Prologue
Cool and crisp was the tug of the wind at my hair as I stood guard over the camp. The air was normal for where my legion was stationed, but something didn’t feel right. It was the fact that besides the small cries of the wind there was no sound in the forest. The wind didn’t seem to cover the noise of the men sleeping or the animals, but it did mask the sound coming from the trees. I stepped back nervously as I scanned the area in front of me. It was almost pitch black except for the faint glow of the fire upon the trees. The shadows from the glow looked like figures moving in the forest making me watch them even more for it could be the trick of a god or an actual being moving. I held my spear tighter as so many different thoughts ran though my head. I got over the shadows moving until I saw it. The thing that was most entirely a human looking at me in the forest, but his eyes glowed like the fire. I felt fear, but my legs seemed to not want to move because it would cause panic. His eyes seemed to pierce the darkness, watching silently as if studying me and learning me. The thoughts raced in my brain for what seemed like an eternity and suddenly vanished. I blinked and he was gone. I stayed on guard uneasily watching the forest searching for him to return. I mumbled a thankful prayer as I saw Apollo’s chariot rising in the sky. I was relieved to get rest which I gladly took. As I laid down to rest I couldn’t help but think of the man who stood not more than a few yards away from me. His eyes haunted me, but that I wouldn’t let that bother me and slowly closed my eyes.
I was awakened by another legionnaire who told me that the commander was preparing the legion to march again. Slowly and quickly I got out of bed and donned my armor. It was nearing mid-day as Apollo’s chariot was almost directly above us. The weather was pleasantly warm with a minor wind so it was going to be a good march. The legion was almost fully ready to march by the time I was ready. I cursed to myself that it took me so long to prepare for a full march. We gathered together in our companies while the commander gave last minute orders to each centurion for the march ahead. Our centurion came back explaining that the march was ordered because a messenger had arrived this morning early bringing a grim message. The town we were headed to was destroyed overnight in a quick savage attack that left only twenty and two survivors. Our legion was to locate who had done this and deal swift vengeance. We were also told to guard the survivors and bring them to the next town. Quickly after he had explained this we were marching our way to the town. I felt some fear in me as the men around talked about what could have taken out a whole town in a single night and left very few alive.
My feet grew heavy as the march continued. It seemed like we had been walking for days and yet we had only been marching for the past couple hours. My armor seemed to weigh more than it should, but when myself and the men around me are warm, sweaty and groggy that just seems to add to the annoyance. The wind was a nice refresher, but it also lost its meaning as we continued. The forest around us was alive with sounds, much different than last night where it was almost like the quiet could kill you. The wind carried the howls of wolves hunting out of the forest and the chirps of birds happily reminding us of what it was like to be free and happy. I shivered as the wind crept down my spine and regaled me with the wolf’s howls. The wind seemed to carry the faintest sound of screaming souls with it making it grow colder. My eyes scanned the tree line searching for the cause of the screaming, but alas I saw nothing in the dim cold blackness that was the forest. The men grew quiet as a feeling of uneasiness crept over us as if the forest was watching us with eyes that entered the safety of our souls.
Our centurion kept us moving at a steady pace, but even he had the look of fear on his face knowing anything could happen in the forest. The whole of the legion was put on alert after we heard the screams in the forest. We walked with shields up to our sides ready to turn and form a wall against any attacker. Our pace slowed down to a halt when we heard branches in the forest fall off their trees. There was still light in the sky, but Diana was slowly appearing in the sky on her chariot of silver heralding darkness. A few men quickly lit torches for light, but that wouldn’t stop attackers. I was on the outside line nearest to the forest so I knew if we were attacked I was going to be one of the main people getting the brunt of the assault. I heard the war drums begin in earnest and the legion gathered into its battle formation facing the forest on both sides. Part of me had wanted to run, but I knew my fellow soldiers would perish if I abandoned my spot in the battle line. We watched the tree line looking for any sign of anything. It wouldn’t take anyone really smart to realize that the line had been scared as the smell of some men wetting themselves filled my nose. I couldn’t blame them as I felt the same way, but I was able to hold it as myself and three others in our cohort were seasoned veterans of six wars.
