The Theonian legati, senior centurions, centurions and platoon leaders made elaborate arrangements on the Neto River, turning the place into a bustling activity. Under the leadership of their respective officers, the 60,000 Theonians soldiers, who were in formation and awaiting, began running to their target.
The first legion's position when crossing the river was near the sea. As the centurion of the first centuria of the fourth brigade of the first legion, Leotychides led the 200 soldiers in a neat column according to the arrangement of the whole army and waited on the shore. In front of them stood a 30-metre-long, six-metre-high trireme.
“Hey, Prosius(the name Leotychides used in Theonia). Let's see who's centuria gets to the opposite bank first and line up!” Shouted Hybaterus, the centurion of another centuria nearby.
Before Leotychides could answer, his soldiers shouted, “The second centuria dares to compete with us even with your level of training?!”
“Let’s compete! Who is afraid of who?! But if you lose, you will need to frog jump as punishment!”
“Hey, what's happening?! They all started leaving before we could even get on the ship!”
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
“All of you, be quiet and stay focused!” With a shout from Leotychides, the whole centuria immediately became quiet.
Leotychides' centuria's training was extremely harsh as he was strict, punishing soldiers who were not serious in their training, either corporal punishment or scolding. As a result, many who joined his centuria found it unbearable and asked to be transferred to other centuria. However, in every legion competition, Leotychides ranked first in the competition and tactical examination of the officers, and his centuria also often ranked first in the formation, attack, defence, camp building, siege, and so on, competition. Thus, many soldiers admired him and were willing to join his centuria, so the soldiers both respected and feared him.
“You can now get on board!” The ship captain shouted to the centuria on the shore.
“The first and second platoon go first!” Leotychides shouted immediately.
The two platoons in the forefront quickly place the ten-metre-long ladder on the side of the ship. After they hooked the ladder, the soldiers swiftly climbed onto the deck one after another. Soon, all the 100 soldiers of the two platoons got on the ship, causing the whole ship's waterline to sink into one space. Fortunately, they were near the sea, resulting in the river being deeper, and the wharf made by each centuria was short and simple.
After the ship lifted the anchor, turned the rudder, and extended the oars, the huge hull began gliding southward with increasing speed. The lower reaches of the Neto River were only 80 metres wide at its widest, so the ship soon reached the opposite bank. After the soldiers disembarked, the ship returned at an even faster speed.
In less than ten minutes, a whole centuria had finished forming up on the south bank of the Neto River.
At this time, Leotychides smiled and was obviously satisfied with his soldiers' performance.
“Pesias~” Leotychides shouted.
“Yes!” the leader of the first platoon responded loudly.
“Go and ask the second centuria if they finished lining up.”
“Understood.” When Pesias ran, the centuria's soldiers began laughing.
Soon, a cry could be heard from nearby, “Didn't your centuria not agree?! That's why we slowed down!”
“You guys are cheating!” Then the soldiers of the first centuria laughed even louder.
Leotychides actually enjoyed the lively atmosphere of cooperation and competition in the Theonian legion as it allowed him to relive the time when he competed with the other Spartan warriors and forget the painful things that suffocated him in the past.
He looked ahead and thought to himself, ‘It's time for strategos Xethippus to sound the centuria's salpinx.’
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
On the north bank of the Neto River, Davos rode on horseback as he watched the thousands of soldiers on the bank.
Under the guidance of the military flag, the soldiers set foot on the pontoon bridge in order and advanced to the south bank.
Some officers suddenly came up with an idea to make the centuria they led sing the ode to Hades to overcome the soldiers' fear of crossing the swaying pontoon bridge. But soon, the song echoed throughout the river as each legion's brigade's centuria sang their own as if they were competing who sang well and louder…
On the four pontoon bridges, four “long dragons” quickly advanced towards the unfamiliar south bank with fluttering flags and resounding songs…
This sight made the heart of Davos pound with excitement: After years of hard work, the Theonia Union finally has such a massive army as well!
“Your majesty, shall we go?” Kapus reminded.
“You can't wait either?!” Davos laughed.
Davos arranged for the sarissa legion that Kapus led to be the last to cross the river. Although Kapus knew that Davos must have a deeper meaning, the soldiers became impatient when they saw the other legions were already crossing the river. As they are a newly formed legion, it is normal for them to behave in this way.
Davos' didn't make it hard for Kapus, so he turned around and said, “Let’s also cross the river.”
When the guard heard that, they all cheered and surrounded Davos. Then several hundred horses galloped and stirred dust to fly in the air as they rushed down the river bank…
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
“Milord, Theonia's cavalry is coming!” The scout galloped to transmit the urgent report.
Dionysius, who was at the tail of the army and was marching slowly towards Scylletium, heard the news and became excited, “How many cavalries are there?”
“Around 1,000.”
“The Theonian cavalry had come in great numbers just to die. Milord, I will lead my men to finish them all off now!” Acilita loudly asked for the order.
“No need to rush.” Dionysius, however, became relieved and smiled as he said, “With so many Theonian cavalries crossing the river at once, then their infantry must also be crossing the river. If you lead the cavalry now, you will scare the enemy that we lured with great difficulty.”
“Then what should we, Numidians, do?” Acilita still didn't understand what Dionysius meant.
“Your cavalry should continue to retreat!” Dionysius gazed at Acilita and Gaba, who remained silent on the side, and gave clear instructions until they nodded with reluctance. He then said to his attendant, “Have the herald rush to the front of the army and inform Phacipessas to start leading the army back!”
“Yes!”
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
At the port of Laos, more than 6,000 Theonian soldiers boarded the ship one after another.
“Lord Bagul, you have to stay here in Laos for a few more days.” Hielos said to Bagul, who came to see him off.
“Leave it to me.” Bagul responded with seriousness, “Although I desire to join you on the battlefield and participate in the battle, as a member of the Senate, I understand Laos' importance to Theonia. Thus I will handle the matters here until the Senate sends someone to take over!”
Hielos likewise seriously said, “Lord Bagul, you can rest assured that I would treat them all equally, whether they are a Bruttian soldier or a Lucanian soldier. And would do my best so that all of them can go home safely once the war ends!”
Bagul replied with a bright smile, “I am most relieved to leave my brothers under your command, Lord Hielos! I already warned them that they must strictly abide by your orders, so you can punish them per the military law if they violate your command!”
“Thank you!” Hielos expressed his sincere gratitude to Bagul.
Then a herald arrived and said, “Milord, all the soldiers have boarded the ship. Please give your command!”
Hearing the herald, Hielos immediately looked at the city with a slight impatience on his face. He once more said to Bagul, “His majesty is anxiously waiting for our move. Yet we have already been delayed for a day, so the time is very tight! Hence please convey my apology to Lord Henipolis for me as I can't wait for him to come.”
“Erm…er…you should wait a little longer; he should be here soon…” But Bagul persuaded him with a strange expression and continued, “Henipolis said…there is something important he needs to tell you.”
“Something important?” Hielos looked at the coldly sweating Bagul with suspicion and asked, “What is it?”
“Well, just wait for him-” Bagul was thinking about how to dodge the question when a clear voice sounded from behind, “Lord Hielos, I've kept you waiting!”
Bagul breathed a sigh of relief at hearing this.
Hielos' eyes widened at the approaching Henipolis, who was wearing a full military attire.
‘Why do you need to wear armour just to see us off?’ Hielos then remembers that the young archon only wore civilian clothes when they recaptured Laos and the army entered the city.
Just as he was in doubt, Henipolis, who had brought 50 equally heavily armed warriors, came to him and said, “Lord Hielos, let's depart!”
“Depart? And you?” Hielos thought he misheard him.
“Before leaving Thurii, his majesty Davos promised me to participate and witness the war as his clerk. And Laos, as Theonia's ally, has the responsibility to join in the ensuing battles, so I will now perform my duty!” Henipolis said with a serious expression with a slight hint of joy in his sentence.
“You…but what about Laos?” The fact that its archon actually left while Laos was in a state of ruin left Hielos in disbelief.
“With you and Lord Bagul taking care of the city matters extremely well yesterday, and after speaking with Lord Bagul and with the full cooperation of Ariandos, there wouldn't be a problem at all. Right, Lord Bagul?” Henipolis winked at Bagul.
Faced with Hielos' questioning gaze, Bagul shrugged with helplessness, “I have no choice. If I didn't agree with Lord Henipolis' request, I wouldn't be able to call so many ships at all.”
