Volume 4: The League of Dionia, Chapter 49: Timasion's Ambition

It was a pass of nearly forty meters! The rugby ball flew high, arced, and traveled fast. The spectators watched its trajectory and lamented: this pass would surely go out of bounds, and again the offense and defense would switch sides!

Just then, a flash of blue on the right wing slipped past the red team's interceptors like lightning, raced forward at top speed, and leaped high into the air.

"My gods, how high he jumps!" Amid the crowd's gasps, he stretched out his long arm, blocked the quickly approaching rugby ball midair, and as it fell, caught it tightly with both hands, while just a few meters ahead lay the touchdown zone.

"Stop him, quick!" the red team players shouted anxiously, loud enough for the spectators at the sidelines to hear.

The nearest red team player lunged toward him. The blue team player did not dodge. Carried by the strong inertia of his sprint, he dove fiercely, throwing his entire body forward, and together with the red player clinging to his legs, landed heavily in the touchdown zone, the ball still held firmly in his hands.

Touchdown!

Theos, like other supporters of Nerulum, was stimulated by the blue team's brilliant performance. Unable to suppress his excitement, he suddenly stood up, gesticulated wildly, and shouted at the top of his lungs. He even took a big gulp of beer; the cool foam washed away his earlier restlessness, leaving him feeling refreshed all over.

After sitting down, he realized his palms were completely sweaty from the tension. This was indeed a game even more thrilling and exciting than traditional athletic competitions!

Dicopolis looked at him and said in realization, "So you're supporting Nerulum!"

Theos defended himself sheepishly, "Someone has to support these foreigners. That way the game gets even more intense and exciting!"

Dicopolis nodded in agreement.

Just then, several referees ran toward the touchdown zone, because the blue player who had just scored had not yet gotten up.

What happened? Theos's heart began to tighten again.

The referees waved to the sideline doctor, and soon a stretcher was carried over. The blue player shook his head, refusing to lie on the stretcher. He let his left arm dangle and struggled to stand up...

"Looks like a dislocated shoulder," Dicopolis said.

As the injured player walked off the field, he waved his right hand to the surrounding audience in apology. His previous brilliant and heroic performance had moved the entire crowd, and they gave him a hero's tribute with warm applause and cheers.

"Rugby really is a sport for warriors!" Theos said with emotion.

At that moment, the spectator beside him who had asked earlier could no longer contain himself: "Tonight I'll go back and call on the citizens of Castron to learn rugby. Next time there's a match, we Castron will also have a brilliant showing!"

...

While the attention of most citizens of the Daonia Alliance and many foreigners was captivated by the rugby match, in a house in the cheap residential district below Amendolara, Timasion, Cleanho, and Torax were gathered for a secret conversation.

"Two leaders, I've contacted all the brothers. About one thousand seven hundred are willing to go with us," said Torax, the former mercenary officer and Timasion's trusted subordinate.

"One thousand seven hundred..." Cleanho said, somewhat unsatisfied. "The number is still a bit small."

"It's enough to attack Crimissa!" Timasion said calmly and firmly. "I've thoroughly investigated Crimissa. After the last war, this small city has only about a thousand citizens capable of fighting. Defeating them is no problem at all. The issue is how to take Crimissa city quickly!"

"So we need to carefully prepare siege equipment while keeping it strictly secret, not letting it leak out. If Davos and the others find out, they won't just stop us—they'll also make Crimissa aware!" Cleanho warned.

"I haven't told anyone the real situation. I just followed what you, Leader Cleanho, taught me last time and told them, 'We're going to take you to Syracuse to accept employment from Dionysius to attack the Carthaginians. After the war is won, Syracuse will make us citizens,'" Torax said.

"As for Xanthiparis and Tolmides, we won't mention leaving to them. I've tested them a few times, and I feel they're satisfied with life here..." Cleanho said contemptuously. "Xanthiparis and the others would rather work as dock laborers than pick up weapons to fight again. They've turned from warriors into cowards!"

"Once we take Crimissa, they'll regret it!" Timasion's eyes blazed as he comforted Cleanho.

"What if after we take Crimissa, Croton sends a large army to attack?" Torax asked worriedly.

"Isn't that simple!" Cleanho let out a few mocking laughs. "As soon as we take Crimissa, we'll immediately send someone to Davos saying, 'Crimissa wishes to join the Daonia Alliance.' Davos won't refuse to help us! Even if he truly forgets our previous bonds of comradeship in battle, Philistos, Agasia, Hieronymus... the other officers of the expedition—now Daonian senators—and the soldiers who once fought alongside us—now Daonian citizens—will speak for us. Davos won't ignore the opinions of so many people. Doesn't he claim to be elected by the people? Would he defy the wishes of so many? Am I right, Timasion?!"

"Exactly. How did Davos and the others originally get Amendolara and become rulers of a Magna Graecia city-state? We can learn from their experience too, and with their help, gain Crimissa! We're no worse than them. Why should they be above us while we end up so destitute!" Timasion, who had been taciturn since arriving in the Daonia Alliance, now poured out his feelings, his face full of fighting spirit.

A few days later, when Davos received Aristelas's report and learned that the mercenaries led by Timasion and Cleanho were making suspicious moves, Timasion himself came to request an audience with Davos.

"You want to leave the Alliance?!" Davos said, slightly surprised upon hearing Timasion's request.

"We're going to Syracuse to help Dionysius attack the Carthaginians. I hear he promises, 'After the war is won, you can immediately become a Syracusan citizen and receive fertile land,'" Timasion said seriously.

Davos was silent. Because of Aristelas (Syracuse was responsible for destroying his city-state), he knew quite a bit about Syracuse. Dionysius had indeed made such promises to mercenaries.

Seeing Davos silent, Timasion continued gravely, "Davos, we are very grateful for your help and care during this time, yours and Agasia's. But we are used to freedom and cannot adapt to the strict legal constraints here. Besides, we cannot immediately become Alliance citizens. The brothers all have some complaints. I think our leaving benefits both you and us!"

Davos gazed at Timasion, seeing his determination, and slowly nodded: "Alright, if you're going to Sicily, is there anything you need my help with?"

"Please return the weapons and equipment we stored in your armory. And... could you help us as a guarantor so we can hire a batch of ships to transport us to Syracuse? Um, if you could also give us some tents so we can camp in the wild after arriving in Syracuse before we get hired... and if you could also donate some food..."

The news that Timasion, Cleanho, and over 1,700 mercenaries were leaving the Daonia Alliance caused a small stir among the senators of the Senate.

For senators like Kynogoratas, Cornelius, and Protesilaus, who held important positions and had often been tormented by these troublemaking mercenaries in recent months, this was truly great news.

For former mercenary senators like Philistos, Agasia, and Hieronymus, it was deeply regrettable.

Although Davos also showed regret on the surface, inside he felt much more relaxed. After all, many people in the Alliance now knew that Timasion and the others were Davos's former comrades-in-arms from Persia. So whenever they committed any major misdeed in the Alliance, not only would senators (especially those from Thurii led by Polyxides) complain to him, but the citizens would also grumble. Over time, this would certainly damage Davos's prestige.

On the day Timasion led the mercenaries away, the former mercenary senators and many former expedition soldiers went to the port to see them off.

Faced with Agasia's apology, Timasion gave him a powerful hug: "Among these comrades, I am most grateful to you, because you truly wanted to help us! By Zeus, we will repay your kindness!"

Cleanho said proudly to Xanthiparis, Tolmides, and others: "One day, you'll realize it was a mistake not to leave. Then you'll come begging us!"

Watching the cargo ships loaded with mercenaries leave the dock, Agasia felt a sense of loss. He said despondently to Davos, "Did I make a mistake? Perhaps I shouldn't have brought them to the Alliance in the first place?"

Davos patted him on the shoulder and pointed to the side: "You didn't make a mistake. Not every mercenary likes a life of constant fighting. They chose the Alliance with your help, didn't they?"

In the direction he pointed, Xanthiparis, Tolmides, and other mercenaries, after bidding farewell to their companions, were dispersing to continue their day's labor...

"During this time of contact with them, I'm sure you've also noticed," Davos said solemnly to the dejected Agasia. "Today we are no longer the men we were in Persia, while they are still who they were back then. Those willing to accept new changes, we welcome. As for men like Timasion who are unwilling to change themselves to adapt to the new environment, leaving is the best choice."