We arrived at a village that offered tribute to the Bull. A small detachment of my legion joined with us while the majority rested at camp. Among the forces we brought to the battlefield we brought three centuries of men. Three hundred men against a smaller village. Followed by one cavalry unit and two catapults that had Vatrez’s concoction. Combining his brew with the oil we harvested from the jungle lands, the effects of the weapon would hopefully prove useful. A proper demonstration to show the Bull and all those who served him the true might of my legion.

  I rode my mount closer to the village with Octavian and Kallista by my side. Octavian held our banner high and proudly. It fluttered in the wind gracefully. Kallista stood ready, eager for anyone who would dare strike at me. We stood a safe distance away from the village, but well within an archer’s range should one be bold. It was a risky move, but I had to give them a small chance to escape this fate.

  “Hear me!” I shouted at the top of my lungs so none of the villagers wouldn’t be able to misunderstand my words. “I am Kai’Sar Hadrian Damoclesian. I am chosen for the great serpent, Ile’Sethak. No doubt you have heard of me. I have contended with your master the Bull several times now, and I am displeased. He does not think me worthy of his time. He skulks about, hiding and letting the unwanted fight me. Yet I am no wastrel akin to the ones he butchered before.”

  “I ride with only three hundred men and women at my back. All of those who would risk their lives to serve me and my cause. We bring the light of civilization and order to the Blasted Lands. Abandon your master now and bend the knee, and I shall be merciful. Even more, I shall make you rich men. For I bring prosperity, and soon, the Bull himself will kneel. You will have countless victories under my banners. Submit, and you will share my dream of bringing peace to the lands and reap the rewards. Refuse, and you will serve as a message. A proclamation to the legion’s power. What say you?”

  A great silence flooded the scene. Perhaps for a brief moment they contemplated my offer. I soon received their answer when the all too familiar “twang” of a bow releasing an arrow broke the silence. Before I could even react, Kallista threw her arm to the side and used her shield to block the arrow. The small missile embedded itself into it, and from the other side I could see the small protruding tip of the arrowhead that would have hit me between the eyes had it not been for Kallista. In an instant I looked at her. The moment of chaos broke and she allowed herself to breathe again. She glanced back at me and then gave me a subtle smile. She pulled her shield away from my head and we rode back to the rest of our forces. Once we made it back, I turned my mount around and glared at the village. Sensing my anger, The beast I rode responded in kind. The large feathered lizard-like creature frilled its feathers up. Its eyes were bright red where it should have been white. A row of sharp teeth was revealed as my mount puffed up and let out a fearsome roar. At the same time I pulled my sword out and raised it in the air, and then slashed downward, launching the attack.

  The tops of the barrels were lit with torches before the catapults came to life with the throw of a switch. The gears of the machinery roared loudly as the counter weight dropped, and the barrel flew overhead. It looked like a falling star as it left a trail of flame behind it. Then, with a thunderous crash it burst through the roof of one of the houses and immediately erupted into a great and terrible blaze. Screams quickly rose just as the second catapult’s payload hit one of the wooden walls. It too splashed flame everywhere.

  Right after that, the catapults were wound back to prepare a second volley, all the while the villagers tried to put the flames out. The beautiful thing about Vatrez’s creation and the oil we harvested combined into something that was truly a weapon of destruction. As they poured water on the flames, the flames only went higher! I could hardly believe it as I watched life giving water have only the opposite effect on its natural enemy. The rest of my forces could only watch as they saw fire fall on the village yet again. Many of them were grateful that they had submitted, rather than to have found themselves on the receiving end of the all consuming blaze.

  A third volley soared through the air, streaking across the sky and falling down, crashing spectacularly and spreading the flames more. I lifted my fist in the air. The village had enough. We paused and simply watched as the fires continued to spread. Try as they might, they were powerless to stop the fire. Many of the villagers fled. The front gates of their wooden wall burst open and several people poured out rather than be consumed. I looked at Octavian and gave my orders.

  “Round up the villagers. The women and children mostly. Kill any who resist.”

  Octavian nodded wordlessly before he went to one of the cavalry units and a squad of legionnaires. All the while the screams of the people inside the village that were unfortunate enough to not escape in time filled the air before slowly fading. Am I particularly proud of that moment? No. But there are a lot of things that I am not proud of that I still did in the name of keeping order. I told myself plainly that it was for the greater good, and hardened my heart. As if to search for a second opinion, I glanced at Kallista. She had a different expression.

  She sat on her mount, watching the flames slowly die down. Perhaps there was a questioning glance that appeared on her face for a brief moment. Perhaps she thought that there was no honor in this act. If she did think that, she kept it hidden. She stood stalwart, stoic. Whatever she was thinking at that moment, I couldn’t tell you. I breathed in deeply before I focused on the task at hand.

  ***

  Eventually after a few hours, the fire died down. All that remained of the village was burnt wood and desolation. Survivors were gathered, forced to kneel down and have their hands on the back of their heads. Those that were wounded and dying weren’t considered important, and were granted mercy through the spear and the sword. It's hard to forget what burning human flesh smells like. Indeed, killing those that the fire didn’t consume was a far better fate than leaving them in that state.

  Despite the hint of regret I had over committing that deed, our mission was a success. The village became a pyre that the Bull wouldn’t be able to ignore. It was a demonstration of our power and military might. The Broken Wall would go into legend for sure, but one must always present themselves as consistently. The stacks of dead men that my legion trampled on when saving the Uchanti would act as mere whispers compared to the proclamation the village became as it announced my arrival. I would not be ignored by the Bull, and this would send a message not just to him, but to all of the tribes that served under him. I had arrived. This village was offered as a burnt sacrifice to signal my coming. Those that did not bend the knee would either burn or be nailed to a cross.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  I looked over the many prisoners that were left from the village. Elderly, women and children all formed their ranks. After the wounded warriors were mercifully killed, The eldest of the males was a boy who looked no more than sixteen years old. Oh, but when I looked into that boy's eyes, I saw a bit of myself. I remember very clearly what the boy looked like. He had blackened curly hair with some stubble growing around his chin. The ghost of a beard that he had been working on, yet in truth showed how young he truly was.

  He had olive skin that was kissed by the sun to a darker complexion than my own. He had only just started to become a man, and yet his eyes were striking. They had that same willpower that I had. A bright flame that even I could feel the intensity of. He looked at me with such hatred and yet I felt no shame. I felt pride. I had become the most important man in that boy’s young life. I looked around and saw that the fight had left everyone else. Sullen, sunken in faces greeted me with terrible awe. After drinking it in, I finally spoke.

  “Remember this day. It is now the most important of your entire lives. I offered you a merciful path. You could have been made wealthy beyond your dreams. I could have turned this village of yours into something beautiful. But instead, you chose…this.”

  I turned and gestured my hand at the burnt out village. Even then, some of my soldiers were looting what was still valuable and unburnt. The villagers could only look on.

  “Your village burnt; husbands, brothers and sons lay dead and dying, and you will be made to serve. But you can still avoid slavery. I offer you a chance to follow by choice. Perhaps your warriors did not speak for you. You could still kneel…so who will do it first?”

  I walked down the row of prisoners, looking at them intently. Most hid their faces away from me out of fear, but not that boy. That boy continued to look at me. I stopped in front of him. It was as if we shared the same mind for a brief moment. I knew what his response would be before he even knew. I smiled at the thought as I asked him.

  “What about you, boy? Will you kneel?”

  From under his sleeve, he managed to hide a small knife used for skinning animals. He pulled it as fast as he could and charged at me. His spirit was in the right place, but he lacked the skill. Before he could stab me in the chest, I dodged and grabbed his wrist. I crushed it as hard as I could and twisted, forcing him to drop the knife before I punched him in the stomach. The boy coughed loudly and clutched his belly, falling down to the ground. The wind was knocked out of him with such force that he was unprepared. That might have even been the first time he had ever been punched.

  It all happened so fast that Kallista had just barely pulled her sword out before it was all over.

  “I like your spirit, boy, but you’re clumsy.” I dusted my hand on my tunic. A woman rushed over and shielded him with her body.

  “Artesh! Artesh no!” She cradled him as he coughed and tears fell down his cheek. He still groaned and writhed in pain. Before I could ask the woman who she was, she answered. “Don’t hurt him! He’s my son. He has his father’s spirit. Please, He’s all that I have left!”

  The woman was older, but had aged like fine wine. Despite her years, she still looked youthful and beautiful, despite her own tears that welled up in her eyes. Between the gasping and coughing, the boy uttered: “mother…don't…” She looked up at me while holding her son. She gently laid him back and then went over to me, throwing herself at my feet.

  “I beg you, my lord! Spare him. Please. I’ll do anything that you ask of me. Just no more. No more death, please!”

  I tilted my head at her and then looked at the rest of the prisoners who all had that sense of fear on their faces. They were worried about those two in particular. I glanced back down at the woman and smiled.

  “And why should I let him live? He just tried to kill me. I’d have every right to nail him to a cross for all to see right now.”

  “No!” She grabbed my legs and looked up, groveling before me. “My son is all I have. I promise, he’ll never do anything like that again. Spare him, Kai’Sar! He has a great temper, but in time, he can control it!”

  “Mother…no…” the boy said, weakly as he clutched his stomach. I looked into the woman’s desperate, pleading eyes. I looked at Kallista and pointed at the boy.

  “Get him to a healer.” The mother held my feet in gratitude and wept.

  “Oh thank you! Thank you, my lord! Merciful Kai’Sar!”

  “Do not thank me yet.” I said as I raised my hand up to silence her. “I am putting my trust in you. If that boy should ever strike at me as he did today, then I promise you the cross will be a mercy compared to my wrath. Is that understood?”

  The mother nodded as Kallista and several guards carried the boy away. His muffled groans were inaudible, but he looked at his mother as if she had just stabbed him in the back. The others submitted, and I commanded my men to gather them up and find work for them. Before the mother could stand up, I looked back down at her and tilted my head.

  “And you, my dear. What is your name?”

  “A-Abessa, Kai’Sar…” she answered hesitantly, the fear of her son nearly dying radiated through her core.

  I must confess: I believe I said that I had a particular weakness when it came to the fairer sex. I gently held her chin and ran my thumb along her lower lip as I took the moment to enjoy the sight of her body.

  “You love your son very deeply. A devoted mother indeed.”

  Her eyes widened at that moment. She stared at my thumb, sensing my desire. Her breathing heightened. There was fear in her heart as well as something else. Perhaps she was steeling herself for what was next, or maybe she was even feeling something else. Something hidden that she tried to deny, but was also there.

  “Yes, Kai’Sar. He is a good boy. Faithful. Give him time, and he will serve you well.”

  I continued to stroke her lip. She shivered. I could sense the turmoil in her. She couldn’t decide if she wanted to slap my hand away…or embrace it. The conflict in her mind —a forbidden desire— flooded her.

  “What would you do in order to protect him?” I asked simply with a smile on my face.

  She looked up at me with trepidation. One foot in the threshold. She could say no at any point. I had said earlier that they were not slaves…technically. Though to be fair, I didn’t tell her that she had a choice. She shivered and her breath shook for a moment. She was silent for what felt like an age before she finally spoke.

  “Anything…anything.”

  ***

  What followed that night was within the throws of desire and passion. She might have felt a hint of regret during our…time together, but she opened her heart up to me. Like a caged, lustful animal that had been denied for so long and was finally able to run free. She was quite a woman. Her husband clearly neglected her in that aspect, or perhaps something in her snapped and her fear quickly turned into wanton lust.

  Her son may have thought that he would end my life that day. But as fate would have it, he had inadvertently given me the chance to give him a little sibling.

  Once the night was over, she clung to me with a satisfied smile on her sleeping face. While away from my city, Abessa provided a lot of…entertainment.