The Strix That Offered Protection

The Gods Have A Plan For You.

On the road to my freedom, this is my story, I am Calcius, a gladiator. Rome's finest and strongest, but the emperor had a plan for me, but the gods had an even bigger plan. Concilius, invited me to the palace to to tell me to not wear anything that would identify me as Roman. The emperor told the me if i could discover what was disappearing his men, that he would give me my freedom, i was a slave and fought valiantly in the gladiator arena. I, Calcius the Romans favourite gladiator, graciously accepted the emperor's task, as I have always wanted my freedom. I was promised it by the last emperor, but the last emperor was murdered before i could be freed.

I was dressed as a so called Barbarian, i was forced to have tribal markings, but Concilius had no idea of what the tribal markings of each tribe actually looked like, he hadn't been to a battlefield, he was extremely cowardly. To the point some Romans said as much, which is why he wanted to expand the empire when his father left him the throne. Concilius the first was a battle hardened emperor, he had fought and won a few territories to the west of Rome. Concilius the second swore he would expand to the east and the south. The promises he made to the people never came to fruition as of yet. I was soon ready, i began my journey, the same route the two legions took a mere week before.

I soon reached the border, i hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary, in fact i hadn't seen another human soul the entire journey. I passed the border, i soon began to smell the decay of human flesh, a smell i knew so well as a gladiator, but i couldn't find their bodies. I followed the smell as far as my nose could. Akashia was warned by the gods, that Calcius was on his was way, so she set out to protect him as she knew that he would be instrumental in helping them bring down the Roman Empire.

Akashia knew exactly where he was, she was walking along a path way that grew berries and other things that were edible, he assumed that she was just a tribal girl out foraging for food.

I approached this girl or woman, i asked?, "puella, what has you walking alone, without a chaperone, on treacherous ground?"

The strange girl lifts her head, "adulescens, the ground is not treacherous to me, I know it well. I'm Akashia, since you didn't bother asking my name."

I asked, "which tribe do you belong?"

The girl who introduced herself as Akashia replies, "I belong to none, I am ostracised, I was forced to leave by my father. My father hates my lover."

I queried further, "I see, your father wants you to marry a man of stature but you love someone of lower standing in his view of course?"

Akashia answers, "to assume it's a man I love, shows your ignorance, it tells me you're a Roman."

I was about to strike Akashia and she swerved my hand, i angrily stated, "I am no Roman. I am a slave, sent by the..."

Akashia finished my sentence by saying, "you poor slave sent by the emperor to find out why he's lost hundreds of soldiers? Am I wrong?"

Calcius is shocked, he then replies, "you're not wrong, I have been sent here. I can tell by the stench a little way back that those soldiers are buried here? I am to find out what killed them?"

Akashia says, "Calcius, you are now free. There's no need for your return to Rome. Run far away."

I look towards Akashia and said, "I did not tell you my name, how is it you know my name, unless you've been in Rome?"

Akashia angrily replied, "I wouldn't step foot in that godless place, if the emperor himself was to crown me empress. No, I haven't been to Rome, but I have been expecting you. You can stay and learn the truth or disappear where they won't find you?"

I asked Akashia to help me learn the truth and if she could give me refuge, that I'm willing to stay and disobey my orders. I fortunately was a slave without family, i didn't have to worry about anyone back in Rome, so i could disappear and not return with any discoveries that he may come across.

Akashia brought me back to her home, the one she shares with Fabia. I soon realised that she and Akashia are in love, i had only ever seen this once, when i lived in Greece, ladies often cavorted with other women.

I dared ask how the soldiers disappeared? The women tell me, "all in good time, you'll see when the time is right."

I wouldn't ask the women to fetch me things or cook for me, i could see that they were together, they do things together for each other and they did cook for me from time to time. Fabia told me that i needed to wash, i made my way to the stream to fetch water to warm and bathe. Akashia told me that the markings are very wrong, that no tribe has them. It was then that I realised that the emperor may have known this, or at least the person that created them, so when the Barbarians seen them, they would discover i was Roman and they would kill me, making my freedom from slavery now a moot task. When Akashia explained this to me, it made sense, Concilius never wanted slaves to ever be freed, especially the gladiators, they of course were their entertainment.

I finally asked, "so, what is in the woods that killed the Romans?"

Akashia and Fabia look at each other, Akashia replies, "you'll soon see, don't worry. The gods told me to save you. They have watched your struggles, they have listened to your prayers, which is why you're very safe here. Our home will be undetectable to any Roman who dares pass the border. We have the protection of the gods, we have the protection of the army we requested."

Thoughtfully I drifted off trying to imagine what the women knew, i couldn't imagine what type of army the gods could send through the sky. I was truly baffled, but I certainly won't press the women any further for fear they ask me to leave and i suffer as the soldiers have. Akashia goes to her stone circle to commune with the gods, they tell her that Concilius is sending three legions to the south, almost near to where they are, but the Strix knew this would be the case and have set up there and are waiting patiently.

Akashia comes back and informs Fabia of what the gods told her, I am now petrified, i am afraid of being discovered, but Akashia told me that i won't be discovered, the Romans won't make it past with thirty legions.

I then asked, "who are these brave men? I shall join them? I was once a gladiator, I have many kills to my name."

Akashia replies, "Calcius, patience. There's an army awaiting them, they don't need you, they're more than capable of taking on all of Rome."

Calcius exclaims, "if this army can take on all of Rome, then why aren't they there, in Rome killing as you say they can!"

Akashia tells me to continue having patience as they will soon have the empire running for their lives, she also informs me that the gods have a plan for me. I retreat to silence, i began preparing parchment, i wanted to document things as soon as the Romans make it to the southern border.