Legion Britannia, "Steam and Steel"

Chapter 16 - The trial of Tiberius and Sebastes

Down in the dark under belly of the old Spanish fort Tiberius and Sebastes awaited their fate.

In the initial days of the invasion of the Spanish coast and to drive in land, the Emperor's Army had faced little recent capturing and holding village, towns and cities alike. However now it was as if the enemy knew the Roman's every move. With every step the might of the Legions faced stiff resistance from the Spaniards and their Ottoman and Goth allies, each inch of Spanish soil was paid for with Roman blood, it was now obvious that Gaius, once loyal to the Emperor, was now broken, now it was time to unleash his plan, or the campaign and the chance to reclaim Rome would be lost.

Below, in the dungeons of the old Spanish fort the Imperium's hope sat in anticipation. The coastal fort was seized in the first few days of the campaign, now it had become a bastion of light for the Imperial forced. The imposing sand stone walls now protected both the palace and the Imperial army headquarters, there were now also home to the keys that would unlock the road to Rome.

Within the stone holding prison cell exuded a bleakness that matched the spirits of its inhabitants. The damp, cold room seemed to shiver as the morning light pierced through the old iron bars of the small window. As the sunlight slowly filled the space, it revealed the shadows of an impending violence.

Tiberius, a battle-hardened warrior, glanced out the window and exchanged a sly grin with his old friend as the guard's key scraped in the lock. "It's time, old friend. Prepare yourself," he muttered with a sense of impending revenge.
Sebastes hoisted himself off the cold, damp stone floor, his eyes gleaming with a readiness to retaliate. "Yes, brother. Give as good as you get. Don't hold back," he growled, his voice echoing with determination.

Suddenly, the room flooded with Praetorian guards. "You treacherous scum, time for the Emperor's gift," barked the lead guard, as his fist landed heavily on Tiberius's face, the crack reverberating through the cell. Tiberius staggered, then launched into a fierce counterattack as two more guards descended upon him.

Meanwhile, Sebastes was fully engaged in the melee, trading blows with three guards. "Are we having fun yet, my old friend?" he taunted, his laughter ringing out amidst the chaos.

"The things we endure in the name of friendship," Tiberius managed to utter, just before a blow knocked the wind out of him.

The exchange of blows seemed unending as each off-duty member of the Praetorian guard took turns entering the cell, delivering punishing blows as a form of revenge against the two who had dishonored them in the eyes of the Emperor.

"Enough!" a sharp, female voice sliced through the air as Lady Hawthorne entered the room. "Clean them up. The trial is about to begin."

Their wounds were tended to, the sting of disinfectant mingling with the metallic taste of blood. Reluctantly, Tiberius and Sebastes donned the gowns of traitors, feeling the weight of dishonor settle upon them like a suffocating shroud. Led by the guards, they stumbled down the dimly lit corridors, the clinking of chains and the distant echoes of screams and shouts from other prisoners amplifying the sense of uncertainty that hung thick in the stale air.
Eight Guardsmen, adorned in ceremonial armor, flanked the two prisoners as they ascended countless stairs, their heavy footsteps reverberating through the narrow stone passageways of the old Spanish Fort. The flickering torches cast eerie, dancing shadows on the walls, heightening the feeling of foreboding that enveloped the group.

With each step, Tiberius and Sebastes felt the weight of their impending fate pressing down on them, the suffocating reality of their circumstances sinking in with every heartbeat. The air grew denser as they ventured deeper into the fortress, the oppressive atmosphere enveloping them like a sinister embrace. Those who looked on could almost taste the bitterness of uncertainty and fear that hung in the air, drawing them into the prisoners’ harrowing journey through the labyrinthine depths of the ancient stronghold.