"Including the Second Legion, it’s about 3,300 people." Fesaros replied uncertainly.
"Now I have two tasks for you." Maximus said solemnly: "First, you are temporarily in command of these 3,300 people, and this camp is also temporarily under your control. From now on, you must maintain the order inside the camp, do not destroy any buildings, and ensure our wealth suffers no losses. Wait until the reinforcements arrive, and assist them in transferring the camp’s property and population, can you do it?!"
Seeing the expectant look in Maximus’s eyes, Fesaros hesitated slightly and then replied, "I can."
"Very well! As a commander, you must not only lead troops but also learn to manage civilians. Otherwise, if you’re tasked with defending a village or town in the future and do not know how to manage, how can you fight if the place falls into chaos?"
Maximus lectured briefly and then continued, "The second task is to have some of your soldiers don Pannonian gear and pretend to guard the camp, while our troops will feign an attack..."
Fesaros was initially confused, but then his eyes brightened: "Leader, I understand now! You want to make the enemy reinforcements think this camp is still under their control, luring them into a trap, and then..."
"Good, get to work on these two tasks quickly!" Maximus urged.
Once Fesaros had left, Maximus spoke with slight concern to Quintus: "Let’s hope the reinforcements from Segestica haven’t learned of this camp’s fall yet!"
"Leader, your plan to lure and annihilate the enemy is quite ingenious, and it must have pleased Mileva, which is why everything has gone smoothly so far. I trust she will continue to protect us!" Quintus consoled sincerely.
"I hope Mileva can bless us with victory!" Maximus raised his hand to the sky with a solemn expression. Even if he was not previously religious, in this critical battle concerning the development of the tribe, he devoutly wished for the divine’s blessing.
Quintus looked up at the sky, the bright sun hanging high, and after a moment’s thought, he said, "I remember Budocaribas mentioned last night that the next Pannonian camp is about 10 miles away. If they march quickly, they could reach us within an hour. I’ll hurry ahead to scout for suitable places for an ambush."
Cabdes is the uncle of the Segestica Great Leader Andres. Unlike many leaders and nobles in the tribe who were envious of the support Wallis received from the Great Leader, and secretly disparaged him as "nothing but a brainless brute," he got along quite well with Wallis. This was mainly because several years ago, Andres ordered Wallis to lead an invasion of the midstream plains of the Kupa River occupied by the Aldeans, and tasked Cabdes, known for his steady temperament, as support. The two cooperated well. Over the years, they successfully drove the Aldeans west of Validosi, allowing Cabdes to establish his own tribe on the banks of the Kupa River.
This is a fertile land, enough to sustain a large population and strengthen his people. Plus, with Wallis guarding the western frontier, his tribe’s peace was assured. Hence, for over a year, Cabdes lived quite comfortably, understanding that due to his age, he couldn’t engage in battles with the same fervor as when he was young. It’s time to enjoy life.
When Munsendes hurriedly found Cabdes, he was lying beside the Kupa River, holding a fishing rod in his right hand and a roasted lamb leg in his left, while a female slave massaged his shoulders.
However, upon hearing the news of Wallis’s army being ambushed by an unknown force and his camp under attack, Cabdes immediately sprang up.
Having experienced many things in life, he knew well the principle that the loss of the lips means the teeth get cold. If Wallis’s tribe got destroyed, his camp would become the battlefield. Moreover, if he didn’t go to aid, once the western camp fell, the Great Leader Andres would surely blame him, and he would lose his position as leader.
So he quickly returned to his tribe, urgently rallied the tribal warriors, and set out for reinforcements.
At the same time, cautiously, he left 800 warriors to defend the camp and sent an envoy to the Segestica Main Camp to inform Great Leader Andres: a mysterious force has appeared west of Validosi, clad in armor, wielding large shields and short swords, formidable in battle. They have already defeated Wallis’s army, threatening the safety of the entire Kupa River valley tribes. He hoped for urgent support!
Cabdes led 2,500 warriors, all robust Segestica tribesmen, without any Scodisqi slaves, along the South Bank of the Kupa River, marching rapidly westward.
The direct distance between the two camps is ten miles, but after passing by Wallis’s tribe, the Kupa River bends northwards and curves several times before returning east, making the actual journey longer.
Over fifty, of plump build, Cabdes lacked the stamina and energy to lead every battle on foot like Wallis, winning the warriors’ respect. So he rode a warhorse among the troops. Still, the march made him weary, seeing the soldiers around him panting and sweating profusely.
Cabdes estimated they were almost at their destination. He thought it best to let the warriors rest and recover some energy before the battle.
Just after issuing the order, a reconnoitre hurried back from the front.
"Leader, the enemy is attacking our camp! The camp still flies the deer banner (the Segestica tribe’s banner is a long-antlered stag)!" Hearing the reconnoitre’s report, Cabdes breathed a sigh of relief, and asked, "How many of them are there?"
"About four to five hundred over our side. I couldn’t get closer due to fear of interception, so I couldn’t scout the enemy elsewhere around the camp."
"So that means there are at least around 1,500." Cabdes calculated, feeling another wave of relief.
"Leader Cabdes, the enemy is focused on attacking the camp and unprepared for us. Please lead your army to attack immediately. With a pincer attack, we can surely drive them off!" Munsendes said urgently.
"Young man, too impatient." Cabdes grumbled, wiping his forehead of sweat, looking at the sun already tilting west. He knew very well that while his reconnoitre spotted the enemy, the enemy likely noticed him too. If given ample time to prepare, it would complicate the ensuing battle. Without much hesitation, he ordered, "The entire army resumes march!"
The warriors didn’t complain, they picked up their weapons and continued marching. They weren’t those pampered fellows at the Segestica Main Camp. Since entering the midstream plains of the Kupa River several years ago, they’d fought the Aldeans frequently and battled alongside the Wallis tribe, developing deep camaraderie. No matter how tired, they strove to rescue their comrades.
Turning past the Kupa River’s ninety-degree bend, Wallis’s camp was in the distance. The sounds of battle were clear, and the enemy and allies could faintly be seen skirmishing before the palisade...
"Form ranks! ... Raise the banners! ... Sound the horns! ... Accelerate forward!" Cabdes issued orders one by one.
The warriors transitioned from column to line formations while marching. Their formation was loose, making it flexible. Moreover, these were seasoned battle-hardened warriors. Not only did their pace not slow, but it quickly increased.
Cabdes also observed the enemy, who had been attacking the camp, quickly gathering to form ranks, as Munsendes described: fully armored, wielding large shields, tightly arrayed...