When Peace Collapses
The 50-year war began when a diplomat of
The Ahin, while visiting Korinthos, insulted the Basileus while in a drunken stupor at a feast one night. The Ahin said, "You Korinthians are all the same, seizing up land that you have no right to like a bunch of upstart delinquents. If I had it my way, your kingdom would be torn apart like gristle between dogs." This important diplomat, by the name of
Kaamil Aamer, was a friend to the current Caliph of the AhinRaj. The Caliph demanded his return, but the Basileus refused, demanding a formal apology and restitution for such uncouth actions. The Caliph essentially told the Basileus he would receive no such thing as Kaamil's words were true and honest. The Basileus responded by sending Kaamil's head back to the Caliph in a box with a note stating "May he continue to speak brazen words of truth and honesty in your court for many years to come." Decades of peace collapsed in a matter of weeks. The conflict began shortly following the Basileus's response when
Pale Blade warriors attacked the
Praetorian Wall with three battalions of Ahin BlackBlades and two Goldraka Lizards. The initial attempt failed, only due to the sudden appearance of
The Lumin atop the wall to help defend against magic and psionics, a miracle that many would go on to refer to later as the "Miraculous Advance." The second attempt, however, succeeded in breaking through the Praetorian Wall just South of
The Atlas Peaks. The Ahin then streamed into the empire, beginning their conquest for revenge and reclamation of lands they claimed to be rightfully theirs.
A War of Attrition
The war quickly devolved into one of attrition. Initially, the Ahin were very successful in their campaign, conquering as far North as Ravenna. Once they reached
The Sundered Veil their advancement faltered and they were forced to wait for bridges to be built, supplies to be gathered, and forces to reconcile. The Pale Blades continued their work, assassinating high-profile targets and harrying supply trains, but the sudden appearance of
The Venerata forced them to be more careful in the missions they undertook. Additionally, the Korinthian Guard moved through their backlines, retaking cities and smashing caravans as well. Three cities withstood long sieges too, preventing Ahin advancement;
Thetos,
Midas, and
Thakuria. While these cities stood strong, due to advantageous positions, strong military presences, or years of powerful enchantment and construction, the rest of Korinthos held hope. Soon, the two warring factions stood at a standstill. The Sundered Veil still held strong, due to Venerata destroying any bridges they built and harrying their forces. Thakuria stood strong, positioned as a force of military power as it was. Midas withheld, self-sustaining, and strong behind its iron-like walls. Thetos continued to remain free because of its high vantage point and religious zeal. Eventually, however, Thetos fell when a traitor led Pale Blades into the city and to the palace high atop the hill. A battle broke out and the Speaker of Zeus was killed. However, hope was restored when, upon hearing of Thetos's plight, a single Legio of
The Stalwart Legions of Korinthos moved to aid the city. Legio Ignis moved against their orders to the city's aid and arrived to help in the battle. During this battle a man named
Deion died for his friend
Alexios and was reborn as
Tiberios, Reborn God of Courage and Victory. With a new god at their sides, the Legion arose once more from their defeat and pushed the Ahin out of Thetos with Tiberios at the head. Following this battle Alexios would become the Patriarch of the
Ordinis Potestas and spokesperson for Tiberios. In the following years, the Basileus Constantinos II would accept the Order of Dominion as its main religion, casting aside the old gods. This moment, however, represents a turning point in the war as Tiberios lead campaign after campaign against the Ahin.
The Final Act
With the war coming to a close, the Ahin were forced into a corner and made one last desperate gambit. At the city-state of Thakuria, a ritual was begun. With each passing day the ground began to become tainted and dead. The Despot of the city knew that something was wrong but acted too late, rushing from the city with his army to meet the Ahin on the open field, a pulse of green energy descended like a pillar from the sky and smote Thakuria. Everything, and everyone, that was not of the Ahin was blighted and killed. The Ahin had not counted on the dead rising though and fled in horror as the undead hoplites descended upon them,
The Lost Legion had been born. The Ahin fled Thakuria, were forced from Thetos and were met with a combined effort of
The Aegeans,
The Korinthian Guard, and
The Stalwart Legions of Korinthos Legios Scutum, Aquila and Draco at the Sundered Veil. With the help of the Venerata weakening their forces from within with poisoned water, ruined wagons, and burnt supplies, the Ahin stood no chance, falling back in droves as they were routed past Midas and out of the country. As they left, they destroyed the city of Edessus as well, leaving one last scar upon the land to be rebuilt and covered up in a pitiless act of war that would be referred to in years to come as "The Shameless Sacking," in reference to the young city's fall.
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