Blood-Born

Chapter X - Part 3

Poe climbed out to find the ghoulish spirit of absurdity had not quite finished with him yet.

Curved around them in flawless precision, he found himself facing his first taste of Roman military combat tradition.

Each soldier's shield edged the next without a gap while spears and the odd long barrel of rifle or shotgun alike sprung like the spines of a deadly armored porcupine.

Aimed inward and toward the center where he now found himself helplessly surrounded and vastly outgunned.

Cold eyes measured him from beneath helmets and behind visors alike.

Although Deer had passed upon her last muddled words to him, he had managed to carry her as if she still lived.

Now, he let her body slowly slide to his feet as his hand itched for his pistol; any pistol or other firearm for that matter to lose the naked feeling that had suddenly enveloped him.

When he scanned the line, he found three large wagon mounted guns behind polished and decorated blast shields that matched their trigger-crew's armor which would certainly not be confused for anything other than what they were.

Romanized Gatling Guns...

Although he had not actually witnessed their use in battle or otherwise; the drawings, crude sketches and purported stories of their fire power had sparked much discussion and debate about their actual existence outside of the drawing board of their weapons smith or his fanciful imagination.

Ten oiled, hand polished barrels rotated evenly around a hand cranked shaft fed by hoppers of ammunition reputed to deliver upward of three hundred and fifty rounds per minute.

As sure of the numbers that they had endlessly debated in jest, he was more than sure that these soldiers had improved them beyond compare and lethality.

On the caps of nearby domes he also found several of the ugly stone guardians that watched sentinel over everything below them.

The shield wall parted smoothly as if on an oiled rail to admit a large armored chariot pulled behind a pair of large white mares, with two saddled mounts behind them in tow.

He hardly recognized the former whore-master's dutiful companion in her full military regalia while her partner continued to look far too comfortable in his.

Leviticus stepped from the chariot as the horses were reined to a halt.

He looked down upon Deer's corpse with a solemn frown and respective shake of his head before he raised an arm to draw several soldiers forward with shields that were placed flat while her arms and legs were grasped to lay her on them for ease of transport.

His hands moved to his neck where he unclasped his cloak, removed it and covered her in the colors of his legion in a gallant sign of respect.

He turned to Poe as the soldiers stood as one and quickly carried their somber cargo back through the line of shields.

Yet others moved to assist Adam to the chariot as he carried his sister who remained unmoved against him, but clearly still alive.

"This should not have happened ... as it has ... here." Leviticus offered evenly. "Please accept my sincerest apologies as Praetor."

Abby untied the horses and quickly climbed onto a saddle.

When it became apparent that Poe had no intention to follow, she nodded to Natalia who snapped the horses into motion as the great chariot moved in circle to return through the shield wall to follow those that carried the body of Running-Deer as she followed in turn.