Bulgaria, April 1277

Ivaylo finally had an army to fight alongside him. With the support of a legendary witcher and with many people wanting a change in government, Ivaylo had been able to persuade many to join his cause. Much of his army were simple peasants but they would have to do.

With his new army and supporters Ivaylo was ready to drive the pillaging Mongols out of Bulgaria. If he could do this he would gain much more support from nobles who also hated the current government. And so Ivaylo began to prepare and arm his soldiers to fight the Mongols.

Northeast Bulgaria, June 1277

Perseus and Ivaylo stood at the head of Ivaylo's army. The army was mostly composed of peasants, but they were willing and ready to fight. This force would have their first fight against a plundering Mongol unit of forces. The Mongols had been plundering northeast Bulgaria for quite some time.

Drawing his steel sword Perseus prepared to once again fight the Mongols. You see, the Mongols remembered the legendary Chotgor, who had slaughtered them in Japan. Perseus' legend had spread throughout the entire Mongolian empire and he was a well respected and feared figure.

Soon Ivaylo cried out for an attack. Perseus was at the front of the peasant army blade swinging and causing every Mongol it hit to die. Five men tried to fight the witcher and all would die. The first Perseus cut from the groin up, cutting the man into two and leaving his guts and gore to spill on the ground.

The second man Perseus sliced his sword hand off and then spartan kick the man, crushing the man's chest. The third he decapitated, which sprayed blood through the air. The forth he punched his left hand through the Mongols chest as he deflected the sword of the fifth.

With drawing his now blood covered hand from the corpse, which was spewing blood all over, Perseus began to duel the fifth. This man was a decent swordsman and was actually able to keep up with the witcher for longer than three seconds. He lasted for five.

The man blocked the witcher first overhead strike and his second strike aimed at the man's waist. He did not block the third as instead of using his sword, Perseus kicked the man's legs out from under him. With the man on the ground Perseus raised his right heel and brought it down on the man's head, crushing his skull and throwing blood and brain matter all over the ground.

His opponents dead Perseus continued to kill his Mongol enemies. As the battle raged on Perseus looked to his Bulgarian allies. For peasants they fought well and hard. Soon the Mongols were in full retreat and Ivaylo's uprising had begun.

In the next several months, Ivaylo and his army would drive the Mongols out of Bulgaria. Ivaylo would finally accomplish what the monarch and nobility of Bulgaria had not. With his fame and popularity increasing, many nobles who hated the current monarch would come to his side and bolster his army. By the end of autumn in twelve seventy seven Ivaylo had control of much of Bulgaria. And so Constantine Tikh finally came to put the rebels down.

Northeast Bulgaria, November 1277

Constantine Tikh was approaching northeast Bulgaria with a massive army. His intention was to put down the rebel army of Ivaylo and restore order to Bulgaria. Ivaylo would not stand down, he had decided to meet Tikh's army and defeat them. And so his army of peasants and betraying nobles stood to fight the Bulgarian army.

Perseus stood at Ivaylo's side, he would fight to the death with the rebel leader. Together the two would lead the charge at Tikh's army. The following battle would be the end of Constantine Tikh and the rise of Ivaylo to power. As the two armies came within site of each other, Ivaylo called for his army to charge.

With the order of charge the two armies clashed. Swords swung, arrows flew, and blood splashed as the two sides battled. Perseus was in the midst of this fighting and for the first time, was dual wielding his silver and steel swords. While it was rare for a witcher to use their silver blade against human opponents it would happen. Perseus wielded his steel blade in his right hand and his silver in his left.

Perseus' two blades were a blur as they dealt death to those that stood in his way. Ivaylo was near Perseus and the two fought together to get to Tikh's chariot. Soon the two approached Constantine Tikh's guards and a fight broke out between the guards and Perseus. As this fight broke out Ivaylo went after Tikh.

Their were twelve guards that had come to kill Perseus and all would die brutally. The first Perseus blocked the strikes of and in a simple cutting maneuver with both blades, Perseus decapitated the guard. The second and third he killed at the same time with quick stabs through the chest, erupting blood over himself and the next two guards. With the first three dead Perseus began to tire of the battle and waded into the rest of the guards.

His swords swinging, blade spraying all over, Perseus slaughtered the last of the guards. With his opponents dead and his blades covered in blood, Perseus approached Ivaylo. As he neared the rebel commander he saw the dead body of Constantine Tikh, Ivaylo standing above it, sword bloody.

"It is done, witcher, Tikh is dead at my hand. We can now take Bulgaria back from those who have led it to ruin."

Perseus stayed silent as the commander began to go on about how their army needed to proceed in taking the fortified cities and showing them their new emperor, Ivaylo. As the rebel army's leader continued Perseus looked to the battle and the retreating Bulgarian army.

"We have a long way to go Ivaylo. I hope that you will be a better leader for the people."

With that Perseus left the chariot containing the dead body of Tikh and walked back to the rebel army camp. As he walked the screams of the dead, dying, and of war could be heard. These sounds would be a friend that Perseus had known and would know for the next several centuries.

Putting the screams out of his mind, Perseus came to the rebel camp, returned to his tent and wrote of his experience this day. After concluding his writings Perseus laid down for sleep. For the next six months Perseus would be in battles against the Bulgarian cities, helping the rebels conquer Bulgaria.

Bulgaria, February 1278

The war had taken its toll on the country. Many had died in the fighting and Ivaylo had conquered many of the cities in his path. Soon all that would be left would be the capital and seat of power in Bulgaria, Tarnovo. In only a few short hours the rebels would attack another city. Perseus had been at the front of many of these attacks and had killed many in the name of justice.

Perseus was ready for this next battle, to him it was another fight, with blood and gore covering his blades and the scent and sound of the dying nearby. Perseus had become dissonant to the the blood and death of war. He had grown used to it in the last five years. Perseus rarely hunted monsters now as many did not attack humans anymore, he could now only use his talents in the wars of mankind.

Even while thinking this, Perseus left his tent and began to head to meet Ivaylo. In recent months Ivaylo had grown excited at the prospect of taking the capital. It would make Ivaylo the leader of Bulgaria and it would signify the end of this war and rebellion.

Coming up alongside Ivaylo at the top of a hill overlooking the city, Perseus looked upon the location of his next battle. As he inspected the city that was to be attacked Ivaylo began to speak to him in a somber tone that was unusual.

"This was has taken a great toll on my people Perseus. Do you believe I am doing the right thing for them? Or am I just killing for nothing."

"Ivaylo, under this government your people have suffered. Many have died by the Mongolian attacks and from starvation and poverty. I had seen it when I arrived in Bulgaria. Even if what you are doing is not the right path, at least it is you trying to do something for your people."

The witcher's words seemed to put Ivaylo at ease, as he went back to assessing the city. Soon he turned to Perseus and in a short moment asked the witcher his attack plan.

"What is your plan of attack against this city, Perseus."

"We have a large force, and many siege weapons Ivaylo, I would suggest we put them to use."

"HaHaHa, an excellent plan, my friend, yes we shall use the to weaken the walls. Then we shall scale them with the ladders. I want you to lead the forces that will attack the east wall. I shall lead the ones attacking the south wall."

"As you wish, Ivaylo."

As Perseus turned to walk away and prepare the forces under his command for assault Ivaylo shouted to him; "Witcher, wait." Perseus turned listening to his newest commander and friend. "I want to thank you for your aid in this war, Perseus, you have given me great aid." With a simple nod, Perseus turned away again and continued on to his forces.

Only a few hours later Perseus stood with the men he was to lead in an assault against the eastern wall. Soon Perseus could see Ivaylo's charge against the south wall. Seeing this he and his own men charged the east wall. While the two armies charged the walls of the city, their siege weapons launched rocks and ballista arrows at the city.

Soon the walls were damaged and the enemy at the top wounded, dead, or fearing another barrage. The siege ladders were put against the wall and soon the rebels were scaling the city defenses. Perseus climbed, faster than his men because of his mutations and reached the top of the wall first. As he came over the top of the wall, Perseus stabbed the man who tried to push him off the ladder.

His steel sword became a blur as he defended the ladders closest to him from the defenders. After a minute the first of his men got to the top of the wall. Together Perseus and the three new comers to the fight drove the Bulgarians back and began to push the enemy forces back.

Soon their were two many rebels on the wall and the enemy had to leave the wall and fall back into the city. The rebel army began moving down the stairs and into the city fighting the whole way. Perseus was in the middle of this at the front of his forces. His blade was a blur through the air as it cut through enemy after enemy. Within minutes of the fight moving in the streets, blood flowed down them.

Perseus walked through the pools of blood hacking and slashing his opponents in a violent rage that left many of them fearful of the witcher. He fought like a demon, many of the Bulgarian army thought. As Perseus progressed through the streets slaughtering the enemy his men began to secure the streets and houses.

After only two hours of fighting the rebels had pushed the Bulgarians to the keep and now laid siege to it. Perseus began searching through the rebel ranks for Ivaylo to know what their next move should be. As Perseus approached the commander he could see the broad grin on Ivaylo's face.

"Perseus, good to see you, the city is ours and only the keep lies in our way."

"You are very cheerful Ivaylo. Should I lead some of the men to finish the keep off."

"Yes, my friend. And I am happy because soon we will march on the capital."

Departing from his commander and friend, Perseus summoned some of the best soldiers in the rebel army to assault the keep alongside him. Soon the fifty men and Perseus scaled the wall while the defenders were distracted with the main army.

After coming over the top of the wall Perseus and his men began to fight the defenders. With the defenders on the wall no longer able to shoot arrows and pore oil on the main army they were able to begin ramming the main gate. The wall shook as the ram forced the gate in and soon it collapsed.

With the gate destroyed the rebel soldiers pored into the keep and blood was spilled. Soon the walls and ground of the keep were covered in the blood of the dead defenders. The lord of the city had surrendered and had recognized Ivaylo as emperor. Perseus and the rebels had performed this procedure many times as all the other Bulgarian cities had fallen in like manner.

With this city having fallen, Ivaylo was now prepared to move on the capital and Empress Maria. And once the capital fell to the rebels, Ivaylo would become emperor and peace would be restored to the land. If only that line of thought had been true.

Tarnovo, April 1278

The capital had fallen to the rebels. Ivaylo had become the emperor of Bulgaria. He was the new monarch. He had forced the widow empress Maria to marry him. It gave him a legitimate claim to the throne. In doing this he also forced the Bulgarian nobles to recognize him as their monarch.

With the war completed Perseus took a reward from Ivaylo of fifteen thousand gold and began his journey back to Italy. This time Perseus traveled west on horseback. When he reached the western coast he would take a ship back to Italy and once there ride to his manor.

His time in Bulgaria had ended. Saying his goodbyes to the leaders of the rebels and Ivaylo himself, Perseus mounted his horse, fifteen thousand gold pieces in his bag. As he prepared to depart, Ivaylo came for one last goodbye.

"Perseus, my friend, I thank you for your help in taking back my country. You have been a great and loyal friend. If you are ever in Bulgaria and need help, come to Tarnovo and I shall aid you."

Perseus was happy that his friend would offer this to him and simply replied with a short, "Thank you, Ivaylo."

"Farewell Perseus. Live long and prosper, my friend."

"Farewell Ivaylo. And the same to you."

And so it was that Perseus rode out of Tarnovo as a conqueror and a friend to the new emperor. It would be in his manor in Italy in 1280 that Perseus would hear of Ivaylo being driven out of Bulgaria. He would hear of how Ivaylo had gone to the Mongols and had been executed.

Savolvano Verolzano Bripoli, Italy, August 1280

Perseus threw down the letter with the horrid new. His friend and comrade, Ivaylo, had been executed by the Mongols. Ivaylo may have conquered Bulgaria, but he could not fight against two great foes and win. So he had exiled himself to the Mongols. And they had murdered him.

Perseus calmed himself and began to think of his next move. He had grown tired of war after fighting in three of them near constantly for the last seven years. So Perseus decided to stay at his manor for the next while and tend to the vineyards as well as study.

Perseus would study for many years before he would go to fight in war again. The renaissance was soon to begin and Perseus would be one of the many up and coming minds during it. And so Perseus spent the next fifty years in peace at his manor. Studying, learning, training, and tending to his vineyard. Life was good for Perseus but not all things last.

Hello everyone. I have done another war chapter. I fucking love these things. They are so fun to do. Lots of research on war though. Everything here is as close to accurate as I can get. Next time will be fifty years later. Perseus will come into the middle of the Polish-Teutonic war. That will be fun. Until then read and review.