Setting up camp outside the city, the coalition of the Durlivan underworld began attacking by sending men into the grasslands behind us with bows and firing into the camp, however, due to Trigo's archer's who are each experts in their own right versus the amateurs in the grasslands below them giving up the height advantage, it turned into a massacre for the grassland archers.
Throughout the day several raids took place, the coalition attempting to cooardinate a pincer attack against our camp sending out a large force of men whilst the men in the grasslands dropped their bows and charged.
Nefamiti took charge of the defence of the camp facing the city while Alias and Trigo took up bows and shot down the attacking men from the grasslands.
After barely thirty men died charging up from the grasslands the entire army of men routed. They have never seen a real battlefield nor fought a real war thus their moral was low to begin with, used to ambushing and taking the upper hand right from the start they couldn't handle the heat when starting on disadvantageous ground.
Had they continued their charge the archers and men defending the coalitions northern charge would have been helpless against them causing a great deal of damage.
Meanwhile, the men coming down from the city stopped their charge and began running back seeing that the pincer had failed but the momentum sent many forward skidding into spears and swords, their moral plummetting as fear overtook their ranks.
However because the pincer failed those within the city immediately closed the cities gates leaving many outside the walls to die as they were filled with holes by our archers.
"It's about time." I said as night fell all around us, the coalition had stopped feeling us out with their troops, instead opting to stay inside and defend.
Looking over at the city walls I raised the torch in my hand waving it slowly.
Several shadows could be seen pressed up against the city walls led by Nefamiti.
During the day when the enemy would attack, I would send out men to retrieve the bows and arrows, however a few of these men would not return, instead moving through the tall grasslands and hiding into the forest on either side, once night fell they pressed up onto the walls where torch light could not reach.
"Retreat!" I shouted, all of the men pulling out of the camp immediately.
Once we had left a good distance from the camp the coalition took notice and cheers erupted as the gates opened, the bloodthirsty coaltion who had suffered horribly throughout the day with near two hundred casualties while unable to kill a single one of ours, now rushed out at us who were no longer fotified.
In the dark I turned back standing alone facing down the charging mob, a torch in hand.
All of them quickly locked onto me and me alone in the dark, like the light at the end of a tunnel.
Fools.
All around my men spread out into the surrounding pitch black forest area taking up position with bows.
Throughout the day as more bows entered the camp the soldiers were given basic instruction on how to use them.
Once they reached our fire range I dropped the torch smoothering it, the entire area turning to darkness only the sounds of air splitting and screams shot out into the air, they do not need to be accurate when the enemy is in a large clump.
"It was a trap! Back to the city quickly!" So he's the leader?
Running through the dark I swung down cutting down the man who had spoken.
"Quickly! To the forest! These archers are only covering the main armies retreat, they won't be as effective in the forest with many tree's, it's our only hope!" I shouted anguishedly many following my voice and running into the forest only to be impaled by the spikes laid out in ditches by the men who had disappeared earlier in the day.
Screams resounded in the forest causing the thugs and bandits fear to hit a new high all of them running in a vicious mob towards the city followed by screams all the way.
However.
The city wall lay closed with Nefamiti holding the gate from the inside while Hardvar along with twenty men took the walls firing arrows into the approaching men.
The coalition men were caught between the wall of arrows, and my own men.
Stepping into the dim torch light I raised my hand, the arrows stopping immediately, glancing up at Hardvar I nodded.
"Before when he had passed me running into the city during the day our eyes met, and so I made a gamble on his character and look, it paid off." I said to Trigo who now stood beside me red faced,"Do you see now why I didn't kill them now?"
"That plan is absolutely insane! One wrong move, one failed move would mean complete defeat!" Trigo shouted the veins on his neck popping out clearly exasperated, I like this Trigo better when he's showing his real colors.
"But it worked didn't it? If a plan is crazy but works then it's genius, not to mention we have not lost a single man and few have been injured." I replied with a big smile only serving to cause Trigo more distress.
"I have no plan to kill any of you if you surrender!" I yelled to the men huddled together at the gate, "Though I will say, that for every one who resists ten will die."
Clang. It seemed like that was the final straw. Weapons fell from their hands and the gates opened to reveal Nefamiti and Hardvar standing shoulder to shoulder with ropes and big smiles.
"I will only say this once more, I am Agashi Durlivan, Lord of Durlivan, so tell me do you recognize me?" My words touched the men as they all began nodding and crying out, bandits and thugs cannot be expected to die for any cause but that of their own lives, "Spread the word! Any who are of these four syndicates and five gangs have two choices, they can die under my blade or surrender themselves to my mercy!"
"The Lord of Durlivan, Agashi Durlivan has arrived!" My voice exploded through the silence of the city, walking forward the crowd parted for me, Alias and Trigo bringing the army from outside to help with the capture.
Soon all two hundred fifty men's morale is crushed as they sit kneeling in what I can only assume is the city square? Or maybe its just an open space? Damned city planners. I just want one chat with them, just give me a few seconds thats all!
"So tell me, where are your bases?" I looked over the imprisoned coalition and smiled, "For every ten seconds that no one speaks, one will die, and for every lie I am told, ten will die."
Not a second passed as the younger ones broke, "I can lead you! I can do it!"
"I can show you the way!"
What a pitiful bunch. But well, they are soon going to be my people as well so, "Nefamiti, Hardvar take fifty men each and cleanse the city, Alias you will cross-reference the information given by those who come forward, if you hear anything wrong then do not hesitate."
"Your quite the monster, aren't you?" Suddenly Trigo's voice floated into my ears a smile blooming on my face.
"A monster, is it?" I replied sitting down in front of this crowd, there must have been over five hundred originally, yet my hundred and fifteen men took them down using fear tactics, "Perhaps."
Glancing back I could see the respect and awe in Trigo's eyes, something that had changed from the fear he once oozed.
Now comes the hard part. After those bases are destroyed and the people captured the city will be at peace only for a short while before new gangs and such rise up, I need to figure out the root cause of this to stop it from happening in the future.
Looking over the coalition I spoke curiously, "Tell me, why did you all turn to crime? And don't worry about dying if you don't respond, I am asking not as your captor but as the Lord who want's to help this land so take your time before responding."
A hush fell over them for a while many grit their teeth while others lowered their heads with tears in their eyes. The older ones seemed resigned to their fates but when asked about what started all of this they too lowered their heads an atmosphere of sadness pervading them.
"I-I had no choice! There was no money! no employment! and without those there was no food! I had to steal to survive! I have lived horribly but what other options did I have?! The lord gorged himself on our money and never helped us! Instead, with the help of outside gangs and syndicates, he kidnapped us and extorted us! The city guard didn't help us so we had to band together!" One older man said, his voice quivering as tears took residence upon his face.
"That's right! We didn't want this, we were forced to enter this life just to live! The food was never enough, the money was never enough and the employment was never there! We protect the people of Durlivan against the lord! But... it's all over now...!" A young man cried out, tears streaming down his face.
I see. They believe that I will become the same as the previous despotic Lord who had extorted them, kidnapped their families and essentially destroyed this cities economy for his own gain.
"I killed Duke Loktre, the one who had dealings with the outside syndicates and massive slave guilds, so you can rest assured that even if I wanted to, I would never be able to do what he did here, secondly, I am not the previous lord, and I am not a fool, many of you may have wanted to protect the people and thus formed these gangs but you cannot honestly tell me none of you ever committed crimes or killed, you lost your way." I said decisively causing a hush to fall over the crowd, "With me I will bring prosperity to Durlivan, but I cannot do it if there are gangs and syndicates standing against me at every turn, so in order to eradicate the evil from these lands I will need your help."
Suddenly they began looking up once by one, "I will forgive all of you for your crimes in this land, so long as they do not include murder or rape, if you were true to your convictions you may live and be pardoned, though for the theft you have committed you will be made to work the fields."
Many of the older men lowered their heads, they understood that they would die, but the younger men looked hopeful.
Soon, Nefamiti and Hardvar returned with the heads of the various Syndicate leaders and gang leaders.
"In the morning there will be a wave of trials and executions, Trigo, you will oversee this." I turned handing off the work to Trigo before getting on the horse with Shion, riding up to the estate, "The city is won! Clean it out! Come morning Durlivan will be reborn anew!"
Amidst the cheers of my men the city began to go through a cleansing of blood and iron, none of the residents slept that night as they could hear the battles spreading, only less than a week after being captured by Surnova they were once again being captured, but this time the gangs and syndicates that both helped and tormented them were being wiped out.
Inside the estate Mars sat waiting for my arrival. "Lord, there is much to be done...!" Without giving him a second glance I cut his head. The butler looks very neat and clean as well as slightly plump, clearly he had been benefiting from the peoples anguish. Not the mention that the previous lord would have required a hand, as well as Mars was the one who spoke out against me with the support of the coalition, meaning he is well connected to them.
I do not need snakes in my garden. Shion glanced over his corpse before grabbing my arm.
Heading up the stairs of the estate and into the biggest room I laid down. Tomorrow would be a big day.
Sleep came easily with Shion strangely quiet in my embrace.