*Bang!* *Crash!*
The soldier was suddenly tackled to the ground by another soldier, and Rainer gulped hard, heaving breaths of relief.
'Damn! That would have hurt!'
He glanced down and saw that the soldier who saved him was Kotys. Seeing him drag the soldier away, Rainer smiled and nodded his thanks.
Kotys subtly nodded before pulling the frenzied soldier back behind the crowd.
"Then?"
The officer who had questioned him prior, drew Rainer's attention back to him.
"What are you then? If you are not the slave we knew?" He questioned with a perplexed furrow to his brow.
Rainer looked at him with alarm steadily ebbing from his eyes, and he looked down in thought.
'He wants to know what I am?'
He scoffed inaudibly at that.
'How can an island know the expanse of the seas? How does a man comprehend what he has never seen? When Latin words even fail to begin describing the complexity of my existence.'
Rainer contemplated, biting his lips with a serious expression.
Although, Rainer knew he could easily throw them off with a solid lie and live. After all, this was a relatively ancient civilization, composed of a highly superstitious lot. However, he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if they heard the truth... If they could handle hearing what it meant to be Qegon.
"He is a god." A familiar voice emanated.
The words, spoken under the breath were carried mischievously by the night into everyone's hearing.
It snapped Rainer out of his thoughts, and he looked for the source.
Standing behind the officers, a little to the left against the tent was Hops. He seemed appalled and dismayed under everyone's gaze, trembling under the collective looks of shock, scorn, and disdain.
At this, Rainer scoffed out loud and shook his head with an amused smile, chuckling. A chuckling that soon developed into boisterous laughter, drawing back all their attention.
'This boy just gave me a great idea! I guess I'll give them a half-truth then.'
Having that thought, he looked at them with a wild grin and an excited light in his eyes.
"Close enough!" He barked out loud. "But nay! For I am Mars' wayward son! Here to bless or curse your blades!"
He grandly announced before glancing at Hoplite with gratitude in his eyes.
'Thank you, Hops. They could never understand the true me anyway.'
At once, there was an uproar, and Rainer felt a wave of nervous energy hit him, rolling across the noisy crowd; chaotic and frenzied as the raging bonfire behind him.
"The son of the Roman god of war?!"
"Since when do gods possess the dead!?"
"Lies! The daemon deceives us!"
"But he said he was wayward! Maybe he escaped the heavens by possession!"
Suddenly, a loud laugh broke out amidst the din, hard and dangerous. The soldier gradually went silent as the laughter echoed.
It was Optio Commius, hunched over and trembling with his hands on his knees. The soldier's expressions varied between shock, unease, and worry. It was as if they witnessed a rare event: the Optio never laughed.
"The Son of Mars?!" He cried out mockingly and turned to look at the Prefect.
"Great Commander Alexios! Your slave was always as dull as cobblestone! How did he get this humorous?!" He laughed as he addressed the Prefect.
Alexios, on the other hand, was unamused, side-eying him with a stony exterior.
"Of course, you would know that, Optio Commius? You were only gleeful during the times I had you punish him." He dryly stated, casting a warning stare.
Seeing this, Commius' mirth faded and he straightened.
He turned to Rainer with a frown, his knuckle whitening on his gladius. He took several steps toward him, and then looked around at the battle-hardened, torched-lit faces now filled with uncertainty; at the soldiers, the officers, in a tense silence before pointing at Rainer.
"Look at this! Is it not obvious that this is a daemon masquerading as a god!?! It mocks our intelligence! And for that, there is only one recourse!"
"Hoh!"
"Yah!"
Some soldiers hollered in agreement, making a ruckus to encourage the others.
The officer who questioned Rainer frowned at this and hesitated. But then he motioned with a hand, and soon, the place quietened.
He looked at Commius and shot a glance Rainer's way before appealing.
"Perhaps, we should not be hasty."
Commius' eyes tensed and his face contorted with disbelief.
"Do not tell me you, of all people, believe what this evil spirit spouts, Centurio Vellocatus."
He glanced at Rainer and inquired.
"Tell me, Second Centurion. Have you ever heard of gods possessing corpses?"
Vellocatus' frown tensed at the thought, but then he looked around and pressed on.
"We are men, now under the service of Rome. We came from different lands; thus, our beliefs vary, and while I must confess that I am not tethered in faith to a particular god—I believe in the oath to which I have sworn upon the Roman standard! I believe in the trial of steel and blood! If he is truly the son of Mars, let him prove it! So that Rome may not be made to slay another god, unjustly."
He concluded his passionate speech with his gaze stopping on the Prefect, a quiet blaze burning in his golden-flecked, hazel eyes.
The Prefect's callous eyes locked with his first centurion for a moment, before drifting toward Commius and finally ending on Rainer.
Then he took a deep breath and announced.
"Vellocatus is right. Regardless of his claim, it shall be verified tomorrow."
Commius' face twisted with unease as he realized what the Prefect meant.
"Prefect, I do not think—"
The Prefect stopped him with a stern gaze and looked toward Rainer.
"You say you have come to bless or curse our blades. What did you mean by this?" Alexios inquired in a measured tone.
Rainer smirked.
"I bring ruin—or good fortune wherever I go; it's always one or the other, no in-betweens."
The Prefect nodded slowly in quiet understanding.
"Then you would better hope, for your sake that you bring good fortune. For tomorrow you lead us in a siege."
Rainer's eyes widened and he jolted forth, arms straining against the ropes.
"Le-lead a what now?!" He sputtered in astonishment.
The Prefect let out an imperceptible, dismal sigh.
"Rebels, mostly Thracian skirmishers have overwhelmed a local garrison fort in this area. We were immediately sent to take it back. We've attacked twice now; once this morning and a disastrous one at noon. We were repelled both times. Tomorrow at the crack of dawn we will try again. It must be taken as soon as possible, even if I must expend all things within my means."
His tone hardened at the end with a certain severity weighing on his brows.
Rainer reflexively opened his mouth to argue but no words came out. His face wrinkled slightly before morphing into an ugly frown.
While it seemed like a bad situation, in truth this was one of the best situations he could face. He had lived countless years in human lives, and martial conflict wasn't something he was unused to—putting it lightly.
However, knowing how to fight was different from having that reliable combat muscle memory, hand-eye coordination, and the battle-trained physique that only came from practice.
They were traits this body didn't have, given its prior status as a labour slave.
He felt that if he had a week, or even three days, he could train himself to death and build up a bit of assurance. By then things would be different; however, for all he knew, there were only a few hours left.
Alexios keenly observed his changing difficult expressions.
"Is there a problem?"
Rainer gritted his teeth and shook his head.
"No."
The prefect nodded.
"Good, for there can be no objections. A special political figure passes through here tomorrow evening. I would not have him meet this garrison fort still contested. Thus, I will therefore count on your good fortune."
With that said, he drew himself up to his feet and scanned the crowd with his eyes.
"That is my judgment." He declared with finality.