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Thread: AD USQUE FIDELIS

  1. #61
    ♔Old Dragoon♔'s Avatar I'm Your Huckleberry
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    Default Re: AD USQUE FIDELIS

    Uliaris started to tear up again and he paused to regain his composure. He also quickly assured everyone that he was all right. Aelia and Agathias were both looking at each other with what seemed like surprise and sadness meshed together. Though it was very early morning now, no one seemed to mind or was ready to turn in. However, everyone else was a little concerned about Uliaris' state of mind.

    "Do not worry! I am going to be all right. I assure you all." Everyone, though concerned, felt a little more at ease after Uliaris spoke. Uliaris continued a little more calm, "When the girl was becoming more alert and aware, I began to talk to her gently but trying to get to know her. I hoped to calm her and put her mind at ease. However, she would not speak a word. I did not force her or expect her to talk other let her know I would not abandon her. I did not help clean up after the riots, because Belisarius was kind enough to let me stay with court physician to help care for her until I could take her to my family. He told me that one man would not be missed, especially to help save an innocent life from the riots. Unfortunately, such stories would be molded into propaganda for the emperor on how gracious and concerned he was to his subjects. Politics holds nothing sacred, nor has no bounds!

    After the second day the girl had gotten a lot stronger and sat up on her bed, but would sit up with her knees bent and her head between them. She also placed her hands on her face hiding it and would not look up. The doctor said that at her traumatized state she may never fully recover. He told me I should take her to a priest before my family, and I agreed. Though my faith was weak then, I never doubted God's holy power. As a soldier, I questioned his hand and why good men died horribly and bad ones seemed to evade death as if they danced between the raindrops. The truth is that they died the same. Death shows no favor to any man. God does not control us like a machine. His promise is not that we do not endure and suffer pain or injustice, and that he saves us from evil of this world. His promise is that despite all that we must endure in this world, and if we put our faith in Jesus who endured the agonies of crucifixion and evils of men for mankind, we will be saved for eternity in heaven."

    Andreas added, "We have seen many things as soldiers for Rome brother, and I must say that as soldiers, the truth of everyone is revealed during war. One's true character is not able to remain hidden. The brave and honorable are not limited to nobility just as evil and cowardice. This may seem crazy, but I always felt closer to God during war than peace. It's not because I long for the fighting, but because in the thick of fighting the men around me and God is all that I have."

    Aelia interjected, "Agathias and I commend you both but please can we stay on course with the conclusion of the Nika Riots?"

    Elsewhere in Constantinople at the same time:

    The streets of any large city can be dangerous at night, and Constantinople was no different. Evil does not like the light. The shadows is where the fear of evil dwells. Our kin tell us stories and nightmares that lurk in those shadows. Like a curious cat, some will venture into those shadows to never be heard or seen again. These are the are real monsters or demons posing as men by day, and at night they shed their manly features to reveal their true horrific nature. They seek to devour or destroy as if they are controlled by the agents of hell.

    A woman in her late thirties was talking with another woman approximately the same age. "Well, I must be off! It is late so..." The other woman reached out for her arm and spoke, "Please go the lighted way and not through the alleys. It is not safe!" "You are not my mother! I will be fine. How many times have I gone that way?" Reluctantly her friend relented. "I will see you tomorrow with the rest of your family!"

    She waved goodbye to her longtime friend, as she was singing s tune under her breath. She was worried that her husband would be furious when she got back home. However, planning a wedding dinner was no small effort. Besides her husband knew she would be gone a long time. He was a good man just very protective.

    She made good time getting back home, and had one more alley to cut through. When she did she froze in sheer fright. A young woman had been just butchered moments before. The sight was ghastly, and she saw a hooded figure with blade as he was wiping it with a cloth. He turned and met her eyes with his. His eyes had this maddened dark look that would scare off a beast. A sadistic smile soon filled his face. He winked at her and disappeared into the shadows. She turned around and ran for her life. She ran onto a main street and saw some city prefect guards, then ran to them and told them about what she saw in the alley. The guards followed her back to the grizzly scene, and they were soon overcome with horror from what they saw.

    One of the guards went back to the prefecture for more men to organize a cleanup crew, while two of them escorted the woman back to her house and for a statement of what she witnessed. They got her back safely to her house, and with a relieved husband, sat down and went through the events of this terrible experience.
    Last edited by ♔Old Dragoon♔; May 03, 2017 at 08:33 AM.

  2. #62
    Alwyn's Avatar Frothy Goodness
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    Default Re: AD USQUE FIDELIS

    It seems that a sadistic murderer is haunting the alleys of Constantinople at night, I wonder if our heroes will find him. Good update!

  3. #63
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    Default Re: AD USQUE FIDELIS

    Alwyn, thank you for your comments! The fiend will most certainly be lurking in the shadows!

  4. #64
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    Default Re: AD USQUE FIDELIS

    I'm glad the little girl recovered as far as she did. I can't help suspecting we might eventually discover how fully she recovered in the end...

    I also can't help feeling that the "fiend lurking in the shadows" is something out of the ordinary. I imagine the guards wouldn't have been overcome by horror unless the scene had been far more gruesome than most murders - possibly even more gruesome than a battlefield.






  5. #65
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    In a dark corner in some corridor of the Great Palace, it's a large room unknown to most at the palace with exception to the carefully chosen ones to care for the palace, the hooded fiend from the alley entered the candlelit room with a desk and chairs, and spoke to another man of noble birth who appeared waiting for the hooded man. The man of noble origin spoke, "I take it you were successful?" The hooded man replied with his devilish grin, "Of course I did and it shall be the talk of the city! I completed the deed just in time for a rather attractive woman to see my work. I made a rather dramatic exit as well..."

    Interrupting the fiend, "Good, now let us make sure everything is in place. We strike within the hour or we will have missed our opportunity today!" The hooded man nodded as he strapped on a Persian style sword with throwing daggers that could be concealed, then grabbed the bloody sack from his deed earlier. The seated man grabbed a hooded cloak similar to the fiend as well as an ornate ancestral sword very similar to a spatha. "You do have the dagger from your earlier deed?"

    "Yes, it is in the sack here! Would you please stop questioning me as though I was a amateur!"

    "I will do so when I stop feeling less confident than you! Family or not you had best remember your place!"

    Bowing to his master the fiend replied, "Of course Sire, forgive me!"

    "Yes, well let's just get on with it!"

    They raced through the corridors of old rooms and halls long forgotten until they reached the hall where the bedchamber of Justin, nephew of Justinian and potential heir to the throne. The hooded sicarii went into the hall first to make sure no guards were patrolling this hall at the moment.

    "You are positive Justin does not keep his door locked?" The sicarius asked as he and the noble made it to Justin's door. The noble replied. "Yes!"

    It is not common knowledge, and only a select few knew that Justin was tormented during his sleep and sometimes ran out of his room with sword in hand. Even with a select few, sometimes word will reach the wrong ears especially those who have a grievance.

    The reason Justin left his bedchamber door unlocked, because he claimed that a locked door would trap him in his room longer with the monsters trying to kill him than with a unlocked door. Also, he did not want a guard posted outside his bedchamber door in fear of gossip.

    Both of the men slipped into Justin's bedchamber without being detected. Justin was sleeping deeply. The noble stood watch by the door while the sicarius opened his bloody bag placing its contents in a chamber pot. The dagger, an earlier Roman style called a pugio, was placed beside the pot after ensuring it was bloodied, and with barely a sound emitted the two were gone.

    They left that wing of the palace as they entered without being detected. Before the duo left, the sicarius decided it would be better to leave a guard's body in plain sight at a hallway adjacent to Justin's bedchamber. When the body is discovered, there will be great suspicion as to who is responsible for such a heinous act. The particular guard that the the sicarius had marked for death never saw the swift roman style dagger, similar to the one placed in the pot, drive into the backside of the guard's neck through his medulla oblongata severing the vertebral arteries. The sicarius held the now limp and soon to be dispatched guard while he twisted the blade effectively destroying the medulla. Not more than ten counts, and and he was gone from this life into eternity. The noble man grew impatient fearing alarm motioned for his companion to hurry on with it. The guard was placed where he would be easily found within the hour. They made their way out of the maze of hallways back to their lair to wait for sometime before extracting themselves from their lair in the palace. For these men their ordeal was not over by no means. However, It was effectively the end of the beginning

    As the duo was leaving, Justin was asleep in his bedchamber, and suddenly jolted awake rising straight up. He immediately knew something was not right. He reached for his dagger to find it not where he always placed it at night on his bed stand. He looked and felt around not able to find it. The moonlit night was revealed when Justin drew the curtain back as quickly as he could standing next to his chamber pot, and he looked down in horror as pulled his bloody dagger from the pot. He could not completely see the mess of organs and entrails but the blood and gore dripping from his ornate pugio gave him a tremendously sick feeling inside. His mind began to race and thinking who would do such a sadistic thing. He could not think of anyone at the moment who had it out for him. Only a select few knew of his weakened mental state and they would never reveal this to anyone wishing harm upon him. Justin then realized with equal horror that he had no recollection of retiring for the evening. His mind raced even more trying to retrace his steps from his last memory of being awake and alert. Without warning someone outside his door began banging his chamber door with great fervor and concern. The captain of the guard requested entry at once. Justin froze and turned to the door and opened his mouth but no words followed. As he stood there in shock the captain swung open the door and looked at Justin standing there with his bloodied dagger. The captain, surprised to see Justin standing by his pot with what appeared to be a bloody dagger. Regaining his thoughts, the captain quickly moved beside Justin as well as asking him if he was hurt. Justin's wife Sophia now entered his chamber and shrieked at the sight and Justin stood there as if in a catatonic state. Justin then as if someone speaking through him began repeating in a most peculiar voice, "Blood! Blood! Blood all around! Horror and fear!"
    Last edited by ♔Old Dragoon♔; May 23, 2017 at 06:20 AM.

  6. #66
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    Default Re: AD USQUE FIDELIS

    That was quite the scheme cooked up by the noble and the fiend. Let's see if they get away with it.
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  7. #67
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    Default Re: AD USQUE FIDELIS

    That... is not quite the sort of fiendishness I was expecting. Well, how very devious.

    I can't help wondering whether Justin's sanity might now be lost forever...






  8. #68
    Alwyn's Avatar Frothy Goodness
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    Default Re: AD USQUE FIDELIS

    A devious scheme, indeed! I imagine that anyone investigating the killing of the guard would wonder what motive Justin could have for attacking a guard and why Justin would leave the evidence in his bedchamber for anyone to find. Ordinarily, I imagine that they would at least suspect that someone was trying to frame Justin for the murder. However, like Caillagh, I wonder what damage these sights have done to Justin's mind - and what effect this might have on any investigation.

  9. #69
    ♔Old Dragoon♔'s Avatar I'm Your Huckleberry
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    Thank you gentlemen for your comments! I was worried the scheme would not come across well. On another note, I was hoping to post and update then accidentally destroyed my update into oblivion. Oh well...I'm sure the re-write be even better...

  10. #70
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    Default Re: AD USQUE FIDELIS

    Justin looked at the captain and his wife, then his eyes rolled back and dropped his dagger causing it to crash to the polished marble floor. The captain then witnessed Justin lapsing into morbus caducus (the falling sickness), and immediately Sophia knelt down beside here seizing husband and ordered the captain to help her roll Justin onto his side. The captain was hesitant to assist for old fears of being cursed with this affliction. The captain said, "Shouldn't we put something in his mouth so he doesn't choke on his tongue?"

    Justin was violently twitching and foaming vigorously at the mouth and Sophia snapped, "I have no time for ridiculous superstitions and old wives tales, now get down here and help me or face the wrath beyond what you are prepared for!" Sophia was a no nonsense lady with great abilities reaching higher than most men. The captain wasted no time helping Sophia after her stern words.

    Together they rolled him over on his side and immediately saliva and vomit poured out of his mouth. Justin's seizure was the most violent that his poor wife ever had to endure, but for her sake the captain was remarkably helpful. Slowly Justin came to and was struggling to collect his thoughts. Sophia erupted with tears and and was holding him to her chest. The explanation for Justin's chamber pot, the bloody dagger, the dead guard, and his outburst before his episode would be tabled for a time more appropriate.

    While Justin was coming back to his senses the duo were taking a tunnel from the Great Palace to the Basilica Cistern. They stopped for a moment to check their surroundings. No one was accessing any of the passageways near them. They carried on until they reached the Basilica Cistern and then parted ways for now. They decided they would meet up again after investigating the results of their efforts against Justin, and whether they would have the desired affects.

    Uliaris continued his recount, "The final phase of the Nika Riots was worse than partaking in the slaughter of the 30,000 for many of soldiers. I was one of the lucky ones who was not detailed for cleanup. I had spent about a week with the girl. Before I took the girl to my family I brought her before my childhood priest and mentor.

    She was not possessed by any evil spirits or sick from disease just as the doctor had stated. She was suffering from something similar to what soldiers have dealt with since warfare began. Our army physicians that would recognize this disorder called it bellum trauma mentalis (battle trauma). I, as you all know, suffer from it, but even then I was a combat veteran. I was not a mere child who saw my parents butchered beside me like she did. I was to report directly to Belisarius when the girl was safely with my family. My family was very understanding and was very compassionate towards her even before I sat them down and explained the situation to them.

    Feeling confident that things would be as good as they could be, I reported back to Belisarius, and he brought me back to speed on what was going on with the Nika Riots aftermath and actually who my commanding officer would be for our next assignment. He wanted me to remain in the bucellarii, because he was tasked by the emperor for an upcoming mission of conquest for the glory of Rome.

    He told me also the fate of Hypatius and other senators. I asked about Leo..." Aelia interrupted with a rather annoyed tone, "You promised to not leave out any details of anything you would tell that could or could not help the investigation. So, please tell us what Belisarius told you about Hypatius and anyone else he mentioned!" Uliaris countered, "Apologies! His account does not differ from the official account..." "But it would be his account not the official account would it not?"

    Uliaris dropped his head clearly equally annoyed. He raised his head and spoke rather harshly to Aelia. "I agreed to your terms about my account, but not necessarily to others. Do not press me on this one!"
    Aelia scowled for a moment and everyone else felt a little bit awkward and Andreas broke the silence. "Perhaps we should table this discussion from the night. Aelia, you know this whole history and this little part..."
    "This little part!" Roared Aelia. "This little part changed my world forever! You of all people, Andreas, know this!"

    Andreas rebuked Aelia, "You are correct that I know this and other moments of your past and in no way would I slight you! You know that!" Aelia acquiesced and she made a particular expression that caught Uliaris' eye. When he realized that someone else from his past made that same unique expression, he looked like he had seen a specter. He gasped and everyone looked his way. Uliaris apologized and asked them to pay him no mind. Aelia then replied, "You are right Andreas that we need to table this and get some sleep while we still can. Tomorrow's discussion will be even longer."
    Last edited by ♔Old Dragoon♔; June 16, 2017 at 04:12 PM.

  11. #71
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    Default Re: AD USQUE FIDELIS

    I'm pleased to see there was enough common sense around for people to look after Justin first and save worrying about the exact details of what happened for later. And it's good to hear the little girl was treated compassionately.

    Aelia's outburst and Uliaris's gasp are both intriguing....






  12. #72
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    Default Re: AD USQUE FIDELIS

    I agree with Caillagh, particularly about Aelia's outburst.

  13. #73

    Default Re: AD USQUE FIDELIS

    I finally caught up to this. Great work, Old Dragoon!

    The scenes with the small girl were very good. I specially liked the paragraph about Uliaris' faith. I wonder how the scheme around Justin will be linked to Uliaris' investigations.

  14. #74
    ♔Old Dragoon♔'s Avatar I'm Your Huckleberry
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    I cannot thank you gentlemen enough for your comments! Caillagh and Alwyn, I wish I could say more about Aelia's ourtburst . Admiral Van Tromp, you are too kind sir but the scheme around Justin is shaping up nicely! Anyways, I had some rl issues come up but still have some updates that I have been cooking up, so a new one should be up by this Sunday!

  15. #75
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    I'll look forward to it whenever it's ready.






  16. #76
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    Chapter VI: Omnia Vincit Amor (Love Conquers All)


    The fellowship turned in for the night. Aelia and Agathias were the first to turn in while Uliaris and Andreas were last. Uliaris' mind would not turn in for the night, especially from what he saw. When his mind finally did, he was saying goodbye to his forbidden love.

    Many nobles had and have secrets. Even the high and mighty ones exacting judgement upon those found guilty of a crime that they themselves are guilty of have secrets. Usually that crime involves the passions of love. Being forced to marry outside of genuine love can often bring those sinful passions to bear. That is not a statement to excuse or exempt the sin, but rather a testimony to get to the root and genesis of that problem.


    "Please be careful Uliaris, and come back to me whole!" Said a tearful Juliana. "I will my love!" Said Uliaris whose lip started quiver some. Not from fear of war but deep rooted love that only those who have loved with such passion understand. Juliana noticed Uliaris' lip and raised her left hand to his cheek. They then embraced with great passion as tears streamed down both of their cheeks. Just as they were embraced a peering eye of a spy was noting the couple's every move in the back alley of the city of the size of Constantinople always has good hiding places and often hiding in plain sight is the most overlooked spot to hide. Uliaris raised his hand and placed his right hand on Juliana's face she responded by pressing her cheek firmer into Uliaris' hand. Uliaris spoke almost a whisper, "You must head back into the sanctuary before you are noticed. Your father I presume has sent his usual bumbling amateurs looking again."

    "He has hired a new one who he has grown rather fond of. The man is not like the others he is cunning and highly intelligent. He is always asking questions, and he is a rather brutish Armenian!"

    "Brutish Armenian? You do realize I sometimes serve Armenian John?"

    Juliana replied , "I know my love but I just meant that he is a foreigner, an Armenian. He is definitely trained in the arts of war and spying. Now I must be off..." Uliaris grabbed her arm and pulled her in to his arms for one last passionate kiss. Juliana pulled away after a moment and spoke, "His name is Arsaces...Now we must go on our way!" As Juliana spun free she forced up a smile as she looked back while inside she was already aching in her heart and fought back a rush of tearful emotions.

    Uliaris relented, "I will remember that name! God be with you my love, and I will come back in one piece!" As Uliaris was looking for any glimpse of a would-be spy, the man that was pretending to be a beggar was still watching Uliaris' every move especially after he dropped some coin into his old rusty tin cup. They both made eye contact which made Uliaris feel uneasy as he noticed the beggar did not just nod, 'thank you,' but looked him over as if he was studying him. His hands did not look weathered and grimy as most true beggars looked. He was either a swindler or something else nefarious thought Uliaris.

    Uliaris had walked on a bit but something inside him made him realize he needed to stop and turn back around. He did and the beggar was gone mat and all. Uliaris scanned the alley top to bottom but there was no trace of him. There were not many places he could have fled so quickly, but with the amount of people using this main alley as an important route from palace complex to the Hagia Sophia was a constant flow and more than likely he hid amongst the continual throng of people passing by.

    Uliaris had no more time to give to this matter since he was to report to the docks at once since his fellow bucellarii with the army of the east would be ferried across the Bosporus where they gather needed supplies for the voyage and then set sail to Antioch, regroup, and march on to Dara. The walls were being hastily rebuilt since Belisarius was making it his headquarters and the old city was the last important eastern city on the southeastern border with Persia.

    The Aegean Sea could be rough at times, and threats of shipwrecks due to storms along with pirate attacks were more common than one would think. However, having a less fatigued army that would otherwise have to march on land was worth the risk. Uliaris either way was not looking forward to the rough journey at sea as any soldier. It was a necessary hardship, but his body never agreed with the life at sea as some seem to be. While at sea Uliaris was greeted by his old friend and subordinate Draxos of the bucellarii. Draxos bellowed as he slapped downward on Uliaris' left shoulder, "You look sicker than being struck by a poisoned tip trident!"

    Uliaris and Draxos' friendship goes way back even before their training in the bucellarii. They grew up together and now were going to war together. Draxos hailed from the area that ancients knew as Lacedaemon (Sparta). His family decided to move to Constantinople when he was around ten years of age. Uliaris was born and raised in Constantinople though his father was not. His father was Alanus and mother Junia, and both were Orthodox Christians. Alanus was of Alan and Isaurian descent. Junia was from Chalcedon (city across the Bosphorus from Constantinople). Both Uliaris and Draxos' fathers served in the Scholae Palatinae with distinction. They were still mentors and instructors with the Excubitors (revised palace guards that were formed under emperor Leo I). Against their father's wishes they both joined Belisarius' bucellarii. According to these two, they wanted action and adventure that campaign life promised. However, both of their father's warned them of how hard life is on campaign and the horrors of war, but Uliaris and Draxos dismissed the wisdom of their father's as pure folly.

    Uliaris looked Draxos in the eye and replied patting the burly Greek's left cheek, "I will get better and my color will return, and if you try your Spartan wit on me I will throw you overboard." The large Greek never forgot his Laconic wit and quipped, "If!" They both laughed a good laugh then Uliaris said, "We are close to Antioch finally my friend." On the forward horizon The port of Antioch was just becoming visible. Draxos replied, "Indeed we are, and do not think we are carrying you all the way to Dara!" They both laughed again and patted each other on the back as their ship as well as many others made way to Antioch.

    Last edited by ♔Old Dragoon♔; March 08, 2018 at 10:23 AM.

  17. #77
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    Default Re: AD USQUE FIDELIS

    The description of Uliaris and Juliana is very touching. As so often, you leave us with intriguingly unanswered questions. (What will happen to Juliana when the spy reports to her father? What will be waiting for Uliaris when he returns? What will happen during the journey to Dara?) As always, I'm just going to have to wait and see...






  18. #78
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    Good chapter! Like Caillagh, your chapter got me thinking about the consequences and implications of these events, particularly what will happen to Juliana, how Uliaris and Draxos will get on during (and after) their journey to Antioch.

  19. #79
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    Arsaces had been spying on Juliana for sometime. He was meticulous in detail, and was very direct and to the point when delivering his report to his employer whoever that might be. He also had no issue in confronting those who he felt might threaten his rise in station. Arsaces was born to lesser nobles in Armenia and moved to and from Armenia to the Roman Empire before working for Juliana's father, Flavius Anastasius Paulus Probus Moschianus Probus Magnus. Probus was as pompous as his name, but a rather genuinely great consul in 518 AD.

    Probus was one of most respected senators as well. However, he had a dark side that few had ever seen. When it came to his daughter only a man with equal station would do, and not some barbarian lesser noble, whose father was a palace guard, would court his daughter. He was at his desk as many days going through his accounts and news of the day. Records and such as these complicated estate matters as well as Roman politics is where Probus thrived. There was no time to worry about love or fleeting lust of the eyes. The former consul sneered at thought of this Uliaris and his Juliana. Just as he was riling himself up Arsaces made his way to former consul's office for his full report and to his delight.

    "Get your cack grabbers off my pack you brainless fledgling!" Roared a fearless looking Romanized Hun. Draxos had bent down to move a marching pack that was in his path to get ready to disembark to the port of Antioch which was the city Seleucia Pieria. Both Antioch and and Seleucia Pieria were ravaged by the great earthquake in 526 killing at least 250,000 between the two cities. The emperor wasted no time to rebuild the city due mostly to the war with Persia raging in Iberia (area just north of Armenia) which broke out in 526 as well.

    Draxos immediately apologized after realizing who the fearless Hun was. The fearless Hun was Chorsamantis, and even before Dara he was a legend in the bucellarii as well as the army. He was also considered the harshest but best training instructor for the bucellarii. He was rumored to have trained Belisarius as bodyguard for Emperor Justin or so it has been said. Chorsamantis' bravery was well known and beyond compare as well as his loyalty, and unmatched combat skills. Before Draxos could finish his apology, Chorsamantis was teaching poor Draxos a lesson.

    "Well dragon shite, you still haven't learned anything have you?!" Draxos was a name that had no meaning but was given a unique spelling variation on Greek word for dragons. Draxos' parents wanted him to be unique and set his own course and make a way for himself. Draxos tried to answer but Chorsamantis roared over top of him. "Your Spartan ancestors would be shunning you arseling. You are no more one of them than I am Christ! An ancestor of slaves maybe..." Draxos lost his temper and swung at Chorsamantis foolishly. Chorsamantis easily deflected the blow with his left arm resulting in Draxos stumbling forward and off balance. Uliaris cringed as the famed veteran grabbed Draxos' tunic and pulled his upper body downward as he raised his left knee squarely into his face just missing his nose (you can wager that missing the nose was on purpose.) The force of the blow knocked Draxos unconscious.

    The fearless Hun looked over Draxos and smiled, "You still have a lot to learn 'dragon shite' but you are brave!" He laughed and smacked Uliaris on the back before grabbing his pack. As Uliaris was helping Draxos regain himself, Chorsamantis bellowed as he was walking away on deck, "You have a lot to learn as well 'your anus' ('your anus' was a play on Uliaris' name that military instructors will do to assert their authority as well as breaking and molding a trainee into a soldier)...'Your anus' and dragon shite!' What a pair we have there lads!" Everyone on deck roared with laughter as Uliaris was trying to bring Draxos to his feet. Wincing with pain, Draxos looked like he had been hit by an ox cart, whilst trying to gather his wit he mustered, "Praise be to God for blessing us with two eyes since my right is now swollen shut!"
    Last edited by ♔Old Dragoon♔; September 03, 2017 at 07:35 PM.

  20. #80
    Alwyn's Avatar Frothy Goodness
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    Default Re: AD USQUE FIDELIS

    Good update, I particularly enjoyed the moment when Draxos realised who the fearless Hun was. Chorsamantis has quite a fearsome reputation! The use of historical events from the year 526 is a nice touch.

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