~City of Crel, Crelan Empire, Planet Carass, Sigma Universe~
Cramos knelt before the Emperor. At twenty-three years old, he was the youngest gladiator to earn his freedom and one of less than two dozen to do so at the hand of the Emperor. He had then spent a year in service as a personal bodyguard to the man himself, six months in command of a Century, and another six leading a Cohort in the 7th Legion. All had been of satisfactory service as far as he was concerned.
"Legatus Cramos," the Emperor spoke firmly, "I granted you freedom from the gladiatorial arenas two years ago. Since then, you have displayed exemplary service in the name of the Empire. In honor of your service, you are to take command of the 12th Legion of the Empire."
Cramos sucked in a breath, "thank you your Excellency. I will do my best to make the Empire proud."
"Ah Cramos. You have made both the Empire and your Emperor proud. I know you will continue to do so in the future. Your first mission will be to take your Legion into the Brakk forest and smash the barbarians there. If you succeed you will be promoted to full General. Also, should you manage to capture any creatures dwelling within, you will be rewarded handsomely for each. Your men are already on their way. Dismissed."
Cramos rose and backed away from the dais before turning to leave. A servant waiting outside of the room handed him his order papers. Within the hour he had given orders to his own servant and was riding north to meet his legion. From behind him came six riders galloping at full speed to catch him. His personally picked bodyguard of soldiers from his previous Cohort. Together they set an easy pace. No point in rushing what would be a couple of days anyways. The legion moved at an incredible pace but was still slower than a handful of horsemen. The day passed with ease and laughter of brothers-in-arms. The night passed by, and another day of riding brought them to the followers' camp.
He and his bodyguards rode through the chaos that followed any sizable army. Cramos grinned inward at what he saw. The camp was not nearly as disorderly as others he had seen and was large enough to indicate his men got what they needed physically and mentally. A compliment to the officers of the legion was in order. It took another twenty minutes just to reach the edge of the true encampment.
"Identify yourselves."
Cramos smiled, "Commander Cramos of the 12th Legion. Formerly Legatus of the 2nd Cohort of the 7th Legion. Captain-at-Arms of the Emperor's personal bodyguards before that."
The guard stammered and stuttered before bowing to Cramos and his guards. They passed the guard before he muttered a word. Cramos sat straighter in his saddle as the soldiers along the main way saluted. His father would have been proud. A bit too proud given Crelan society, but it would have been worth it to him to boast of his son's rise. Born of a gladiator and a slave who serviced him, Cramos had been rare to receive patronage and early training in the arts. His father had never achieved fame but had given his life for Cramos to achieve it. He could still remember the feeling of his blade sliding into his father's throat. The mixture of pain and pride in his son. He shook his head and focused again on the current. At the Commander's tent an officer waited just outside. Another salute and two orderlies ran to help him dismount.
"Sir, 12th Legion ready to receive you."
"Thank you Septimus. I will see the Legatii and Captains in two hours."
The Septimus left to disseminate the orders for assembly. Cramos walked over to his campaign table to see what lay ahead. A barbarian village sat two days ahead which signified the edge of the Brakk forest. Another day or so and he should be meeting resistance. While he had the chance, he decided to lay down for a moment. His bodyguards took up leisurely positions around the tent. They knew he didn't expect them to stand around in full gear and watch for intruders. They were good enough to defend him if the need arose without torturing themselves in the heat.
A couple hours later the Septimus was waking him for his briefing. Fifteen officers awaited him at the campaign table. Stiffly, he moved to the center of the table and began questioning the men who were to see his commands followed. The Legatii measured him with equal stares. The captains... with anxiety.
"From what I hear, the village ahead has sent their warriors north to join with a larger force. Am I to assume the information is accurate?" assenting nods from the assemblage, "ok, so we shall proceed toward the village. From there, what resistance do we expect?"
The Legatus of First Cohort spoke up, "we expect almost three cohorts worth of resistance about half a day away. By the time we sweep the village of real warriors, we should immediately prepare for incoming hostility."
Cramos looked at the map harder, "so we shall dispatch half the troops to inspecting the village while the cavalry and archers prepare the defenses a quarter mile outside of town. Every hour, another century will withdraw to the defensive positions. We will cover both of our positions at the same time."
The Legatii of First and Second Cohorts nodded. Third and Fifth Cohorts, the archers and cavalry, looked between each-other. The fourth, the swordsmen, were unobjectionable either way. They typically ended up with the in-between work like this. Cramos explained again in further detail which cohorts were to withdraw when for each of the main combatant units. By which each of the Legatii agreed and the captains were excited about for each of their own roles. As each officer departed, Cramos' smile widened.
Soon the village sprawled out before him, clear cut timber lining the edges of the village they were set to take. His men moved to purpose. As dawn approached, the army was situated exactly as he had ordered. Cramos moved his cavalry into position. His archers were already in position just outside of the other side of town. He and his men were situated on a hill, better than he expected. Dawn quieted into noon and the sun slowly reached its apex. A light fog rolled in. To be expected in this sort of valley at this time of year. It increased everyone's anticipation of what was to come. The natives surely expected this to give them an advantage. Like many legions though, these men had experienced this many times over in various parts of the known world.
In the distance, drums sounded the barbarians forward. He could see the other cohorts forming up as he ordered. Harsh guttural voices passed back and forth between the trees. Legionnaires locked shields in preparation for incoming projectiles. Cramos and his cavalry began trotting north on the eastern flank of his soldiers. They jogged slightly further east to scrape around the edge of the horde they were to face. Only half of his cavalry were experienced, the rest fresh noblemen who suddenly felt compelled to join now that the war here was coming to an end.
Crashing noises flowed towards them from the left. Explosions sent shadows amongst the barbarians as his catapults lobbed pots of burning oil into the forest. Howls from the rumored wolf mounts mixed with the roars of the bears he knew were their cavalry. Cramos guided the cavalry west as they began their swing around into the open rear flank.
Thousands of men roared as the barbarians charged into his men. Cramos could hear the clash of axes against the spears and shields of his legionnaires. He could picture his men stepping forward as one. Leaning into their spears and thrusting. Stepping forward again, pushing back with their shields against those their spears hadn't impaled. Repeated over and over until they were given the order to strike freely. Suddenly the air was filled with a whistling sound as the third cohort let loose two thousand deadly projectiles. The barbarians screamed in pain. If the battle followed typical maneuvers, at least five hundred to a thousand enemy combatants had died within minutes of engaging.
Cramos brought his riders about and waited for them to line up. Once all Sergeants had signaled, he fired his flair. Every second and third spearmen on the frontline would take a step back, still shielding the man to the right or left, creating funnels into which a swordsman would step into. The enemy should be drawn into these to be hacked down by the surprise maneuver. It had taken a bit to explain this new strategy from the Imperial City, but it was brilliant. More arrows could be heard flying into the air firing at will for three shots each. He waved the fifth cohort into their charge. Trees flew by at increasing speed as the horses began picking up momentum.
Men in fur armor seemed oblivious to the thundering noise looming upon their backs. Cramos grinned, released the reins of his horse, and drew his twin gladii. Metal against leather echoed around him, second only to the sound of the charge itself. His cavalry cleared the tree line and spotted only the backs of the large barbarians past the village. Five hundred swordsmen moved in from his left to sweep the village after his cavalry passed. All warriors were expected to be in the main battle beyond the village itself.
"Tig sa Brakun bau!"
Cramos heard the voice rise but paid it no mind. His men seemed to be pushing the enemy back while the rear warriors seemed unaware of the doom falling upon them. Several eager young riders passed him. Suddenly bubbling of shapes at the battle line led to screaming and the shapes of men being tossed into the air. The rear guard of the barbarians spun to face him and his cavalry. Their smiles became twisted. As the first of his riders slammed into them, men no longer stood before his charge. The unarmed warriors, his mind processed that afterward, had become large bears. Were these the mounts his reports were speaking of?
The first wave of riders to hit the barbarian rear line was slaughtered quickly. Riders dismounted and horses killed viciously. His second wave along with him was slightly more prepared and began cutting down the man-beasts. By the time the third wave hit, they were no longer in shock but instead prepared to fight this new development.
As the day wore on, progress was noticeable. A few hundred warriors had apparently made it to the village itself to defend it and his swordsmen were having some difficulty. Before him, his riders had met up with the frontline of his legion and were now splitting the barbarians into two sections. He moved with the right flank of foot soldiers to envelope the remaining warriors on that side. Finally, what was left of the fighting seemed to end as the barbarians were whittled down and slaughtered. A pair of the bear warriors were trapped along with roughly a dozen warriors who hadn't changed. While his men secured the prisoners, engineers were already constructing an earthen ramp towards the village. Cramos rounded up his cavalry while archers moved into position and began firing into the village. They charged once more towards the enemy. The last arrow sailed past him as they began riding up the ramp. His horse flew over the wall and into the village. Several horses buckled upon landing but recovered.
A handful of riders moved to open the gate. Cramos and his personal guard pushed to the town center. The women and children were gathered around a large tree in the middle of a rock circle. He dismounted and approached the group. One of the older boys lunged and shifted into a bear in one movement. Instantly several arrows flew into his/it's face. It shifted back into a dead boy at his feet. Many of the assembled townsfolk had snarls on their faces. A bear nearly 8-foot-tall burst from the main long hall of the village as he gave the order to fire and turned his back. Cramos swore he heard the bear snarl a drawn out no as the townsfolk were cut down with arrows. By the time Cramos reached the bear, it had reverted to an elderly man.
Cramos had the few remaining prisoners interrogated. The old man gave the most information. Information he had little knowledge that less than seven months into the future would be of massive use. The details of what he learned that day would allow him a massive victory against overwhelming forces a hundred miles north. A victory where he would also save the Emperor's life. A victory that would lock in his destiny to meet with another. This one old man would set so many destinies on their ways to beginning and end.