Occisoris Angelicus

-I remember, boy. I'll always remember that day. –

Marcellus turned to see a group of kids sitting before him. The eyes of excitement and curiosity from the children gawking at him with open mouths and wide-open eyes.

-What was it, sir? –

A young lad saw an old Marcellus. Missing an eye and his left arm. He lifted his gaze to the stars and took a deep breath. He pointed at the night sky at a constellation and said:

-An angel. A harbinger of death… -

***

-Marcellus? Nero? –

Asked a man as he walked inside a tent. As he opened it, he saw candlelight shining upon two beds, a man sleeping in one, and a table, where Marcellus sat writing.

-The Legatus is looking for you, sires. –

Nero opened his eyes for a moment and asked:

-What does he need, soldier? –

-He said it’s urgent, sir. He did not tell me why. –

-We’ll be there. And take this letter to Hadrianus. Dismissed. –

Said Marcellus as he stood up and handed his letter. The soldier saluted and left.

-Come on, Nero. Get up. –

Marcellus grabbed his sword and tied it to his belt. Nero opened his eyes again and saw Marcellus. A tall man. Strong arms, brown eyes, brownish skin and a scar on his left arm. He wore a lorica segmentata, adorned with black details and an eagle carefully detailed in his chest. He grabbed his helmet and put it on, covering his face with a mask with a tear in his right eye. He then grabbed his cape, made of the skin of a black wolf, and put it on.

Marcellus noticed Nero was still in bed. He grabbed a hot candle from the table, placed it on top of Nero’s arm, and let some hot wax drop onto his skin. Nero stood up quickly with a groan trying to get the wax off. Marcellus laughed at him through his helmet and said:

-Haha. Told you to get up. Come on. Dress up. I’ll meet you there. –

Nero stared at Marcellus for a moment and laughed, kicking him as he left the tent:

-Idiot! –

Nero yelled. Marcellus started at the encampment for a moment. Snow covered everything in sight. Soldiers came and went regardless of the weather. Fires burnt and torches lit the hundreds of tents.

-Salvete, Prior. –

Said some soldiers walking past Marcellus. He covered himself with his cloak and began walking through the deep snow of the camp.

Marcellus approached the Legatus' tent and two guardsmen opened the tent for him. As he walked in, the warmth of the tent hugged him as he saw the Legatus staring at his commanding table.

-Legato Lupus. –

Said Marcellus as he saluted the commander, breaking the silence. He was a thin man, with brown hair and a dash of white on it, no beard, and bearing full armor with a blue cape.

-Prior Marcellus. I apologize for the hour but we have a situation to deal with. –

Lupus lifted his arm and pointed at some hills far away from the encampment.

-I just got reports from one of our spies that there is a group of savages trying to “resurrect” or “give life” to one of their ancient gods so they can destroy Rome.

 Savages. I need you to take the 8^th and eliminate every last one of those paganistic barbarians. Leave nothing alive. –

-Including…-

-Yes. There is no room for them in the encampment. You can do with them what you wish. You can bring the kids. We’ll send them back to Rome. –

Marcellus thought for a moment and asked:

-Do you know what we’re dealing with, sir? –

-Superstition, Marcellus. That’s the only thing you’re dealing with. –

-I am talking about the barbarians’ force. Do we know their numbers, Legatus? –

-A couple of hundreds. Maybe one or two thousand. But half of that might be women and children so there’s no problem with that. That’s why I am sending in the 8^th.

Clean the area, Prior Marcellus. Destroy any paganistic shrines and burn everything that screams ‘savage”. You’ll leave as soon as the storm clears out.

Dismissed. –

Marcellus thought for a second and saluted the Legatus. As he was walking out, he found Nero walking inside.

-What happened? –

Marcellus grabbed Nero by the arm and pulled him out of the tent with him. They walked away and when no one was watching, Marcellus said:

-We have a new mission but…this doesn't sound like a normal mission. I just want to be sure what we're walking into. –

Marcellus looked around checking no one was listening and said:

-I need you to come with me. –

Nero turned around to see the weather growing colder and more dangerous as snow hit his face.

-Now? Haven’t you noticed the storm? –

-Now! Nero. –

***

Marcellus and Nero rode on horseback barely seeing where they were headed, but Marcellus knew the way. Nero rode as close as he could when suddenly, Marcellus stopped. They both got off and Marcellus handed the reigns of his horse to Nero.

-Wait here. I won’t be long. –

Marcellus walked inside a small cave where a very dim light shone, he heard some cackling as he grew closer. He suddenly stopped in front of a small round wooden door and knocked.

He took a deep breath and as he blinked, he was inside a small house, fire burning and he was sitting down with a cup of mead in his hand.

-I thought I’d never see you around here, Master Roman. –

-Marcellus. My name is Marcellus. –

-And what can I do for you, Master Roman? –

Marcellus stared at the old lady, who didn’t let him see her face. Covered by a black veil, his wrinkly hands and long fingers, her hunch in her back, and her weird way of walking.

-I need to know. Are there any gods…Any…creatures that your ilk can…revive? –

The witch stopped and turned her face to Marcellus.

-There are things buried deep within the stone of these lands. Things older than your empire. Some folk believe these are gods or saviors… They are wrong. Foolish souls doomed to death by their ignorance.

These things you speak of are known as… angels. –

-Angels are not monsters. –

-Are you sure, Master Roman? As there is good, there is evil. There is always a different side to every tale ever told. –

Marcellus thought for a moment and asked:

-How can you kill…an angel? –

The witch cackled and laughed but finally said:

-Angels need a human soul to be reborn into our world. They need a sacrifice. If you kill the poor soul doomed to give birth to an angel…they’ll perish but be warry, Master Roman. Where an angel dies…only death remains. –

The witch pulled a dagger from her cloak and continued:

-I believe you’ll need this. –

Marcellus grabbed the dagger and it looked like a very old knife. Made of a material unknown to him. he inspected it and saw engravings in an ancient language and a design embedded in the blade never seen before.

-Don’t go dying so easily, Master Roman. You still have great things to achieve. –

The witch cackled and Marcellus opened his eyes at the wooden door again, this time, with the knife in hand.

***

Marcellus was on his horse, deep in thought, caressing the blade the witch gave him, when Nero stopped next to him.

-We’re ready. Shall we? –

The Prior gave him a nod. He grabbed his helmet and placed it on, he placed the blade in his belt. He lifted his hand and pointed forward. Nero saw the signal and yelled:

-Cohort! March! –

And as a very well-adjusted machine, the 800 men began marching out from their encampment. Their steps made the earth rumble as the tip of a spear, the 8^th marched forward without hesitation or doubts.

***

After a couple of days, Marcellus and his brothers finally arrived to their destination. A big mountain surrounded by woods and mountain ranges. Marcellus saw from afar the encampment of the barbarians. He took a moment to think as Nero approached him:

-I already explored the area. There are no more than a thousand of them down there. They do have women and children but they are less than half of their force. I don’t know why even bother to hunt these savage… -

Suddenly, a scream was heard past the stillness of the night, and breaking through the orange glow of the bonfires and the tents, a green and blue light lit up from inside the mountain. Lighting the sky up for a moment.

Marcellus and Nero stared at each other for a moment, when another scream broke through the night again, lighting up the sky in different colors, only this time, the barbarians all started yelling and singing and celebrating. The gods had answered their prayers.

-It’s starting. We cannot let them finish! –

Nero grabbed Marcellus by the arm and asked:

-What is going on? What are those lights? –

-They are trying to bring a demon to life. We cannot let it happen or Rome will be next. –

Nero didn’t hesitate. He grabbed his sword and as he ran ordered:

-Brothers, to battle! To battle! –

Nero ordered. His men, without a thought, grabbed their equipment and began running into formation as they rushed onto the valley to face the barbarians.

The barbarians, saw as the Romans pour from the mountains to the valley began to grab their weapons, and rushed to meet them. The screams of disarray from the townsfolk were only deafened by the sounds of trumpets announcing a battle.

Marcellus stopped for a moment to see his men taking formation through the valley. Spreading out, Nero rode with his cavalry through the sides and covered the flanks and as they all prepared for battle, another scream broke through the night. But this was no human scream, it was a screech from a creature unbeknownst to man.

The sky turned green as lights of purple, red, blue, and white hue began to pour into the top of the mountain. Marcellus and his men turned all to the sky to see stars falling into the lands. The air snapped as a whip once stars made landfall and lightning shone as they fell. Suddenly, one impacted in the middle of his men, killing several. Marcellus saw another star fall and hit the frontline, and many more fell through the sky. For a moment, the land went silent as a screech not from this world broke through the night and fighting immediately broke through his ranks. He took his horse forward and from the fallen star, creatures unknown began to crawl. These beasts had no eyes or ears; white wrinkled skin, long inverted arms with sharp tips, sharp teeth, as big as a hound and moved on all fours as spiders crawl on the wall. He saw one of them bite the leg off one of his men and another jumped to bite the neck of another one. His men began to scream as some died and fought when the barbarians rushed the Romans’ ranks distracted by the creatures.

Marcellus noticed the disarray of his troops and yelled:

-Form ranks! Form ranks! Kill those demons! –

Nero, covering the flanks, saw how a star fell and killed many of the barbarians running through the field. He also saw the little monsters crawling out and running to fight his brothers.

Nero with his cavalry, pulled out his sword and commanded his men to attack the savages as he yelled:

-Romae Victrix! –

His men yelled behind him as they followed him into battle. Suddenly another star fell from the sky, killing some of his men close to him. The horses’ neighs and the soldier’s screams, as they died, were heard through the impact of the stars.

As Nero broke through the dusk cloud, he faced the back of the barbarians and charged against them without hesitation, running over two men, as he killed another one with his sword. Marcellus saw as Nero encircled the barbarians with ease and his men fought against the savages and the creatures. As he rushed through the field to reach the mountain, a pair of monsters attacked his horse tripping him and hurling him over to the ground. Marcellus stood up as fast as he could, grabbed his sword, and a shield from the floor. A creature jumped to attack him and with a swift blow, he cut the critter in half, revealing a bright green blood inside them. He turned to see his men fighting the monsters were all covered in a green glow. Their swords swinging through the night could be seen through the battle. Behind him, he heard one of his men yell as a demon stabbed him and bit off his neck as a savage animal until Marcellus, with a quick cut, beheaded the critter, splashing green blood all over the floor. He took a moment to see his brother, lying dead in a pool of red and green blood. As the battle intensified, and stars kept falling, another screech broke through the fight, only this time, lightning struck the top of the mountain but it was not one, nor 2, but three.

Marcellus saw as the lightning struck and ordered some of his men:

-We need to get inside the mountain. Follow me! –

Several of his men stopped fighting and followed their Prior into the mountain. Nero, took a moment to see the battlefield. Marcellus' men were fighting off the demons and his men were finishing off the barbarians, but stars kept falling, crashing down, and killing men, horses, and monsters alike, bringing more creatures with them. Nero suddenly saw Marcellus, followed by some of his men running into the mountain.

-Faustus! –

He yelled to one of the centurions.

-Take command! I’ll follow our Prior! With me! –

Nero turned his horse around and some of his men followed him as well. They all reached the entrance to the mountain together.

-Nero! What are you doing here? –

-I’ll help you finish this! –

Marcellus gave him a nod. Nero started at his captain for a moment. His armor was tainted with red and bright green blood. His mask had bright dots on it and his hands were all bright.

-Nero, Cato, Cicero, and Felix, with me. The rest, cover the entrance. Nothing comes in! –

His men made a defensive circle around the gate. Marcellus and his men ran through the caves inside the mountain when suddenly, they heard chanting.

-This way! –

They reached an open room and saw women covered from head to toe, wearing red tunics, all chanting as a young girl was crucified with chains almost floating in the middle of the room. The high priestess saw the Romans walk in and yelled:

-Kill them! –

Some women pulled swords from their tunics and attacked them as the rest kept on praying. Marcellus and Nero fought side by side, killing barbarians left and right. When suddenly, the earth shook and a screech broke the air of battle again. It was deafening. Making everyone drop to their knees.

Nero saw as the women continued praying louder and louder when suddenly Marcellus looked up and saw lightning electrocuted the woman and something inside her twitched, and tentacles came out from her mouth and wiggled inside the woman’s skin.

-Nero! We need to stop them! Now! –

Marcellus pulled out the witches’ blade and Nero gave him a nod.

Nero stood up and as a witch tried to kill him, he dodged the blow and cut her arm off. Another woman ran to attack Marcellus but he blocked the attack and cut her neck in a quick move. Marcellus turned to see his brothers but they were busy fighting the witches. The Prior then turned to see Nero running at the altar and saw as the Priestess tried to kill him, only for Nero to block the blow and behead her.

-Marcellus! Now! –

Nero grabbed his sword and cut loose one of the chains, making the girl fall to the ground. Marcellus ran as fast as he could and as his blade was about to reach the woman’s chest, her mouth opened and revealed a yellow glowing eye, pondering at Marcellus.

-Kneel, mortal. –

The creature ordered in a deep ancient voice as it echoed through the room, making his bones shake. Marcellus dropped to a knee and time seemed to stop for a moment as his hand opened unwillingly, almost dropping the blade.

-I am a servant of Chaos. A Seraph as your ilk has named us. These women have awakened me from my slumber and have freed me from my prison. –

Marcellus tried his best to drop the knife but he couldn’t move. He turned left and right and saw everything was frozen in time.

-I sense your wish to kill me as I am now but I won’t succumb to your futile efforts, mortal. For I am a harbinger of destruction. I am an angel. I. Am. Death. –

Marcellus saw as the woman’s mouth opened more and the eye and his tentacles tried to reach for the blade.

-It is futile to resist. Join me, mortal. There will be no more pain. No more loss. Only me. –

 Suddenly, the creature screeched in pain as the blade burned its skin as they tried to grab it. Marcellus felt as if he was freed from the daemon’s spell for a moment, he grabbed the blade with a strong hand and pierced the woman’s heart. The echo of the painful screech that followed could only be described as inhuman. The woman’s body started twitching and bones could be heard breaking, when suddenly… a blinding light lit up the room, engulfing everything in sight.

***

-I am certain I died that day. Hugging my fallen brothers as they bled in that forgotten battlefield. Creator or not. Gods or not. All I am now is but a shell. The ghost of Marcellus Aurelius Scipiones, who never left the cursed lands of Britania. -