"By Zeus, what is this!" Leotychides exclaimed as the portals appeared. Xanthippus, Pericles and their group also had similar expressions of shock and awe. Dom looked across the mountain, and hoped similar portals would be opening in the Aegean Sea beyond it.
"Our way home." Dom replied as Centurion Octavian shouted for his men to begin marching through, closely followed by a large group of Prisoners that had been allocated to them. Other Portals appeared, some of different sizes and colours to Dom's. Sun Ce was at the front, directing the rest of Dom's forces, whilst some horses bought from Priene began pulling a cart with some goods they had looted from the still burning Fort.
"It has been a pleasure fighting alongside you Lord Lazarus!" GiantWrangler stated from beside him, a large sack on his back with the armour of GeneralSlaughter who had been defeated by him and Centurion Meng Ai. "I hope to find you and see if we can work together in the future!"
"As do I!" Dom replied as GiantWrangler headed through a portal nearby with his own land forces. Dom turned towards Leotychides again who still looked on in surprise.
"I am now wondering if returning home is the right thing to do." Leotychides commented, as Archidamus beside him also looked on in shock.
"A Spartan King or a General for another." Xanthippus replied to him honestly, as Leotychides nodded in response.
"A Spartan King or fight for a God?" Leotychides joked as he looked at Dom's men begin to walk through to the lush fields on the other side of the Portal.
"I am definitely not a God." Dom laughed, his shoulder bandaged and still hurting terribly from earlier.
"That may be true." Leotychides smiled again, "A Spartan King it is then, I will take your advice and become the sole ruler of Sparta. In your absence Xanthippus I will treat the Athenian's as friends rather than foe's."
"That would be appreciated." Xanthippus laughed as some of his own Hoplite began to head through the Portal, their backs straight so as to not show any fear in front of their General and new allies. Gan Ning headed towards Dom and the other's, to make sure his own Lord travelled through, as the understanding around the Portals was still next to nothing.
The people of Priene watching on in both a state of shock and fear as the small group of Player forces on the Greek side of the Land Battle began to disappear through the Portals. Dom remained until last, with his guards, Gan Ning, Xanthippus and Pericles.
"It is time to go." Dom stated, the father and son nodding in agreement as they headed through the Portal together. Gan Ning stayed beside Dom, his own trust of the Spartan King Leotychides being low as well.
"Will we meet again Admiral?" Archidamus asked as Dom reached the Portal, armoured like a true Spartan beside his grandfather.
"I hope so." Dom replied honestly as he stepped through the Portal. Actumerus and the guards walked through, but Gan Ning paused for a second before turning to the two.
"He will soon be King Lazarus." Gan Ning warned Leotychides, his tone slightly less polite than earlier. "Our forces are vast, he has high expectations of you. Don't let him down."
...
Dom appeared on the other side of the Portal, in a large clearing to the East of the Military District of Riverside. Other Portals were also around him, with many different people walking through them that he didn't recognise. A Forbidden Guard that was stationed nearby quickly headed in his direction with a Red Hare Horse and helped him climb it, the pain in his shoulder making it an uncomfortable exercise.
"Get me one as well." Gan Ning ordered as the guard shouted to one of his colleagues. Gan Ning was soon mounted as Sun Ce headed towards them from his own section.
"Did we hire more people or something?" Sun Ce asked genuinely, surprise on his own face whilst Xanthippus and Pericles looked at the city of Riverside in front of them. The Centre of the city was protected by the Inner Wall, however the rest was a growing expanse of houses, shops and Key Buildings from the System. Thousands of people were around and a large Central Army under Huang Zhong was ready and waiting for their return.
Huang Zhong's men were all well armoured in vastly superior equipment to that of the arriving Hoplite, as well as having Horse Archers and Sabre Tooth Tiger Cavalry beside him.
"Dad is that man riding a tiger?" Dom heard Pericles ask Xanthippus who seemed to be unable to respond.
From the top of his Horse, Dom could see ship after ship appearing in the Calm River to the south of him from their own Portal. The Bellona was leading the way, but behind her was the damaged Quinquereme of GeneralSlaughter, as well as plenty of Trireme that seemed to be never ending in appearance.
He could also see the large group of Spartan Hoplite and other forces that had appeared through another Portal, whilst another had a large number of Hoplite on horseback appear, with carts upon carts of items that had come with them. Beyond them further gates, with large groups of Civilians travelling through.
"I think Ling Tong has completed his mission." Gan Ning exclaimed as Sun Ce also mounted a horse and looked around with his mouth agape.
"How many ships are appearing, did we capture that many?" He asked as Dom realised there was another Portal on the River with Transport Ships appearing.
"I don't think we did." Dom replied seriously, knowing that their captures had been high but even he was confused by everything that was happening.
"I see Ling Tong over there!" Sun Ce stated, before ordering one of the nearby Legionaries to go and get him.
"We need to get to the Port and check with Artemisia, Crassus and Zhou Yu." Dom agreed as the Inner Wall Gates opened, the sight of a small group with armoured Batavi Guards appearing in the distance. Dom turned to another Legionary and ordered him to get a Horse for Xanthippus as well.
"Son, stay with our men, I will follow Admiral Lazarus and find out more information. This City is huge and that army in front of us is rather intimidating." Xanthippus said to his son, causing Gan Ning to laugh.
"The Shield Army of General Huang Zhong is indeed an impressive force, but mainly due to their impressive General. Isn't that right Sun Ce." Gan Ning teased, whilst Dom rolled his eyes, to which Xanthippus smiled seeing that the relationship between the three Riverside Commanders was the same here as it was on the Aegean Sea.
"He beat me once." Sun Ce replied seriously.
"I am sure he beat you on the training ground the other day as well." Dom Replied, before moving his horse away.
"I feel betrayed." Sun Ce countered, whilst Gan Ning roared with laughter that caught the attention of the nearby Warriors.
"Why do you feel betrayed?" Ling Tong's voice came, beside him was Andrew and two men that Dom didn't recognise.
"The assumption that General Huang Zhong is a better General than me." Sun Ce replied, whilst Xanthippus looked in shock at the recognisable face of the Spartan General in front of him.
"He has beaten you three times now is it?" Ling Tong asked, causing Gan Ning to laugh again, the two Spartan Generals beside Ling Tong and Andrew looking on in similar surprise at the sight of Xanthippus.
"Betrayal at every opportunity." Sun Ce replied as he looked at the newcomers with Ling Tong and Andrew.
"Four." A booming voice interrupted them as an extremely heavily armoured General with a long bow on his back and a Sabre on his side rode towards them on a towering armoured Red Hare horse.
"General Huang Zhong, how long have we been gone?" Dom asked, changing the conversation before any more distractions appeared.
"A Day and a Half my Lord." Huang Zhong replied politely, his sight intimidating even the three seasoned Greek Generals.
"Then we have lots to do in the remaining time." Dom agreed, the numbers around him feeling overwhelming for a few moments. "Can you have a message sent to the Dock for all Commanders present to head to the Palace, we will do introductions there. Can you also have a message sent to Xun Yu to calculate the new Ships, Sailors, Civilians and Warriors, as well as any resources brought in, I am sure Crassus will already have most of it but it will be ideal."
"I am sure that Lord Xun Yu will have already began the work, but I will have Uriah have both messages passed on." Huang Zhong stated politely, before looking at the few thousand Greek Warriors stood behind Dom. "What would you like me to do with them?"
"Please can you find them food and somewhere to rest for now, I expect there will be a lot of confused Civilians amongst them as well." Dom replied, realising that this was becoming a familiar occurrence in Riverside now.
"Thankfully we have some new Towns that are in need of population then." Huang Zhong smiled, whilst Gan Ning laughed in response.
"It just never stops here does it." Gan Ning laughed, whilst Sun Ce and the others from Riverside also laughed.
"Is that your wives heading this way?" Andrew asked, his voice snapping Dom out of the game for a moment and he looked towards his best friend.
"I am in trouble aren't I." Dom replied as Andrew grinned.
"If anyone is in trouble it is your guards, what have you done to your shoulder?" Andrew asked, whilst the three Greeks listened in to the conversations taking place in a level of surprise.
"An Arrow, it was my own fault this time." Dom replied as the guarded group approached them. Dom was now halfway between the Inner Wall and those that had just arrived with the small group of Commanders with him, so the approaching group had much less distance to travel.
"Isn't it always your own fault?" Andrew teased as he saw the look of worry on Meritamen's face, whilst Sun Shangxiang showed a look of pride at Dom's wound. Beside them was Lucius and Shang Yang, who both looked impressed at what Dom had brought with him so far.
[Congratulations Player Lazarus for your Victory at the Battle of Mycale.]
[Congratulations Player Lazarus for your Victory at the Battle of Plataea.]
[Rewards are being Calculated.]
[Please choose where to Place your Two Cities purchased at the Battle of Plataea]
"Two Cities Purchased at Plataea?" Dom stated out loud, as those around him listened in. Dom looked towards Andrew, before another notification appeared.
[Please choose where to Place your two Islands purchased at the Battle of Mycale]
"Two Islands?" Dom exclaimed as Andrew also raised an eyebrow in response.
"Kai?" Andrew asked, as Dom nodded his head in agreement. "Two Islands?"
"That's what it says." Dom stated, as Shang Yang headed towards him.
"I got two Cities, and he got Two Islands?" Andrew complained.
"Do you need to place them now Lord Lazarus?" Shang Yang asked, the older stateman and Prime Minister of Dom's Kingdom. The three Greek Generals didn't know who Shang Yang was, but from how he was dressed and the way he held himself, they knew that he was very important.
"I do, I just no nothing about them." Dom replied, "System, what Islands are they?"
[The Island of Cos and the Island of Nisyros]
"I would recommend placing them near to Serenity and Jia, creating a Trade and Military Hub. Any ship will need to travel through, as if they travel out the water will be much riskier. As for the other towns, if they are land based then place them in the south on the Infinity Plains, if they are sea faring, then place them to the North at the Mountain Pass as that has always been a goal." Shang Yang explained as Lucius, Huang Zhong, Sun Ce, Gan Ning and Ling Tong all nodded their heads in agreement.
"System, please do as Prime Minister Shang Yang has advised." Dom stated, as the whole ground began to shake around them.