Withdrawal from the Iola island

Three weeks into the campaign, it became clear to the legions and the general that the invasion had run its course. The legions still held the beach and the area between the beach and their fortress, but venturing outside that area and islanders would lurk in every bush, every lake, which resulted in the supplies running short and ration having to be implemented, the legionares were now down to half rations and every day they stayed on the island, more reports of more islanders gathering around them, but also they risked another storm blowing up and destroying the rest of their fleet.   At dawn on the third week, the order was given quietly in a tent where the men sat with bandaged heads and limbs. The general addressed his men and told them that if they wanted to save the rest of the army, they had to withdraw, no retreat, a legion of Pearlhal don't retreat.   Following the order, the next two days were used to prepare the deception; patrols continued as normal, campfires burned as normal, and the legions' engineers loudly and visibly worked on preparing the walls for expansion. all to make the islanders believe that the legions were here to stay, in reality, the grain was rationed further, with the rest of it embarked on the ships, wounded were transported to the ships during the night, artillery pieces were dismantled and replaced with fakes, damaged ships were used to fix those that could still sail.   The second phase of the withdrawal began on the evening of the third day; patrols no longer went out, and men were being pulled back to the ships. The islanders spot the moment and begin to prope the perimeter, finding no patrols, they begin to attack the fortress in small groups at first, but it quickly grows to a large-scale attack, slingshots are fired into the fortress from multiple directions, and horns are blown from multiple directions, with the intent to sow confusion in the legion's ranks. The training of the legions comes into play as they form shieldwalls, not for retreating but to form corridors from which other units can run down through, artillery onboard the now manned boats are firing into the dense ranks of the islanders, taking out multiple warriors with each bolt. Some units, the rearguard is lost slowly, holding the lines to make sure the majority of the army escapes. By the end of the day, some units will have ceased to exist, while others will be down to single digits of men.   The final embarkation or phase three, as the general layed it out, happens under the cover of the night; the islanders have mostly retreated at this point; some groups are still harassing the army, but the majority have retreated for the night. Half of the army has been taken on board the waiting ships when an alarm is raised, a large group of islanders has emerged from the darkness, and soon after, arrows are falling among the legionaries; some are hit, but most manage to raise their shields or are far enough away that the arrows fall short. The legions in a similar situation as when they landed on the island is against fighting on the beach and in the water, the standard of the last cohort, tasked with holding the line until the last man on board is planted on the beach to steady the mens nerves. Officers shove men onboard the ships when these stops, exhausted, tired, and half-starved.   When the sun rises on the fourth day, the fleet is halfway across the strait, and the wind is weak. The men are sitting where they collapsed the night before. As a whole, the fleet is quiet as a graveyard.

Aftermath

After the news reached Pearlhal and the senate, the senate are quick to award medals and honours to the units, a thruumph is being hinted at but keeps getting delayed for various reasons, the name of the general become widely known, some praise him for the campaign, saying that what he achieved was impressive considering the forces at his disposial, others speak of doubt to his ability to carry out the will of the city and monarch. But no one is speaking of defeat, and everyone understands that this was only the beginning, a new war has started, and Pearlhal never loses a war; it might lose a battle, but not the war.  

On Iola Island

On the island, the time the legions spend there becomes the source of many legends and personal glory stories. Stories are told of the day the sea was filled with foreign sails and the beach was painted red. One of the most widespread legends praises the legions for their ability to put up a fight and their stubbornness, and a small amount of admiration for how they managed to slip away during the night, almost as ghosts.   Some of the elders of the clans warn that the foreigners will likely return, and not only will they now have knowledge of the land, but they will also bring a larger force, and then the islanders might not be so lucky.