Leisurely walking toward the camp's gate, Kotys felt the watchful eyes of patrolling guards slide across him.
He had his oval shield hung across his back, a small sack in one hand, and his spear rested in the other. His trusty gladius faintly gleamed at his hip—silent and dutiful.
Passing the servants' tents, he caught sight of Hoplite. The boy sat folded before the canvas, knees hugged tight with his face half-buried in his arms.
Kotys paused. A dozen thoughts flickered through his mind—none of them kind to the boy's circumstances.
He finally stepped forward and nudged him lightly with the sack.
Startled, Hoplite's eyes flew open, and he reflexively threw up his arms, bracing for a blow—
None came.
Peeking through his elbows, he saw Kotys standing over him with a neutral gaze.
"Assist me in taking this to your—god," He said dryly.
Hoplite blinked, uncertain whether he had been mocked or ordered. He chose the safer interpretation, scrambled to his feet, and followed.
–✺–
They reached the camp's gate, bathed in wavering torchlight that bowed and rose in the night wind.
Kotys glanced once at the red mark marring Hoplite's cheek but said nothing. Some injuries were better left to confession than inquiry.
He had planned to watch Rainer himself tonight. Yet seeing Hoplite changed his mind. The boy could share the weight—literally and otherwise.
Rainer seemed to like him, but the feeling was not mutual with many.
They stopped beneath the gate. Firelight shimmered across Kotys's worn armor as he exhaled—then frowned.
Ahead, Rainer was…moving strangely.
The man bounded left, then right, then leapt again, as though dueling ghosts.
"What is he doing?" Kotys muttered.
"Perhaps a ritual to summon more of its kin," offered the gate-guard on the right.
The one on the left added nervously, "He's been hauling stones into a circle for a while now. I thought it harmless—until he began dancing. Maybe it's worship. To his father, perhaps?"
The first guard snorted. "The son of Mars? Bah. I'll believe it when the ground opens and vomits fire. Until then, he's at least an entertaining watch."
Kotys turned toward them both, frowning. "Eyes open, Arminius. Sinatus. You guard this gate, not gossip at it."
"Aye."
"Hm."
They grunted mildly.
It was clear they knew each other well. They were tent-mates of his after all.
He considered saying more, but the thought withered. Instead, he started forward.
"A brave youth you are…" Sinatus murmured, half-teasing.
"Keep your gladius close, Kotys!" Arminius called. "If he rips your throat out, I can't save you in time!"
Their laughter followed him, and Kotys sighed.
"Idiots," he muttered—but his eyes stayed fixed on Rainer, wariness edging the line of curiosity.
'Perhaps,' He wondered grimly, 'I'm the bigger idiot.'
With that, Kotys thoughts gently drifted to their noon assault of the fort.
-
–
—
*Bam!*
The wet sound of meat and bone breaking punctuated the air even through the chaos of battle.
"Centurio Vibius has fallen from the wall!" Someone shouted in alarm.
Before anyone could react, Vibius had begun to rise—unnatural, given the height of the fall.
When he drew himself up, he was different. His eyes were as black as tar and dark veins crawled from the corners of his face.
A soldier rushed to help him—only to lose his head in a blur of the creature's slap.
"Oh no! The Chief Centurion's possessed!"
"By the gods—another one?!"
"It's the third this month!"
"It's an omen! A curse from the province of the gods!"
Vibius—or the thing wearing him—threw back its head and shrieked in a foul voice.
"Maidenless vermins! A curse upon thee! Bring not thine Champion through Hellion's accursed gate—or Dark lord Shadarth shall—!"
*Shuk!*
A javelin cut the sermon short, thudding deep into its chest.
It snarled, gripped the shaft, and tore it free.
"My patience ends! Your blood for Dark Lord Shadarth!"
Suddenly, it charged into a column of soldiers attempting to scale the ladder and smashed through a haphazardly raised wall of shields. This was instantly followed by the sounds of bones cracking and men screamed.
"Form ranks!"
"Shields up—drive it back!"
*Su! Suk! Klank! Su!*
Arrows hissed, raining down from the walls upon the disorganized auxiliaries—the rebels capitalizing on their misfortune.
"Archers! Suppress the rebels—!"
*Shuk!*
"Gahh—!"
"Centurio! No!! The centurion of the fourth century has fallen!!!"
Amidst the chaos, steel flashed and blood bloomed as the possessed Vibius ripped through men like parchment.
"Mortal dregs!" It snarled, fighting. "A manaless world, daring to feast with the gods? Ha! You shall have your fill!"
Another volley of spears struck, and it staggered stunned. Instantly, auxiliaries were upon him with spears, skewering it.
"Khahahaha!"
It fell into a crazed laughter that creased as soon as its head got lopped off.
"Daemon's down!"
"Good! Push for the wall—!"
*Puooo!*
A horn cut them short.
"Retreat signaled!"
"Kotys! Shields up—fall back!"
He stood frozen, eyes locked on the mangled corpse of his mentor.
'What has the world become,' He thought, 'when even the dead know no peace?'
"Kotys! Retreat!"
He bit his lip, eyes blurring.
'Farewell…teacher.'
"Kotys!!"
—
–
-
"Kotys."
"Koootys."
"KOTYS!"
He jerked upright—Rainer's face inches from his own.
Rainer blinked, then grinned. "Obol for your thoughts?"
Kotys drew back, half-startled, half-exasperated at himself for zoning off.
At this moment, the wind softly tousled Rainer's moon-kissed hair as sweat shone faintly on his skin.
Kotys felt odd, momentarily taken aback at the sight.
This wasn't some daemon. It was a being who genuinely thought of him as a friend.
The realization woke something within him, and he couldn't quite tell—when his fears dissolved.
Rainer tilted his head, eyes twinkling with mischief when he got no reply.
"—Or should I save the coin for your funeral tomorrow?"
Kotys snorted despite himself. "Keep it. You'll need it more than I."
Rainer laughed lightly, unbothered—and somewhere deep inside, Kotys hoped that laugh would still echo when dawn's trumpets called for blood.
...If only he knew.