The Rise Of An Empire In Ancient Europe-Chapter 94 Night Raid

"What’s going on?" Neonsis demanded, his voice sharp with confusion.

Before anyone could answer, the door burst open with a resounding bang. A guard stormed in, his face alight with excitement. "Report, generals! The scouts have returned! They say... they say... the mercenaries have won! The Lucanian coalition has been defeated!!"

"Is this true?!" The generals exclaimed in unison, their disbelief mirrored in their wide eyes.

"Yes!" the guard affirmed, his voice trembling with exhilaration. "The scouts went to the battlefield—the Great Riverbank—where the mercenaries fought the Lucanians. They said the entire area is littered with the corpses of Lucanians!"

"Incredible... Absolutely incredible..." Neonsis murmured, as if speaking in a dream.

"How did they do it?!" Kunogorata asked, his voice betraying both astonishment and lingering fear. He had fought the Lucanians only yesterday and could still feel the tremor of their relentless assaults. That the vastly outnumbered mercenaries had triumphed seemed nothing short of a miracle.

"What kind of man is Juleios?" Anxitanos wondered aloud, his curiosity piqued by the enigmatic leader who had accomplished this near-impossible feat.

Polyxius’s thoughts turned to the young man he had seen aboard Bourkos’s ship—the same man whose unassuming demeanor had seemed so harmless. Never in his wildest imagination had he thought that Juleios, with his easy smile, would shatter the Lucanian coalition and save Thurii from certain doom.

"They say he’s favored by Hades," Bourkos interjected proudly, breaking his silence. The generals had criticized him harshly for his blind faith in the mercenaries, yet now his heart surged with vindication. "The mercenaries call him a miracle worker. On their way back from Persia..." Bourkos recounted Juleios’s deeds with fervor, the tales flowing like a hymn to the man’s genius.

But the generals did not scoff at the seemingly absurd legends, nor did they meet Bourkos’s triumphant gaze. Instead, they rose swiftly, striding toward the hall’s exit.

Outside the city hall, the square overflowed with people. Women, children, and elders—clad in mourning black and weighed down by grief just hours earlier—now erupted into jubilant cheers. The oppressive shadow that had hung over Thurii vanished as tears of joy streaked their faces.

The scouts brought more than news of victory. They carried a message from Juleios: Thurii must send workers to clear the battlefield and bury the corpses to prevent disease.

Ever cautious, the generals decided to verify the battlefield’s condition. Neonsis himself led the inspection team.

When they arrived at the Great Riverbank, a horrific sight awaited them. The marshes and river waters had turned red, the landscape transformed into a scene from the underworld. Stripped corpses of Lucanian warriors lay strewn across the blood-soaked earth, their vacant eyes staring into eternity.

"This... This is a terrifying miracle," Neonsis murmured, his voice trembling as he surveyed the carnage. "A terrifying favorite of Hades..."

To express their gratitude to Juleios and the other leaders—Archita, Drakos, Adrianus, and Sesta—the council prepared a formal invitation. They decided to host a victory celebration in Thurii and sent Bourkos and Anxitanos to the mercenary camp bearing gifts: 100 jars of wine and 50 jars of olive oil.

When they arrived at the camp, their excitement was quickly stymied by the guards. "The leaders and soldiers are resting," one said firmly. "They’ve been ordered not to be disturbed. We cannot let you in."

Bourkos pleaded, invoking his past visits and the council’s goodwill, but the guards were unyielding. The camp was eerily silent, the stillness a testament to the discipline of the mercenaries. Left with no choice, the group returned to Thurii empty-handed.

Hoping for a different outcome, they sought out Archetus, the Tarantine commander. freēwēbηovel.c૦m

Archetus received them warmly, but when they explained their purpose, his expression turned uneasy. "This victory belongs entirely to Juleios. His strategy was the key. The Tarantine reinforcements played only a supporting role. If Juleios refuses, I wouldn’t dare go alone—it would be disgraceful!"

Reluctantly, the delegation resolved to try again the next day.

Inside the mercenary camp, while most soldiers rested, the officers and commanders gathered in Juleios’s large tent.

After hearing a report about Thurii’s invitation, Davos chuckled. "Thurii treated us like thieves, and now they want to celebrate us? A bit late for that, don’t you think?"

"Exactly!" Amintas added with a sneer. "We didn’t annihilate the Lucanians for them."

Olivers leaned forward with a mischievous grin. "Still, it’s a pity to miss their celebration. Who knows how many beautiful Thurian maidens are eagerly waiting for our leader to attend!"

Laughter rippled through the room as Juleios raised an eyebrow, amused. "Shall I send you in my place, Olivers?"

"Not me!" Olivers said, shaking his head dramatically. "They invited the great Juleios, slayer of Lucanians, not some nobody like me!" His exaggerated performance drew another round of laughter.

Philesius, sobering the mood, interjected. "Leader, we should maintain good relations with Thurii. They’ll be our neighbors."

Juleios nodded, his focus sharpening. "How is Drakos?" he asked, turning to Adrianus and Sesta.

"Under Helpus’s care, he’s recovering well. He even reminded us to follow your orders," Sesta replied gratefully.

Juleios acknowledged the sentiment, his tone firm. "Good. Drakos’s leadership was critical. Without him holding the northern line, we might have lost everything." His gaze swept across the room. "Now, let’s go over tonight’s plan."

The room fell silent as Juleios pointed to a detailed model of Amendolara on the table.

"At two o’clock tonight, we will break camp and march toward Amendolara. Once we cross the Sisno River..." He looked to Xilos. "Ensure the wall we built is put to use. Your training must not be in vain."

"Understood, leader!" Xilos replied confidently.

Juleios continued, "If the enemy discovers us and the surprise attack fails, Kapus, Antonios, and Alexis, your units will carry ladders and battering rams for a direct assault."

"Yes!" the three commanders replied in unison.

"Amintas," Juleios said, his tone lighter, "you’ll lead the charge once the gates are open."

"Finally!" Amintas grinned, cracking his knuckles.

"Once inside, all units will follow the plan. Guided by locals, you’ll take the summit—the Senate, the square, and the temple. These are the likely strongholds of the Lucanians. We must secure them quickly. Is that clear?"

"Clear!!!" the officers roared.

Juleios’s voice grew solemn. "Tomorrow, Thurii might ask us to retake Amendolara for them, or the Lucanians may flee. Tonight is our only chance to claim the city as our own. To make it truly ours, we must succeed—no matter what."

The officers saluted, the weight of his words settling over them like armor.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺