My eighteenth birthday had come and as all Roman males I was required to serve in the legions of Rome for at least two years. Cassius was a year younger than I and I was sad to leave him behind. The night before I left Marcus came to me.

"It is a big day for you tomorrow. I remember when I had joined the legions. Perhaps those were the two hardest years of my life." He said sitting upon the bed of pillows Karine had laid out for him. I sat nearer the fire, drinking the spiced wine he had made. I smiled and nodded.
"I am not looking forward to being away for so long. These two years will hopefully pass by quickly," I said finishing the cup. Marcus motioned to the fire and an image began form within the flames. I was mesmerized.
"You will be a great legionnaire, I foresee a bright future for you within the legions. Perhaps general," he said staring deeply within the flames. I snorted.
"I don't think so. I do not believe I will stay past the requirement. I want a private life�like you have." "A private life? As a Senator? Oh Claudius, I do not believe that is in your future," Marcus sat up and looked at me intently. "Claudius, now that you are old enough I have one last lesson I can teach you," he said putting his cup down.
"The Senate is not what it once was. I have been within Rome for perhaps two centuries, and I have seen what it was once. Once it cared for the people, it moved quickly to resolve things. But now," he tossed the cup into the fire.
"Now it is controlled by those�things."
"I do not understand, Marcus."
"There are things in this world other than we mages. There are creatures that walk only in the darkness, and drink our blood," he said looking at me, "Vampyrus control the Senate now. They have spread like a shadow across the city."
My mind reeled, and at first I did not believe him. I looked at him to say something, but the look upon his face silenced me.
"They will be the ends of our society as we know it. They are decadent and care nothing for us. Watch yourself, Claudius, they do not care for us mages and would destroy us if found." He said and then abruptly stood and left the room leaving me with my thoughts.

Karine was waiting for me when I returned to my room for the night. We spent it holding to each other as we said our soft goodbyes and when it was done I slept in her arms for the last time. Had I know what the future would hold I would have stayed awake for just a bit longer.

Marcus and Cassius walked me to the barracks that morning. We were silent for the most part rarely speaking when finally the barracks were in sight. Cassius clasped my arm and smiled, "I'll see you next year. Be safe," he said.
"I will, I promise," I turned our clasp to a hug and looked to Marcus. He embraced me and took my arm as well.
"Mind your lessons and remember what I said."
I nodded and turned walking towards the barracks. I turned one last time to look at them and wave.

I stood in a small line by the entrance as the recruiters took down our names and next of kin. When that was finished they herded us into a small courtyard with a tall Marshall waiting for us. He lined us up and looked us over each in turn.
"It looks like this years new recruitment is full of soft rich boys who won't last out the year!" He said to another legionnaire. With a chuckle he stood in front of one of the smaller boys and put his face into theirs.
"You want to leave there youngster? Want to go home to mother?" he very nearly screamed into his face. The boy shook his head nervously. Keeping his face into us he walked straight down our ranks staring into our eyes. Several of the boys turned away from him when finally he reached me.
"How about you rich boy? You want to go home to father and work the fields for the rest of your life?"
I stared back into his eyes, "I have no father."
He snorted, "Is that so?" he said and moved towards the front of us.
"We're going to train you to be the best legionnaire you can be while you're with us. You listen and train hard and you'll all come back safe. You screw up, and laze off you won't last through your first battle. The world is uncivilized, and it's up to the legions to keep Rome and her citizens safe. We don't need anyone who will not take orders or refuse to work. If any of you are like that you can turn around and leave�anyone!?"
Not one of us moved.
"Good, bring your things to the building on the right. Unpack your things and meet back here within the hour!"
We broke up and headed to our quarters, as I walked past the Marshall he put his club out taping me in the midsection.
"What do you mean you have no father?" he asked. I looked at him askance. "Answer me when I ask you a question, boy."
"My father died," I said staring straight ahead. The Marshall moved in front of me and put his club behind him and rocked on his feet.
"Are you going to be trouble for me?"
"No trouble, no trouble at all."
He stared at me for a moment and nodded, "Go unpack�"

The first few months were filled with early morning runs, exercises and regulations. I of course had already learned to read and write so I could skip from that and run instead. Not once did we pick up our swords, not once did we perform any combat training. I was beginning to feel as if we were athletes rather than soldiers.
When we finally picked up our practice swords we faced off against each other. With all my previous training I was easily the best of the recruits, and this of course lead me to be singled out by the Marshall. I was given the longest guard duty, the hardest tasks, and the most vigorous runs. I did not mind, it kept me sharp and relieved me of my boredom.
It was on one of my guard duties that things began to unravel. I was standing in front of the barracks perhaps during my third hour when I noticed a figure in an alley. The shadows cloaked around it and I could barely make out if it were human or not.
I hefted my spear and glanced away from it for a few minutes. When my gaze returned the silhouette had moved a bit closer and was still looking at me. I shifted my grip on my weapon and looked harder into the shadows. My perceptions shifted and I saw what was there.
She was a tall and gaunt figure; her face was very pale as if she had not seen the sun in ages. Her eyes were like the blackest pools of the midnight sky. I blinked and shook my head as if I were trying to banish her from memory. I looked again to find her gone. Determined to report this I turned on my heel to find her standing there between the archway and me. I do not believe I moved, or even if I had blinked before she had grabbed me by my throat and lifted me off the ground as if I were a child's plaything.
"Legionnaire," she hissed and turned smoothly to put my back up against the wall. I grabbed her wrists to find her skin icy and her grip iron tight.
"How did you see me, legionnaire?" she hissed again and this time I saw her teeth. They were so white they almost looked like they were glowing with a light of their own. She lowered me to her face. "I ask again and for the last, how did you see me boy?"
I tried to speak, her grip was far to tight and nothing more than a gurgle came out. I drew within my mind and then threw out to hers.
'I saw through your shadows!' She winced as my thought screamed into her. Her grip loosened a bit and she smiled at me and brought me back down to earth. She did not let go and brought me to my knees. One of her hands grabbed my chin lifting my eyes to meet hers. She lowered her head and licked her lips.
"A will worker�truly a wonderful find for me this night. I have not fed upon a will worker in centuries," she said and a drop of drool fell from her rapidly widening mouth.
She snarled once and before I could push her away her fangs were deep within my neck.
I felt my blood explode into her mouth. Our hearts slowly began to beat in unison and I began to moan in what seemed like unearthly pleasure. I was instantly aware and aroused, the pleasure was too great not to try in vain to bring her closer to force her to the ground and enter her viscously, and it was also too great not to try and force her away from me to end this torturous pleasure. Yet all I could do was struggle feebly. My surroundings began to go black at the edges of my vision when I felt her withdraw and lick the wound.
"You live will worker only because I allow it. Remember this the next time you look too closely into the shadows," she said and was gone into the night.
I tried to lift myself from the ground, but was far too weak to even lift my arms. I laid there for the entirety of the night only to be found by the guards who had come to relieve me. They dragged me to the Marshall, who began to berate me as if I had gotten drunk and passed out. Only when he noticed no hint of wine upon my breath or clothes did he send me to the infirmary.

I spent the better part of the week there as the physicians debated over my affliction. They tried to bleed me a few times only to suddenly find themselves changing their minds. I also began to have nightmares, of blackest of eyes and beautiful women with fangs. Many nights I would awaken screaming in a cold sweat and if you had asked me I would have sworn the shadows had moved when I awoke.
Once I was released the Marshall took no time in placing me back into rotation and the grinding daily exercises. In fact I was worked harder than I had before, doing double shifts, and twice as much exercises. At the time I hated him for it. I wanted to just leave one night to find him and show him how displeased I was for him to believe I was a drunkard. Now however I realize it was for the best. All that work kept my mind from what had happened; perhaps he in his resentment for me had kept me sane.

We continued to practice against each other and for me it was futile. Very few of the recruits could give me the challenge I needed. They began to ask me about my technique where I had learned it and could I teach them. When it became time to choose a centurion for the cohort they naturally looked to me. This infuriated the Marshall no end. Things were coming to a head between us and everyone became aware of his dislike for me. Suddenly I was assigned triple shifts, mess duty, anything that could be assigned to me was.
It was during the second shift of guard duty one night that he came to see me.
"Still sober I see," he said bringing me out of my thoughts. I turned and saluted him curtly and turned back to my position.
"Always for guard duty, sir."
"I don't like you, Markova. I think you're some rich boy who's going to do his time on some cushy assignment his Senator father pulled strings for and then walk away. While the rest of these men do their time the hard way and Mars willing come back," he said walking around me. I glanced at him. "Oh didn't think I knew who your father was? Didn't think I would check up on my cohort's centurion?"
"Who my father is or is not has no bearing on what-" I started but he poked me in the stomach with his club.
"I'm not finished speaking to you, boy! The men look up to you for some ungodly reason, and I don't like it."
"I don't know-" again with the club.
"Are you speaking to me, boy? I haven't given you permission to yet. Now you listen, you're going to step down as centurion and let Upheaus have it. At least I can trust him to bring the men back," he said poking me with the club one more time. I had had enough. Grabbing the club from him I dropped my spear and poked him the midsection.
"I will not! The men will come back, sir, if you train them!"
"You give me-" I prodded him in the midsection; his face became a deep red.
"You will train the men properly, you will show us legion techniques, you will spread out the duty roster to include your favorites so that my men can get some rest and-"
He made a grab for the club. I shifted my grip and popped him hard on the hand. He opened his mouth to yelp and I brought the club to his chin closing his mouth with a very audible clicking of teeth.

"Have I made myself perfectly clear?"
His mouth opened to say something then he closed it. I handed him his club and smiled as I picked up my spear.
"Now if you will excuse me sir, I believe I have duty to finish."
The veins on his head were twitching as he turned to say something but I had already begun to turn my back on him.
The next day the duty roster had changed and I was no longer working so many shifts and practice began to include lessons on technique. I had won a victory over him for the time being, but I knew he would try to pay me back.

It was a few weeks later during practice. Some of the legionnaires had come to train us. The men were coming along well that afternoon, when the Marshall had come to watch. Finally when our run through was done he took one of the practice swords and challenged us one by one to fight him. One by one they would return to our sitting mat battered and bruised. Saving me for last he humiliated them all. When finally it was my turn the men began to murmur amongst themselves. I stood and walked out onto the sand to meet him.
He smiled at me and gave a little bow, I returned the bow and began my guard. We circled each other and finally came to blows. Using the techniques the legionnaires had taught us I began to deflect and thrust at him. He was good, years of training and combat had made him quick. Finally our blades locked and we came face to face with each other.
"Not bad, but I see your weakness," he said through clenched teeth.
"Show me," I said trying to push him off. He threw his elbow at me connecting with my chin, I staggered back as he danced away and smiled. He hadn't used anything but his sword against the others. The recruits began to whisper again.
I wiped the blood off my lips and twirled my sword nodding to him.
"In battle, " I said to the men as I kept my eyes on the Marshall, "Don't forget to use your arms, legs, head whatever. Use whatever you have to stay alive."
The Marshall scowled at me and rushed forward, I parried his slash but was unprepared for him turning with the parry and kicking the back of my knee. I went down to one knee and he turned again away from my reach. I stood back up and limped a bit away to the side.
"Use his slowness against him. Kicking out their knees or legs can buy you valuable time to parry another blade or finish him off."
The Marshall used my limp against me and circled around me and leapt in high nearly bashing me in the throat. I ducked and he reversed his grip and slashed down cracking against my sore knee with the wooden sword. I kept myself from going down and slashed back at him missing his head by inches.
"Find a weakness, whether it's a limp or one eye and exploit it."
The Marshall laughed, "I think they can see I'm teaching the lesson here boy," he said as he rushed me with what looked to be the final time. I parried his blade and brought my fist up clipping his chin. I wheeled on my good leg and brought my sword down upon the back of his neck and he crumpled to the ground.
"Last lesson," I said tossing the sword on him as he groggily rose to his knees. Limping off the mat toward the men, "Don't play with your opponent. Finish him quickly and efficiently."

For the remainder of the few months we were in training the Marshall gave me a wide berth. I saw him perhaps twice during that time and we did not speak more than two words to each other. It was a good time, our duties lessened and we began to bond, as men will in such conditions. We became as brothers and some became as more.
You must be wondering if I participated in such bonding. No, I may have been Roman and it was encouraged. I have never been attracted to men nor lonely enough to consider it. Perhaps if my father had been a kinder man.

Our good days came to an end when the Goths overran one of our outposts in Rhaetia. Rome was filled with talk of the Goth horde coming to pillage the city and destroy our way of life. Our legion was immediately called to service and was to march to upper Italia. To Marcus' credit he never pulled any strings, which of course made the Marshall all the more hateful towards me.

The march out of Rome, which I had seen many times, was a strange affair. Citizens would line the street to wave to us. Certain women would rush into the ranks to kiss the men often times they were complete strangers. Little boys would dress up as legionnaires and march with us for a time then return back to their families before we reached the edge of the city. Priests and priestess of all the gods would throw prayer beads or flowers at our feet. It must be hard for you to imagine, your soldiers rarely if ever fight to truly save you and keep you from enemy hands. In my day this was an all too real occurrence.

As we marched out of the city and past the hills I turned my head to watch the city as it disappeared from view. It was the farthest from Rome I had ever been. I turned to the man beside me, "I have never been this far." He looked at me and nodded nervously. I assume the same could be said of him.

The march was long and rugged, but we made excellent time reaching our destination within the week. The Marshall had us setup camp and set watches throughout. The camp was just outside two large juts of rock forming a small pass perhaps ten, maybe fifteen men wide. As I sat watch while the men laid camp I realized something. Where we camped was extremely vulnerable. Our vision was cutoff by the two juts and we were closer to the forest than I felt necessary. The Goths could hide within the trees and be on us before any of the watches could use our whistles.
I grabbed a legionnaire and sent him to find the Marshall. He ran off to find him while I continued my assessment. The Marshall stalked out of his tent and approached me. I saluted and pointed to the forest.
"We're too close to the forest and those juts of rock over there limit our vision if the-" I started. He took a step towards me.
"Are you questioning my orders?" His face was becoming red.
"No, I'm just pointing out-"
"I know what you are trying to do. I won't let you undermine me in front of the men. Guards!" he shouted. A few of the men jogged over. "Take him under arrest and put him in the tent over there. When we return to Rome," he smiled leaning in close, "We'll try him for treason." The men reluctantly took my arms and I thought about struggling but the idea was past as they escorted me to the tent. Besides, I refused to give him the satisfaction.

During the night something happened, I awoke to the sound of men shouting and running past the tent. I stood and looked out, finding my guards had left, and I heard the din of battle. I ran out and filled the camp with my senses.
The forest, something came out of the forest and was attacking. Many men were on the ground wounded or worse. I grabbed a sword from one of the dead men and ran towards the fight. There were many of them; Goths not as many as we however they had the edge of surprise and as I engaged one and brought him down I heard the Marshall sound the retreat. I began my retreat making sure the men were past me. I ran behind them but it seemed the Goths were content to let us go.

We regrouped a bit away from the juts and I kept looking for the Marshall but couldn't find him. I began to get the men in order, getting a head count we had lost over half our men. When the men had finally calmed and I heard the screech. It was unearthly...barbaric, yes that is the word. They streamed out of our encampment and lit it afire.
"Hold the pass!" I shouted as some of the men began to flee. I ran to the back of the line and raised my arms.
"We can defend this pass! Archers climb the juts fire at them; spears to the front take their charge! We can do this!" I shouted and the men listened. They turned and ran back to the juts and took their positions.

The Goths charged into our line and it was the first time I had heard a true battle. The clang of blades and shields, the screams of the dying men, the shouts and desperate cries of those trying to survive. I ran towards the line hoping to bolster the men. It was chaotic, but the men kept their heads for the most part. Soon the Goths realized they were in no position to press us and retreated. The men cheered and started to run after them and I shouted for them to stop.
"They want us to follow, stay where you are! They know these woods!"
The men returned and as I looked over our losses they were few while the Goths had lost many. It was a victory, yet I realized our supplies were gone, burned to the ground. How long would we last?

Three days it seems. Three days of holding that little piece of land against constant skirmishes. Sometimes they would fire arrows and the sky would rain death down upon us. Sometimes they would attack en masse and retreat pecking away at us slowly. Other times they would taunt us, daring us to come out of our position. But we held, and we held fast.
Three days of no sleep, three days of using my reserves and using true magick to keep some of the men from going mad from fear. I knew we could not stand much longer. We had used up the last of our food and any man I sent to hunt for game did not return.
We holed up in the pass and finally when the fourth day arrived, we were tired and nearly broken. The cat and mouse routine was doing it's job effectively at wearing us down. The Goths I believe were also bored of the game as well for when the final attack came that day we all knew it would be the last one.
The men fought bravely, refusing to budge an inch backward and when it all seemed lost, hope arrived. The legion that was to relieve us arrived and helped us route them.
At the head of the new legions was our former Marshall. It seems he ran all the way to Rome to 'get help'.

He did not receive the heroes welcome he believed he would when we returned to Rome. That favor was given to me. The Marshall spoke to the Senate trying to paint a picture of my insubordination, however the men had gone to tell them what had truly happened. The Marshall lost his commission and I was promoted to his old position.

I was still determined that I would still finish out my requirement and live a private life. I could not have been more wrong.