Chapter IV: The New age: The Fire starts
"October 14, 1609
My dear Anne Murray, my mistress and my love, I hope when this letter reaches its destination, you are in gay spirits at the respective time of its arrival.
The armies of Europe have all been assembling, in Venice for the past two weeks, and there are more men, horse and cannons then I ever seen in my life.
Doge Arthur of Atlantis, although irritated by the sight of his city being transformed into an army barracks, he was publicly glad, because such number of troops required food, spirits, and comfort woman, and himself and the merchants of Venice we're all to happy to, supply them with their needs, and make a fortune out of doing so.
He even joked that doing his duty to God was never so much fulfilling in his life.
My dear friend, and loyal servant Leathewing had just arrived, yesterday with his army , and I have never seen such a unanimous mockery of a divison, such as the one that the other armies of Europe bestowed upon them, for none of Leatherwing's troops we're wearing amour or caring swords or shields, pike's or bow's but all of them had a musket, with a detachable spearhead for close combat and all of them, only simple cotton ,red uniforms on their body's and had tricorne hats on their heads.
But despite the bulling of the other troops upon them I feel that Leatherwing's army may currently be the most modern force on the planet, and a few hours after his arrival, the members of his so called League of Justice, appeared and their armies followed the pattern of Leatherwing's himself, except for the Amazon's of Themyscira, who's swords and shields are the only one's strong enough to stop bullets , and even canon fire.
I am afraid that the monarch of Europe, still bare a grudge for Leatherwing's statement that, the Turks are better equipped that us for war, and although I myself share Leatherwing's sentiment, I have confidence that victory shall be ours.
Tomorrow we march from Vienna towards Belgrade, we're the Turks have set camp; it is in my confidence that, after almost 90 years of pagan occupation we shall liberate the city.
I pray for a quick victory, so I may return to you quick.
With love, James"
Kings James letter to his mistress Anne Murray, consider by some the most accurate depiction of the first modern division commanded by Leatherwing before the decisive battle of Belgrade.
Published in 1770 within the preface of the book "Essai général de tactique" by Jacques-Antoine-Hippolyte, Comte de Guibert".
The armies of Europe after gathering at Venice began their march towards Belgrade, the number of men so great that the army was divided into five columns, and each column was a Titan size force was so waste that it took a currier on horseback to take a message from the rear-guard to the front guard almost ten minutes at fool gallop.
It was estimated that at least 210.000 men we're marching towards the Paşalâcs, the turkish language equivalent of provinces or colonies, but the turkish army was equally as impressive in size, almost 180.000 warior's itself, and despite the slight disatvantage in mubers, the Turkish army was composed out of veterans from the reacent eastern campaights, of Vizier now Sultan Ra's al Ghul.
Despite the superior number's already the campaign of the European's was rattled with, difficulties.
The food supply was starting to become scarce, because the leaser of the expedition expected the local populace to supply, their armies with food, but once they entered Serbia they found not villages full of cheering peasants who offered them food, but burned harvest fields, abandoned houses and poisoned well's, for in the past whenever the Turks invaded, countries like Walachia or Moldavia, the people would apply a scorched earth policy, which greatly weakened, the invaders, this tactic was now used by the Turks against the European's.
In addition to that, disease and parasite's like lice we're starting to spread amongst the Christians, because of the lack of wash maids to clean their close and a lack of doctor's pharmacist and wash maids, which although we're organized they we're in insufficient number's, and most of them we're left behind, because once the news the old sultan was dead the Pope ordered a forced march considering this as a sign frown God and in the haste the European's had to go in this so called Tenth Crusade, they we're left behind.
Once they we're at the outskirts of Belgrade they set camp on a hillside with the Danube river on their left flank with the Turks on an opposite hill, both sides waiting for who would make the first move.
-Can you bloody believe it? Said Sir Clark Kent., which was seated inside a tenth, to the other members of the League of Justice.
-Up until now we've had approximately, 4500 deaths, 7400 hundred are bed bound and, 40000 are in a weaken condition, and not one of the above mentioned casualty's was from a Turkish attack, in addition the forced march has tired our troops out.
-The sentiment is mutual, said Princess Diana of Themyscira, why did the leaders of this expedition, ordered us to march now, almost three month's ahead of schedule, we we're supposed to start, in early January.
-His holiness decreed, that the death of the sultan, was sign from God and ordered that we should march to meet me Muslims, and he also said that no army which carried Christ's holy sign on their banners could be beaten said Bartholomew Henry "Barry" Allen, the red-haired commander of the dragoon's of Spain.
-Madame, monsieur's, I only hope that, when the time for battle comes we will still have and army to carry these banners, said the marshal of France J'onn J'onzz de Gaul, to a now worried, stricken assembly.
-If we would openly say it to their face's that we we're rushing into war, the king's and princes would have cal us defeatist and the priests who are with the army would call us blasphemers. Said Leatherwing.
-The good, news is that the troops of the League of Justice, have ample numbers of doctor's and food and medicinal supply's, and our troops do not suffer that fate., because of someone's foresight said Arthur of Atlantis, and gave a smiled look towards Leatherwing
Leatherwing knew from his experience as a privateer the risk of relying on foraging as a way to gather food, and of the shortages that war causes, so once he was named a duke he reduced his castles budget by 20%, and had the extra money and grain stored away, for when times of war or famine appeared.
And now he uses those resources he had gathered in this campaign, his friends who now surround him, followed his example and that is why their forces are not suffering from the Turks scorched earth tactics.
While they we're all relaxing inside the tenth and having breakfast, a messenger suddenly came screaming into the camp shouting: "Brothers the pagans are coming"
With this Leatherwing and all those who we're with him in the tenth rushed outside, and saw the Turkish army assembling a few meters in front of the Turkish camp.
The Christians did the same and at 9:30 in the morning after an hour of assembling both armies now stared at each other, however Leatherwing and the League of justice where not part of the army formation, for the leader of the expedition Phillip of Spain who disliked Leatherwing ordered his army to cross the Danube with the pretext of guarding their left flank, but to every member of the League of Justice it was clear that the king's true intentions was to exclude them from the battle.
And sow the two army stared at each other for many almost two hours, until ant 11:45, a rider, from the Turkish ranks galloped several feet in front of the Turkish army .
-Who is that? Said Phillip of Spain to his right hand-man General Ulysses Hadrian Armstrong who was standing next to him on horseback.
Ulysses took a telescope from his horse's saddle looked throw it and said:themarksman Floyd Lawton, your Grace.
-The traitor switched sides the moment he could for more money, said Phillip of Spain, while far away in the distance Floyd Lawton arched his longbow, fired an arrow, which flew towards the Christian lines and hit, General Ulysses right above he chest plate, penetrating his thought.
-Wish I could have done the same. Said Ulysses with his last breath, before falling of his horse and his now lifeless body hit the ground.
At this sight Phillip was enraged, and shouted attaaaaaaaaack, with all of his fury.
At exactly 11:47 the decisive battle between Christendom and Islam began, regardless of who will win, a new age would begin on that day.