The Epic Tale of Navalon

[Kramerman]

After a year of intense fighting in the Italian peninsula’s central region, the three Navalonian Legions were able to subdue the Latin and Sabine tribes there. However, all three Legions took a beating, the 3rd Legion in particular. It nearly completely lost its 1st of 2 cohorts after it was ambushed near the town of Rome. However, the mighty 3rd fought hard and triumphed against the numerically superior opponents who also controlled the element of surprise. What was left of the 3rd Legion after that hard won victory laid a six month siege to the town of Rome (whos troops had also been depleted in the battle with the 3rd), ending only after the 1st Century, a corps of elite warriors known as Centurions, were able to scale the walls in siege towers and defeat the inferior trained, equipped, and malnourished Romans.

Annhyicus arrived in Rome shortly after it was taken, after he had led the 1st Legion victoriously against the other Latin tribes in the area. He had left the 1st Legion to occupy that land and to regroup, leaving that legion’s general in charge of reconstructing the newly gained territory and population into Navalon. Word came of the battered 2nd Legion’s victory against the Sabines and Annhyicus ordered them to do the same as the 1st.

Rome was by far the most significant settlement in that central region, and Annhyicus was hopeful at successfully assimilating its population into Navalon. While there, he showed his truly spectacular diplomacy skills. The locals were terrified of being slaughtered by the invaders, but Annhyicus assured them they would be quite safe if they cooperated. He met with their ruling governing body, and a novel idea struck him hard. He had heard of a democracy in Greece, but after it failed (due to Spartan conquest) he thought nothing more of it. This republic the Romans had was a similar idea, and all the people of Rome were very satisfied with the system. This gave the Imperator some ideas to play with; he had been experiencing more and more domestic discontent. Many of the outer towns, especially those along the Adriatic that were formerly Greek settlements, were feeling left out of much of the empire’s growing wealth and development. They felt that the Imperator was favoring certain other towns and regions over them. Annhyicus’ basic thought process was that perhaps if he gave them some representation of some sort, he could appease their tantrum.

After a few weeks in Rome Annhyicus felt he had to return to Navapolis to his seat of power. After finishing the Tiber River area’s organization and leaving instructions for all of his army to rest, relax, and refill its beaten ranks, he left alone on horse back through the sparsely populated, former, Navalonian northern frontier and returned to his home city after a two-days-ride. As he road through the countryside, through small towns, and through villages, the Navalonian folk waved and smiled, most recognizing their leader and praising his victories. News had spread fast through the country of the victory over the “barbarians” who often raided the frontier and other towns and cities too, disrupting their civilization. With their defeat, a much more stable life was hoped for by the public. Many young men had heard the stories of courageous and valorous Legionnaires who fought bravely, including the story of Corporal Garius Vasmuth, and were immediately inspired. Long lines of young men formed, eager to join up with these heroes that the soldiers became to be known as.

Immediately after returning to his keep, he went to check up on Allya, King Minos’ daughter, and to make sure she was all right and taken care of. He had only returned a handful of times during his yearlong campaign in the north to check up on the old girl that had become a young woman in his absences and to receive full updates on his ally’s war against the Greeks, though messengers would bring him news while he was at the front. Minoans had lost all but the Island of Crete itself and for a time had even lost a section of that large island, but North African mercenaries from a young Phoenician empire known as Carthage were able to repel the invaders. Some of the largest and most spectacular fleet engagements to date were fought during that year, with many Navalonians sailors and soldiers posing as Minoans. The Battle of Agea, which was fought with hundreds of warships on both sides just off Crete’s northern shore, was led by Grand Admiral Biarus, the Navalonian fleet commander. It was a fantastic Minoan victory where the fleet used catapults to launch Greek Fire with devastating results. Grand Admiral Biarus ultimately fell in battle after being struck by an arrow, but not after leading the numerically inferior Minoan fleet to victory. Grand Admiral Biarus was later buried in the Navalonian Honor Tomb with full honors for the service he had provided to his nation and its allies.

Annhyicus would spend a few months in Navapolis, spending a lot of time with Allya. He would show her places where he used to play when he was a kid, where his old home used to be, and even introduced her to some of his old childhood friends, who were now old men by those days’ standards. He grew very fond of her, and she of him. One day, only days before Annhyicus planned to return to the front to continue his campaign still further north against the Etrurians (he had received a message that a large Etrurian army had approached Rome and were standing off with the now replenished 3rd Legion stationed there. Supreme General Wilmus was handling the situation well and had began to mass all three legions to intimidate the main Etrurian force in order to stall if they planned to invade the Tiber area that they wanted back so badly, having invested as much as they had into roads, bridges, wells, aqueducts, and swamp drainage), Allya complained that a new servant that was hired had been bothering her with rough physical behavior that was making her very uncomfortable. Annhyicus said he would question the man and later that evening he went looking for him. He was told by the other servants that he was with the princess in her quarters. As Annhyicus approached, the door was cracked open a bit and he heard a terrible scream, one that sent a bone-chilling memory through his mind of his mother, so many years ago on the docks. He ran into the room and found the servant holding Allya’s half-naked body down on her bed with a dagger to her throat, blood running down her neck. With lightning speed and ferocious rage he knocked that “sadistic piece of sh1t”, as he would later refer to him as, to the floor and began to pommel him with blows. He beat him with his fists furiously for several minutes, long after he had been knocked unconscious, turning the young man’s face into a bloody mush. He only stopped after he realized he needed to see how Allya was. She was fine more or less, though in much pain. The man had cut her neck not to deeply so he could derive pleasure from her without killing her, but the wound would leave a large provocative scare that would only fade slightly in the many years to come.

The man that would become to be known locally as “The First Sadist Since Tyranicus” would not wake from his coma for several days and because of that he died from dehydration. Annhyicus had broken both his hands in his rage, but borrowed an idea from the Northern Etrurians and set the bones back into place before he used a splint and sling system to allow them to heal, which he did remarkably quick; in only a few weeks he was completely back to normal. The incident had delayed his return to the northern front by many weeks, not just due to his injuries, but also by his trial.

Shortly after the man died, the news spread quickly through the empire. Everybody wondered if their Imperator would stand trial like any other man. Though he was never arrested by the local militia (law enforcement was carried out by Legionnaires and the local militias), he turned himself in because he wanted to show that no matter who you were, no matter how rich or poor, powerful or weak, famous or infamous, nobody was above the law (in practice it would be many centuries for this to truly be the case, however). After a trial that lasted only a single day (it was held three weeks after the incident), Annhyicus was declared to have been acting in defense of the lady, and was therefore acquitted. However he did have to pay for the burial ceremony of the man for his family.

Allya wore a scarf around her neck since recieving her wound, fearing the world to think her ugly because of the large scar she now bore there. She became deeply depressed. Annhyicus tried repeatedly to get her to remove it, feeling it was his fault that he did not confront the man sooner, and that he was the source for her grief. He thought that she blamed him for what happened to her. He had fallen in love with her, and she seemed to hate him for what he had done. He too began to slip into depression. Allya in fact, however, was quite infatuated with him and had been so for quite some time; she viewed him as her savior, though felt she was now too ugly to ever win his heart. This was the true source of her depression. One night, after a quiet, solemn dinner, Annhyicus escorted her to her room and then broke down. He begged her to forgive him and pleaded for her to remove her scarf. She consoled him but refused to do as he asked, in fear that it would disgust him. Annhyicus, realizing this is what she feared, quickly removed his shirt. In the candlelight of her room he showed her the several deep scars caused from battle wounds. Most of his scars were on his muscular arms, but a few ran across his chest and along his back. He told her that he always thought of scars as a badge of sorts, a memento of the battles in which he fought. He regaled her with the stories of his bravery behind each scar, inflaming her infatuation. She felt the scars as he talked; he guided her hands along his chest and stared into her ocean blue eyes. She then reached for her scarf and slipped it off, revealing her neck and she collapsed to tears. Annhyicus held her closely and kissed and soothed her neck. Through her sobbing tears she let out a gasp and moan, a mixture of surprise, joy, and pleasure, and then he kissed her open mouth. After several minutes of their kissing embrace, they fell into her bed and finally after so long, realized their enormous and extraordinary love for each other.

[Kramerman]

Annhyicus wanted nothing more than to stay in the comfort of his home with his newfound love, but knew he had to return to the new northern frontier to press on against the menacing Etrurians. Allya at first begged for him to stay, but knew she would never sway him, and instead begged to go with him. He explained to her that he promised her father to keep her safe, and that he had almost failed that just a few weeks earlier. He would not take any more risks, the battlefields were just to dangerous. She reluctantly agreed, and helped Annhyicus don his armor.

Just as the Imperator sent a servant to fetch old Arch, still in the peak of his life thanks to Annhyicus’ sacred ritual (he was truly a worthy horse), he heard the keep gate slam open. He knew at once it was a messenger sent from the front. He ran down to meet the courier in the antechamber, there he was, sweating and out of breathe after a hard ride.

“Sir, the Etrurians attacked the 3rd Legion’s encampment outside Rome around mid-day yesterday, though Supreme General Wilmus was prepared. Shortly after I was dispatched, I viewed the Etrurian force of about 10,000, twice that of the 3rd Legion, begin to break through the lines and overwhelm the Legion. However the 1st Legion had appeared over the ridge about 2 kilometers to the east of the battlefield and moved to reinforce the 3rd. I am not aware of what happened after that, but I am certain a rider has been sent to tell you of the outcome,” the young horseman panted.

Annhyicus spoke to himself more than anyone else present in a concerned tone, “I must leave immediately. Assuming the Legions were victorious, the Etrurians would not be expecting, nor be capable of repelling a swift and sudden strike into their territory ---“

A guard entered the antechamber, “Imperator, a Minoan squadron of warships are approaching the harbor.”

The first thought to enter Annhyicus’ mind was that he had been betrayed. King Minosus knew Navalon had virtually no defense, especially with much of its navy exhausted while covertly helping in the war against Greece. Would that old man dare backstab his most helpful ally in the middle of a preexisting war?

“Father!” Allya squealed, “He has finally returned after more than a year!”

Annhyicus took a sigh of relief. “Of course,” he thought to himself, “I think I’m becoming paranoid by my warmongering ways.” He ran to his chambers as fast as he could in his armor, and returned to the antechamber and grabbed Allya’s hand. “I don’t ever think I’m going to get to the front with my boys,” he thought to himself as he rushed outside and towards the docks with Allya and a couple of the keep militia guards trailing closely behind. He met the Minoan king, who had aged most noticeably in his previous year of struggle, at the foot of the dock. He had a big smile and laughed as his beloved daughter ran and hugged him.

“Oh dear, Allya, what happened to your neck, my child,” the king inquired, most concerned.

“Come my friend, I have much to tell you,” began Annhyicus, as he started off to describe the year’s events. By the time they had reached the keep, Annhyicus had gotten to the results of his trial, and there he concluded.

The Minoan king was happy with his friend’s successes against his northern threats thus far, was saddened by his daughter’s calamity, but was heartened by what Annhyicus had done to the sick man. The king had news of his own, which was the main purpose of his trip to Navapolis, he had agreed to a cease-fire with the Greeks. At the time of the cease-fire, Minoa had recaptured many of its lost islands and captured many Greek islands, almost making up for its losses in territory. The war had taken its toll however. Minoa was in shambles; most of its wealth had been spent on funding the war and its population had been ravaged by the hostilities. King Minosus was optimistic however, and was looking forward to the challenge of rebuilding. Allya was thrilled to hear her homeland was saved, and both father and daughter thanked Annhyicus, telling him it could not have been done without his help.

With that, Annhyicus declared he had one last piece of business to take care of before he must leave to the front. He stood up full and tall and explained to King Minosus IV that he was deeply in love with his daughter, and as was the fashion of the day, asked his permission to ask her for her hand in marriage. King Minosus was absolutely ecstatic.

“I’ve been waiting for you to ask me. I was beginning to fear you never would!” the king chuckled. “It would truly be an honor to include such a fine man as yourself into my dynasty.”

Annhyicus then pulled a small, plain, gold ring from his purse that hung from the belt at the bottom of his armor, it was the thing that he ran to his chambers for earlier (It always disgusted Annhyicus that he lived in the same building where Tyranicus lived. He could not wait until he had the money and resources to demolish the place and build a real fortress outside Navapolis), and explained to Allya that his father, Arius, had given a very similar ring to his mother, Adalae, as symbol of his eternal love to her. He asked Allya if she would accept his pledge of his eternal love to her, and except his gold band. She practically pounced on him and kissed him and Annhyicus took that for a yes. A few hours later, late in the afternoon, with King Minosus IV present, the couple was wed in the small, modest chapel in Navapolis that hailed the God of Cosmos as its patron. Afterward, the king said farewell, that he had to return to his land and begin the rebuilding, and asked for them to visit him soon because he wasn’t getting any younger. That evening the newly wed couple consummated their marriage, and soon after Annhyicus began his ritual for his most worthy Empress. The next evening he had finished, and with a tearful good bye, was finally off to the front, a month after he had originally planned to return, to fight the last battles he hoped he would have to fight for a long time to come. His thoughts of his wife just inspired him to conquer the north all that much faster so he could soon return to her.

[Kramerman]

Alright, Ive got quite abit done on a few more parts. I have gone much further into detail in the story than I intially had planned, but hopefully it'll make it that much more enjoyable. I should have the next part or two done in the next few days.

Kman

[civman2000]

great! This is by far the longest story ever written (except maybe some old ones i havent read or the DG series put together), it's a wonder that you still keept it interesting!

[Kramerman]

Yeah, I think thats why I have not drawn to many new readers. It is quite long and pretty intimidating. Most of the people who are still reading have been reading since the beginning pretty much. I've been thinking about, after coming to a good stopping place, satrting a new thread to continue the story. People wh have read from the beginnning would understand whats going on alot better than new readers, but it would be able to stand on its own as a seperate story. You could think of it kind of like as a sequal to a movie. Just an idea, but this thread is getting pretty long and it wouldn't be a bad idea for me to draw new readers.

Kman

[johncmcleod]

golly gee whiz, you write a lot fast! I don't have that kind of work ethic. Though I did stay up til 1 AM last night with the next installment of my story I feel like I can't write anymore.

[WenAmon]

Kramerman, this has got to be one of the best stories this forum has ever seen. I check almost daily to see if you have posted any updates. Please, don't ever stop writing this epic until the Nation of Navalon travels the stars!

[Kramerman]

Rest assured WenAmon, I am going to try... it may take years , but I will try. May have the next part up late tonight, or maybe tomarrow night if I cant finish. In what little time I have to spend on the forum, I've been spending alot lately in the Democracy Game, I signed up a couple weeks ago but Im just now becoming active. Its pretty interesting, but again it takes up alot of my Apolyton time. Thanks for he replies.

Kman

[The Bloody Baro]

Man this is the bomb! I'd say something really cool to show how much I like this story but I'm all out of ideas!

[TheGuitarist]

I think its a good idea to put this story in another thread, Kman. You're right, it would attract more readers.

Keep it going, excellent as usual.

[Kramerman]

i am very very sorry for my abscence from this story, and I really hope to have the next intallment up later this weekend. I just keep getting stalled by one thing or another, or i have problems with the next instalment or something. Again, if i can make sure what im writing currently is quality work, I'll have it up this weekend, maybe late saturday night or so.

Kman

P.S. My new Avatar is kinda like how I invision Annhyicus, though his armor would be iron instead of bronze, and his helmet is kinda different - but its close enough Just if you were curious.

[Verto]

I haven't had the time to read this story in it's entirety, but what I have read is very good. Keep up the good work.

[MJW]

[Kramerman]

Annhyicus, late one evening, arrived at the encampment of his combined 1ts and 3rd Legions. They had slugged it out just two days earlier against an Etrurian army that nearly took the 3rd Legion by surprise. Luckily the 1st Legion was near and arrived in time to flank the Etrurian army of 10,000 that was in reach of victory over the 3rd. The combined forces however then quickly routed the surprised and out maneuvered Etrurian army. The Etrurian force was typical of the Etrurian Civilization, it was made almost entirely of infantry armed with large wood-shafted, bronze-tipped spears, large ovular wooden shields, hemispherical bronze helmets, and only a small bronze breast plate for body armor. They fought using the old phalanx style tactics pioneered by the Greeks centuries before. The strategy was still brutally effective against numerically inferior forces, and also if the phalanx network could avoid being flanked; however even the best trained and most disciplined soldiers could not avoid being outmaneuvered by the quick and nimble Navalonian Legions. The Legions owed their great recent success and successes to come to their outstanding versatility, as will be shown.

Annhyicus entered the encampment alone, mounted on Arch, to a battered army. He first noticed the decrepit defense of the encampment, which he figured were probably abandoned by the General after sustaining as much damage as they had from the attackers, in order to counter attack the assailing army in battlefield tactics. Riding through the camp, he saw on his right row upon row of bloody, defaced bodies of dead soldiers and on his left he heard the moans of the gouged and injured and the voices of those tending them. Most, he knew, would not survive. He did not know exactly what caused life and death, but he knew that when he learned this secret, he would save many lives of his brave troops. He was already amazed at how well the Etrurian technique of setting broken bones helped those who had these injuries recover. Just a few months before, if one were to break a bone, they would never recover full use if it were a limb and they would feel pain from that spot for the rest of their lives. Annhyicus could only hope more wonders like this would come, allowing those who had sustained injuries of any kind, be it a deep wound or severed limb, a chance at life and full recovery.

When he approached the General’s tent, a guard stepped forward to take his horse. Annhyicus dismounted and entered and was immediately greeted by the officers inside.

“Supreme General Wilmus, congratulations on your victory against the Etrurians. You may not know it, but this first battle and victory against the northerners spells their defeat. I say this for two reasons. First, the soldiers that got away will tell how battered this army is here, and their command will think us incapable of putting forth any substantial offensive any time soon. Second, with the oncoming winter they may think that by the time we are capable of invading, winter would be in full swing and the cold would make us hold until better weather allows next spring. For these reasons, they think that they have stalled us to allow them plenty of time to build up their forces, and that this battle was indeed a victory for them. I tell you we will be ready to march in a week, and in five weeks beyond this, before the full swing of winter, all of Etruria will be under our control,” spoke Annhyicus optimistically, “Now, let us plan our attack.”

“All do respect, sir, but it took us more than a month just to get into any fighting condition after Rome, and it will take us at least another month now,” skeptically informed General Wilmus, “I do not see how we will be able to move before winter. I fear the Etrurians did succeed in stalling us.”

“By the end of this week, General, 3,000 reinforcements from the south will arrive. Within a few days the 2nd Legion should arrive. As we speak a 4th Legion is being trained. As matter of fact, I need officers for that Legion badly, so I need you to give me a list of promotions of your own officers that I can send back to the developing Legion. Do not worry, you will promote the men under them who most deserve it, and then those soldiers’ spots will be filled by the arriving reinforcements. Like I said, by the end of the week we should have three fully functioning Legions ready to move at full march,” replied the Imperator”

“Very well,” conceded the old General, “I didn’t realize. But what of this 4th Legion, it will not be ready if we indeed conquer all of Etruria in a month like you plan. What is its purpose?”

“It is for my future plans. I foresee all of Italia, all the way to the mountains, firmly under Navalonian control by the end of next year. If I could have had it anyway, I would have preferred a slow, decade long expansion northward, but this attack by the Etrurians has given us an opportunity we cannot resist. I plan on a lightning quick strike into the interior of Etruria. If our reconnaissance is all correct, the only city-state fortified well enough to force a substantial siege is Veii. All others we should be able to over run with relative ease. The Legions will fan out and take every city, leaving Veii alone until every other one is firmly occupied. Like I said, the Etrurians won’t be expecting an attack until next spring, so they will be taken completely by surprise. With most of their military smashed in this last confrontation, most of their city-states would be only lightly protected at most. The 1st cohort, which is of the 1st Legion of course, will separate during this action from its other cohort and encamp in the forest to the north of here, near Veii. There they shall spend a month building the siege equipment needed to take Veii. The 1st Century will travel with the 1st Legion in the absence of this cohort. Six weeks from this day we shall be marching through the streets of Veii. There will be dissent by the locals at first, but it always calms down as they realize their perks of being a Navalonian. Then, within just a few generations, they shall all be speaking our language. It is then that we will know when they are fully assimilated into our Empire.”

[Kramerman]

“Sir!” yelled a senior officer over the commotion of clanking armor and marching sandals, “All towers are in place and the troops are ready!”

“Excellent,” replied Annhyicus, “I hope if we just puff up our chest enough, we might be able to take the city without a fight.”

“Look! The gates are opening, it’s the messenger,” exclaimed the officer. Out rode the white messenger horse with a body, slumped over the back. As it galloped nearer, a sword stuck out of the body’s back became evident. Annhyicus stewed with anger.

“Colonel!” he yelled, “I want artillery and archery to rain everything they got onto that city! You got me?!”

“Sir, yes sir!” the Colonel turned to relay the order. Moments later the massive torsion catapults that the 1st cohort had spent weeks building opened up. Their ammunition were clay shot, similar to the naval shot, only these were newly arrived from Taranteum, filled with the Greek Fire - which was more incendiary then the oils used by the Navalonians before. Flaming arrows and bolts shot through the morning sky, and the Navalonian force of 10,000 brought hell down on the Etrurians of Veii from every side. The Etrurians’ message was clear, they were going to fight, they would not surrender. Annhyicus was prepared to give them their fight.

“Move the towers forward!” commanded the veteran strategist Annhyicus to his officers, who relayed the orders down the uncannily efficient Navalonian chain of command, “Position the ram! Forward the troop formations in preparation of a breech! Guard, ready my horse.” Annhyicus’ orders were carried out by the well-trained, well-drilled, professional army. Dozens of massive lumber siege towers, wrapped in wet hides to keep them from catching aflame, rolled toward the walls of the city. The elite Centurions were inside, ready for their assault, and a legion of Legionnaires were behind them, ready to climb the towers over the walls. An entire company of troops also rolled a massive wheeled battering ram into position next to the main city gate. The battering ram had its own roof to keep the soldiers safe from the hailing defensive archery fire from the walls above. Behind them were hundreds of soldiers in ‘tortoise’ formation units, moving closer to the gates, protected by their well coordinated and placed shields. All the while flaming shot, arrows, and bolts were being hurled through the dawn sky at and over the walls. Annhyicus mounted Arch, and prepared himself for the assault.

The enormous torsion catapults and ballistae, powered by massive coils of collected horsehair, had ranges out to 200 meters, as did the archers of both sides. To protect the engineers who crewed the artillery and the besieging archers too, short matted straw walls were erected all around the city-state. The straw was soaked with water and covered with wet hides to keep them from catching fire either accidentally or by enemy flamed arrows. The artillery and archers were kept at or near their maximum range to help minimize possible casualties from the defending archers, who had a similar range.

As all the siege equipment and infantry were moving into place and taking action, the substantial Navalonian cavalry units began to gather several hundred meters out beyond the main gate, poised ready to charge into the city once the gate was busted down. Annhyicus quickly joined up with them, eager for the thrill of battle he had found himself more and more addicted to. Balls of fire were seen erupting all along the top of the wall, where catapult were making repeated direct hits after their initial trial shots. Many still were seen flying clear over the walls, as intended in order to create panic and fear inside the city, and others were seen exploding against the city-state wall, which was not intended due to the no effect that resulted. One clay shot that fell short, to Annhyicus’ horror, hit nearly dead on an approaching tower that was already having trouble keeping itself off fire. The resulting inferno quickly engulfed the lumber structure. A dozen or so Centurions were seen fleeing from the bottom of the vehicle, along with dozens of Legionnaires that were around the craft. Many were struck down by arrows as they broke formation in panic. Annhyicus quickly ordered a cease-fire from both the artillery and the archers, furious with himself that he waited so dangerously long to do so. Before the towers would reach the walls, another would erupt in flames, this time do to the enemy, though most did get out alive and the cool-headed commander of that body of troops was able to keep the soldiers in order.

Nearly simultaneously, the towers hit the walls with a charge of heavily armed, heavily armored Centurions who tore through the awaiting wall defenders. Those defenders were not prepared for the ferocity, nor the skill of the Centurions. As the Centurions fanned out to clear the walls, Legionnaires poured over the towers and over the walls to clear the city of defenders. Just minutes later, the Centurions successfully took the gatehouse. Almost like clockwork, at nearly the same instant, the battering ram breached the main gate. The cavalry now joined with the flood of Legionnaires, and they flew through the city streets looking for resistors and heading to the central palace of the Etrurian king.

The Legionnaires fanned out through the city in a highly organized manner, moving ever closer to the palace center, block by block. They methodically searched every building and house for any potential threat (but obviously ignored those that were burning to the ground), but stayed under strict orders from their Imperator not to loot, pillage, or rape, with a severe corporal punishment if caught doing so. Annhyicus hoped to assimilate these people, he didn’t want to enrage them. He merely wanted to find those that resisted his conquest and either capture them, or kill them. A little less more chaotic, and for intimidation purposes, was the cavalry charge through the city streets. They quickly galloped ahead of the marching Legions and mercilessly cut down those who attacked them, mostly militia, but a few regulars as well as armed citizens.

Annhyicus led the charge, followed closely by a Lieutenant Pilos and Captain Montius of the 1st Legion’s cavalry division. Several other horsemen struggled to keep the ferocious pace of the powerful horses ahead. The triplet of men sprinted their mounts straight toward the palace ahead of them down the main thoroughfare. As they approached the inner gate to the palace, they saw the massive twin doors begin to close. Annhyicus, desperately wanting to get through to capture the king, pushed Arch to his limits. Annhyicus was actually surprised to see these walls around the palace, and even more surprised that they had waited so long to button up the palace. It seemed as though they were surprised to see the city taken so swiftly, so hadn’t locked up everything, yet. Annhyicus guided his horse through the closing doors of the gate, not realizing how far behind the rest of hi men were. The thought passed his mind as he passed through that threshold that he had not heard the hooves so loudly behind him. As he rode on through he looked behind him and saw the lieutenant and captain just able to make it through before the gate slammed shut. The other dozen crack mounted soldiers were locked on the outside. The three men now found themselves, with the noble intention of capturing the king and his court in their minds, cut off from their friendly forces and surrounded by potential hostiles…

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Fantastic!!!Great!!!this is thrilling stuff.

[Kramerman]

Two or three more installments and then I think I will start the new thread and continue the story like a sequal or something. If you havent checked and were curious, I added a couple new installments just a couple of nights ago. Im not going to make any promises this time as to when Ill have the next part up. We all know what happened last time i did that. sorry.

[civman2000]

! THis really is an epic! When it's all done you should put it together and try to get it published as a novel!

[Kramerman]

Ive been real busy with school and college application stuff. But I will post again, no worries.

Kman

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Glad to hear it Kman looking forward to the next part.

[civman2000]

me too. YOu should never give this up, no matter what temporarily makes it hard to continue

[cae_raven]

I must say, I stumbled on this 'Epic' earlier this week, and I have been thrilled at it's mastery. The author of this clearly has some idea of how to write...or at least can easily rip off Gladiator, among a few other movies but it's still the best thing i've read in a long time, and frankly the visualizations you get from the whole thing is phenominal, I'd like to congratulate Krammerman on his success, and humilty with all the comments he's getting on it.

I can't wait until there's another installment tho, I've been looking forward to it, ever since I ran out of words to read, heh. But since I see somebody has school to deal with, i suppose i'll have to wait.

Have fun with all them cheerleaders, hah

[TheGuitarist]

Kramerman, are you still here? This story is without a doubt one of the best on this forum! But it's been over 5 months since the last installment - I would really hate to see it die completely.

Please continue this; it was the first epic I read on these boards.

[Centauri18]

We all want more, man. This is a seriously cool story.

[Kramerman]

Damn it! It had been so long since i had wrote something that I forgot about the story...

lol, when I saw the email that there was a new post in this thread, i felt so dumb. I cant believe i forgot.

Thanks for reminding me guys. I'm busy at the moment, but i found my old EToN word document, and I already had part of the next installment done, so it shouldnt take me too long to finish it when i get to it.

ahhhh.. i feel so reinvigorated. I havent been creative in God knows how long.

I remember someone asking me somthn about reposting the story, which has become cluttered with posts and stuff, so it is easier to read. Ill probably go ahead and do that soon as well.

Kman

[vovan]

Great to see you back, and in such a mood, Kramer, man! Here is looking forward towards the next part.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

about time though

[Centauri18]

So where is the next installment, anyway? And Please, man, don't leave us all hanging like that again!

[Kramerman]

Originally posted by Centauri18
So where is the next installment, anyway? And Please, man, don't leave us all hanging like that again!

its coming, its coming...

[vovan]

It'd be good if you finish this story, Kramer, for it has already gotten a second place in a contest history, and made its way into the best of the best poll... (Please vote in it, if you haven't done so yet, BTW. )