Immortui
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About this ebook
Only when fear is at its most intense can true heroism come into the light.
The legions of Emperor Augustus have returned victorious from putting down a massive revolt among the Germanic tribes of the Danube frontier. While Rome basks in its success, a new foe is gathering in the darkness of the Carpathian Mountains.
When a young boy shows up at the distant fortress of Troesmis, it falls to Optio Gaius Justus Vitalis and his centurion to investigate the horrors described by the young refugee.
It is just the beginning of a struggle between the Eagles of Rome and the undead forces of an enemy that could halt the Empire’s northern advance.
Download this first novella of The Carpathian Interlude historical horror series and get ready for action, mystery and blood in a clash between Light and Dark.
Alternatively, you can get The Carpathian Interlude Complete Trilogy for just 6.99 which includes an alternate ending and glossary not available anywhere else!
Enjoy the adventure!
To find out more about the world of the Carpathian Interlude trilogy, and to learn more about ancient history and religion, go to http://eaglesanddragonspublishing.com/the-world-of-the-carpathian-interlude/
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Book preview
Immortui - Adam Alexander Haviaras
Praise for Eagles and Dragons Publishing and author, Adam Alexander Haviaras…
Historic Novel Society:
…Haviaras handles it all with smooth skill. The world of third-century Rome—both the city and its African outposts—is colorfully vivid here, and Haviaras manages to invest even his secondary and tertiary characters with believable, three-dimensional humanity.
Amazon Readers:
Graphic, uncompromising and honest… A novel of heroic men and the truth of the uncompromising horror of close combat total war…
Raw and unswerving in war and peace… New author to me but ranks along side Ben Kane and Simon Scarrow. The attention to detail and all the gory details are inspiring and the author doesn't invite you into the book he drags you by the nasal hairs into the world of Roman life sweat, tears, blood, guts and sheer heroism. Well worth a night’s reading because once started it’s hard to put down.
Historical fiction at its best! … if you like your historical fiction to be an education as well as a fun read, this is the book for you!
Loved this book! I'm an avid fan of Ancient Rome and this story is, perhaps, one of the best I've ever read.
An outstanding and compelling novel!
I would add this author to some of the great historical writers such as Conn Iggulden, Simon Scarrow and David Gemmell. The characters were described in such a way that it was easy to picture them as if they were real and have lived in the past, the book flowed with an ease that any reader, novice to advanced can enjoy and become fully immersed…
One in a series of tales which would rank them alongside Bernard Cornwell, Simon Scarrow, Robert Ludlum, James Boschert and others of their ilk. The story and character development and the pacing of the exciting military actions frankly are superb and edge of your seat! The historical environment and settings have been well researched to make the story lines so very believable!! I can hardly wait for what I hope will be many sequels! If you enjoy Roman historical fiction, you do not want to miss this series!
Goodreads:
… a very entertaining read; Haviaras has both a fluid writing style, and a good eye for historical detail, and explores in far more detail the faith of the average Roman than do most authors.
IMMORTUI and The Carpathian Interlude series
Copyright © 2014 by Adam Alexander Haviaras
Eagles and Dragons Publishing, Stratford, Ontario, Canada
All Rights Reserved.
The use of any part of this publication, with the exception of short excerpts for the purposes of book reviews, without the written consent of the author is an infringement of copyright law.
ISBN: 978-0-9877624-7-4
E-Pub Edition
Cover design by LLPix Photography
Contents
Join the Legions!
Part I
Immortui
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Immortui
The Carpathian Interlude
Adam Alexander Haviaras
Eagles and Dragons PublishingFor the Light in my life, without whom
I would truly be in the Dark.
PART I
Immortui
October - A.D. 8
Hear us, great Father of Light! Receive our thanks for delivering us from the dark.
The words echoed off of the white-washed walls of the cave. All seventy men were silent upon their benches in that dark place, their heads bowed as they listened to the words. They had been eighty at one point but now ten walked in the light. Not bad, losing only ten.
Gaius Justus Vitalis spoke the words their Pater should have been speaking as their Saturn in the rites, but as he was away with the commander, it fell to the Heliodromus, the Sun Runner, to perform the ritual. The dark was lit only by two licks of flame behind him, on either side of the image of the tauroctony in which Mithras, Lord of Light, slew the great bull.
To the Heliodromus, the cave seemed smaller than usual, no doubt because of the size of the beast above him. He hoped the handlers had drugged it sufficiently. It was time.
What time is it?
he called the question.
It is the time of the season's death!
the men answered solemnly.
Where are we going?
Into darkness!
What are you?
The Light! The Light! The Light!
And who are you?
Mithras! Mithras! Mithras!
Accept our offering…
he whispered as he thrust the gladius directly above his head into the soft flesh of the bull's belly. He sliced in four directions and the blood of the beast broke forth as water from a burst dam.
His arms held wide, eyes and mouth closed, Gaius Justus Vitalis, Optio of the third century of Legio V Macedonica, let the hot blood of the sacrifice wash over his entire person, staining his pure white robes crimson. He felt the power of his god in that sacrifice, as though he absorbed both light and blood in the ritual.
So this is what it feels like… he thought.
He then fought down the urge to vomit as the stink of the bull's punctured intestine spread. When the offal stopped falling, he stepped clear to accept a white towel from one of the Miles, his soldiers. The men began to file out of the cave, solemn, grateful to be alive as the sunlight that burned the fringes of some scattered clouds warmed their bodies.
Vitellius,
Gaius called to one of his men. You and two others start cutting up the offering. Our century will dine on it tonight.
Yes, Heliodromus,
the man answered as they were still inside the sacred speleum, the cave.
Be sure to wrap the thigh bones in the fat and offer them to Saturn.
Yes, sir.
Gaius left the men to it and made his way out of the cave into the fresh October air. He closed his eyes when the sun touched his face. One…two…three breaths… When he opened his eyes he took in the expanse of the Danuvius and Porata rivers where the water fowl skirted their rippled surfaces in the morning breeze. The bald, grassy plains on either side of the rivers stretched on and on, greener now that the heat of summer had subsided. In the far northern distance, he observed the clouds where they clung to the Carpathian mountains, the slopes now awash with patches of green, gold and red.
Better hurry, lads,
he called into the cave. The next century's going to be using the Mithraeum soon.
Yes, sir,
the three men answered in unison.
Gaius wrapped his gladius in the soiled towel and began making his way up the path to the legion's base, his bloody footprints fading as he got farther from the cave.
It was the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Augustus Caesar and the legions had been occupied the last couple of years in putting down a revolt in Pannonia and Dalmatia, from the Elbe to the Danuvius. King Maroboduus had finally been brought to heel with Tiberius leading the troops, ten legions in all, plus auxiliaries.
At the outset, when the fighting had proved grim and desperate, veteran and other legions had been called up, including the V Macedonica from the fortress at Troesmis in Moesia Inferior.
Gaius and his comrades had helped, it was said, to tip the scales in Rome's favour, and the men of the V Macedonica had returned to base honour-laden, if not exhausted, from a difficult campaign. There were many acts of heroism and decorations were to be given out at an