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Purple Phoenix Reborn (Constantinople ISOT)

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Also, Paul's exhortations against prostitution was to condemn the Roman culture for debasing sex to an animalistic act. Early Christianity was very much revolutionary and dangerous to the Roman way of life, in that it insisted that the slaves, the poor and even the prostitutes had souls of equal worth to God as the rich and noble. Rome's culture and economy required a massive amount of slaves after all.
 
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Chapter 12
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    • Chapter 12
    Roman-Aztec Wars: To the Sea
    ​
    Neither the Aztec, nor the Purépecha, were a sea-going society. Their understanding of the sea began and ended with coastal fishing. This was especially true for the Purépecha, who had long held only a sliver of EIrinikós[1] coastline, with most of their experience with a body of water limited to Lake Pátzcuaro. Even the Aztec, with their long coastline on the Atlantic, rarely ventured far from the coast. Was there any real reason for either state to do so? Everything they had ever needed was in their own homeland. If they required more resources or land, they could simply take it from their neighbors. With little reason to develop seagoing vessels and even less motivation to bother, the natives of this land remained firmly on land.

    The Romans, by contrast, were a seagoing society by necessity and desire. It had been an expedition from sea that had first encountered the Aztec, and it had been by sea that Demetrios and his Allagia had come to the aid of the Purépecha. With the land of Southern Elysium and Arcadia inhospitable to those unfamiliar, it was drastically easier to move men and supplies by sea. Something only helped by the abundance of forests around Constantinople, allowing for many ships to be constructed, relatively cheaply. The Romans were limited only by their recovering population size, and the lack of a proper port anywhere in Purépecha lands.

    In this regard, Demetrios was correct in moving his small forces towards the coast instead of the Aztec heartland...

    -Roman-Aztec Wars, Published 1820

    In the grand scheme of events, Demetrios was given more leeway and power over the Purépecha military than any foreigner ever had before. It was arguable he held more power than many native generals had held, if only in how much discretion he had in his actions. He could lead the men where he felt they would best act, though he did not ignore his Purépechan advisors. Far from it. They knew their men better than he could hope to match. They certainly knew the land they were fighting upon better than he believed he ever would. The Roman Prince was respectful of his allies, even as he lead them in his own way and with his own goals. In this regard, we come to the first conflict between him and his advisors- indeed, even with the cazonci himself. For Demetrios knew where his men were needed.

    For all that major inroads had been made into the Aztec border regions, resistance had been stiffening the closer the Purépechan forces had moved to Tenochtitlan. The Aztec still fought in inefficient ways and still lacked excellent leadership. However, numbers of men were an advantage all on their own, and the Aztec still had far more men to throw into the grinder than the Purépecha and Romans. Demetrios had recognized this fact, and began to gather up his own Roman contingent. These men had gradually diffused throughout the armies of the Purépecha, to stiffen formations and provide shock forces in battles.

    Now, the Prince wanted his men to return together for a push towards a prize that the Purépecha considered strange.[2]

    'I knew that it would be a fight to convince Shanarani's father of my idea. The Purépecha are a wonderful people, quite unlike anything my father told me of the old homelands. But they were also simple in a way, content with their own lands and those they could take from the Aztec. What little coastline they had was only land taken from their hated enemy and barely developed at all. I could understand this, however, they would also need to understand my perspective. Our people are at home in the sea, and it was the only possible way for my father to send more troops or supplies. We must control the coast, no matter what. It didn't matter that the Aztec had little care for the sea either...'

    His arguments often fell on deaf ears, save for when his close friend worked to convince her father to listen. Shanarani had pointed out, in multiple meetings, how great the harbor of Constantinople had been. That the Romans were masters of the Sea, and it had allowed them to come to their aid. Did it not, then, make sense that the Purépecha should do the same? If not for themselves, then to allow the Romans to send more than a bare handful of men to battle the Aztec? Even then, it was becoming apparent that the Roman contingent was enough to defeat any Aztec force, but they could never hope to conquer the hated enemy with so few men. No matter how wondrous their weapons.

    The cazonci was still unconvinced of the utility of the idea, and only agreed to allow Demetrios to take the Eirinikós possessions of the Aztec if the Roman Prince agreed to then focus on the real prize. Demetrios agreed, even knowing that he could never hope to even besiege the Aztec capital. In his memoirs, in fact, he felt that Shanarani's father was proving to be...difficult. Heady on the victories won against the Aztec and the strength the Romans had infused his armies with. It had been many years, indeed, since the Purépecha had seen such progress against the Aztec. It was hard to blame their leader for his eagerness to see the Aztec suffer.

    Even so, Demetrios took the tacit approval for what it was.

    With his forces once more united, the Roman took his remaining men and a contingent of Purépechan troops towards the coast. The Aztec in the area were few and confused, unsure of the value of the land or why the Romans would have moved in this direction. Those who even knew of what the Romans were, of course, as communications in the Empire had largely broken down on these frontiers. Many Aztec had little idea of what was happening closer to the capital, beyond the general knowledge that troops were needed. Even fewer saw much reason to struggle against the Romans and Purépecha. For the lands that Demetrios marched through were relatively recent conquests, loosely controlled and limited in population. The only real exception would prove to be the city that had 'welcomed' Cappelli and his expedition, what felt like a lifetime before. These people knew of the Romans, and knew that many of their men had died when the Romans left.

    They would fight hard. Demetrios, in one of the darker- if unsurprising, considering the time -moves of his campaign, would burn the city to the ground. It had been here that this war had truly begun, and it had been here that the Romans first were shown how dark humanity could truly become. There was little pity in the hearts of the Romans, for the city that had considered offering the flesh of their sacrifices an 'honor'. That had taken the heart of a man, right before the Romans, as a 'welcoming gift'. It is no surprise that the name of this city, or more accurately this town, is lost to history. Even the ruins have long since been grown over by the forests.

    At the time, Demetrios was mostly unconcerned by this fact. He simply continued to push towards the coast, reaching the wide vista of the Eirinikós in short order. It was here, upon sandy beaches and with the wide sea to his back, that the Roman would decide to continue pushing along the shoreline. It was little more than rumors to his Purépechan allies, but the Aztec supposedly had a tributary/enemy that they had not conquered along the shoreline. An enemy sitting not far from an excellent natural harbor, albeit one not exploited by the natives. It was a rumor, but one that the Romans could ill-afford to ignore. While it was certainly true that Demetrios was conquering in the name of the cazonci, he was also looking for a way to cement Roman presence in the region. As Cappelli had founded Dragases, Demetrios hoped to find another port for the Romans to call home.

    Be it part of the Purépechan Empire, or a lease for the Romans in exchange for the alliance.

    ​

    His forces would not find such a place right away, though the rumors grew ever stronger the further south they marched. The Roman-lead force pushed deep into Aztec territory, taking small settlements and cutting through land even the Aztec considered marginal. Strange as it was to the Romans, even more so when it was considered that an enemy of the Aztec- if one not as dangerous as the Purépecha called this land home. Demetrios, for the first time, found himself somewhat lost as well. He could no longer rely on his native guides, as even they did not know this land, nor its people. It was far from any interest the Purépecha had ever had in Aztec lands, after all. It forced the Romans to rely on Aztec interpreters, who often disliked the Purépecha. It was a balancing act between interests, in a lot of ways. Demetrios had not failed to notice how his native forces were less than eager to continue into land they didn't see the use for, while they could be fighting in the central Aztec lands.

    It was all that Demetrios could do, to keep these men following him. His own Romans would never question him, he could not say the same of his allies. They followed him out of loyalty for how he cared for their lives, and out of respect for his skill and ability.

    Knowing that his time in the coast was limited, and that he would eventually be called back to attempt an assault deeper into the Aztec heartland, Demetrios made one final push trough Aztec territory...only to begin coming across a people speaking a language he had never heard. The Purépecha did not recognize it, and it was a trial to find an Aztec who did. They claimed that the people were the Yopi.[3] Wild men who had a strange faith and spoke a language that was almost as alien to the Aztec as the Purépechan tongue had been. It was strange, that the Aztec had not conquered these people, nor had they made any real attempts to do so. Did the coast matter so little to the devil worshipers? Demetrios did not know, nor did he particularly care, to be fair. He saw the Yopi as a potential wedge to throw into the Aztec war effort.

    For if they were anything at all like the Purépecha, was it not possible they could be brought to the same side? Demetrios resolved to return to these lands, once he had finished this conflict with the Aztec, to make proper contact. Any ally in this hostile land was one worth pursuing, so long as they were not the same as the Aztec. And he knew, deep down, that this would not be the last war he fought with the Aztec. He doubted it would end in his own lifetime, not knowing what was to come in a few short years.


    1. EIrinikós (Peaceful) is the name the Romans would coin for the wide expanse of ocean bordering Constantinople. The seas were strangely peaceful, compared to the Atlantic. With the wide expanses seemingly calm and ready to explore, the name is quite fitting. Of course, as they began exploring, they would find that not all was what it seemed.

    2. The Purépecha had good reason to consider the sea of little use, when they were always pressed to protect their border with the Aztec. As the Aztec rarely bothered attacking the limited coastline the Purépecha already possessed, what reason was there to take more? They understood the use of fishing and similar actions, but it always seemed far from the actual problems. This would change with the arrival of the Romans, in more ways than one.

    3. A name the Aztec graced this people with, similar to the use of 'Michhuàquê' in relation to the Purépecha. It was no more accurate than the former, as the people in question referred to themselves as Me'phaa. They were more similar to the likes of the Zapotec or Mixtec people than the Aztec or Purépecha.


    AN: Apologies, this has been a rather...fun month. As I'm sure people can imagine. I decided to cover the side-campaign in this one, the next update will move back to the main show. May be another narrative one. I've got ideas germinating in regards to a battle for Demetrios to cement his legacy in. We'll see :p

    Now, I don't speak Greek, so I can't say exactly if translate is working with me here. My intention with the alt!Pacific is to keep to the running theme, since the place is named 'peaceful' in Portuguese. I don't see much reason for the Romans to change the name, personally. And they rather get rights of first naming, at least as far as Europe is considered. If it is wrong grammar or something, I'll fix that if someone points it out.

    Also, if anyone wants to suggest a name for the Roman port that Demetrios is planning (cookie for people who realize where he's looking at), feel free. It just needs to be in Greek.
     
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    • Acapulco makes the most sense to me as I didn't spot anything further south than that which stood out as a great, large, natural harbor. On an off chance though I'm also going to toss in Manzanillo though that might have been closer to the original landing, not Demetrios' travel south.

    Anyway, great to see this update!
     
    Acapulco? I had not realised that Romans reached so far south. But the Yopi are the Tlapanec and they were roughly in that area.

    I propose an ironic name: Áchristo.
     


    From the Purépecha lands, it's about as far as the core Aztec territory is, to get to the area in question. Mind you, it's not as great of land to cross. But there's much less people and cities down in that part of the Aztec territory, so I decided it would be a simpler task to get to those lands in a (relatively) quick manner.
     
    Skywalker_T-65 said:
    But there's much less people and cities down in that part of the Aztec territory, so I decided it would be a simpler task to get to those lands in a (relatively) quick manner.
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    Wouldn't that affect the logistic train of the Byzantines?

    If I remember correctly, until the 19th century the reliablity of the supply train for an army was finicky at best and most had to either get supplies through either requisitioning it off of the local population or though foraging.
     
    Thought about that one. That's why I had Demetrios take a relatively small force, mostly just his own 400-450 or so troops (taking into account losses from his original 500) plus some native auxiliaries. Small, mobile, shock forces that required a small supply train. It wouldn't have worked in any thicker populated area, due to the larger Aztec forces one could expect to see, but it also had the side-benefit that they didn't need a huge amount of supplies that they couldn't get from the small towns and cities.
     
    Cheap Orange Knofe said:
    Conquistadors?
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    Yes.I would love to see their faces,when they meet Romans.What next ? Pacyfic shore of North and Central America would belong to Constantinopole - but nothing change in South.Spain would get all Incas gold.
    But...there were confederation of Mapuche tribes,which hold spaniards till 19th century.Now, they could be Roman allies.
     
    Theirs also the pleblo, the Hill citys of Missaipy, the craziness of the amazon that got swallowed by the jungle after everyone was killed by plague. Theirs lots of civs in the armicas at the time, but plague killed them off or colonsits did it themselves. So evently if the romans sail to the west coast they could encounter these citys, of which the Cahokia mounds was the largest group of citys on the missapie river.
     
    I figure the Roman's won't remeet the Spaniards for a little while. I figure the conquistadors are gonna have trouble considering the Aztecs will likely think they're Roman's and either attack them or at least be a lot more hostile out of the gate.
     
    MC200 said:
    I figure the Roman's won't remeet the Spaniards for a little while. I figure the conquistadors are gonna have trouble considering the Aztecs will likely think they're Roman's and either attack them or at least be a lot more hostile out of the gate.
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    Indeed.They were initially treated like quests.Other tribes fought them,but not Aztecs.Quecalcoatl myth worked for them - they really thought,that spaniards could be his people.Fat chance for that,now.
     
    I've been lurking a while, and it's this story that finally convinced me to make an account here on SV. I hope I don't sound too annoying, but I figured I would make a list of typos that I noticed.

    Prologue said:
    An exclamation saying 'come all, and see our will'.
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    I think there should be a comma after saying.

    Prologue said:
    To fulfill a dream that Mehmed had long-held.
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    It might be proper either way, but I don't think you need a hyphen between long and held.

    Prologue said:
    It was as if Allah himself had descended, and taken the City with him.
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    I don't think you need a comma after descended.

    Prologue said:
    It would keep the Genoese quiet, it would give his men riches they had been promised, and it would allow for Mehmed to form his own narrative as to what happened this day.
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    The comma after quiet should be a semicolon.

    Prologue said:
    To spare the citizens he lead from a fate worse than death.
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    Lead should be led, as in, without the a.

    Chapter 3 said:
    Constant repairs, constant attacks and constant wakefullness were draining the men.
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    Wakefullness shouldn't have two l's. It should be wakefulness.

    Chapter 6 said:
    Integrating the Ohlone and other native people's would, gradually, lead to certain facets of native culture and religion seeping into the fabric of society.
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    People's should not have the apostrophe, that denotes ownership. It should be peoples.

    Chapter 6 said:
    While the Church in Constantinople remains fairly similar to how it was on the Dardanelles, the various differences in the Empire has generally lead to a low-level schism with the Orthodox Churches in Greece and Eastern Europe.
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    Lead should be led.

    Chapter 6 said:
    They are still in communion, however, it was decided that the Church was different enough to be considered a separate entity for most cases.
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    The comma after communion should be a semicolon.

    I noticed that an image had vanished in Chapter 7.

    Chapter 7 said:
    Afterwords, it has, to some, become as Holy as Jerusalem or Rome themselves.
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    Afterwords should be Afterwards. It should have an A rather than an O.

    Chapter 8.1 said:
    It was, in fact, in the process of doing so...that the Romans would first meet the people's of the South.
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    people's should be peoples

    Chapter 8.2 said:
    The horror that every member of Cappelli's crew felt at that sight is evident in they way they later wrote of it.
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    They should be the

    Chapter 8.4 said:
    To enlist aid from the Romans in their neverending war with the Aztec.
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    From a brief google search, when words like neverending are in front of the adjective they describe they should be hyphenated. Neverending should be never-ending.

    Chapter 9 said:
    It was not an uncommon sight to see a Roman training with a native weapon, or a Purépecha soldier curiously testing a curved shortsword.
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    From everything I've seen shortsword should be two words. It might vary, I'm not all that sure.

    Chapter 10 said:
    To see if they could truly turn the tide of the neverending war.
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    Same thing as with the last neverending, it should be hyphenated.

    Chapter 11 said:
    However, even this small and primitive pieces were something the Aztec had no real counter for.
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    this should be these

    Chapter 11 said:
    It was telling that an Aztec settlement that may have withstood months of siege, surrendered much sooner when the cannon were brought to the siege.
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    This can go either way, either cannon should become cannons or were should become was.

    Chapter 12 said:
    The Roman Prince was respectful of his allies, even as he lead them in his own way and with his own goals.
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    lead should be led

    Chapter 12 said:
    and that he would eventually be called back to attempt an assault deeper into the Aztec heartland, Demetrios made one final push trough Aztec territory
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    trough should be through

    I also have several questions about the state of the Orthodox Church due to some odd bits, I guess they might be typos. Actually, on a similar topic, I'm pretty sure the Hagia Sophia was a Unionist cathedral by the time of the Siege of Constantinople. That didn't really get much attention. More importantly, who was the Patriarch? Athanasius II is widely regarded to be a fake, and Gregory III was in Rome. I guess one of the bishops of Constantinople's districts might have been chosen as new Patriarch. I would have expected more bits and bobs about both the enthronement of a new Patriarch and the fights between Unionists and Orthodox.

    Chapter 6 said:
    Bishops spread among their population, crippled by disease and brought into Roman society.
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    Do you mean missionaries? How many bishops can there really be? It can't be more than ten, if that.

    Chapter 6 said:
    The Patriarchate of Qusqu is one of the more...eclectic...Patriarchates of the Roman Church. Relations are genial enough with the Ecumenical Patriarch, though it is as much out of common dislike for Catholics as anything else. Both Patriarchs tend to 'don't see, don't tell' on certain lingering beliefs in Qusqu.
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    I would have expected a theoretical Patriarchate of Qusqu to not be apart of the Roman Church. I think it would have made more sense for it to be the Orthodox Church of Tawantinsuyu (or something like that).

    I'm not saying that to imply that they are out of communion, but simply that I would have expected them to be more distinct. You might have meant it to designate that the Orthodox in Qusqu trace Apostolic Succession to Constantinople?

    Chapter 6 said:
    While the Church in Constantinople remains fairly similar to how it was on the Dardanelles, the various differences in the Empire has generally led to a low-level schism with the Orthodox Churches in Greece and Eastern Europe. They are still in communion; however, it was decided that the Church was different enough to be considered a separate entity for most cases.
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    This isn't really the best understanding of the Orthodox Church. Schism is, by definition, a break in communion. If you are in communion, then you are in the same Church. However, it might mean that Constantinople isn't considered to be apart of the Greek Orthodox Church. I'm not really sure of a word that would better describe the situation though. Sorry for that.

    I wonder how long it'll take for the Tarascan to become autocephalous, and how much bickering among the bishops that will take... It would probably be called something like the Tarascan Orthodox Church (in modern times, at least, I'm not sure what people did back then).

    I've really enjoyed this story. Thank you for writing it.
     
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    Mrstrategy said:
    Have the bizantines found any of California gold?
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    Irrelevant.They need iron to fight,not gold.Whom could they pay with it? Aztecs ? they cared little about gold.Spaniards ? they would try to take it from them.Gold would be important only in long term,let say - after 1700.
     
    Well in California has Iron Mountain which is in the north of the state so it might take a while untill proper mining operations can be done.
     
    Chapter 13
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    • Chapter 13
    Roman-Aztec War: Climax    ​

    In some circles, it is considered a shame that the final climactic battle of the Roman-Aztec War is a nameless one. Fought in a wide field, not in a major settlement, it was an area of little import. Neither the Aztec nor the Purépecha had felt a need to name the field anything in particular. As such, the battle is often simply referred to as The Final Battle or the Battle of the Fields. Of course, in latter years, the field would take on other names. These all came from the battle and are not relevant prior to that. As such, the nameless field seems positively quaint as a location, compared to the Siege of Constantinople or the various conflicts with Europeans that would eventually come.

    And yet, in a way, it is oddly fitting. The Aztec's final attempt to stem the tide would be fought not in one of their grand cities, but in what amounted to basic farmland. There is some level of poetic justice in this, even if this battle- indeed, the war itself -was not enough to end the Aztec Empire in its entirety. They would not please their gods in some glorious final stand, holding back the heathens in their own streets, dying their own cities in holy blood. No. They would fight and die in some farmer's field, far from any glory or any offerings to their blood-soaked deities.

    --Roman-Aztec Wars, Published 1820


    ​
    'My adventures on the coast were but a distraction, in the end. Securing such a glorious natural harbor was worthwhile. However, neither that, nor contact with the locals was a way to end the war. The Aztec cared little about raids on their Eirenikos holdings. What little exploration of the sea they cared for, or indeed the Maya cared for as I would later learn, was in the Atlantic. No. If I desired to end this war, I would need to defeat the Aztec in pitched battle. Bring their best to conflict and send it home in shame. I knew, even then, that this war would not end in true victory. Even so...simply preventing the Aztec from coming back for a decade would give my friends, my comrades in arms, time to develop weapons and tactics that would see the Aztec never again threaten them. And so, I made camp near the largest Aztec city on the border, in the sound knowledge they would not lay back and take this provocation...'

    The mood in the Roman camp was one of quiet contemplation. Men strode to and from tents, silently gathering in little groups to eat or talk with one another. More than a few had their weapons to hand, ready to jump into battle at a moment's notice. They were all, to a man, veterans of combat with the Aztec now. They had all seen friends die and they had all experienced the ambush tactics that the Aztec favored. Moreover, all of the soldiers were very aware that their Prince was baiting the devil-worshiping enemy.

    Not that many of them cared about that fact.

    "You are playing a dangerous...game, yes?"

    Demetrios looked up at the question, locking eyes with the commander of the Purépecha forces. "I am aware of this. The Aztec will accept our challenge, however, so the risk is worth it. We cannot win this war by chasing them through the forests, letting them kill us one by one. We must defeat them, in a final battle. Break their spirit."

    "I see." The son of the Cazonci, Irepani, warily nodded. His lips were pursed in thought, as his eyes drifted out towards the milling troops. "We rarely fought the Aztec in such a way. We fought in small groups, bleeding them until they would leave our lands. Do you believe this will make them do so?"

    "Yes." Demetrios responded, without a hint of hesitation. He placed a hand on Irepani's arm, and used his other hand to gesture at his- their -troops. "I trust each and every man out there with my life. We've fought and bled together. They will not fail us." A fierce smirk stole over the Roman's lips, as he clenched his free hand. "The Aztec are fragile, from everything I've seen and heard. They're a minority that relies on playing their majority off on each other. If we hit the facade hard enough, it will shatter. I predict that enough of a loss of face--"

    "Such as the battle you are desiring?" Irepani interrupted, growing comprehension crossing his face. No one would ever claim the man was a fool.

    "--could lead to the subjects rising against their master." Demetrios finished, before nodding at his comrade. "Yes, that is what I hope this battle will accomplish. We cannot beat the Aztec by outlasting them in blood and lives. We must defeat them in battle."

    The two sat in contemplative silence after that, though neither was idle. Demetrios examined his sword and spear, ensuring his weapons were ready for battle. They had both been through hard use in this war, and replacements would be impossible to receive. Not least for the fact the sword he bore was the sword of his Great-Uncle. And he would not be the one to lose or damage the Sword of Constantine. [1]

    Irepani, on the other hand, was looking back on memories of lessons with his father. Tales of the wars with the Aztec that had come, before his birth. He and his sister had always listened to their father's stories with rapt attention. Perhaps that would prove invaluable, here, as it was experience fighting the Aztec. What, indeed, had made them back off in the past? Blood being appeased? Or something else...

    "The Aztec would always finish a war when they suffered more losses than gains." The younger man finally spoke up, his voice thoughtful. His eyes drifted over to Demetrios. "I had always assumed it was because they thought they had lost their god's favor. Do you think it is because they worry that their subjects will rise against them?"

    "Undoubtedly part of it is that their gods desire more blood from the enemy," Demetrios spat that out, the familiar anger rising up. No. He couldn't let that blind him, however much he- and any good Christian -hated the very existence of the Aztec's blood-soaked faith. "However, I see a pattern in what I read when I was in your home, and in what prisoners we have taken. The Aztec are not as firmly in control of their lands as they would like to believe."

    "I see..." Irepani nodded sharply, a small smirk crossing his dusky face. "We will soon know if you are correct, one way or the other, my friend. I hope you are."

    Demetrios laughed softly. "As do I, my brother. As do I."

    Once more, the two men- brothers in all but name -fell silent. A companionable silence that only those who had been in battle could appreciate. Conflict would come soon enough, after all. No point in rushing it or in using up their energy before it.

    I cannot believe it has been so long since I saw home. This strange land, dangerous as it is, feels more like home to me than the Palace and intrigue ever did. Demetrios smiled, shaking his head at the questioning glance from Irepani. Hmm. I know my father will expect my men to return, to train the Army with what we've learned. Perhaps most will. I...I believe that I am not the only one who has decided this is home now. We've made our peace with this land, and found reasons to stay and fight for it. I know I have.

    Sending a side-glance at Irepani, the Roman prince snorted softly.

    Though I do believe I will not mention that to Irepani, yet. He does love his sister, after all, and I would rather not have to fight him for her honor.

    Setting his family sword down, Demetrios climbed to his feet and walked to the flap of his tent. He could see his men walking around, preparing for the upcoming battle. Most were already in their armor, weapons close to hand. Only a few, those cooking and spreading food, were not. That these men were doing even that was entirely due to the fact that Demetrios had put his foot down with Shanarani and the other Purépecha women. He would not bring them into what, amounted to, a massive pile of bait for the Aztec. Oh, had that argument pushed him to his limits.

    It was little wonder the two of them were so close, really. They were too alike for their own good. Stubborn to a fault.

    "Sir!" A voice called out, drawing the attention of everyone in the camp.

    Demetrios raised an eyebrow, seeing a man in mail and a green cloak come rushing towards him. One of the scouts. "What is it, my friend? Have the Aztec moved out from their city?"

    The man slumped over when he reached the Prince, holding his hands on his knees as he struggled to catch his breath. Even with that, he managed a shaky nod. Demetrios hummed in thought at that, while the man slowly recovered enough to look up at his Prince and stare directly into his eyes. There was no humor to be found on either of their faces.

    "The Aztec are marching in force, my lord. I believe they intend to defeat our army in detail. My commander and the Purépecha scouts agree. This is the largest force we have seen from the Aztec!" The younger man shook his head in shock, his words not showing any fear. Simply a concern for what was to come. "They march with Eagle and Jaguar Warriors at the fore, and seem intent on forcing us to battle far from their city. My commander believes they tire of sieges." [2]

    Biting out a sharp laugh, Demetrios nodded and placed a hand on the shoulder of the scout. Giving it a light squeeze, he looked past the man, out at the milling crowd surrounding them all. "I do not blame them, as I too tire of this game. Do you not agree with me, men of Rome and Tzintzuntzan?!"

    A loud cheer broke through the camp at those words, and Demetrios gave a fierce grin.

    "So I thought. We shall meet the devil worshipers in battle, and drive them screaming from the field. They believe they have us at their mercy, when it is we who have them at our mercy!" Demetrios let his hand fall from the scout's shoulder, as the man ran off. Doubtless to inform the other scouts to return to the main force and put their bows to good use. "Our armies are stronger, our men braver, and our leaders more skilled. We will not fall, we will not falter, and we will never surrender. I say, let them come! Let the Aztec test themselves against us!" Giving a sharp nod at the thunderous roar that his words brought about, Demetrios raised his fist to the air. "We march to war, my brothers! We march to end the Aztec and their devil worship, here and now!"

    Bringing his fist down, Demetrios brought his voice as loud as he dared, knowing he would need it soon enough.

    "We will never let them threaten our homes or family ever again!"

    With a final roar of approval, the Roman and Purépechan forces split and gathered up their supplies. Men picked up sword, spear and shield. Others bows and crossbows, extra bundles of arrows packed close to hand. Each and every man set out for the battle, safe in the knowledge they had their brothers by their side. Demetrios smiled, proud of his men and everything they had done. It no longer made any difference, save for equipment quality, if a man was Roman or Purépechan. Not to him. They were all brave men, one and all, and he would trust them all with his life. They had shed too much blood, and too many tears, together for him to feel any differently.

    "Your father made the correct choice in sending you, my friend." Irepani walked up to Demetrios, having chosen to stay silent, despite being ostensibly in command of his own forces. He wore a smile of his own, and had long-since changed into the fine steel plate that Alexios had sent in a final shipment before this last campaign. "You know what to tell our men. Certainly you are a far better leader of men than I could ever hope to be."

    The Roman prince shook his head, his hands taking the sword and shield that Irepani held in his hands. He could retrieve a spear later. "You underestimate your own skills, my brother, yet I accept the compliment. Shall we take to our steeds and see what the Aztec consider enough to defeat our fine force?"

    The shark-toothed grin that Irepani gave in response would have chilled many a man to the core. Demetrios merely returned it in kind. Oh yes, this would be a battle that lived throughout the ages.

    For better or worse.

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    ​
    Soon enough, Demetrios found himself seated upon his beloved horse at the top of a little hill. Stretching out beneath him, and his best archers, was a wide and empty field. What once may have been farmland, had been abandoned as the nearby city prepared for a siege that never came. Demetrios had no desire to besiege this city. He had simply hoped the Aztec would believe he would, and would act accordingly to break his 'siege'. A trick that would never work more than once, but one that only needed to work once.

    And work it had.

    "This is quite the force." Demetrios spoke out, sending a sidelong glance at where Irepani sat atop a horse beside him. The other man had proven a natural on horseback, when a horse had been given to him. "We will not win this battle easily. Not this time."

    Irepani smirked back, "I would argue that none of our battles have been easy." The smile faded, slightly, when his dark eyes shifted out at the mass of Aztec warriors marching in what could charitably be called a 'formation'. "You are correct, though, my friend. I have never seen an army the likes of that one, not from the Aztec."

    Indeed, the Aztec force was larger than the allied force opposite it. The familiar outfits of Eagle and Jaguar Warriors marching at the fore was a sight that would have put a cold dagger in the heart of many a native warrior. Now? The elite Aztec forces had lost much of their mystique. They were still dangerous, of course, but the magic of it all had faded in the face of Roman shield walls. The Purépecha had been quick to adapt the same strategy and formations, with their cheaper weapons.

    Madmen charging in to wound and capture, did not adapt well to a wall of spears and shields, backed by archers. Who knew.

    "Archers, make ready!" Demetrios turned away from his friend, and looked back at the others on the little hillock. Roman crossbows and Purépechan men hastily trained to use simpler bows. "When I give the order, fire down upon them! Not one man fire until then!"

    Returning his attention to the approaching Aztec, the Prince's gaze drifted over his own men. Unlike that chaotic ambush in the forest, nor the battles on the coast, his men were in proper formation. Shields shining and pointed directly at the Aztec, who were shouting and jeering in the distance as they ran towards his army. Spears gleamed in the sunlight, raised in the air for now, but ready to drop down at a moments notice. [3]

    A final battle for the ages. I have my wish, now I must make the most of it. This will be the battle that makes my legacy. Be it as a victorious hero or a damned fool who lost the war in an afternoon.

    No pressure, right?

    "Archers..." Demetrios shook his head, eyes narrowing as the first of the Jaguar warriors- always at the front -crossed an imaginary line in the field. The furthest effective range of his bows, mapped out long before this battle. "Ready..."

    The whoops and shouts of the Aztec warriors, attempting to demoralize his men, only served to harden hearts. Only the greenest of green in the ranks shook, and they were quick to have a bump on the shoulder or a calming hand from the veterans. The Aztec won when they made their enemy fear them. Fear would not grip the hearts of his men today.

    Looking once more at his bowman, Demetrios gave a fierce nod and brought his sword down. "Fire!"

    As the twang of bows echoed in his ears, the Roman kicked his horse down to the line his men had taken. His bodyguards and Irepani followed, riding back and forth behind the line. The whoops and jeers of the Aztec had been replaced by bloodthirsty cries of rage, as men began to drop to the arrows. Not nearly enough. The Aztec cloth armor was not mail, nor steel, yet it weathered the storm of arrows better than it should have. Men would angrily snap arrow shafts, leaving the arrowheads embedded in fabric it hadn't pierced. Those who did fall, fell from exposed legs or necks.

    "Prepare yourself!" Demetrios called out, having replaced his sword with his spear. He rapped it against his shield for good measure, as much showmanship as to reinforce his point. "Remember the battles of yesterday! So long as we hold, the Aztec cannot win! Remember and fight well, my friends!"

    The resulting roar was as much to counter what the Aztec had been doing, as for actual utility. Smiling at his men, Demetrios pushed his horse to a spot where the others had gathered. Only a bare fifty or so, all precious and nearly irreplaceable. The Roman Cavalry, such as it was, had seen little use in this war. Forest and hills did not make for good horse country.

    It was time to change that.

    "When we see an opening, we will charge upon their flank." The Roman was prompt in his orders, the nervous horses doing little to distract him. He forced himself to not listen to the crash of Aztec warriors slamming into the shield wall. "There are not many of us, yet we must make each and every one of our blades count. The Aztec have not seen what horsemen can do."

    Irepani pulled up next to Demetrios, nerves visible in his every movement. "Are you certain this is wise? The Aztec are not foolish, and we have so few of your beasts to use. Moreover..." His eyes looked over himself, and the Roman prince. What he wasn't saying was obvious.

    If we die in this charge, what will our men do? We are the leaders.

    Demetrios knew the risk, and had accepted it. He had told Shanarani much the same. 'I will always fight alongside my men, no matter the risk'. Still, he could understand the concern.

    "You will not be joining us in this charge, my friend. I want you upon the hill, coordinating the battle." Demetrios smiled sadly at the stricken expression, knowing that Irepani had no desire to stay back or to leave his friend. "One of us must, in the event this fails. I trust you, above anyone, to lead my men in my stead. Do you doubt my ability? My trust in you?"

    "No, I do not." Irepani let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders drooping down. The younger man shook his head, the barest trace of a smile on his lips. "You simply want me to be the one to deal with my sister."

    No more words were said, as Irepani pulled back with two bodyguards. Demetrios and the remaining horsemen moved away from the line, the clash of bodies and weapons, to prepare for the opening they would need. The Romans watched warily, as the line bowed back, before snapping back into position. Purépechan and Roman fell beside each other, dragged out of the line by their comrades. Aztec bodies piled up before the shields, even as more pushed forward. There was no apparent strategy, beyond hacking and killing. Why would there need to be?

    They won by breaking their enemy. They did not win by subtlety. The Aztec won by getting close and cutting their enemy to pieces, not by wearing them down at range. Only the lowest of low carried a spear. Most held that terrifying obsidian blade.

    "They are learning." One of Demetrios' bodyguards spoke up, his eyes watching the Aztec commanders. They were very visible, wearing colorful decorations and shouting at young men- boys really -wielding spears. Pressing them forward, while the sword-wielding men began to move back. "They are trying to beat us at our own game. My lord, are we going to stay back and watch? No offense intended, but I cannot just watch this. If they learn how to break our line---"

    Demetrios held up a hand, curling his lip in thought. Contemplatively, he spoke up. "I do believe they have realized that spears are more useful than they thought, but they will not break our line so easily. Still...you are correct."

    Casting his gaze back to the hill, he saw Irepani warily pacing along the ridge. The Purépechan prince saw his glance, and gave a wary nod. The bows would be ready to exploit his charge. Well. No need to delay any further.

    "It is time." Demetrios turned back to his bodyguard and the other horsemen, all of them clad in the finest plate the Romans had. Their glowing spears shining in the sunlight and their horses nervously stomping the ground. "To me, my brothers. We will break the devil-worshipers beneath our heel!"

    Without another word, he kicked his horse into a sharp gallop. The rest of the Romans gave a ragged cheer, following behind their prince. In the chaotic melee that the shieldwall had become, both Roman and Purépechan troops let out a tired cry of relief at the sight of the knights- for how else could they be described? -charging forth. The Aztec, in contrast, began to shout in their strange language. Those with spears rushed forward, perhaps realizing the extra reach was useful. Or, perhaps, they were just expendable.

    Regardless, it didn't matter. The Romans lowered their spears, gleaming steel pointed directly at the enemy. Horses panted and broke into full-gallop, charging directly into the Aztec flank. Spears tasted blood, piercing through Aztec cloth armor as if it did not exist. More than a few were trampled underfoot, even as the Romans pulled their spears free. Demetrios was at their head, his own spear pulled free from an Aztec boy bearing a crude facsimile of a proper spear. Blood coated the tip, as he leaned to the side and brought it through a Jaguar Warrior.

    This is too easy. Do they truly not know how to deal with horses? I---

    Demetrios never did see the next Eagle Warrior, nor the weapon he swung at the legs of his horse. The only thing he heard was the whinny of pain and the sudden sight of the ground rushing up to his face.

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    What...what happened...?

    Struggling his way to his feet, the prince brought a hand to his side. Aches and pains were expected. The memory of the fall returning to him, even as the sounds of battle echoed around. He shook his head, helmet lost to the dust and debris of battle. Luckily, his sword was still by his side, as was his shield. Demetrios drew both, and warily watched as his horsemen peeled away. A few had been similarly dismounted, and were struggling to make their way back to the line.

    Demetrios would do much the same himself, were it not for the man striding towards him. Barking something in the language of the Aztec.

    "Well, you are an impressive one..." Demetrios muttered to himself, warily raising his blade.

    For the man was barely a man. His face was colored half-blue and half-red, his hair nothing but a sharp line down the middle. His teeth were bared in a sharp grimace, and he carried a more ornate version of the typical Aztec sword. Unlike the Jaguar or Eagle Warriors, however, he was nearly naked. All he wore was a loincloth, his body painted much as his face and forehead. The man was clearly a ceremonial warrior of some kind. [4]

    And in a society as bloodthirsty as the Aztec, that did not bode well.

    No choice, then. I will have to defeat him to return. Demetrios did not fail to notice how the other Aztec warriors were leaving him be. This man had claimed him. Well, I never have backed away from a challenge. We shall see what you can do.

    Without a word, Demetrios and the man clashed blades. The Roman grit his teeth, as his entire arm shook with the impact. The Aztec weapons were crude, but weighty, and his already sore muscles protested mightily. The fierce man simply grinned, and began to hammer down more blows upon the Roman's aching arms. Demetrios grit his teeth, and redirected the blows as best he could. The sword of Constantine rang with the repeated impacts, the blade shivering and shaking his his grip. Each blow forced him back.

    This monster of a man had no hesitation, no care for his own safety, only a desire to batter his foe down. Demetrios could only block and defend, attempting to raise his shield to cover his backing up. The obsidian blades upon the Aztec sword crashed into the wood of the shield, cutting deep into it. The prince could feel them grind against the mail upon his arm, even through his shield.

    Damnit. Damnit!

    Bashing his arm forward, Demetrios was rewarded with a grunt from the Aztec and the feeling of the sword dislodging from his shield. Now on the offensive, he stepped forth and swung his own blade free. His much lighter and more agile weapon carved a long line down the side of the native warrior, prompting a cry of pain and a grimace full of anger. The Aztec pulled back, and brought his own weapon around in a low swing at Demetrios' legs. The Roman jumped back, eyes narrowed at the attack that mimicked what had brought his horse down. Oh no. They were not getting him, not like that. He would not be a prisoner.

    As the Aztec overextended in his blow, Demetrios took his shield and swung it into the man's face. He fell back, his nose shattered and his eyes bloodied. The man shook his head to clear it from the blow, a momentary weakness that the Roman was all too quick to exploit, stabbing forward once more. His chipped and damaged sword stabbed through the Aztec's bare chest, driving deep into his heart. The man gurgled at the blow, his teeth stained red as he coughed from the impact. His hands fell limp by his sides, eyes filled with an unfathomable hate as they stared at Demetrios.

    He said nothing, he didn't struggle. He simply stared as the life left his eyes.

    "...may you rest in peace." Demetrios whispered, more for himself than for a man who had likely taken many innocent lives. He pulled his sword free, only now realizing that the battle had long since moved past him. In fact, he saw his bodyguard racing his way, over the corpses of the Aztec who had been jeering at him earlier. Had the fight truly lasted that long? "I...how long have I been fighting?"

    He would get no answer, as the aches and pains of battles took their toll. Demetrios, prince of the Romans, fell back once more as darkness overtook his mind.


    1. The Sword of Constantine remains a treasured relic of the Roman State to the modern day, often held by the descendants of Demetrios. This has lead to the weapon quite often being displayed in the State Museum of Tzintzuntzan, when not used in state ceremonies.

    2. The Aztec force at the Battle of the Field is generally regarded as being around five to ten thousand strong. By no means the largest army the Aztec could muster, nor an overly large diversion of forces. However, in conjunction with the ravages of plague and of other losses, it was the largest they could afford to send without undue weakening of their grip on their vassals.

    3. It is generally accepted that Roman shieldwall tactics were the deciding factor in many battles with the Aztec. Mesoamerican warfare was often a much more chaotic nature, with spears relegated to second-line forces in the Aztec armies and shields limited to use with swordsmen. Men expected to be a the front of any attack, charging directly at the enemy for glory. It is wrong to claim that mindless charges were the norm, of course. Tactics were involved and many were executed with great skill. It is simply a matter of Roman defenses being well-crafted by themselves and their allies to counter exactly such an attack. With limited archers to counter, the Aztec found themselves outmatched.

    4. Cuachicqueh warriors were the cream of the crop in Aztec armies. Very, very few men would be in the army long enough to reach such an illustrious rank. It required capturing many men of high rank, or from dangerous enemies- including, often, the Purépecha -in addition to many deeds of great valor. Only the absolute best of the Aztec men would ever see this rank, that required shaving the sides of the head and painting the clear skin. Many of these men would wear either the very best cloth armor, or forgo any armor at all in favor of intimidating their foes. Retreat was strictly forbidden, and these men were expected to find glory...or die trying.


    AN: I haven't had much in the way of motivation to write lately, between recurring headaches and just general apathy. Even for an introvert, being stuck in one place for a couple months gets draining after a while >.>

    That said, this is a long boy. I'm still very rusty on battles, too, so that'll shine through. Hopefully it still works well enough, even if I freely admit to leaning on certain fiction a bit more than I probably should. I was, admittedly, going for a more dramatized view on the battle and not a strictly historically accurate one. Even in the narrative bits, I'm still writing from a (biased) Roman viewpoint.

    (in this case, Demetrios' memoirs, if you will)

    Hopefully it worked.
     
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    • I think you did great! It certainly makes for enjoyable reading
     
    Skywalker_T-65 said:
    Hopefully it worked.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Two moments that stuck out to me were:
    1. The realization that, amidst this new land far from Constantinople, the military expedition have pretty much settled in. It's not an uncommon thing, and has always been a fact of life in far-flung campaigns or traveling people that sticking with a group long enough creates roots. But to see it through someone's eyes makes an emotional connection of our own.
    2. The cavalry charge twist. At first I thought the cavalry charge was just going to sweep through the backline, kill the generals, and just leave pockets to clean up. But right about the time that Eagle Warrior swung for the horse, I remembered. "Oh shit, macuahuitls count as anti-cavalry weapons". Definitely had me worried when the duel rolled around.
     
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