Part 1/3: https://www.reddit.com/r/nosleep/comments/zsdrpn/i_served_in_the_9th_roman_legion/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Part 2/3: https://www.reddit.com/r/nosleep/comments/zt88y0/i_served_in_the_9th_roman_legion/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Part 3/3:
As it turned out, Quintus wasn’t even human. At least, not anymore. I guess I could say the same thing about us. But he was something beyond what we were. In the Bible they’re referred to as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. But like many religious texts. The men who wrote it seem to have grossly misunderstood what it is they do. You see, many see them as harbingers of the apocalypse. But they’re not. People think of them that way because every time they show their faces, it’s because of an potentially apocalyptic event.
They take shifts every hundred years. One will guard the planet while the rest just do whatever they please. I didn’t ask for details on what they do in their downtime. Oh and don’t even get me started on their names. They don’t refer to themselves as Death, Pestilence, War, and Famine. Just the First, second, third, and fourth Horseman. Well.. I say that. You could definitely tell that the First Horseman was supposedly death. Now, during one of their shifts, a horseman used to be allowed to protect the planet through any means he sees fit.. Quintus, the third, chose to create an army of omega soldiers. Now, we were facing all four in Quintus tent. Like I said, it only usually takes one to protect the world. So if four were present… Danger was imminent.
The four stood across from a table in which Gwen lay catatonic and floating a few inches off of. The female horseman, Number 2, had her eyes in the back of her head.
“She wasn’t lying about being Lilith’s vessel. I’d recognize that stench anywhere. That and she’s filled to the brim with demonic pathogens.” She said.
“That’s what I was afraid of.” Quintus replied.
I could hear the first Horseman exhale. “Alright then, I will convene with Michael. You.” He said pointing at the Hoplite. “Go to the Order of Light. Have them send us enough teleporters to transport the 9th. Then have them send a regiment to the Gehennian monolith.” He ordered.
The hoplite vanished. The First Horseman turned to the female. “Go and check the monolith. Make sure we don’t get ambushed upon arrival.” She nodded and vanished. Gwen plopped back down onto the table with a thud. I could see Quintus and the First Horseman both cringe a bit.
“I-is she okay?” I asked. “She’s fine.” Quintus answered quickly. The First Horseman turned to Quintus. “Is Cain still here?” Quintus shook his head. “He left the moment he heard you were coming.” The First Horseman rolled his eyes. “Of course he did.” The First Horseman then vanished into thin air. Leaving us standing in the tent with Quintus.
“Gather the men. Get everyone ready to march.” He commanded.
We did as told. We had everyone ready to go and in formation within an hour. That was when the Second horseman showed up with three robed figures wearing white armor underneath.
“Who are they?” I asked Maxus as he walked up beside me. “Those are light benders. They’re all either the children or grandchildren of nephelim.” “Angelic lineage?” I asked. “Yes. They’re the ones who chased away all the hostile gods after a Greek Titan called Prometheus burned down a city and called it ‘gifting the humans with fire’.”
“Ah. I remember this story now. Why are there only three?” I asked. “Those are just to teleport us.”
I watched as Quintus greeted the lead Light bender. A Persian man I would come to know as Amir. He was the grandmaster of the entire order of light. The other light benders tossed a few objects on the ground. Objects that shot yellow beams of energy that very quickly morphed into rectangular portals.
We marched through them. Finding ourselves in a desert valley at the base of a large stone slab with symbols and runes carved onto its outer edges. I’d heard of the Gehennian monolith, but until then, I’d never seen it in person. We set up camp at the base alongside a unit of around six hundred light benders. They wore white leathery armor with white cloaks to match. There was no uniform in their weaponry. Everyone seemed to be able to pick what they could master.
Amir and Quintus met with the First Horseman at the base of the monolith. Maxus and I were close behind. The First Horseman seemed irritated.
“They don’t believe you?” asked Quintus. “They do.. They would like us to go in and speak with Lucifer.” Quintus laughed under his breath. “Heaven thinks we can negotiate?” “It’s not a negotiation.. It’s a questioning. Michael is convinced that Lilith acted of her own accord. If this is true. It will be up to Lucifer to punish her.” Quintus rolled his eyes. “And what do you think?” He asked.
“March your army through the door. Don’t let anyone through. Once we’re there you and I will head to the Capital to speak with the Gehennian council.” The First Horseman said calmly. “Hopefully.. This’ll be quick and easy. Lucifer has grown a.. Distaste for warefare.”
The Horseman activated the Monolith with a medallion. It was a golden circular piece of metal with a red ruby in its center. The stone started to glow an ember color. We could all feel the heat that it gave off. Before we walked into the portal Quintus stood before us.
“Men… I won’t lie to you. We’re walking into the worst place in the multiverse. Before we do.. I wanna warn you. If you die in there, your soul stays there. If any of you want to leave now, I’ll understand.”
We all stood silently awaiting our orders.
“Okay then.. For the 9th!” He called out. “For the 9th!” The entire Legion boomed back in unison.
We marched into hell that day. It’s hard to correctly describe the feeling of literally stepping foot in the worst place in the multiverse. The first thing you notice is the chill in the air. You’d think with all the modern phrases like “burn in hell” or descriptions of stuff like hellfire or fire and brimstone would mean hell is hot. It isn’t. It’s actually quite the opposite. I’ve walked the multiverse. I’ve been to frozen planets. I’ve been to the arctic circle. None of them compare to the chill that stung the air in Gehenna.
Then there’s the malicious hopelessness that permeates. Almost like the realm itself is draining all the positivity from your very soul. The sky itself has a red haze, it’s almost always perpetually cloudy. I’m not sure if there’s a Sun or not. I never really looked. When we marched through the monolith we found ourselves marching onto a massive beach. Only it wasn’t like the beaches on earth. The sand beneath our feet was charcoal black. The water ahead of us was almost red, but it may have been due to the sky above.
I can remember my century murmuring amongst themselves as we entered. I guess they felt everything that I had. It was unsettling.
After we made our defensive positions around the monolith on the gehennian beach. Maxus and I received our first orders. We would be accompanying he and The First Horseman to the Capital. The proposition honestly shot a cool chill down my spine as I looked out at the crimson water ahead of us. I didn’t like this. Quintus left Solaris and Crixus in charge in his stead. All they needed to do was man the defenses with the support of the light benders and the other two horseman. We weren’t expecting an attack. Not yet.
We stood with Quintus and the First Horseman. Quintus looked at me. “Are you ready?” He asked. I nodded. He snapped his fingers, the next thing I knew, the four of us were standing just outside of a massive obsidian wall. My eyes scanned the gate which held a massive six horned dragon on it. The gate slowly opened with a loud creeping noise. There was a host of beings waiting for us on the other side. Beings I could have gone my entire existence without seeing.
There were several humanoid demonic figures waiting for us. Each with paper white skin and silver hair. They wore crude obsidian armor with jagged swords and axes to match. Most had sharpened teeth. They stood maybe eight feet tall. Their bodies underneath their armor seemed emaciated. I would learn later that these guys were just the guards on the walls. They didn’t say a word to the horsemen as we walked in. The four that were waiting calmly escorted us inside the capital city if hell. A place I’d come to know as Dis. A place that been entirely carved out of the same singular obsidian rock that made up the city’s terrain.
We were taken to Lucifer’s palace. Which was a massive obsidian pyramid in the center of the city. If I were to compare it’s height to something in the modern day. I’m not sure the term skyscraper would do it justice. We were met at a triangular shaped doorway by another demonic figure. This one more closely resembling your typical demon. He had crimson reptilian skin, pincer like teeth, two large bat-like wings and long flowing black hair. He was also completely nude.
“Prince Asmodeus.” Quintus greeted.
The demon smiled widely as his eyes met mine. “Horsemen.. Have you brought me some fresh meat?” He asked. “If you’re referring to the Omega soldiers behind us well… If you touch them I’ll crush your windpipe!” Quintus replied. Asmodeus smirked. “The King is expecting you. This way.” Asmodeus led us through a series of chambers until we came through a room. One where it seemed as if an all male orgy was taking place. All the bodies were locked in a massive glass box. One that had a bunch of tubes and wiring connected to the floor. “Oh look, a Greek orgy..” Maxus said. “I thought Gehenna was supposed to torture its wayward souls?” Quintus asked. Asmodeus laughed. “These men are being tortured.” “How so?” Asked the first horseman. “As you know.. When a soul arrives in Gehenna, it’s assigned a level and a new body from Lilith’s flesh pits. These men were assigned bodies that… Let’s just say they’re like male dogs that smell bitches in heat. They will do anything to alleviate it. Only there are only males among them.”
“I still don’t see how this is torture?” Asked Quintus.
Asmodeus smirked, “These men are down here because they executed men… Men who preferred the company of other men to women.”
“That’s… That makes sense.” Quintus said as we walked by.
“That and their bodies ejaculate broken glass.”
My eyes went wide as I turned to Maxus.
“If you think that’s bad, you should see what we do to people who prefer the company of children.” Asmodeus said as he looked at me.
“I’d rather not.” I replied.
We were then taken into the throne room. This room was large. Bigger then any room I’ve ever been inside of. I assumed we were in the center of the pyramid. But I wasn’t sure because it didn’t feel as if we had been walking for a while.
One end of the room sat the obsidian throne. On it sat a man, a very handsome man with long blonde hair and two white wings sticking from his back. He smiled as we approached. I didn’t see his eyes until I got closer. They were both inky black. I felt a chill run down my spine when they landed on me. He adjusted his robes as we came to a stop. “Well! Well! Well! If it isn’t Abel himself!” He said looking down at the first Horseman. “Lucifer…” Abel greeted. “What do I owe the pleasure? Or uhh.. Displeasure.” Lucifer asked. “You know why we’re here.” Quintus interjected. Lucifer’s head snapped toward Quintus. He smiled widely. “You wish to question me about my wife.” He sneered. “But that still doesn’t explain why you’ve brought an army to my shores.”
“It’s just a precaution.” Abel said. “A precaution..” Lucifer considered, his eyes never leaving Abel. Then they went to Maxus and I. “Out of all the warriors you could have chosen, you went with the Roman Legions? That is hilarious.”
“They are effective.” Said Quintus. Lucifer scoffed. “They don’t even worship the same god as you do!” Lucifer then let out a laugh. Asmodeus was standing right next to him. “Oh boy!” He exhaled. “You know, I’ve got an extra special cell for Zeus down here!” Asmodeus whispered something in his ear. “I’m not calling him Jupiter! It sounds stupid!” Lucifer said. “Lucifer! As much as we enjoy being down here. We’d rather not stay for longer then we have too.” The First Horseman said sternly. Lucifer threw his head back and groaned. Then looked back at Asmodeus. “Go get Lilith…” Asmodeus vanished. Lucifer sighed. “Well.. Get on with it.”
“We’ve got reason to believe Lilith possessed a woman on Earth.” Quintus said. “You’re joking right? Lilith has a body on Earth… If she wishes to return. She’d just possess it.” “Yes. Her original body is still there. You and I both know that if she puts that body at risk, and it’s killed.”
“Yeah! Yeah! Fuckin blood magic!” Lucifer said with a groan. “That body was hot though! Really wish she’d have kept it.”
“The second horseman probed the possessed girls mind. Lillith’s presence was there.” Quintus said.
“Her presence? You’re gonna have to do better than that. No demon here is permitted from going to earth without my permission.” Lucifer argued. “Lucifer, how many other demons do you know that can teach humans to raise revenants?” Abel asked. Lucifer thought for a moment. I could tell his demeanor shifted over the question. He still tried to hide it though. “Other then her? Well there’s Abbadon, Azazel, ummm.. Baal? Maybe Moloch…” “And how many of them would knowingly go against your orders?” I could see Lucifer exhale. “What is the meaning of this?” A female voice boomed.
We turned to see another demonic figure entering the room. This one followed by an entourage of others. Lilith was tall, taller than Asmodeus. She had blood red skin with black eyes and black horns that pointed straight up from her head. Her hair was braided over one shoulder. In the place of wings she had four inky black tendrils that wormed and writhed from her back. Behind her approached another figure, this one was almost the spitting image of Lucifer. Except he had red skin and black hair like his mother. He also had his own set of blood red dragon wings. They were followed by six or seven other demons and a few demonic guards. All with black armor. “Hey honey. I see you brought the council.” Lucifer said with a smile.
Lilith didn’t return the smile. “Why are they here?” She demanded. “They’re just asking some questions!” “They need to leave!” “We NEED to know why you’re possessing people on earth!” The First Horseman interrupted. Lilith turned to us. Then back to Lucifer. She was in his face now. “There is an army on our shores! If you had any balls you’d have done something about that already!” She barked. Lucifer replied with a backhand. “Do you want a war? Need I remind you of what happened the last time we tried to invade that particular Earth?” He growled, his happy go lucky demeanor evaporating in an instant.
She held her cheek, perhaps not expecting Lucifer’s outburst. He looked back at us. “All the Earths in the multiverse! And she insists that we try and take the ONLY one we’re not allowed to invade! They always want what they can’t have?” He laughed.
Maxus and I looked at each other. Abel took a deep breath. “Lucifer, we’re here to avoid war. You know what it cost you last time.” “If you wanted to avoid a war you shouldn’t have marched an” Lilith started, but was abruptly interrupted. “Shut the fuck up, Lilith!” Lucifer barked.
My eyes just happened to glance at the being I knew was Lucifer’s son. Who had a clinched fist upon seeing his mother berated. His eyes seems to burn into a Lucifer. Lucifer turned back to us.
“There will be no war. If Lilith is doing what you say she’s been doing, I will deal with it.” He said sternly.
“You fucking coward!” The son barked.
Lucifer’s head snapped towards him. “What did you just call me, Abbadon?”
Abbadon stepped forward. “You heard me! You weak, pathetic, fucking coward!”
Lucifer raised a brow as he smirked. “The set of balls on junior here!”
“You let them march an entire army onto our shores! They violated our sovereignty! Now they sit in here and demand you answer to them! That alone is worth blood! But no! You are weak!”
Lucifer rolled his eyes in annoyance as he lifted an outstretched arm. “Okay! Fine! You want blood, I’ll take some of yours!” A sword appeared in his hand. One with a glowing red blade on either side of its handle. Lucifer’s eyes went from black to glowing the same shade of red that his sword was. “Step back.” Quintus ordered. Abbadon pulled an equally red sword from his back. “What’s going on?” I asked. “Abbadon’s attempting a coup!”
We cleared the area just in front of the throne. Lucifer stepped down. The council stood back. I saw Lilith standing on the steps with a malicious grin across her face. “So.. Little Abbadon is all grown up and thinks he can take the throne!” Lucifer sneered as the two circled each other. “Someone has to bring the strength back to this place.” Abbadon’s sword was smaller than Lucifer’s. It wasn’t double bladed. It was just a simple broadsword.
Abbadon went on the offensive. He moved in what would have been a blur. Unleashing a fury of strikes at his father. Lucifer dodged each one with relative ease before sending a drop kick into Abbadon’s chest that in turn sent his son flying across the throne room. Lucifer went skyward and came down hard on top of him. The burning hot point of his sword leading the way. Abbadon barely rolled away in time as the obsidian cratered from the impact. Abbadon got to his feet, swinging his sword hard at Lucifer’s face. Lucifer ducked under it and backhanded his son. Who again went to the floor.
“Why doesn’t he finish it?” I asked Quintus. “He’s toying with him. No matter what happens. We must not interfere. This is a gehennian problem.” “And if Lucifer loses?” Maxus asked. “Then it becomes an us problem.” The Horseman said.
Lucifer still had the upper hand over his own son. Abbadon was in a desperate fight. Or so it seemed. Abbadon wildly swung his blade but Lucifer parried and blocked every blow. Abbadon stopped swinging for a few moments as he tried to catch his breath. Lucifer stood there with a smile.
“As powerful as you are! I’m still your king! And even though you’re a treasonous little bitch… I’m still your father! And daddy always wins!” Lucifer said as he stormed forward.
Abbadon only smirked. Lucifer came at him fast and hard. But Abbadon was ready. He parried Lucifer’s first few strikes almost effortlessly. That was when I realized. He’d lulled his own father into a sense of security. He’d taken advantage of Lucifer’s own pride. Lucifer’s strikes became more wrathful as he grew irritated.
“Why won’t you stay still?” He growled.
It was at that moment that Abbadon vanished and reappeared behind Lucifer. His sword slashing in an upward motion, taking Lucifer’s sword arm and left wing in one bloody slice. The look of shock that arose across Lucifer’s face was unlike anything I’d ever seen. Abbadon followed it up with a slash to the back of Lucifer’s leg that sent him to his knees. Abbadon only looked down at him. His blade to the former kings neck. I caught a glance at Lilith. The demon queen was beaming with malicious hatred and joy at the same time. It hadn’t quite dawned on me yet. But looking back, I think this whole thing was planned. Lilith knew what she was doing.
“Long live the new king!” Lilith roared. The Gehennian council cheered in response.
Quintus looked at me, then snapped his fingers. The next thing I knew, the four of us were back on the beach. Abel took a deep breath as he turned to Quintus.
“What do we do?” asked Quintus. “We have to shut down the Gehennian door permanently. It will take time though.” Abel replied. “We don’t have time. Abbadon’s probably gathering the Gehennian host as we speak.” I took a deep breath. It was then that I realized what was going to happen. Gehenna was going to invade. Millions would die. “What about Heaven?” Asked Quintus. “They won’t deploy their forces unless gehennian forces arrive in earth.. Even then, millions would still die. We can prevent that if we shut the door.” “But you need time..” I said as I swallowed hard. “I have a spell but it takes around five hours. The portal must remain open for it. You’ll know it’s complete when the monolith stops glowing white. But I must say… It’s something I can’t ask of you.” Maxus and I made eye contact. Both knew what the other was thinking. If we stayed, we would die. But if we didn’t, we’d probably still die. At least this way we’d save lives. Maxus nodded. I took a deep breath as I turned to Quintus. “What are our orders?” Maxus asked. “Hold the fucking door!”
We spent the next three and a half hours setting up our defenses. Five of our cohorts formed an orbis formation around the monolith. While the others set up defensive positions just outside. It was a simple set up yes. But we didn’t have time to create an elaborate plan. We had five thousand super soldiers, with shields, spears, and swords ready. The light benders held the door itself. We all knew we were about to die horribly. We were terrified. But we also knew what our lives were buying. Quintus didn’t give us a speech. He didn’t have too. Not much was said, other than planning our mission.
Maxus and I had both our Centuries in a testudo. Solaris and Crixus did as well. While Quintus sat on his horse just behind us with Amir next to him. We waited like this for a good few minutes before the blood red water ahead of us began to stir. My eyes went skyward as something appeared on the horizon, a shadow in the red haze. Something massive flew over us. I breathed in the frigid air. There really wasn’t any hope here.
“A scout.” Quintus grumbled as he turned to Amir.
Amir aimed his spear at the shadow. The tip ignited yellow as a beam of white burning energy exited the tip. The shadow yelped in pain as it came crashing down hard. It hit the ground maybe a hundred feet in front of us. The beast was large, maybe as big as a modern day bus. It looked like a massive locust.
“A dead scout.” Amir said. “You know you don’t have to stay?” Asked Quintus. “And miss this fight?” “Once the Abel finishes the spell. Your teleportation cubes won’t take us out of here.” Quintus said. Amir shrugged, “I am aware. Just like I’m also aware that you have the power to teleport yourself away at any time. But you’re choosing to stay with your men. Tell me Quintus, why couldn’t you teleport them all back to earth once the door is shut?”
“It would take all the energy I have just to send one back to earth. And we’ll be lucky if they landed on the right one. I’m afraid this is a one way trip… Everyone here knows it.”
I thought about his words for a second. What did he mean by the right earth? What did Lucifer mean when he said the phrase ‘multiverse’? I didn’t know the term then. At that moment, it was just a fleeting thought. Lucifer was probably dead or worse.
That was when the first of the Gehennian army came marching out of the water. They didn’t travel by boat. They came up from under the crimson waves. Hordes of those white skinned demons wearing obsidian armor and wielding long jagged pikes. I could hear Augustus take a deep trembling breath next to me. I exhaled through my nose. Just based on what I could see on the beachhead, Gehennian forces had to have outnumbered us 10 to 1. Then the ground began to rumble beneath our feet. Several creatures emerged from the black sand. Some were dog sized spiders, some horse sized scorpions, and some elephant sized locusts. They came forth from all around us. Then Abbadon himself, surrounded by his unholy council. They seemingly appeared ahead of our army. Abbadon calmly stepped forth with his arms spread wide. As he approached, I noticed that Asmodeus had Lucifer chained at the neck. Quintus rode his horse to the front line to greet Abbadon.
“Quintus!” Abbadon shouted. “We need not do this! All your men don’t have to die! You don’t have to die! Surrender and I’ll spare some of them!” “Surrender? And let you invade Earth Prime? I think not!” Quintus barked. “Gehenna needs suffering souls so it can survive! Earth Prime has souls! Souls uncorrupted by alternate timelines! It’s not fair that only heaven has access to them!” “You can have them when they die!” Quintus replied. “Only the bad ones.. They suffer well down here yes. But……” Abbadon smiled a wide, almost sadistic grin. “Nothing suffers like an innocent soul!”
“You will!” Quintus said as he drew his sword. Abbadon smirked at this. Then turned to his forces. “Kill them all! Leave the General to me!”
With that the entirety of Hells legion descended upon us. Our cohort was hit hard by a mixture of spiders and white skinned demonic infantry. Our shields held the testudo formation for maybe twenty seconds before an obsidian pike made its way through one of the cracks and skewered the man next to me. The man fell down into the black sand. As he did so a giant black spider found its way into the hole. Augustus was quick to ram his sword into its abdomen, sending a foul smelling green and red goup everywhere. But that was just the start of our troubles as a massive red demon came down hard right in the middle of our formation. Causing it to completely shatter. He landed right on top of Augustus. Pinning him to the ground underneath his shield. Several of my men attacked, all where batted away by the demon’s massive axe. Augustus struggled but he wasn’t strong enough.
We’d all found ourselves in the midst of a massive melee yet again. Except this time, we were outmatched. I charged the red demon head on. Trying desperately to save my friend. Only to watch in horror as my friend had his head separated from his shoulders. I came to a sliding stop mere feet from the demon as it turned to me. The winged beast smiled. I roared as I reared back and threw my pilum as hard as I could. The point found it’s way in the thing’s eyeball. Skewering its head like a kabob. The demon fell as I pulled my sword and turned. Several of my men were being disemboweled by massive insects while several more were being slaughtered by the demonic infantry. Blood and entrails were everywhere. A hand suddenly grabbed my shoulder, I turned to see Solaris covered in blood and gore. His shield was gone as was his helmet.
“Retreat to the Opius!” He shouted right before a massive stinger went through the side of his head.
His blood splattered across my face as the massive scorpion pulled his body over and began devouring it. I took off running. Only soaring glances at the chaos that had consumed the other centuries around me. Everyone had very quickly been overwhelmed. The front line wasn’t a fight. It was a massacre. I made it to the opius. Where the soldiers let me through the line. Amir was waiting for me, he too was covered in blood. As were Maxus and Crixus. The light benders we’re doing well to keep some of the gehennian forces back with their beams of energy, while what was left of our legion stayed on the defensive. We knew it wouldn’t last long though.
“How much time do we have left?” I asked Maxus.
The man shrugged. I could see the monolith behind him was still glowing white. I knew the remaining three horsemen were hard at work. I turned back to the battlefield. Abbadon’s forces had barely come at our second line.
Quintus appeared on his hands and knees next to Maxus and I. Maxus knelt down next to him. He coughed up blood as Maxus helped him up.
“How much time do we have?” Asked Maxus. “Another half-hour.” He coughed. “You think we can last that long?” I asked. Quintus looked ahead of us, where Abbadon stood in front of our line. His massive army and the corpses of our own at his back. Lilith walked up next to him with a malicious grin.
That was when all of our dead soldiers began to stand back up. I groaned under my breath. Omega revenants. Revenants who were just as fast and skilled as we were. The air was silent around me. Abbadon knew he couldn’t lose this battle. He stood ahead of his army again with his arms spread wide.
“Last chance, Horseman!”
Quintus limped his way to through the shield wall that was our line.
“Fuck off!” He spat. Abbadon nodded, then turned his attention to us. “Legionaries! This is your last chance! You can either live and be our prisoners! Or die and join my army! Your choice!”
I looked around. Not knowing of anyone here would actually consider it. Some of the men looked at each other. We’d all seen our friends get ripped apart. We knew that we were in for a similar fate.
“Come on! This doesn’t have to be a difficult choice! You can live through this! I know most of you are alone! No family! No land! No friends! We’ll give you your own kingdoms after our conquest! You all can live like kings! All you have to do is put down your weapons and pledge your loyalty!”
The offer sounded good. I’ll admit that. But to my astonishment, no one moved. Then came something, a voice from right next to me.
“ROMANS! FOR WHOM IS OUR LOYALTY PLEDGED?” Maxus boomed.
Then, everyone proclaimed in unison, including me.
“FOR THE NINTH!”
Abbadon’s smile faltered a bit as the still chained up Lucifer let off a wheezy laugh behind him. He turned to Lilith who rolled her eyes before backhanding her husband.
“Fine! Die as you wish!” Abbadon sneered.
Lilith roared as the revenants charged in. Our own soldiers coming for our blood.
“Pilum!” Quintus commanded.
The first four lines in our circle launched their spears into the revenants. This did an immense amount of damage. Several revenants fell. The rest collided with our shield wall. Quintus had teleported next to Maxus and I.
“Hold here! It won’t be long before-“ Quintus was interrupted by a red beam of energy hitting him square in the chest.
Maxus, Amir, Crixus, and I all turned to see Lilith. Who’d used her black tendrils to vault herself over our line. She landed ahead of us. Her top two tendrils aimed at our line that was now behind her and unleashed two red beams of energy that cut through it like a warm knife to butter. We all readied ourselves for a fight. One of the black tendrils pointed at me. I instinctively raised my shield as another red beam of energy came my way. I was lucky the shield held. The beam only knocked me to the ground. Crixus didn’t have his shield on him anymore. His body was cut in two at the waist. Maxus managed to duck under and charge her, while Amir used his spear to send a yellow beam of energy into Lilith’s stomach. This did little but make her angry though.
She didn’t exactly have time to complain as Maxus was on her. He must have been faster then she was expecting because he dodged several strikes from her tendrils before shoved his burning blue sword into her throat. The look of surprise in her eyes was almost priceless. Her body slumped down into the black dirt.
“You just killed Lilith!” I said as I got to my feet. “I killed one of her bodies down here. She’s got more.” He said. Quintus reappeared next to us. “That hurt more then it should have.” He said. The opening in our line quickly filled with revenants and demonic infantry. Amir motioned for his Light Benders to fill the gap. They did as told, the melee that ensued was ferocious. But they were unarmored. I admired their bravery, but they fell quicker then my own century did. It wasn’t long before the second line was practically overrun. The four of us found ourselves fighting and walking backward toward the monolith. I can remember killing a few massive spiders and even more revenants.
It was during this retreat that Amir took a pike to the stomach. Maxus, Quintus, and I were maybe twenty feet from the monolith. Our lines all but collapsed around us. Quintus had summoned a massive spiked club that he used to bat everything that crossed him. He hit a locust in the face with it at one point and the beast exploded. Guts and goup rained down everywhere. A few seconds of killing later we were all that was left of our own forces.
We were surrounded, our backs were to the wall both literally and metaphorically. But, much to our relieve, the monolith’s edges had started turning black. The light was fading. Abbadon’s forces stopped charging us. Abbadon landed ahead of them. Landing right in front of Maxus. He grabbed him and launched him behind himself with one hand. Maxus flew so far I lost track of him. Abbadon turned his attention to me and sprang into action. Only to take a club to the face.
I stood in awe as Quintus and Abbadon engaged each other. Quintus was battered, bloodied, and exhausted. But he didn’t quit. He hit Abbadon hard. But Abbadon seemed invincible. I wasn’t sure of what to do. There was no real way I could help. I just stood with the portal closing behind me.
Abbadon ducked under a ferocious blow from the club and slashed the general’s stomach. Quintus dropped to his knees. His eyes directed at me. I exhaled. Not really knowing what would come next. Abbadon looked up at me. His face full of rage and fury. Quintus flashed me a bloody smile. “For the 9th!” He said before raising his hand and snapping his fingers.
The next thing I knew, I was standing at the base of the monolith on earth. Or so I thought. When we’d left earth, there was still an entire encampment of Light-benders and the other three horsemen. But now the valley was just.. Barren. That, however, wasn’t on my mind.. Not yet.
I fell to my knees, tears already running down my face. My body aching and covered in blood and guts. I’d survived and I wasn’t sure why. I’m honestly still not sure. I weeped for what seemed like hours. Then I heard the voice.
“Marcus? Marcus Octavius?”
I looked up to see a woman standing over me. A woman with clothing on that I didn’t recognize at the time. But now know was jeans and a leather jacket. She smiled at me.
“Who the hell are you? What happened to the other horseman?” I asked.
She took a deep breath, “They’re were you left them on Earth Prime.”
“Earth Prime?”
“Did Quintus not teach you guys about Multiverse theory? Figures.. Anyway.. Marcus, you’re in the wrong timeline. Normally, I’d take you back to where you belong, but I actually need your help.”
I was more than a little confused at this. As most people would be.
“My help? Who are you? I won’t ask again!” I said.
The woman’s smile faltered a bit. “I’m one of Father Time’s keepers. My name is Janus. Now please listen. I don’t have much time…. Ironically.”
I pulled myself to my feet.
“You said you needed my help? Why would I help you?” I asked
Janus took a deep breath.
“You know that feeling that’s in the pits of your stomach right now? That aching? All your brothers and friends are dead! You’re back to where you were when you joined the legion. Alone and now lost in an expansive universe. And why? Because the devil’s son grew a bit too ambitious? Tell me Marcus, how would you like a chance at revenge?”
My journey with Janus and her Hell hunters is a story for another time though. I’ll tell it if enough of you want to hear it. The multiverse is a big place. My journey to get back to an Earth even remotely resembling the one I came from is a long one. Now I’m here, over a thousand years later typing away on a computer. I’ve lived a long life.. Longer then I deserve. There are nights where I consider ending it all. I’ve tried a few times. I’ve also tried almost every drug in the known universe to stop the constant flow of nightmares that haunt my sleep. But the omega potion is effective. I’m not sure if it’s luck or fate that’s kept me alive this long. There are times where I ponder my youth. Times where I remember my lust for glory. That burning in my chest for the heat of battle in service of Rome. It’s gone now. Human wars are all so petty and pointless when you think about what’s really out there. I’m not saying the warriors who fight in them are evil or stupid. But there are bigger things in the universe than humanity wars.. And all my brothers died to keep us safe from them… All of them.. And not a single one expected a thank you or a medal or even a glorious parade to honor their sacrifice. They knew they would be forgotten. I should have been forgotten with them. But I’m still here. Still fighting. I’m not sure what else the universe has in store for me. I guess I’m just gonna have to figure it out.