“Ca…Castellon is a big city?” Asistes asked curiously.
The guide shook his head and said, “It’s a small city, it was built by the Sybarites and it is now independent.”
When he heard this, Davos looked to the south and sighed with heartfelt regret. He thought that at that time, the sphere of influence of Sybaris had reached Amendolara in the north and Castellon in the south…such a powerful city-state was destroyed by the smaller Crotone! The sentence “Life sprung from sorrow and calamity, and perish due to ease and pleasure” is correct.
A good while later, Davos said, “Let’s go back.”
After the guide left, Davos said to Asistes and Ledes: “Have you ever seen a hound meeting a bear?”
The two shook their heads. It is important to know that there are no bears in Greece, only when they arrived in the Carduchian mountains did they find out that there are such strong land animals in the world.
“The fur on the hound’s entire body will stand up, showing its sharp teeth and barking at the bear desperately as it makes a posture like it is about to attack. In fact, it knows that it can’t beat the bear and it just wants to show its strength so that the bear knows that they aren’t easy to mess with…” Davos saw it in an online video in his previous life.
After all, Asistes was young, so he immediately responded with what he just saw today, “Leader, do you mean…the Lucanians in Amendolara?”
“The Lucanians in Amendolara wants to scare us away, but they have exposed their thoughts and strength. I think they only have more than 1,000 warriors in the city!” Said Davos confidently.
At this time, Ledes also understood and said excitedly, “Leader…you are gonna lead us to take Amendolara?!!”
After all, they had attended the secret military meeting before they came to Magna Graecia, and they knew what the real purpose of the mercenaries is.
“Brothers, before the plan is implemented, we should keep it in to ourselves and not say a word out! Otherwise, the soldiers might end up spreading it out carelessly, Thurii will stop us, the Lucanians will strengthen their defense, and the other forces will disrupt our plans, because they will not want any strange foreign group taking root here! Do you understand!!” Davos seriously warned them.
“Understood!!” They nodded and answered.
“I decided to cover my mouth when I go to sleep.” Asistes jokingly said.
Looking at the excited face of the two, Davos said, “Now I have a task for you two. Ledes!”
“Here!”
“You will lead your men to monitor the camp of Lucania in the west and the city of Amendolara in the north and report it to me everyday. At the same time, you should try your best in finding out the defense situation of Amendolara, the more detailed it is, the better. But don’t let the Lucanians in the city find out about it. Can you do it?”
“Yes!” Ledes made a powerful salute.
“Asistes!”
“Here!”
“You secretly searched for the citizens who had escaped from Amendolara, and then try your best to bring them to our camp, and don’t let the Thurians know about it.”
“Understand!”
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Burkes listened to the guide carefully as he retell him about him leading Davos for the past 2 days, and he was surprised by the seriousness of Davos’ investigation on the surrounding environment of Thurii. In his impression, even the Spartan Cleandridas who was once hailed as a famous strategos by Thurii, didn’t personally investigate nor face the enemy alone like Davos.
BurkesHe couldn’t help but ask, “Moras, what do you think of Davos?”
Moras thought for a bit and said, “Master, Leader Davos is very kind to people!”
Moras, as an Egyptian slave, although he was regarded by Burkes as his confidant, but his contempt to him was obvious in the eyes of the other Thurii citizens. However, he did not feel that in Davos. On the contrary, Davos had always talked with him in an equal manner and had never ordered him around.
Burkes nodded, and he thought that Davos was a very cultured man even though he is a mercenary.
“And what else?” He asked again.
“Uhm… he has been thinking about ablot of things…asking questions, which I couldn’t understand, and it feels like he is a bit mysterious.” Continued Moras.
Strangely, Burkes had felt this before, as he contemplate it a bit more. After all, Davos wasn’t even 20 years old, is this due to the temperament of being a “God’s Favored”? He was dumbfounded and didn’t believe the gossips that the mercenaries had been spreading.
“And he is brave and he doesn’t seem to be afraid of the Lucanians at all!” Said Moras.
“He had experience huge war in person! Besides, charging at the front during battle and guarding the rear during retreat are the bearing of a great strategos. Just like what Cleandridas did. However, Davos is only 19 years old! ” Exclaimed Burkes, as he remember Archytas who went to visit Friis in the morning, the young aristocrat from Taranto is also very young. When he first saw him, Archytas was on the ground trying to figure out a mathematical problem. The rumors of him being the most gifted member of the Pythagorean school is probably true. The young aristocrat from the other side of the gulf is not pretentious, but is gentle and polite, and he is also sincere in his willingness to fully help Thurii to defeat the Lucanians.
The promise of Archytas is very precious! It must be known that before coming to Thurii, Archytas had led his army on several separate expeditions to repel the fierce Messapians that have come invading Taranto. Although he is not very good with words, but it can be seen that the soldiers of Taranto treat this young commander with sincere respect, which is very similar to the attitude of the mercenaries towards Davos. These are two young people with extraordinary talent! Why didn’t Thurii have them? Thinking of the son of Cleandridas, Asikulodox, Burkes felt lost, and at the same time, he suddenly thought about whether he could talk with Friis to make Davos a citizen of Thurii.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
A few days later, the mercenary camp was built and the soldiers were finally able to have a good rest.
Adrien and Sesta had taken this opportunity to visit Davos.
Davos received them warmly, the little conflict that had happened before had long been forgotten as both sides had a good time with their talks. As Davos said, the two mercenaries are on the same boat, and only by working together can they complete the mission and live to get their pay.
In fact, long before the leaders of both sides met, the soldiers of both sides had already begun getting close. On the one hand, Adrien’s mercenaries were curious about the Greek expedition troops, on the other hand, both sides are mostly from the Ionian region which can be regarded as their hometown, specially in this unfamiliar place. Therefore, at the end of the day, it was Adrien and their soldiers, as well as Davos’ soldiers who had built the camp together as they listened to the story of the expedition. The leaders of both sides did not prevent them, instead, they are glad about it.
Davos had also reached an agreement with Adrien to build a passageway that connects both camps, so that if one side suffers difficulty, the other side will provide assitance.
In fact, both sides knew that the recruits under Adrien will have higher chance suffering difficulties than the experienced troops of Davos. However, Davos did not hesitate in agreeing. He then sent the two leaders out of the camp, then Adrien and Sesta thanked him again and bid their goodbyes.
A soldier, who was not far away, pointed to Davos and said proudly, “Look, that’s our leader, Davos the God’s favored!”
“He’s Davos? He’s so young?” Another soldier from Adrien’s camp couldn’t believe it.
“What’s wrong with him being young! Several Persian generals died in his hands. He is like a lion when he charge, which made even the Spartans afraid! Can’t you even tell that your leader is so respectful to Davos!” Said the soldier proudly.
At this time, another soldier cut in, “And leader Davos is very kind to us soldiers! Even if you are seriously injured, he will not abandon you! I got shot by a Persian arrow, and my body was burning hot like fire and I thought that I was going to die. However, it was leader Davos who saved me from hell…” He lifted his clothes to expose his wound and treated it as a medal instead of a scar.
Hearing this, the soldier looked envious, “If only leader Davos could command us!!”
