CHAPTER EIGHT: BLESSINGS OF STONE
Villa Ore Mundi was a long steep city, the foundations of smooth stone looked skill forged. Waste and rainwater ran in long trenches on the side of the road, the gentle slope of the charcoal gray stone enough to have anything liquid to slide into the gutters. Along the side of the main thoroughfare houses were built, perched against each other with more solid stone footings that sank into the earth itself.
The people who walked the road were well dressed in cotton and wool, clean and hale, even bordering on being fat. There was a healthiness to them that was absent from the days of Cassius' youth, when he had walked the slums of Aurum with the constant thrum of hunger. A burst of envy ran through Cassius as he looked over the citizens of the city.
“Of course it’s at the top of the damn hill,” Marcus growled, leaning forward as he marched up the main street without hesitation. His determined strides scattered the citizens of the city, none of them wishing to stand before the legionnaire. Cassius followed in his wake while Valeria and Pius peeled off with Vira and the rest of the noble entourage to find lodging.
Their trip was made in relative silence, broken only by Marcus’ constant cursing as they pushed their way through the lines of people or around carts or vendors. Cassius didn’t mind, the paved road made it easy to walk rather than the broken up patchwork that was Aurum’s lower city. There a man could find himself falling into a pothole or over a curb within strides of each other.
“Who controls this city?” Cassius asked as they reached the peak of the rise where the system stone was. A low wall ran across a palatial building that could be seen above the wall, columns of marble holding up a long roof that had been carved with images of crops.
“One of the Agricola branches of the family. Look at the crops they carved into the building,” Marcus said as they came before a pair of guards who wore solid metal breastplates with long swords strapped to their hips, hair shorn close to their scalp. Both of them lifted a hand up, but Marcus spoke before either could offer a word.
“We approach on Legion business, blessings are to be received.” Both of the guards looked over Cassius and Marcus’ armor and bearing, dropped their hands and backed up, leaving the gate open for them to pass through.
“Shit brain [Guardsmen], they would be better served joining the legion rather than standing outside watching a door,” Marcus hissed as they passed by the two men, neither of them bothering to say anything as they entered the estate. Servants wearing tunics with wide black belts walked about importantly, heads stiff and noses raised to the sky.
“Not everyone is fit to serve the legions," Cassius said, only half believing his own words. He had walked out of the slums of the Aurum without his letters or numbers and he’d been accepted by the legions. The training he’d encountered at the camps had been stringent, brutal, but he’d been fed. There had been warm clothing during the winter, clean water and a cot that was softer than stone. His brother and sister legionnaires wouldn’t stab him for a crust of bread.
“Can’t stand the bastards. The more your around legion camps the more [Guardsmen] you’ll see. They spawn like flies on a corpse wherever we are, more than ready with a truncheon and twelve of their fellows for every legionnaire on leave,” Marcus growled as he led them unerringly toward the center of the palatial estate.
Cassius only half paid attention as they walked, his gaze wandered around the estate and the excess presented. Trees that were heavy with fruit, patches of berries lovingly tended by servants, the scent of fresh manure thick as they passed by a set of stables. The further they walked the more gardens he saw, rich black soil in raised beds, emerald growth everywhere he could see.
“Pardon, but may I aid you?” a boy’s voice cut across the grounds, high in tenor but still it carried authority as any lash. Cassius turned to see the boy, dressed in emerald green robes with black accents and wide belt, a trowel hung from the belt like a sword while the boy’s fingers were coated in dirt.
“Young master, we seek the class stone. Legion business,” Marcus said, turning his previously harsh tones polite in the presence of the young noble. The boy nodded to them, golden curls falling into his eyes as he looked up at the two legionnaires.
“You came with cousin Viridina?” the boy asked.
“We did. Would you know where the stone is?” Marcus asked, impatience beginning to thread through his voice.
“Of course. Follow me,” the boy said. He turned and took a different path through the verdant gardens, this one wound away from the massive building they’d been moving toward and rather led them to a small building off to the side. Cassius felt a prickle of unease as they were led away from people, but it relaxed as he saw another duo of [Guardsmen] who stood with their hands not far from their swords.
No class stone would be left unguarded, Cassius reasoned, thus the boy was either leading them towards their dungeons or toward the class stone. Both of the guards straightened when they saw the youth and opened the doors of seasoned wood that were banded with steel.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“We have many petitioners, but mother refuses most. Only the wealthiest can afford it, or those that pass the exams. No legionnaires of course,” the boy started to ramble as they left the watchful gaze of the guards.
“Of course not. Plenty of [Guardsmen] though,” Marcus said. Cassius let the man lead the conversation as he thought of the blessings he was going to be granted soon enough. To transcend beyond mortal bounds, even if slightly, was something that had begun to press on his shoulders.
“Mother has decided we needed more. She tries to keep it from me and my siblings, but she fails. There have been disappearances.”
“Villages have been emptied. We’d hoped they had taken refuge here,” Marcus said. The boy stopped, turning to look at them. In the light of the flickering torches on the wall his gaze had become wide and fearful.
“Outside of the city as well? We sent runners six days past, but have received no word,” the boy said. Cassius froze and swallowed hard as he understood the boy’s previous words.
“There have been people who have disappeared inside of the city?” Marcus whispered.
“A moon’s cycle ago. Nearly forty have been reported missing by now, but others fear there are more. Beggars and the poor have been gone for longer, but nobody thought anything of it,” the child said.
“Then we must hurry. I am Marcus and this is Cassius,” Marcus said, pointing to each of them respectively.
“I forget my manners, forgive me. I am Claudius Agricola Custos,” Claudius said, bowing his head, golden curls bouncing as he raised it just as fast.
“The stone. Then we must send to Vira and the centurion. This place is not safe,” Marcus said.
“Go then. I shall finish this, run to the others and alert them,” Cassius said. Marcus froze, eyes wide and calculating as his mouth parted slightly.
“That is a poor idea, we don’t break apart,” Marcus said weakly.
“I will be with your man,” Claudius said, patting his trowel. Marcus laughed weakly and shook his head, but he had already started back down the short tunnel.
“Stay here. I will return with the others and retrieve you,” Marcus promised, turning and running the moment he finished speaking.
“I will take you to the stone, but I must tell my mother of this news,” Claudius warned Cassius, hurrying through the rest of the building and stopping in front of the stone which sat in the middle of the room. It was a similar, if grander, building than what had been at the granary. Easily defended and watched, with no room for anything or anyone to hide.
“Just place my hand upon it?” Cassius asked. Claudius nodded, not bothered enough to stop and say anything as he ran back the way he’d come. The class stone was made of crystal, smoother than glass, pale as the moon. It wasn’t as dark or cloudy as the other stone had been and was slightly larger. The [Legionnaire] stone back at the camps had been like the [Farmer] stone at the granary.
Cassius noticed it all in a moment as he walked towards the round stone and placed his bare palm upon it. There was a warmth to the stone, like it was a living organism. His depleted mana stirred inside of him, roused like a hound as its master entered the home.
Connection Established
Cassius Null
Legionnaire (F)
Level 1
Strength: 8
Dexterity: 7
Endurance: 10
Perception: 6
Intelligence: 7
Mana: 4
Skills:
Thrust
Reinforce
March
EMPTY
EMPTY
Cached Experience Found
Do You Wish To Level x5?
Cassius remembered the words of his trainers and quickly thought of accepting the stone’s blessings. The moment he thought of accepting it he felt the stone grow warmer beneath his hand as power traveled through the stone and implanted itself.
When he had implanted the class back at the camps, he’d known what was coming. After their training had finished they had been instructed on how the legions leveled themselves by fighting the wandering beasts on the borders or by clearing the dungeons under control of the legions. The class was well documented, the empty skill slots to remain empty until they were awarded by a skill shard taken from a dungeon or from a wandering beast.
The blessing finished as fast as it had begun and Cassius was eager to see how the numbers had grown, an indication of his increased personal strength. Soon he wouldn’t be the weakest link in whatever file or century he was placed in, the one who couldn’t carry himself as well as the others.
Cassius Null
Legionnaire (F)
Level 6
Strength: 13
Dexterity: 7
Endurance: 15
Perception: 6
Intelligence: 7
Mana: 9
Skills:
Thrust
Reinforce
March
EMPTY
EMPTY
Cassius pulled back from the stone and smiled as he felt the power running through him, his mana roared in his body as he lifted his hand to his face, squeezing his fingers into a fist and could already feel the strength that had been transformed into him. Euphoria washed through him, adrenaline and joy created a heady mixture that made his face twist into a wide smile as he pulled his fingers away from his eyes and looked about the room.
Their current predicament was enough to ground him, throttle his sudden joy as he left the stone and started back through the short passageway. He had hardly left the stone before he saw the shrouded figure that strode into the passageway. Tall with stooped shoulders that gave it a hunched look, Cassius froze as he thought one of the Agricola had arrived.
Then his eye spotted the long, curved blade that glistened wetly. Crimson liquid rolled off of it, dropping from the point to strike the ground, breaking the quiet tension with quiet plops.
