Swords of Rome

Christopher Lee Buckner

Swords of Rome

PART ONE

CHAPTER ONE

“Blood, Mago — I want blood on my sword!” Ha

Ha

“The city elders are weakened from starvation and thirst, brother. I doubt they could hold a week longer. By then we might be able to present terms for their surrender,” Mago knew his brother too well to know anything, but absolute victory would satisfy his craving.

“Terms?!" Ha

“Then, brother, barring an earthquake or an act of the gods, I doubt our intents or the wants of plunder and rape for our men will be enough to bring down Saguntum’s walls.”

Ha

“Get your men ready to storm the gates when I give the signal,” Ha

Smiling wide, Mago drew his sword and held it up over the head of his horse.

“Well, do you want this fucking city or not!” Mago cried as loud as he could. His men roared as they raised their assorted blades to the sky, bashing iron against their shields, and bellowed murderous expectation. Saguntum was going to fall and everyone, and everything in the city would be theirs for the taking.

Gisgo hadn’t time to scream before an arrow plunged into his right eye socket. He did his duty as one of Ha

“Keep moving forward you dogs!” Ha

Finally, within the mud-soaked grounded of blood and gore the first set of ladders rose to the rim of the stone walls. Archers from the ground did their best to ensure they stayed in place as men made ready to scale them.

Gripping one hand tightly around the base of one ladder, his shield held firmly, on the other hand, positioned above his head, Ha

The defenders held fast as they threw down a volley of arrows and stones. Men’s heads caved in, and bodies feathered, but still they climbed with madding determination never before seen as Ha

Ha

To think,Ha