The Rise Of An Empire In Ancient Europe-Chapter 24 - Emerging as a Leader

Juleios saw the gaping wound on the soldier's abdomen, so deep that even his intestines were visible. He knew survival was unlikely but couldn't bear to give up. Turning to the soldiers around him, he said, "Quickly, take him to the medical camp in Menon's unit. Tell them Juleios sent you."

"Medical camp?" one soldier questioned.

"I know where it is!" someone responded, and the soldiers carried the injured man, preparing to pass through Clearchus's camp and head south. The others stood uncertainly, looking to Juleios for direction.

Juleios urgently instructed them, "Go and inform the officers in all the camps! Tell them the Persians have broken their word and are slaughtering Greek soldiers. The commanders who went to the meeting have likely been captured. Have them assemble their soldiers and prepare for battle!"

The soldiers immediately scattered, running to their respective camps.

"Juleios, what's going on?!" Xenophon arrived at the camp gates, visibly alarmed.

Juleios quickly recounted the events in brief. Xenophon's expression darkened with regret, his voice trembling as he said, "I tried to warn Proxenus, but he wouldn't listen, and I didn't insist... So now Proxenus, he's likely..." Xenophon's voice choked, and he couldn't continue.

Juleios nodded silently.

Looking out at the Persian cavalry galloping back and forth, Xenophon declared, "We must gather all our troops immediately! We need to attack the Persian camp and rescue Proxenus and the others!"

"That's not a good idea," said a strong middle-aged man who approached them. "While our soldiers have fought the Persians before, we've been at peace with them recently. To suddenly go to war and attack the Persian camp, the soldiers won't accept it, let alone besiege the camp."

"At the very least, we should drive away the Persian cavalry. Perhaps we can still save some of the soldiers outside," Juleios suggested.

The man gave Juleios a dismissive glance and asked, "Who are you?"

"A soldier in Menon's camp, Juleios," he replied.

"What to do is for the officers to decide, not for a soldier to dictate!" the man snapped angrily.

Juleios wisely kept silent.

"Xenophon, go back to your camp immediately and tell Agasias to bring his men here," the man ordered.

"Yes, sir," Xenophon replied. He turned to leave, with Juleios following close behind. Along the way, Juleios asked Xenophon about the man's identity. "That's Timasion, Clearchus's adjutant," Xenophon explained.

The mobilization of Clearchus's camp was painfully slow. Soldiers trickled out of their tents, lazily donning their armor while chatting, clearly unaware of the danger looming. Timasion grew increasingly frustrated, resorting to shouting and striking some soldiers to get them moving. Eventually, about 500 soldiers were assembled.

By the time Juleios and Xenophon left Clearchus's camp, officers and a handful of soldiers from other units had also arrived: Crianos from Agias's camp, Zantiparis from Socrates's camp, and Agasias from Proxenus's camp. The largest contingent, however, came from Menon's camp, including his adjutant Philesius, centurions Antonius and Kapus, and many soldiers, including Xilos's squad.

The arrival of these reinforcements gave Juleios confidence.

Once gathered, some officers were still unclear about what had happened. The centurions from Menon's camp, led by Antonios, insisted that Juleios explain the situation, arguing that he had witnessed everything firsthand.

Timasion and the other officers were surprised: how could an ordinary soldier, especially one so young, command such respect from the officers of Menon's camp?

Others stared curiously at Juleios, as word had already spread from the returning messengers. They spoke of "Juleios, the Divine-favored soldier from Menon's camp," who had tried to stop Clearchus and the other commanders from going to the Persian camp. When the leaders ignored this "divine warning," disaster struck. The story had spread rapidly, fueling a mixture of awe and intrigue.

Faced with the officers' complex gazes, Juleios calmly and clearly recounted the events.

The officers quickly reached a consensus: they would drive off the Persian cavalry to allow the returning soldiers to re-enter the camp safely.

The soldiers began forming ranks, and Juleios returned to Xilos's squad. Suddenly, Antonius shouted from the front of the formation, "Juleios, come to the front!"

Juleios froze in surprise.

Then Kapus joined in, calling his name.

"Go on," Xilos encouraged, giving him a gentle push. His squadmates looked at him eagerly.

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Understanding the significance of the moment, Juleios felt his heart race but didn't refuse. He pushed through the crowd, with soldiers stepping aside to let him pass.

"Your place is here," Antonios said, pulling Juleios to stand to the left of Philesius at the very front of Menon's troops. Looking him in the eye, Antonios added, "We may need to negotiate with the Persians. We'll need your guidance."

Antonius turned to Philesius and said, "Philesius, take care of him for us."

"Leave him to me!" Philesius replied without hesitation.

Standing at the front of the formation for the first time, Juleios felt both excitement and unease. He glanced at Philesius, who met his gaze with a warm smile.

Juleios had interacted with Philesius before and learned about him through Antonius and others. At 45 years old, Philesius was a Thessalian veteran skilled in military affairs but uninterested in fame or power. Menon, known for his control, had likely chosen Philesius as his adjutant precisely because of his lack of ambition. Menon needed someone trustworthy to manage the camp while he frequently left to mingle with Persian nobles. This arrangement worked to Juleios's advantage, as Philesius had no objections to his presence in the command position and treated him amicably.

The Greek mercenaries formed a phalanx of about 700 heavy infantry and 200 light infantry. The heavy infantry took the front, with the light infantry behind. At the sound of the war horn, the phalanx began advancing slowly.

The Persian cavalry did not engage but retreated further. The sound of fighting diminished, and the dust cloud ahead began to settle. Occasionally, bedraggled Greek soldiers emerged from the chaos, limping back to camp. However, the sight of fallen comrades and wounded men on the ground filled the soldiers with sorrow and fear.

"They're coming," Philesius said softly.

A Persian unit appeared in the distance, slowly advancing toward them. Juleios felt a mix of tension and exhilaration—was this to be his first battle?

When the two forces were about 200 meters apart, a group of Persian cavalry rode ahead of their main force. One of them shouted in Greek, "To the Greek army! Let your officers and commanders step forward to hear the King's decree!"

The Greek phalanx buzzed with murmurs. Officers whispered among themselves, but no one stepped forward. The memory of the ambushed soldiers and the Persians' earlier treachery made them wary.

The Persians repeated their call, but the Greek ranks remained still.

Then, someone stepped out of the formation, carrying a bronze shield and spear, walking steadily toward the Persians.

"Who is that?! He's got guts!" someone exclaimed.

"That's Juleios, from our camp! Hades' chosen!" another replied.

"Is it true?"

"He's so young!"

The soldiers from various camps whispered among themselves. While the officers hesitated, Philesius hurried after Juleios. He had promised Antonios to protect him. Xenophon also stepped out, feeling it improper to let someone as young as Juleios face the situation alone.

"This is madness!" Timasion muttered, masking his embarrassment with anger as he strode forward. Soon, other officers, including Zantiparis, Krianos, and Agasias, followed suit.

Juleios had acted not because he was unafraid of the Persian cavalry but because he understood the need for leadership. In moments of crisis, when soldiers were panicking, only those who dared to take risks and show responsibility could earn their loyalty, making them overlook his youth and inexperience.

Though his pace was steady, Juleios kept glancing from the corners of his eyes. Seeing the other officers catch up, he felt a slight sense of relief. Only then did he notice his palm, clutching his weapon, was drenched in sweat.