The Road Beyond Rome - Part 1
#2 of The Road Beyond Rome
This is a sequel of sorts to Defending the Legion, written for Krater. The two are sort of separate, but mostly only because of how they were arranged. You'll probably want to go read that one first. This story begins a series of perhaps ten to twenty parts, depending on how long each one is. If it helps, you can think of Defending the Legion as backstory, and this as a prologue of sorts. Whatever. Really hope you enjoy it!
And for those attracted to the yiff, I promise you'll get plenty of that in later installments. It just doesn't fit in this entry, and I'm not going to wedge it in.
Commission for Krater
Don't you let my boys get hurt. Krater let out a soft breath, straightening the shroud. Try as he might, the bearoo couldn't manage to ignore the light glow beneath that thin cloth. A single green rune, its light mocking the mage's sadness as the cart trundled along. He rested one paw over it, blocking its unsympathetic light.
Can I value my life over theirs? On his last ride using the carts, every pebble on the road seemed a boulder. This time, only the shroud's persistent sliding gave Krater any sign the cart moved at all. Trees slid by unnoticed, an entire mountain range passed by without a single thought of its jagged peaks. The sun rose and fell and rose again. Did he sleep? Was he hungry? Many of Krater's own tears fell without his knowledge.
If it comes to it, if you must choose, protect them over me. Krater looked at the other shrouded corpse he shared a cart with, keeping the covering in place for different reasons altogether. Had he carried his duties out properly, the fox beneath would still be alive. But his lion...
Something was different. It took a moment for Krater to realize the carts had stopped. Longer still to discover the mug of water in his paw, and the concerned-looking badger handing it to him. "Are you alright?"
No words came at first, until at last Krater took a sip of his drink. "Why did we stop?"
The brown-robed badger gestured to the field around them, and the stone monuments that dotted it. "Time to bury the dead, mage. Would you give me a hand with these two?" His eyes widened a hair. "When you're ready, of course. If you're feeling up to it."
Krater just nodded, continuing to sip until the mug was drained. The badger must have felt awkward standing there, for he excused himself to visit another cart. More than once Krater caught him looking back. He returned eventually, and the two carried the fox's body on a stretcher to a small, unmarked plot. The diggers wouldn't have his hole ready for at least an hour, but they'd be able to fill it immediately. The thought sent a wave of shame through Krater's body.
The least I can do, he thought, is give you a decent tombstone. One small spell, and the stony earth yielded a perfect slab of rock, cold and grey. Purple runes melded into blades that cut it square before inscribing it with the fox's name and rank. Krater used his magic to carve an image of the fox into the stone and set it into the plot, planting it deep enough to last the ages.
"The lion now, he gets that central plot there, in the mound." The badger helped Krater to his feet. "Impressive work with the tombstone, I certainly wouldn't mind such abilities."
"Legate Galba disagrees." Krater looked to the sky. Wasn't it supposed to rain on occasions like this, or was he not important enough for that? "If you ask him, training mages is a waste of our resources when we could arm them with superior steel."
The badger nodded. "Is that what has you down? Must be awful, that feeling of not being needed anymore. I've been there a few times myself, you just need to find more purpose." He looked back at the fox's tombstone. "With skill like that, I'm sure you could earn good coin carving. It isn't every mage that can wield the runes so finely."
Krater didn't bother correcting him, instead returning to the cart. "Our time may have been short," Krater whispered to the covered body, "but within were the best parts of life." Slipping his paw under the shroud, he placed it over the green rune. Even with his eyes closed he could sense the magic forming around him as he commanded it into the familiar shapes of spells. One to ward against scavengers, one to prevent decay. A combination of three spells ensured nothing would grow on the body, or use it for nourishment. For as long as the magic was allowed to remain, this body would be pristine. A skill learned from his time studying with desert mages of the south.
"Ah, excuse me?" The badger's voice. "We really ought to get this one moved." Krater opened his eyes and looked down, feeling a little better with his own purple rune mostly covering the green.
"Of course. Here, let me lighten him. He's a little large for just the two of us." Four carrying runes leapt from Krater's paws and onto the shrouded corpse, vanishing within as the magic dissolved to make the burden easier. Indeed, moving him was easier even than the fox, immense size difference notwithstanding.
The eight soldiers that accompanied the wagon train all stood at the top of the mound, ready to pay final respects to the man that once led them. Despite wounds that kept them from ever hoping to return to duty, each held himself at full attention, wearing a complete uniform.
Not a soul made comment about the soft glow of magic beneath the shroud as Krater and the badger lowered the body beside the already-dug hole, onto fresh, green grass. Bowing his head, the badger began a lengthy eulogy that Krater paid little attention to. These men, honorable enough, didn't truly know who they buried. What could they say to make any difference? Once finished, the badger gestured Krater back to the stretcher to lower it into the cold grave. The last time I hold you, he thought. Just once more, can't you hold me back?
<><><>
When the sun touched land, Krater found himself still on that mound, watching windy waves in the field of grass roll by. Still no cloud arrived to mark his mourning, no gentle rain. Only one of the soldiers remained to keep vigil with him, a deer that introduced himself as Albinus. The two spoke little in all the time spent there, letting the dead lie in peace.
"It isn't fair," Krater said, watching that pale yellow disk sink yet further. "The sun buries itself every night, knowing that in just a few hours it will rise again."
"Hours to us, perhaps." Albinus said. "It may be that the sun feels the passing of ages in that time. Just as easily, it could be mere moments. A day is a second and a year as much as the time we feel." He plucked a blade of grass and chewed the root slowly. "Then again, I could just be a sack of wind, spouting nonsense. You were the lead mage, yes?"
Krater nodded. "For all the good it did. What was Galba thinking, disbanding the mages? Training mages might slow our progress, but slow progress is better than dead armies!" He stamped a paw on the ground.
"The people yearn for victory, Mage Krater. It's a desperate measure, but the Gallic magic just can't contend with a full rush of steel." Albinus sighed. "I don't agree with Galba, but I understand the decision. You saved my life, you know. Not directly, but without you nobody would have been able to block the spells aimed at me."
"Shields are simple. Any mage could teach them." Krater turned away from the deer, only seeing the shadowed cemetery and the stones sprouting from it. This patch of dirt was due for its own monument in a few weeks, after the stonecutters finished. Shaking his head, Krater grit his teeth. "The grandest tribute would be insufficient, but I will not leave this mound bare."
Violet light burst from the mage's eyes as magic snapped into runes around him, hovering in the air around the hill. More and more filled the area while Krater held his arms out until he slammed both paws onto the dirt. All at once, each symbol plunged into the grass. Albinus, merely curious before, dropped to a knee and clutched at the grass as the mound began to shake. Slowly, a massive slab of bedrock lifted out of the ground, plastered in the runes. Well over a dozen feet rose up when Krater allowed it to stay, quickly filling in the space beneath with displaced earth.
Not pausing a moment, Krater threw both paws forward at the block, spell after spell slamming into its surface and breaking pieces away into dust. The base formed quickly, a perfect rectangle smooth as the stillest lake. Rising from there, two large paws supported thick trunks of legs. The folds of cloth that formed a tunic seemed almost to move in the breeze as the great chest formed, meaty arms folded across it. Broad shoulders held a cape worn close to the body. The head came last, face perfectly framed by a prideful mane. It stared ever upward at the mountain peaks to the east, ready to face the dawn of each day.
"By the gods!" Albinus exclaimed. "Krater! Be calm!" The deer shambled over. Krater didn't realize he was standing on his tail until he was forced to look down on the soldier. He dropped down, and Albinus held his shoulders. "Take a breath."
"I'm fine," Krater said. "Really."
"Which explains why you have your jaw clenched and your chest is heaving fast enough to churn butter." Albinus looked into the mage's eyes. "Calm down, or release your magic. I can't rightly allow you to cast spells in such a state."
Nodding softly, Krater closed his eyes and relaxed - or tried to. Through great effort, he managed to slow his breathing. "Just one more thing," he said, voice barely audible. "One more spell." The deer raised an eyebrow but released him, staying close by. The same magic that etched the fox's tombstone inscribed another message into the base, one clear letter at a time.
Let your feet be reverent
Let your tongue be still
Let your thoughts be pure
You tread on sacred ground
Here lies a man of valor
Captain Saelus
"I would do anything to have you back," Krater whispered to the cold stone.