The first signs had started showing that something was going to happen soon. The Hoplite and Legionaries had started to make the camp, creating a small circle with the tents with the Ox, Donkey's and Horses in the middle with the Cart. The camp looked exactly as it should for a group of marching Warriors that were not on the best of guard.
Some Hoplite and Legionaries had gone to bed, loudly saying to their colleagues that they needed some sleep after the long days at the Nomadic Tribe's camp. Others gathered around the cart in the centre, chatting to themselves, placing their weapons by their sides and looking very relaxed. The small group who were supposed to be on guard were sat near some tents, rather than patrolling as expected. To any outsider the camp looked like an easy target.
Weapons were laid on the ground, resting against tents and carts. Whilst there wasn't an obvious look of organisation on the way the tents were laid out, with a simple entrance at the front where there was a larger gap between the tents. To outsiders it looked terrible, but to Dom and his Warriors, it was all pre planned, with each route designed as a potential choke point or place of retreat.
The Horse Archers who were supposed to leave had decided to set up a marching camp themselves, with some very simple tents that the legionaries had traded with them. Their camp was nearby to the east, further down the river, but they had clearly separated it from the Riverside group on purpose. This was to show that they were different forces, and to hopefully work with the ruse for Plan B.
Dom was sat with Tomyris and the Civilians of the group, Hua Tou, Hua Xiu, Phoebe and Cassius. They were sat inside the central tent and were waiting for the signal from Octavian who was pretending to be relaxed at the edge of the camp.
"We can send you ahead." Dom said to Hua Tou and the rest.
"No it's fine Lord." He replied, "I have full trust in you and your plans. I am sure we will be safe."
"There is no guarantee." Dom replied, "we can have the horses saddled and have you on the way in no time if needs be."
"It's appreciated, but I would rather that if it came to that, you kept yourself safe." He stated.
"Do you have an idea of the numbers?" Cassius the merchant asked.
"We don't." Dom replied reluctantly, "from what they passed on to Zanug, the numbers should be high. But I can almost guarantee they do not have quality."
They soon heard a light cough from outside the tent. The first signal from Octavian, a warning that the time was coming.
"Tomyris, are you ready?" Dom asked.
"I am," She smiled, getting her sword ready in her hand. "I'd like to see this hidden party who play in the dark."
The bloodlust on her face was obvious, and the doctors who were sat beside her and used to her more relaxed side, suddenly had a tinge of fear on their faces.
They soon heard a second cough, this was the signal that they should get in to position. Dom drew his sword as well and made his way to the edge of the tent. They had left some other swords inside for the Doctors and Cassius in case they were needed. Cassius was a C level Villager, but also an E level warrior from his years of being a merchant on the road.
"It should be time." Dom whispered, as silence suddenly dawned on the camp. The fake snores and the chatting around camp fires stopped, leaving an eerie silence.
"Let's go." Tomyris whispered back. They headed out of the tent and followed it round towards the front of the camp, where they had planned to launch their counter ambush.
Water was quickly thrown on the camp fires by those nearby as planned and the whole camp went in to total darkness.
Suddenly they were greeted by the loud sound of shouting warriors, who charged from the North. Guttural shouts as sword wielding men, in short grey robes, holding their swords above their heads headed in to the camp.
The Hoplite who had taken the tents nearby, suddenly appeared in full armour, grabbing their spears that they had lay on the ground. They quickly got in to a small formation, ready to stab at the oncoming running warriors.
The Legionaries who were at the camp fire also appeared, grabbing their shields that were stealthily hidden behind the tents on the inside line. They also grabbed their javelins and got to the sides of the Hoplite formation. There was now over twenty Hoplite and ten Legionaries ready to meet the oncoming foe, whom due to the darkness, were unaware of what they were about to charge in to.
The moonlight shone from above, illuminating the charging foe, but protecting the Riverside contingent. The first of the enemy warriors began to reach range, the realisation of charging in to the Hoplite not yet showing on their faces, rather the lust of an overwhelming victory that their leader had promised them instead.
"Release Javelin!" Octavian barked, as the Legionaries threw their javelins, which arced in the air and smashed down on to the charging enemy. A selection of them fell to the ground, but not enough to slow their charge.
"Hoplite forward march." Tomyris shouted. The Hoplite did as ordered, taking gentle paces forwards and stabbing their spears as they did. The first enemy hit the wall of spears and was skewered, followed by another, and then another. There were a lot of them though, and those that were not stabbed in the front, started to veer round the flanks.
The Hoplite had positioned themselves between the forward tents, so they had reduced the flanking range, but they still had vulnerabilities.
"Legion, Flank." Tomyris ordered. As Octavian had his Legionaries defend the sides of the formation. There large shield and short swords stabbing any that tried to approach from the side.
Dom looked ahead, seeing that during the short clash they had dispatched at least thirty enemy warriors, but there were plenty more still on the way. However it was hard to tell the numbers in the moonlight.
"Octavian." Dom ordered, "Signal for stage two!"
Tomyris continued to fight in and order the front line, whilst Octavian stood back and grabbed one of the torches that had not fully gone out. He quickly headed towards a straw pile that was gathered and threw the torch in. Suddenly a large flaming red fire appeared illuminating the background.
The enemy were led to believe that the Horse Archers were coming to their rescue under the command of the new Chief Zanug, they were wrong. Suddenly the ground shook in the distance and loud calls to each other could be heard as twenty women on horseback appeared on the edges of the battlefield, they had orders to follow and they would in the honour of their Chief's command.
More warriors crashed in to the Hoplite Shield wall, causing the line to start to get pushed back. Tomyris shouted for them to keep pushing forwards, but rows and rows of sword wielding warriors charged in to the shield wall with no fear. Most being impaled, whilst others tried to squeeze through and move spears away.
"On three, take four long steps back!" Tomyris ordered. "Three!"
The Hoplite wall took four steps back, causing the pushing warriors to trip over the bodies of those in front and disrupt their charge. Allowing the Hoplite to reposition themselves back in to a solid wall again.
"One step forward." Tomyris ordered again.
The Hoplite wall took a step forward, the spears stabbing in to the tumbling enemy that were being pushed from the warriors behind.
"Again!" Tomyris ordered.
The Hoplite followed the orders again, taking four steps back, allowing the enemy to trip and then one step forwards to stab at the falling foes.
"We can't continue like this." Tomyris grumbled as she made her way to the back to stand beside Dom who was overlooking at the overall battle, occasionally supporting the Legionaries on the two flanks. "The floor is getting too wet with blood and there isn't enough light!"
"It's ok." Dom replied, "It's time!"
As the Horse Archers appeared, cheers rose from the charging warriors as more and more of them crashed in the the Hoplite Spears and the Shields of the Legionaries who were on the sides. The enemy may have seemed better organised that then had expected, and they had taken unexpected losses with their initial waves, but with the promised support from the Horse Archers, victory was in sight.
"Brace!" Tomyris shouted, preparing the troops to grab their shields in case the plan failed, or any arrows got loose.
Suddenly twenty arrows were launched in the air, followed soon by another twenty as the Horse Archers charged past the rear of the battlefield. The arrows went high in the air, before slowly dropping towards the centre of the battlefield. The Riverside group prepared themselves whilst the enemy continued to charge. The first wave suddenly landed amongst the enemy warriors, taking many swordsmen out, soon followed by a second and then a third wave. The arrows stopped as the Horse Archers turned and made a loop, preparing to launch their next wave.
The Enemy slowed their approach, seeing that the arrows had hit them instead of the Riverside bunch, a realisation dawning on them that this wasn't going to be the victory they had expected. The first group at the front started to slow their approach, but the enemy behind crashed in to them, causing chaos as people trampled on each other. Some Warriors had survived the arrow rain, with their shoulders punctured or their arms, others had been grazed and had blood dripping from open wounds.
"Push in to them!" Tomyris ordered, as the Hoplite stepped forwards, pushing in to the enemy that now had confusion across them.
"Counter flank!" Octavian roared, pushing the legionaries forwards at the sides, as they marched in time with the Hoplite. The Hoplite using the rear of their spears to stab down at any enemies that were on the floor. Dom and Tomyris also stabbed down, killing any of the stragglers. One man tried to fight back, grabbing at Dom's sword as it struck down, loosing several fingers as he attempted it. Dom felt bad for the man as he stabbed in to his throat, the light fading from his eyes, but reminded himself it was a game and all is fair in war.
"Keep pushing!" Tomyris ordered, as the next wave of arrows flew overhead and crashed in to the enemy soldiers.
A horn sounded, causing the enemy to all turn and run, retreating like wild animals in to the dark. The front line of Hoplite started to push after them, but were quickly pulled back.
"Wait!" Dom ordered, causing everyone to stop. "Steady pace!"
The Hoplite and Legionaries continued a stead pace after the running enemy, whilst the Horse Archers tumbled past them to the left flank, firing more arrows at the enemy troops.
"Cease arrows!" Dom commanded.
The Horse Archers slowed and pulled in alongside them, the leader of the Archers, Chief's Banas's main aide pulled in beside them.
"Can we chase?" She asked seriously, the hint of the hunt in her eyes.
"Patience." Dom grinned back at her, "Keep in line with us please. Octavian, leave at least ten men behind to guard the camp and the doctors. The rest of you, lets keep this pace, we are almost at stage three!"