The Persian Invasion

Prologue

It was a long night, the cold, chilly air had taken everyone by surprise, or so the Persians thought. The great Seleucid army was going to arrive soon; using the cold and stormy weather as cover for their mighty army.

I am Will a captain in the army of Seleucia, a man of arms, a soldier. My work was appreciated by many and I had more intelligence than every other captain put together. Yet the general of the 18th legion had not promoted me. I had every quality needed and filled every requirement.

It was because if I became a lieutenant then I would be away from his best friend. So when the General found this out he did the exact opposite of what he should have done and I wanted him to do. He sent me under my best friend, Lieutenant John.

He even went as far as demoting me from commander of the 7th legion to captain of the 18th legion. I had led hundreds of hardened veterans now I led 50-60 soft hearted farmers who had been conscripted by the king.

It was outrageous that the lieutenant should believe this was good fortune. Outrageous he believed I should have fun. So far I had done well at least I thought so, I had been energetic and enthusiastic and now he was asking for me to be happy, well that was where I drew the line. I had grumped for days.

The battle was coming, and the thought of killing innocent Syrians to satisfy the tyrannical needs and desires of two monarchs I had never met was sickening. My dreams imagined me on the battle field dead. So I thought I was going to die in the upcoming battle. This news obviously saddened me, this cold weather made it even harder to stay happy. My sudden sad behavior I knew was keeping the men's morale down.

On that night I had tossed and turned. I had black ovals under my eyes. I finally opened my eyes the Lieutenant was leaving.

I waited and waited he finally left. I felt hungry I knew the only food was cold bread and milk maybe some cheese. The ground was freezing cold as cold as my cotton blanket.

Yet I knew I was lucky all the captains and lower ranks needed to sleep on the ground in the grass. Yet he didn't feel lucky at all to share a lieutenant's tent. His entry out of the tent was not welcomed by his men who were already eating brunch and breakfast.

I joined them quickly at the other side of the table. I served myself a modest amount of oats and buttered bread. I added a glass of milk and a glass of water.

Then I sat down and began eating oats. The food went down my throat and though they w ere hard they felt like drops of heaven to someone as starving as him. I felt my hunger slightly dissipate as I ate my bread. I nearly choked as I gulped his milk in a single gulp. Then I washed it down with wine and water.

I felt much better now that he had eaten.

But I hadn't had meat in two months. No mouth watering fish and chicken for me.

I spoke in a hoarse voice shouting for the men that lunch would be ready in two hours.

Then left to fully dress, I put on my mail and plate armor too. Then buckled my belt and sheath wrapping an oak long bow on my back strung. I took a spear with an attached flag at its end with it in hand I left the tent for the stables.

I crossed most of the small camp in minutes walking on the dirt paths. I pushed hard against the stable doors and found my horse.

As I saddled him I remembered my first time I saddled a horse. When I was 7 years old I was old enough to ride on horseback. My tutor was Aristotle XVIII who was a descendant of Aristotle.

He taught me science and physics, mathematics, Latin and Greek, and how to read. I had always struggled with physics and science, my Latin and Greek was superb, I could read and solve mathematic equations to a large extent. I also was the most educated person in my family for 3 generations.

My tutor also taught me a number of physical exercises to keep fit. Since I wanted to join the military I was taught swordsmanship and archery. I could man ballistae and catapults. I planned strategy and learned leadership.

I also learned the art of farming, craftsmanship, smithing and trading. My specialties were capes and daggers. I could handle animals easily too. With this learned education I was incredibly intelligent for a 7 year old.

So, when I was nearly 8, I was taught to saddle a horse. "Place the saddle on the horses back lightly don't just drop it. Then, meet the straps at the upper belly. Finally, secure the straps and get on." The words of supposed wisdom I had memorized by heart and could perform just as well.

At memory of being tutored by Aristotle, I remembered my friend and classmate. How he was from a richer family but was much slower than me in studies and exercise. We were friends and had played a lot in the open fields of Syria. He was the same man who would be Lieutenant John.

Then the invasion arrived, the memory of me a 17 year old riding to the city of Antioch for a job to find that my home town had been taken by the mighty Persian Empire was hard to bear. I quickly turned down the job I had been accepted to and left for my home town. When I reached I found all my friends and family dead or gone the town where I had grown up razed into black smoldering ashes. I in honor of my forefathers celebrated my 18th birthday the age of entry to manhood in the ashes of my farm. From that moment on I made sure that I could hurt the Persians in any way I could.

I went to Seleucia after a long ride along the lush Tigris River. The path was covered with obstacles. There were waterfalls. Rocky land was bad for the horses. The bandits and predator packs near the river didn't make life easier.

Finally I met an old man near an arch river bridge in the town of Arbeles; at least it seemed like a town but when going inside it looked more like a largely populated city.

The streets were covered with people going from house to house. The local market was huge. People were everywhere saying "buy my fish" or "buy my chicken". The amount of noise was surely deafening. I knew that if I wanted I could work here for a living and I didn't need to go to Seleucia. As I walked to the center where there would be many shops and important people. That was also where usually all the important buildings were. The river was close by so I went for a drink of water. I also wanted to cross the bridge and see the guards post hoping for a job.

The old man with white hair I had seen on the horizon on the road was there. He was taking a drink and refilling his water sack.

His hairs were long and white his beard more like a goatee then a beard. He was tall and thin. He also was very old by all the wrinkles on his face. He had a light scar grazing his right temple.

My heart skipped a beat he was sneaking on an old man this was wrong but a sudden movement might shock him. By the look of him I felt the shock would kill him.

I shouted to an imaginary person that I was going to get a drink to make some noise and went under the arch kicking a few pebbles to add to the noise. The old man turned quickly and stared at me not in fear but in curiosity.

He then croaked with a low voice "I knew you were there you moved but I saw you in the reflection of water. You also made a lot of unnecessary noise."

I was embarrassed the man was telling him that he had seen him and that he thought I was clumsy, politely.

I asked as politely as I could "Hello what are you doing" I looked at him with big eyes trying to look young and curious.

He definitely saw through this. For next he said "Are you a cut purse or something?"

He was no longer polite he was trying to look intelligent and fearful. I easily could see he was intelligent but he wasn't very fearful. (And asking if I was a cutpurse was stupid a real cutpurse would say no.)

I said with a sigh "I'm a traveler going to Seleucia down south for a guard job. Though I thought this place was a town it looks like a city though maybe I'll get a job here."

The old man pondered this for a moment then exclaimed "good, well there are great jobs here, why not guard me I can pay you well."

I could sense I was being offered a job to guard an intelligent old man for good pay. I still wasn't sure why an old man needed a guard if this guy was in danger then I didn't want to work for him. "Why do you need a guard kind sir?" I asked as politely as I could.

The old man said "I'm a traveler I carry goods from Antioch to Arbeles to Seleucia to Persepolis, the road is quite long dangerous and troublesome. I think a guard will be great to protect me."

It sounded reasonable actually I was earning high amounts of money to travel with this man what was better than this. I couldn't tell but I surely liked this job. "I'll do it" I said the words with excitement and happiness to get such a good job early on.

"Good now stay and fill both your and my water skins get a drink and meet me here in an hour on top of the bridge." He said with obvious relief that I had accepted. "Also I have hired other guards too so don't be worried if you see another few armed men on the bridge."

I said with obvious displeasure that there were other guards "Okay thanks again for the job".

I went to get a drink of cool water. My dry throat felt good with cold water in my mouth. After I finished filling the water skins went to the food shop. I bought some beef jerky, bread, cheese, milk, eggs, steak, potatoes, and rice. I bought enough to last today's lunch, dinner and a week of meals.

I found another dusty shop down the street and bought rope, a shovel, a knife, a bucket, and a new pair of boots. I got the new materials in my saddle bags.

It was nearly 30 minutes till I had to leave for the bridge. I knew that I would need a weapon and armor for the guard job or at least more than I dagger. I walked with my horse that, I had decided to name Chester, to the blacksmith guild.

There were a variety of shops in this complex of buildings. All were run by blacksmiths. Unlike the general store there was no dust and people were everywhere.

I could smell lots of smoke from fires. I saw anvils and shelves full of weapons armor and ore. I saw many smiths covered in black and gray powder using hammers to impound metal.

Tools were lying about everywhere they could. I saw the front desk and went there. There was a young man about my age at the desk. He was a smith no doubt for like the rest of the workers he was covered in powder.

I said loudly "hello there I would like to make a purchase."

Immediately the young man turned around and said "Hello what would you like to purchase today"

I responded slowly and clearly like reciting something "I would like to purchase light armor good for a guard, a long iron point spear, black horse iron mail with leather inside, fine leather saddle, bronze dirk, steel sword, oak short bow, 100 falcon fledged iron tipped ash wood arrows, Mail gloves, and mail boots."

The young man was amazed at my purchase it was large and valuable. I myself was amazed I didn't restrain myself for spending so much money all at once.

The young man said "I will get expert smiths on the job immediately you can wait we will have it ready for you in 10 minutes if we get your measurements."

I said "yes, you can get our measurements"

I was measured and so was my horse in every way possible.

Then the finest smiths, who had small precise hammers and tongs moved in and began impounding fine metal ores smelted previously while others sewed, fletched, gathered, and cut material.

He was right in 10 minutes the armor and weapons looking fine were ready. After sending my horse back to the temporary stables with full saddle bags I counted out 87 gold pieces.

Then, I left calmly. Once I was out of the building I went back to the bridge and waited.

There were 5 minutes left to wait. In the next 5 minutes young men with horses had arrived. Nearly 3 had arrived but I stayed where I was, not asking them if they were hired by the old man too. Then 2 men came towards the bridge towards the east 1 man was young and had a pure bread stallion with the look of royalty in his face and clothes the other was the old white bearded man.

They went to the left side of the bridge and waited. I shuffled over the left side of the bridge to meet them the other suspected guards and 2 more men who he had not suspected moved towards the two as well. The old man started to say something to the other man beside him.

Then said loudly enough for all of us to hear "Well it looks like I will have to introduce you to another man you will be guarding Prince Selucus XVIII a friend of mine. Also I shall introduce you to your fellow guards. And finally, we will move outside. Now, let us go on!"

So the company of 8 went out of the city. The introductions that night was as such every one learned my name and I learned the names of the other 5 guards and the old man. The old man was a lord and trader his name was Lord Antrublad the other 5 guards were Constaine, Julius, Hannibal, Mohammad, and John.

I was happy, John was my best friend and was a student in the class we had together, and we played a lot before. He had survived and so did many others in our home town his family nor mine had not been among the survivors. John had been living in Arbeles for a month or so and in that time been smithing and crafting as an apprentice. He had competed in a fencing tournament and gotten money for armor and a weapon now that he had found his true calling in the art of battle he had become a mercenary but found himself guarding the walls all the time.

He had finally gotten a job guarding the Prince of the Seleucid Empire. He told of waiting on him and standing at his door now the prince was taking a trip and he and Mohammad were allowed to come as representatives of the guard with our job of guarding the prince critical.

The others were from 16-21 in age all had stories of other jobs but finding their calling in guarding then getting this job with pure luck. The similarity between the others and the difference of me was noticeable.

The night was easy; sleeping in a tent was easier then sleeping on the ground. I woke with a start as John poured water on me at 4 AM.

I groaned a lot and got up sleepily ate breakfast and went to get fire wood.

The cutting spree was started quickly we found a patch of dry wood away from the clearing and cut it down with axes. The work wasn't very laborious for the wood was warm and soft. The axes were well smithed for they stayed not rusted through the hike back to camp though it was raining amazingly hard.

The downpour drenched us hard. When we reached the camp we were soaking wet water dripped from us and the dry wood was wet.

The cooking fire for the prince was harder to light but with some oil I succeeded. Then we cooked and scavenged.

I hunted and caught a ferret and a deer with my bow and arrow. I scavenged 30-40 berries and cooked into a rousing meal of food with the rations we had bought at Arbeles.

The meal was eaten whole heartedly by the company and I ate with them. It was 10 when we started packing the camp. I packed everything of mine quickly and sat on a tree stump. The others packed and we saddled and mounted the horses.

Finally, we set out the dirt trail was bumpy and green trees and shrubs everywhere was not helping. We did get out of the forest in an hour. Then we set out along the flat plains for 8 hrs. By the time we stooped to go into the forest we had traveled 20 leagues.

We were nearly there to the city I would say at the most a week. We set up camp like routine and ate dinner. Then, we slept.

We did that for about 6 days. We were just going to turn into the forest again when the city came in sight we stooped and looked at Lord Antrublad he merely gestured to city and began riding forward.

We followed and we rode for 2 hrs. It was dark when we came to the city gates.

The prince shouted "I Prince Selucus XVIII seek entry to this mighty stronghold and bastion of Seleucid might."

The answer was unexpectedly loud as the gate opened a Persian herald Shouted loudly from the battlements " This mighty fortress has fallen to our even greater might now flee and carry this news to all that will hear it for we shall take the near east no matter how great the obstacle!!!"

We rode for days back to Arbeles. When we arrived we told of the news. Our reply told us how the Seleucid Empire had not enough manpower to retake the land lost. 6 years later The Persians had taken more land and fortified all of it with walls of stone even with the manpower the Seleucids did not act.

I left the Guard of Lord Antrublad and joined a merchant business for two years, got fired for not delivering some fish on time. I worked as a cook for a number of restaurants for 1 year quit after winning a fencing tournament and went to compete in the Olympics of Greece.

I worked for 2 more years of training before entering I won a few events but lost the tournament by a shot gap. I lived in Antioch for 6 months as a smith.

Then went to Jerusalem to guard a religious Jew got well paid for the next 5 months the Jew died while I was on break I got fired.

News of the Seleucids wanting war drew me to the military I stayed in Jerusalem and got new armor, weapons and horse.

2 weeks later, when the Seleucids went to war for revenge, I traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch and joined the army.

I rose in the ranks quickly starting in the 6th battalion rose to a 3 Star Commander Status. Transferred to 7th battalion then I rose to a 4 Star Commander, all in a year and 3 months. My outstanding rise in the ranks had made many jealous.

Then I had been demoted to a 2 Star Captain in the 18th battalion.

4 months later the General Selucus XVII devised a plan to win Syria to march the 18th battalion under storm cover along the coast of Syria and retake Sidon. The result led to a debate which followed by a series of commands counteracting previous commands.

Finally, the storm had arrived and we marched to Sidon.

My thoughts flowed like this for many minutes before riding out of the stable. I hastened to clear my thoughts I was on patrol.

At first I saw nothing just fields of Grass and low dark clouds. A brisk, freezing cold wind chilled me straight to the bone, as it passed my horse shivered too. I entered a small valley tree's covered either side of the straight cut dirt trail. I rode swiftly, when I was about half way through the valley it happened.

A great tornado arrived out of the west, but water was everywhere, I know now it was the Persian gods who had sent their enemies a hurricane.

In seconds the rain became freezing, the small amount of rain turned into an all out downpour. The trees shuddered as the entry to the valley, from which I had come, was struck by a tremor, lightning and thunder blasted through the dark sky.

The daylight had become as dark as night. The sudden flashes of light were blinding.

The noise of falling rain, rushing water, whipping winds, huge tremors that uprooted trees, flaming explosions and thunder flowed into my ears.

All went dark; a numbing cold gripped my body, I felt my horse bolt as I flew into the air pulled by furious winds. Suddenly it all went cold and I felt no feeling or sound. The great hurricane spared none others but me.

I, Will, awoke a month later in the middle of the desert unable to move, a lone survivor and captive of the Persians…