"We will return to our home after this battle, so I think the next steps will have to be up to you." Dom replied to Leotychides as they sat beneath Priene's walls. He was awaiting the Mission Completion notification, but it still hadn't arrived. He wondered if the Battle of Plataea was still commencing and they mission completion was linked to that as well, or if other Skirmishes elsewhere were still taking place that he wasn't aware off. There was also the possibility that the other Missions that were all in this era of history were still taking place and they had to wait for them to end as well.
"It will be key to travel across all Persian controlled islands and coastal cities to regain control for our Greek brethren." Xanthippus put forwards, however his eyes had a look of tiredness in them after a busy few days.
"And then return home as Victors." Leotychides agreed as he looked towards the thousands of Hoplite that were working nearby. Some were building temporary housing for the evening, whilst the units under the Players control were splitting up the part of the Prisoners allocated to them to return to their ships. Leotychides then turned to Dom with a smile, "You could stay, I do have a daughter Lampito that is almost at Marriage age? You could come back to Sparta and be part of something new"
"Something new?" Xanthippus asked, the two of them having become more friendly over the last few days, a fact that had surprised them both.
"Xerxes was successful because he had control, we defeated him because we had skill and a reason to fight." Leotychides replied as he looked up towards the sky, the sun high and hot. "He almost conquered our home because we are split and fight against each other so much."
"So you wish to head home and unite all of the Greek City States?" Xanthippus asked, some shock in his voice. There was no way that this could be done peacefully, Athens, Thebes, Macedonia, none of these would join together.
"No, not yet, for now we need to clear the Persians, but in the future." Leotychides laughed, taking a sip of wine that had been handed to him by a server. The Spartan General visibly relaxed as he continued to look up at the sun. "Imagine if we worked together Xanthippus, rather than against each other."
"This doesn't sound like the talk of a Spartan King." Xanthippus replied honestly, "The Athenian council would argue against it, your fellow King and their Agiads would definitely not agree either."
"Then maybe it's time for their to be only one king in Sparta." Dom commented from the side, knowing that whilst he would be leaving soon, he would be attempting to take a large amount of rewards and future opportunities with him.
"One King in Sparta, imagine it." Leotychides laughed loudly so that his voice travelled and caught the attention of some of those nearby, "That's enough for the Ephors to try and have been exiled or executed."
"That is risky talk and we Athenians removed our Kings centuries ago." Xanthippus cautioned him, not wanting the one Spartan King he found interesting to end his own future with dangerous words.
"And now you all fight internally, how many times have you and your kind been exiled by having a different opinion? When you return now, it might happen again, your power is too high after this victory and you will cast out once again." Leotychides replied with a similar warning, some truth in his words. Xanthippus paused in response, unable to counter it at this point.
"Then come with me Xanthippus, bring your family and help me create something that can be long lasting where your opinion matters and your son can flourish in to the General we all know he can be." Dom put forwards, making Leotychides laugh loudly.
"If I wasn't a King, that is an offer even I would be temped by." Leotychides laughed before taking another sip of his glass.
"The offer is open to you and your family if they so wish." Dom replied, seeing Leotychides laugh once again, whilst Xanthippus had gone silent.
"If only I was a young Prince instead." Leotychides stated, his tone more serious. "No, this world had more for me and my grandson to accomplish. Your people seem to have the skills of Seer's, I have heard words said between the men, knowing of things to come. What should I do?"
Xanthippus turned to Dom at this point, knowing that there was some truth to Leotychides words and that he had seen some of his own men return from the dead within Dom's ranks. He was in a mind of his own currently and all the words said were resonating in his mind.
"The Spartan forces will be weaker when you return if my other men have accomplished their missions at Plataea, as will the Athenians and other States. They had missions to recruit and they will have done that. Your line will be good Kings, once that sue for peace rather than war, unlike their counterparts." Dom replied, thinking over the brief History that his Elite Villagers had explained to him, about the different Spartan Kings and the following war between Sparta and it's allies against the Athenian's and their own. Heroes like Pericles, Archidamus and others would soon appear in history and start their own journeys, paving the way for the great Alexander the Great from Macedonia in the future. "If you want to take the risk, with your new allies and powerful forces, you could flip the coin and claim Sparta for your own."
"Fantastic." Leotychides laughed, knowing that Dom was only saying what he wanted to hear, but also knew that their was some truth in it. Dom was trying to change history, but it meant protecting his other Allies and could persuade Xanthippus to join him. "Claim Sparta for Archidamus and allow him and his peaceful kin to align the states with War and Peace. If I don't do this, what is the end of me?"
"Years of toil, accusations of treachery and exile." Dom stated seriously, as Xanthippus's mouth opened in shock at this response. "It's the same for Pausanias after his Victory at Plataea."
"Then I may as well flip the coin as you say." Leotychides agreed with a resoluteness to his voice. "Xanthippus, do you and your Athenian's want to support me?"
"I will pass the message on, but I think I will join the young Admiral and his forces for a few years and see what is happening there." Xanthippus decided, looking towards Dom. "I think my son can learn a lot from your Generals and become a fine one himself."
"That is my hope." Dom agreed, knowing that Pericles would become one of the greatest Athenian General's in history. "I will have him learn under my Senior General and Strategists. Zhou Yu can teach him Naval Knowledge, whilst Subutai and Xun You can teach him everything else."
Xanthippus didn't know who any of these people were except for Zhou Yu who he had spent the Naval Battle fighting alongside, the Strategist had worked with Artemisia to develop their plan that gave them an overwhelming victory and he was keen to see what else they could learn, as Xanthippus himself was passed his peek now and would happily retire to his farm if he could.
"Agariste is going to kill me." Xanthippus said with a laugh, "I'll need to dispatch a ship for her and to gather our belongings."
"You will have a manor with land and we will make sure you are well looked after." Dom agreed, whilst Leotychides watched on with a smile. He then stood up and walked towards Dom, putting his arm out.
"Admiral Lazarus, whilst our time together has been short, I would accept you as a younger brother in battle. Whilst you will not be wed to my daughter, I hope that you will class me as your good friend and ally in the future." Leotychides stated. Dom gladly clasped his arm in response, whilst Leotychides did the same for Xanthippus. "To think, A Spartan, Athenian and a Stranger would win the victories we have and become friends at the end."
[World Conquest Battle Map Complete, The Greeks have won at both Plataea and Mycale, with all enemy units defeated, surrendered or fled.]
[Return to World Conquest Online in One Hour. Please make sure that all belongings new and old are gathered.]
[Units not gathered on Ships at the Battle of Mycale will still be returned through additional routes]
[Rankings and Rewards to be shared shortly after return]
"I must leave within the hour." Dom abruptly stated, catching the two General's off guard. Dom had a good idea of how the game mechanics worked by now, especially after Sun Ce's mission. "Xanthippus, if you are coming, please have a messenger dispatched to your wife and any of your people that are coming with us. I need to speak with my Generals and have them get everything prepared!"
"An hour is very specific?" Leotychides questioned as Dom looked around and shouted towards one of his men to get Gan Ning or Sun Ce for him.
"You will see why." Dom replied in an honest tone.
....
"We've got ten minutes." Andrew said to Ling Tong. It was Andrew's first time on one of these types of quests, but Ling Tong has asked him for updates as they progressed. Ling Tong had left via the Portal before so knew what to expect. Pausanias followed them, with Nicomedes and around eight hundred Spartan's that had been ordered to follow them for a hunting mission. The other Spartan Commanders were confused, but expected it was Pausanias's way of refreshing himself after the battle. That was how Pausanias had decided to gather some more men for himself to join them, Andrew had followed Dom's advice and had all of the men's names written down so a message could be sent for their families. Andrew had no idea if it would work, but he was confident he and Leonidas's work would have already done most of it anyway.
Ling Tong wasn't sure if they could fully trust Pausanias still, but the Riverside Spartan's such as Alpheus and Maron seemed to trust him and Ling Tong knew that they were safe regardless if they were tricked. They were pushing their way towards the coast where he knew a couple of ships should be waiting for them, however Andrew said that it wouldn't matter.
Centurion Alexander was about an hour ahead of them, preparing some additional ships he had been able to gather after completing his primary mission of gathering the Athenian families and some additional recruits. The other Centurions of Phillip, Myron, Strabo, Iason and Aristodemus should all be waiting for them ahead, with the hundreds of horses, prisoners and other recruits they had gathered during the mission so far.
"Do you think Lord Lazarus will be happy?" Ling Tong asked Andrew as they marched at the front of the column on the back of their aquired horses, Pausanias and Nicomedes beside them talking about next steps. They had decided to cut their branch from the rest of the Agiad line, believing in the future words of the Riverside Spartans that had seemingly come back from the dead. Their families had been sent for secretly and they had also sent orders for a large amount of their families Helot's as well.
"If Dom isn't happy, then something is wrong." Andrew replied, before realising he had called Dom Dom again. Ling Tong didn't seem to care and looked forwards as a large Portal appeared in front of them.
"What is that?" Pausanias asked in shock as the golden ring appeared, the other side being the lush fields and farmland to the east of Riverside between itself and Tranquillity.
"That is our way home." Ling Tong smiled, as he patted the flank of his horse and trotted forwards through the portal.