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arrows, coming from either ridge of the narrow valley. Scrambling Germanians
and Britons looked up into the sky to see a wall of fire falling upon them; shouts
and shrieks of fear ran threw them, and they faltered. The burning arrows fell
into the ranks, catching men on fire and shredding skin. Burning bodies fell into
the snow, which melted under scalding flesh. The three cohorts of Roman
infantry were nearly upon the enemy.
Manias heart pounded against his ribs; barren energy coursed through him like
a winter wind; he raised his sword against the enemy. A cry escaped his lips. He
saw her, if for just a moment, her beautiful hair, tender smile, the kiss of
something  someone  exquisitely sweet. Her eyes fell before him, and her
body shook against his, and he threw himself upon the enemy, the sword
screeching as it cut through flesh. He stabbed a soldier in the face, blocked an
axe with his shield, hammered the face of a soldier in with the boss, and ducked
to avoid a sword, only to drive his own up into the enemy s gut. The enemy
spewed hot blood all over his face, and Manias threw him into the snow,
piercing him with the sword.  Rome! Tiberius hollered, leaping upon the
barbarians.
Manias spun around, slashing the throat of an enemy, letting the blood spray all
over his shield. Manias cut the legs out from under a Briton soldier. He twisted
around and raised the sword, and almost brought it down upon Tiberius, whom
almost cut Manias down. The two exchanged wry smiles, turned, and working
together, drilled their swords into the stomachs of two oncoming Germanians.
IN THE NAME OF ROME 120
She opens the door and lets him enter. She smiles up at his wonderful face, and
she strokes a calloused beard. Children laugh outside. Despite the cold of the
winter, she can feel warmth flowing through him. Alone, abandoned, she draws
him close, and he sits beside her on the bed. She gazes into his bottomless eyes
and feels nothing except exhilaration. He will never know. He will never know.
He runs a hand through her hair, and she closes her eyes, feels his gentle touch,
and peace swells over her; he pulls her close, and their lips connect, and she
tastes a different wine, a rare wine.
Quintus screams as an axe falls against his bronze helmet, splitting the steel. He
falls forward, blood running down his face. The world bleeds red, everything
slows. Romans versus barbarians, hacking and cutting of swords, the thrusting
of spears. The world shimmers into a dull red as blood drips into his eyes. He
coughs up blood and pitches forward in the snow. Manias sees him fall, and
fights harder, hurling his gladius into the barbarian ranks. The barbarians stream
across the valley, blades of frozen forged steel catching the sunlight. Burning
arrows careen from the heavens. Manias stabs an enemy and looks to the hills;
they are barren except for the smoldering arrows. The cohorts grew weaker and
weaker; a trumpet sounded, and the legionaries of Legio XII began to march,
drawing their javelins.
A boy of fourteen fell under Manias sword, collapsing into the snow. Blood
gurgled like a fountain from his chest, and Manias stepped over him, blocking
the blow of an axe. He cut down the axe-man, and raised his shield just in time
to snap the head of a spear. The spear lodged in his shield, and he ripped his
shield backwards, tearing the spear from the enemy s hands. The enemy looked
at him with solemn fear and Manias showed nothing but hatred as he cut him
down then and there.
He tries to take off her clothes, but she at first refuses. She cannot. It is not her
will. But he does not care. He takes the clothes off of her and pulls her close. He
falls on top of her and kisses more heavily. She wants to leave, but doesn t know
where she would go. He has left her, left her with the house and the farm and no
hands to work the land. He had left her. He didn t love her. He didn t love her.
No one loved her. She opened her mouth and let him go. Let him go&
The trumpets blasted. The hills opened up, and thousands of Roman soldiers
swarmed towards the massed barbarian infantry. Legionaries, urban cohorts,
triarii7 and hastati8 all giving out shouts, loosing formation, and swarming down
7
Triarii were tough, experienced spearmen who were the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]