Strategos

Ray and Linus led the commanders, their companies arranged neatly in rows of sixteen-by-eight. In the men's shoulders rested bronze tipped pikes the length of four-to-five men. The spearheads glittered golden in the morning sun as the men marched forward, leaving their wives and children behind, with some crying but many cheering for victory and spoils.

Only in a few hours, the men found themselves occupying the bank, front of the river ford, where the commanders told them to halt their march, patiently awaiting their match.

The water, ever so calm, flowed gently around the rocks. Dragonflies hovered above the water, with a few finding their resting spots atop the rocks and floating dead wood and leaves. The morning breeze blew, and the men, still in orderly rows, found themselves relaxed with their spears resting on the ground.

Eventually the men settled in their spots, with some sitting down and a few men stretching their arms and legs to calm their nerves. The commanders advised them not to waste unnecessary energy, which they delightedly heeded considering how tiring it was to bear the massive pikes.

With all troops numbering close to a thousand, the old warriors were engaged in banter, business as usual, projecting an image that is neither arrogant nor confident, while the new recruits found themselves kneeling on earth and praying to their gods, nervous it was their last day on earth.

Any average reasonable man felt scared and even angry at their commanders' decision to fight out in the open. Although they saw the meaning in using the long pikes, they saw it's futile to resist an overwhelming force of more than twice their number. They should have cowered in their walls, but they couldn't protest under the watchful eyes of the veteran warriors, knowing fully well not to invoke their ire.

At the opposite bank, herds of ragged pirates crept into the scene, a couple thousand strong if not more. Densely populating the area, their loud chatter, laughter, and intimidating weapons dampened the enthusiasm of their opponents on the other bank. In their midst stood a man of great stature, wearing a thick quilted leather vest and wielding a pole axe with a bronze head. His graying hair, beard, and old battle scars bespoke his credentials.

Across the river, he yelled in a loud threatening voice, "I am Gaspar, a general from the great Blacksand Warriors. I was commanded by the Great One to appropriate your land, property, and peoples. Puny men of Solus, I admire your guts to meet us here, for which I shall bestow you mercy if you dropped your weapons! YIELD and you shall be spared!"

[The skill <Grace> is in effect.]

The men of Solus parted in the middle to give way. Linus walked in their midst and went forward, brandishing his spear. He pointed its bronze tip at the old pirate and yelled back. "These lands belong to me and my people alone. You shall NOT set your dirty foot across this river or your lives will be forfeit! Go home, PIRATE SCUM!"

While his followers were awed by his simple response to the pirate general, the enemies across the river all laughed loud, drowning all the ambient noise in the surroundings.

"Kid! Go home to your mother! This is man's world!" Gaspar yelled.

"I'm no kid! I'm the Deputy Chief! Son of Julius, and most importantly, a SON OF SOLUS. Go back whence you came! You are not welcome!" Linus warned. "MEN! In your positions! Archers, shoot anyone who crosses!" he barked and in fluid motion, the men complied and readied themselves to fight.

"Garry, it looks like they're seriously thinking of fighting to the last man." Gaspar told Garry who's standing just next to him.

"Whoever that kid is, he's got their respect. I'm sorry, but not sorry. Men, MARCH!" Garry barked.

In waves, the pirate army inched towards the river. Their frontlines were occupied by men strapped with thick layers of hide, wielding their round shields. With scars aplenty and eyes bloodshot, the veteran pirate warriors sport a menacing look.

As soon as the pirates reached the river, a line of veteran Solusian archers drew their bows and shot, raining arrows upon their foes. It struck the men crossing and felled a few, but it failed to stop them, so they drew their bows for another shot.

As if possessed by crazy banshees, the pirates' frontline men dashed forward and unleashed menacing cries, unconcerned about their fallen brethren. With their shields, they skillfully swatted and blocked the arrows flying their way without retarding their march. And within mere minutes, a considerable few made it across the river. Shields up, they stood their ground and waited for their comrades to reach the bank.

The two-thousand-men pirate force marched in unison, following their brave veteran comrades across the river. Finally, a wave of warriors made it to the bank, connecting the rear to the front line. With their rear lines assured, the pirate's frontline marched towards the defenders, prepared to meet them head-to-head.

"Archers, fall back! Pikes, ready! Defend our position! Don't let them pass!" Linus barked. He took out the rockets he tirelessly prepared the night before, planted them on position, and ignited their fuse.

25 meters away, the excited wave of fierce pirate troops mad dashed, about to clash with the defenders.

The defending front line Solusian warriors picked up their pikes from the ground and pointed it against the incoming pirates. The line next to the rear inserted their pointy pikes in the gaps, and the third, fourth, and fifth line followed suit, creating an impenetrable wall of spikes, a phalanx.

SWOOSH! The rockets finally went off, launching themselves up in the air.

The pirate shock troopers saw the danger and wanted to retreat, but alas, the charging lines behind them restricted them, dooming them to their deaths. Looking up, they saw the most peculiar thing in the sky before their souls departed the world, reflecting in their widened eyes.

BOOM! In the sky, the fireworks exploded and turned into beautiful bright flowers that bloomed, bewildering those who saw the spectacle except those upstream. Samir and his men saw the sign and carried out their mission, collapsing the dam they built upstream.

Shunk! Shluk! Schunck! The frontline pirates collided against the wall of spikes, skewering themselves. In disbelief, the men died with their eyes wide open. Blood pooled from their wounds and orifices, and eventually dripped down the ground. The defenders actively stabbed more holes on the dead bodies before they freed their pikes.

Those few who survived or did not collide against the wall tried to get around it, but failing to find a gap to enter, they become prey to the hunters. Soon, arrows found their way, and struck the lone stragglers down.

From the riverbank, Gaspar and Garry watched their first line of shock troopers die to the pikes, bemused. In their long experience of battle, it was the first for them to see such tactics used. They sensed danger. There is no such tactic in their head that can overcome the impenetrable wall.

The generals wanted to call retreat, but the ground rumbled beneath their feet. They didn't know what caused it, until they saw a raging torrent crashing down the river.

SPLASH! The raging torrent engulfed the forces still crossing the river, washing them away. The act of nature reduced the pirate forces considerably.

"FORWARD, MARCH!" Linus barked, and the phalanxes marched forward, closing their wall of spears towards the remaining pirates. With the river raised behind them, the pirates were left with nowhere to run.

"CHARGE!" Ray called the charge, and the phalanxes propelled their pikes forward, impaling the pirates who stood in their way. The pirates behind the lines were pushed down the river and were washed away by its raging flow.

"STOP, THIS IS SENSELESS SLAUGHTER!" Gaspar screamed, but his voice was drowned by the piercing wails of dying men.

The phalanxes closed in, and the pikes embedded themselves in the body of the remaining pirates, poking holes in them. Blood dripped down, irrigating the ground beneath the bodies. In the middle, there were a hundred or two survivors, including Gaspar and Garry.

"PLEASE! PLEASE! DON'T KILL US! WE SURRENDER!" Gaspar and Garry begged, letting go of their bronze weapons. The remaining pirates followed, dropping their weapons and putting the senseless battle to an end.

Ding! [Achievement unlocked! You are hereby granted the skill <Harnessing Water Power>!]

Ding! [Achievement unlocked! You are hereby granted the title <Strategos>!]

"Alright, we shall accept your surrender and take your weapons away. You Gaspar and the other general, shall be held by Ray and his men. The rest shall be enslaved to work in the mines for the rest of their lives." Linus told the pirate generals.

Ray pointed a spear on Gaspar's neck. "The Great One? Who sent you here, really?"

As soon as Gaspar was to open his mouth, Garry looked at him with widened eyes. His hands trembled, saying "Don't, Gaspar! You know their temper! You shall surely die!"

"Shut up!" Ray kicked Garry in the face. "Speak, fool!" He pressed the spear tip against Gaspar's neck.

"ALRIGHT, DO AWAY WITH THE SPEAR! IT'S LADY PRISCILLA, THE MISTRE…" PLOP! Gaspar's body lost strength and fell down. His eyes turned black, and his mouth started to bubble. Garry trembled in fear, watching his friend die, covering his mouth.

"Not again! Igor croaked the same way this guy did." Ray told Linus.

"Indeed, it's very mysterious how these poisons work. Priscilla! I don't know who she is, but at least we've got her name. Someone must know this person." Linus replied.

***

"My lady, we haven't heard from Gaspar, Garry, and Jared for a while." kneeling, Crimson told Priscilla.

"They couldn't have lost the battle, no? After bribing the city guards to take the biggest obstacle away, no?" she covered her face with a folding fan.

"Very unlikely, my lady. They must be busily spending the spoils by themselves. But if you wish, we can check." Crimson replied.

"Very well. We'll find out the truth soon." Priscilla fanned herself, her eyes narrowed.