Eagle Byzantium

On Gawain's side, the first and second line Italian companies fought bravely, using shields and long swords, and the sound of killing was heard. On the slope of Mount Getai, the arrays of both sides were like rows of teeth biting each other frantically, making a violent sound of weapons colliding with each other. "Hold your positions, for the glory of the big company, for the Jince Brotherhood!" Bramson, who was at the head of the array, was fighting on foot at this moment, waving the Swabian long sword, cutting off one after another of the approaching spears. At his feet, there were several bodies of enemies torn apart by brute force and sharp blades.

The army that rushed up from Zata was killed and repelled three times in succession, and reorganized twice under the strict supervision of their own military judges. However, the Italian company's excellent armor and protective gear (many of which were bought by Grand Duke Gawain from Milan to equip them, and these soldiers stood in the first row and fought hard), as well as their skilled combat skills, enabled them to look down on the temporary militia recruited by Bordin from various tribes. This is the difference in combat effectiveness between professional mercenaries and tribesmen - veterans know how to protect themselves and destroy the enemy. They never charge and chop in a pure bloody manner, but calmly deal with the enemy, find the opponent's flaws to win, and can better save physical strength.

The battle became more and more intense. On the high ground on both sides, Bordin and Gawain instinctively felt that the front line of Mount Chitai had reached the maximum state that they could bear. Then the Governor of Bari saw in a blink of an eye - on the hillside on the left side of their side, Zata's army, about a thousand infantry and cavalry, were rushing towards the "Grand Duke's Death Soldier" company.

"Now, the focus and key of the battle has shifted to the high ground near the sea." Gawain made a prompt decision and raised his halberd to Giovanni over there. The Lombard country gentleman who was good at fighting immediately understood. He pulled the reins with one hand and held the battle flag high with the other hand. He crossed the street under Mount Geda and climbed up the hill over there. Over there, the "Grand Duke's Death Soldier" Greek Infantry Company was sitting and lying down, resting and recuperating. Several scouts in front were rushing back to tell all the squadron leaders about the attack of the large group of enemies.

"Comrades, colleagues, grab your weapons and fight! We are still a company without honor. At this moment, facing this group of enemies who have no faith and will not receive the Lord's mercy, we must severely inflict heavy damage on them, just like God holding fire, lightning and thunder to destroy Nineveh." The priests who followed the army took the lead in walking to the front of the queue, holding up the small cross and rosary in their hands to boost morale.

Giovanni held the flag. He walked to the company formation that had risen and shouted, "Don't hesitate. You are no longer the soldiers in front of Bari. We were able to achieve great victories against the swords of the Normans, so we should be more capable in facing the enemies in front. Raise your shields. Put up your spears, follow your daily training, obey my orders, and beat the enemy back!"

"Oh oh oh oh!" The soldiers of the company. The first two rows stretched out their shields of various colors and clamped their spears in the gap. The third row protected their shields above their heads and placed their weapons on the shoulders of the first two rows. The sailors and military servants at the back followed with light weapons and lay across the hillside. They formed the most rigorous defensive formation.

In the Zata army, the Pechenegs and Bulgars were the first to go out and shoot arrows at the "Grand Duke's Death Soldiers" company formation. Although some people in the company that formed the shield wall and spear forest were shot and wounded. But he was soon dragged away by the military servants behind him for treatment, and the rest of the people still held the line tightly.

Once they saw such a well-trained team of pilgrims, the Sava River bandits wavered again. They hesitated on the hillside and did not dare to charge up rashly, and the "Grand Duke's Death Soldiers" company also quietly continued to maintain a defensive posture, motionless.

"Asshole, send two military judges with swords and tell them to attack as soon as possible and defeat this enemy. They don't have many people and no cover from shooting. Rush over to capture the boats of these pilgrims and recapture Stong!" Boding on the high ground also keenly noticed the small number of the "Grand Duke's Death Soldiers" company, and then he declared heroically, "Send my prince's guards over to lead the entire battlefield to victory. Saint Michael is with our army."

Following the prince's order, about 300 guards, wearing sophisticated scale armor and forming a terrifying and strict formation, began to rush towards the coastal position on the left side of Mount Jitai.

At this time, on the front line of Mount Getai, the bandit cannon fodder of the Sava River had completely collapsed. Their remnants were caught between the sword and shield wall of the Italian company of Gawain and the spear formation of the Zata army. They were ruthlessly cut down and stabbed from all sides. They simply lay in the grass and attacked like mice.

Soon, the Zata army retreated for the fourth time. Between the two armies' opposing lines, corpses appeared everywhere, like a "river". Now even the most severe military judge could no longer inspire the soldiers' emotions. He could only let them hold on and stay at the foot of the hill to rest and reorganize the formation and prepare for the fifth assault.

All the Slavic soldiers were tired and depressed. Many of them had even lost their weapons, and many of their comrades had died in the battle. Crying began to spread, and many people complained about why their princes wanted to intercept this pilgrim team that was just passing by. The military judges, holding axes and scepters, sternly stopped the outburst of such defeat emotions everywhere, saying, "If we charge once more, the enemy will not be able to hold on, and then all the spoils and prisoners will be yours. The honorable prince guarantees everyone!"

Bramson carried a long sword and walked slowly on the hillside where the enemy had fled. He searched for ornaments from the corpses and then kicked up a Savoyard man. The man was covered in blood and had a flattering expression on his face. He trembled and hung his hands. He said to the bankrupt knight of the Brotherhood in broken Italian, "Praise God, I praise God..." In response, the sound of the Swabian long sword cracking the air, the chest of the Savoyard bandit was immediately cut open, and he turned and fell dead. The blood foam splashed on the flying broken grass and floated down the sunny hillside.

A series of shouts came, and Bramson squinted his eyes and looked to the side with his sword in hand - about fifty Brotherhoods wearing chain mail appeared on foot at the rightmost cliff of Mount Getai, seemingly going down the mountain to attack the Zata army. He turned his head and looked down the mountain. Sure enough, the Zata army's line had a "reaction" and began to adjust its formation. At this time, with the sound of the melodious trumpet, the Italian veterans company stood up again, ended their short rest, picked up their weapons, and panted.

Gawain, who had always been silently supervising the battle, saw this scene and saw that in the opposite valley, the Zata Prince Guards were moving towards the position of the lonely "Grand Duke's Death Soldier" company on the left mountain. He took a deep breath and knew that the critical moment of this battle had arrived... (To be continued ~^~)