Only a dozen people fled the battlefield, paddling desperately in the dusk with the terrible news.
The outpost in Karelia was breached, and the escapees saw the tragedy of their companions being killed. They had no illusions about how many more people had managed to escape.
The lakeside adjacent to Isoltalwa is not big or small. It takes some time for a boat to reach the exit of the lake. When night falls, the tired escapees take a detour in the night and find the camp using the bonfire formation as a reference.
If there was no war, tonight would be another peaceful night.
However, it was true that the weather was not good, there was a haze in the sky, and most of the stars and moonlight were obscured. It's not that it will rain heavily in a few days, but there is a weak north wind blowing around the world, and the temperature will drop a lot.
Although it is August, autumn clothes are already blooming around Lake Ladoga. The Great Horde tribe in Karelia has recently mobilized for war, but the morale of the army has not exploded.
Ordinary herdsmen are very supportive of competing for living space with their western neighbors, but the details of the new enemies are still unclear. It seems that they are very powerful, and the herdsmen would rather continue to accumulate strength.
The calmness of the past few days has made people lazy. Sentinels have been placed in the forests and river mouths, but no alarm has been heard. Does this mean that the unknown enemy is just occupying the bear altar?
Eshaylas, who was guarding the big camp, had fallen asleep surrounded by female slaves. The pressure of the war in recent days forced him to rely on physical catharsis to suppress his head that was about to explode with anxiety.
Because that's a bear altar! The loss of the altar caused the regular autumn alliances of various tribes to be postponed or rescheduled.
The exhausted defeated soldiers landed. They first encountered some night fishermen, and then brought the surprised candlelight night fishermen who were shouting on the shore.
Some people who were sleeping soundly in the tents were awakened. They were no longer sleepy after learning the news about the enemy's invasion.
Someone frantically broke into Aesailas' big tent, knowing full well that this was trespassing, but the situation was urgent and the messenger could no longer care about his own life.
"Something serious has happened! The enemy has arrived at the mouth of the river!"
The messenger yelled for a while, and Aesailas finally woke up. He pushed the slave girl away and yelled: "Where did you come from, you lowly beast? Get out of here!"
"Sir!" The messenger didn't care too much and rushed forward, trembling: "You...your two sons have been killed in the battle. Thousands of attackers are entering the lake in large boats. Our outpost... It’s over!”
Aesailas suddenly lost his temper. He only felt that the world was absurd, and asked again: "You are so bold. Do you know what you are going to say?"
"Sir." The messenger immediately sat down and punched his chest with his right fist. "The enemy who attacked the bear altar is here. Your two sons have died in the battle, and almost all the four hundred brothers at the outpost have died! Sir, listen. Listening to the noise outside, people who have escaped are already telling everything. People are scared."
"Ridiculous, this is ridiculous."
Aesailas stood up with all his strength, put on his leather coat and walked out of the tent. He saw a large group of panicked people walking around holding torches. He tried to control the situation, but how could the panic of such a large tribe be easily suppressed?
Seeing the garrison leader standing up, the frightened herdsmen gathered together and begged for a good solution.
What is a good policy? Where are the good strategies to defend against enemies?
He first called the people who had escaped to the battalion commander and interrogated these people who were in tears.
This time, he got more shocking news than before.
Huge boats like mounds floating on the river, their number is astonishing? The enemies all have flags with white background and blue stripes, and even their clothes are like this? The enemy still has sharp arrows that make the Karelian hunters a joke.
Could it be that the ambush of four hundred men could not inflict heavy damage on the enemy, and for this reason my beloved son died in battle?
At least they died like men, but this bad news made Aesailas blush with anger, and he vowed to fight the invaders to the end in anger!
Thousands of people were waiting outside the war, and the bonfires and torches lit up the dark world.
The people were not sleepy at all, and the roar of discussion only intensified their fear and anxiety.
Aesailas finally appeared again, and the scene suddenly became quiet.
Thousands of eyes watched his shadow and listened to his violent words.
"Brothers! The attackers who desecrated the altar are coming, and the decisive battle is earlier than we expected. They are a group of the most ferocious bears, or ferocious wolves. Our outpost has been breached, and they are about to attack our camp! He attacked Those who want to kill us all! Kill all the men, possess all the women, they kill the elderly and children, and take away our herds of deer. We have no way to escape, and I will fight them to the end!"
The people with their eyes wide open were trembling. They didn't know which god they had offended and provoked such punishment.
Is it true that the whole family cannot be evacuated?
Aesailas claimed that the entire Isotalwa people were guilty of the loss of the sacred bear altar. A man who escapes is a traitor to his ancestors and gods and will be executed immediately.
But women and children must evacuate the herd immediately!
Esailas felt he had made the right decision in the critical situation. It is impossible for him to flee with his tribe, after all, only the real chief has the authority to issue this order. But conceivably the chief would not retreat without a fight. As the chief's brother, if he can't hold the camp, then he should raise his head and come to see him. Besides, the two cowardly sons could still sacrifice their lives for the tribe. For their courage, he would rather die fighting for the tribe.
However, if women and children are killed by war, it is also the most serious disaster. A large number of men die in battle. Women who successfully escape can continue to have children. Although the population has dropped sharply, the tribe can quickly recover.
The hesitant men had to stay, and more men were determined to stay for the decisive battle.
The Karelian tribe began an evacuation movement. The wives cried goodbye to their husbands and the children said goodbye to their fathers. The time given to them was very limited. Women and children wake up the sleeping deer and force them to start moving north.
There were still some women who were determined to stay and would rather die fighting alongside their husbands.
It also includes a large group of old people who decide to die for the tribe and will do whatever they can to kill an enemy...
Esailas was moved to tears. He never imagined that he did not actually commit violence in the end, and the people really took up arms and stood up because of their honor.
He promised all his male and female slaves that they would pick up sharpened sticks and fight. When they defeated the invaders, they would be free and become free herders.
Unfortunately, the night in August was not long. Isotalwa, led by the rational leader, took the correct precautions. What they did was already too late!
On the other hand, the Russian army, which had won the first battle, dared to clean up the battlefield before the sun set.
The corpses of the enemy were roughly patted, and the prisoners were hanged after the trial.
The entire Ross army landed for the night, and all the enemy's weapons were confiscated. Through the large number of bone arrow clusters and even the status of his own casualties, Rurik judged the level of the enemy's army - it was on the same level as the Tavastians.
Rurik did not want to expose himself. His men had already chased him to the lakeside. He especially ordered his men to prohibit lighting bonfires by the lakeside.
The Russian army relied on the river and lit a large number of bonfires on the battlefield in the forest.
This only limited their presence, as the clouds in the sky were illuminated by numerous bonfires.
The Karelian people are not simple fools. How can they just listen to the words of those who escaped and believe that the enemy has invaded?
Look at the southern sky, it's lit up. Despite the forest cover, who would deny that a large army was not hidden there?
The enemy's corpses were removed, and our own corpses were temporarily placed. The injured warrior's wounds were cleaned with strong alcohol, then violently sutured with linen thread, and finally tied with linen cloth.
There were brothers killed and wounded, and the Russian soldiers were furious. The enemy actually dared to launch a sneak attack. Only the Russian army had the right to launch a sneak attack.
At a big bonfire, Rurik gathered all the banner captains and centurions.
While walking among the brothers, he talked about the fleet tactics that would be implemented. There were no sonorous and powerful words, but only specific tactical arrangements.
Everyone basically listened attentively and listened to the end.
"That's the arrangement. Do you have any other suggestions?" Rurik asked.
Everyone looked at each other, the flames illuminated everyone's expressions, and it was obvious that people were supportive.
"In that case, let's arrange it this way..."
Arik suddenly raised his head: "Brother, do we really want to let those women and brats go?"
"Yes. We should let it go this time."
"Why? Those brats will grow up to take revenge and must be eradicated."
"Maybe so. However, I don't believe you will be afraid of a group of grown-up cubs. Brother, you were too violent before, and you were really killing indiscriminately."
"Did I do anything wrong?" Aric asked.
Rurik knew he would say this, but what he said made sense. "It may be wrong or it may be right. I plan to conquer Karelia, so I can't kill indiscriminately. I want them to surrender, and we want a group of slaves. I have already thought about it. Now that I have reached their lair, those who give up resistance will Arrest them all.”
"I'm afraid your kindness will raise a pack of jackals." Arik shook his head.
"It doesn't matter." Rurik faced everyone again, "Aren't you angry about being ambushed and attacked? You should also understand that the enemy is not stupid. Please be careful, I don't want any of you to be injured in tomorrow's battle. Remember, the souls of those who die in battle due to stupidity cannot go to Valhalla.”
The first flag team composed of pure old Russians just wants to kill people, while the other flag teams are more willing to rob and rob women.
Rurik had no time to restrain the troops, so everyone fell asleep. When the sky turned gray and blue, people woke up one after another, ate dry food and got on the boat.
The third flag team composed of Balmoq people blew the walrus horns one after another, and the sound of leather drums heightened the solemnity.
The fleets in the long snake formation entered the lake one after another, and a gust of north wind blew in. The coolness made Rurik feel chilled.
The north wind will reduce the range of arrows, but the biggest advantage is that the sailing ship can sail freely.
"Lower the sails!" Rurik raised his head and ordered.
The Aurora unfurled her huge triangular sail, which was deliberately kept at an angle to the ship's central axis, and she began to sail against the wind.
All sail cruisers, sail destroyers, and armed cargo ships formed a line array and hit the other side of the lake like a wall.
Behind it, there is an array of as many as forty longships, the first and third, a group of veterans of the Second Flag, and even a group of heavily armored mercenaries from Rurik. They are Ross Literally Marines.
Rurik deliberately looked up to the enemy and tried to imagine the assault as a beach landing in Normandy, imagining that the enemy had already taken precautions on the beach.
Coincidentally, Normandy was formed after Danish immigrants colonized an area from the Frankish Kingdom and accepted imperial decrees.
There were a large number of warriors holding crossbows and infantry bows standing on the decks of large ships. They stood so densely together that even some heavy weapons seemed to have a cramped space to maneuver.
Before the war broke out, Rurik fantasized about a decisive land battle with the enemy, so that he could demonstrate the advantages of his own heavy weapons.
Rurik could now foresee that the enemy would be waiting in their large camp, which had been completely exposed. After all, the captured enemies said that they were best prepared for a decisive battle. It seems that heavy weapons can only be used on ships, which is a good thing.
The cart-mounted torsion slingshots prepared for land warfare were placed on the ship again, and the bull trebuchets were basically evenly distributed among each ship.
The decks at the bow and stern of the ship are mainly used for heavy weapons, and the middle deck is densely packed with people holding crossbows.
This time Suomi and the Vips will shoot arrows at the enemy. Their overall poor bows cannot create a very long killing range, so it is no problem to use them as a cover to land.
The sky gradually dawned, and the entire Russian army rushed towards Isotalva.
Many women and children had just left with their children and herds of deer, and they could not go far.
A large number of men stayed up all night. Many people said that the decisive battle would not be tomorrow morning but the day after tomorrow. There would be a big battle within a few days.
The men in Karelia no longer dare to have illusions, because those optimistic illusions have been completely shattered by a group of shadows approaching quickly after dawn!
The man by the lake saw the big ship and the strange triangular sail. Even though the distance was approaching, the huge blue pattern on the sail was clearly visible!
The totem of the Russian people is two interlaced blue lines, which symbolizes the oars.
Ross means oar. This fleet, which once crossed the ocean to expedition to Britain, suddenly appeared in the small lake Isotalva in the north of Lake Ladoga.
The occurrence of this incident completely overturned the cognition of most Karelia people. This was the first time they saw the true appearance of the invader. The strange thing is that many people did not feel fear, but lamented that the big ship must not be a mortal. Made.
"Perhaps they are the apostles of the Lake God. We did not worship the God properly and incurred God's punishment?" A priest made a seemingly reasonable speculation.
Aesailas is not that stupid. Even if he really blasphemed God and was punished, it would be worse than what he should be. The approaching attackers are either God's apostles or despicable foreigners!
He shouted in the camp and called the men to gather at the lakeside with spears, axes and shields.
Those terrifying large ships put an end to the Karelian people's thoughts of water warfare. They gathered on the lakeside and soon assembled a black army. Their roars cause the world to rumble, seeming to frighten away enemies with their momentum.
But in the eyes of all the Viking troops in the Russian army, this is the most classic Viking provocation.
"They are provoking you. I see that they have gathered a lot of people, and they are looking for death!" Yevro yelled at Rurik in the strong wind.
Rurik squinted his eyes and looked solemn. The gold-plated leather helmet had covered most of his face, and the whole person was also covered in chain mail reinforced with bronze sheets, making the whole person look glittering and noble. This kind of defense is indeed a bit too much.
Rurik remained calm and ordered: "Let brothers prepare for battle. Your flag bearer is on standby immediately."
"As you command, my lord."
More than three thousand Karelians had already gathered by the lake, shivering in the coolness of the morning breeze. They were not cold, but fearful, excited, hesitant, and mixed with all kinds of emotions. Most people bring their own bows. When it comes to long-range weapons and equipment, the big tent tribe in Karelia is really strong, even over the top. Unfortunately, their wooden bows were so bad that even when hunting bears, they mostly played a supporting role, and the fatal blows came from spears.
The Karelian army has the most equipment with spears and bows. They shoot arrows desperately and cooperate with the spear holders to stab. This is their magic weapon to win in battle. These tricks are often used by the Tavastians and Suomis at least in battles. Cheap.
However, the Ross fleet suddenly dropped its spear, and Rurik's intuition determined that the flagship had moved into position.
The sails were adjusted to a suitable angle, and coupled with the ship's sailing inertia, the flagship quickly reached the port side to confront the enemy. The Avora entered the battle array, and soon all the battleships were in place.
Standing on the deck, Rurik could basically see his opponent's hair and face clearly. The distance between the two sides seemed to be 150 meters, which was enough.
The flagship communicates with other ships through semaphores, conveying Rurik's personal wishes. The enemy was very strangely standing still. Instead, they formed a dense formation. This formation would naturally be advantageous for fighting in groups. However, in the face of intensive attacks from long-range weapons, isn't it just looking for death? !
Rurik felt that he had quietly stumbled upon a huge opportunity, and ordered the flag signal to inform each ship of the last message: pay attention to the signal flag and fire freely.
A black flag was quickly raised to the top of the flagpole. After all weapons were charged, the shooters all stared at the flagship.
When the black flag reached the top, each ship launched a bombardment in tacit agreement...