EMPIRE REWRITTEN [Isekai ? Alt-History ? Strategy]

Chapter 70: The Fall of Bodonitsa

"After them!" he shouted. "Do not let them escape to plague us later."

What ensued was a chaotic night chase through the rough terrain around Bodonitsa. Captain Andreas led a group of fast-moving infantry uphill to intercept the fleeing enemy, while Thomas and his cavalry circled around to cut off escape routes. The Ottomans, realizing they had been discovered, broke into a desperate run, abandoning any pretense of stealth. They cast aside shields and supplies to move faster. Yet most were on foot and already tired from carrying their burdens; they could not outrun mounted pursuers or determined infantry for long.

The chase reached a climax in a narrow ravine south of the castle. Under the pale light of a crescent moon, Andreas's intercept force caught up with roughly forty of the fleeing Ottomans. A brief, vicious clash unfolded there, torchlight and moonlight revealing blades flashing and men grappling. It was less a battle than a hunt. Many Ottoman soldiers, demoralized and focused solely on escape, threw down their arms and tried to scramble up the ravine's sides. Byzantine fire caught some; others tripped and fell, only to be met by swords and spears.

Thomas's cavalry ran down a smaller group that had split from the main, riding them down a hillside. Fueled by the memory of Livadeia's stubborn fight, Thomas showed no quarter. He ran an Ottoman infantryman through with his lance, then drew his saber to strike down another who was attempting to surrender. In the darkness and fury, the notion of accepting capitulation hardly registered, this enemy had tried to slip away and might later join another Ottoman force. Better to eliminate them here and now.

Within an hour, it was mostly over. Most of the fleeing garrison lay dead or dying on the stony ground around Bodonitsa. Perhaps a dozen at most escaped into the wilderness, including, it was rumored, the garrison commander himself, who knew the terrain well. Those few who got away would carry tales of terror back to other Ottoman positions.

By dawn's first light, Constantine's troops cautiously approached Bodonitsa's castle gates. An eerie stillness greeted them. With the garrison gone, the fortress was like a ghost town. The gate had been left ajar, creaking softly in the morning breeze. Andreas led a contingent inside, swords drawn, expecting a trap or stragglers. They found none, only the remains of a hasty departure. The castle's courtyard was littered with debris: half-empty chests, dropped weapons, and a cooking pot still hanging over the fire's embers. It was clear the Ottomans had left in a rush. In one corner, a small group of locals, servants and families of the Ottoman garrison, huddled fearfully. They cried out for mercy when the Byzantine soldiers entered, but these were mostly Greek captives and posed no threat. They were quickly reassured and ushered to safety.

On the ramparts, the imperial standard was raised without a fight for the first time in this campaign. When the double-headed eagle banner unfurled atop Bodonitsa's keep, a triumphant cheer went up from the Byzantine ranks encircling the hill. The fortress was theirs, taken with barely a siege at all. Constantine allowed himself a sigh of relief. After the grueling fight at Livadeia, Bodonitsa's easy capture was a welcome gift. He climbed up to the highest tower to survey the land. To the north, through the morning mist, he could make out the rolling terrain leading to Zetouni and the distant highlands of Thessaly. They were now at the doorstep of the next phase of the campaign.

Constantine gathered his captains in Bodonitsa's main hall, a simple stone chamber that still bore banners of the old Latin lords beneath newer Ottoman pennants. Over a map on a table, they reviewed their situation. The consequences of these victories were significant. With Bodonitsa taken, the pass of Thermopylae to the north could potentially be held, making it difficult for Ottoman forces from Thessaly to move south without fighting on unfavorable ground. The local Greek population was fully in support now; messengers from Thebes and Livadeia arrived to congratulate the Emperor and report that peasants were arming themselves in other villages, ready to join or defend their homes.