Redemption Bridge: Legends of Mordor

Chapter 5

It was a huge gate and a mighty wall of Sparta, but the Pirgosians must have broken through from a wall around the North which happens to be under construction. They rode in breath of heat and combat at great speed and the legs of their horses ran like wheels in motion through the dry lands and dust driven terrains until night fall.

They had no time for rest but a few minutes which last as long as it was enough for someone to completely wear a complete suit. Perseus was already looking like a knight and his appearance like as of a gladiator. They ate up what they had and drank a little of water and wine from their bottle and climbed on their horses again.

They could visibly see the troop of Hectus soldiers up front at about past three in the morning while packing up to continue their journey. Perseus did not wish to attack them immediately without a plan. So he sent two spies from among them to track the number and to see if Hectus was really present. Hectus was his very good friend in the past AD 1659, but lately, Hectus heart was darkened with hate for Spartans who were told him that they contributed to the fall of Pirgos during the reign of his grandfather Derek — King of Pirgos. Currently, Hectus sees Perseus as an enemy because the story of his grandfather's downfall was as a result of the trust he had for a Kingly friend from Sparta in his own time.

When Perseus' spies — friends of which he now call brothers — returned, they gave report before Gilbert and Perseus saying,

"We counted fifty swordsmen and three captains, besides slave masters who where sitting around the cage wherein lies our people who are being held captive".

"Come on, we can ambush them; but that's if we can just separate at most two captains and place ourselves in that position before sunrise. What about Gilbert?" Perseus asked.

"He was no where to be found. We presume he already left the troops behind. He left, maybe in haste to reach Pirgos to attend to a letter that arrived last night. We overheard two soldiers saying something of that nature." The second spy replied.

"If that be true, then it's a huge bonus to us today. We will ambush them in the hills of Tripolis from the left flank before they set course for the borders of Pirgos." Perseus said

"In that case, we'll have to take positions quickly, surround the hills on the slopes before daylight," Gilbert suggested,.

"Exactly my point, we are taking position now and be ready to attack on my signal!"

"Which would it be?" A tall hairy man with them asked

"Two kills at one bow shot, come on, we attack at the break of dawn"

He charged as they mounted on their horses, taking positions at strategic points.

Their shields were held firmly on the left and their swords drawn out for combat as they laid low on both sides of the hills waiting patiently for Perseus's signal once the enemy troops approached them. The morning appeared to be very cold and smoky, so that visibility was impaired and the mist which covered the Earth made it difficult for their enemies to figure out on time that they had been surrounded. Perseus was yet to understand how he was able to know all these things. Deep down, he thought from time to time about how he was able to know the names of people around and how he was able to climb on a horse, because he felt everything was strange to him although he literally believed he was living in the moment, totally forgetting anything that had to do with him living somewhere beyond this time.

He drew his bow as he fixed two arrows at once through the open hole, and at length he aimed accurately as he released the arrows from the bow. The arrows went straight ahead to pierce two enemy soldiers through their jaws so that they weren't able to scream at their dying moment. Gilbert fired and two other men with him, the wheels of the first and third captain's carriage so that their horses could no longer drive them on main streets, causing them to part sideways towards them that hide themselves at the hills.

"Attack!" charged the tall and hairy fellow.

They ran like wolves towards the devastated troops and pulled their swords in a bloodbath on every side. As they killed, the enemy soldiers soon regained tactics and made the battle even tougher than it should have been. Perseus exclaimed,

"Phalanx formation!"

The minute he said that, Gilbert and the rest of his men came together in a circular position in deep formation because the enemy soldiers pressed on them like walls which had collapsed from a mountain top. Twenty-three still standing swordsmen aside, the kills that were made. They all encompassed Perseus and his army, who held tight to their shields in a circular manner like a turtle shell, held, so that no spear could penetrate; but the blades of Perseus and his men were stretched out from thin holes made for them through the shields while they held them firmly. They made sounds that resembled a deep groan like that of tigers as they rotated themselves like a fan that has been turned on and moving at slow motion. As they did rotate themselves from inside their shields, the blades they held began to cut through and to split the waists, legs and arms of all the enemy soldiers that pressed on them until they were slain; and when at most seven enemies were left, they broke open the Phalanx formation and slew them to death in fierceness.

"Gilbert spear!" Perseus exclaimed as he chased on foot a soldier who was already making an escape on horse. Gilbert tossed a spear to him on the right and he lobbed it with precision so that it landed on the back of the soldier who was on his horse's back, knocking him off the trail.