Salurio Port, Saracuna, Sikilga Island, south of the viceroyalty of Itulis, Italka peninsula
Beginning of 573
"Philipart, we must do something!" Dandorio had him by the shoulders.
"Stop moving me! You're making me nervous!" He pushed him away.
Philip returned his eyes to the port connection with the town, which lay reinforced with walls made of metal and wire, where the legionaries, unsuccessfully, were trying to withstand the brave thrust of the viceroys.
Saracuna was the name with which the arkonians had baptized the region they conquered on the island of Sikiga, belonging to the viceroyalty of Itulis, more than fifty years ago.
At dawn, after a sudden and frenetic attack by the viceroyalty, they were billeted in the port of Salurio, their only means of escape.
Philipart, who had arrived a week before with the intention of making a review of the legio stationed there, was rudely awakened that morning by a group of soldiers who entered his tent without warning: they lifted him out of bed and dressed him themselves.
It was not until he had punched one of them that they explained the situation to him.
Now, the soldiers had little time left to give in to the viceregal charge that was accompanied by cannon fire that destroyed the walls as if they were paper.
"I belie-believe that the be-best option is to surrender...."
"Are you crazy? The viceroyalty will cut off our balls, and the Senate will condemn our families!," he interrupted him, grabbed him by the shoulders, and turned his body in the direction of the battle. "Do you really want that? Then go and surrender, then tell me how it went."
"Now you're the crazy one!" He released his grip, turning to Philip. "If you don't want us to surrender, then what do we do? I don't know about you, but I have my daughter waiting for me at home."
"And I've got my wife, and that's not why I'm screaming my head off bitc....
"Don't you dare say that!" With defiant eyes he looked at him, attentive to his next words.
"Well... Don't you think you're too much burdened by a daughter who is not of your blood?"
Philipart twisted his head as he frowned.
"I adopted her, I gave her shelter and love, I can't give her up, especially if it's because of your stupidity!" He gave her a punch in the chest, making her take a step back.
Lipart raised his hands with open palms, smirking slightly.
"Calm down, calm down," he began, "surrender is not an option, and even if I wanted to, we cannot retreat." Turning, he pointed his finger at the dock berth. "As you can see, we don't have a single boat. We're trapped!" He shrugged, turned back to Dandorio. "We're going to die."
"Don't say that!" His hands trembled.
The idea of dying out there was no fun for him at all.
In an attempt to bring him to his senses, he resorted to coarse words:
"With that attitude, I don't understand how you became a general of Lino Victorinus!"
The smile on his face faded away, his yellowish eyes piercing into Dandorio's greenish ones, glaring at him with disdain.
He clenched his fist, bringing it down, intending to land a blow.
"You played deep." Philipart hunched over.
Dandorio stepped back, leaned on his right leg and raised his arms, ready to face him.
A roar rang out, the viceroy's attack stopped: the Arkonians spun in the direction of the sound.
"Philipart, the reinforcements have arrived!" Dandorio, running, went to the end of the pier, where he raised his hands, moving them from one side to the other to confirm his location.
"Don't think I forgot what you said..." Philip whispered to himself, as he deigned to follow Dando.
He wanted to see who was commanding the reinforcements.
Virreinals, in some sectors, resumed their attack.
The arkonians, now motivated by the arrival of help, applied a much more ironclad defense.
"Dandorio, that idiot who is climbing the ship's railing, holding on to a rope that can betray him... Isn't he Arcadio?"
Dandorio nodded, with a smile on his face.
Help had arrived from a person close to them.
The fleet, supporting the legio with mortar fire, parked the ships in parts near the dock, throwing ropes and ladders.
"Philipart, Dandorio, my friends, how are you!" Arcadio shouted.
Both men looked at each other in disbelief.
"We were just about to invite the viceroys to drink, you idiot!" Philipart raised both arms. "Are you or are you?!"
Arcadio guffawed. He went down to the deck of the ship and leaned his elbows on the railing.
"Quick, order the retreat!"
"And how are we going to get on the boats?" Dandorio scratched his head, twisted his lip as he saw that the fleet was moderately far from the dock.
The basileus did not utter a word, instead, with both hands he pointed to the ropes and ladders that had been lowered.
Once again, the men looked at each other, managing to understand what Arcadio was trying to tell him.
-Dandorio, get on the boat, I'll catch up with you. -He nodded.
Philipart took a deep breath and, with a slow step, headed towards the battle zone.
With pain in his chest, he watched the bodies littering the ground and his men falling like rags to the ground.
"Soldiers!"
Those who were not fighting turned to him, and those who were, tried to listen, if only a little, to his words.
From here, everything depended on how fast they were, and how good the viceroy's aim was.
"Retreat, all run to the ships, now!"