Post by Claudius Glaber on Feb 15, 2012 13:56:51 GMT -6
The crash of steel on steel, of bodies being crushed, torn, and smashed in a maelstrom of blood and metal echoed over the plains of Bithiniya. The Roman line held -barely- against the infantry of King Mithradates. Like a slow moving irresistible tide, the Roman line crept forward even as it was threatened with collapse in other portions. For the Legatus, this was not how he imagined that he would return to Greece to face King Mithradates of Pontus and his Greek whoreson's.
The debacle in Thrace had cost him vast political capital, his auxiliaries had deserted him, and even worse still the barbarians had been free to sack and pillage Roman territory. All because of that Thracian dog Spartacus. His only one solace in this disaster was that Glaber had sold his bitch to be raped and degraded by Syrian's over and over while Spartacus toiled as a slave under the worm Batiatus.
It had only been through the intervention of his father in law that he had successfully kept control of his Legion. But the old wretch wasn't about to let the Legatus off so easily. Glaber would get his wish. He would take part in the Mithradatic Campaign to recover his tarnished reputation. Of course, the fact that the Roman's now were losing and slowly being pushed out of Anatolia couldn't be a fact lost on the Senator. The Legatus pondered briefly if his father and law would rather see him dead, cutting his losses and marrying Ilithiya to another. Over his fucking cold corpse, Glaber would rise again and when he didn't need the patronage of that old fool he would dispose of the good Senator Albinius.
Gloved fists closed over the reigns of his horse, his gaze transfixed on the carnage erupting in front of him. It was an orgy of death that paled to the Arena as the barbarians came and came again. The Legion had been tasked with covering the retreat of the main Roman Army. His Legion against thousands of barbarians as Mithradites harassed them all the way to the coast.
'' Legatus, the line is faltering! The men are breaking! '' Centurion Valerious shouted, Glaber heard the panic in his voice. Fear was a thing worse than any foe. It was capable of routing battle hardened veterans, spreading from man to man like a plague. But if the men feared their leader more then the enemy, then they would follow him to the Gates of Hades if he demanded it of them.
'' Archers. '' Glaber barked.
'' Legatus..we'll hit our own men. '' Valerious protested.
'' If they will not stand and fight then they are as good to me as dead. Attack.''
The cry of arrows caused havoc upon the routing Roman and Pontic troops. Roman and barbarian alike fell, like a panicked mob faced with death from every directions the Roman troops were confronted by their Legatus as he pushed his horse down the hill to barr their retreat.
' STAND AND FIGHT YOU FUCKING WHORESONS! Or I will see you crucified! '' He punctuated the threat by hacking down the ranking officer in the mob. Both threat of a slow horrible death and summary execution of the First Spear was enough for the troops to turn on their heel and charge back into the fray.
'' Bring up the reserves. '' Glaber said, using his blood red cloak to clean the gore from his blade as he surveyed the ebb and flow tide of the battle. Now it was the troops of Pontus that were beginning to retreat, leaving the small Roman force in possession of the gore stained field. Looking out, Glaber knew that if he had to sacrifice every man under his command to return to Rome then he would do so. His future would not be destroyed by one so low as the Thracian dog.
The debacle in Thrace had cost him vast political capital, his auxiliaries had deserted him, and even worse still the barbarians had been free to sack and pillage Roman territory. All because of that Thracian dog Spartacus. His only one solace in this disaster was that Glaber had sold his bitch to be raped and degraded by Syrian's over and over while Spartacus toiled as a slave under the worm Batiatus.
It had only been through the intervention of his father in law that he had successfully kept control of his Legion. But the old wretch wasn't about to let the Legatus off so easily. Glaber would get his wish. He would take part in the Mithradatic Campaign to recover his tarnished reputation. Of course, the fact that the Roman's now were losing and slowly being pushed out of Anatolia couldn't be a fact lost on the Senator. The Legatus pondered briefly if his father and law would rather see him dead, cutting his losses and marrying Ilithiya to another. Over his fucking cold corpse, Glaber would rise again and when he didn't need the patronage of that old fool he would dispose of the good Senator Albinius.
Gloved fists closed over the reigns of his horse, his gaze transfixed on the carnage erupting in front of him. It was an orgy of death that paled to the Arena as the barbarians came and came again. The Legion had been tasked with covering the retreat of the main Roman Army. His Legion against thousands of barbarians as Mithradites harassed them all the way to the coast.
'' Legatus, the line is faltering! The men are breaking! '' Centurion Valerious shouted, Glaber heard the panic in his voice. Fear was a thing worse than any foe. It was capable of routing battle hardened veterans, spreading from man to man like a plague. But if the men feared their leader more then the enemy, then they would follow him to the Gates of Hades if he demanded it of them.
'' Archers. '' Glaber barked.
'' Legatus..we'll hit our own men. '' Valerious protested.
'' If they will not stand and fight then they are as good to me as dead. Attack.''
The cry of arrows caused havoc upon the routing Roman and Pontic troops. Roman and barbarian alike fell, like a panicked mob faced with death from every directions the Roman troops were confronted by their Legatus as he pushed his horse down the hill to barr their retreat.
' STAND AND FIGHT YOU FUCKING WHORESONS! Or I will see you crucified! '' He punctuated the threat by hacking down the ranking officer in the mob. Both threat of a slow horrible death and summary execution of the First Spear was enough for the troops to turn on their heel and charge back into the fray.
'' Bring up the reserves. '' Glaber said, using his blood red cloak to clean the gore from his blade as he surveyed the ebb and flow tide of the battle. Now it was the troops of Pontus that were beginning to retreat, leaving the small Roman force in possession of the gore stained field. Looking out, Glaber knew that if he had to sacrifice every man under his command to return to Rome then he would do so. His future would not be destroyed by one so low as the Thracian dog.