Full-Scale War 3/4

Meanwhile, at the Battle of Hot Spring Pass, the surrounding rocks were studded with the remains of arrows and javelins, and every inch of land was covered with charred marks. Some of the large and small pits were filled with blood, bits of flesh, and human and even horse organs, while others were highly carbonized and emitting wisps of smoke, with the pungent smell of burnt flesh permeating the air.

The dead and wounded soldiers, dressed in different clothes and with different appearances, were intertwined and piled up on this land. Some were pushed off cliffs and left to be washed away by the sea; others were carried to the gap and piled up in front of the broken low wall.

The congealed blood clung to the corpse, forming hardened chunks, creating a gruesome and terrifying wall of human flesh.

Pfft!

A spear pierced into a still trembling body, twisting it around. The foreign soldier, who had raised his hand to cry for help and longed to live, finally coughed up blood, his pupils dilated, his body gradually stopped convulsing, and his limbs went limp.

As the murder weapon was pulled out, a gushing spray of blood followed. The red-haired burly man, with several hideous scars on his chest and a cut near his eye that nearly pierced his skull, casually picked up a piece of cloth from a nearby corpse, wiped the blood off the spear tip, climbed the low wall, and gazed into the distance.

"Alexander, what are the losses of the city-states?"

"Of the 7,000 elite troops we brought from the Tempe Valley, less than 3,000 remain. Of the 400 warriors from Corinth, 150 have been killed or wounded; the 300 from Mycenae encountered the Undying Army and were all killed on the northern front; the 400 from Thebes have lost more than half their number; of the 500 from Thessaly, only a handful have survived; my Macedonian Pikemen have also suffered a two-thirds loss; and the 1,120 archers and hunters from Arcadia have been targeted by Persian sorcerers and are now scattered. I am currently regrouping them and have not yet obtained the final count..."

With his face covered in blood, his head wrapped in bandages, and one arm slinged to his chest, Prince Alexander Macedonia, despite the crimson blood staining the bandages, calmly recounted the situation of his allies. His one exposed eye remained focused on the battlefield, his expression as solemn as a statue.

"My situation is similar. The reinforcements from Mantinea, Sestos, Phocis, and other city-states have all suffered losses of more than half, some even being completely wiped out. In addition, of Sparta's 300 royal guards, only 100 remain. Of the 1,000 second-class border infantry, only four or five hundred are still operational. This number is barely enough to fill all the gaps."

Spartan King Leonidas who led the army, had a fixed gaze and a somber expression.

"Where are the Magecraft and the priest?"

Alexander glanced at the several cone-shaped pits behind him, from which wisps of smoke were rising, and frowned as he asked.

"Even worse! That bastard Karna almost wiped out the entire Caster Team with a single, full-force shot. Luckily, we joined forces to hold them off, otherwise we would all be heading to Hades in the underworld."

Leonidas's facial muscles twitched violently, and he felt a deep pang of heartache.

Since the Council of Athens closed the Athenian Academy to prevent the status of the Divine Blood Family from being shaken by spellcasters, many Greek Magecraft, due to their unpopularity, fled to Egypt and Rome. The most elite priests and priests were concentrated on Mount of Ares, and the spellcaster force he had cobbled together was now almost wiped out.

"We've only survived this battle temporarily, by sheer luck. The Divine Might Wheels we Zeus obtained through the Great Sacrifice was damaged in the previous fight. From now on, we'll have to rely on ourselves..."

Alexander looked down at the dimly lit, slightly cracked short sword in his hand, his expression becoming more somber.

Leonidas leaned on his spear and shield, gazing at the distant, endless expanse of tents that seemed to merge with the sky, and the seemingly boundless Persian army, a self-mocking look rising in his eyes.

"It seems the situation is getting worse. Perhaps we'll have to go have tea with Lord Hades tonight."

"Not necessarily!"

The Macedonia prince gazed towards the mist-shrouded valley, his eyes gleaming with a sharp light, before calmly speaking.

"In the battle just now, that man named Karna seemed to have some strength left, but he gave up on continuing the advance. The Persians' retreat was also very hasty. Otherwise, it would be hard to say whether Hot Spring Pass could have withstood this wave of impact. I think there must have been some problem with the Persians' rear, which forced them to turn their spearhead and take precautions."

"Athens reinforcements?"

Leonidas countered with a question, then shook his head and chuckled.

"Do you really believe those gentlemen on Mount of Ares would have the mercy to send reinforcements to support us unruly barbarians?"

Alexander shook his head slightly, but his expression remained unchanged, showing his unwavering conviction in his judgment.

"Mount of Ares is hard to say, but it could be another force. The Egyptians' defection seems a bit abnormal. Looking at the big picture, the most likely explanation is that something unexpected has happened on the Roman side, which could become the fulcrum to shift the course of the Greek War Situation."

"Could it be the Romans have come?"

"I don't know. Greece is already a battleground, and anyone could come. The key is whether they are friend or foe. But it seems that they have indirectly saved our lives and given us a rare chance to catch our breath. With the intervention of an external force responsible for containing the Persian military, our situation can be improved. This can be considered good news."

Let's hope so...

As the Spartan King murmured, his gaze fell upon the Persian Camp in front of the battle lines, and he was astonished to find obvious changes within the enemy's ranks.

At this moment, on the high platform built of nine layers of square bricks, piled with fragrant wood, firewood and animal fat, the corpses of the fallen warriors were thrown into the blazing Sacred Flame. In the purification of the Flame of Light, their sins were washed away, their bodies turned to ashes, and their spirits returned to the embrace of the True God Ahura.

"Ashemvohu... yataahu..."

Thousands of Zoroastrianism priests, with their hands crossed over their chests, danced wildly, while nearby female attendants tossed spices into the flames and swayed their bodies.

What are they saying?

Alexander blinked, looking somewhat confused.

"The Zoroastrianism Prayer!"

Leonidas's pupils contracted sharply, his face froze, and he uttered the answer in a dry voice.

"There's only one possibility for this situation... the Persians are going to fight to the death!"

At the same time, as if to confirm the words of the Spartan King, one after another, the Undying Army, with silver masks on their faces, holding Curved Swords and Round Shields, and dressed in black armor, marched out in neat formation. Under the influence of the War Dance and the light of the Sacred Flame, their bloodlust and madness rose up, as if they were demons crawling out of hell, like a tangible red and black ether tide, like rolling blood-red smoke rising into the sky, crushing everything in their path with overwhelming force, almost suffocating people.

Moo~ Moo~

Before these Black Armored Soldiers, dozens of muffled roars echoed throughout Hot Spring Pass. Each war elephant, its skin inscribed with intricate spells, carried dozens of mystical mages wielding magic lamps and archers from the Meteor Legion, their heavy steps crushing them in their wake.

The Arash the Great Hero and the arcane mage Scheherazade are prominently featured.

On the most robust of the giant elephants sat a small girl holding a short-handled axe.

Not only that, a golden sun also rose slowly from the Persian army formation, and the huge Golden-Red Spear gathered its endless flames. Its terrifying power rose steadily and was about to reach its limit!