Heir of Aurelian

Chapter 54 Fall of Ravenna

Marcellus was enraged, more so than he had ever been in his life. His mother, who had cared for him by her lonesome since he was a small boy, was dead, and he was to blame. Truthfully, he embarked on this journey knowing that the woman was as good as dead, but that did not mean his heart was cold to what had just happened. Honorius had abused his authority as Emperor to arrest the woman for one single purpose, to lure Marcellus out of hiding so that he may claim his head.

Unfortunately, this did not go as planned. Marcellus had resisted the demand to hand himself over. Knowing full well the kind of character a petulant man-child like Honorius had. If he had gone peacefully to Honorius, the man simply would have killed his mother before his very eyes, before having him beheaded. Naturally, he would not give up his life so willingly, and because of this, he had marched an army on Ravenna, abandoning his duty to protect the Empire’s borders as he did so.

Had Honorius just left well enough alone, Marcellus would have waited until spring to raise a rebellion. The foolish emperor could have lived and reigned for another few months. However, that was no longer the case. Marcellus would have the man kneeling, and groveling before him this very day. He had already enacted a plan to do so, and his best soldiers were already underway enacting this covert operation.

Meanwhile, Marcellus was rallying his soldiers beneath his command, filling them with the same unyielding rage that he felt at this very moment. Venom laced words were spat from his mouth as he condemned not only Honorius but every man who swore loyalty to him as a traitor, as a murderer, and as a subhuman rat.

“These animals, the so-called men who still defend this city, they murdered your families, just as they have murdered mine! If you think your wives and children went to the afterlife peacefully, guess again! These corrupt, wicked, sinful bastards most likely played with them first, because that is what they are, monsters!

I look upon many of you, and the men hiding behind these walls like the cowards they would call you barbarian! Why? Because you are not Roman, let me ask you this. How many of you would hold a defenseless woman captive for months, starving her, beating her, and ravaging her? Go on, tell me, how many of you would behave so monstrously to an innocent soul?”

Despite the fact that the barbarians tribes engaged in plenty of atrocities during their raids, these men were not like the Goths under Alaric’s command. Savage wolves of Germania who preyed on all who were unfortunate to get in their way. These men were more like the domesticated Hounds who served honorably beneath their Roman masters. Or as honorable as a Goth could serve. Because of this, the men shouted back their condemnation of the enemy._.

“Monsters!”

“Savages!”

“Those who cower behind these walls are the true barbarians!”

With this, Marcellus unleashed his sword from his sheath and pointed it into the sky towards the city of Ravenna.

“When those Gates open, you show no mercy to the monsters who defend the false emperor! You kill them, just like how they have killed your families!”

The horde of 30,000 Gothic foederati resounded in the air, almost as if they were a massive pack of wolves howling because they had caught the scent of blood. The city of Ravenna, and all the soldiers who defended it, would face the wrath of Germania on this night.

—

While Marcellus was rallying the troops, and encouraging them to engage in a massacre, Ordius led a century of the most battle hardened Legionaries of Marcellus’ army. These men snuck through the Postern that was left open by Placidia during her escape. Apparently, the fire set to the grain storage that she had started had yet to be put out. It was only after the eighty men had made their way through the postern that they locked it behind them, believing it would be best to conceal their presence. Ordius commanded his soldiers once they were inside.

“Act naturally, as if you’re a patrol being sent to the gate to reinforce it. As far as the enemy is aware, we are a part of their forces.”

The men all nodded their heads with grim expressions as they slowly marched towards the nearest gatehouse, where much of the enemy forces stood alert, waiting for the morning to come so that they could fight against the Rebel Army that had gathered outside the city.

When the century of Marcellus’ legion arrived at the gate, the man in charge immediately questioned them.

“Where did you men come from? Why are you not at your post?”

Ordius did not panic and immediately made up a story that was believable on the spot.

“Do you not see that fire burning back there!?! You think this is an ordinary fire? It is an act of sabotage! Enemy agents have infiltrated the city and set fire to our food stores! The Magister Militum has ordered the Palatini to reinforce the gates while you men go and put out that damned fire! Hurry, quickly, or we will all starve long before the barbarians break through our defenses!”

The General in charge of the gate’s defense did not even question these orders. If their grain storage was really on fire, and had been burning for the past few minutes, then the whole city was in danger of starving. He quickly ordered his soldiers to follow him towards the grain storage and put an end to the fire.

“All men, on me! Our food stores are burning. We must put out that fire as quickly as possible!”

When the soldiers defending the gates heard this, they panicked just as much as their commander and sprinted towards the burning food stores as fast as possible. Leaving the gate entirely defended by an enemy force. Naturally, the moment they were out of sight, Ordius gave the order to his men.

“Open the gates!”

They did not even need to hear the order as they were already opening the gates without any resistance. While a few men worked the winch that operated the gates, Ordius and his army formed a shieldwall that protected them, so that no man could interfere. Luckily, the commander of the wall’s defenses was easily scared, because there were no men within this sector of the wall remaining on guard. Before long, the gates were opened without the slightest bit of conflict occurring.

—

When Marcellus saw the gates opening, he ordered his army of thirty-six thousand men to charge the city.

“Charge! Kill them all!”

He was the first to spring towards the gates after adorning his gilded helmet. The Roman General rushed towards the opening gate, which was hundreds of feet away from his army, while a horde of gothic warriors and roman legionaries followed him into the fray.

The other sections of the wall immediately noticed the entire Rebel army converging on the one sector of the wall and were immediately confused. However, it was too late. The gate was already open and the Gothic Horde had entered the city. The defending army quickly rushed to the breached gate, but it was no use. They were too few. The moment the Goths flooded the streets, they began to massacre anyone unfortunate to be outside on this night.

As far as their orders were given, they were to consider anyone still on the streets to be an enemy combatant. Because of this, a few unfortunate civilians were caught by the Goths and butchered where they stood. As for most of the people, they heard the war cries of the Goths as they flooded the city and hid within their homes. Marcellus took the lead as he stormed with his legions by his side, directly towards the palace. With his spatha in one hand and his scutum in the other, he pressed forward against the loyalist forces, with no fear of death in his heart.

The lines of the palace guard and the rebel legion clashed directly outside the residence of the Emperor. Marcellus plunged his blade into the depths of a loyalist Palatini’s guts, piercing through his mail armor and into his innards before ruthlessly ripping his blade out of the hole and kicking the man to the ground where he was trampled to death by the rebel forces.

While this was occurring, Honorius watched from the Palace Balcony in horror as the city fell around him. Marcellus’ words, as he screamed at the top of his lungs, sent chills down the man’s spine.

“Honorius! You bastard! I’m coming for your head!”

Honorius could only stare in disbelief as his Palace Guard were rapidly cut into pieces where they stood, severed limbs, and penetrated bodies bleed all over the steps of the Roman Palace. It was clear as day to the man who, just hours before, believed he could still achieve victory. Ravenna had fallen…