World Conquest Online

The Athenian’s didn’t need to struggle for long, as Ling Tong and his men suddenly hid the flank of the Boiotian Cavalry that seemed to separate upon his arrival. Around four hundred of the Boiotian Cavalry on the north of their position seemed to pull away from the clash before Ling Tong’s men his them, and this evened the numbers out much closer. The Boiotian Cavalry could see the Cavalry of Ling Tong arriving, but hadn’t noticed them earlier as they were hidden by the lines of Infantry that were chasing the Persians down. They also couldn’t disengage as they were pushing forwards through the falling Athenian lines when Ling Tong’s men clashed in to them.

"Take them down!" Andrew shouted from beside Ling Tong as he swung his sword eagerly in his enemies direction, his first proper Cavalry charge since playing the game. The excitement was clear and the Hoplite that followed him were also excited as their new Commander fought with no fear. Their Spears were raised high as they stabbed in to the enemy flank of man and horse alike.

Ling Tong stabbed his own spear in to the lightly armoured fleshy stomach of an enemy Cavalryman, the blade piercing deep as a scream escaped from the enemies lips. He pulled the spear free, the rider falling in a bloody puddle as he charged straight through to the second line. Andrew was beside him, yelling in joy, whilst the Megarian, Spartan and Skiritai Cavalry behind him echoed his voice.

Hundreds of Boiotian Cavalry fell in the initial clash, whilst the others began trying to turn away from the Athenian lines and head north back towards relative safety. They turned and fled away from the Athenians they were hitting, a brief respite for the adrenaline pumped Greeks. In the distance was another Persian Cavalry line that was preparing to screen the retreat, made from some of Mardonius’ reserves.

"Let them flee." Ling Tong ordered as Aristodemus beside him fought eagerly as he stabbed with his own spear. His Cavalry pulled back slightly at the order, allowing the Athenian’s and other gaining Greek forces to pull themselves in to Phalanx formations again, knowing that they were saved for a moment longer in the battle and slow down their pursuit of the retreating Persian Infantry. The second line of the Boiotian Cavalry that had pulled away before the initial clash came to a halt as Ling Tong’s forces began to approach them.

"Do not attack the Cavalry who are waiting for us!" Andrew shouted to his forces, knowing who they were approaching. He did this mainly to the Greek Infantry that was pulling beside their four hundred Cavalry. Ling Tong was counting the horses that had survived the clash, whilst the Athenian’s beside them began dispatching any fallen enemy.

"We could have an entire additional Cavalry regiment after this." Ling Tong said, as Andrew smiled, not fully aware of all of Dom’s forces but knowing that the amount they had gained so far was enough for a small army.

"About time General!" Centurion Phillip shouted in a cheerful voice from the back of one of the horses in the Boiotian Cavalry formation that hadn’t engaged the Athenians. His recognisable face at the front with some of his fellow Theban Hoplite Sacred Band that had accompanied him.

"It’s the perfect time." Ling Tong replied as the two forces met each other. "You have done better than I had expected."

"A lot of our Theban brothers aren’t happy with being on the Persian side. The men behind me are loyal to their fellow Greeks and agreed to join me in my plan to free our lands from the encroaching Persians. The others and their commander Asopodoros were loyal to the Persians and I didn’t risk letting them in on the plan fully." Phillip stated loudly, so that the approaching Greeks could hear what he was saying about the Theban’s that stood with him, a powerful looking unit of ancient Greek Cavalry.

"Where is the Commander Asopodoros?" Andrew asked, not knowing Phillip well, but taking a like to the Centurion since the beginning of the mission.

"He would have been at the front, I suspect he’s at the front still as they run towards Plataea." Phillip replied, "I do feel for out Plataean brothers in the Greek lines, there home almost in sight but not yet theirs to have reclaimed."

"How much did it cost?" Ling Tong whispered in Phillip’s ear as they finally came side by side, an impressed look on his face.

"A lot. It is not just these five hundred. There is also their families and a couple units of infantry that I have placed in Plataea to help the siege that is due to come, as well as their families." Phillip whispered, before laughing slightly. "I don’t think Crassus will be happy with us having nothing left."

"From what Xun You has told me, Crassus will probably be very proud of you." Ling Tong laughed in response as he looked over to the Cavalry behind Phillip, a bit jealous that he had only gained seven hundred, with the majority of them having been supplied by Andrew or his own Spartans, whilst Phillip had just spent some money and whispered in the right ears.

"We should be able to have the east gate opened when we send the signal." Phillip explained as he looked behind him at the Theban’s. "It is probably best that we move on before things start to get complicated with lots of awkward conversations, I do not think sending Thebans against Thebans will work in our favour. They are happy to kill Persians though, very happy in fact."

"Let’s take them to the meeting point, I am going to send most of my own and keep behind a small unit for the siege. Have their families already been sent?" Ling Tong asked him as he could see a group of Spartans and Athenian’s approaching towards them.

"They were sent for yesterday, they should already be there. It’s been a strange experience seeing my own ancestors and Warriors I heard stories about growing up. I believe that man over there may be my great grandfather!" Phillip laughed, before shaking his head. "I’ll have my men take them, I will stay with you for the siege. I’ll ask them to do some Persian hunting whilst they are on the way, they may get lucky."

Ling Tong nodded in response as a Hoplite who looked to be in his early fifties approached them. His armour was slightly better in quality than the others and he had an aura of respect that seemed to surround him, as all of the Athenian’s stepped out of his way as he approached. Around him were a group of strong looking Hoplite, who had serious looks on their faces as they approached. Their armour was clean, but they had also clearly been involved in the battle that had taken place.

Their was another group that came towards them as well that had a Spartan leading them. He looked exactly as you would have expected from a Spartan Warrior. He wore little armour and his chiselled frame was clear to see for all. He also came with a group of heavily armoured Spartans, their red cloaks fluttering in the weak wind. Two of them wore masks that Ling Tong recognised as Alpheus and Maron.

"Young Commander, I do not recognise you, but your arrival has saved many of my men’s lives, for that I and my Athenian brethren owe you. We will have to now approach Plataea slower and prepare to siege, but at least more of my men will return home to their wives and create the next generation of Athenian’s after the battle." The Athenian stated, some questioning in his tone as he noticed Phillip, who quickly dismissed his men, who sped off towards the east at pace away from the battlefield.

"He is one of ours." The Spartan stated, his tone commanding and unquestionable as he spoke. His own men holding their spear shafts tightly and some threat could be heard in his tone.

"You have kept this Cavalry unit well hidden, I recognise Spartans and some of those from the state of Skiritae that you dispatched to protect our rear, but I wasn’t sure the Megarian’s reported to Sparta." The Athenian replied calmly, recognising the different colours that adorned Ling Tong’s mismatch Cavalry. The Megarians had a strange history as they were one of the border cities between Athens and it’s allies, separating them from Peloponnese of that was full of Sparta and theirs. The Athenian then continued, "Especially that you even had Theban’s on your side. I didn’t believe I would see the day the Spartans kept secrets or allied with the Theban’s."

"There are no secrets, just military tactics that had been pre-arranged in case any forces got carried away and put themselves in danger pointlessly." The Spartan calmly replied, the tension between the two quite clear to those around.

"Pausanias, I am seeing a different side to you the last couple of days." The Athenian laughed, breaking the tension slightly. "I’ll control my men and we’ll close in on the Persians, don’t delay yourself too much or I will take all the credit."

"Aristides, most of the credit is already mine." Pausanius replied as Aristides shook his head with a wry smile as he and the Athenians departed, deciding to leave any unanswered questions for after the battle.

Pausanias then issued some commands to his own men, who all departed except for Alpheus, Maron and one of Pausanias’ other Spartans. The thousand of infantry continued to March forwards, now in some form of formation compared to the wild hunt earlier. They seemed to leave a gap between themselves and the Persian Cavalry rear guard, waiting for the Player Cavalry to get themselves back to some form of organisation to engage them. Ling Tong could see DragonKnight in the distance with his Cavalry approaching and could see that another Cavalry Clash would soon happen.

"I have heard many things about this young General from a far away land, that serves a Lord who is supposedly quite exceptional and surrounded by talented Generals that would make my own and the Athenian’s eyes water. And here you are, much younger than I expected with features I haven’t seen before amongst our own, enemies or even those we trade with." Pausanias stated as he looked at Ling Tong, with Andrew beside him. Centurion Phillip realised this conversation would be important to keep away from wandering ears and took command of Ling Tongs Cavalry, much to the dislike of the others, and took them away to loot their battlefield. Aristodemus stayed, however his Spartans reluctantly followed Phillip. "I can’t seem to disagree with the comment though. When two of my close friends reappear, whose bodies I saw rotting on the Thermopylae pass. Where my uncles body had been desecrated beyond measure. Then to add to that the bravest Warrior who stood fearless against a storm of Persian arrows appears and starts telling me I am an idiot. But here they are, fighting by my side and telling me soothsayers stories about my own impending doom and then the bad way both my young son and even my brother Nicomedes are treated over the next forty years."

"Warriors who died but know the future, either sent by Hades to torment us or sent as a warning by Athena or Apollo!" The Spartan beside Pausanias stated as Pausanias paused speaking, his breath ragged as he exploded with thoughts he had kept inside for days since being reunited with the twins

"Enough Nicomedes, the gods are testing us or abandoning us. Regardless, Let’s conquer Plataea and free her people before we discuss any further, otherwise I’ll have to listen to Aristides complain for longer, and I have had enough of these Athenians already." Pausanias replied, looking in the distance towards the city. He then turned to Ling Tong, a tired smile on his face, "Are you also an expert at sieges?"