Devil's Sea

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Falco wiped sweat from his brow as Cassius signaled a halt. They were on top of a ridgeline on the west side of the Dnieper River, the XXV Legion stretched out behind them, except for a screen of scouts a half mile ahead.

They were beyond the empire’s boundaries, well into the territory of the barbarians, but that wasn’t the reason for the halt. They’d been outside the empire for four days now on a forced march north along the river. The XXV had done well, keeping to the normal legion pace of twenty-five miles a day.

Directly ahead, beyond several miles of swampy ground, was a dark stationary wall. It was very high, taller than any wall Falco had ever seen, over half a mile and about four miles wide. Whatever it was constructed of, he had never seen. The black was featureless and seemed to absorb the sunlight completely.

There was no need to ask Kaia if that was what they sought. The priestess had taken several steps forward and was staring as intently as any of them at the blackness. Falco had sensed the darkness for two days as they marched, the sense of evil growing closer. He knew Kaia had sensed it also.

“Senior Centurion Falco,” Cassius called.

“Yes, sir?”

“Make castra here. And I don’t want any slack in the perimeter.”

“Yes, sir.”

Cassius looked at sky. Clear, no clouds. “No tents.”

“Yes, sir.”

As the men swung into the practiced movements of preparing to stop for the night, fortifying their position, making it into the traditional castra, Falco kept one eye on the blackness, the other on the work. Every legion castra was to be built the exact same way. A square wall and moat surrounded the camp. Two roads bisected the camp, one called the via principia and the other the via praetorian. The names, like the camp, were always the same. The legionnaire in a camp anyplace in the world could find his way in the pitch dark.

The sun was just above the western horizon when Falco reported all was ready for inspection. Cassius walked the entire perimeter, stopping here and there to chat with the men. Not quite X Legion standard, but the troops were getting better.

“Very good, Falco,” Cassius said as they arrived back at the starting point, facing the black wall, now invisible in the dusk. Kaia was where they had left her, standing still as a rock.

“What now?’ Cassius asked her.

“I’m not sure,” Kaia said. “We have the staff and the skull, but it is not enough.”

“What more do you need?” Falco asked.

“I don’t know. I had a vision last night of a pyramid like the one we saw at Thera. But I see no pyramid here. I think I must go into the darkness.”

“A reconnaissance would be a smart move,” Cassius agreed. “But we will wait until morning.”

“I recommend only Kaia and I enter the gate,” Falco said. “I sense great danger in there.”

“One does not need your special gifts to feel the danger,” Cassius said. “I agree. The two of you go, but I think it best to take a third with you. I will wait nearby with a cohort.”

A legionnaire approached, holding a mess tin of the same food the troops were eating. Another way Cassius was different from other officers Falco had known. On campaign, Cassius always ate the same as his troops. And he always ate next to last, Falco holding on to the right to eat last, insuring all the men had eaten; it was the way a true leader operated. Cassius accepted the tin. Another soldier approached with Falco and Kaia’s food. It was one of the many ways Cassius had begun to earn the respect of the troops. Another was his refusal to ride a horse. He had walked, just as his soldiers had, moving up and down the column all day long, getting to know his men.

Just after dark, there was a commotion on the southern side of the camp, and Falco hurried there, arriving as one of the patrols they had sent out was allowed to pass. The young tribune in charge was obviously agitated.

Falco searched his memory for the man’s name. “Falvius. What news do you have?”

Falvius jumped off his horse. “Barbarians. Massing to the south of us.”

“Come,” Falco indicated he should follow, and they went to the center, where Cassius was resting on a thin blanket. The general was up by the time they arrived. A small fire blazed nearby, and he warmed his hands over it.

Falvius snapped a salute, which Cassius calmly returned. “Report, Tribune.”

“General, there is a force of barbarians to the south of us.”

“The proper format for such a report,” Cassius said, calm as a rock in response to the tribune’s excitement, “is to be specific. How many, how far, and what are they doing?”

“At least five thousand. And we saw more heading toward the camp. It’s a day’s march south of here. They were camping for the night, but they were astride our trail. They’re following us.”

“Any cavalry?” Falco asked. He could sense Kaia’s presence nearby and spotted her just outside the circle of light thrown by the fire.

“Some horses,” Falvius said, “but most were on foot.”

Did you leave men to watch?”

“Yes, General. One contubernium with our swiftest horses.”

Falco watched the general consider the situation. They had faced it before, especially in Germany. Every time a legion crossed the Rhine, it was usually unopposed for several days until the locals could gather their forces. Then the enemy was usually behind the legion, between it and the empire, meaning the Romans would have to cut their way out to return home.

Cassius nodded at Falvius. “Good job. Go get some food.”

When he was gone, Kaia stepped forward into the light.

“We have company,” Cassius said to her.

“I’ve sensed them gathering all day behind us,” she said.

“And you didn’t think to inform me?” Cassius asked.

“Would it have made a difference?” she asked in turn. “They are halted for the night. And they are not anxious to engage you immediately. They want to outnumber you at least two to one, and it will take a day or so for that strength to gather from the villages farther away. They think you are the vanguard for a larger Roman force to bring this land into the empire.”

“You’re reading their minds at a distance?” Cassius asked.

“No. It is common sense.”

“I agree,” Falco said. “We have at least a day.”

“They’ll fight us, but not that.” Falco nodded his head in the direction of the gate. “It would seem they do not know their real enemy.”

“They fear the darkness,” Kaia said. “They think it comes from the gods. Maybe they think by killing us they will appease the gods who they believe started the darkness.”

“I fear it also,” Cassius said. “And we don’t know what kind of enemy it is, nor do the local people, I suspect. It is easier to fight what you know than the unknown.”

“Can we fight it?” Falco had turned to Kaia.

“I do not know,” she replied.

“We best get some rest,” Cassius said. “We’ll need it in the morning.”