Alexios was anxiously walking from left to right on the walls of his city in the middle of the night and various thoughts were racing in his head. "My king please let me escort us to your palace you deserve some sleep, i promise you if our scouts would return i will immediately inform you i swear on my life" Kleon wanted to reassure his king that was anxious this certainly startled Kleon and the other Hippei. "Thank you for your concern Kleon but i have duties to fulfill as your king you never know what could happen" Alexios answered with his usual voice as to hide his anxiety in his voice.
I really hope that things will go smoothly, i still have that spinning wheel and that shrine but i hope no one will notice that a large sum of dachmars disappeared in to the thin air. This is right now the least concerning because there is a fuckin army right on my doorstep, agh focus Alexios focus this isn't the time to think about pointless things right now i will just a wait for a few minutes just in case the scouts that Perseus chosen for this job would come back.
Seconds turned to minutes and each passing minute was like eternity for Alexios. "My king with all due respect you must go to your bed, we will inform you right away if something came up" Kleon asked yet again that king would listen to his advice. "Very well then, i will go to my palace to get some sleep but Kleon i hope you are not making plain promises" Alexios gazed on Kleon and reminded him of his promise. "Do not worry my king, I will not disappoint you" Kleon said with a smile "Callias escort our king to palace, i will stay and wait for their return" Kleon asked Callias the second Hippei that was guarding his king, at least now Alexios knew his name at last.
Alexios walked through the streets in the middle of the night, only torches on the stands provided some light in the streets. Alexios arrived at the palace with only Callias escorting him, for future Alexios wanted more than 2 hippeis to guard him for obvious reasons if he wanted to unite the continent against the impending doom that was coming to cause chaos and destruction.
At the palace Alexios immediately rushed to his room, placing his helmet on a wooden stand, his legendary spear Aegisbane and his hoplite shield on a wooden table. Alexios finally embraced his bed an his eyes begins to shut as soon as the head touches the pillow made out of a hide.
The next day Taxiarch Lycron is giving his speech to his army in the cold morning.
Soldiers of Korinthian
"I stand before you today not as a commander barking orders, but as a fellow warrior who shares the same fears, doubts, and struggles that each one of you carries in your hearts. Our enemy, the Spartans, may be fierce and renowned, but we are not defined by the size of our adversary, we are defined by the strength of our spirit, the resilience of our will, and the unyielding unity that binds us together".
"Yes, the odds may seem insurmountable, with only 1,848 of us facing a Spartan force of 100. But let me remind you, it's not the number that makes an army great; it's the undying courage that courses through the veins of its soldiers. We may be outmatched, but we are not outnumbered. We may be weary, but our spirits are unbroken".
"Do not let the shadows of doubt cloud your vision. Instead, let the fire of determination illuminate the path forward. We may not have the reputation of Spartans, but we have something they lack – the power to rise above our circumstances and defy the expectations set upon us".
Lycron paused for a moment and noticed his soldiers who were looking desperate seconds ago were now looking as if there was hope to this seemingly bad situation. Lycron continued walking from left to right on the wet dirt.
"For in the face of adversity, we discover our true strength. Today, we prove that it's not the size of the enemy that matters, but the size of the indomitable spirit that resides within us all. Onward, soldiers! Onward to victory!" Lycron finished with a Xiphon raised in the air, pointing to the sky. Moment of silence was present but soon the silence was broken by one soldier who started to proudly raising his spear in the air and started shouting "Long live Taxiarch Lycron!!".
More and more soldiers started to do the same and the atmosphere full of despair was gone in matter of seconds. Korithians started to pick up simply wooden ladders in phalanx formations and begun marching to the east where lion den was awaiting them. "Lycron you really know your way with words" said Philotas with hand placed gently on Lycron's shoulder and chuckled. "Leadership is not the only trait that Taxiarchs like us should know, Philotas" Lycron said to Philotas with his usual calm voice.
"of course, of course Lycron whatever you say, anyway i can't wait so see the Spartan kings face full of despair while his limbs will be cut off, hehe" Philotas deviously laughed but Lycron was not paying him any attention, Lycrons mind was occupied by a different matter as to if the rest of the unit leaders can manage the plan.
"What's the matter Lycron? you seem like you are thinking of something" Philitas asked Lycron who was gazing as the soldiers marched by him with their heads held high and occasional laugher could be heard. "Its nothing, i hope your men are ready to do their job" Lycron answered still staring at the soldiers.
"But of course!, its all thanks to your speech that my men are in good spirit!" Philotas loudly proclaimed. "Good to hear, now lets go, there is battle we must win" Lycron stated to Philotas as he started walking beside his troops.
Early in the morning, synchronised footsteps and clanking armor could be heard across the forest. Two Spartans assigned by to keep an eye on the Korithians, but were surprised that they did not retreat, and even started marching to the direction where Sparta was located. "By Athena, we must inform our this at once!" one Spartan said with confusion in his voice, while watching from a safe distance with his fellow Spartan who was beside him. "Agree, let's move before we are too late" just like that Spartans started moving with slight speed as to not give away their position.
"My king!! please wake up!, Korithians are coming!" Callias urgently banged on the wooden door of the kings bedroom. "What?!" Alexios finally opened the door after a while "My king, we have report from our Spartans, who were watching them that Korithinas are coming with wooden ladders!". Alexios wasted no time and put on his helmet and take his Hoplite shield and Aegisbane from a wooden table and helmet from the wooden stand and rushed out of his room like a rabbit spotted by a fox with Callias following him right after.
Alexios was running like crazy to the west side of the wall where Korithians will be coming from. Alexios in his armor jumped two stairs at a time with rapid speed, Alexios was standing at the walls with great view on the forest but that was not Alexios was interested at the moment, because Alexios could not catch his breath.
"My king, are you alright?" Callias asked worryingly "y-yes..i..am..alright" Alexios muttered the words as he was breating heavily. Finally Alexios catches his breath and started to observe the forest, but another set of footsteps could be heard behind him. "My king as promised i managed to send Callias to inform you in case of any news about Korithians, i apologize i did not make delivered it personally, i had to inform Spartan Stormguard" Kleon reported proudly with Perseus behind his back.
"Its okay, you did indeed fulfill your promise, now tell me details" Alexios appraised Kleon for his promise with a smile that startled Kleon once again. "My king, Korithian army is approaching with roughly 1,850 strong with wooden ladders and no range infantry and no cavalry.Their army is mostly youths and approximately 200 Hoplites including Hippeis, we estimate that they will arrive in 30 minutes". Goddammit i thought that their casualties would be higher, but no cavalry and no range infantry is good news at last, but WHY didn't they withdraw? i killed their general and my men burned all of their supplies?! they are just as stubborn as their fallen general.
Alexios could not believe they are not retreating, but quickly these thoughts were thrown to the bin. More pressing is how to organize defence in this short time, "Sigh...this is gonna be a long day" Alexios said to himself while looking at the sky still covered in a cover of the night.