The Demons of Rome

XX - The 11th Legion

Max and Iatus looked at each other and shrugged. There was a bit of swirling about but eventually everyone was partnered up. Everyone except Amber, who sat mounted at the front, glaring.

"Amber, you go with..."

"Forgive me, Tribune, but I can manage on my own, I will have a century around me, after all."

Claudius pursed his lips, "Very well then. Now, each pair count off in turn. Starting from you two over there."

Claudius pointed at the two students at the far end of the group and each group shouted out a number in turn.

Max and Iatus were number 14.

"Right! On the opposite side of town the legion is forming up. Everyone report to you centurions, look for the banner with your number, good luck everyone!"

He galloped off towards the legion and the students followed dutifully behind.

The last of the legion was just forming up and the students hurried off to join their ranks.

The 14th century was apparently an archer division.

"Oh, thank the Gods," Max said as he saw their bows, "No front-line action for us!"

Iatus smiled in relief as well. They rode over to the man in front of the column, they presumed he was in charge as he was the only one wearing any armour, shiny bronze stuff with a plumed helmet, the rest had simple red tunics. The boys dismounted and saluted.

"Who are you?" the big soldier said gruffly.

Iatus and Max looked at each other.

"I am Caius Maxentius and this is Iatus. We are the magi assigned to your century."

The soldier squinted at them, overtly assessing them, "What? You two brats? How old are you? Ten?"

"I'm 14," Max replied calmly.

"That's why you've been assigned two," Iatus put in.

The centurion looked at them then grunted, "You had better make yourselves useful. You're not magi yet so to me you're just cannon fodder, so don't you think you outrank me. You will ride at the back of the century. Get in line."

"Yes sir," they said and led their horses to the back.

A few minutes later a man wearing a very shiny set of steel armour, with a bright red cape and helmet rode up on a black warhorse to the front of the legion. Iatus supposed he must be the Legate.

"Romans!" he shouted and the legion silenced at once, "Today we march on Gaul. Rebel armies have been reported around Lugdunum, Massilia and Placentia. They think that they can take up arms against the might of Rome, but they have never had to contend with us! We shall send them back to the holes they crawled out of! In pieces!"

A rousing cry came from the legions and the man on the horse trotted off towards the road North.

"Oh, yay! More travelling! What a joy it is to be a mage. I was promised power and fortune, well, this would be a good time for someone to make good on that," Max complained to Iatus.

"Well, kill enough Gauls and they might just make you a Consul."

"I wish."

They turned their horses and started following the band of archers through the dust, Northward, to fame and fortune.

Gods protect us, Iatus thought to himself.

They crossed into Gaul on the third day. Iatus didn't know what he was really expecting but there was no large wall or border marking or even a sign, the fields were still the same and the road continued on unchanged. He only knew they had crossed at all was because the Legate announced it and told them all to be extra vigilant. They camped in large clusters with soldiers constantly on the watch for any sign of the rebels.