The Lost Legion Part 8

8.

Centurion

"Optio, the war may be over by morning. I want you to take Franco and half the men. Form your formation and go to the East Gate. Try to break for it when the opportunity comes. I will be with Marco at the South Gate. We will do the same." I looked at Tiber and I can see he is smiling. His chance to be his own command and if he survives and I don't, he is the new Centurion.

He saluted me and walked away to find Franco. Marco walked in and slammed his fist on my table. "Who are you to split me and Franco?"

"Decanus Marco, this is the Legion and not your damned army. So you follow orders or be shipped out ....." I shouted back.

"In what, Centurion? The Legion promised us a piece of land and citizen of Rome. What can you offer? A coffin perhaps and a gold in our heart or is it a pugio instead." He mocks me and I am angry. I drew out my gladius and point it at him.

"Swear on my sword. If not, leaned onto it. I would have you both ways; loyal or dead."

The Decanus looked at me and then walked away. Soon it will be dark and then by dawn we would all be dead.

Optio

My own command even though its a small one. I ran to East Gate and I met Decanus Franco there with eighty of the men. He said he would proposed that we formed two Testsuro to attack. If one is under attack and losing, the other would compliment the other if they can. We will move in that manner and avoid being too apart. I climbed up the wall and looked over.

I see the number of campfires and I climb down looking concerned. "No, we cannot make it. This is crazy."

I ran back to the Centurion and met him as he was leaving the command center. "I would take your place. You take the East Gate. I would take your place instead."

But the Centurion held my arm.

"You cannot go there. Marco is not your Decanus. He does not respect you. Go back to your post. I gave you the original Legion and I am holding the riff raff of men. I would have a tougher time than you. Do you understand?" He is looking at me with his look. I seen it many times when he does that, you do not argue. You just followed his order or die by his gladius.

I walked away quietly. I would show him how the Legion used to fight.

Centurion

The Optio withdraw back to his post. I can sense his disappointment at my command but he has not seen my side of the wall. I got more enemies than him. I also got a rebelling Decanus. One who wants to go home. Its good as that will make him a fierce warrior.

I sensed the presence of the lady behind me.

"No, I am not keen. Tell her I will stay." The lady filtered into the darkness.

I took up my shield and walked to the Gate. I met the Kangju Leader as he walks past me. He is holding his nose as its bleeding. In his left hand is the arrow with blood on it. Probably his as he is cursing at it as he passed by me. I guess its not a good time to asked him to pay the golds he owed me.

I reached the gate and I see the men. Half of them are holding wooden shields and the chinese spear. Marco is there with his full armor and he is shouting at them like before of any battle. The words of encouragement and threats. The promise of golds and women. They cheered him and he made them feel they are invulnerable.

They loved him. I began to love him too. He is becoming my Decanus again.

"Decanus Marco, we fight tonight till we all die."

Zhizhi

I assembled all my ladies and servants; armed them with bow and arrows. I sent them to the rampart to see what they will face when the wall comes down. I want them to feel fear as I am. The ladies complained and I had killed one who refused. I held her head up and cut her throat.

"That is what they would do to you, but before that they would ravage your body and soul with their filthy bodies. There won't be one but many who will take their turns. Then they will do that. But your soul will travel to hell with their seeds in you. So do you fight or do you wait for them?"

My Princess was the one I cut the throat. I did it so she would not be sacrificed to battle these savages. But these whores would do the battle. I see Lady Peng Rei dressed like a man and she is also armed.

"Joining me on the rampart? I hope so, as death with you would be complete." She just smiled at me and walked past me to go to the walls. I chased my whores to follow suit as I am joining them too. I unslung my bow and followed behind.

Like in the old days when I got hunting with my elder brother before I left him. He used to in front of me. He said its safer for me that way. I find myself riding with the servants and ladies in waiting. My brother made a fool of me then but he won't be today. Today, I am riding up front to be with the men.

"Shoot like your life depended on it." I am at the rampart and shooting my bow as I can pull out the arrow from the quiver. Its not a concern to aim as the mass of men in front of us pose a point blank mark. I finished my second quiver and I reached for the third quiver. The arrow sailed past me across my nose bridge and tear the flesh off my bone there.
"Aargh!" I looked at the person who shot me. Its the Lady Kino and she is smiling as she lowers her bow. The bitch just shot me. I need to get something for my nose. I grabbed the arrow and ran.

Optio

I reached the men and caught hold of Decanus Franco. He is trying to get the men to stationed at the rampart.

"Get them down here. They are useless up there. We will take the fight to the Han. We would make a break for it when the enemy falter. Get them down. That is my order." The Decanus is pulling the men down to the gate. I walked among them, as they form the Testsuro. Decanus Franco walked to me.

"You are sure of this?" He dare to questioned me.

I shouted to the guards at the Gate.

"Open it."

They did. We marched out in formation. Eighty men to fight a thousand more. Its crazy but its my command. My fragging command. We marched out in formation. We halted before the thousands of men standing there in their armors. They did not charge us. Then I looked back to the walls. More men was coming out form the Fortress like us and ready themselves for a fight.

The waiting is over. The fight on the wall is done. Now its the hands on fight; the dueling of swords and shields.

They are coming; the enemies with their war cries.

I cried out for formation; Legion style. We will take on the onslaught.

"Pilum out and leveled. We will fight like Legion. For Rome and our people." And our lives as I muttered to myself.

Decanus Franco

Crazy bastard,but the men follows him. For once he is their leader. Our ranks are in place and we are holding our formation. A thrust of the Han spear is parried off and the Pilum sink into the attacking enemy's thigh. I saw one spear passing the men between the shields, and I cut it off at the metal edge with my gladius. Another one comes in and speared my man but he still stands as he used his other knee to break the staff off. He fights with a deep gash on his inner thighs but he would not let his Legion down.

That's why we are called the Fifth Cohort. We never give up. An arrow whizz by me and hit the Optio. He is injured in the back and he reached for the arrow but his hand missed it.

"Let me help." I took the shaft and broke it. Blood gushed out of his wound but he did not say a word. He is a braver man now. More than I can say in the times we were together before. He turned to look at me and smiled. I smiled back at him.

"Thank you", he said. But it matter not. I am soon to die before him. I reached for the spear in my back which has stabbed beyond my ribs.

Optio

Decanus Franco died in my hands. The men at the ranks hauled the enemy in and I killed the man. He who killed my Decanus deserved no mercy from me. I raised my gladius and shout to the men to slaughter them all. For every of our men, they would pay with ten of them.