FVN Chapter 2: They Came, They Saw, They Wondered Where They Were
Chapter 2: They Came, They Saw, They Wondered Where They Were
Quintus blinked as the light around him changed. Suddenly, it was a different dawn. An earlier one. Not only that, but the sunlight was being filtered through a dense forest canopy around him.
With a start, he realized that he stood in a clearing of tall grass, its blades fluttering slightly in the breeze. It was not the open plains and former battlefield by the Metaurus River. Rather, this was scenery he'd expect to see in Gaul. Where was he? Perhaps he'd died and gone to Elysium? Perhaps some enemy had caught them unawares, putting an arrow through his skull? It seemed improbable, but what else could it be?
Looking down at himself, Quintus quickly took stock of the situation. He realized that he still bore all of his equipment, then surveyed his surroundings. On the ground nearby sat a man with a book, his jaw hanging open in surprise. It took a single glance to tell the man was not a real threat, at least not on the battlefield. He was alone and dressed like the fops that plagued Rome. Quintus put him out of his mind and focused on more relevant matters. Specifically, the animal leaping toward him and the men charging out of the forest.
The man with the book let out a shout of warning. Quintus wheeled around to face a black cat that looked like a bigger version of a female lion pouncing at him. A quick arc of his sword slashed through the cat's neck, its weight carrying him to the ground as he rolled out of the way of its claws. He bashed another aside and stabbed it in the head before looking to the next threat.
A group of half-armed figures emerged from the treeline, sporting bows and poorly-maintained swords. Despite their lacking equipment, it was at least consistent between individuals. Quintus would have guessed they were guards or soldiers of some sort. But if that were the case, they were obviously not up to the task. A city needed men to protect it. Not these half-baked, soft-armed weaklings.
One of the archers amongst the barbarians loosed an arrow, but the Primus Pilus had his scutum ready. The curved rectangle of hardened metal and wood raised to meet the shot, deflecting it. He felt a moment of surprise at its accuracy, given the sorry state of the bow, but the force was severely lacking.
Coming back to his feet, he deflected another arrow, sending it skittering to the side. He didn't have time to marvel at the scenery or the now dying cats at his feet. Right now, he was under attack.@@@@
Suddenly, Quintus heard a familiar sound at his back. With a quick glance, he confirmed it. The first rank of the Legion had appeared behind him. How or why were questions for later. Right now, they were under fire from a hostile force in an unknown location with no officer present. So the first centurion did what he was trained to do—go on offense.
"Shields!"
He shouted the order to the men who had just arrived. Their training kicked in and a thundering clash sounded as the shields interlocked into a tortoise formation at his back. It stiffened his spine with confidence.
"Advance!"
The shield wall began taking steps forward, toward their aggressors. The line seamlessly parted for Quintus to lock in his shield as they approached. Together, they deflected a few more arrows that the increasingly panicked archers loosed their way.
As soon as they realized the futility of their efforts, the enemy barbarians started running. The next rank of Legionnaires appeared behind Quintus's line and immediately locked their shields, but a quick order had them spinning around and watching their flanks for other threats. Around five seconds later, the third rank of Legionnaires appeared.
Quintus kept everyone moving forward so that the rest of the Legion would have space to arrive, assuming they would continue to appear. Even then, they'd be hard-pressed to fit everyone in this clearing. So until an officer showed up and told him otherwise, his priority was clear—to secure the surrounding area.
Several more orders were issued, and the second cohort split off to watch the perimeter and prevent any more monsters from sneaking up on them. The rest of the four cohorts marched after the barbarian town guards. Securing the area might be simple, but the biggest obstacle would be an opposing force. They needed to follow them back to their base and determine the threat. If it was in the immediate area, they'd secure it.
The meaning was quite clear, but Quintus wasn't about to let his guard down. Not when there were still so many unknowns.
With a few orders, the first rank established a cordon several blocks wide. Quintus took a moment to confer with several of the centurions of the first cohort. Gallus, Remus, Antonius, and Castus gathered around him.
"Sweep the town. We need a full count of the civilians. Gather all military-aged men outside the wall and keep them under watch." His gaze swept across the other centurions. "Don't let anyone do anything stupid. Keep lethal force to a minimum. If they're willing to surrender this quickly, then hopefully, they'll be smart and willing to listen. Besides, our Legatus might have use for them," Quintus instructed.
The centurions nodded without a hint of surprise at their orders. So far, the bloodshed had been extremely limited, which was fortunate. It would make matters much easier if the people didn't throw their lives away. Each of the Centurions had been through many campaigns and seen the trouble that came with needlessly violent conquest. No one wanted to deal with that. Besides, it was obvious they were in a completely unknown area. Who knew how far they were from familiar lands, much less friendly ones? No, right now, they needed a base of operations.
As they worked to secure the city, more and more Legionnaires continued to pour in. Their ranks swelled, making Quintus expect that it was only a matter of time before the entire Legion arrived. Sure enough, it wasn't long before the Legatus reached the gate with the rest of his officers.
"Legatus Tiberius," Quintus said with a salute.
Tiberius examined his first centurion with an approving stare. "Report, Primus."
***
As Quintus described the situation and how they'd gotten here, Tiberius nodded with satisfaction. Watching his men vanish before him had been a terrifying sight. Witchcraft like that would unsettle anyone's stomach. A few quiet words and prayers to the gods were the only thing he allowed himself in front of his remaining men before he, too, was banished.
Finding everyone intact on the other side had been a relief. One that he didn't show outwardly, of course, but still felt nonetheless.
Tiberius stepped forward through the gates and surveyed the area. He frowned, agreeing with Quintus's impression of the place as a backwoods barbarian outpost. But still, it meant there were other people about. At least they weren't in the middle of nowhere.
As Quintus finished his report, Tiberius nodded once again. He wished there was some promotion he could give the man. He wasn't sure if he could trust any of his staff officers or even a second to keep a level head in that kind of situation, let alone so efficiently secure the area and eliminate all threats.
Unfortunately, any commission would need to be confirmed by the Senate or the Emperor for him to advance Quintus. And as far as they knew, Rome might as well be a world away. Well, if there was a battlefield vacancy, he knew who was going to fill it.
"Come," Tiberius ordered. "We will find the leaders of this settlement. I have many questions to ask."
With that, the two men headed off to the center of the town.