It was a long week's travel to the desert campaign camp in Egypt. I was to help with the medical care of the soldiers.

I don't know how much help I could be. Honestly, I was lying back at the healing house. But it worked. Asmay stayed back, and I'm here among the Roman military.

At dawn we March.

I was fitted with a short sword and battle leathers. The medical package sat on my back. It came with a leather water bag,cooking supplies,One shield and Metal helmet.

Sitting in the camp somewhere in the desert forest of Mesopotamia. The captain ordered all of us to stop to set up camp for tonight so we're all on a break till tomorrow's continued march to egypt. It was sort of a surreal moment: The sand, the cold in the air, the night stars. The 40 military tents that were setup filled the area. In the distance I could see the desert sea stretch on.

But on the side of our camp was a hill that was covered in olive trees.

It was a beautiful sight as the wind passed through the branches And winding hills, following the roads that lead back to Rome.

This was something I never thought I would see in my life.

I drank some water from the leather Carrier.

There were soldiers here sitting with me at the fire, soldiers I had no care to meet.

Asmay was all my mind focused on.

Two soldiers were chatting around the fire next to me. I couldn't help but hear their conversation.

"Eight bottles of fine white wine, was the most I drank before I passed out."

"Woah, is that ok to do? The most I drink Is one or two bottles."

"Oh yeah the body can handle quite a bit."

"It would be nice if we had a break from this war."

"Rumor has it that we are close to the end of the war."

An older captain interjected.

"You fools, the war will never be over, till Rome rules over all."

There was a soldier playing a small flute when he was struck by an arrow in the face,dropping dead to the ground.

I stood up and the soldiers around me called out.

"Ambush!"

They readied their weapons.

"Formation!"

The soldiers formed a phalanx. Some were still scrambling to get out the tents.

They were killed easily.

By the black hooded warriors carrying swords, spears charging down the hill into the Roman camp.

I was behind the phalanx shield wall as the arrows poured in again from the hill of Olive trees.

I was watching the soldiers being shot left and right and I was hit in the left arm as I raised my Shield over my head. The arrow pierced through my shield into my forearm.

After a quick examination I started to treat my wound by taking the arrow and breaking it in the middle and pulling both ends out. One side of the arrow from my forearm.

"Aaaaaahhhhhhhh!" I grinded my teeth as I pulled out the arrow.

Then I dropped the shield letting it pull out the other half of the arrow out from my arm.

"AHHHHHH fuck!"

There was a loud war cry from the distance and I heard the stampede of soldiers charging in for the attack on our already weakened force.

The soldiers around me held off the charge but we were surrounded and now fighting a hillside battle. I lunged my sword into the nearest black cloaked warrior.

"Yeeegggaaahhh!" The Warrior cried out.

As I Stabbed him In the chest. pain filled his expression, as his lungs tried to gasp for air in his last moment. Gargling on his blood, I Pulled my sword from his chest and watched his lifeless body fall to the blood filled sand floor. My left arm was really bleeding profusely.

I dropped my sword and started to treat my wound. Using the cloth in my bag I attempted to wrap my wounds.

Then a loud horn rang out.

A bright triangle light formation was under this craft that was hovering In the sky.

Everyone stopped fighting to look at the light in the sky. Then a flash went off. It was bright and then I couldn't see anything. Then a sonic boom rang out that leveled all the soldiers and attackers to the ground.

I just felt myself go numb.

Laying there on the ground. I black out as I was lifted up to the craft.

End of chapter 014 Hank part 004

Dark Base written by Travis Willier copyright 2021