Chapter 20 - Commence Sureties
Horns blared a warbling alarm as always to start the day.
Today they blasted with a bit more gusto and they kept going for longer than the normal morning routine. The century raced to get dressed and ready with even more frantic energy.
“What’s got everyone so worked up?” Palinus asked a roommate.
“It’s seventh day you shit stain!” he yelled over his shoulder as if that explained the urgency.
The boys raced to get ready and out the door to the spot on the gravel path where they assembled. They were fortunate to be in the middle section of the barracks which meant they were in the middle pack to get to the lavatories and the rush to get out the door so they were not the last to get in position.
The last of the century to get out the door were stopped by Optio Magunnus who stood next to the door.
“For failure of duty you will each receive one lash!” The Optio yelled in the faces of the stragglers, they accepted their fates with a range of expressions but no audible complaints and joined the century.
As they got underway they were amongst the last barracks to be leaving the sleeping quarters as along the gravel paths they could see several other centuries marching towards the big parade ground which sat at the back of the camp, overlooked by the hill fort and sprawling forest.
It was a formidable sight with hundreds of young people gathering in formation in the neat rows of their centuries. Their brown tunics making the red legion soldiers and the various colours of officer and auxilia uniforms stand out as they stood amongst the youths.
In front of each century stood ten wooden frames that looked like tall sturdy fence posts. From the top of the posts hung a piece of leather on a long cord and below each there was a subtle red stain to the fine brown gravel.
As their century arrived they were expertly wheeled into position and stood to attention with orders delivered by Centurion Armiger.
On a raised stage in front stood half a dozen men wearing white robes, they were older looking men barring one man with a smiling face staring up at the hill behind him. They looked nothing like soldiers as they sat on little chairs compared to the a muscular man standing beside them. He was wearing a Legion Uniform that was so heavily adorned that it looked like it was made of gold standing on the stage and staring out at the conscripts with a hard expression. His white cloak billowed behind him and the plume on his helmet stood almost farcically tall over his head and cascading down his back. Palinus guessed that he would be the Primus Pilus, the first spear and an impressive figure.
They were fortunate to not have to wait long under the primus’s glare as the last century arrived. Once their centurion ordered them to a halt the primus took a step forward and brought his heel down. The men sitting on the seats on the stage stood up behind him, with far less military precision.
“Legion, Salute!” The voice of the Primus Pilus was impossibly loud from where they were standing nearly 60 metres away.
THUMP!
Thump!
Thump!
There was a solid thump as every conscript and soldier hit their chest over their hearts as hard as they could. With more than a thousand people, the echo of fists on chests rang out like a bell through the parade ground.
On the stage the primus gave a crisp salute in return and the tribunii behind him gave sloppy slaps to their chest.
“Legion, laxarte!”
With the primus’s command the legion released their salute and as one moved their right foot to stand at a more relaxed position with their hands behind their back.
On the stage the oldest of the men in robes shuffled forward and the Primus turned as he approached, sharing a salute. The older tribune had a robe with gold edging and carried golden staff. He held his hand to his ear like you might in a rift to speak to the team and as he spoke his words sounded as if they were coming from right next to Palinus as he listened intently.
“You may have heard that there has been some…*Hurk*” He gave a wet cough as he spoke and he sounded ancient. From the embellishment on his robe Palinus realised that he would be the Legate and the first in command of the legion “... changes in the city. I can confirm that we do indeed serve a new emperor.”
There was a susurrus amongst the crowded conscripts as they vocalised their concern. The delayed news was perplexing to Palinus, as he barely paid attention to the goings on in the empire but even he knew that this had occurred over a week ago.
“We continue to serve the Empire of Erulea, and we will continue to serve the new Tyrant as we have the old emperor.”
“All Hail Tyrant Octavius.” Beside the aged legate the Primus Pilus projected.
“ALL HAIL TYRANT OCTAVIUS!”
The response thundered across the parade ground. It felt like the ground shook with their voices.
“With these trying times… we must be doubly vigilant to those who fail to heed their duty to the empire. So, today, and moving forward… we will be doubly hard on those of you who fail to live up to their duty.” The legate stated this matter of factly with a slow drawling voice, but something about the words and the voice made his skin itch as he listened to the man. “And so, you will be receiving twice the punishment for failures. Be glad… that you can only give one life to Erulea.”
With his short speech finished the legate turned to sit in his chair and the Primus took over the proceedings.
“Centuries, commence sureties!”
The command triggered a cascade of movement amongst the soldiers standing beside the conscripts.
Centurion Armiger and Optio Magunnus had been standing beside the century as they stood for the briefing, now they marched around the century to stand before the wooden frames.
“Second cohort, seventh century intente!” Optio Magunnus called the century to attention.
As the Optio called out there was an echoing chaos of yells around the parade ground as the commanders of the various centuries called out the same instructions.
“Conscript Denefer, Conscript Albius, step forward.” Centurion Armiger called. The two conscripts stepped forward, Palinus wasn’t sure what they had done to deserve being called out but Albius was always late and always seemed to be doing the wrong thing. Not so much out of malice but due to an ill fit with the structure of the training.
Once the conscripts stood before the century, Centurion Armiger paused. Several drums at the front of the legion began to beat a thumping rhythm.
“Nominated conscripts you will repeat the Sacramentum. May the reminder of your duty help you serve the Empire.”
At a specific point in the beat Centurion Armiger began reciting.
“That I shall never desert the service so long as Erulea stands!”
“That I shall never desert the service so long as Erulea stands!”
The Sacramentum echoed strangely around the parade grounds with several conscripts from each century performing the ritual at the same time. The palpable weight to the words was multiplied hearing them delivered amongst the whole legion and Palinus gulped, glad he had not been called out to do this. As he listened, he could hear a sigh of relief from Rufian standing behind him who must have been thinking the same.
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He did not escape the punishment delivered that day however.
As the Sacrementum concluded the conscripts who were forced to take it again looked drained as they returned at a stumble to their places in the century.
“First Decio, step forward!” Optio Magunnus ordered and the nine conscripts in the first decio marched around from the right side to stand before the century.
“Conscript Albius, Conscript Rofarian, Conscript Iferio!” Centurion Armiger called the conscripts names. They responded by stepping towards the posts. They placed their hands against them and gripped the leather bit in their mouths.
The drums began to beat again, this time with a slow counting beat with a double beat at every interval of five. A swelling of essentia emanated from the Centurion’s shoulder and as the beat hit it’s next double count he brought down his arm with a whipping motion and three streaks of red light slapped against the backs of the three conscripts.
As soon as the strikes landed the centurion's arm was raised for the next strike which came down again on the next drum beat. On the third beat only two strikes landed as the conscript on the right flinched for a strike that didn’t come.
The blows continued as Conscript Albius racked up an impressive twenty four strikes against his back. As the next beat came from the drum and no blow followed he slumped to the ground. Palinus felt sorry for the boy, he was drained from the sacramentum already and the blows from the whip looked like they were not physically substantial but left narrow scorches on the areas of bare skin that were visible around the conscripts' tunics.
“First Decio, fall in!” Optio Magunnus ordered the remaining members, ignoring the conscript on the ground.
“Second Decio, step forward!”
A pair of soldiers carrying a stretcher marched formally through the legion to come and pick Albius up. As the second decio received their lashes they saw several sets of stretchers marching conscripts that needed medical attention from other centuries past them.
Their decio was the sixth and they watched as several sets of whippings were handed out before their turn. It seemed like the punishment was common as most decio’s had at least one conscript receiving lashes.
As their turn approached they watched as the ten conscripts from decio in front of them stepped forward. Centurion Armiger cracked a rare smile as Optio Magunnus called no-one forward for punishment. Palinus knew them to be a group of boys from the 2nd hill, mostly the sons of soldiers and military officials, they were Centurion Armiger’s favourites. They stood proudly as the drums beat for the other centuries.
“Fifth decio, fall in!” Optio Magunnus ordered the group to return to the century; they still wore smug expressions that irked Palinus as they returned to the place.
“Sixth decio, step forward!” The decio containing Palinus and his friends from the 7th hill were called and the group stepped forward. Compared to the fifth decio they looked like a ragtag group, with the two girls and Palinus’s friends being so new they did not look like the shiny golden boys of the previous decio and Centurion Armiger’s smile swiftly vanished to be replaced with his standard scowl.
“Conscript Ramirus, Conscript Fredisian, Conscript Bruchts, Conscript Seline!” Palinus’s friends were all called forward. He knew this was coming for Bruchts and Rufian but hearing the girls’ names called he felt a flash of panic thinking he might be called out too. As soon as the optio stopped and he realised he wasn’t called he started to feel guilty for his cowardice. Realising he was the only one in the decio not receiving a punishment the feeling of guilt multiplied.
He watched with a clenched fist as his friends old and new gripped the leather in their mouths. Rufian didn’t take the leather bit.
From Palinus’s position he saw Optio Magunnus almost move to try to gesture for him to put it in, but he was forced to remain in place with a grimacing expression. The Centurion had his back turned to Palinus, so he couldn’t see his face but the clench of his fist indicated that the commanding soldier took that as a challenge.
The drums beat their slow rhythm.
Rufian took the far left posts, he stood tall as if he was leaning on a wall and having a pleasant chat with Vesuvia beside him. Bruchts had his shoulders clenched, and Palinus could see him glancing with concern at their friend.
Vesuvia and Rufian shared a glance and Palinus could swear he saw Vesuvia wink. She and Rufian were more alike than they might admit.
The first line of the drum beat crawled. As the bar ended with it’s doubled strike and the first beat signalled the whipping to begin, Palinus flinched.
*Crack*-ack*-ack*-ack*
The multi-strike of the fiery lash made four vicious welts on his friend’s backs.
The sense of survivor's remorse swelled again. He couldn't watch his friends being punished while he wasn’t and he shut his eyes before the second drum beat could signal another round of strikes. At first all he heard was stoney silence from his friends, the whimpers that had escaped from conscripts from previous decio’s was conspicuously absent as the ars empowered rod struck their backs.
Brucht’s and Silene’s punishment ended after two strikes, leaving Vesuvia and Rufian at the posts. As they took the 5th lash without complaint a sniggering noise caused Palinus to open his eyes.
With their hands still on the posts Rufian and Vesuvia were craning their necks to look at each other and nearly laughing as they were flogged.
It looked like Centurion Armiger was about to pop as he went a deep shade of red and he started putting more force into the whipping motion. His grunts as he administered the 7th and 8th lash made the two youths from the 7th hill struggle not to laugh even more.
After the 8th strike finished both Vesuvia and Rufian turned to face the century with smirks on their faces. As if they had been told off by a master at the gymnasium rather than receiving corporal punishment.
The centurion was holding back a snarl and as the 9th beat of the drum continued the punishment for other conscripts his hand twitched as if he was considering adding some lashes to Rufian and Vesuvia’s punishment.
They were smart to avoid saying or doing anything to challenge him further as they fell back into the century at Optio Magunnus’s orders.
The decio after them glared daggers at them as they received their lashes from a pissed off centurion but the rest of the brutal ceremony passed without further note. Palinus was puzzled by his friends behaviour, he could see the lashe’s impact, there was no way that it didn’t hurt. Yet Rufian and Vesuvia looked completely unbothered.
As the last conscript received the last lash administered for the day the drum beat changed.
It started speeding up and was joined by several more drums to begin a looping tattoo that was joined by the various signalling horns to create a thrilling tune that stirred the conscripts up.
Palinus started to feel like he was drunk and ready for a fight as the music stirred something within him.
Suddenly the music stopped.
The primus pilus stood up at the lectern on the stage.
The conscripts standing around him were already silent, but an excited energy built as they waited for him to say something mirrored in their eager postures leaning forward in excitement.
“Due to a surplus of sanguine essentia Tribune Asterius has prepared a fully powered essentia scenario.”
There was a susurrus amongst the conscripts as they reacted to the news, it was apparently quite exciting as the youths struggled to stand still. The young tribune behind the primus was beaming at them and gave a wave as his name was mentioned.
The primus continued.
“Cohort one takes the hill for field exercises. Legion, dismissed!”
There was a moment of silence as the formation of hundreds of soldiers and conscripts digested the news, there was almost a cheer from the other side of the parade ground but around Palinus the news was not as good as their century and the others amongst the 2nd cohort around subaudibly grumbled.
The soldiers around the various centuries began to order the conscripts forwards off the parade ground, but as they were towards the back of the formation the 7th Century had to wait.
Palinus took the opportunity to quietly ask the conscripts around him. “What is going on?”
“The field exercises… we were supposed to be hill side this rotation.” Vesuvia answered quietly.
“-and we were due a spot in the rear guard after last week's debacle…” A conscript from another decio whispered sharply from behind them there was grumbling agreement and muffled curses.
“Rear of the forest is better than the front of the hill!” Vesuvia added cheerfully. “We’ll get some time to sit around camp before our thrashing.”
“It’s basically a cohort vs cohort battle… and the hill side almost always wins.” Seline whispered, filling him in. “At least we won’t be in the swamps again…”
The conscripts around him fell into silence as they waited.
“How were you able to take that beating?” Bruchts whispered with concern to Rufian.
Rufian chuckled and gestured at Vesuvia.
She winked in response and sneakily pulled at the neck of her collar to reveal a gleaming white calculii set below her collarbone.
Before Palinus could ask about it’s ars the century was ordered into a march towards the battleground of the hill versus the forest.
He could see why the hill side would have an advantage as the centuries in the 1st Cohort marched away from them towards the fort that stood on the hill. As he stared up at it from the bottom Palinus could see there were several smaller towers poking up on the slope.
With a gulp he imagined the effort of climbing the hill. Fighting up it seemed like an impossible task.
As the path they travelled skirted the hill and diverged towards the scrubby forest, they started to get a sense of the wooded area which featured pockets of trees that obstructed vision and looked impassably dense. Amongst the thick stands of trees and bush were passages of shadowed bushes, tall grass and meadows that created maze-like paths through the forest. Standing watch over the trail they walked past a tower on their right; it stood standing guard, watching over the entrance to the forest
Looking through the doorway, Palinus caught a glimpse of what lay within: a spiralling staircase to the crenellated battlements at the top. Flickering in the shadows of the room, he could feel as much with his essentia as see with his eyes, the prismatic light of a mature rift.