| Biography |
It seems so long ago,
I grew up on a mule breeding farm. It was just south of the Danube river, near the city of Swishtov.
The border of Dacia was the northern bank of the Danube.
One of the Dacian tribes attacked our farm. Myself and my father were away selling our livestock at the fall market.” Why feed animals through the winter, when you can sell them today.”
In the raid on our farm, my mother was killed. It is unclear if she was murdered, or it was an accident and she was trampled by our herd. Not that it matters.
What the Dacians did not steal of our herd was scattered, our house ransacked, and barn burned.
When my father and I returned home, we buried my mother and tried to find what was left of our herd.
Of the jack donkeys only one was left, and he was not of the bloodline that my great grandfather started. We also found three of our brood mares, also not of the bloodline my great grandfather started.
We did find a gelding and two mare, that were meant for winter meat. But nothing else of the generations of my families mule farm legacy was found.
My father took my mothers death very hard. He took to drink. Over the next few years we were able to build back enough to live ok, but our herd would never be what it was.
Every fall was the same, sell what livestock we could to make it through winter, but profit was hard to come by.
When I was 23 my father insisted on taking the livestock to the fall market. He never returned. There was no sign of attack or misdeed. He was just gone.
With out the money from the fall sale it was hard to make it through winter. I was not sure how or if I would make it through the next year.
The Emperor Nero was forming a new legion in my area, to begin a conquest of Dacia. And just before winter hit hard I sold the farm and everything in it. Just before my 24th birthday I sign my 25 year contract to join LEGO 1 PHALANX. The legion was different than others and the physical requirements were stricter than other legions. I barely made the height requirement. I was older than almost all the other recruits, but I did make it in.
As soon as we finish training, I was excited to finally be marching across the Danube and avenge my mother and family…
But instead we were sent to Judea. Evidently there were revolts in Judea and the Legion there was taking one of the captured Jewish leaders to Rome someone called Paul the apostle and we had to replace the Legion that was leaving.
We stayed in Judea for over seven years. We finally returned to Swishtov. But instead of attacking Dacia we stayed garrisoned in Swishtov.
In the beginning Nero was a good emperor and supported the people and all his legions. But now trouble was about to boil over in Rome. And Nero committed suicide. Starting the year of four emperors.
We spent the next year marching from one side of the empire to the other. And we seem to only be fighting other legions. By this point we had been in many battles and our Legion was over 10 years old. Luckily The other legions were all either new legions “ some not even finishing recruit training “ or ones without any real battle experience. Fortunately we never had to battle with the legions from Germania. That would have been a real battle!
At the end of the year of four emperors Vaspasian was emperor. He was a man of the people that worked his way up from peasant stock through the legions. And I think it was interesting that he also came from a family of mule breeders.
After the year of four emperors our Legion was renamed, from phalanx to Invictus. We return to Swishtov, but again we stayed in garrisoned and did not attack Dacia. This is how it remained for more than a decade. Yes from time to time we would defend from small raids. We would form up for battle and they would return across the Danube River, disappearing into the mountains. There were very few battles to be had.
My contract of 25 years had passed. I had done fairly well for myself. When I began I did have a little bit of money from selling the farm. So, in the beginning I did start with a little better equipment and from time to time better food. And I already knew how to read, write, and do math. This put me on the road to become officer fairly quick. With my 25 year diploma and bonuses I had earned I could have a pretty good life for myself, but…
The new Emperor Domitian was talking of expansion to the east. That would mean Dacia! So I extended my contract and stayed with the first Legion Invictus.
By this time I was 55 years old and one of the oldest in the legion. The younger legionary thought me crazy for not taking my diploma for completing my 25 years and bonuses, but instead continuing the life of a soldier. They had come to start calling me “Veteris Miles Calvitium”. They meant it as a joking insult, but I took it with pride and honor. And soon that was pretty much all I was known by.
4 years after Domitian became Emperor we were finally crossing the Danube. We were entering the dark forest on our way to the iron gates of Dacia.
The iron gates was the only entrance through the mountains for leagues of rough terrain in both direction. The iron gate was a deep narrow valley with a fast-moving river and rapids. The river was not passable, and the sides of the valley were steep cliff walls. All that was left was a narrow trail that only opened up into areas of Thick forests of tall trees, reaching like spears to try to find the sun at the top of the cliffs.
We came to a part of the trail that was particularly long, straight, and narrow. The air felt thick, heavy, and charged, like right before a storm. Then it began. Rocks, arrows, and javelins, began to rain down upon us. Many were killed before they could even ready their shields. The enemy was so high above us on top of the cliffs that there is no way to return fire. I looked ahead of me and behind me, the trail was littered with the dead and dying. Behind me the trail was choked with bodies. Ahead of me was somewhat clearer of a path. Ahead of me was also my enemy and I’ve waited so many years to face.
I could not see the enemies on top of the cliff, or ahead of me on the path, but the only way to the enemy was ahead. I began to fight my way over the bodies trying to reach anyone that could atone for the wrongs against my family. Holding my shield above my head I make my way forward. My shield beginning to look like a porcupine from all the arrows that are lodged within it. The air begins to smell foul, with the smell of blood and sulfur.
I see an enemy ahead of me, but he is not wearing the clothing of a warrior. He was wearing robes and carrying a staff that is glowing. He may not be a warrior, but he is Dacian!
I charge forward trying to reach my Target. I don’t know how I will be able to reach him before I am riddled with arrows. So far I have been lucky, but my shield is becoming heavy and unbalanced with all of the arrows and javelins stuck within it. But I charge forward anyway and the Robed figure levels his staff, pointing it at me.
I run forward towards my prey, The wind begins to blow filling with black ash, the smell of burnt flesh, and sulfur. I am sucked off my feet and pulled towards my enemy. A void opens up in the air between me and the robed figure. The air spins like a great whirl pool and I am sucked inside. I fell tumbling to the ground.
The air now still and no longer stinks. I could still smell death and sulfur, but it was me. I was coated in a layer of grease, ash and death that was smeared all over my body and armor. I rose up and looked around.
I was in the mountains, but not a narrow valley. I was near a large body of water, but not a fast moving river.
I heard something behind me, and I turned to see…..
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