The sound of the slingers spinning their slings caught the attention of the Cavalry closest to them, a sound they recognised from Battles of their own against the Greeks in the past. They turned away from the situation with their scout at the front and Dieneces and looked towards the tree line as the first arrows punched through their chests from the Wu Dang Archers. The Balearic Slingers stones followed after, arching over the first row and hitting those on the other side as they watched their companions fall from their horses.
The Hoplite unit, made from the Elite Spartans, Hoplite and Thebian's that had been chosen for this specific mission, quickly appeared from the tree line. They charged forwards with improved sword in hand, with Ling Tong leading from the front. They had left their spears in the tree line, choosing the swords for their simpleness to wield in the close combat.
"Grab the horses!" Ling Tong shouted as he pulled a dying Persian from a horse, stabbing him quickly to dispatch him, before grabbing the horse so it didn't flee.
Hoplite from around him followed his lead, quickly grabbing those from the same side, whilst Dieneces at the front killed the scout with the scouts own sword.
The Wu Dang Archers and Balearic Slingers now also appeared, their weapons ready and aimed at the Persians that had survived the first volley. One of them nearer the front, with an arrow in his shoulder, kicked his horse to try and escape. The Archers didn't give him chance, with two letting loose their arrows and taking him cleanly from his horse, which paced forwards for a few more steps before coming to a halt.
"Grab that horse!" Myron the Hoplite shouted towards Dieneces who was currently calming the scouts horse.
"I only have one pair of hands!" Dieneces grumbled back in response as he let go of the Scouts Horse and ran towards the escapee's horse which was now heading past. The rest of the Persians had now all been killed or captured, the ambush moving very quickly.
The Hoplite Captives had stayed silent the whole time, watching on with wide mouths as the Persians around them were taken down in record time. They were all tied together, but some of them began trying to free themselves to help Ling Tong's men.
"He's the leader, keep him alive!" One of the Prisoner's shouted towards Alpheus who was about to finish a Persian Cavalryman who had been pulled from his horse, his shoulder shattered by a stone from one of the Balearic Slingers.
"Free the Prisoners!" Ling Tong ordered, whilst Myron the Hoplite began gathering the horses together with some of the Wudang Archers. The Balearic Slingers headed back in to the forest to recover the Spears that had been left behind, whilst the Infantry in Ling Tong's unit began helping to free the Greek Prisoners or do a final check over the enemy. Ling Tong looked towards the leader of the Persian Cavalryman, his face showing both shock and agony. A Grin appeared on Ling Tong's face as he continued, "And bring me him."
The Battlefield was quickly cleaned up, with Ling Tong's men trying to put some of their new found medical knowledge from Hua Tou and their Legionary counterparts in to action on the injured prisoners. Ling Tong himself was sat on a fallen tree, a mask covering his face as it did the majority of his men as per the orders of Zhou Yu. In front of him kneeled the Persian Cavalry Captain, his shoulder being strapped up my Alpheus who was treating him with surprising courtesy.
Maron, Myron and Dieneces were talking to the now freed Greek Prisoners to understand what had happened to them and get a better understanding of the wider war that was taking place.
"You have been defeated, and now you are my prisoner. Your life is in my hands." Ling Tong said to him in a cold voice, a grin behind his masked face. "I will ask you some questions, and if I like your answers your life will be spared."
"And if you don't?" The Persian replied, his tone carrying a level of fear and pain. He had clearly not expected to be defeated and from the tone in his voice there was a level of pride at his rank.
"I will get the answers from you one way or another." Ling Tong explained calmly, a young and excitable General usually, having to speak in a tone that wasn't normal to him.
"We have learnt some terrible ways to make a man do what we want him to do." Alpheus added as he pushed a bit harder on to the shattered shoulder. A whimper escaping the Persian's mouth that he tried to hide.
"Let's keep it simple, what is your name?" Ling Tong asked the Persian Cavalry Captain in a measured tone.
"Megabyzus." He replied, pain in his voice.
"What is your rank?" Ling Tong asked, as he looked over to a heated conversation taking place amongst the freed Hoplite.
"I am a Cavalry Captain." Megabyzus stated, the questions so far easier than he expected.
"Who do you report to?" Ling Tong asked as Dieneces headed towards them.
"Commander Masistius." Megabyzus replied honestly, whilst both Ling Tong and Alpheus raised an eyebrow at the answer. Ling Tong paused for a second, wishing that Zhou Yu, Cheng Pu or even any of the other senior Commanders were with him right now. Alpheus could see the confusion on his young General's face and asked the next question.
"What is the current situation with Masistius?" Alpheus asked as Dieneces arrived and stood beside him.
"What do you mean?" Megabyzus replied in genuine confusion.
"Is Masistius alive?" Dieneces asked him, the new face catching him off-guard, remembering how Dieneces had killed his scout only a few minutes earlier.
"Commander Masistius should be, as far as I am aware." Megabyzus explained, slight panic in his voice as he saw looks of anger on Apheus's face, whilst Ling Tong raised his hand for calmness.
"What is the state of the front lines?" Ling Tong asked as Dieneces came to his side.
"Not much has changed in the last couple of weeks, with both sides skirmishing against each other." Megabyzus stated openly, before quickly continuing. "I am answering everything as honest as possible with the information that I know. I have been behind enemy lines for a few days."
Ling Tong looked away from him as Dieneces hinted for him to step away and listen to him for a second. Ling Tong stood up, hinting for Alpheus to continue asking simple questions whist he followed Dieneces.
"What has been said?" Ling Tong asked, looking towards the freed Hoplite that seemed to be in deep conversation with his own men.
"The Battle hasn't grown as planned. Masistius didn't die in the Skirmish, and instead the front lines have continued as planned. Instead the Greek's supplies are running lower and their own morale is dropping." Dieneces explained what he had been told so far. "They said that they were ambushed by the Persians as they were bringing supplies forwards, as were others."
"The Persian's shouldn't be this far back, and Masistius should be dead." Ling Tong replied, "He is one of their best Commanders, if he is alive the Greeks may loose."
"I know our mission isn't to impact the Battle of Plataea itself, but it seems we may need to, as someone else seems to be doing it." Dieneces explained.
"Then let's find out who." Ling Tong replied as he exhaled deeply, in frustration and partial defeat. His own mission would become more difficult if the landscape of the war was changing before they even had chance to get involved. Ling Tong turned and sat down in front of Megabyzus again, who had been answering basic questions about himself to Alpheus who was wasting time.
"What strange things have happened recently?" Ling Tong asked Megabyzus, who went silent for a second as he thought to himself on what he should and shouldn't say.
"We have had some new camp members, medics and blacksmiths mainly. A few came with some strange information and pretending to be seers of the future. Mardonius had most of them executed, but one who survived did mention to Masistius that he shouldn't join a skirmish that morning or they could potentially lose the war. Whilst Mardonius had wanted him dead, Masistius had laughed about it at first, before deciding he would attack a different part of the front lines instead, rather than the weak point we were aware off." Megabyzus replied enthusiastically, feeling like the information he was sharing was valid enough to atleast prolongue his life.
"Lord Lazarus did say that this may happen." Centurion Phillip stated, having arrived behind Megabyzus shortly before. He had been working with the Wu Dang Archers to prepare the horses for his own departure, but now seemed to be rethinking his own plans.
"Did the Greeks say anything similar?" Ling Tong asked Dieneces, wondering if the same thing would happen on their own lines.
"I will find out." Dieneces replied as he headed back towards the freed prisoners.
"Where is Masistius now?" Ling Tong asked Megabyzus, a threat in his tone. Megabyzus didn't reply, but he saw the bloodied sword in Centurion Phillip's hand and the look in Alpheus's eyes.
"He is waiting for us and the other ambush parties to meet him north of here." Megabyzus explained, "Mardonius dispatched him to continue raiding and ambushing the Greek supply lines to cause them to retreat."
"So he can attack them when they are disorganised." Ling Tong nodded in agreement. He closed his eyes for a second as he thought to himself. Before an idea formed in his mind and a large grin could be seen through his mask as his eyes themselves rose. "Phillip, I think you may need to delay yourself, get the dead bodies stripped and give yourself a change of clothes."
"A secondary target has been created?" Phillip asked him honestly as Megabyzus continued to listen, himself trying to understand the conversation.
"He was mentioned by Thucydides as an exceptional Cavalry Commander, his death severely weakened the coalition between the other Commanders. He needs removing from the table." Ling Tong stated, knowing that they needed to push the war back on track. If the Persians won and the Battle Map continued, then the Greeks would be open for attack. If Athens fell, then Alexander and the other Hoplite would be at risk.
"Masistius is a distant cousin." Megabyzus said, understanding that they would be trying to kill Masistius and that he himself had little information left to give. They couldn't free him, and if they left him with the Greek prisoners then he would most likely not survive either. "I can lead your men, he wouldn't recognise my warriors, but he would know me."
"And you would betray your cousin?" Alpheus asked, a man who was loyal beyond anything else.
"If you promise me my life and that you will capture Masistius and not kill him, then yes." Megabyzus declared, his own life more important than anything else.
"It's an option." Ling Tong agreed, his own mind thinking through how to protect themselves from betrayal and remove Masistius from the board, either by killing him or capturing him.
"I need to get word to Pausanias." Alpheus said, his tone also in thought. If we can synchronise this, then we can reset the battle and bring Mardonius forward to attack as planned.
"It will be a much tougher battle if their morale isn't as low as it should be." Phillip replied, as Megabyzus listened in, his mind running as those around him seemed to be clear on how the battle would progress.
"We need more horses and we need more men." Alpheus said in agreement as he looked towards Megabyzus. "Can you tell us where other Persian Scout parties may be?"
"It would prove your changing loyalties." Ling Tong agreed as Megabyzus nodded in agreement, wondering how he could cover up his shattered shoulder and look like normal in front of his cousin. Ling Tong then looked towards the freed Hoplite, "And I think we have found our additional men.