Chapter 9: The Battle on the Mountain Path

"Chase!" Haibulida shouted excitedly, turning back to the camp slaves and calling out, "You swine, pack your bundles and follow me down the pass, ready to claim the spoils of war." His hundred-man squad was also greatly excited, with everyone striking their swords against their shields, creating an inspiring sound in preparation for the battle.

"Hey, you are a princess; when did you unilaterally change this character setting?" shouted Karabis while chasing, holding a shield. Then, Adiana shouted, "Be careful!" and turned back to tackle Karabis. Karabis felt a warm pressure on his chest, and then a tremendous rumbling sound rolled past his feet— it was a light chariot with sharp spears extending from both the axle and the carriage, charging in desperately from outside. The rapidly spinning axle emitted a sharp, rumbling sound, and soldiers from the triad threw javelins at it from all directions, but they were all skillfully evaded by the adept driver— in fact, Prince Tegré of Armenia, who maneuvered like a nimble stag.

Haibulida held the camp flag, turning back with an incredulous expression to look at the furious Utaireisi, and said: "What are you talking about? Hasn't the enemy retreated? We have already taken this pass, and the next step is naturally to charge down, to storm into the Armenians' camp and make a big score. Please do not waste my time; once the Armenians notice and strengthen their defenses, what is within reach will slip away."

Many advisors, including Prince Tigranes, urged Tigranes to swiftly retreat to Tigranocerta, where they could replenish their military strength before confronting the Romans again. However, some chieftains from Arabia or Armenia attended the banquet of the King of Kings, drinking and boasting that the Romans' morale had been severely undermined by their bravery in the daytime battle. They claimed that as long as they were well rewarded tonight, they guaranteed a counterattack the next day that would drive the Romans to utter defeat, all the way to the Aegean Sea.

At the convoy by the tents in Tegreinis, the Third Regiment engaged in a fierce melee with the Armenian Guard. This guard was composed of noble youths selected from the Taurus Mountains, clad in breastplates forged from fine steel, with white plumes symbolizing pride and honor adorning their helmets. Armed with round shields and sharp spears, these "showpieces" proved ineffective against the seasoned veterans of the Third Regiment. In the chaos of battle, they were swiftly pierced, slashed, stabbed, and thrust at by the agile short swords. In no time, numerous corpses were left behind, and none cared for the dignity of their noble status, as it was dark and visibility was poor. They fled in disarray, surrendering their Majesty's grand camp.

What are you waiting for, stab him with the spear! Karabis found it hard to believe that such words came from the rosy lips of Adiana. He stepped forward, raising the short spear, while the crippled archer raised his other hand in front of himself, speaking rapidly and sorrowfully in Armenian, a stream of words that Karabis clearly understood, "Please, do not kill me"

Karabis seized the hem of Adiana's skirt, cutting it with a knife and tearing it with his hands. He turned to Porty and Demetrius, shouting, "What are you waiting for? Come help, quickly!" The two of them hesitated for a moment, then joined in the "tear the cabbage" effort, causing Adiana to scream in embarrassment. Soon, her skirt transformed into a Hawaiian grass skirt, barely reaching above her knees. "Alright, now it should be much easier to run. Hurry, Porty, pull her along!" Karabis instructed while running ahead, as Haibrida was only twenty to thirty meters away from them.

At this moment, Karabis was thrown several meters away, stumbling as he sat down, his nose bleeding. Boti and a few others quickly supported him. The Haibulida's troops moved like a whirlwind, while the hundred-man squad of Utaeris transformed into three ranks for close combat. They steadied themselves against the urgent assault of the Armenians, and once engaged in sword and shield combat, it would become the realm of the Romans.

Oh, then you can wait here; perhaps Murira will come, and you can drink and enjoy the breeze together at this mountaintop. Hebrida said sarcastically, then he threw down his shield, slung a strap on each side, and equipped himself with two short swords, ready for a swift assault

The Thracian gladiator Spartacus left all the maidens in the city in awe—an inscription praising this swordsman carved on a wall in Pompeii

I want to claim my own spoils! This was the cry of Adiana as she broke free from Karabis's grasp and rushed out. "Damn it," Karabis thought as he tried to pull her back, but three or four arrows fell between them, causing Karabis to retreat in fear. He then grabbed a shield from another camp slave and ran out again.

Taking this opportunity, all the Roman Legion and the Hundred Men began to mobilize, launching an unplanned fierce attack against the Armenians. Even the Murira detachment, which arrived late at the mountaintop, discovered Utaeris and learned the true situation on the battlefield. The helpless Murira felt that he too had been "deployed" by that bastard Haibulida, and could only lead his entire detachment down the mountain to attack.

They quickly cut through the deer fence and barriers of the Armenian camp, crossed the trench, and swiftly charged in. "Why are you so excited?" Amidst the running, Karabis's hair was blown into disarray. She shouted loudly at the wildly charging Adiana, who was brandishing a pickaxe, and it is hard to imagine that this person was actually a princess of the Kingdom of Pontus, appearing more like a barbarian woman.

At that moment, he saw Biduita at the banquet, the robust indigo Highland warrior, who was voraciously consuming food and drink while watching several plump female slaves wiping the dining table. He then raised his wine cup and asked, "What task has your master assigned you to carry out?"

"Get up!" With a pull from Kalabis's long arm, and amidst Adiana's scolding, "You should show some respect, you two-eared clay pot!", he directly lifted her up. Then he drew out a short knife (which had been specially issued to him by the Third Brigade before the stand). At this point, Adiana's scolding turned into a panicked scream, "What are you going to do, you two-eared clay pot!"

"It was to escort Lord Metdoros, but it seems that this task has fallen through now," replied Bidu Ita, sloshing the drink in his bushy-mouthed lips.

Calabis tied a longer wooden stick horizontally to the soldier's pickaxe, and then, following the instructions of Haibrida, he bound three short torches to the pickaxe with ropes. Once completed, it resembled the trident of Poseidon, the sea god, as well as the large menorah of the Jewish Festival of Lights. He and Demetrius then assisted Porty and Adiana in securing the pickaxe.

Karabis, I feel that the blood of my ancestors has awakened within me. Indeed, the blood of the Mithra family, with its instincts of bravery, cunning, and fierce combat, may lead me to become the queen of this land in the future!" Adiana was already rambling incoherently

Everyone looked at Adiana or Calabia with immense surprise as she held the bloody axe, turning back to say: "Having faced off with Haibrida before, I will no longer fear swords and blades. I have long urged you to follow behind me." Calabis felt a bit flushed; he hurriedly ran forward with Demetrius, one picking up a spear and the other a shield. He turned back to say: "Having faced off with Haibrida before, I will no longer fear swords and blades. I have long urged you to follow behind me." Calabis felt a bit flushed; he hurriedly ran forward with Demetrius, one picking up a spear and the other a shield.

However, he shouted for a long time, yet Charnus did not come to see him. It was not until a servant ran over and quietly informed him that Charnus of Godini had unilaterally abandoned the camp and fled with the troops, likely having reached a secret agreement with the Romans.

"So will you ensure the safety of me and Nessa now? The price is not an issue, and the several female slaves you have your eyes on tonight will all be yours," Tegrenis continued to inquire.

In the astonished gaze of the soldiers and slaves in Calabris, Utheris was knocked to the ground and then bound to a tree, bruised and battered. His two attendants, also in a state of shock, were disarmed. "I swear by Father Jupiter, you will receive the most severe punishment, oh Father above, woe is me!" Utheris cursed while bound. Haibrida removed the silver ring from his finger and stuffed it into Utheris's mouth; this ring was a symbol of the centurion's status. "If the punishment is to remove this thing, then I will hand it over to you in advance. I am about to explode, and I do not care for this worthless trinket that is only worth three or five Deklamas," Haibrida said proudly.

Cheers! Everyone present raised their glasses exuberantly

Outside the encampment, shadows of people moved in throngs; the Armenians did not understand the extent of the situation, and most merely shot arrows haphazardly from a distance

The young military officer nodded, when suddenly a sound of hooves and battle cries came from beside his position. A cavalry unit of Romans, led by a tall and handsome officer, had already charged into the Armenian camp. The chief centurion of the Eleventh Legion shouted, "This is bad, it’s Lucullus’s brother-in-law, the cavalry commander Claudius! We cannot let him seize the glory and spoils of war. Brothers, the Eleventh Legion is the best, follow me!"

What about Chernus of Godini, what about Chernus of Godini? Tegreinis suddenly thought of this small vassal state; he needed the King of Godini to bring his country's spearmen to the left plains to block the cavalry attack of the Romans

Finally, even the hundred-man team of Utharis was "snatched" away by Haibrida—these soldiers understood the concept of "perpetual subordination" and knew that following him would yield more spoils of war. As for the rivalry between the two centurions, these mercenaries were too indifferent to care.

The entire situation resembles a fruit core, flesh, and skin that are all burning together

Not far from this tent, there are numerous positions established by the Romans who advanced in broad daylight, as evidenced by the prominently displayed reddish-brown legionary standards. The control areas of both sides can only be described as interlocking.

A soldier from Armenia saw them, charging forward with a short spear and a round wicker shield, shouting loudly. Karabis's hands trembled along with the axe, while Demetrius cried out for divine protection. However, it was Diana who seized the axe, her grass skirt bouncing with her running movements. She dodged the soldier's thrust and struck the axe down onto his neck. The soldier sprayed a jet of blood and then fell to the ground due to inertia, his legs twitching twice before he died. Demetrius cried out for divine protection, but it was Diana who seized the axe, her grass skirt bouncing with her running movements. She dodged the soldier's thrust and struck the axe down onto his neck. The soldier sprayed a jet of blood and then fell to the ground due to inertia, his legs twitching twice before he died.

"Lower your heads, lower your heads!" Karabis shouted. The group of camp slaves, armed only with pickaxes, axes, and other tools, cautiously followed the soldiers of the regiment, hunched over to avoid the cold arrows shot from all directions by the Armenians. They sought cover among the various chariots, steadily approaching the large tent, where the entrance was piled high with corpses, and fires burned everywhere.

Ultimately, the two centurions engaged in a "relay" formation. Upon witnessing this, Utharis whistled a few times, prompting his weary soldiers to slowly and orderly retreat while holding their shields. Meanwhile, the centurions of Haibrida divided into several groups and advanced slowly and orderly. Eventually, the two centurions interwove through the gaps in their formations, completing the combat relay. The Armenian sentry unit, under the assault of the newly arrived and vigorous Haibrida troops, held out for half an hour before they could no longer sustain themselves. Turning their backs to the Romans, they abandoned their fallen comrades and fled down the pass.

Certainly, the most tragic encounters were those of the camping slaves who were lost and wandering in the middle of the mountain road. Most of them did not heed the advice of Calabis, and as a result, they were either killed by the Armenians or stabbed to death by the pursuing Haibrida troops, as they obstructed the advance of the army

This text appears to be incomplete or consists solely of symbols. Please provide a complete sentence or text for translation.

Do not block the way! In that fleeting moment, Little Tegre fiercely took out a javelin from the car and threw it at Adiana and Calabis, who were lying on the ground

Another Armenian archer randomly shot an arrow at them, which was blocked by Demetrius. Then, Karabis did not give the opponent a chance to re-draw the bowstring, shouting loudly as he pursued the enemy with a short spear. Just as the archer was trembling and preparing to flee in another direction, Adiana rushed in from the side, delivering another axe blow that struck the archer's arm. The archer fell to the ground, clutching his broken arm, rolling and crying out in pain. Just as the archer was trembling and preparing to flee in another direction, Adiana rushed in from the side, delivering another axe blow that struck the archer's arm. The archer fell to the ground, clutching his broken arm, rolling and crying out in pain

At this moment, Tegreinis is also in a state of confusion; he can no longer discern which side is speaking the truth, as he has not witnessed the situation on the front lines during today's battle.

Of course, she is my Aibona. I am not the master of the sword; rather, this sword is my master, so my nickname in the book is Aibona's right hand

"Cease eating, everyone stand up and form an offensive formation." Haibrida raised the camp flag, ignoring the threats and insults from Utaeris beside him. "Camp slaves, each carry three torches, bound to a pickaxe." This was Haibrida's second command

Taking advantage of this opportunity, some of the Armenian warriors, realizing that the number of Romans was actually quite small, prepared to encircle them instead. It should be noted that even though these warriors were few in number, they posed an overwhelming threat to the Third Legion, akin to a mountain pressing down.

Biduyita laughed and said it was an honor for a humble person like him

Over there, Adiana urged sharply again, surrounded by shouts and the sounds of battle. Karabis raised his spear, sweat pouring from his palms, nose, and forehead, mumbling, "Forgive me, forgive me..." After saying this, he raised the spear high, the tip pointing downward, and thrust it down fiercely. In an instant, he felt the warm, moist blood and the quivering flesh of the archer transmit vividly through the spear, directly reaching his palms, his body, and even his blood, causing him to tremble uncontrollably. In his tension, his eyes inexplicably began to shake, shaking so violently that they seemed about to burst from their sockets. The spear tip pointed downward, and he thrust it down fiercely again, feeling the warm, moist blood and the quivering flesh of the archer transmit vividly through the spear, directly reaching his palms, his body, and even his blood, causing him to tremble uncontrollably. In his tension, his eyes inexplicably began to shake, shaking so violently that they seemed about to burst from their sockets

Tegreinis and Naisar both laughed, raised their cups, and shouted: "To the Celtic goddess of horses and war, Epona, cheers!"

The soldiers, and even the slaves, could hardly contain their excitement and joy. They stood at the entrance of the camp, taking turns to chop down and kill the chieftains and officers who stumbled out, drunk and disoriented. Many, envious of the glimmering ornaments, began to search for treasures on the chariots and corpses, digging and prying with great enthusiasm. Haibrida, infuriated, shouted, "You have never seen the world; quickly follow me into this camp, for there are treasures piled high in there." Many, envious of the glimmering ornaments, began to search for treasures on the chariots and corpses, digging and prying with great enthusiasm. Haibrida, infuriated, shouted, "You have never seen the world; quickly follow me into this camp, for there are treasures piled high in there."

Standing at the pass, Haibulida gazed at the scene below through the low-hanging night veil, astonished to catch her breath: the transparent campfires of the Armenians clustered around a particularly large golden-embroidered tent, surrounded by horsemen holding torches. In front of the tent were densely packed war chariots, each adorned with parasols, embedded with jewels and gold, their radiance even in the twilight sufficient to captivate the heart. These vehicles must belong to esteemed chieftains and kings.

Haidlida, I command you in my capacity as a senior centurion and military tribune, if you still hold even the slightest respect for the decrees of the Roman legions! Just..." Before Utairis could finish his words, his head was struck hard by the tail of Haidlida's standard. He swayed sideways a couple of times, trying to brace himself to avoid falling, but then his back was struck several more times by Haidlida.

The Chief Centurion understood immediately, saluted, and said, "Your Excellency, it is possible that a brother unit has infiltrated. Your Excellency, in order to ensure the safety of this brother unit, I am determined to forgo the night camp and launch a direct assault!"

The camp slaves caught between two hundred-man squads began to descend into chaos. Several Armenian soldiers had already charged into their ranks, like leopards entering a sheepfold, and many were cut down or shot. "Get to the woods over there, everyone back to back, leaning against the tree trunks!" Karabis raised a bronze axe in his hand, which he had purchased for one drachma in the city of Amisus. It bore the inscription "Finely crafted by the workshop of Kopholys." Together with Adiana, Portis, and Demetrius, they huddled together, slowly making their way toward a large tree by the roadside. "Get to the woods over there, everyone back to back, leaning against the tree trunks!" Karabis raised a bronze axe in his hand, which he had purchased for one drachma in the city of Amisus. It bore the inscription "Finely crafted by the workshop of Kopholys." Together with Adiana, Portis, and Demetrius, they huddled together, slowly making their way toward a large tree by the roadside.

Before Karabis could regain his composure, his cheek was struck heavily. In the moment he was sent flying to the roadside, he heard the voice of Haibrida: "Get out of the way, pigs! I'm coming through!" It turned out that Haibrida's hundred-man squad had taken over, rapidly closing in on Utheris's hundred-man squad. As a result, Karabis, who was blocking the way, was knocked aside by Haibrida's shield.

The fire dragon, formed by more than thirty camping slaves, lined up in a row, holding torches on their pickaxes, created a striking effect. Haibrida charged forward, rushing down from the mountain pass, shouting the names of the war god Mars and the goddess Minerva, as well as the names of their family and the god of literature (many names, please forgive Calabis for not being able to hear them all clearly). Over a hundred soldiers from the triad, disregarding formation and fatigue, all shouted together as they charged down the hill. Shouting the names of the war god Mars and the goddess Minerva, as well as the names of their family and the god of literature (many names, please forgive Calabis for not being able to hear them all clearly), over a hundred soldiers from the triad disregarded formation and fatigue, all shouted together as they charged down the hill

On the other side, at the foothills nearly one thousand meters above sea level near the summit of Tegreinis, in the dim twilight, the rapidly advancing Third Brigade encountered the Armenian guard unit stationed at the mountain pass.

The Armenian guard cavalry had just seen several wounded soldiers running down from the mountain pass, from whom they learned that a Roman contingent had appeared on the mountain. A captain of the guard, not daring to delay, passed through the gate and arrived at the grand camp of Tigranes. This camp was so vast, surrounded on all sides by frameworks of cedar wood and purple drapery, resembling walls. The ground was covered with thick blankets made of wool and camel hair, and within it were countless rooms divided into a front hall, dining hall, conference hall, and sleeping quarters. The captain of the guard first arrived at the front hall, where he could only see amidst the thunderous noise that all the chieftains were feasting voraciously at the dining tables. Several male and female servants, moaning and completely naked, knelt on the tables, their bodies being penetrated by the equally naked chieftains and generals. The entire hall was filled with the chaotic scent of a mixture of alcohol and bodily fluids.

Neither side anticipated the sudden appearance of the other. The Armenian soldiers, upon discovering the enemy's presence, rushed forward in a frenzy, with the first to charge being the hundred-man unit commanded by Utharis at the forefront. The Roman formation's tactical approach could not be effectively deployed in the narrow mountainous terrain, forcing them to engage in close combat with the valiant Armenian mountaineers.

Utharis, who had retreated to the rear for a temporary rest, heard the performance of Haibrida and saw the camp slaves surging forward. He suddenly had a foreboding feeling, thinking, "That lowly fellow is up to something again." Accompanied by two attendants, he quickly ran to the pass and happened to see Haibrida pulling the camp flag out of the ground. "Lowly centurion Haibrida, you are not permitted to exercise any authority beyond your rank!"

Diamond formation, diamond formation! Utharis continued to whistle and shouted orders loudly. The flag officer beside him was pierced by three javelins, sitting on the ground like a sack that had been punctured, still not completely fallen over, but only exhaling through his nostrils and mouth. Utharis then took the battalion flag, planted it into the ground, and shouted, "This is the boundary, no one is allowed to retreat a single step, and the enemy must not take the sixth battalion's flag!" He then instructed the bugler, "Sound the enemy encounter signal, and call Haibrida to come quickly!" At this moment, the soldiers of the hundred-man unit formed a diamond formation in accordance with his orders, allowing the shields to protect all sides of the unit. Arrows and flying stones struck above, producing a continuous thudding sound.

"A very good weapon, does it have a name?" Tegreinis took a sip of his drink, also captivated.

"Bugler, signal to the rear of the mountain path, stating that there is no enemy presence at the summit, and we are preparing to camp." Haibulida summoned several buglers, and soon three very soothing bugle calls echoed out. Murira, who had reached the mountainside along with the centurions of the other battalions, received this message and began to discuss: The front is secure, and now all soldiers shall temporarily halt, eat, and rest, awaiting the legion from below the mountain to act in concert tomorrow. Murira, who had reached the mountainside along with the centurions of the other battalions, received this message and began to discuss: The front is secure, and now all soldiers shall temporarily halt, eat, and rest, awaiting the legion from below the mountain to act in concert tomorrow

Thus, a peculiar scene emerged on the battlefield: the Third Brigade of Haibulida surrounded the large tent of Tegreinis, leaving no room for escape; meanwhile, outside, the Armenian Guard encircled the Third Brigade, ensuring not a single drop could pass through; looking at the entire external situation, the Roman cavalry launched a fierce assault against the Armenian forces entrenched in the camp.

"However, you won't protect me in the same way you protect Metadorus, will you?" Tegrenis asked, half-jokingly probing.

"With me, Bidu Ita, here, what do a few petty thieves from Rome count for? My beloved Abona will instantly send them all to the underworld." A burly man covered in indigo tattoos, though completely naked, had a long sword hanging from his waist. He laughed maniacally, raising a wine jar in one hand to drink wildly, while with the other hand he tugged at the hair of a kneeling voluptuous slave girl, crashing into her rear like a wild bull. The wine dripping from his beard flowed down the slave girl's curvaceous spine, continuously spilling and falling to the ground.

"Damn the mountain road, damn the night." Murira sat on a low stool at mhetushucom.com, removed his heavy and burdensome helmet, and complained. Just as several soldiers brought roasted meat and wine to his mouth, three sharp bugle calls echoed from the mountaintop, startling Murira into putting his helmet back on. "Could it be that the Uthreus regiment has encountered enemy forces up there?"

Apis glanced at the chief centurion and said, "Given your attire and appearance, I suppose this matter need not be questioned by me any further"

Karabis was about to explode with anger, but at that moment, Demetrius grabbed his arm: "Karabis, whatever you do, don't stop!" Karabis turned around and saw Hebrida, about fifty to sixty meters away, glaring with wide eyes, biting his lip, and charging towards them with sword and shield in hand

Please rest assured, my master has no reason to fall out with Your Majesty, therefore I swear by my own sword that I will never draw it against Your Majesty. " Bidu Yita drew his Celtic longsword, a treasure so radiant that the kings and chieftains present at the banquet were all captivated by its brilliance

Indeed, indeed, this must be the tent of the King of Armenia, there can be no mistake! The voice of Haibulida trembled with a hint of excitement in the night wind. At that moment, the sound of a military bugle echoed from below the mountain path, and his expression changed; that should be the signal for the follow-up team of the mobile unit. No! We must charge down immediately.

At this moment, the immense chaos in the Armenian camp caused unease among the Roman positions. Many centurions found it extremely puzzling, as none of them had received prior orders for a night attack. So, who exactly were these Armenians battling against? The closest to the main camp was the 1st cohort of the 11th Legion. Their chief centurion, fully equipped, approached the military tribune Apis to inquire how to handle this situation.

Tegreinis was enraged upon hearing the news, striking the tent's doorpost with his sword as if it were the body of the traitor Charnus

Little does he know that Utaireis is currently bound to a large tree at the summit, enjoying the refreshing and penetrating chill of the autumn night in the Taurus Mountains! And those three sharp blasts of the horn signify that Haibrida is issuing the command for the entire team to launch an assault

The fierce battle continued until the afternoon: the Roman forces successfully crossed the Sophene River, with many centuries deeply embedded in the Armenian camp, some only a few stadia away from the main camp at Tigranocerta. Thousands of Armenians were killed or captured, and the remaining defeated soldiers gathered around the camp at Tigranocerta, as if this place seemed safer.

"Great Step War God, Great Step War God!" The most elite First Battalion, filled with veterans who have served for over ten years, heard the words of the centurion and encouraged each other with chants, eagerly rushing out of the position.

In the camp of the Armenian king, Tigranes, clad in armor and wielding a sword, stood at the entrance of the tent, issuing commands to the various chieftains and kings with a flourish of his sword. His mind had been thoroughly muddled the previous night due to grief and alcohol, resulting in his orders being either vague or disordered. Nevertheless, the chieftains and kings could only nod repeatedly, as carriages and horses rushed back and forth, attempting to coordinate an army of tens of thousands to effectively thwart the Roman advance

Utharis was filled with anger as he pointed at Heibrida and shouted: "I have already communicated with the follow-up team using the signal earlier. General Murira has instructed us to remain in place and wait for his arrival before we act in unison"

The captain of the guard, in a state of helplessness, could only retreat outside. He stood at the camp gate and saw the sounds of battle erupting from the mountain pass above, as a "fire dragon" descended with the force of wind and rain, charging towards his side! Initially, a few soldiers were so frightened that they screamed nervously, "The Romans are flying down from the sky!" This message spread from one to ten, and from ten to a hundred, with shrieks and panic exploding throughout the entire camp. Everyone scrambled to mount their horses and flee, and for a moment, the sounds within the camp resembled the simultaneous collapse of a hundred temples.

The soldiers of the battalion are currently sitting in place, taking out their bread and water bottles, eating silently and swiftly, for a life-and-death battle awaits them imminently, where they may either be surrounded by the enemy and left to die in the wilderness, or succeed in a surprise attack and reap great rewards