The Causality of Time Read online

  It was at this juncture, while Assyria was focusing its campaigns against Elam, that Talmido was planning an attack on an Elamite caravan. He was contemplating the possibility of attacking the rear baggage train as it moved north along a specified valley to catch up with the main convoy when his Sergeant Major (SM) pointed out an obvious threat to the company.

  “Sir, if I may, the mountains on each side of the valley provide excellent height and cover advantage for the enemy. It may be prudent for us to perhaps split our company up into two divisions, one following the west outside range while the other marches east following the outside range. This approach will not alert the convoy nor allow us to be surprised in the event there are flanking groups protecting the caravan,” the SM remarked.

  “I agree. Let’s split into two groups. I’ll take group A and you head up group B. A will go west and B will proceed east. We will converge on the convoy once we are positioned properly on either side. Agreed? Additionally, we will separate here, at this point.” Talmido pointed to a calfskin map draped over a table.

  “Yes, sir, of course. As requested,” the SM said, saluting sharply and turning to leave the Command Tent.

  The next morning, the company prepared for the ride ahead of them to catch the Elamite baggage train. The horses were hardened war animals accustomed to the life of death and destruction. They knew a battle was to come and stamped their hooves and snorted their impatience as the men readied their equipment and weapons.

  “Mount up, men. It is time for us to ride north. It will be a fast-paced march so make sure you have everything strapped down tight. Make sure you have your canteen tied near to your head, so you do not need to stop to try and find it to take a drink. I do not want any of you passing out because of dehydration or heat stress. Got it?” Talmido commanded.

  One Captain yelled out, “You there, get that damn canteen put in the proper place. Didn’t you hear the Commander?”

  “Yes, sir. Right away,” the soldier replied.

  The men started hustling to obey, checking each other’s pack and weapons. Quickly mounting up, the Company marched north toward the Elamite caravan. Three hours passed, and scouts began to appear with news of the whereabouts of the convoy. Talmido halted the procession of men to convene an officer’s brief.

  Talmido explained the company would split into two, with himself heading up Division A and the SM leading Division B. Both divisions were to converge on the caravan at the same time, one from the southwest and the other from the northeast, to engulf the procession. One officer brought up the possibility of the convoy turning south in an attempt to flee back down the valley.

  “Good point. We will position fifty men here to wait for any fleeing enemies. They should capture them for ransom. Do not, and I repeat, do not put them to the sword,” the SM said as he pointed at a spot on the calfskin map.

  “Have the scouts determined if there are any Elamite companies stationed along the valley’s mountains?” Talmido asked.

  “Yes. There are two, one on each side halfway up the valley, hidden among the trees and rocks,” answered the SM.

  “And what is being planned to deal with them? We don’t need one thousand heavily armed men assisting the caravan once they know we are upon them,” stated Talmido.

  After looking around, the SM pointed again to the map. “It is suggested that we send the fifty men at the southern part of the valley up through it to flush the companies out and draw them away from the caravan as we attack. Perhaps the Company of Two Lions will wait for the fleeing troops and fall upon the pursuing Elamite divisions?”

  “Good. Send a messenger to them, and request support for the southern flank,” Talmido commanded.

  “Yes, sir. Right away,” the SM replied, and with that, he barked orders to the officers in charge, and the men scrambled to their respective troops, preparing for the oncoming battles.

  Messengers began dispatching, and the company waited for a reply from the Commander of the Two Lions. The next morning, the message came in, stating that all was ready and to proceed with the assault.

  “It is time for us to forge ahead. Keep alert, stay true to our mission and fight with courage,” Talmido stated. Saluting the officers, he began walking towards his horse. Swinging his leg up and over the back of his steed, Talmido seated himself, taking in the scene of orderly chaos ensuing before him.

  Each troop of fifty men was forming up into their assigned ranks, patiently waiting for the order to march.

  Nodding towards the SM, Talmido said, “May Enki protect you and the men. Be careful out there. Keep a close eye out for enemy scouts.”

  “Yes, sir. And if I may suggest, you be careful, as well. The men you command are my friends,” the SM replied with light joviality.

  Talmido and the SM laughed and began moving north/west and north/east, respectively. Scouts proceeded in front of each division, providing information on the terrain and the whereabouts of the enemy. The two divisions kept a wide berth around the “hidden” Elamite troops, moving swiftly north toward the end of the valley. Even though the day was bright and cloudless, the trees and hills hid the dust being thrown up by the horses and obscured the sounds of traveling men.

  Steadily, the two Assyrian divisions advanced parallel to the valley, moving north. Unbeknownst to the Assyrian western unit, two men running just outside the Assyrian field of view were shadowing them. Quietly, one man slipped away, circling back south around the division, cutting across its trail, moving east toward the Elamite soldiers scattered among the tree-lined foothills of the mountain range. Eventually, the scout arrived, reporting to his Division Commander the troop movement of the western Assyrian division. The Commander immediately dispatched two messengers, one to the eastern Elamite division that flanked the baggage train and one to the Elamite general seventy leagues to the north of their position. With a swift communiqué, the Division Commander ordered his troops to mount up. Within minutes, the division was on the move, heading west and then north, eventually following the Assyrian division’s trail.

  As a division of heavily armed soldiers moves, a Commander worth his salt will deploy flanking scouts to track any movement coming from the division’s front, rear, and sides. Talmido did just that, preparing for contingency feints or counter movements to offset any direct attack, and also to confuse enemy scouts or messengers.

  It was late in the afternoon, and the division moved through the forest, skirting a small meadow with sun-dappled lilacs, imperial fritillaries, and lilies waving in the soft breeze of a fresh-scented spring day. Racing across a field, throwing up clumps of soil behind his horse’s rear flanks and bending over its neck while heeling the beast, was an excited scout. Talmido could not ignore him, so he pulled his mount up short, thus halting the column of men and animals alike. The scout skidding to a halt barely an arm’s length away from colliding into Talmido while his horse snorted its alarm at the potential disaster. The scout jumped off, saluted, and promptly started reporting.

  “Sir, the enemy has been spotted moving south of your position with a division of men. They are following your movement north. Two messengers were seen leaving their position—one moving east and another moving north!” he exclaimed with excited shortness of breath while looking around at the gathered officers and men.

  “Major, turn the division south. It seems we need to address this provocation before reinforcements arrive. Send a messenger to division B with an outline of our position. Have them continue with the attack on the baggage train. We will rendezvous east of the mountains once we finish up with the Elamite division here,” stated Talmido.

  Division A turned towards the threatening Elamite division with decisive action. The time to press the advantage had arrived. With professional efficiency, the men melted into the forest with the sun at their back and the enemy closing in from the front.

  Chapter 7

  To Battle

  Maneuvering a division of five hundred men with horses and equipment
within minutes was no small feat. With skilled precision, the group turned south and began marching back the way they came, eager for the encounter.

  The scouts were continuing north toward the baggage train, and messengers came and went with a regular flow of pertinent information. A windswept field with a small stream running through its center came into view, and Talmido decided to halt the column to prepare for battle while scouts continued observing the Elamites as they made their way north along the Assyrian trail.

  Lush green grass layered the field, which was spotted with blotches of red, yellow, purple, and white. The scent of lilacs struck the wind with caresses of beauty. At times, the soldiers stopped to admire the scene; however, the officers would start barking orders, and the men quickly continued the routine of building ramparts, ditches, and wooden stakes. Shortly, across the stream, a rhythmic thumping could be felt more than heard, and the men began to look up with growing interest to see the Elamites advancing as they beat their shields. Orders were given, and men scrambled to their positions. Archers moved forward, notching their bows while their cavalry moved up alongside the right flank of the heavily armed troops.

  Horns of various caliber began pealing notes of instruction to the columns. The commands of Talmido bellowed out with a rhythm of frequency the men were familiar with, knowing the attack command was soon to arrive.

  “Form up the center. Left flank, move into position, now! Archers, ready your arrows,” Talmido shouted out.

  “Sir, should some of the men position for a flanking maneuver?" a Captain asked.

  "Yes, send one hundred to circle around behind the Elamites to take out the archers and close the circle," Talmido commanded.

  "Yes, sir, right away," the Captain replied.

  Talmido weighed the Elamite position with a mind of entrapment. To finish this skirmish off quickly, he would need to pull the Elamite center into his middle and envelop their columns for a total encirclement; however, he was confident the Elamite CC would see the tactic and counter with an alternating encirclement move to render the tactic ineffective and make it potentially dangerous to the Assyrians.

  So, Talmido chose to have one hundred men slip away into the forest behind the division for a flanking move while at the same time have his scouts track and kill the enemy scouts as fast as they could.

  "Archers, let fly," Talmido shouted.

  The recurve bow was thought to be a Parthian invention of significant value that most every other army had stolen and copied with staggering success. The thump of porcine intestinal sinew could be heard as the archers sent a rain of arrows onto the Elamite troops, cavalry, and archers.

  "Captain, let the cavalry know to begin their sweep towards the left flank," Talmido said.

  "Immediately, Commander," the Captain acknowledged.

  The opposing Elamite cavalry followed their course, anticipating the move. This was fine for Talmido, as he had expected this and had his horns blown for a frontal assault once the one hundred were in position. They were his best crack troops, hardened by years of battle and being on the campaign trail. He could trust them to follow through and attack the archers from behind. With that, the battle began with a steady-paced walk by the Elamites and Assyrians alike toward each other.

  "Keep the line, men. Remember, your enemy is only human and dies just as easily as one. Close shields! Charge formation!" Talmido shouted out.

  Soon, shouts traveled across the field with bellows from various horns mixed in to create a cacophony of sounds that quieted the natural world. Men steadily moved forward with determined thrusts of their feet, trampling the grass and flowers alike. The field soon came to resemble the pits of purgatory outside of Nineveh, where the convicted, dead, and diseased were thrown to replenish Moloch’s insatiable desire for sacrifice.

  The cavalry began to pull the Elamite horsemen away from their division, thus effecting a slowing motion of the horses and an eventual defensive positioning of the Elamite cavalry. This was what Talmido wanted, and he ordered the Assyrian cavalry to move across the stream and engage in continued flanking movements.

  The two Assyrian flanks spread out and began to move a step and a half faster than their center to implement the encirclement while beating their swords against their shields to create a rhythmic thumping of projected anger. The center columns tightened their grouping to a point where it was shield upon shield, building a wall of solid wood and bronze. Soon, the horns blew out their command for an attack, and the columns moved with a faster pace of anticipation, closing the distance between the two armies in a rapid-fire work of feet, shields, bodies, and swords.

  The two armies clashed with a ring of metal and shouts of hatred centuries old. Hacking, slashing, gouging, and slicing characterized the bravery of the two groups, each determined to end any pretense of advancement.

  "Move the line to the right! Move the line! Left flank push!" Talmido yelled to no avail.

  The din of men, horses, and armor neutralized any ability to effectively communicate; however, with practiced precision, the encirclement continued to Talmido’s satisfaction.

  “Pull the line in tighter. Order the one hundred to advance immediately,” Tamido shouted to his aide-de-camp.

  “Yes, sir, as requested.” At that, the aide-de-camp heeled his horse and rushed off to inform the Captain of the one hundred.

  “Sound the horns for a partial fall back. Move at my command,” Talmido shouted to his Captains as he looked around, making sure he was heard above the din of battle.

  The one hundred had gathered at the rear of the Elamite company, and once the aide-de-camp gave them Talmido’s order, they advanced with a rush toward the Elamite archers, cutting down any rearguard deployment of the enemy with swift thrusts to their chests or faces. The archers had no chance as the one hundred fell upon them with grim delight and mowed them down to the man. At this, a cry went up, and the Elamite center collapsed with confusion and mayhem while the Assyrian cavalry circled outside of the columns, cleaning up any fleeing men. This went on for the next hour as Talmido’s troops pulled the Elamite line into their feinted retreat and battled with the last remnants of the Elamite units. Talmido continued to use his unique abilities to affect their deaths in ever-more-expedited ways.

  With sweat running down his face, Talmido stood leaning on his sword, panting for breath. He looked around at the carnage with a smile of satisfaction on his face. His aide-de-camp came running up to him.

  "Sir, the one hundred engaged the enemy and were successful," he said as he looked around at the dead and the dying. "Ah...I guess you know that by now, though," he said with a smile and a wink.

  "Yup, pretty clear now. We are still alive and standing." Talmido chuckled and pointed, "Let the Captains know to start the cleanup and reclamation detail immediately. I do not want to lose any time. We must march on towards group B."

  "Yes, sir," the aide-de-camp replied and saluted as he turned to deliver the message.

  By the end of the engagement, the sun had lowered into the western sky, indicating Shamash’s ride out of Anu’s presence and Nannar’s rise to cast blazing lights of denunciation against man and creation. Talmido was happy with the final results—fifty-seven dead, twenty-nine wounded, and a complete victory over the enemy. Parties had been sent out to round up all enemy survivors for slavery or execution, and to prevent any warning being made to the Elamite army situated four days’ ride to the north. Messengers were dispatched to the SM to alert him of the situation and the outcome, along with the additional orders to wait for company A to position for the attack on the caravan the next day.

  Talmido walked among the men chatting quietly and, from time to time, recounting their heroics while complementing them on their bravery.

  "It was a good fight, men. I noticed you fought bravely. You there, what is your name?" Talmido asked.

  "Nasirpal, sir," he replied.

  "That is a good name. Your mother named you well. Let us toast to everyone's bravery
and dedication today," Talmido said as he raised his flask to take a long drink of wine while the men sitting around the campfire toasted, as well.

  Afterward, he met with his subordinates to outline the travel plans for the next day. Finally, late into the night, he laid down for a few exhausted hours of sleep.

  It was with this fortitude and strength of will that Talmido earned respect and love from the men under his command. They knew of his concern for their well-being and his just equability. Gradually, the bonds of honor, respect, courage, and self-sacrifice wound its way into the very fabric of the company’s conscience, pulling the men together into a tight fighting machine with Talmido at its very core.

  The next day, the men stirred with the blaring of horns and shouts of their Captains. They grumbled and complained to no one in particular as they shook away the mists of sleep and the potential of death’s grip on their minds’ pain from the previous day.

  The division ate breakfast, then gathered up its tools of the trade. After stripping and burying the dead, it moved north toward the Elamite caravan. The way was uneventful, as no one had reached the Elamite army to alert it of the division’s demise. Only swarms of flies and the sun’s rays helped the men on their way, tormenting them with gleeful spite.

  Scouts came and went with regularity, reporting on any enemy movement (of which none was observed), once regular communication was established with the SM. The division halted at dusk, built a camp, and planned for the battle to come. It would be early in the morning of the next day when the group attacked the caravan, killed all of its army personnel, and captured all of the slaves. After defeating the convoy, the men would split up the equipment and gather into groups of no more than five men to journey south by various routes to confuse and discourage any Elamite pursuit.