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It's the early morning of November 5th, 1274, a Komodo beach on Tsushima Island, Japan.

Mongolian warrior leaps from his boat and joins his compatriots on the sand.

The well-drilled Mongols immediately form a line and notch arrows to their bowstrings.

At the top of the beach, a few dozen Japanese soldiers stare at the newcomers with increasing panic.

The Mongols are fierce opponents. Since Genghis Khan founded the Mongol Empire on the Asian

Steps a century ago, its armies have conquered land from China to Eastern Europe.

But their desire for more territory endures, and two days ago,

thousands of Mongol soldiers set sail from Korea.

Now they're here to seize the island nation of Japan.

A general Shao St. Moro and the Mongolian warrior lets his arrow fly.

100 poison-tipped projectiles soar through the air and rain down on the Japanese defenders.

Some fall to the ground immediately, pierced by arrows.

Most of the others turn and run, desperate to get out of range.

The Mongols mockingly cheer as the Japanese flee.

If the rest of the Japanese resistance is despathetic, the Mongol warrior suspects

the islands will fall to the Great Khan with little difficulty.

Tsushima Island falls with barely any opposition.

Many of its inhabitants are slaughtered by the ruthless invaders,

and Japan seems sure to be the next nation to fall to the Mongols.

...