Sending Scouts Chapter

Dusk brought an end to the battle that lasted long enough for the Veeks, Crowsians and Angoths to drive the Cren Warships back towards the island and the wall of reefs north of it. Apkis paced the room as Goldis glanced over maps of the area marking where the Cren fleet laid waiting for dawn.

“We should send swimmers to scout out the area!” Goldis suggested as he placed a pebble in a bowl after setting them up to represent the ships on the map.

“Why, we know the enemy is there and the Cren Order will not attack until it is day light. We should wait until it is day break before we attack.” A Lieutenant suggested who acted as an adviser Goldis’ uncle appointed for the young Commander on the campaign against the Cren Order and the Makool Domain. Apkis never like the Lieutenant named Herocules. Herocules was never smart about his strategies and had half a unit of men killed the instant they engaged the enemy.

Apkis recalled a battle at the tip of the Veek mainland near an Angoth settlement that became part of the Hegemony. Herocules was in command of three-thousand Hoplites with orders from the Hegemon to destroy a legion of Makool troops camped out on the beachhead. The foolish Lieutenant led his entire army into a marsh that lay next to the beachhead. This was Horocules’ strategy to take the Makool by surprise. The strategy would have worked if the marsh had trees and brush thick enough to hide an army like most of the swamps in the lands south west of the Angoth settlements.

Apkis witnessed the massacre that day as the Makool who saw their approach hid half of their force in the marsh then sprung the ambush. Herocules lost eighteen-hundred men in the first minutes of the massacre, which he still calls a battle to this day. The damned Lieutenant was captured along with another four-hundred Hoplites. General Apkis had command of over ten-thousand Hoplites and three-thousand Peltasts. The Hegemony sent him and the thirteen thousand troops down to attack another Makool force in the area, which banded together with the one Herocules was to attack.

As the day grew ill for the Veeks under the captured Lieutenant’s forces Apkis split his force into three groups, he took half of his Hoplite army to intercept the retreating Hoplites. His Peltasts were sent to a high ridge next to the beachhead where they found four-hundred Angoth and Veek archers camped out at its base. His other half of Hoplites marched down to the camps of the Makool armies. There they attacked lightly fortified positions while Peltasts and archers rained hell down on the Makool still reaping over spoils of their swift victory. Another force of Angoths came up from some villages near the beach some three-hundred strong attacked the Makool camps on the west flank. Apkis had rallied Herocules’ fleeing Hoplites and assumed command over them and pressed against the Makool. In one full hour the combined armies of Angoths and Hoplites drove the Makool back into the sea butchering as many as they could.

His mind returned to the present as Herocules went on his rampage about strategy thinking himself clever. “You’re a damned fool to listen to Herocules Goldis! You fared better than he would have in today’s battle at sea! Yes, it would be best to send out swimmers from each ship to see where our allies sit and what the Cren Order are up to!” Apkis glared at Herocules with a mistrustful gaze.

“Not this time Herocules you’ve lost too many men during your career as officer and most of your men flocked to my command!” he rubbed it in the Lieutenant’s face.

“Say what you will Apkis, who cares whether you command sixteen-thousand now. The gods granted me this pos-.“ Goldis waved a hand shutting him up.

“Herocules your count of defeats is beyond measure and counting. As commander it is my duty to strip you of your rank and life for putting tens of thousands of people at risk aside from your own armies.” Goldis said tossing a reed of banishment at him. It was knotted up into a symbol of ill-omen, and represented the Makool God Ukrok. Insulted Herocules drew his sickle weapon.
“Your mother was a whore to the entire court while you were gone! Your uncle saw to that! He had her fuck every noble and guard as the courts went on. She even fucked two Makool for his pleasure and to keep the peac-“ Goldis drove a knife into the Lieutenant’s throat to shut him up. His body fell on the floor with a thud and his weapon clattered next to the corpse. Apkis leaned over to rip the weapon from the corpse. “No, leave it and have his body thrown overboard. I do not need the likes of his kind commanding me. You are suitable for the job as adviser.”

Goldis handed Apkis a ring of military status. The General felt overwhelmed with honor and pride at this promotion. “I…have no words… to thank you…” Apkis had no idea what to say.

“You clearly need none. Your service to me, the Hegemony and Eronos in the future are enough thanks. My friend, my dearest brother in arms.” Goldis embraced Apkis with a bear hug that nearly caused Apkis to lose his super. They let go to attend to the business at hand.

“Now, shall we send out the Angoth swimmers, or the Irkan?” Goldis asked with curiosity.

“I’d send both, Angoths are faster swimmers and the Irkans are apt to holding their breath in any temperature for long periods of time. Each can get to the enemy undetected.” Apkis suggested placing his new prized ring on his left hand.

“Your uncle will be furious.” Apkis said indicating to his new status, and the corpse of Lieutenant Herocules.

“Let him, guards, messenger, scribe!” Five Veeks entered their quarters, three Falx wielding Hoplites without armor, a messenger and a scribe with some parchment to write on. Goldis motioned to the body and the guards got the message. He stopped for a split second and gazed at the corpse with curiosity in his eyes.

“Strip him of any coin, jewelry, heirlooms, status and armor, keep the coins for yourselves. Bring the rest to me once you’ve tossed the body overboard. Scribe I will be with you in a moment, Messenger go rouse the Angoths and Irkan swimmers aboard and have them come up here.” They each bowed and saluted before attending to their given tasks. Apkis stood idle as he waited for more commands from the young Goldis’ mouth.

“Apkis, you command the swimmers to their intended targets and have them return to us at once. Scribe come with me to my quarters I have a message to write for someone.” Goldis went to his own quarters as Apkis took a seat at the table that had a map of the area and several serving bowls of fruit, fish and bread. There were stacks of scrolls sitting on a rack next to the table, each one had information of past campaigns, strategies that worked and military formations.

The messenger returned with seven Angoths and Irkan swimmers who were also renowned warriors among the Hegemony’s armies. They stood in line before the entrance of the cabins. Apkis stood and beckoned them all inside.

“Please, stand at attention as I give you orders from our esteemed Commander Goldis who is in his quarters and has handed command to me for the moment. Each of you must swim to a designated area I will assign you. There you will find out what our allies are doing and what the enemy is doing.” He looked at each warrior who had something different about him to separate himself from the others.

“Are each of you from a different vessel?” Apkis asked.

“Yes, General.” They said in unison.

“Good, your Captains choose wisely.” He complemented. Apkis started with the one on the end of the line. He was tall, but not nearly as tall as Leothrad, his beard was short with four rings tied to it. “What is your name Angoth?” Apkis asked.

“Servestine, General Sir.” The Angoth with the four rings in his beard answered.

Apkis turned to the warrior next to Servestine who was an Irkan Clansmen with a kilt and sash with the colors of his clan. His face had a thick black beard and a scar across one eye. There was no hair on his head, it seemed he shaved it for warfare. “You’re an Irkan warrior, what is your name?”

“I am Chadwick of the Clan Bailor.” Chadwick answered. Apkis nodded his head taking a look at Chadwick.

“You will swim over to the other Irkan clansmen and see what their commander has in store for the Cren Order.” Chadwick saluted Apkis before leaving the ship. Apkis turned to another Irkan warrior who had war paint over the left side of his face. He wore scaled chain mail armor over a leather jerkin-tunic. His weapon was a long dirk, long enough to be considered a short sword. Apkis thought of sending him to the Crowsians and see if they were mobilizing their formations for the morning attack.

“The Crowsians are north of our positions, what is your name?” Apkis asked the bald Irkan.

“I am Amborix, I have no clan other than the hegemony. I will do as you command General.” Amborix bowed down and saluted Apkis before leaving the cabin.

Apkis glanced at the Angoth Servestine. “Servestine you shall go to Leothrad, you can easily find his ship and report back to me. If he asks you to stay with him, don’t.”

“As you command, General.” Servestine bowed and left for Leothrad’s vessel.

Apkis turned to the last four swimmers remaining. “State your names when I walk up to you and leave once I give you a location.” Apkis walked up to an Angoth who resembled a Veek with blonde curly hair.
“Your name Angoth.” Apkis commanded.

“Arnos, General sir.” The blonde Angoth answered.

“Go see the other Angoth fleets and see if more vessels have arrived.” Apkis ordered Arnos.

Arnos left in a hurry to swim to the other Angoth ships in the area. Apkis looked at the remaining warriors who appeared to be Angoths. He knew Angoths made better swimmers when it came to speed and long distances. He looked at one with four braids in his hair.

“You there are you the one they call Fyre?” Apkis asked him.

“Yes, General Apkis and these two are my cousins Ultan and Eron. They are from Angeris the anvil and circular islands. Where do you want us to swim to sir?”

“You Fyre will swim your way to the Cren fleet and see how they are mobilized. Ultan, you swim to the fortified island nearby and give the tower-guards and update. Eron go a remote outpost past the Crowsian positions feel free to stay aboard one of the vessel just make sure you get there. Are my orders clear warriors?”

“Yes, General sir!” the Angoths cried. Apkis dismissed them before he sat in a cushion chair at the head of the table. He picked an olive from a bowl of fruit and vegetables sitting next to the map. All he had to do now was wait for their return, it could take some time before he heard back from the other leaders including Leothrad.

He knew Leothrad would have other plans for defeating the Cren fleet waiting at the edge of Kruskor reefs. It was only a matter of time before that Angoth Champion acts before anyone else. His arrival at the first phase of the battle took him by surprise. Apkis’ only hope was that Leothrad could lead his people back to this Auxmire soon and reduce the tensions brewing over lands in Emnos. There were plenty of wildernesses both Angoths and Irkan clansmen could take from the Ipama, Goblins, and Troglodytes. To the north-west of the Irkans is an entire civilization of cannibals the Irkans planned to destroy before the Angoths came along. His thoughts would have suggested the groups fight side by side decimating the cannibalistic civilization. To the dismay of his Veek forefathers none of that happened.

The Angoths came like a storm from the seas bearing hundreds of thousands of men, women and children. Warriors were hungry for a war and fought both the Veeks and Irkan clans for land. Of course that was after they ousted the Goblins, Ipama, and Makool out of the lands they inhabit now. Entire kingdoms of Ipama and Goblins were wiped out in the Angoths’ rampage for land. Over the years this cost them dearly, but gave them a suitable home to graze, and farm on with their furry livestock of sheep, longhorns, swine, and mares of many breeds.

The culture the Angoths brought was different from the others. Yet it was similar to the Veeks and Irkan Clans at the same time. The Veeks had their class system, multitude of Gods, city-states, art, philosophy, democracy, hegemony, and athletic events. Their Irkan neighbors had the clan system set up where each clan was given power over the rest. After a decade that power would go to another clan. However if two clans were unified they both shared the power and it would pass on to another. Each Irkan Clan had their own tartan colors to represent their clans. Irkans were cattle grazers, fishermen, farmers, bards, craftsmen of wood and the forge. Most men had to fight in the Irkan army to represent their clans. All clans were once their own tribes who fought one another until one War Lord unified all of them and gave them a code to live by.

Apkis found himself writing all of this down on a piece of parchment when Amborix entered the cabin as water dripped from him and onto the wooden planks. He held a large shell in his right hand with the Crowsian Symbol on it.

“What news from the Crowsians?” Apkis demanded as he rolled the parchment up.

“They’re mobilized sir, and I came across Eron on my way back who was just about to board a Crowsian vessel.” Amborix told Apkis. “They will be ready to attack at dawn, sir.”

“Good, go dry yourself off and dine with me.” Apkis told the Irkan warrior. An hour later Chadwick, and Arnos entered the cabin. Each had something that represented the Angoths and the Irkan Clans. They looked at each other realizing they had the same message from the two separate fleets. “They are both mobilized and ready for battle at dawn, sir.”

 “Exus is with us.” Apkis smiled and raised a goblet up, Amborix filled the goblet with wine before offering the others some. Both warriors grabbed a stool from the wall and sat down. Chadwick contemplated the maps and the pieces marking the enemy ships and their ships. Fyre came in with nothing in his hands.

“The Cren fleet has their ships linked together and moored at the reefs. They don’t seem like they have any intentions of attacking us yet.” Fyre said snatching a grape from the bowl.

“Shouldn’t we wait for Leothrad or let him do something first?” Chadwick suggested. Apkis stared at him with stern eyes over his goblet as he drank slowly from it.