The Caledonians' were sharpening their various tools of war; their axes, swords, and pikes, all from the safety of the camp they had created out in the distance. The fortifications built by Emperor Hadrian would soon be tested, against the invading Caledonians' as they prepared to engage the Roman garrison. The walkways were crowded with legionaries, all of whom were wearing armor made of light leather or heavy steel aside from the few archers who opted for fur armor. As Hadrian Gaius stood high above the invaders, overlooking them with the eyes of an eagle on the walkway used by archers for defense against invading tribesmen.
The massive fortification, built several centuries ago by Emperor Hadrian, was in full motion in response to the invaders presence. Gaius could hear the footsteps of his fellow soldiers moving at a rapid pace. The men were quickly moving from supply office to the next to obtain their gear. Their swords, shields, and armor were all forged by the fortifications blacksmith. Lokir was his name, "Best steel you'll ever find forged in Britannia" was what he'd always say. Gaius noted that many of the men had decided to wear the traditional heavy armor of the legionnaire.
Gaius however, was dressed from head to toe in fur armor from various animals of Britain. His weapons consisted of a recurve bow made of mahogany with at least two dozen steel arrows in his quiver and a gladius for close-quarters. As he stared towards the invaders, his only thoughts were that of his commanding officer, General Tacitus. Gaius began to rush down the stairs that connected the upper and lower portions of the fortress. He ran towards the courtyard and then fell in line with the other two Centurions already there. As Gaius stood there, he could feel the presence of the men behind him. The garrison was a diversified legion of 500 men who originated from all corners of the Roman Empire. .
As the men finished lining up, the general was overlooking them from the upper portion of the fortress. Beside him were his best men, and the banner men for the Legion. They all served in the Twentieth Legion. The amount of battles that the legion had witnessed with the guidance of Tacitus were the works of legend, comparable only to the fabled Ninth Legion. The general, with his booming voice began his speech, “Men, I am not going to lie to you, the enemy has the upper hand in numbers, and they have us in the field of knowledge, as they know the territory better than ourselves.”
He paused for a moment, with a look lacking any certainty of winning the upcoming battle. The soldiers beside him, including the banner men began to show signs of despair. The Twentieth Legions banner, which had the boar above it, looked towards the outside portion of the gates. The Caledonians' were getting closer and closer. The general continued his speech, ”They may win this battle and we may all perish in this fortresses defense.”
After hearing this, the men began to become fearful of the worst. Gaius noted that many of the men began to tremble in fear. He could even hear a man beside him whispering, no doubt praying to his gods. The general wasn't finished with his speech. “However, what are we? Are we some spineless, good-for-nothing, sorry excuse for soldiers?” He raised his hand, as if expected someone to respond to his question.
Then he roared a response to his own question, “No we are not! We are citizens of Rome! We are soldiers of the greatest empire the world has ever seen! Civilizations like the Egyptians, Greeks, Babylonians, and even the great Carthaginians, all of them we bested in military might. What is one more challenge that has yet to be conquered?”
