章 174: A Walk up the Main Road
As Subutai declared he would take the north, a cry erupted from the above, soon followed by a rapidly approaching shape in the sky. Subutai placed his arm to the side and Genghis his Eagle flew down and landed on it. Dom looked and saw that it had a wooden stick in it's mouth. Subutai took the stick from it's mouth and turned to look at Dom. It looked like Subutai was about to say something, but his figure was lost as the Horse Archers he was taking with him cantered past and blocked their vision.
Dom waited, but by the time the Horse Archers had cleared, Subutai had also disappeared with them.
"It's our turn now then." Tomoe exclaimed, marching towards her position.
Dom nodded in agreement, wondering what Subutai was about to say, he pushed it to the back of his mind as it would have to wait until later. He span his spear in his hand, checking the weight as he prepared himself to march in to the centre of Tongpai Town, towards the gated Town Centre that held the Tongpai Leadership. The Riverside Commanders had all separated, Xun You had taken some Hoplite's and Horse Archers to the West, where as Subutai had taken a similar amount to the North.
Abubakar was still being seen to by the Legionary who was acting as a medic and stayed behind to keep control of the gate with a small group. They had dispatched messengers to the Tongpai Military Camp to check on Tomyris, but Dom suspected he wouldn't get an update until he was at the Town Centre.
Tomoe was beside Dom, her Naginata in her hand, whilst her swords were strapped to her waist. Hua Rong was also stood there, his Bow ready to strike when asked for. Beside them were a selection of Forbidden Guard whose role was to protect Dom and help support any gaps that may appear in the Riverside lines. They stood behind the section of Legionaries that were placed at the front, and Dom looked around to inspect his Warriors..
The two Centuries of Legionaries, and one Century of Praetorians were prepared. They were all lined up in formation, the Centurions of each unit in the front left position, their head crests differentiating them from the rest of the men. The Hoplite were at the rear, their spears raised high, ready to block the side streets and protect the rear of the force.
"Are we ready?" Dom asked loudly.
The response was loud and threatening, as the Legionaries smashed the back of their Pilum, their short throwing javelin, in to their large shields, where as the Hoplite bashed the bottom of their spears in to the ground and clambered their shields against them.
"For Riverside!" They all yelled back ferociously, the excitement of the battle on them.
Dom was pleased, the sound would panic those in Tongpai Town, and hopefully make the civilians stay indoors. Where as he hoped to intimidate those that would potentially be his opponent to not fight back.
"Riverside Warriors, March!" Centurion Octavian shouted from the front row, as they marched up the centre pathway, leading towards the Town Centre in the distance.
The first row, eight men wide, took the first steps forward, followed by another eight, and then another. They marched slowly and confidently, and Dom could see Octavian's crest moving from left to right at the front as he looked for any potential threats, beside him the Standard Bearer who held a long staff with a Sabre Tooth Tiger motif on the top and the Legio Ninth Hispania symbol below. Dom was impressed with that aspect of his Centurions and how each of them stood on the front row of their Century of troops, putting their lives at risk as much as their own troops.
Dom's group moved next, keeping pace with the Century in front of them. The Forbidden Guard, Tomoe and Hua Rong alongside him, their Tiger's growling as their riders turned their heads to look down each of the small side alleys that they passed.
Following them were the other two Legions, led by Centurion Pullo and Centurion Septimius, who were also at the front of their Centuries, with similar Standard Bearer's beside them. Their men marching confidently, Pilum in hand as they stepped forwards in pace with the units before them.
Following at the rear were the Hoplite's and Spartans that would leave a handful of Warriors at each side street, creating a barrier and protecting the rear. At each side street, two stopped, their long spears stabbed in to the ground and pointing down the street, so that any one that dared approach would be slowed enough that reinforcements could arrive.
As they marched, Dom looked towards the small single story buildings that lined the street. They were mainly houses or shops, but they all had their shutters closed. Occasionally Dom would see some eyes peering out, fear at the passing troops that had easily entered their home town and their peaceful night. The streets weren't as clean as Dom had anticipated, with large amounts of dirt splashed against the pale coloured buildings. The doors on the houses didn't seem to fit perfectly with some having gaps that would allow a cool breeze in the evening to easily pass through to the occupants inside.
"Halt!" Dom heard Centurion Octavian shout from the front, the whole force slowed and came to a halt in an organised fashion. Tomoe nodded her head in praise at how the small Riverside contingent acted, their clear training as a professional force showing.
Dom peaked his head and saw that in the distance a large group of enemy Tongpai Shang Swordsmen had gathered. In front of them was a tall brown haired Warrior, with a bushy brown beard. The Warrior was holding a large two handed broadsword, the sword was facing downwards, but the Warriors face showed clear anger.
"Put down your weapons and surrender!" Centurion Octavian shouted loudly towards the enemies that were in front of him, slightly further up the road.
"Who are you, why have you invaded my Town!" The bushy bearded, brown haired Warrior shouted back.
"We are from Riverside!" Centurion Octavian replied, "We have come to rescue the Civilians and get repentance for the Horse Tribes to the South!"
"So you are what happened to Guthrum!" The bushy bearded, brown haired Warrior said back, a look of realisation on his face. "You will not take Tongpai Town easily."
"Surrender now, or face our might." Octavian threatened, taking a step forwards, which was matched by the whole of the First Century. Dom stepped forwards as well, and the rest of the army behind did the same. The Tongpai Shang Swordsmen looked intimidated, but the lead Warrior at the front did not avert his eyes.
"Hear this!" He shouted back, "I am Aelfred, General of Tongpai Town. I will not back down! Men Charge!"
The Tongpai Shang Swordsmen looked at their commander, and as if more afraid of him than the force in front of them. They charged past him towards the Riverside Contingent. They came as mass, at least one hundred Warriors, running down the dirty path on the main road of Tongpai Town. They couldn't charge much wider than the Riverside group, who were eight wide. Dom wondered if Aelfred had been able to see the larger amount of Riverside Warriors, or just had confidence in his own men's capabilities.
"Brace yourselves!" Centurion Octavian shouted, as he placed his shield down and braced himself, his left leg forwards and his right behind. The men beside him followed his lead, all with their shields ready and their Pilum prepared to throw. The line behind place their shields at the row in front's back, stabilising them before the enemy momentum crashed in to them, they also had their Pilum ready, prepared to throw at a slightly higher angle.
"Ready!" Centurion Octavian shouted as the front row of the enemy appeared within range, a combination of rage and fear could be seen on their faces. "Loose!"
Over sixty Pilum were thrown down the main road, stabbing in to the first few rows of charging Tongpai Shang Swordsmen, who were easily skewered and taken down in the killing field that had appeared before them.
"They were never going to miss." Tomoe declared as she watched the skirmish ahead of them. "It was like target practice."
"I wish I had taken a shot!" Hua Rong added.
"Draw swords!" Centurion Octavian ordered, as he drew his sword and braced himself.
The remaining Tongpai Shang Swordsmen, who were originally fearful, now had rage on their faces having seen around thirty of their number being taken out before they even had chance. They wouldn't be able to slow their momentum, so they charged with everything they had.
The clash happened suddenly, a loud bang as the enemy bodies hit the shields of the Riverside Legionaries, the whole Century took a step back, before the first line, under Centurion Octavian, stabbed in sync at the enemy that had clashed in to them. They pushed their shields forwards, stabbing in to any enemy that appeared in front of them.
"One step at a time!" Tomoe shouted from behind them, her hands squeezing her Naginata tightly as she wanted to charge in. Not wanting the Century to step back to much and loose the momentum.
"It's not our time yet." Dom said to her, calming her down before her battle lust took her, "Octavian knows what he is doing.
"I know." She replied, as they watched the skirmish ahead unfold, calming herself down. "I think Pullo may have made them surrender, he's more intimidating."
"I agree General!" Centurion Pullo said proudly from behind, a grin on his and his Centuries face, as they two wanted to get in the fight with their colleagues in front. Most of the Legionaries were wary of Centurion Pullo as he was in charge of the Legionary training in Riverside.
The First Century continued to fight, now taking a step forward over the fallen foe from the initial clash and the push lessened from the Tongpai Shang Swordsmen that had attacked, their momentum decreasing. The First Century stood on their enemies fallen bodies as they stepped forwards, whilst the row behind stabbed down to dispatch any enemy that could potentially still be alive. The front row continued to stab forwards as they made some progress up the main road, now taking a couple more steps, and standing on more fallen foe.
"They are retreating." Tomoe commented, as they saw a group of the enemy at the rear of the mass of Bodies hitting the shields at the front turn and step away, seeing that their initial charge had not been as fortuitous as they would have hoped.
"Where is Aelfred?" Dom asked, not able to see the brown haired Tongpai General, with his two handed broadsword in the fight.
"No idea, maybe he ran before the battle started?" Tomoe replied in frustration as more of the enemy started to turn and run.
"He ran." Hua Rong stated, "As the battle started he turned and left, I think this was just a diversion."
"Stay in formation!" Dom heard Centurion Octavian yell loudly at his men, who had temptation to charge at the fleeing enemy as they continued to stab forwards and stamp on more fallen foe. The First Century soon reached the line their Pilum had hit, and collected their Pilum from the fallen foe. The first two rows stepped over the fallen foes, where the third row then collected the Pilum and passed them to the person on their left, who continued passing until a pile was created on the left side of the road.
"The Pilum aren't reusable, the tips bend on impact so they can't be thrown back." Dom explained to Hua Rong, having had the same thing explained to him by Centurion Pullo during a training session. "They'll collect them and send them back so the tips can be reforged."
Centurion Octavian then continued the march up the Main Road towards the Town Centre, which was now clearly visible in front of them, a small gated wall surrounding it, with armed men stood atop the wall, the familiar Aelfred stood their alongside them. Their was an open space in front of the Town Centre, and the Centuries of Riverside quickly stood beside each other, this time with Centurion Septimius's Century in the centre facing the enemies main gate. Dom stared up at the main gate, towards Aelfred who stared back down, anger and frustration in his face.
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