Dictator of Rome - Camillus (Book 1): Dawn of The Eagle by Francis Mulhern

Author:Francis Mulhern [Mulhern, Francis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-02-04T05:00:00+00:00

“We need thirty seconds” called Marcus “wait” he pleaded. The urgency in his eyes caused Cossus to stand, staring at Marcus before nodding. “OK” he said “But we cannot afford to let the gates fall. If you are outside in thirty seconds you will stay here” and he called to the men who were standing at the gate to hold a little longer as he walked back to the fort.

The trap started to close and the pike-men bunched up as their left flank came under attack. The right flank didn’t dare go any closer to the walls as spears rained down at them as soon as they got within throwing distance, the men at the back of the phalanx looking wildly up at the grinning faces of the Romans waiting for them to get within their sights. More stones whirled across the space as the velites continued to launch missiles into the Roman line. Just as Marcus was thinking the phalanx would hold, the back line of soldiers peeled away, dropping their long pikes and turning on their heels as the first of the Aequians fell to Decimus’s men. As soon as the back row faltered the rest of the phalanx turned and started to run one man at a time until they were all in disarray.

A foolhardy Roman whooped and ran after the Aequian pike-man in front of him but was stopped by the sudden stampede of his fellow soldiers in the opposite direction. As he turned on his heel, his memory suddenly coming back to him, he laughed at his own stupidity, but his laughter was cut short as the wooden shaft of a javelin burst through his back and out of his stomach. He had time to focus on the sharp point covered with his own blood that protruded from his belly before the lights went out of his eyes and he fell to the floor.

As the screech of the closing gate got louder, and the Romans dashed into the fort around him, Marcus turned, Eagle in hand, and watched the cavalry closing on the fort, thousands of Aequians marching behind them to a steady beat of thick leather-bound drums. He heard voices screaming and stones landing all around him, as he slowly turned. Manlius laughed at him, throwing his head back as he did so, and patted his shoulder. Together they walked into the closing gates of the fort holding the Eagle high above their heads, the sunlight glinting on its golden wings.

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