//------------------------------// // Chapter XXIV: The Northward March. // Story: Lightning Bolt of Rome // by CrackedInkWell //------------------------------// After a good hour and a half of the Drill Sergeant striking fear into the legion, the sun began to break above the mountains. The expedition team began marching down the paved roads northward. Both stallions insisted that they would march at the front of the legion rather than be carried by chariot, though they stood behind the aquifer holding a staff with a golden eagle on top. On horseback behind the two ponies were the General and the Tribuni, the collection of officers that were one or two ranks below Cato. Behind the Solar Guards repeated the familiar rhythm of stomping boots as they left Rome for good, passing farmlands and orchards. Every so often, they would march through a town’s main road where the people would sometimes wave or wish the soldiers luck. Other times, they would offer some kind of food for their march before they left towards an unknown battle. But sometimes, the army would walk past a military fortress where, every so often, they would call for a half-hour rest before resuming their trek once more. The Senator finally spoke up an hour after their short lunch break. “Lord Jupiter, Lord Mars, are you sure you would not like to ride in the chariot?” “We’re fine, Cato,” Lightning Bolt told him. After all, being part of the Royal Guard had trained the stallions to endure marching or standing still for long periods at a time. “Permission to speak freely, sir?” Spear Head whispered. “Granted,” the Captain nodded. “Did I go overboard this morning, sir?” “I don’t believe so. You established to them who’s in charge. Not to mention that a good deal of your rant was pretty entertaining to listen to.” “I’m trying my best to be careful, sir,” the scarlet unicorn spoke softly, “especially after the… incident.” Bolt turned his head toward his fellow officer. “You know that you had nothing to do with what happened to Private Cinder.” “So you keep telling me, sir, but I’m still haunted by the fact that I was the one who drew him over the edge… literally.” “Drill Sergeant, you didn’t know what he was going through at the time. There’s no need to feel guilty over it.” “With all due respect, Captain, everypony that I come in contact with, I’m responsible for, including this army that we’re leading. The last thing I want is for me to be the cause of them snapping.” “Spear, if you ever act out of line, I promise that I’ll say something.” The unicorn nodded. “Thank you, sir.” _*_ “At this rate,” Cato said as he collapsed in his seat, “we should be in Fluentia within six days, and over the Alps a few days after that.” It was now evening and every contubernia in the legion had set up camp for the night. Laying on the only lounge chairs with their armor off, the Solar Guards dug into the food they had been given. “And how long do you think it’ll take to get to the Germanic border?” Lightning inquired as he munched down on the hardtack bread soaked in wine. “Twenty days at most, sire,” the scarecrow general said as he picked up a piece of meat, much to the restrained disgust of the two Equestrians. “However, I don’t think that it will take as much as two or so weeks until we see the border. As far as I know, since that defeat in the forest, the entire border has been walled off along a river where it has been patrolled since. But once we cross that river, we’re on our own.” “...I see,” Spear Head nodded, turning away from the meat-eater. “Since you’re here Mars,” Felix added, “there’s something that all of Rome has been wondering since Jupiter arrived. “What’s that?” “Tell me,” he leaned forward, “on that night when he fell from the heavens, what happened to make the King of the Gods fall through this storm? Was there some sort of battle going on that we were not aware of?” “Oh,” the unicorn drill sergeant eyed Lightning for a brief second. “What exactly did he tell you?” “Something ridiculous,” Cato waved his hand dismissively. “I think it had to do with escorting a Princess of the Sun or some other nonsense. But since you aren’t affected by his madness Mars, what exactly happened to him?” “Well…” Spear glanced at his superior who was giving him a wary look. “In truth, there was a battle we were involved in… with gryphons.” “Gryphons?” “Uh… yes. They… they were at war with us to control the skies for themselves. They were leading a kind of… revolution, as it were, to that they could… eat more people.” At this point, he could feel his Captain’s eyes drilling through his skull. “We were against this, of course, and had to put a stop to it. Jupiter tried to throw lightning at the rebellion, but we were ambushed. He lost his grip on his lightning bolts and was pushed into a wind current that caused him to lose control. Of course, I managed to crush the remains of the rebellion, but I had lost Father along the way. When the other gods heard the news, we knew we had to get him back. And, well, here I am.” “I see,” the Senator-General poured more wine into his cup. “However, I’m surprised that gryphons could do that to the very God of Lightning himself. It must have caught you all off guard.” “You have no idea.” The unicorn looked back to his commander. Bolt just started, his eyes silently stabbing as his conscious for telling such a speciest lie. “Never fear,” Felix took a gulp from his cup. “You have at your command the best legion on Earth. With you two possessing the powers of the Gods, I don’t think there will be anything that could stop us.” Lightning Bolt cleared his throat. “Quite. I can manipulate the weather, and I think Mars has learned a few new spells for offense and defense, haven’t you?” “Yes, sir,” Spear Head nodded. “Although, I have to ask,” Cato added. “By the time we get into Germania, how do we know what kind of cloud that we will be looking for?” “For one,” the unicorn said, “the cloud itself is a deep violet, to the point that it’s almost black. It will be continually swirling and surrounded by a never-ending storm.” “I swear on this, the whole legion will keep an eye out if such a thing were to come along.”