38. Terror

Mendek spent the next day advancing northwards upon Balna from Byz. Spendius took the city of Busur and then the town of Marston and all the villages and towns in the local region. His golden flag with an axe and sword inspired terror, and people readily gave their coins and valuables in exchange for peace. His Hunur and Chenep cavalry raided freely, taking gold, coins and livestock. He paid for more mercenaries who were willing to join the winning side in what seemed like endless conquests.

“We will conquer the entire continent, the Church of Order nations will be next!” Spendius promised, “Asur will be conquered in a week, maybe less.”

His troops took their liberties, and would march up the royal road to Selim’s palace in Bethhyr. Selim was completely surrounded by hostile powers, and his army was weak, but he attempted to fortify the capital at least. Spendius would not be long.

Clearchus took the city of Hatun after a short siege. He opened the gates and then his army poured through, inflicting much destruction. Symachus had left a surprise for Clearchus. Well armed men with crossbows began picking off some of Clearchus’s mercenaries. Clearchus tutted and used his God Powers, but even then he suffered abnormal casualties. Some 500 of his men were killed by Yerek supporters, killing 3000 of the miscreants who dared show such defiance.

“Anyone harbouring enemies of Mendek will be flogged, and crucified for all to see!” Clearchus said in a fury, “if I see even one of those damn flags I will burn the whole street down. Anyone related to a rebel will be punished severely!”

Mendek had clearly chosen some coercive policies of control. Their armies were brutal with dissidents and many people had been sold into slavery. Clearchus marched his troops eastwards toward the city of Cilica ready to make war with Hitara in what any sane person would deem a perplexing strategy, for the Mendek forces were stretching themselves thin.

While Clearchus fulfilled his responsibilities, Maurice appeared before the determined city of Smyr.

“Death to tyrants! Death to tyranny!” They shouted down at him and his army.

“The God of Battle only accepts those who win as righteous, their insults are nothing but the sounds of donkeys, and they will be treated like donkeys upon our victory! Kill them all and enslave the survivors!” Maurice screamed.

Maurice was met with a determined garrison who hailed crossbow bolts down at his army, Symachus had anticipated the siege and was picking off his officers at random.

“Damn it! I will open the gates!” Maurice screamed.

He did as much, rushing upon the beleaguered defenders who attempted to shoot him, but failed mostly, maybe grazing his cheek or legs, but were turned into butter before Maurice’s blade. He did indeed open the gates, but Maurice was met against God Power from the other side. A ginger man with green eyes, shot and killed important men in his mercenary army, and the crossbowmen were more determined than ever to rid the besiegers from their front. Maurice opened the gates, but noticed his army was being picked off, and the crossbowmen were still delivering devastating losses. A man appeared before him, throwing a knife and then disappeared.

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“Mendek will rule! Kill these blaspheming polytheists and their foul Trade God!” Maurice screamed.

Brown hair and green eyes, and a bloody cheek, he had slaughtered the garrison guarding the gates, but watched as his 7000 man army was whittled down by crossbow fire. Maurice put the banner of Mendek on the battlements, but the determined garrison and city militia shot at it and it soon came off. Symachus appeared on the walls rallying the defenders.

“I will kill their officers! You focus on killing their troops! They cannot beat a determined force. They only know fear! Do not be afraid of them!”

Maurice charged down the walls, but Symachus appeared behind the evangel of the God of Battle, with a grin. Maurice turned quickly and Symachus teleported even more quickly. The crossbowmen could focus on targeting the soldiers down below, the gates were open, but the Mendek forces could not take advantage. The city shot the besiegers with zeal, the rate of fire was impressive, and Maurice stared in fear as his forces were getting the worse of the fighting.

“This is not over!” Maurice said, “Mendek will rule, and you puny traders will only be able to hop around aimlessly!”

“I look forward to it,” Symachus said, flicking his fingers off his head in a farewell gesture.

“Retreat! Retreat!” Maurice said in a pained voice, “we will get them next time!”

2500 of Maurice’s forces were dead, with 500 of the garrison dead, mainly at the gatehouse.

4500 troops of Maurice’s retreated, mainly to help in the invasion of the east organised by Clearchus. The city of Smyr cheered audibly much to the commiseration of the Mendek forces. Symachus addressed the victorious defenders.

“We have shown them our will! The God of Trade will not abandon people! We will fight them until the end!”

“And we will be free until the end!” A man shouted.

We must never abandon these people. If I wasn’t here, the tide of battle could have gone very differently.

Clearchus having taken Hatun had moved on Cilica, taking border forts and looting important noble estates. He had expanded his army by 2000 making it a total of 6500. He marched on Cilica, entering a city with a larger garrison than his at the onset of night. Taking the gatehouse and slaughtering some Church of Light priests who dared throw fireballs at him, Clearchus killed a substantial amount of defenders before his infantry army armed with sword and shield entered in the city and took the city after a brief but bloody battle. He marched down the main street, taking the governor’s residence for himself, and much like Spendius looting much more than gold. The governor was not in, but he took some of the finer women in the palace for himself.

“Mercenaries should be hired, and women and gold collected, we are not a charity! The God of Battle rewards those who fight for him, and gives the ultimate ignominy for those who dare defy his will!” Clearchus shouted.

The crimes of war were not lessened, with soldiers acting like brutes, they perhaps stopped at excessiveness, but not stopped from horrific cruelties on the conquered. Women, men and even children were carted off to be sold by Clearchus, and those who were left were all the more willing to comply with the new authorities. Enthusiasts not so much as opportunists. The Church of Light’s influence had drastically decreased, but soon the world would find out it was not only them that war would touch. The poverty of the city was not lessened, and perhaps increased, taxes were left higher, the ruled left with the same burdens as before, if not more.