Etruscan Demigods

New Model Army

When they settled around a table in the living area, Annabeth asked "What is it with this enemy of your's, this Lauchume Hapre? Why does he hate you?" The two others were also interested into this topic and Arnth explained "Hapre is a religious fanatic and a follower of the old doctrin. He worships the gods in their bodyless, faceless form. The gap between mortals and immortals is even larger than in the doctrin, which we follow, who are closer to the greek gods, from their existence. He believes that all who claim to be demigods or to have demigods as children, are imposters. And because he is a really good propagandist, a lot of people believe him. Among his most loyal followers are the magicans and nethśrac and trutnvt frontac"

Rachel asked confused "The what?" He scratched his head and said "Ehm, nethśrac is augur, a priest who reads the will of the gods by watching the birds. Trutnvt frontac is a priest who watches lightning for the same reason. And the magicans, they talk in trance with the gods. Or at least they claim to talk with them. I think they dream, like a demigod. And they see us demigods as a danger for their position. Because we can, what these priests can. Good that Lars is the son of a Demigod or we would not have a haruspex to read from the organs of animals." Rachel nodded and said "Yes, that was disgusting. I have never before killed a sheep to gut it and read from it's liver. I nearly had to puke. Apollon is so kind to send me dreams, about the future, the now and the past. And when someone needs advice from the oracle, the spirit of delphi will speak through me." Lars laughed and said "I talk with him, make sure he does not draft you into it again."

Five days later, New Rome:

The Senate of Rome had gathered and was awaiting Frank Zang and Reyna Ramírez-Arellano. Jason stood in the garm of Pontifex Maximus next to the two Praetor Chairs. When the two entered, clad in short white tunics and long white togas with purple braid trimming, wearing oak wreaths on their heads, Jason announced "Patres et Matres conscripti! Excipe novos Reipublicae Consules! (Senators! Greet the new consuls of the republic!)" The two walked, accompanied by twelve, fasces (a bound bundle of wooden rods, including an axe) wielding, Lictores. The senators applauded while the new consuls sat down on their new curule seats. At the same time as the romans elected their consuls, they elected the centurions for the different manipels. Two centurions per manipel.

A day later, Fields of Mars: Hazel, like the centurions of other units, was sitting in the summer heat behind a table and looked down the row of possible recruits. She had her crested helmet on the desk next to her and had instead a straw hat on her head.

Nathan was next in the row of recruits. As a supporter of octavian, he was, despite pardoned, forced to give up his position as centurion of the first cohort. Which he held during Octavians short rule. Hazel looked up when he walked ut to her. "Name?" She asked. "Hazel, you know me!" He said. "Decurio Equitum, for you. Name?"

He grunted "Nathan Fillion (I know, it's coincidentially the same name as the Hermes actor in Sea of Monsters. Rick had chosen the name. Not me!)"

Hazel wrote it down and asked "Former service?" He groaned "Oh come one Hazel!" Hazel stood up. Despite being smaller than him, she made him step back. She held the Vitis, a staff, made of vinewood, in her right and bashed it against his helmet. "I have told you before, Proditor (traitor), that I am for you Decurio, not Hazel! Former Service?" She shouted loudly. The other recruits made a step back and from the left, Centurio Marcus, who was recruiting for one of the two new hastati centuries, looked with a raised eyebrow to them.

Behind Hazel, Julius Hill, the son of Mars, cleared his throat. Hazel shot around "What?" She asked the Optio. "Isn't this a bit harsh?" He asked. "No it is not. He can redeem himself during service." Julius nodded and said no more. She turned back to Nathan and looked at him expectant. "Former Centurio of the first cohort. Decurio!" He answered. "That's better, but don't forget, you are now on Probatio. You have a horse?" He nodded "Yes, Decurio!" Good. Go over there, Optio Julius will write down, what scars and other old injuries you have. NEXT!"

The next, who came to her was a young man. "Name?" She asked. "Joshua Green, Decurio." He answered. "Previous service?" "Third cohort, messenger." She looked up, surprised. "Why do I not know you?" he made a step back. "I retired from the legion two years ago to go to college. It did not go well, through." Hazel nodded and asked "You have a horse?" He nodded. "Yes Decurio. A pegasus." That was interesting. "Good, I need veteran riders. Go to the Optio to record your old scars and injuries. Do you still have arms and armor?" He nodded but said "Exept a cavalry shield." "The carpenters will made new shields for us. Next!" And this went on for at least half an hour longer.

Frank and Reyna stood together near the Field of Mars and watched the hustle and bustle. "We got many new recruits, really fast." Frank said. Reyna nodded. "Yes, if I would not see it, I wouldn't believe it. Do you think, Hazel can handle a unit on her own?" Frank nodded. "Yes, I think so. Look there." He pointed, where Hazel stood up and hit a soldier her vitis over the helmet. "That must have hurt." Reyna said. "It worked, through. Look, they all took a step back." Frank said smiling.

After lunch, Hazel gathered her unit. Thirty riders, mostly armed with gladii and pila. She rode infront of them and said "Evocatus Joshua Green." He raised his hand and asked "Yes, Decurio?" She rode to him and asked "Do you know how to blow a horn?" He nodded "Yes, Decurio." She smiled. "Good, I name you a Bucinator, a horn player. You will get half the sold more, than a normal soldier." "Thank you, Decurio."

She than proceeded to call soldiers for non-commissioned officer posts. "Janos, son of Aesculapius." A boy of sixteen raised his hand. "Yes, Decurio?" She turned to him and said "You said, you're a good healer. I name you medicus. Same payment as Joshua."

"Maddison Murphy." Hazel went to the next "Here Decurio." Said a sixteen year old girl with blonde hair and extreme pale skin. Hazel had not noticed it before, because the sun was shining into her eyes. "Are you sick?" She asked worried. "No Decurio, I'm always this pale. Don't know why." Hazel nodded "You said that you are a legacy of Dea Dia. Do you have any abilities, related to your ancestral goddess?" She shook her head "No, Decurio. But I'm good with organisation and office work." Hazel thought a moment and than said "I make you Librarius. My secretary. Same pay as the other two."

This continued and a Tesserarius (watch commander, double pay), Capsarius (field medic), Actuarius (provisioner), Frumentarius (soldier in charge of procuring food) and a Pabulator (soldier, responsible for procuring fodder for the livestock) were announced.

Than they started training. First, normal legion training with the Palus and wooden swords and heavy training shields. They worked in teams while Hazel and Julius watched over the training. Julius showed it to the recruits. "You approach the palus and ram it with your shield that your arm and shoulder hurts." He did it and the wooden pole shook under the loud crashing hit. "Than you stab it with your sword. You can also do some hits. Quick and from behind your shield." He did that, too. Than he gave the training weapons back to Maddison.

She approached the palus and hit it weakly with her shield. "Stronger!" Julius said. She hit it again, this time stronger, but not strong enough. "The shield is too heavy!" she complained. "You will become stronger. Now again!"

The veterans did better. But than, the training partner of Nathan asked "Why can't we fight against others?" He was a new recruit, had arrived only a few days ago. Nathan said something to him. The recruit than complained "This is useless! We do not learn how to fight when we hit wood!"

Hazel walked to him, wooden sword and shield in her hands. When she stood before him, she smashed the rim of the shield against his shield so that he stumbled away. Next was a blow against the helmet. The fifteen year old did not know how to react. "Fight you coward!" Hazel shouted. He tried a hit her with his sword but overextended and opened his arm pit. And there, Hazel stabbed him and caused him to let go of his weapon. "You are dead." Hazel said to him and turned to Nathan. "What have you said to him?" He had a smug grin on his face and answered "I told him to be silent." The boy became red in the face and yelled "You have told me that you would not train us in this way!"

Hazel looked from one to the other and said "You lied to me, Nathan. I don't like that. One more time and I make sure that you end like Octavians other boot licker. My brother has taught me much." He became pale like a ghost.