EMPIRE REWRITTEN [Isekai ? Alt-History ? Strategy]

In the pale hours before dawn, Constantine quietly ordered the camp broken. Guided by Theban scouts familiar with the terrain, the Byzantine army slipped silently out of Thebes, beginning its swift march along an ancient Roman road toward Livadeia. To maintain speed, Constantine brought only essential supply carts and the field artillery, leaving the largest bombard in Thebes under a small guard to follow later if necessary.

Over the next two days, the imperial forces moved swiftly and quietly across plains and gentle hills, resting only briefly and marching again at first light. Constantine rode near the vanguard, listening to the rhythmic sounds of marching boots, the creak of leather harnesses, and hushed conversations. On the second evening, Thomas approached him, voice low: "Scouts report clear paths ahead. If fortune favors us, we'll surprise them yet." Constantine nodded thoughtfully, anticipation tightening in his chest. A quick and decisive victory at Livadeia would be invaluable; he silently prayed the defenders would choose reason and surrender peacefully.

Two days after their departure, the dawn's first glow found the Byzantines poised at the outskirts of Livadeia. The town stretched below, nestled in a mist-shrouded valley. Livadeia's walls appeared gray and gold in the emerging daylight, medieval battlements encircling the town. Dominating the scene, a fortress stood high upon a steep hill, like a crown overlooking the valley. Through the heart of Livadeia ran a shimmering river, catching the first rays of morning sun.

Within moments, alarm bells began to toll from inside the town, the swift approach of Constantine's army could no longer remain hidden. Though complete surprise had been lost, the Ottomans were clearly unprepared for the rapidity of the Byzantine advance. On the battlements, sentries scrambled hastily to their positions, still bleary-eyed from sleep and visibly shaken by the sudden appearance of thousands of soldiers outside their walls.

Constantine acted swiftly. Before the garrison could fully muster, he ordered his trumpeter to sound a parley. Under a hastily raised white banner, a small party rode forward toward the main gate, an officer sent by Constantine, flanked by a standard-bearer and a translator. Behind them at a distance, cannons were quietly being unlimbered and infantry deploying into formation, though Constantine hoped they would not need to fight.

As the small delegation came within earshot of the gate, the officer raised his voice, his tone carrying the authority of Constantine's rank: "To the commander of Livadeia! I speak in the name of Constantine, Emperor of the Byzantines. We have come to reclaim this town for our empire. Open your gates and surrender, and you will be treated with mercy. Resist, and you will meet the sword and the cannon. Choose wisely!" His words echoed off the walls.

For a moment, there was silence from the town. Then, a figure emerged atop the gate tower—a stout man in a turban and armor, likely the Ottoman officer in charge. He shouted back in Turkish-accented Greek, "Go back the way you came, Byzantines! This is Ottoman land. Your so-called empire is dust. If you retreat now, we will spare you. Otherwise, we will mount your heads on these walls!" The defiant reply was followed by an arrow loosed from the battlements that whistled well past the officer's party, more a show of contempt than true aim.

From his position further back, Constantine's jaw tightened as he saw the refusal clearly communicated. He raised a hand in a curt gesture, signaling the party to return. There would be no more words.

Riding back to his lines, Constantine's expression was grim beneath his helmet. He met Andreas and Thomas midway, where they waited tensely. "They refuse," Constantine said simply. Thomas spat, anger flashing in his eyes. "Fools. They could have lived." Andreas nodded, already turning to signal the artillery crews. "We'll make them regret that decision, my Emperor."

Constantine took one last look at Livadeia's walls and gave the final order: "Bring up the cannons. Commence bombardment."

With practiced speed, Byzantine engineers moved the cannons into position. They focused on a section of wall to the left of the main gate that looked slightly lower, perhaps an older repair, a potential weak point. The gunners loaded powder and shot into the Drakos cannons.