Greece would also change, whispers of rebellion in the East would be put down ruthlessly, while the Greeks would assemble a new "Eastern Army", to discourage any Spanish thoughts of war. Athen's population would grow to it's pre-war levels, meanwhile the cities in the west were transformed into great shipyards, building a vast navy, the Greeks swore no Indian navy would rule Greek seas again. While acorss Greece more and more men enrolled in the army, Greece's army doubled in just two deacades, it's navy would quadruple.
----
However the Greek move to militarism was not seen favourably outside of Greek lands, to the South the Carthaginians had been spreading themselves further and further, and through peaceful colonisation (and the lack of any neighbouring civilisation to challenge them), established a sizeable empire of their own, and they had ambitions of thier own.
Therefore it was of a great surprise when the Carthaginians sent a diplomatic delegation to Athens, to discuss their leader's plans for a joint invasion of India....
Thanks... Kinda hard getting back into the story after so long away from it, I'm gunna have to look over the replay file a few times later one to get it right.
Part XIV - The Conflict begins.
"Elias!"
"Elias!"
Tiberius looked around for his master, he hardly expected him to be far away, expecting the old defences was a tiring task, oragnising what was to be sent to the new frontiers with Spain and Carthage instead of the museums of the empire was just as dull.
"Tiberius? You look as though you were elected first speaker!"
"Elias. Carthage has declared war on India."
A broad grin spread across Elias' war torn face.
"And the Senate? Have THEY followed suit?"
"Not yet, although my contacts believe they will within days."
"At last, vengence for the Indian betrayl..."
-------
Meanwhile in Athens
"Noble Senators of the Greek Empire."
The foreign delegation was composed of three tall blue eyed diplomats, each with (thought the Greeks) oddly white skin.
The First Speaker rose with dignity and composure, and peared down from his lofty seat down onto the three dangly foreigners, more with interest than annoyannce, which, thought his colleagues was odd indeed.
"For what reason have you come here?"
The plumpest of the three men spoke up at last:
"We have come from the land of our forefathers, long oppressed by the vile Indians of Delhi. It was we, under our noble queen Victoria who organised the destruction of Indian infastructure in the East of India's tyrannical dominon.
Now we have finally broken free of Indian rule, as our people take up the call, to create our own new nation. However we cannot do it alone, so our queen has asked for the assistance of your own mighty land, so the vile Indian will never again oppress another." The plump man breathed a deep breath from his long rehearsed speach, he had no doubt practiced it night and day on the month long trip from the newly founded English nation.
"Furthermore" he continued in his deep booming voice.
"In exchange for Greek assistance in this war we, the English, would be proud to become part of Greece's self-ruling dominon."
A small weedy senator from Corinth (Jewish no doubt thought his colleagues in disgust, a single God? How un-Greek.)
"The people of Greece will not be led into war blindly, many fear another war."
Another senator rose from the other side of the chamber.
"The people of Greece" he said derrogatively "want nothing more than the complete annhilation of the Indians, and the disintigreation of their empire."
A cheer boomed around the chamber, and as the First Speaker put the motion to the vote nearly every senator's hand rose, only the Jews of Corinth and the former Aztec lands did not.
"Elias!"
"Elias!"
Tiberius looked around for his master, he hardly expected him to be far away, expecting the old defences was a tiring task, oragnising what was to be sent to the new frontiers with Spain and Carthage instead of the museums of the empire was just as dull.
"Tiberius? You look as though you were elected first speaker!"
"Elias. Carthage has declared war on India."
A broad grin spread across Elias' war torn face.
"And the Senate? Have THEY followed suit?"
"Not yet, although my contacts believe they will within days."
"At last, vengence for the Indian betrayl..."
-------
Meanwhile in Athens
"Noble Senators of the Greek Empire."
The foreign delegation was composed of three tall blue eyed diplomats, each with (thought the Greeks) oddly white skin.
The First Speaker rose with dignity and composure, and peared down from his lofty seat down onto the three dangly foreigners, more with interest than annoyannce, which, thought his colleagues was odd indeed.
"For what reason have you come here?"
The plumpest of the three men spoke up at last:
"We have come from the land of our forefathers, long oppressed by the vile Indians of Delhi. It was we, under our noble queen Victoria who organised the destruction of Indian infastructure in the East of India's tyrannical dominon.
Now we have finally broken free of Indian rule, as our people take up the call, to create our own new nation. However we cannot do it alone, so our queen has asked for the assistance of your own mighty land, so the vile Indian will never again oppress another." The plump man breathed a deep breath from his long rehearsed speach, he had no doubt practiced it night and day on the month long trip from the newly founded English nation.
"Furthermore" he continued in his deep booming voice.
"In exchange for Greek assistance in this war we, the English, would be proud to become part of Greece's self-ruling dominon."
A small weedy senator from Corinth (Jewish no doubt thought his colleagues in disgust, a single God? How un-Greek.)
"The people of Greece will not be led into war blindly, many fear another war."
Another senator rose from the other side of the chamber.
"The people of Greece" he said derrogatively "want nothing more than the complete annhilation of the Indians, and the disintigreation of their empire."
A cheer boomed around the chamber, and as the First Speaker put the motion to the vote nearly every senator's hand rose, only the Jews of Corinth and the former Aztec lands did not.
Part XV - The war beings in earnest.
A cold January day was he setting for the largest sea invasion in Greek History. The Indian beach was completly undefended, Elias and his generals suspected the Indians were probably busing fighting the Carthaginians and the English to worry about their shoreline. Which was a misatke for them.
The Indian capital was only a short march from the shoreline, wirh forty thousand Greeks pillaging the country side on their way.
The Greek soldiers were amazed when they saw Delhi, they had read about it at school (well the officers had at least), and had imagined a vast Metropolis filled with awe-inspiring structures and human creations.
Instead they saw a glorifed town on a mountain, it as not awe inspiring, or vast, or anything, in fact the most impressive structure it could boast was the city walls.
"Prepare the Catapults!"
Elias roared over the crowd of men before him, all lined up in perfect order and in position ready to march. Even now his voice was load, clear and imposing, no wonder the men loved him so much.
"Take a look boys! This may be the last time you see that city in Indian hands." A roar burst out from the assembled troops, each seemed to be screaming and shouting for his life, vengence, as the old saying proclaimed, was best served cold, many had lost relatives in the last war. Elias had made sure his troops were mainly farmers, some had even been alive during the Indian pillaging all those years before.
"Fire!"
The row of catapults all erupted at once, ten, then twenty boulders flew into the air, far above the crowd of me, the horsemen. If they had not been weapons of war and destruction they would have been beautiful.
They crashed into the walls, they physically shook, everyone could see that, two even smashed through the walls, leaving massive holes and a crumbling wall section, three went over into the city, and four hit the top section of the walls, scimming over the structures, but slaying many defenders.
Again and again the catapults fired, until Elias decided luck would have to take a back-seat for this battle. All the Greek fire was concentrated on one tottering section, the boulders flew with malice, high into the air, being pulled back to the Earth slowly it seeed, but with the same inevetablity as that of a man's eventual death. The tottering section shattered under the weight of this fire.
The crumbling and crunching of men's bones could be heard even by the Greeks, defenders, women, children, they did not care who had been trying to repair the wall.
"Take them! Take them NOW!"
The Greek army ran forward, with the anger of wolves they clambered up the hill, eager for blood, and for victory. A hail of arrows flew from the vengeful defenders, many Greeks attackeers raised their large sheilds in time, some did not.
Those who fell riggled and cried out.
"Lets go men!"
Every snigle Remaining man in the army screamed forward and ran, ran like nothnig before forward to the Indians.
Elias himself panted desperately tryin to keep up with his bodyguards, who it had seemed, had forgotten him entirely. Around him more and more men fell, arrows or the boystrous soldiers, some got up, most did not.
When Elias did get up to the walls he saw very little to do.The first wave seemed to have done extremly well for itself. Few Indians were left, and those that remanied were being mobbed by the great numbers of Greeks surrounding him.
A thought occured to him suddenly.
"Follow me" he commanded to the men around him.
The obeyed and ra thorugh the ragin battle, through the deserted streets, into the welathiest neighbourhood of the city. Then turning a corner in the winding streets, Elias and his men could clearly see what could only be a palace.
"Quick! Quick!" Elias shouted at the men who seemed transfixed at the ornate carvings and gold around the structure.
Elias and his small bad burst thorugh the great doors. Two Indians stood guard. A swift slash of Elias's sword cut down the first, a small boyby the looks of it. The other faired better, he had warning. He swung his sword and grazed Elias's arm, his group started forward meaning to attack.
"No" Elias declared with malice in his eyes and heart.
"Calling of your cronies are you then Elias?"
"Silence you coward."
"Your mother thought different."
Elias lost his self imposed cool, and lashed out at the man, but he was too fast, blocking his poorly aimed attack.
"You are a monster" Elias pronounced clearly and slowly.
"How IS your mother Elias?"
"You bastard!" Elias screached, he lunged with all the weight of his body behind him.
He was far to distracted to react.
The blunted and blood stained sword peirced the man's flesh in an instant, he fell to his kness shouting obsenities and blashemies in short order. Blood squirted everywhere, Elias had hit a blood artery.
"Say hi to my son Elias."
Elias crouched down next to the dying man, and whispered in his ear,
"He knows nothing of you, and he never will, to him and everyone worth anything you do not exist."
The man, once a wealthy merchant from a land he called Arabia, a welcomed visitor in his father's house all those years ago, then displayed a sorrowfull expression, and if he had not done what he had done, he might just have felt sorry for him.
Elias' men glanced at him, none of them metting his eyes.
"I would appreciated it if you would keep this to yourselves, and not tell anyone, about this." he said calmly as though he had just killed a deer not a human being.
They nodded, and felt more respect for him, he was human, not the idol their compatriots worshipped as a living-god.
A cold January day was he setting for the largest sea invasion in Greek History. The Indian beach was completly undefended, Elias and his generals suspected the Indians were probably busing fighting the Carthaginians and the English to worry about their shoreline. Which was a misatke for them.
The Indian capital was only a short march from the shoreline, wirh forty thousand Greeks pillaging the country side on their way.
The Greek soldiers were amazed when they saw Delhi, they had read about it at school (well the officers had at least), and had imagined a vast Metropolis filled with awe-inspiring structures and human creations.
Instead they saw a glorifed town on a mountain, it as not awe inspiring, or vast, or anything, in fact the most impressive structure it could boast was the city walls.
"Prepare the Catapults!"
Elias roared over the crowd of men before him, all lined up in perfect order and in position ready to march. Even now his voice was load, clear and imposing, no wonder the men loved him so much.
"Take a look boys! This may be the last time you see that city in Indian hands." A roar burst out from the assembled troops, each seemed to be screaming and shouting for his life, vengence, as the old saying proclaimed, was best served cold, many had lost relatives in the last war. Elias had made sure his troops were mainly farmers, some had even been alive during the Indian pillaging all those years before.
"Fire!"
The row of catapults all erupted at once, ten, then twenty boulders flew into the air, far above the crowd of me, the horsemen. If they had not been weapons of war and destruction they would have been beautiful.
They crashed into the walls, they physically shook, everyone could see that, two even smashed through the walls, leaving massive holes and a crumbling wall section, three went over into the city, and four hit the top section of the walls, scimming over the structures, but slaying many defenders.
Again and again the catapults fired, until Elias decided luck would have to take a back-seat for this battle. All the Greek fire was concentrated on one tottering section, the boulders flew with malice, high into the air, being pulled back to the Earth slowly it seeed, but with the same inevetablity as that of a man's eventual death. The tottering section shattered under the weight of this fire.
The crumbling and crunching of men's bones could be heard even by the Greeks, defenders, women, children, they did not care who had been trying to repair the wall.
"Take them! Take them NOW!"
The Greek army ran forward, with the anger of wolves they clambered up the hill, eager for blood, and for victory. A hail of arrows flew from the vengeful defenders, many Greeks attackeers raised their large sheilds in time, some did not.
Those who fell riggled and cried out.
"Lets go men!"
Every snigle Remaining man in the army screamed forward and ran, ran like nothnig before forward to the Indians.
Elias himself panted desperately tryin to keep up with his bodyguards, who it had seemed, had forgotten him entirely. Around him more and more men fell, arrows or the boystrous soldiers, some got up, most did not.
When Elias did get up to the walls he saw very little to do.The first wave seemed to have done extremly well for itself. Few Indians were left, and those that remanied were being mobbed by the great numbers of Greeks surrounding him.
A thought occured to him suddenly.
"Follow me" he commanded to the men around him.
The obeyed and ra thorugh the ragin battle, through the deserted streets, into the welathiest neighbourhood of the city. Then turning a corner in the winding streets, Elias and his men could clearly see what could only be a palace.
"Quick! Quick!" Elias shouted at the men who seemed transfixed at the ornate carvings and gold around the structure.
Elias and his small bad burst thorugh the great doors. Two Indians stood guard. A swift slash of Elias's sword cut down the first, a small boyby the looks of it. The other faired better, he had warning. He swung his sword and grazed Elias's arm, his group started forward meaning to attack.
"No" Elias declared with malice in his eyes and heart.
"Calling of your cronies are you then Elias?"
"Silence you coward."
"Your mother thought different."
Elias lost his self imposed cool, and lashed out at the man, but he was too fast, blocking his poorly aimed attack.
"You are a monster" Elias pronounced clearly and slowly.
"How IS your mother Elias?"
"You bastard!" Elias screached, he lunged with all the weight of his body behind him.
He was far to distracted to react.
The blunted and blood stained sword peirced the man's flesh in an instant, he fell to his kness shouting obsenities and blashemies in short order. Blood squirted everywhere, Elias had hit a blood artery.
"Say hi to my son Elias."
Elias crouched down next to the dying man, and whispered in his ear,
"He knows nothing of you, and he never will, to him and everyone worth anything you do not exist."
The man, once a wealthy merchant from a land he called Arabia, a welcomed visitor in his father's house all those years ago, then displayed a sorrowfull expression, and if he had not done what he had done, he might just have felt sorry for him.
Elias' men glanced at him, none of them metting his eyes.
"I would appreciated it if you would keep this to yourselves, and not tell anyone, about this." he said calmly as though he had just killed a deer not a human being.
They nodded, and felt more respect for him, he was human, not the idol their compatriots worshipped as a living-god.
Part XVI - India begins to crumble
The fall of Delhi was big news, acorss the world stories spread of the capture of the Aztec capital, in normal warfare, under normal situations the capital of a nation would be the last city to fall to an invader, not the first.
The Carthaginians and the English used the ensuing Indian panic to gain great victories. England expanded north into the Indian port cities, thereby reducing India to a mediocre land power, one which was increasingly fading from the world scene. Carthage's expert army would make further gains in the South.
Everywhere the Indians looked they saw disaster. The English revolt, the Carthagain incursion AND the Greeks, few in the relocated capital could hope for anything other than a swift surrender.
The fall of Delhi was big news, acorss the world stories spread of the capture of the Aztec capital, in normal warfare, under normal situations the capital of a nation would be the last city to fall to an invader, not the first.
The Carthaginians and the English used the ensuing Indian panic to gain great victories. England expanded north into the Indian port cities, thereby reducing India to a mediocre land power, one which was increasingly fading from the world scene. Carthage's expert army would make further gains in the South.
Everywhere the Indians looked they saw disaster. The English revolt, the Carthagain incursion AND the Greeks, few in the relocated capital could hope for anything other than a swift surrender.
Sorry It's been so long since my last post, but I've kinda been busy, I hope to get this story finsihed soon. (there's still alot of exciting things to come, the colonial wars, and two others, including the apocalyptic, LAST WAR.)
Hope you enjoy these three chapters, more to follow tommorow, or at latest wednesday.
Hope you enjoy these three chapters, more to follow tommorow, or at latest wednesday.
Extract from "The History of Greek Culture and Civilisation"
The defeat of India and it's reduction to a trivil city state on the Greeco-Cathaginian border can be seen as a watershed in world history. The age of wandering barbarians and ruthless expansionism was over. The world was now dominated by super states, as they consolidated their power and influence, none deemed their neighbours as threats, far from it, most saw them as necessary to mantain cohesion in their own empires.
The Carthaginians became the world bankers, the welathiest nation in the world, with great construction and consolidation products across their empire.
The Ottomans became the 'third party', involved in civil war and reform for centuries, attempting to pacify the powerful German minority. The Arabians attempted to continue their independence and individuality while becoming increasingly modern as opposed to the "old ways". Spain was a vibrant philisophical land, with religous philisopies in abundance, in the old Joke, there were more religions in Spain than religions.
And largest and gretest of all was Greece. Sucessfull again and again they were unparalellled, with an empire larger than any other, with greater history, tradition and technology than their rivals.
However despite this image serious problems were developing in Greece.
"Sucess bred arrogance, arrogance bred decodance, and decodance bred decay."
As a general would later say.
The problem was simple, the military was neglected, the economy increasingly un competetive and soceity focused increasingly on artwork and culture instead of work and construction. Why join the army when you couldbecome a priest, artist or politican? All of which paid better.
In fact the Greek military was so negelected that one military report feared "a single great rebellion in a single province may be enough to topple the Hegemony of Athens and bring Greece as we know it to an end". Politicans paid no notice, money was needed elsewhere, pecae had reigned for a thousand years, there was not reason to think it would ever be a war in their lifetime, or indeed ever again.
The Incan rebellion should have been a warning to them, a large scale rebellion in former Aztec and Spanish territories, a religous coalition that outnumbered the meager Greek troops in the region.
Only through severe actions and fast mobility of mounted units was the revolt put down, and even then the surounding lands would take decades to recover.
Ahead Greece's future was increasingly uncertain.
The defeat of India and it's reduction to a trivil city state on the Greeco-Cathaginian border can be seen as a watershed in world history. The age of wandering barbarians and ruthless expansionism was over. The world was now dominated by super states, as they consolidated their power and influence, none deemed their neighbours as threats, far from it, most saw them as necessary to mantain cohesion in their own empires.
The Carthaginians became the world bankers, the welathiest nation in the world, with great construction and consolidation products across their empire.
The Ottomans became the 'third party', involved in civil war and reform for centuries, attempting to pacify the powerful German minority. The Arabians attempted to continue their independence and individuality while becoming increasingly modern as opposed to the "old ways". Spain was a vibrant philisophical land, with religous philisopies in abundance, in the old Joke, there were more religions in Spain than religions.
And largest and gretest of all was Greece. Sucessfull again and again they were unparalellled, with an empire larger than any other, with greater history, tradition and technology than their rivals.
However despite this image serious problems were developing in Greece.
"Sucess bred arrogance, arrogance bred decodance, and decodance bred decay."
As a general would later say.
The problem was simple, the military was neglected, the economy increasingly un competetive and soceity focused increasingly on artwork and culture instead of work and construction. Why join the army when you couldbecome a priest, artist or politican? All of which paid better.
In fact the Greek military was so negelected that one military report feared "a single great rebellion in a single province may be enough to topple the Hegemony of Athens and bring Greece as we know it to an end". Politicans paid no notice, money was needed elsewhere, pecae had reigned for a thousand years, there was not reason to think it would ever be a war in their lifetime, or indeed ever again.
The Incan rebellion should have been a warning to them, a large scale rebellion in former Aztec and Spanish territories, a religous coalition that outnumbered the meager Greek troops in the region.
Only through severe actions and fast mobility of mounted units was the revolt put down, and even then the surounding lands would take decades to recover.
Ahead Greece's future was increasingly uncertain.
Hey, i've been busy lately, so I'm changing the writing style for the moment to get closer to the later game (which was the most fun), the writing will be immense, but WILL be done soon (I know i've said that before; but writing the last bits is really really fun so i'll work all the harder.)
Hope to hear what everyone thinks.
If anyone wants I can put the Hall of Fame up or something.
Hope to hear what everyone thinks.
If anyone wants I can put the Hall of Fame up or something.
Draknith
King
did you finish the story? I can't wait to read the final installment.
Zhuge_Liang
The greatest strategist
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2007
- Messages
- 734
You mean the "final testament"? 
Draknith: I finished the game before I started writing it 
, so on surprises for me on how it ends.
Zhuge_Liang : I wouldn't put the Greeks out just yet, they have some fight left in them
.
502nd PIR : Glad you did/are enjoying it, it's going to get better, more action.
Thanks you guys, you've pushed me to work on the next chapter earlier.
, so on surprises for me on how it ends.Zhuge_Liang : I wouldn't put the Greeks out just yet, they have some fight left in them
.502nd PIR : Glad you did/are enjoying it, it's going to get better, more action.
Thanks you guys, you've pushed me to work on the next chapter earlier.
It was not a cold day, or a hit day, it wasn't a special day, birds sang, dogs ran and men wept.
April 26th 1570
Alexander yawned, oh it was tiring, all this, this nothing. Sometimes he day-dreamed and wished he was a general in the old times, the times of glory and triumph, a time of honour. Oh how times had changed, he remembered reading of Greek triumphs, of the Great Indian war, and how Greece had become the world's greatest, strongest power... maybe every child of every nationality was taught of their own nation's superiority. The only difference was Greece WAS the world's greatest, the world's strongest nation, a map proved that much, a Greek map at least.
"Alexander! Alexander!"
Thanos came running towards Alexander holding a sheet of paper in one hand, and a gun in one hand.
"What is it Thanos?" Alexander sighed, if this was another provincial revolt from the Jews Alexander would NOT be happy.
"Wa....Wa..."
"Oh spit it out man!"
Thanos handed him the sheet of paper.
As of 6:52 this Morning the Carthaginians, along with their subject people the Spanish are now at war with the people's of Greece. All generals are to prepare their troops, and prepare for an imminent Carthaginian invasion from the South.
Undersecretary to Minister of War.
---
Alexander could have died, War with Carthage? The Greeks might aswell start learning Phoenician now. He had 6 divisions in the field, another ten if he stripped the garrisons to the bone. How was he to defend the frontier? The Carthaginian army was vast, he knew, he'd read the reports, they could muster half a million men.
Thenos looked at Alexander warily, the man had aged ten years before his eyes. Thanos was an underling, he had no idea of the state of the Greek defences, but what he saw was not encouraging.
"Alexander?"
"Alexander?"
"What Thenos?" he whispered
"What are we to do?" Thenos's tone was supposed to be comforting.
"Ready the men, we march for Teotihuacan, send a communicae to Athens, all garrisions are to join us there as soon as possible."
"Yes sir"
"Oh and Thenos"
"Yes Sir?"
"Tell them to introduce conscription, I need half a million men, yesterday!"
"Immediaetly sir"
It was a two week march, but they were so nervous, and so terrified of not reaching Teotiuhacan before the Carthaginians did Alexander's army reached there in three days.
"Open the gates!" Alexander yelled up at the sentry to the city's walls.
"Who is it?"
"It is I, the general Alexander, and if you do not open the gates this very instant then you will not live to here another day."
"Alexander!" The man said in obvious fright.
"Of course, of course"
The gates swun open creakily and Alexander and his men marched into the disheartened city, around them they saw men preparing barbed wire and spike, along with every other kind of defensive fortification imaginable. Instead of relief the men looked horrified at Alexander and his men.
"Where are they?" A tall husky man spoke up, whose name like so many others was never remembered or recorded in the history books.
"Who? The Carthag..."
"NO! Where are the millions of men we were promised?"
"This is what we have!"
A short, fat man walked up to Alexander, his gold chains, pose and accent revealed his rank, a man of wealth, power and unconquerable confidence.
"I am the governor. I hope to the Gods that this is the souting party, and our reinforcments are yet to come" The man was staring with an emotion somewhere inbetween disdain and horror.
"Look, 'governor', these ARE the reinforcments. If you've got a problem with that then you can see the Gods a lot sooner than you'd hoped." Alexander flashed his revolver from below his dirty and sweaty robes.
Panic crossed his face, visibly.
"What is your strategy? Alexander was it?"
"Yes, we prepare the defences, and whether the storm, we need to wait for reinforcments."
"Odd, that's what we were doing before you arrived." The governor said unrestrained.
April 26th 1570
Alexander yawned, oh it was tiring, all this, this nothing. Sometimes he day-dreamed and wished he was a general in the old times, the times of glory and triumph, a time of honour. Oh how times had changed, he remembered reading of Greek triumphs, of the Great Indian war, and how Greece had become the world's greatest, strongest power... maybe every child of every nationality was taught of their own nation's superiority. The only difference was Greece WAS the world's greatest, the world's strongest nation, a map proved that much, a Greek map at least.
"Alexander! Alexander!"
Thanos came running towards Alexander holding a sheet of paper in one hand, and a gun in one hand.
"What is it Thanos?" Alexander sighed, if this was another provincial revolt from the Jews Alexander would NOT be happy.
"Wa....Wa..."
"Oh spit it out man!"
Thanos handed him the sheet of paper.
As of 6:52 this Morning the Carthaginians, along with their subject people the Spanish are now at war with the people's of Greece. All generals are to prepare their troops, and prepare for an imminent Carthaginian invasion from the South.
Undersecretary to Minister of War.
---
Alexander could have died, War with Carthage? The Greeks might aswell start learning Phoenician now. He had 6 divisions in the field, another ten if he stripped the garrisons to the bone. How was he to defend the frontier? The Carthaginian army was vast, he knew, he'd read the reports, they could muster half a million men.
Thenos looked at Alexander warily, the man had aged ten years before his eyes. Thanos was an underling, he had no idea of the state of the Greek defences, but what he saw was not encouraging.
"Alexander?"
"Alexander?"
"What Thenos?" he whispered
"What are we to do?" Thenos's tone was supposed to be comforting.
"Ready the men, we march for Teotihuacan, send a communicae to Athens, all garrisions are to join us there as soon as possible."
"Yes sir"
"Oh and Thenos"
"Yes Sir?"
"Tell them to introduce conscription, I need half a million men, yesterday!"
"Immediaetly sir"
It was a two week march, but they were so nervous, and so terrified of not reaching Teotiuhacan before the Carthaginians did Alexander's army reached there in three days.
"Open the gates!" Alexander yelled up at the sentry to the city's walls.
"Who is it?"
"It is I, the general Alexander, and if you do not open the gates this very instant then you will not live to here another day."
"Alexander!" The man said in obvious fright.
"Of course, of course"
The gates swun open creakily and Alexander and his men marched into the disheartened city, around them they saw men preparing barbed wire and spike, along with every other kind of defensive fortification imaginable. Instead of relief the men looked horrified at Alexander and his men.
"Where are they?" A tall husky man spoke up, whose name like so many others was never remembered or recorded in the history books.
"Who? The Carthag..."
"NO! Where are the millions of men we were promised?"
"This is what we have!"
A short, fat man walked up to Alexander, his gold chains, pose and accent revealed his rank, a man of wealth, power and unconquerable confidence.
"I am the governor. I hope to the Gods that this is the souting party, and our reinforcments are yet to come" The man was staring with an emotion somewhere inbetween disdain and horror.
"Look, 'governor', these ARE the reinforcments. If you've got a problem with that then you can see the Gods a lot sooner than you'd hoped." Alexander flashed his revolver from below his dirty and sweaty robes.
Panic crossed his face, visibly.
"What is your strategy? Alexander was it?"
"Yes, we prepare the defences, and whether the storm, we need to wait for reinforcments."
"Odd, that's what we were doing before you arrived." The governor said unrestrained.
Terrance888
Discord Reigns
Wow..... Nice Suspence...
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