1453: Revival of Byzantium

The troopers waiting beneath the government house received an disappointing piece of news, their admiral ordered them to be dispersed and return to their respective posts, treating them each a set of breakfast in return. Several commanders tried to appeal saying that they can be helpful in tracking down the criminals behind this murder, but got reprimanded by Alexios on behalf of the admiral saying that they used their soldier's time and energy to make a show in front of the supreme leader in the attempt to grow their impression by the admiral, and gain an advantage when climbing up their ranks.

Just as all of the commotions are going on in Drama, Antonius got a visitor coming for him; His wife, Anna, has arrived in the city still holding the letter of invitation by her husband. She is bewildered by the gathering of troops in the city of course, thinking that her husband might tart another war in the heat of the summer against the warm Mediterranean wind from the south. But as soon as she heard the entire story from her husband, she no longer posed the anti war stance like before, instead she went up to her husband riding on his horse and helped him don his scarlet battle cloak.

"Go, my man, my warrior, go and claim the victory that is waiting for you, go and avenge those people who have died for you, go and replenish you lost in a shameful raid, and I want to see you come back to me and my daughter riding on your horse with pride." That is what she said.

Antonius rode off towards the temporary camp of Halfdan and Helio with only fifty cavalries, saying that these amount of force combined with the forces already there is far from sufficient in dealing with the threat, and there is no need to mobilise such an oversized troop just for a few bandits. Mikhail is left under the care of Alexios, and Antonius told Mikhail before his departure that he and his blade shall seek vengeance for his brother.

The cavalries arrived at the fronter camp by the evening of the following day where he met his old pal Helio whom he has not met since last year, but there is no time for them to have a bounding session. The admiral and Mikhail first went in to check on the five heads preserved on the table in a box of sands, and upon seeing the skulls, the heads have already started blotting and decaying a long time ago, and is almost barely beyond shape when the two of them finally had a look at it.

However, Mikhail still managed to identify the bloated cadaver as his brother, the junior adult who has just turned twenty plus years ago could not accept this piece of fact this hideous head cadaver is his brother, and fell down there with his entire face being pale, unable to say a word. Antonius too recognised Yuri from those exaggerated long goat beard of his, the Varangian's eyes are still open till now even when his eye socket is almost budging out from the internal pressure, and Antonius could almost still observe an array of emotions coming from his eyes, the rage of being ambushed, the fear of facing the enemies. The hopelessness from the loss of strength, and the will to survive for tomorrow… These emotions are still being well kept in those eyes of Yuri.

Antonius shifted his eyes away, feeling that every second of looking at the deceased pal and hero is a torture to himself. A line of bitter tears dripped down from the eyes of the six feet tall middle aged man. For the first time, since he started his expedition a decade ago, he felt the heart piercing pain of truly losing a friend who has accompanied him since the start. He has never dared to think about this, but today reality taught him a harsh lesson, that is the people around him can just die as easily as any one else from all kinds of possibilities; Yesterday they can be drinking with you and blowing his trumpet over a piece of non existent adventure, and today they can be lying here, unable to react to your words, your emotions and your moves.

"Rest in peace my friend." Antonius closed Yuri's eyes with his shivering hands gently. "Take a good rest, I shall avenge you, there is nothing more for you to worry about Yuri. I shall treat your child like he is mine, I shall treat your wife with respect, I shall provide your family with enough fortune to last them for a lavish life…"

Yuri's eyes closed with Antonius' soothing hands, as if he has heard the words of his friend and his liege. The group of people stayed in the tent for a minute longer, until Antonius sighed and ordered to his men in a hoarse voice. "I heard that one cannot be accepted by Christ in to haven if he does not have a full body. Recruit the best group of carpenters in Thessaloniki, I want them to make a full set of five wooden bodies for my companions, I want the wooden bodies to have no difference than the real ones, remember."

The men horridly went to do their work, and now it is time for Antonius to fulfil his first promise of avenging the lives of the five deceased companions. Helio briefly introduced Antonius the wooden fortress they are facing, and requested for his instruction. But after Antonius inspected the place he frowned and questioned Helio. "If you know that they are not a threat to your army, then why did you not deal with them on your own before I came? Why did you halt the attack?"

Helio looked like he was not preparing for such a question as he replied stuttering. "Admiral, I thought that it would be best if I would leave the command to you to order the final attack, and then you can capture and torture those rogues by yourself…"

"You know you should not do that, Helio, that was not what I have taught you in the past… Did I not tell you, that all operations must be initiated fast enough, and ended fast enough to not miss any opportunities, and to minimise the cost of lives of our soldiers, resources depleted and damage to the locals, have you forgot about what I have said before?"

Helio's eyes seems to be dodging Antonius. "Yes, admiral, I remember your words by heart, I postponed the offensive mainly because of political issues…"

"Never let political concerns take over your mind when making battle field decisions, I have emphasised this for multiple times in the past…" Antonius looks like he is disappointed, definitely. "You have changed, Helio, remember the day I chose to get you in to my fleet? Remember all the battles that I fought with you? Tell me, during which of these events did my mind and decision making get moved by my political concerns?"

Helio panicked, wanting to say some thing in response but ended up stuttering. But still after a while he thought it through by himself, giving a firm salute to Antonius and promised. "I shall start the attack as soon as possible, admiral!"

The bloody red flag is waved once more, the battle horn is blown again after being quiet for almost three days. One hundred and fifty troopers are mustered together in a packed mustering ground, with their weapons and ammunitions replenished. The respective junior commanders stood ready by their men yelling out their orders, briefing them on their respective tasking and missions later. The entire camp is being moved again coming back to live. However just as they are getting ready to engage the rogues for the final offensive, a white flag is being flown over the rogue's camp, with a man coming out of the camp gates raising up his hands.

"We yield! Honourable sirs! Please! In the love of Christ and Holy Mother, please forgive us for our sins! Most of us are merely humble servants of the famed Strategos, becoming this state only because we had nothing to eat! Please, give us another chance, we shall surrender, lay down our arms and go back to the fields once more to be faithful farmers! Please!"

Helio and frowned and looked back at Antonius, for he feels like he has no authority here in deciding what to do with this man. Although the opponents are rogues and barbarians, but it should still be considered as a diplomatic issue, and him, as a front line commander has no say in determining such issues, and so again he pushed it to Antonius. The later looked at the approaching man with a look of disgust, with a stare that resembled the way how he looked at the Ottomans. "Prepare the archers!" Antonius ordered. "Continue the offensive! Do not be disturbed by this man! They ought to have prepared themselves for this moment they conducted this atrocity…."