Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1213: Landing in Thessaly (5)

"Patroclus already emphasized that order yesterday," Lizarus said. "And since we don't have any Gaul soldiers in our ranks, I doubt the men will break it easily..." He trailed off, feigning sudden realization. "Oh, I forgot. Didn't someone mention you were from Larissa?"

Lizarus's words dropped like a stone into Matonis's heart, dredging up old memories. He dropped the joking banter and turned to gaze northwest. After a long moment of silence, he let out a wistful sigh. "You remembered wrong. I'm not from Larissa. I'm from Oloosson (a Thessalian city-state northwest of Larissa, bordering the Epirus mountains). I'm a mountain man, just like you."

With that, he called his Staff Officer over. "Send someone to Peleus immediately to inform Lord Hylos. Tell him we've already captured his homeland."

The Staff Officer looked a little surprised, but he didn't ask any questions. He simply turned to find a messenger.

"After you, Lizarus," Matonis said, making an inviting gesture. "Let me show you the largest city in northern Thessaly."

"The largest city... Is it as big as Thurii?"

"How could it possibly compare to Thurii!"

"What about Crotone then?"

"It can't match that either!"

Surrounded by soldiers, the two men rode their horses into Larissa, chatting and laughing.

...

Once the main force of the Daionian Army successfully landed and captured the neighboring coastal city-states, the transport Fleet entered the harbor. They quickly unloaded the army's auxiliary personnel and supplies before heading back toward Sparta and Messenia under the escort of a squadron from the 1st Fleet.

Before long, the Fleet in Thessaly's Pagasetic Gulf received a dispatch from a fast ship. They immediately ordered the soldiers—who were still putting on a show of building a road on the Mirdoros mudflats—to return to the ships at once. The Fleet still needed to transport the soldiers of the 13th Legion to the neighboring Maliac Gulf for their landing.

The Thessalian defenders had watched the Daionian soldiers use straw and wooden planks to pave a road almost to the foot of the mountain, and had thoroughly prepared for an attack. Yet, to their surprise, they suddenly saw the enemy retreat in unison to the beach and board their ships. Soon, all the Warships and troopships vanished from sight.

Having crouched on the ridges for more than half the day only to watch their prey suddenly escape right from under their noses, Polyphron felt unbearably stifled. He immediately pressed Polydorus, "We should order the fleet at Pherae Port to strike at once. We can't let the Daionian Fleet come and go as they please. We have to tear off a piece of their flesh at the very least!"

"It's not as if you don't know," Polydorus replied cautiously. "The reason our fleet has stayed huddled in the harbor without daring to sortie is that the number of Daionian Warships in the gulf far exceeds ours. Since the Daionians have retreated on their own accord, there is no need to take such a risk."

"I suggested we take the initiative to attack the enemy on the mudflats earlier, and you refused! Now I suggest the fleet sortie, and you refuse again! All you do is sit here looking stupid. You don't dare do anything. What use are you as the Boeotarch of Thessaly!" Polyphron roared at his older brother, flailing his arms. He furiously tore open the tent flap and stormed out.

Only then did the Adjutant inside the tent complain in a low voice. "General, Polyphron has gone too far. To completely ignore your—"

"Forget it." Polydorus waved a hand helplessly. His younger brother had been aggressive and ruthless since childhood. As an adult, his temper had only grown more violent and disrespectful to his elders, something Polydorus had long grown used to. Because of this, their eldest brother, Jason, never dared entrust their youngest sibling with any heavy responsibilities. Instead, Jason had always kept him close by his side in hopes of curbing his nature. Unfortunately, Polyphron hadn't shown any improvement even now...

Polydorus pushed the annoying matter to the back of his mind. He bore the heavy responsibility of defending Thessaly and did not want to cause unnecessary trouble, which was why he let the Daionian Fleet leave. However, doubt still lingered in his mind. Did Daionia really dispatch such a massive Fleet just to waste half the day here for nothing, only to leave empty-handed? Could there be some other conspiracy?

Even as Polydorus pondered, he didn't forget to issue an order to his Adjutant. "Send soldiers down to burn the road the Daionians paved on the mudflats."

"Yes, my lord."

Just as the Adjutant exited the tent, a messenger from Larissa rushed into the camp.

"The Daionian Army has landed on the coast of Peleus!" Polydorus was shocked by the news. His underlying unease had finally been validated. The Daionians had caught him completely off guard with a diversionary tactic.

His mind was crystal clear in that moment. Because the Daionian Army had made a massive show of landing on the coast of Mirdoros earlier, he had transferred the Citizen Soldiers from the surrounding city-states to provide support. Now, the western defenses were entirely empty. If the Daionian Army managed to pass through the gorge and charge into the northern plains, the consequences would be unimaginable. Peleus could fall, but the river valley pass had to be blockaded!

Having made up his mind, Polydorus immediately issued his orders. Two thousand Pherae Citizen Soldiers were to garrison the coastal camp at Mirdoros, while the rest of the troops were to rush to the river valley pass camp at once.

Considering Larissa was over 100 li away from the Mirdoros coast, and the river valley pass was even further, the messenger had already been delayed significantly on his journey. The tide of battle over in Peleus had likely changed drastically... Just in case, Polydorus issued a specific order for his remaining 500 cavalrymen to reinforce the river valley pass at top speed.

After issuing the orders, Polydorus felt slightly more at ease. He led the main force of over 10,000 men, marching toward the river valley pass at a rapid pace.

By the time night fell, the Thessalian Army had marched less than 40 li. Anxious about the battle ahead, Polydorus dared not let the soldiers stop and rest, ordering them to light their torches and press on.

Before long, Polydorus finally received definitive news from the frontlines, brought back by the very cavalry unit he had dispatched earlier.

As it turned out, the Cavalry of Thessaly had ridden from the southeastern coast of Mirdoros toward the river valley pass due north, completely missing the Daionian Army that was heading for Larissa. When they approached the river valley camp, they found it swarming with Daionian soldiers in their signature Black Helmets and Black Armor. Shocked, the cavalrymen did not dare charge into the fray. Worried about the safety of nearby Larissa, they turned south to scout, only to find the Daionian Army laying siege to the city.

"Are you certain the Daionian Army has already captured Larissa?!" Polydorus asked the cavalry commander anxiously, his face dark.

"General, I cannot be certain. The Daionians spotted us and sent a cavalry unit to attack. Since their numbers far exceeded ours, we did not engage them directly, but we led them in circles for a while before choosing to retreat." The cavalry commander tried his best to portray his unit's bravery. "During that time, we heard the Daionian soldiers cheering. The cheers were incredibly loud, so I believe the Daionians must have captured Larissa."

"Must have?" Polyphron, listening from the side, snorted in dissatisfaction. "If you didn't see it with your own eyes, don't make wild guesses! Larissa is a major city. There is no way it could fall so easily to a Daionian Army that just landed!"

The cavalry commander felt slightly wronged. He had just opened his mouth to defend himself when Polydorus asked, "How many men are in the Daionian Army?"

"It was getting dark, so we couldn't see clearly, and the Daionian cavalry charged us almost immediately, giving us no time to observe... But judging by what I saw, there must have been more than 20,000 men."

"Another 'must have'—" Polyphron sneered, expressing his dissatisfaction once again.

"You've worked hard. Step down for now and let your men get some rest," Polydorus interrupted Polyphron.

After the cavalry commander left, Polyphron started shouting again. "That guy is definitely talking nonsense! You should order the army to accelerate our march to Larissa!"

"Shut up! I am the commander of this army. I don't need you telling me what to do!" The barrage of bad news had put Polydorus in a terrible mood. Finally unable to tolerate his younger brother's clamor, he snapped harshly, "Return to your own unit immediately! Stop disrupting my thoughts!"

It was the first time Polydorus had ever flared up at his younger brother so openly. Polyphron froze for a moment, his face flushing bright red. He suddenly let out a furious, ear-piercing roar that startled everyone around them, then turned and stormed off in a huff.

Polydorus knew he had infuriated Polyphron, but he was in no mood to apologize or comfort him right now. He had to urgently devise a solution to their current predicament. After a moment of thought, he finally made a decision: the entire army would halt their advance and immediately fall back to the camp outside Pherae!

At the same time, he dispatched multiple scouts to Larissa to ascertain the enemy's situation as quickly as possible.

As the temporary Boeotarch of Thessaly, Polydorus knew very well that the troops in Larissa and its surrounding areas had already been drained. If the incoming Daionian Army truly numbered over 20,000, the people of Larissa would certainly not be able to fend off their attack. Therefore, the cavalry commander's judgment was highly likely to be correct. Marching through the night to reinforce Larissa would be completely pointless and would only leave them vulnerable to a Daionian ambush. This Daionian Army had taken merely a single day to land on the coast of Peleus, breach the river valley pass, and capture Larissa. Their combat prowess was terrifying; the Thessalian forces under his command could not possibly be their match.