Muttines smiled as his men were preparing the rams to breach the city's defenses. The enemy reinforcements haven't arrived yet, and by the time they would it will be too late.
However, Muttines quickly glared at the clouds of dust behind the enemy walls and the shouts coming from it. He could not take this battle easily. The consequences were both dire and great if he lost or won.
Unsheathing his sword, he gave a roar and unleashed his army upon the Egyptian capital.
There was not a single soldier left in the city. Any wounded soldier was ordered by Muttines to be killed.
Already the men have lost a semblence of an army, the organized lines dissolving into a mad scramble of men waiting to pillage and rape the city dry.
Muttines smiled as he looked into the dark night sky, illuminated by the orange glow of fire.
"Gisgo... what are you doing over there? You're missing out on so much fun..." Muttines muttered and chuckled, as he was escorted to the governor's villa.
Bisaltes' heart was pounding rapidly with anticipation and fear. He could not believe that he was given the opportunity to retake Carthage's cities. He never proved himself in battle, but was given the opportunity to do so with this grand task.
The men were mostly militia men levied, and mercenaries, but he held confidence in them that they could win against the Numidian oprresors up north.
He looked up at the cloudless blue sky, and felt the sun's rays hit him. Closing his eyes he sighed, Baal was with him today.
Suddenly he felt his skin go cool, and no longer felt the sun's rays hit him. Puzzled he opened his eyes and only for a second, did he see the inhuman scene before he was pushed back by his bodyguard. The sky was filled with and the sun was literally blocked by a shower of arrows. There was no escape. It was as futile to run away from it as it would have been to run from the rain. One can only count the few seconds they had before the sharp objects from heaven impaled them to the ground.
His bodyguard, screamed as he held up his shield and took the full brunt of the arrows for Bisaltes. Dozzens of arrows hit the shields, but a 3 or 4 pierced through them, cutting into his arms, shoulders, chest, and eye.
The large circle shield could not protect however his lower body and the horse, and the large man and horse cam crashing down. Bisaltes fell down with with him and everything was dark. The world dissapered from him. And the only sensation that he experienced, that reminded him that he was alive was a warm wet feeling.
This could not be happening...
"Sir?"
This had to be a dream... an nightmare
"Sir?!"
He should be in Carthage... where he would have been attending the finance, laws, and treaties by his harbor side room.
"Sir?! What are your order?!"
This is strange... who was he? What is this feeling? Why am I feeling this? Why am I feeling this sickness?
"Sir, you have to get up! Somebody get a medic! Who's in charge of the left flank?!"
I don't want to get up... I want to sleep... I don't want to open my eyes anymore and see... it's too bright... it's too hot... too sticky... too loud.
"SIR!!"
Bisaltes felt a loud smack as his helmet was knocked off. Then he choked as water was splshed into his face and got into his mouth.
He fluttered his eyes in shock, trying to comprehend the situation.
"Oh gods... what a relief, you're alive"
The captain in front of him gasped. That's strange... you don't look so relieved...
He saw some men running towards and past him. That's strange... they had red paint on their bodies...
"Is he good?"
"No, he's out of it... gods save us... Withdraw the men. If we stay here we shall all perish"
"But the commander!"
"The commander is unable to give us orders! I'll take responsibility when we meet the king. But we must retreat while we have some semblence of an army!"
"Yes sir..."
As he was carried, Bistales stared at the cloudless blue sky, and felt the sun's rays hit him. Closing his eyes he sighed, Baal was with him today.
