B.C.E.

The Spartan king looked on as the rush of water came upon the beach, eyes narrowed slightly. His ship, along with many others of their fleet, had yet to make berth. The few that did land were meant to test the waters, so to speak, seeing if the Trojans had prepared for this day. And they had.

"My king Menelaus," a soldier said after several minutes, kneeling before his superior. "It is as you expected. The Trojans were ready. The beach has been flooded up to at least four feet. The first wave has been heavily damaged. The ships can be salvaged, but, on sight alone, at least half of the troops have been wiped out by the surge."

The king nodded, turning to the soldier. "The Gods smile on the prepared, captain. It seems we both have done well in this aspect. when the waters have calmed, send out the second wave. Let's see how far they have prepared."

"It will be done, My King." Not long after, another team of ships made for the shores.

The great wolf turned back to the shores, glaring towards the city-state. "Before this day is done, Sparta will claim the Black Beaches for Greece."

[Yes, I know Menelaus was Helen's husband, historically speaking. But I wanted him still in the story]

*

Inside the walls of the city, many were preparing for the inevitable attack. Just about every inch of the city was alive with hustle and bustle, readying for the slight chance that the great walls of Troy would be breached.

However, there were a few tiny areas that were still comparatively quiet. In one of them, a red hedgecat - with the new law passed, he could finally show all of his features in public - stood some paces away from a target. Gripping the bow in his hand firmly, he quickly fired an arrow at the target: bulls-eye, just like the previous two.

"Your skill remains as sharp as ever, Sol." At the sound of his name, he turned to the voice, seeing a silver hedgehog, clad in battle armor.

"My lord Hector!" Sol immediately knelt down as the hedgehog approached. "...Of course, sir. When is like me, it's either be the best or not be at all."

The hedgehog sighed. "Hopefully, those days will be coming to an end soon... The time has finally come, Sol. The Greeks are at our doorstep."

"I understand, My Lord. We will do our best to protect this land."

"Of course you will. However, I would feel better if my chief archer was at his post."

The hedgecat looked up, shocked. "R-really?"

"Yes, Sol. There is no equal to you, with a bow and arrow. It is only right that you are to command them, no?"

Sol smiled, sighed reverently. This was a moment he could only dream about!

"Now, take your post along the wall. Prepare them to unleash hell on the invaders."

Sol rose, nodded. "It will be done, My lord. I won't let you down!" He quickly made his exit, joining the bustle of the rest of the city.

Hector sighed, silently cursed his brother Paris, for bringing war upon the land he loved... It was inevitable, he decided, moving to organize the rest of his men. Sooner or later, the Greeks would have attacked. He preferred it to be later though, especially with his wife so deep into conception...

[*sigh* Epic big post is epically big... x.x]

Echo, Shadow, and the rest of Team Troy was quickly on the wall. Paris was to their right.

"Damn you Paris." Shadow spoke up first.

"War was inevitable Shadow. I simply started it now rather than later."

"Let's just hope they dont pierce this wall. How long until the tunnels ae drained?" Echo asked one of the workers.

"Ten minutes."

"Wait for them to storm the beaches then advance through the tunnels. Arrow fire the first assault if they try to turn to fight the Trojan advacnce." Echo told them.

"Make sure Hector knows the plan. Zeus knows what he'll go and get himself into." The worker nodded and began to relay the orders.

The second wave arrived on the beach, the remnants of the first joining them. However, they did not storm the beach as they did before. Instead, they all formed into ranks, advanced slowly in their fabled phalanx formation: shields up, protecting each other from thigh to neck, spears at the ready. They were going to let the Trojans make the first move, this time.

*

Sol arrived on the wall, meeting up with the rest of the archers. "Hey guys!" he said with a grin. "Guess who Lord Hector personally promoted to chief archer!" He was met with mixed reactions, some him, others sneering. He sighed, knowing it would be a mixed bag. After all, he was a half-breed.

"All right, but seriously." He put on a serious face, turning to the former chief. "What's the situation?" The cat saluted, relayed the orders. "...Okay. Saddle up, everyone. This is the real deal."

Shadow sighed. He had nothing against the half breed, but he was too enthusiastic abotu this position.

"Hector. Be careful. You know we cant charge Phalanx." Echo nodded.

"They go around the holes. Order everyone to march down and take them from the middle of the assault. The rest will charge head on. The archers will take down any regiments that turn to aid the ones behind them." The army was scrambling to complete the orders but soon they were marching through the tunnels.

Hector sighed, relaying his own set of orders, as he received the ones issued. He had a small battalion deployed at the gates, just in case there was a full-on assault. It was very unlikely, but better safe than sorry. He gazed off to the beach, as Trojan and Spartan soldiers met. As expected, the Spartans were ready for war, for their Phalanx did not falter in the slightest. Hopefully, the flanking maneuver would change that a little.

"Archers," he signaled, and the order was sent along the chain.

Sol nodded when the the order was given, readying his bow. "Everyone, wait for my signal to fire!" he ordered. "We'll make sure every shot counts!"

"What is hector doing!?" Echo shouted, running twords the archers ready to strike. But he was too late. They'd already sent their arrows out. The Trojan army settled behind the archer line to avoid fire and the spartans appraoched the gates. The arrows bounced off of shields and helmets and armor, but not one spartan fell.

Meanwhile the Trojans in the center of the assualt were holding off the rear well. The phalanx did not faulter, but the line was broken. Paris led his troops ito the gap and charged ahead. Echo found hector and slapped him upside the head.

"NExt time try following orders for once!" He looked to the workers.

"CLOSE THE GATES NOW!!!" If the archers kept this up then the spartans would breach the gate on the first day.

[I never intended to strike yet, but okay.]

"What are you all doing!?" Sol shouted over the whizzing of arrows. He never gave the order yet. "STOP FIRING!!" After a bit more shouting, the archers ended their assault.

"...Damn." Hector huffed, ordering the man back into the city. Thankfully, the Spartans were held back from the gates, many valiant Trojans keeping them at bay.

The first wave was still assulting the beach however, and commin closer to the gates. Echo gave the order for the archers to enter then tunnels.

"SOL! HECTOR! FOLLOW THEM!" He shouted to the generals.

%

Meanwhile Paris, with Helen watching him, was striking Sparatn after Spartan in the center and rear advances.

The duo moved quickly, Sol threatening the archers to do as he said that time, or he'd personally kill them.

Hector sighed, moving to strike the rear advance, along with many other soldiers. Perhaps it wasn't the best time to elect Sol as a general. He trusted him, yes, but not many others did...

*

King Menelaus chuckled, watching the events on the beach unfold. "Not even the third wave, and the Trojans are stumbling over themselves."

"Shall we send the next wave, sir?" the captain inquired.

"...Go ahead. This day belongs to Sparta, and we didn't even use a thousand troops yet."

Shadow appeared and knocked both Hector's and Sol's heads together.

"We'll take over from here!" He looked out on the beaches.

"Get me the Ballista." Several large crossbow mechanisms came to the walls. They were quickly loaded with explosives.

"Take out the first wave!" He ordered. A brigade of Trojans under Echo's command ran ot twords the invaders. The ballista were fired and shattered the phalanx position. The lines met and there was a slaughter.

Meanwhile the Trojans under Paris refused to allow the Spartans another inch of ground.

Sol grumbled. "Well, what do they need us for? Arrogant..."

"Leave them alone," Hector said, showing signs of annoyance himself. If they were just going to harass them for everything they did, they could have just told them to sit the battle out. But he was not going to sit idly while his land was attacked.

Shadow watched as the Trojans gathered together half way down the beach and the ballista were moved out. He turned to Hector and Sol.

"NOW you can go." He told them.

Hector didn't spare a look at the hedgehog, moving his troops to attack to broken Spartan ranks.

"Ready up!" Sol barked to his archer unit as they got in position to fire on the incoming third unit. "Do not fire without my signal, or I will personally shoot you between the eyes!" Nobody dared to disobey him, this time. One thing was certain among all of them, Sol always carried out what he threatened to do.

Shadow walked up behind Sol, watching the Trojans regroup and take defencive position. Echo held Hector back at the Trojan line.

"Dont charge!"

Shadow walked twords Sol.

"Wait for my signal to order the archers. The ballista are almost in firing position. Wait until the phalanx breaks to charge."

"Understood," both generals acknowledged. Hector's unit held the defensive position, not as as strong as a Spartan phalanx, but still solid. Sol drew an arrow back in his bow, as did the rest of his unit, waiting patiently for the signal to strike.

The ballista broke the 4th advance.

"Now." Shadow said. Echo nodded to Hector and his unit.

"LOOSE!" Sol commanded, arrows hailing the Spartan forces with a vengeance.

Hector gripped his sword tightly, his own unit advancing on the invaders, while staying away from the arrow fire.

Echo and Shadow watched as Hector's unit smashed the wounded Spartans.

After cutting through another Spartan warrior, Hector gazed toward the sea, growled softly. There were still dozens of Spartan ships, just waiting to strike. Based on what he could see, their forces numbered in the thousands. The Trojans could only defend for but so long against a war-bred army, which the Spartans were, of that size. And even still, the rest of the Greek forces were well on their way.

"Hector fall back." Echo ordered. Paris's army could handle the assault from here out.

"Sol. Keep your troops behind the front." Shadow said.

The two generals did as ordered. Hector scowled, hating the idea of war. But all the same, he would protect Troy with his life, without question.

*

Menelaus smiled. He could make out a Trojan unit retreating back to the city. "...Captain, has there been any word from the other armies?"

"Sir! We caught sight of a flag along the horizon. Possibly Mycenaean."

"Excellent. Agamemnon is on his way. Send the next two waves! I want all of the Trojans off the beaches!"

"Understood, My King!"

The Trojans needed to make this battle last as long as possible. Once the next few waves of men came Paris's troops with the Ballista's aid and Sol's arrows cleared them finely.

Then came a break in the battle. After so long both sides had to remove the ded so the fighting could continue. Paris ordered all Trojans to loot the bodies of the dead spartans. War ships could only carry so many supplies. And a Spartan army had to eat.

Sol sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow. He idly polished an apple in his hand, looking over what was hoarded from the raided Spartan ships: mostly spare weaponry and rations.

"Are you okay?" He looked up, seeing Hector walk over. "No need to salute," he added. "We're all equals on the battlefield."

The hedgecat sighed, tossed the apple to the hedgehog. "Not exactly like I thought it would be, being a general and all."

Echo and Shadow came by them.

"Being a general is good and all. But you need to stop and think about a situation before you go off attacking. We stopped 5 Spartan waves with minimal loses because we used our power to break their power before the infantry clashed. Strategy is what wins battles, not brute force." Echo told them. Shadow nodded.

"The object of this war is to outlast the Spartans. They sent in their warships before they could load their transports, which is why our fleet is en route to Athens to take out the transports."

"I know all of that," Sol said. "I mean I just realized that it's not enough to just be the best. You gotta be acknowledged as such too, or no one would listen to you."

Hector placed a hand on the hedgecat's shoulder. "It's not the easiest thing, but I think you did okay so far, a lot better than I expected, all things considered. So, how are they?"

Sol smiled softly. "Young, energetic, and driving us insane."